| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6415 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'm going to see the Big Star's Third show next week. First gig of the year. http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2014/Mu sic/Big-Stars-Third/ | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 346 Registered: 05-2005 |
Got my tickets for Suzanne Vega in Koln and Notwist in Bxl. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 347 Registered: 05-2005 |
I have added Stephen Malkmus and Broken Bells to my program. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6431 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Big Star show was incredible. It was one of the greatest concerts I've ever seen. More details when I get a chance. | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 532 Registered: 01-2007 |
Drive by truckers in Manchester, then Latitude festival | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6434 Registered: 05-2005 |
Last night's show brought out a joy to Big Star's Third which I never knew was there. I adore the album, but find it hard to listen to as it's so dark. They found the light, without losing the dark. That probably makes no sense, but will if you ever get a chance to see the show. Truly amazing. As well as doing Third, they played songs from the other three albums (including one from In Space), I Am The Cosmos and The Letter. It was all great, but among the many monumental standouts were Edwyn Collins singing The Letter and Chan Marshall doing Nighttime and Femme Fatale. I took no notes, so I can't quite remember who did what, but everyone was terrific. On Downs, Mike Mills bounced a basketball on stage as a percussion instrument. It sounded fantastic. Dave Faulkner from the Hoodoo Gurus played cowbell on In The Street. It was brilliant. What a night. And it wasn't even a sell out. What fools they are who could have gone to this show and chose not to. | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 965 Registered: 10-2006 |
It's certainly an excellent concept. I see they've done a London version, I wonder if they'll ever manage a European one? | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1746 Registered: 08-2006 |
That sounds amazing, Padraig. One of my most favorite-est albums and it sounds like a heavy-hitting cast of performers you had there. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6435 Registered: 05-2005 |
The blurb for the show: An all-star cast gather to perform one of the most iconic albums ever made, Big Star's third album, Sister Lovers. Big Star's imperfect masterpiece is performed with its original string and wind orchestrations by Jody Stephens (Big Star), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Ken Stringfellow (The Posies), Mitch Easter (Let's Active) and Chris Stamey (the dB's). For this orchestrated live performance, the core band is joined by internationals guest vocalists Cat Power, Kurt Vile, Edwyn Collins, Skylar Gudasz and Brett Harris and local legends Tim Rogers (You Am I), Kim Salmon (The Scientists) and Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus) - and backed by a 12-piece local ensemble of strings and brass. Considered a cult classic, Sister Lovers is adored by critics and artists alike, with The Replacements, Belle & Sebastian and The Flaming Lips all citing Big Star as an influence and R.E.M.’s Peter Buck describing the album as “a Rosetta Stone for a whole generation”. Released in 1978, the legendary record was primarily the studio output of founding members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6450 Registered: 05-2005 |
I just watched The National at the Sydney Opera House live streamed on YouTube. It was fantastic. Makes me wish I'd travelled the few kilometres into town to see it in the flesh. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6451 Registered: 05-2005 |
The whole show is here www.youtube.com/user/SOHfestival | ||
| C Gull Member Username: C_gull Post Number: 233 Registered: 05-2005 |
Saw Bill Callahan at the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday. He has sold out two nights there. He certainly seems to be flavour of the month and was well supported by the bearded Hoxton tribe. I was struck with how similar to Robert Forster he is apart from a lack of sense of humour or much stage presence but that he can sell out the RFH. | ||
| Andreas Severins Member Username: Andreas_severins Post Number: 284 Registered: 11-2007 |
Looking forward to this friday. Bill Callahan is playing a wonderful place in cologne (Die Kulturkirche). It is a church where the priest organizes the concerts with his team and introduces the band or the artist on his own. Can't wait! | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 349 Registered: 05-2005 |
Was also in Koln this week for Suzanne Vega (at Gloria). She presented her new record, alone with a ' highly skilled guitarist' (I've read after he played on the last Bowie album). Suzie has one of the purest voice I know so it was no surprise that this little intimate gig was so pleasant. | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 248 Registered: 06-2005 |
C Gull/Andreas, Also caught Bill at Dublin's Olympia Theatre last week, his band were fantastic as was his nicely balanced almost 2 hour set with encores. We caught some of his humour with some faux asides on James's Joyce and the history of the Olympia but it was all about the music... he is one of the Greats in my mind. Andreas - some great acoustics in that cathedral in Colognen if "Have Fun With God" sells well he may come back to play there next time! That dub version of Javelin is excellent. See the would be track listing for the yet unreleased "Butterflies Drowned in Wine - A Bill Callahan/Smog Collection" below: Drover Rock Bottom Riser Javelin Unlanding Baby's Breath Sycamore America! Feather By Feather Too Many Birds River Guard Summer Painter Jim Cain The Wheel Cold Blooded Old Times The Well Ex-Con Padraig, the Big Star show sounded great, lucky man to catch it, hope it tours. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6458 Registered: 05-2005 |
Peter, it was on as part of the Sydney Festival. When I first lived here in 1992 the Sydney Festival was almost exclusively about theatre, and held little interest for a philistine like me. Now it's mostly music, and all the better for it. You should suggest to the Dublin Theatre Festival that they bring over the Big Star show. Seriously. It couldn't hurt asking. There are strong connections between the Dublin and Sydney festivals through Fergus Linehan. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6464 Registered: 05-2005 |
Smudge, tonight in Newtown. I had somehow managed to miss every opportunity to see them in the last 22 years, but I finally saw one of their very rare gigs. God, it was rubbish. Tom Morgan just got drunker and drunker. The bass player took ages to figure out how to plug his bass in, and 45 minutes was all I could bear. The drummer, Alison, is still beautiful though, so there's that. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 871 Registered: 04-2005 |
Grand Corps Malade tomorrow evening in Toulouse. A rare complete family outing ! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6485 Registered: 05-2005 |
Just back from seeing Bruce Springsteen play a fantastic three hour set in a vineyard 2.5 hours north of Sydney. The most expensive concert I've ever been to, but we had great seats. Bruce was five feet away from us on a few occasions. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 350 Registered: 05-2005 |
Françoiz Breut yesterday. Despite few spectators, the concert was fantastic. Next are Notwist, Wild Beasts, Broken Belle and perhaps Paul Weller. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3336 Registered: 03-2005 |
I am totally jealous, Trou. It's too bad there weren't very many in the audience. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 896 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Gentle Good unamplified at a folk night in a tiny room above a wine bar in Bath, gorgeous stuff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6wA3KOYA mk | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 897 Registered: 05-2005 |
actually here's a clip of him playing live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv2DPJNOo 6Q | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 999 Registered: 10-2006 |
The venue for Kozelek in Rome was everything I’d feared, a small, narrow, rectangular, unraked garage sort of thing with a tiny stage and no seating. But there was a bar on one side so I propped myself there and probably would have got through the concert if the place hadn’t filled up so much that the temperature and lack of breathable air became intolerable and after an hour I gave up. Mark seemed a bit grouchy himself: something upset him about side-stage; then someone was taking too many photos; then there weren’t enough women in the audience; then people were talking too much; then nobody laughed at the albino line in “I love my dad” so he sang it again, and still no-one laughed, so he stopped the song there muttering “Ok, noted, this song doesn’t work in Italy.” Now, I grinned the first time I heard the line on Benji, and still enjoyed it ten listens later, but it’s not exactly belly-laugh material, and I don’t know what he was expecting from an Italian public, quite apart from the fact that the vocal microphone seemed to be blurring a lot of the words and really unless you knew the songs pretty well picking up on the lyrics was almost impossible. I didn’t recognise the first song and had no idea what he was on about. He’s played Europe so many times he must realise many folk are not going to understand a great deal of what he sings. But just giving up on the song seemed a bit lame. So my first gig after many years was hardly a big success. Plus a downpour on the walk back to the hotel soaked me through, plus next day, walking to the station, I went over on an ankle and had to limp the rest of the way. My wife says that’s what I get for abandoning her for two days. Oh well. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6577 Registered: 05-2005 |
At least you've got a story to tell Stuart. Sorry the experience was such a disappointment though. | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 255 Registered: 06-2005 |
Your trip has the makings of a Kozelek song right there Stuart! Disappointing when you've been in anticipation of it for a while. The Live Cd that comes with the new album also features the same clumsy "Albino" aside recorded in Copenhagen and it meets with a similar response, he pauses to explain the joke, I thought it odd that he would still release it, he's obviously determined to get his Edgar Winter line out to the masses. | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 1000 Registered: 10-2006 |
Positive aspects included a number of beers with an old friend, a fine pizza, a pretty decent curry (for Italy), a visit to one of Rome's few remaining record shops and, of course, the fact that so many Roman women are just so damn beautiful. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6579 Registered: 05-2005 |
I had good Chinese food in Venice, and went to an Indian restaurant the last time I was on Lygon St (Melbourne's Little Italy). I'm all class like that. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6582 Registered: 05-2005 |
Various Joe Strummer singles. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6611 Registered: 05-2005 |
I saw Coronet Blue last night at The Vanguard in Newtown. Great show. My favourite venue in Sydney. JOHN ROONEY – Vocals (his day job is orthopaedic surgeon) BLONDIE CHAPLIN – Guitar (Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys) MITCH EASTER – Guitar (Big Star Reunion, Lets Active, produced REM, Ben Folds, Pavement) KEN STRINGFELLOW – Keyboards (REM, Big Star Reunion, The Posies) DON DIXON – Bass (Produced REM, The Smithereens, Kim Carnes) ROB LADD – Drums (Don Henley/Eagles, Roger Daltrey, Alanis Morissette). | ||
| Lewisdhead Member Username: Lewisdhead Post Number: 114 Registered: 01-2007 |
Last Tues I saw San Fermin in Cork. Brilliant. Next up is the Kilkenny Roots Festival in May. Will see Mark Mulcahy, Barrance Whitfield and hopefully Lyla Foy. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 889 Registered: 04-2005 |
I'm jealous Lewishead ! Mark Mulcahy is always enjoyable to see...great voice and every show seems unique... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3348 Registered: 03-2005 |
Unable to see the likes of Francoiz Breut, I saw Carla Bruni tonight. Yes, he was there. She put on a good show, with one guitarist and one keyboard and reed player, plus her own guitar from time to time. I was a bit shocked when my companions told me how old she is because from back in the audience she sure doesn't look like it. Or sound like it. I did find her between-songs girlish sex kitten routine a little much and wondered if she was exaggerating it for the American audience. Los Angeles isn't known for its French ex-pat community but there were a lot of French people in the audience. She has built up a good songbook and it was an enjoyable evening. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6638 Registered: 05-2005 |
She's 46 Randy. Gosh, you're picky. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3349 Registered: 03-2005 |
My friends got it wrong then. They had her at 50. If somebody told me she was 35 I would have believed it. Maybe I'm just losing track of what the younger ages look like. A good friend at work is 46. She thinks she's lost all of her appeal and men no longer notice her. She's done absolutely no phony cosmetic stuff to herself, is raising two children 10 years apart in age and working at a stressful job as a litigator. I think she looks great. | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 198 Registered: 08-2005 |
'Filmic' night at St George's Hall, Bristol on Friday - celebrating the music of the Coen Brothers' films, headlined by Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo; Neil Finn at the Colston Hall, Bristol, Saturday. Both very impressive: NF setlist available on setlist dot fm if interested. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 895 Registered: 04-2005 |
All this discussing Carla's age is very interesting, but did Nicolas appear ? Did he jump on stage and do a duo with his chérie d'amour ? I would imagine that her marriage to Sarkozy was not a good career move music-wise. I know people who actually chucked out her CDs... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3350 Registered: 03-2005 |
He was there, Andrew. In the audience. People started mobbing him and the flashes going after she'd finished her encore. There were a LOT of French people in the audience. I knew he was there from before the show started. I couldn't help wondering how he feels about being past-tense while she is up on stage. As for her career, I confess that I didn't buy another of her albums after she linked up with him. It wasn't so much a political response on my part as it was "how serious about her music can she be if she marries a politician?" | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 351 Registered: 05-2005 |
Carla is on tour in France until 2017... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVw12JKRg C4 | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 896 Registered: 04-2005 |
Thanks Trou for that laugh! Although the real prospect of a Sarkozy return in 2017 ain't much to laugh about... | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 898 Registered: 04-2005 |
A Russian string quartet in our village hall. Bit of a shame for them to have come all the way from Volgograd and play to only 30 people, but it was an intense performance. They played pieces by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich and some traditional Armenian and Russian folk tunes. I particularly like the second part of this piece by Rachmaninoff (starts about 6:42). Really gloomy and intense cello part, and it builds wonderfully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsbfUlf8 HO0 This is not the quartet that I saw, but to my untrained ear they seem pretty good! | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 907 Registered: 05-2005 |
Current 93 in a church in Glastonbury on Friday, Tony McPhee from the Groundhogson lead guitar. The Rutles in Southampton last night - excellent with a gorgeous version of All Things Must Pass for an encore with Neil Innes on Ukulele | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 200 Registered: 08-2005 |
The Chills! Touring! The UK! Sorry about the exclams, but I've been waiting years to see them since they last came to Blighty. I was considering going to the Continent but they're now playing Britain and Ireland too in July. I'll be going to the London gig if anybody wants to meet up first for a drink. 23 - Brudenell, Leeds, UK 24 - Tufnell Park Dome, London, UK 26 - Handelsbeurs, Ghent, BE 28 - Lido, Berlin, DE 29 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL 31 - Button Factory, Dublin, IR | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Hugh_nimmo Post Number: 725 Registered: 03-2007 |
They have added the Electric Circus, Edinburgh, on 1 August, 2014, to their itinerary. There is also a rumour circulating that they may play a gig in Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 910 Registered: 05-2005 |
Got my tickets for London | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6708 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thanks for letting us know Simon. I've let friends in Dublin know and they've bought tickets. No Australian shows announced yet. I saw them in Sydney in 2010 and 1992. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6709 Registered: 05-2005 |
Edinburgh is practically a hometown gig for them seeing as Dunedin is called after the Gaelic version of Edinburgh - Důn Čideann. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 927 Registered: 05-2005 |
At the Chills in London | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3396 Registered: 03-2005 |
Wow. I'll be in London August 1 & 2. And I'll be in Edinburgh on August 3. And then fly away the next morning. So close . . . . Sigh. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 928 Registered: 05-2005 |
Chills were excellent last night in London. Have a super cool girl in the band who plays electric violin, rhythm guitar, keyboards and some BVs. New songs sounded really good. Silver Bullets sounded great and generally the whole gig was a joy. Spotted Stewart Lee at the bar, looked like he was enjoying himself | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6822 Registered: 05-2005 |
Stewart Lee is a long time Flying Nun fan. I remember him writing one time, in maybe 1997, about a cool record shop in Edinburgh which sold Flying Nun stuff on import. I was in Edinburgh the following year and was in a very cool record shop on the road to Leith, but I don't think it was the one he was talking about. I bet neither shop exists anymore though, sadly. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 915 Registered: 04-2005 |
Pádraig I once saw Martin Phillips staring into the window of Vinyl Villains (top of Leith Walk). The Chills had played the Venue, behind Waverly Station, the night before. It was a great record shop for bargains because all Edinburgh's music journalists unloaded their freebies there ! I haven't been back to Auld Reekie for a few years so no idea what still exists, but it looks as if Vinyl Villains is still there...http://www.vinylvillainsrecords.co.uk/pr oducts.php Sadly it seems Avalanche has closed its doors, although it has a weekly presence on a market in the Grassmarket. It used to be the record shop where half of Edinburgh's musicians worked... | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 213 Registered: 08-2005 |
They were good, weren't they - very impressed with the violinist/rhythm guitar, and thought Martin seemed in fine spirits and looked healthy. Lovely to hear some of the Chills classics with those 80s keyboard sounds. In spite of the cost (over Ł100 including train fares/taxis) and getting home at 3.30 am (a drunk woman fell out my train which held it up for an hour! - She was okay) I was really pleased that I went. Sorry I missed Stewart Lee. I collared him at the Robert Forster concert on the South Bank a few years ago. I'd reviewed a novel of his for a science fiction magazine, and it was one of the few positive reviews it got - so he'd sent a copy to his parents, which I thought was very touching. If they play later in the year I'll go again - fancy meeting for a drink beforehand? I've met Pádraig in Sydney, and it's nice to put faces to the names. I think it was the fourth time I've seen them: Glastonbury (86 or 87), Moles Club (Bath, my home city) and Town and Country 2 London, both in 1996, I think. He lost his rag at the London gig and smashed his lovely blue guitar; the problem was the lead. New guitar, same crackling... | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Hugh_nimmo Post Number: 750 Registered: 03-2007 |
Link to a site listing various Edinburgh Record Shops of the sixties, seventies and eighties. http://www.edinburghgigarchive.com/page2 8.htm | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 1048 Registered: 10-2006 |
Bloody hell, that brought a tear to the eye, Hugh... | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Hugh_nimmo Post Number: 752 Registered: 03-2007 |
Stuart, I shopped mainly in Glasgow in those days but did visit Edinburgh from time to time and have fond memories of some of the Record Shops in the list. No mention made of Hot Wax which is surprising. Here is another link for you. http://www.britishrecordshoparchive.org/ scotland.html If you scroll down to GI Records and follow the link you will find a nice photograph of Gordon Inglis who owned and operated the shop. In it with him is Brian Hogg who owned the Bam Caruso Records Label and published the Strange Things Are Happening Fanzine. I subscribed to Strange Things back then. | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Hugh_nimmo Post Number: 754 Registered: 03-2007 |
Randy, The Chills are performing at the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, on Saturday 2 August, 2014 ( 2100 hour start ) as part of the Festival 2014 Club. http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/event s/festival-2014-club-featuring-the-chill s/ | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6829 Registered: 05-2005 |
Andrew, that's them! Great to hear that Vinyl Villains still exists. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6830 Registered: 05-2005 |
I've bought tickets for Damon Albarn at the Opera House in December. I hope he plays some Blur songs, though I've loved almost everything he's done post-Blur anyway. | ||
| Burgers Member Username: Burgers Post Number: 52 Registered: 05-2005 |
Vinyl Villians is still going fairly strong on Elm Row. I live about 1 1/2 miles from it. | ||
| Hugh Nimmo Member Username: Hugh_nimmo Post Number: 755 Registered: 03-2007 |
I cannot remember the name of the shop in Leith Walk, Edinburgh ( not Vinyl Villains ) but it sells second hand vinyl and cds. I visited it a few years ago and while I was there I spoke to the owner during which time we discussed my vinyl / cd collection. He pulled my wife over as we were about to leave and whispered to her that she should phone him when I departed this earth. :-) | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6832 Registered: 05-2005 |
That's very funny Hugh! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3397 Registered: 03-2005 |
Very sorry to hear about Avalanche. I won't be in Edinburgh for even 24 hours but until seeing Andrew's post I thought I might have time to pay a visit in the afternoon before my dinner reservation. | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 214 Registered: 08-2005 |
Chills setlist courtesy of setlist dot fm Night of Chill Blue House With a Hundred Rooms I Think I'd Thought I'd Nothing Else to Think About Part Past Part Fiction Aurora Corona The Male Monster From the Id Silver Bullets Molten Gold Wet Blanket Warm Waveform Pink Frost Underwater Wasteland Rain I Can't Help You Dan Destiny and the Silver Dawn I Love My Leather Jacket Heavenly Pop Hit | ||
| billy Member Username: Bongo_billy Post Number: 18 Registered: 06-2008 |
Thanks for that set list, I enjoyed the Chills on Thursday very much - it's been a LONG time since I was at the Boston Arms, still a great venue. At the risk of sounding too trainspotterish, the 1996 gig was at the Garage, Highbury Corner, and the flying guitar was a Charvel Surfcaster | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 215 Registered: 08-2005 |
Billy, not at all. I wasn't sure of the London venue (my home town venue was easier to remember!). And I just 'knew' when he threw a wobbly that it might be the lead... Never been to the Boston Arms. One of the things that pleased me was that the beer wasn't too expensive. I'm easily pleased! | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 524 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Chills last Thursday night, and Johnny Marr last night. Two amazing gigs in the space of a week. I don't have setlists for either gig, but The Chills seems to have been pretty much the same as posted by Simon above. The new material fitted in well with the old classics, and I'm very much looking forward to the new album. Apparently, when the tour is over, he's planning to stay on in London to finish mixing. Might be worth keeping an eye out for solo gigs in the area over the next few months! Johnny Marr last night was terrific. Took until about the third song to get the sound right, but it was great from then to the end. The gig itself was part of a series being run at one of the racetracks here in Ireland, with several other acts having featured over the summer. As a result, the audience was a bit of a mixed bunch. I can safely say I've never seen so many fascinators at a gig! The set was a good mix of the current album, some songs from the one to come, and a heavy dose of The Smiths. I'd been given forewarning that they'd feature heavily, as my friend had seen him last year. He didn't spoil the surprises for me as to what to expect, though mostly just to see my reactions. I obviously didn't disappoint, as all he could do was laugh when I yelled a very loud "Oh F..(expletive deleted)..K!!! on hearing the first chord of How Soon Is Now... I'd never been so lucky to have seen The Smiths live, but I'm happy enough to have now seen 50%!!! | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 358 Registered: 05-2005 |
Well sold Catherine. Johnny Marr comes two days before Spoon in Cologne (Koln). If there is some tickets left, I'll add this to my program. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 2544 Registered: 01-2005 |
Hey, I'm still alive. It's been awhile since I posted though. Last month in Ferndale, MI USA; Laura Cantrell and Camera Obscura Earlier this week in Detroit with Austin McLean and Cindy Gomez: The Clean | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6890 Registered: 05-2005 |
Welcome back Michael! | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 2546 Registered: 01-2005 |
Thanks Pádraig! Next show that I'm going to for sure is Slowdive on 10/29/14 @ The Majestic in Detroit. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6904 Registered: 05-2005 |
I didn't know they were back together. I much preferred their spin-off band Mojave 3. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1756 Registered: 08-2006 |
Yesterday, I hit up Riot Fest in Chicago for a perfect afternoon lineup: Buzzcocks/Television/Afghan Whigs/Paul Weller. All back to back, all done by 6;15 pm. I was so sated I opted to miss the Flaming Lips and The National, who followed. I went by myself, which was kinda nice. Just an afternoon of personal musical bliss and beer. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3408 Registered: 03-2005 |
That sounds like a hell of a festival Rob. It reminds me that I need to study the schedules for these festivals when they happen out here. I wish I could deal with the sun nowadays. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6939 Registered: 05-2005 |
Wow, what a lineup. It must have been truly superb if you were OK with missing The National afterwards (I don't blame you for missing the hugely overrated Flaming Lips). | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1757 Registered: 08-2006 |
I've seen the National a few times, Padraig. That, combined with the fact they weren't playing for a couple hours after Weller and I'd been standing in three inches of mud for five hours made the decision pretty simple : ) | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3409 Registered: 03-2005 |
I must confess I'd give the National an easy skip--I saw them once and found them gimmicky and derivative--but I'd be interested in checking out the Flaming Lips. Three inches of mud. Was it raining Rob? Jeez that sounds good. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1758 Registered: 08-2006 |
It rained Friday, Randy, hard enough to turn pretty much the whole park into a mess. Saturday was lovely, but the damage was done. I can't imagine what the organizers are going to have to pay the city to restore the park to something resembling, well, a park. | ||
| Austin Member Username: Bruegelpie Post Number: 125 Registered: 09-2004 |
Rob, How funny to read that you were at Riot Fest this last weekend. I went to see all of those bands there, and could have been standing next to you at some point (very muddy!). I ended up taking the train to Chicago at the last minute as a friend gave me a ticket for someone that couldn't go. Sunday had a great line up too, with Kurt Vile, The Hold Steady, Motion City Soundtrack, etc. Hey, since you are in Chicago, I want to make sure that you know that great Aussie band Dick Diver is coming to the US for the first time, and playing in Chicago on October 2. For the benefit of others in the US who might like to Check out Dick Diver, their full schedule is below: Friday 19th September – LOS ANGELES– at Jewels Catch One w/ Bouquet, Gap Dream and Tortured Genies Saturday 20th September SAN FRAN at Makeout Room w/ Greg Ashley Sunday 21st September OAKLAND w/ Michael O + Odd Hope https://www.facebook.com/events/14513282 15132203/ Monday 22nd September DAVIS at Third Space With Michael O and G Green https://www.facebook.com/events/15169209 61858527/ Tuesday 23rd September PORTLAND - House Show! (address oncoming) w/ Woolen Men and Shelley Short/Jack Lewis collab Wednesday 24th September SEAVIEW (At the beach! Near Portland) at the Sou Wester with Michael Hurley and Shelley Short (and it's the launch of the Sou Wester's new SPA!) https://www.facebook.com/events/68906910 1174308/ Thursday 25th September NEW YORK at CAKESHOP w/ Final Bloom, Sapphire Mansions and The New Lines Friday 26th September NEW YORK at DEATH BY AUDIO w/ PC Worship, Free Time and Guerilla Toss Saturday 27th September PHILLY - at Boot and Saddle with Dark Blue Sunday 28th September PITTSBURGH at Gooski's with The City Buses Monday 29th September – DETROIT at UFO Factory w/ The Feelings Tuesday 30th September NASHVILLE - at FooBar w/ R Stevie Moore and The Stevens Thursday 2nd October CHICAGO - at The Burlington Noise in My head book launch w/ xNOBBQx and X Wave https://www.facebook.com/events/68225180 5191497/ Friday 3rd October MINNEAPOLIS – Hexagon Bar w/ The Velveteens + others (presented by F Scott Fitzgerald Society) | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1759 Registered: 08-2006 |
Oh, jeez, Austin, I'm sorry I didn't know that! I'm also sorry I have to miss the Dick Diver show - I'm slated to take some clients to Fleetwood Mac that night. Be sure to let me know if you find yourself around these parts in the future. Glad you had fun at Riot Fest. I hope you didn't lose a pair of boots as a result : ) | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1760 Registered: 08-2006 |
This may only be of interest to Padraig, but I'm heading down to Cincinnati tonight for a nice little doubleheader tomorrow: Wussy followed by the Afghan Whigs, both on their home turf and an outdoor festival to boot. I expect magic. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6941 Registered: 05-2005 |
That is indeed a double header I'd love to see Rob. Full report afterwards please. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1761 Registered: 08-2006 |
You got it! | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 530 Registered: 05-2005 |
Rob, funny you should mention Wussy. Was sorting through some CDs at the weekend and came across their first two albums. I had intended to Google what they'd been up to lately but it went out of my head. it appears that I've got a bit of purchasing to catch up on. Afghan Whigs have passed over me somewhat. I'm pretty sure I've liked what I've heard, but unfortunately my budget and my eclectic taste don't match! Looking forward to the report. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 919 Registered: 04-2005 |
If anyone is in Sydney... From Peter Walsh's facebook page "Bonjour. The Apartments (well, a cut-down version of Wayne, Amanda Brown and I, anyway) will be playing with the great Amaya Laurcirica (she wrote one of my year's favourite songs, Found Some Secret) at Django's in Marrickville, Sydney—Saturday October 4, 9pm..." Plus the news that before the new Apartments release there will be a deluxe reissue of their first album with notes by one Robert Forster. Blimey! | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1762 Registered: 08-2006 |
Here's the review from the weekend: Wussy is perhaps my favorite band currently recording music and they're great live. On Friday, they busted out a bunch of songs from their current (and some think best) album, "Attica." Plus lots of cuts from their former (and no less fantastic) output. And they finished with a cover of New Order's "Ceremony" that made me think there might actually be a god. The Afghan Whigs are a slightly more feral animal. I like their albums less than Wussy's but live - holy crap. They played a lot off the new one, and several cuts off "Gentlemen" but also some deep cuts. Greg Dulli obviously enjoyed the chance to play in front of the hometown crowd in what was - amazingly - their first outdoor gig in Cincy. The Whigs are huge live. No diss on Wussy at all, but it was a different tier of performance. Helps that the bands are good friends. Greg Dulli of the Whigs said of Chuck Cleaver of Wussy during the set: "We've known each other since the 50s." Saturday, as a bonus, we got to see an amazing band called Low Cut Connie at a free show on one of the side stages. I've got both of their CDs and I can't recommend them enough. Great weekend in one of my favorite, and often overlooked, US cities. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6943 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thanks Andrew and Rob. How I wish I was at the Wussy/Afghan Whigs show. | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 226 Registered: 08-2005 |
Bought a ticket for Laura Veirs in Bristol next week, and may get tickets for the Hawklords, the Wedding Present and the Blue Aeroplanes, if available. | ||
| Andreas Severins Member Username: Andreas_severins Post Number: 296 Registered: 11-2007 |
Two very different concerts last weekend. Both in a very special place on a little festival in Duesseldorf... The concert hall was the "Tonhalle", a former planeterium nowadays used for classical concerts. For both tickets I had a seat in the center of the first row - best places. Friday evening Mogwai played, they sayed it will be loud and you could get earplugs for free for the concert. It was a concert that was very very loud but good. The setlist: Heard about you Friend Take me somewhere nice Jesus Jim Morrison Werewolf The Lord Hunted Satan Deesh Remurdered We're no Here -------- 2 Rights Batcat | ||
| Andreas Severins Member Username: Andreas_severins Post Number: 297 Registered: 11-2007 |
The next day London Grammar played a sold out concert in front of almost 2000 people. The young and beautiful came  A guy sitting next to me payed 140 Euros for his ticket on ebay, drove 230 km each direction... The concert started at 20:10 with the keyboarder, two minutes later the gitarist entered the stage and another 2 minutes later Hannah Reid started to sing "Hey now" - wow. She drove me to tears with her voice! After 35 minutes the band left the stage and the audience was excited, asked for more. But the concert was over without waving goodbye from the band. The organizor said that Hannah does not feel well and cannot sing any more. - So no "Strong"... This didn't happen for the first time with London Grammar. On the SWR3 New Pop Festival the same happened after 25 minutes. You may imagine how the guy next to me felt after this!!! No more London Grammar concerts for me even with this wonderful voice! | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 360 Registered: 05-2005 |
For me next concerts are in Koln with Spoon (even if I don't like their new record) and finally Johnny Marr. My regret is that I probably couldn't go to Teenage Fanclub.. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6951 Registered: 05-2005 |
Last night I saw a triple header in Newtown - Nikki Lane, The Delines and Ruby Boots. The latter opened the show. She has some talent, no doubt, but I wish that someone from Perth would sing about Western Australia, rather than Utah and Virginia. She could take a lesson on how to do this by listening to her fellow sandgropers, The Triffids. The Delines were simply stunning. They were the reason I went to the gig. Their album, Colfax, might just be my record of the year. Last night's performance was one of the gigs of the year. Country soul genius, and they are lovely people too. When I thanked lead singer Amy Boone for a wonderful show, she thanked me for coming! Southern hospitality right there in Sydney's inner west. I'm only aware of Nikki Lane because of this gig, but she was superb. A very talented performer and songwriter with a great three piece band. Outlaw country is alive and well in her. This gig is on in Melbourne tonight and tomorrow night. If you can go but don't, you're a fool to yourself and a burden on others. | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 228 Registered: 08-2005 |
Newtown, eh? Happy memories of seeing the Go-Betweens at the Enmore Theatre in 1988... I have tickets for Philip Glass the week after next - twice. Once in a concert at the Colston Hall, Bristol. And the night before talking about his music. Might buy tickets for Hawklords too. For a bit of contrast. | ||
| Austin Member Username: Bruegelpie Post Number: 127 Registered: 09-2004 |
"We Were Promised Jetpacks" put on a killer show in Detroit this week. Fantastic mix of old and new tunes. The new album sounds less guitar-forward as their other albums, but good nonetheless. Those Scottish guitar-based bands, like Jetpack and Frightened Rabbit, have a been a large part of my itunes playlist for the past few years. Trou, give the new Spoon album a few more spins. It has really grown on me. And what a great live act! They have so many great songs over their career that their show becomes a greatest hits performance. I saw them a few times this summer when they were criss-crossing the USA. Well worth the time and $$. But missing Teenage Fanclub? That could only happen if I was in a full body cast or on a 21 day Ebola quarantine! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6962 Registered: 05-2005 |
I saw The Gloaming at the Opera House last night. It was a stunning performance. Mostly it was trad Irish music, but there were also elements of free jazz, classical, post rock and even a touch of krautrock at one point. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 2551 Registered: 01-2005 |
Slowdive tomorrow with opening act Low @ The Majestic in Detroit. This will be my first time ever seeing Slowdive, one of my Top 10 favorite groups of the early 1990's. Low sounds intersting as well. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 944 Registered: 05-2005 |
Real Estate at Komedia in Brighton, excellent gig, gorgeous guitar sounds, Atlas sounding more and more like album of the year to me | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 361 Registered: 05-2005 |
Atlas is also easily my album of the year. I've spoken briefly with the singer after their concert, he seemed pleased that the band played that night at the usual Go betweens venue in Belgium. | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 263 Registered: 06-2005 |
Caught Real Estate earlier this year in Whelans, Dublin....Atlas was on constant play in the car for weeks before, loved the album by the time of the show...wonderful stuff, even the brief Black Sabbath cover! Bet he was TROU..GBs influences shine through the shimmering hooks and harmonies. Bought tickets today for The Afghan Whigs and Sharon Van Etten at the same venue next February and April respectively, Van Etten's is one of my favourite albums of the year.. a real talent. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6991 Registered: 05-2005 |
I saw Tori Amos with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Opera House tonight. It was a wonderful show. She played several songs from Little Earthquakes, the record of hers I know best and which I love. I'd never seen her before and so didn't know she had such a large gay male following. I wonder if that's universal or just in Sydney. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3424 Registered: 03-2005 |
Yes Padraig Tori Amos is a gay music icon the world over. I confess I know nothing about her but I remember 10 years ago answering the question what sort of music I like and I've always been at a loss for a suitable answer, but it would be some mishmash of "indie" and "alternative" and the response more than once was "yes, I like Tori Amos." A related subject came up last night while visiting a group of my longest-term friends, all gay men. For my entire life I've accepted my burden as the only gay male with my taste in music. My host last night is a big folkie, which is kind of OK, but his playlist was a mixture of bland "alterna-folk" that I imagine hearing in a Starbucks and young artists doing covers of Gram Parsons songs interspersed with the inevitable Joni Mitchell. He did play an Ute Lemper track that had a certain camp value but would not entertain beyond perhaps four hearings. Another guest made the comment that "power ballads are straight people's show tunes." Having sat through all this bland gutless music it was hard for me to appreciate the humor. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6992 Registered: 05-2005 |
That line is pretty funny, Randy - but I didn't have to sit through hours of shite before it. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 6993 Registered: 05-2005 |
I just googled it to find out more and found an article which is a pretty good summation of Tori Amos' fan base http://bitchmagazine.org/article/birth-o f-the-uncool. I was particularly struck by a line which explains a question I had as to why so many of the fans were so young (the kids beside me in the third row were surely not even born when Little Earthquakes was released): "Young gay men ... had particular reason to connect with Amos's recurring themes of religious repression and sexual shame." Randy, don't let your nerdier friends put you off listening to Tori Amos. At least have a listen to Little Earthquakes. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 2553 Registered: 01-2005 |
The Slowdive concert I went to on 10/29/14 was the best concert I've been to in eight years. Here is a taste from earlier 2014 tour stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf7mkhgT cd4 | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 2554 Registered: 01-2005 |
Two days ago,Robyn Hitchcock for the 10th time, and opening act Lera Lynn for the first. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 7011 Registered: 05-2005 |
Temples tonight at Rough Trade East. They were superb. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3430 Registered: 03-2005 |
Wow Padraig, it sounds like you're having a great visit. I'm jealous though I have no right to be. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 7012 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'm flying back tomorrow Randy, after three weeks away. It has actually seemed longer as I didn't have my daughter with me this time. I've had a rotten cold for the past week though, so I'm not really looking forward to 24 hours in the air. I've had a grand time, catching up with friends, including surprising one for his 50th birthday. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 3431 Registered: 03-2005 |
Yuck, colds on trips. I had one through most of my October Paris/London trip. It then went to Jeff Whiteaker and next to his wife, lucky them. Then I came home and promptly developed symptoms from a food-borne poultry bacterium from the airplane food. The surprise 50th for your friend sounds great. Don't time me you've hit that age! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 7013 Registered: 05-2005 |
I have a little while yet to my 50tn Randy, but 50 is the new 40 isn't it? | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 935 Registered: 04-2005 |
Yippee, Courtney Barnett rocking out in Bordeaux last night. Not sure that the addition of a guitarist (Dan Luscombe from The Drones) is necessarily a good thing, as I think that Courtney has quite an original style of her own, but nevertheless it was a great evening. As everyone seems to remark she seems incredibly natural and obviously enjoying her success. Couple of new songs, and she finished on an extremely downbeat note with a solo rendition of “Depreston”(a version here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv-FOSJIw rU&t=8m40s) | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 536 Registered: 01-2007 |
The Delines in Manchester last month were as good as Padraig has said, also Jason Isbell as good in a different way, certainly Willy Vlautlin is an evocative songwriter, and very modest. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 7035 Registered: 05-2005 |
Damon Albarn’s show at the Opera House was postponed last Monday, but instead he played two shows on Tuesday. His only reference to why the first show has been rescheduled from the night before was when he said at the start: "Well, we're here, you're here, let's have some fun." The audience response said it was the right reaction. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 7036 Registered: 05-2005 |
Gigs of the year for me: 1 The Delines at Newtown Social Club 2 Big Star's Third at the Enmore Theatre 3 Bruce Springsteen at Bimbadgen Winery 4 Damon Albarn at Sydney Opera House 5 The Gloaming at Sydney Opera House | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 362 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spoon (with Operators as guest act)in Koln was my best concert of at least the last two years. Concert of Real Estate in Brussels was very fine too.. |