The fabulous Kate Rusby Saw Kate last night in Portsmouth. Not only was the gig fantastic, but she met my little girl Grace (aged 5) back stage before the gig. Kate made her feel very special and ended up dedicating "Underneath the stars" to her as part of the encore. Unfortunately, by that time Grace was snoring on my lap. Does this make me a bad parent? But the memory will live with her forever.
These are all the bands i've seen so far this year, (Vision Thing in there for onvious reasons.) Thu 11th Feb 2010 (20:00) The Aviators Thu 18th Feb 2010 (20:00) Sour Mash & Red Threads Sat 20th Feb 2010 (20:00) Vision Thing Sat 27th Feb 2010 Jesus In India, Vision Thing, Randolfs Party, FME, Whip Hand, Sa Da Ko, New Haze, Arabella & Jackpot Golden Boys Sun 28th Feb 2010 Closing Act, Josephine, Soulsearchers, Fag Ash Lil, Matt Belcher, TJ & Murphy, Red Threads, In By Ones, The BOunty Hunters Thu 4th Mar 2010 (20:00) Nick Harper Thu 11th Mar 2010 (20:00) Jesus In India & The Incidentals Sat 13th Mar 2010 (20:00) The Grace Thu 18th Mar 2010 (20:00) Red Threads & The Aviators Sat 20th Mar 2010 (20:00) Hookah Thu 25th Mar 2010 (20:00) The Silk Pigs & In By Ones & The Manse Sat 27th Mar 2010 (20:00) Danny Mahon Thu 1st Apr 2010 (21:00) Cheap Cuts & The Incidentals Thu 8th Apr 2010 (21:00) The Arkanes, Emergency Blanket Thu 15th Apr 2010 (20:00) Corinne Andrew & The Ultras & Sour Mash Sat 17th Apr 2010 (20:00) The Grace Sat 24th Apr 2010 (21:00) The Frank Flight Band Thu 29th Apr 2010 (21:00) The Incidentals & Mobius Loop Fri 30th Apr 2010 (18:00) Sa -Da- Ko, The Smelly Caps Sat 1st May 2010 Vision Thing, Jackie Bond Band Sun 2nd May 2010 Vision Thing, Sour Mash, Red Threads, Just By Chance. Tue 4th May 2010 (20:00) Vision Thing & Darren Leonard Thu 6th May 2010 (21:00) The New Haze & Just By Chance Sat 8th May 2010 (21:00) Asparagus Now I've probably miss some more too........
Not seen or heard of any of those, Fish...you must have your finger on the pulse. Not really got into gig going this year at all, strangely. A friend of mine was recently canvassing for views for an article on what people hate most about other people at gigs. Guess what seemed to be uppermost for many? Yep, the old talking problem, followed by being shoved about and having beer slopped on you. No wonder am a bit off of them!
Talking is deffo a problem at more acoustic gigs, but the rock gigs, if you can hear talking the PA isnt loud enough !
Recently: Duke Special, Robyn Hitchcock (Fish, you forgot to list that!) Coming up: DOGS Manchester Moho, this Sunday 16th May Peter Hammill, Salford Lowry, Sunday 23rd May A good year for gigs so far. Unfortunately Luka Bloom has cancelled his UK dates due to tendonitis, but his Bury gig would have clashed with DOGS anyhow.
The Great Escape at Brighton. Saw lots I cannot remember yesterday, but Delphic absolutely awesome. As was the Reverend Soundsystem. Sadly missed Stornoway, who were on at same time as Delphic in another venue, but they are in London this week, so will see then. Oh, and today I went to Wembley. GREAT gig! Am happy bunny.
Saw Chuck Prophet last night at the amazing venue that is Tingewick Village Hall ( near Buckingham ) ... and thougt that it would be a great venue for Nick ... if he could find it ( don't trust your sat nav and their postcode !!! )
Saw a band tonight who near moved me to tears and have captured my heart. And I don't think that was due to feeling like death warmed up with a streaming cold, or for that matter their vocalist still suffering throat problems. Stornoway. No, not Scots but from posh Oxford. And they are just something. If you're around at Glasto or B Days they are doing both, as well as loads of other festies. Do not miss! And if in London, they are doing instores next Mon + Tue at HMV Oxford St and Rough Trade. Oh, and the new album Beachcomber's Windowsill is pretty darn lush. Check out Zorbing. http://www.myspace.com/stornoway
saw them on jools holland last year, wasnt impressed but saw potential, sounds like they are getting it sorted big time.
they sound ok on myspace, I will give them a listen if I can at Beautiful Days. My last gig was wednesday Drunk in Public at Tan Hill, an amazing experience all round from the drive up, the weather(hardly any wind), the pub(like fawlty towers with a northern twist), the people, the sheep, chickens and ducks wandering around(inside and out)the support Dan Donnely and a brilliant gig from DIP. All in Ive had a great week after Bearded Theory at the weekend I have a permanent smile today even looking at the pile of washing ive been putting off
You may need to snaffle some Throaties from Nick, Jane, for their vocalist, Brian. He has been having major probs. Last night's set was cut to under an hour because of (glad bigchris wasn't there as I know he would not have approved of that!)
Stornoway have apparently hit #1 on the iTunes chart. 'mazing. Hope they can do same on the big chart...!
Villagers at Bush Hall tonight. Cannot put into words right now how good they are. The place was packed with journos, all of whom seemed to be equally smitten. Sean at Drowned In Sound giving it 9/10 and he has just told me he never gives anyone more than 6 ever! Amazingly talented Conor O'Brien just kept right on wringing everyone's heartstrings to the end. Go check the lyric to The Meaning Of The Ritual if you don't believe me - better still listen to the whole of Becoming A Jackal!
I was at the RAH last night seeing Mark Knopfler ... I was sitting up just behind the mixing desk ... and the folk on the front row must have been really cheesed of with the free-loading photographers who were running left and right trying to get that perfect shot. They are lucky that I wasn't on the front row ... because I would have definitely said ( at least ) something to them !!
It was a good night .. obviously not as good as Dire Straits in the 80's ... but he's still a brilliant guitarist ... though the gig did remind me of seeing Clapton at the RAH many years ago ... when I was in a box and the people sharing the box couldn't give a hoot about his music ... until he played Layla and then all was forgiven !! At the Knopfler gig a lot of people sat around me, just didn't like his new stuff ... and probably didn't give it a chance ... which is a big shame !! His new stuff is much more folkie ... and not surprising since two of his band members were John McCusker and Mike McGoldrick ( someone I'd wanted to see in years ! ) ... overall I thought it was an excellent night ... and of course when he did play some Dire Straits stuff ... that was amazing !!
