Newcastle Academy 5 Feb 2013 Jake Bugg
Last night David’s friend Phil and I went to see Jake Bugg, the new much hailed up-and-coming superstar troubadour. Jake is all of 18 years old, and is selling venues out up and down the country. The Academy was jam packed to the walls and had been sold out for weeks in advance. I’d read about Jake and heard some of his stuff. He wears his influences on his sleeve, and his music is very reminiscent of the 60s, Dylan, Donovan, old blues, and country. His songs are all self-penned and its hard to believe that they can come from someone so new to the music business. We arrived just in time for the support act Little Green Cars, who come from the USA and were pretty good, playing a pleasant mix of indie, folk and psych. 
The crowd gave them a warm reception, but everyone was waiting for the main man. Jake Bugg came on stage shortly after 9pm and the place just went crazy. Lots of singing along. Everyone (except me :))seemed to know all of the words to most of the songs. Phil has Jake’s album, and told me that most of the set was drawn from that, with a few new songs. He finished with Lightning Bolt, which resulted in a mass crazy singalong by the Newcastle crowd. The encore was Broken followed by a super cover of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues. Then we all rolled out into the cold night. Phil and I both agreed that it was a great gig. This guy is amazing and has a great future ahead of him. Watch his progress; it will be rapid. Thanks to Phil for the photo; his phone camera skills are much better than mine.
Posts Tagged ‘R&B’
6 Feb
Jake Bugg Newcastle Academy 5 Feb 2013
3 Feb
Family London Shepherd’s Bush Empire 2 Feb 2013
Good to see Family again after 40 years
I had been looking forward to this gig for months. It is 40 years since Family last performed together and since I last saw them on their farewell tour at Newcastle City Hall in 1973. Marie decided a few days ago that she would like to come along with me, and I managed to buy a ticket for her, so we were all set for a nostalgic weekend. The last time she saw Family was probably 1969 or 1970 at Sunderland Locarno. We travelled down to London by train on Saturday morning, met up with David for a meal, and then took the tube across to Shepherd’s Bush. We had a couple of drinks in the pub next door, and went into the Empire at 8.45pm. Family were on stage prompt at the advertised time of 9.15pm. We had standing tickets down in the stalls and by the time we got into the venue the place was absolutely packed to the walls. I bought a programme and we found a spot on a little raised area at the back of the hall, where we had a good view of the stage.
The line-up for the two reunion concerts featured Roger Chapman on vocals, Poli Palmer on vibraphone, Jim Cregan on guitar and Rob Townsend of drums. The members of Family changed quite a but during their career and last night’s grouping represented a pretty good selection of past members. The one big miss was of course Charlie Whitney. I assumed that this was because of some long term fall out between old friends Chapman and Whitney, but the programme says otherwise. Apparently Whitney was the first person that Roger Chapman approached when the idea of a reunion came up, but Charlie now lives in Greece, hasn’t been involved in music for some time, and just didn’t feel as if he could do it. Shame. 
Never the less the show did go on, and the band was augmented by a number of other musicians to ensure the strange textures of the old classic songs were recreated on stage. There were 9 musicians in total on stage at Shepherd’s Bush Empire last night. As well as the four members of Family there was Geoff Whitehorn on guitar, Nick Payne on sax, flute and mouth harp, Gary Twigg on bass, Paul Hirsch on keyboards and John Lingwood on drums. The programme refers to the additional musicians as the “in laws” and they are all members of Roger’s band. The band were introduced onto the stage by long time friend and local Leicester football hero, Frank Worthington. The set was drawn from across their 8 album catalogue with all the classics and a few lesser know (at least to me) tracks. Family music was always a strange mix and difficult to categorise, blending folk, rock, psych, and blues with a deep sense of dynamics, shifting effortlessly from the soft and melodic to loud, rocky and swirling progrock or R&B. The opening song was Top of the Hill, followed by Drowned in Wine. My favourite No Mules Fool came half way through the set. As we got to the end the classics were rolled out to the delight of the largely male, balding late 50s and 60 something crowd. The last couple of songs were the rocky Burlesque, and In My Own Time. For the encore they played an exquisite version of The Weavers Answer, and then we all sang along to My Friend The Sun. Roger was as engaging as ever, a mix of the wild rock singer, the cheeky arrogant front man, and still getting lost in some weird crazy dancing at times. 
His voice was strong, but has lost a little of its power and the warbling vibrato is perhaps not quite as evident. But hey the guy is 70 and he gave it his all and put in an amazing performance. His crack with the crowd was as cheeky and friendly as ever, like he was with a group of old friends, which of course he was. Time and age haven’t dimmed his humour or his ability to eff and blind with the best of the them. He also made a few quips about effing Whitney sunning himself in Greece, clearly missing his old friend. At the end Roger thanked us and assured us that this was to be the last effing time we would see Family. We all rolled out into the cold night, warm in the knowledge that we had just spent a night with some old friends, and a good night it was too. Marie enjoyed it and recognised the well known songs. Next reunion gig for me is the Status Quo Frantic Four gigs next month. There are some good things about getting old and revisiting your past.
Setlist: Top of the Hill; Drowned in Wine; Holding the Compass; Part of the Load; Ready to Go; Crinkly Grin; Burning Bridges; No Mule’s Fool; Sat’dy Barfly; Between Blue and Me; Hung Up Down; Burlesque; In My Own Time. Encore 1: Weaver’s Answer. Encore 2: My Friend the Sun; Sweet Desiree.
28 Jan
Girlschool Newcastle City Hall 1981 & 1982
Girlschool Newcastle City Hall 1981 & 1982
I saw Girlschool at Newcastlte City Hall again in 1981 and 1982. 1982 was a busy year for the band. The band teamed up with Motorhead on the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” EP. The EP contained a cover of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates’ song “Please Don’t Touch” and two tracks where the bands covered each other, with Motörhead performing Girlschool’s “Emergency”, and Girlschool playing Motörhead’s “Bomber”. The two bands performed together on Top of the Pop as “Headgirl” playing “Please Don’t Touch”. I can remember the performance to this day; it was great pun, and so powerful. If you haven’t seen it go to Youtube, I’ve just played it and it still blows away the cobwebs today. The record reached No.5 in the UK Single Chart during February 1981; the biggest hit for both bands at the time. 
It was with this performance in my mind that I went along to see Girslschool at the City Hall in April 1981. A setlist from a BBC in Concert show of that year shows the band as playing the following songs: Demolition Boys; Tush (great cover of the ZZ Top song); Midnight Ride; Breakdown; Take it all the Way; The Hunter (not the Free song; pretty punky and a live favourite at the time); Nothing to Lose; Race with the Devil (yes the Gun song; an excellent cover); Emergency. Girlschool live were great, and very much of that time, a blend of punk, NWOBHM, and girl power attitude. The Newcastle metal hords loved them and always gave them a great reception. A girlschool gig consisted of lots of guy in denim jackets covered in the customary questions shaking their heads off and going crazy. 
The album Hit and Run was released in 1981, along with the title track being released as a single. Both were big successes with the album reaching No.5 and the single No.33 in the charts. I think support for the 1981 gig was AIIZ. The band also headlined at Reading in 1981. This was the first year I missed Reading for almost 10 years of attending the festival. I went along to the Newcastle Rock on the Tyne festival. I’ve never been to the Reading festival again, which I regret. Girlschool’s third album Screaming Blue Murder was released in 1982. It didn’t do so well as its predescor, and the line-up of the band started to change at this point. The 1982 Newcastle gig was, I think, the last time I saw the band. Time to put that right.
27 Jan
Girlschool Newcastle City Hall 1980
Girlschool Newcastle City Hall 1980
Girlschool came together in 1978, evolving out of a band called painted lady, and drawing from punk, classic rock, and NWOBHM. Girlschool’s original line-up was Kim McAuliffe, Enid Williams, Kelly Johnson, and Denise Dufort, and they released their first single Take it all away in late 1978. Lemmy of Motorhead took an interest in the band and in 1979 I saw them as support act on the Overkill tour. A year later they were headlining their own tour and I went to see them at Newcastle City Hall. Girlschool live were a raw hard rock band with the energy of punk and some of the speed and volume of Motorhead. 
I saw them quite a few times in the late 70s and early 80s; supporting Motorhead, and possibly Uriah Heep, then headlining at the Mayfair and three gigs at the City Hall. Girlschool released their debut album, Demolition, in 1980. The album also produced the singles Emergency, Nothing to Lose and a great version of the Gun song Race with the Devil. I think support act for this gig might have been Angel Witch, who were a great NWOBHM band fronted by a guy with long blonde hair who looked a little like Francis Rossi. They had a great song Angel Witch, and are still gigging today, as are Girlshool. The current Girlschool line-up features Kim, Enid and Denise from the original band. Kelly sadly died from cancer a few years ago. Another band who I should make the effort to see again!
26 Jan
Peter Green Splinter Group Redcar Bowl 1996
Peter Green Splinter group
When I was getting into music in the 60s I listened to a lot of white blues. Cream, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall and Ten Years After were never off my record player back then. My guitar heroes were Clapton, Alvin Lee, Frank Zappa and Peter Green. I would listen to Greeny and The Supernatural again and again, trying to learn how to play them on a cheap Zenta guitar. There was a feel and a tone about Peter Green’s playing which gave it an atmospheric quality unlike any of the other guitar greats of the day. And those early Mac singles: Albatross, Man of the World, Green Manalishi, Need your Love so bad; Black Magic Woman all classics. By the time I got to see Fleetwood Mac in the early 70s Peter Green had sadly gone on his well publicised journey into the wilderness of his own mind. The world had lost a guitar genius, and I truly thought we would never see him reemerge from his darkness. But, in the late 90s Peter did return to gigging as a member of the Splinter Group, coaxed out of seclusion by long time collaborator and fellow lead guitarist Nigel Watson, and with Cozy Powell on drums. I first saw the Splinter Group with my mate Will at a packed gig at Redcar Coatham Bowl. This was the first time that we had been to the Coatham Bowl to see a band for many years, and it was great that we were going go see a hero of ours. Peter and the Splinter group played a set which drew from blues classics and from his old Fleetwood Mac days. I am afraid my memory fails me as to the exact set, but I think they played Need your Love so bad, Oh Well, Albatross and Black Magic Woman. It was just great to see Peter and hear him play in such a small venue. I was quite apprehensive about the gig, and didn’t really know what to expect. Peter seemed to be in good spirits, and although at times it was clear that he was less than comfortable as a front man, glimpses of the old Peter Green came through from time to time, and his guitar playing was fine and at times as fluid and beautiful as ever. Nigel Watson was by his side, watching over him and at times stepping in to sing or take the lead guitar parts. A great gig. We saw Peter Green play again a few years later on a bill headed by John Mayall at Sunderland Empire. I also had a ticket to see him play at the Colne Blues Festival a couple of years ago, but sadly he pulled out as he was again unwell. I hope that Peter is doing OK and perhaps there will be a chance to see him again in the future.
23 Jan
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 30th October 1982
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 30th October 1982
Gillan were to visit Newcastle City Hall for the last time on 30th October 1982. I’d seen the band earlier in the year at the Donington Monsters of Rock bonanza, where they took the second spot on a strong rock bill headlined by Status Quo. Gillan’s set at Donington was: What’s The Matter; Bluesy Blue Sea; Black Night; No Laughing In Heaven; Trouble; Born To Kill; M.A.D. (Mutually Assured Destruction); Living For The City; Vengeance; Bite The Bullet; No Easy Way; New Orleans; Smoke On The Water. The 1982 Gillan tour was to promote the Magic album, which was to be the band’s last. Support came from upcoming NWOBHM band Spider, who were much more boogie than heavy metal, and were often compared to Status Quo. Gillan split shortly after this tour, when Ian Gillan took the suprising step of joining Black Sabbath as vocalist. 
Looking back on these concert experiences over the last few days has made me realise just how much fun I had at Gillan gigs. In fact I have probably seen them just as many times as I have seen Deep Purple, albeit within a much more concentrated period of 5 years. Gillan were, for a few short years in the late 70s and early 80s, a really credible and great rock band, who managed to blend the traditions of classic rock ala Purple, with the spirit of NWOBHM, and a sprinkling of new wave in the form of Bernie Torme. They never took themselves too seriously, and were a collection of five strong musicians and individuals. Reflecting on a band for a few days, and in Gillan’s case it has been a week, usually leaves me with some unfinished business to follow up. This often involves promising myself I will try to see the band again, which for Gillan is not possible (although I do look forward to the next time Purple play in the UK). In Gillan’s case I realise that I only have one of their albums, Future Shock, so I have promised myself that I will look for a copy of Glory Road (I am watching a copy on ebay which is currently at 99p 🙂 ). Anyway, I have enjoyed writing about Gillan, and refecting on the fine nights of rock I enjoyed with them. Time to move on to another band tomorrow.
22 Jan
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 13th Nov 1981
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 13th Nov 1981
Support: Budgie and Nightwing
Gillan were back at Newcastle City Hall in November 1981, this time with local guitar hero Janick Gers who had joined the band as replacement for Bernie Torme. Looking back, Bernie’s departure probably was a sign that all was not well in the band, and it was perhaps inevitable that they were soon to split up. The new line up released the album Double Trouble shortly after Janick joined. Double Trouble was, as its name suggests, a double album, with one disc recorded in the studio, and the other recorded live. Janick Gers hailed form the North East, and was well know to the Newcastle rock crowd as the guitarist in local band White Spirit who had gigged consistently throughout the region in the late 70s and early 80s. 
Janick was a more than adequate replacement for Bernie. What was lost in terms of punk rock swagger and guitar heroics, was more than compensated for by Gers’ technical guitar wizardry and his more traditional rock star stance. The local crowd gave him a great reception that night, and the concert was as good as ever. Gers was, of course, to go on to much greater success with Iron Maiden. Support acts for this tour were rock stawlwarts Budgie, and Nightwing. Budgie has just released their ninth album Nighflight, and their line-up at the time was original member Burke Shelley – vocals, bass guitar; John Thomas – guitar; and Steve Williams – drums. Budgie retained their own strong following in Newcastle, had headlined the City Hall and the Mayfair themselves in previous years, and were quite a “big” name support act. I was to see Gillan once more at the City Hall in the following year, before the band split. I’ll blog on that gig tomorrow, which will be my final Gillan post.
21 Jan
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 8th March 1981
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 8th March 1981
Support Dedringer
Gillan were back in Newcastle to play at the City Hall in the Spring of 1981. They were now touring twice a year, and to be honest they were perhaps playing just a little too much. Still, I knew a Gillan gig would always be good fun, so I continued to support them and went along to every show they played in Newcastle. This time they were touring in support Future Shock, which was their third and most successful album, reaching number 2 in the UK album chart. Future Shock contained their cover version of the old song New Orleans, which was to become a live favourite, and hit the charts around the time of this tour. Gillan had already hit the charts with a rather tongue in cheek cover of Elvis’ Trouble, and New Orleans followed the same formula. In fact Gillan had quite a few chart hits at this time, resulting in frequent appearances on Top Of The Pops. 
Gillan appearances on Top of the Pops opened up a new more mainstream audience for the band, and were pretty hammed up performances. Support on the Spring 1981 tour came from Dedringer, a heavy rock band from Leeds. Although they never had any great success, Dedringer toured the UK quite a lot, supporting Gillan, Triumph and the Michael Schenker Group. This was the last time that I saw Gillan with Bernie Torme in the ranks. Torme walked out of the band after a German tour, just as the band were due to return home and play on Top of the Pops. He was replaced by White Spirit guitarist Janick Gers. The band hardly stopped for breath, and didn’t let the change of guitarist slow them done, with 1981 proving to be their most prolific yet in terms of recording output and touring.
20 Jan
Gillan Newcastle Mayfair Wed 1 Oct 1980
Gillan Newcastle Mayfair Wed 1 Oct 1980
Support: White Spirit and Quartz
By late 1980 Gillan were pretty hot stuff live and a very popular rock act, having work hard over the last year with constant touring; a couple of great performances at Reading in 1979 and 1980, and the release of the Glory Road album. Glory Road came as a limited edition double LP, containing the free LP For Gillan Fans Only, and got to No 3 in the UK charts. This tour saw Gillan returning to the Mayfair ballroom. They were now at the peak of their success, to the extent that they played two nights at the venue. I went the first night; the place was packed to the walls and Gillan were just amazing. Of all the times I saw them this is the one that sticks out in mind as a great classic rock performance. The heaving Mayfair rock crowd gave them a great reception. I guess Gillan were one the favourite Mayfair bands at that time, along with AC/DC and possibly Motorhead. 
Support came from local NWOBHM act White Spirit, who featured ace guitarist Janick Gers, and had their own strong local following. They were also growing a national following, and like Gillan, they also played at the Reading Festival that year. Janick was, of course, to go on to join Gillan and ultimately Iron Maiden, who he remains with to this day. The bill was completed by Quartz who had supported Sabbath and gigged a lot during the 70s, playing Reading in 1976, 1977 and 1980. Setlist: What’s the Matter; Bluesy Blue Sea; Black Night; (always my Purple favourite, and still gives me goose bumps when I hear it); Trouble; Born to Kill; M.A.D. (Mutually Assured Destruction); Hadely Bop Bop; No Laughing in Heaven; Dead of Night; Bite the Bullet; Smoke on the Water; New Orleans; Helter Skelter (Yes; the Beatles song!)
19 Jan
Gillan Newcastle City Hall 6th March 1980
Gillan Newcastle City Hall March 1980
Support The Broughtons
By 1980 Gillan had graduated to playing at the City Hall for their next visit to Newcastle. Gillan had, of course, played this great venue on a number of occasions with Deep Purple. This was a short nine date UK tour which ended at London’s prestigious Rainbow Theatre. The pictures on the front and back cover of the programme were taken at the previous year’s Reading Festival , where I had seen Gillan go down a storm. I found a setlist for the Manchester gig, which lists the songs played as: Second Sight; Unchain Your Brain; Are You Sure; Mr. Universe; If You Believe Me; Trouble; No Easy Way; Nervous; Vengeance; Sleeping on the Job; and Smoke on the Water. 
Support on this occasion was the Broughtons, which was the latest incarnation of the Edgar Broughton Band. I have been a big Edgar Broughton band since I first saw them in 1971, and remain a fan to this day. I went along to this Gillan gig with my mate Dave not knowing who the support act was going to be, and was really pleased when I saw the Broughtons listed in the programme. So we gave the bar a miss, and watched Edgar (Rob), Steve and Arthur Grant deliver their set. This was at the time of the Parlez-Vous English? album, and the band was augmented by an additional guitarist and keyboards. The Broughtons played all knew material, which was disappointing, but it was still great to see Edgar and the guys on stage again. Gillan were soon to record the Glory Road lp, which was one of their best and most successful albums, and returned to Newcastle later in the year to promote it.
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