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Post by ChrisB on Oct 23, 2015 22:40:01 GMT
Just back from an evening with Chris Smither. What a great musician and songwriter he is. I went to see him a couple of years ago and couldn't miss him this time around. Somewhere in the place between folk and blues, he is an excellent acoustic guitar player and for 50 years, has been singing sometimes humorous and always intelligent songs with one of those half asleep voices. Bonnie Raitt calls him "My Eric Clapton" and she, Emmylou Harris and Diana Krall have all recorded his songs. Recommended if you get the chance.
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Post by ChrisB on Oct 24, 2015 22:36:01 GMT
After Chris Smither last night, we were back at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal again tonight to see Focus. An excellent gig.
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Post by MartinT on Oct 25, 2015 6:42:13 GMT
Now I'm jealous, I would love to see Focus. Are they still the same band?
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Post by ChrisB on Oct 25, 2015 7:25:13 GMT
Sadly there was no guitar playing by Jan Akkerman, but Thijs van Leer remains at the front on vocals, flute and keyboards and the drummer is the superb Pierre van der Linden, who was there from the 'Moving Waves' era. The bassist & guitarist are young(ish) blood but considering the size of the boots he had to fill, Menno Gootjes did a magnificent job on guitar. They played a couple of tracks from their new album (Focus X (ten)) which I really enjoyedbut apart from that, it was the classics all the way. Everyone left the venue with a big silly grin on their face!
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Post by MartinT on Oct 25, 2015 8:01:34 GMT
Thijs van Leer remains at the front on vocals Great, it really wouldn't be them without him.
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Post by ChrisB on Jan 31, 2016 13:01:51 GMT
Two gigs this last week.
The Lone Bellow on Monday at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. One of the best gigs that I have ever attended. You rarely see a band put as much of themselves into a performance.
Friday was Steven Wilson at the Apollo in Manchester. Very impressive and musically superb. I found the stuff on the screen detracted from the performance a bit though, rather than adding to it. I guess I don't own a multi-media brain!
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Post by davidf on Jan 31, 2016 13:39:27 GMT
Massive Attack at the O2 Academy in Birmingham.
Apart from the usual overcrowding, which seems to be becoming the norm at smaller gigs (extremely annoying when you can't move to even clap), the gig was fantastic. Teardrop and Inertia Creeps sounded great, but Angel easily stole the show, thanks to some extremely meaty and loud drumming, which is a little subdued on the album. Can't get the track out of my head - really need a decent Bluray release to relive it!
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Post by ChrisB on Apr 30, 2016 8:52:02 GMT
Last night: The Icicle Works at The Platform, Morecambe.
I've seen Ian McNabb a couple of times in a solo acoustic setting, but this was the context I prefer him in - with a rock band. The Platform is a great little venue, a restored Edwardian railway station on the prom. A great night out.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2016 23:17:16 GMT
Wifey and I saw Simply Red at Newbury Racecourse last weekend which was great (apart from the moronic drunk iindividuals. Mick Hucknall has lost none of his flare
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Post by ChrisB on Jul 21, 2016 23:38:58 GMT
Mick Hucknall has lost none of his flare :) So......... ......has someone finally set light to him then?!?! Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm sure he's a very nice man.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2016 23:46:13 GMT
Funny!
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Post by MartinT on Jul 22, 2016 5:29:05 GMT
I don't like him or what Simply Red became, but their first album Picture Book was a masterfully mature release which still holds its own now.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2016 9:51:38 GMT
Yes Picture Book was a great album as was Stars although much more commercial.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2016 9:55:31 GMT
How did I forget, we also went and saw Elton John at Blenheim Palace in June... It rained the entire time which wasn't ideal considering it was an open-air venue but he was superb. He did a 10 minute solo which was stunning and played with the band more or less non-stop for over 2 hours.
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 11, 2016 10:29:36 GMT
We went to a gig this week. It was quite an event! Here's how it happened: Some time ago, we bought some tickets to see Teenage Fanclub in Manchester - great. A few days after that, I spotted the news that Wilco would be touring this winter - great! Oh dear - the Manchester Wilco gig is on the same date as the Fannies. So we take another look at the dates to see if they are playing in Leeds or somewhere else reasonably close. Then Mischa, my wonderful wife says to me, "Oh look, they're playing in Berlin on your birthday - d'you fancy that?"Errrrrr.....not 'alf mate!!!So, we're just back from a 6 day trip to Berlin. The venue was the Tempodrom, a 3,800 seat venue near the centre of town: The gig was superb in every way.
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Post by MartinT on Nov 11, 2016 10:39:05 GMT
Nice one!
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Post by Tim on Nov 11, 2016 12:22:44 GMT
Now that's the way to do it old bean
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 11, 2016 12:29:15 GMT
Ha, I thought you might like that!
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Post by Tim on Nov 11, 2016 13:16:52 GMT
I'm still gig starved this year, but I am travelling a lot since I retired
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Post by ChrisB on Nov 11, 2016 14:08:36 GMT
Probably my favourite Wilco song is 'Impossible Germany' and the (obviously German) crowd went absolutely bananas when they played the first few notes. Nice to find a good quality recording of the entire show they played in Belgium a week or so ago. 'IG' begins at 50' 12" - I love the way it builds and I had shivers up and down my spine all the way from the point where the guitar solo starts until the last note.
A brilliant performance.
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