I was slightly wary of the gig as I had read a review of the Glasgow date and it seemed to feature a lot of words and perhaps not enough music. I was also wary about the venue which was already on two strikes. It duly earned its third strike by keeping me queueing in the rain long past the advertised opening time. The Assembly at Leamington is now off the list.
However once the gig started all concerns were forgotten. The format was largely a reading of an excerpt from her book "Just Kids" alternating with a song. Unlike Roy Harper's spoken interludes where the recitation is often forced, Patti had an attractive reading style and the words were just quiet moments between the songs. The gig just flowed along. The band comprised of Patti, Tony Shanahan on guitar and keyboards and Lenny Kaye on guitar. Lenny was appearing for the first time on the UK tour on the last night of the tour and I think it made for a much more musically-focused gig. He was excellent and the three of them oozed acoustic class. Lenny plays a subtle but compelling guitar and the two guys did backing vocals as well.
One of the impressive things about Patti Smith is the way she was able to switch moods and deliver on the emotional content of each song. At the end it was rabble rousing with "People have the Power" followed by "Rock and Roll Nigger" and then a storming encore of "Gloria".
Earlier she had beautifully performed "Dancing Barefoot" and "Perfect Day" with their more complex feelings. "Pissing in the River" also stood out. This was not on the setlist but she had a quick chat to the guys and they just did the business.
The set opened with "Grateful" and "Mother Rose" and also included "My Blakean Year", "Free Money" , "Beneath the Southern Cross" and a stiriing version of "Because the Night".
The audience was great; attentive, enthusiastic and genuinely moved.
I hope Patti plays at a proper venue next time and I will definitely be there.
Saturday, 27 March 2010
Cimarron 24/3/10
My first experience of Jorobo music from the borders of Columbia and Venezuela in the Orinoco plains. This uses a couple of guitar like instruments I am not sure I had heard before, the cuatro and the bandola. Both were four-stringed and the cuatro was often percussive, a bit like a mandolin is percussive. A main feature was the harp which was also played often in a percussive style and the whole feel of the music was precise overlaid rhythms often with expressive vocals laid on top. I might liken it to Talking Heads with Flamenco-style vocals.
As usual with "world music" gigs the individual musicians were superb. As each was given their turn to solo you could see just how good they were but they all melded into the whole sound during the set. The vocals were mainly taken by a female vocalist who had a haunting and emotive quality to her voice and by the maracas player who did vocals and occasionally a rhythmic sort of clog dancing.
These were serious musicians. I'll look out for more South American music.
As usual with "world music" gigs the individual musicians were superb. As each was given their turn to solo you could see just how good they were but they all melded into the whole sound during the set. The vocals were mainly taken by a female vocalist who had a haunting and emotive quality to her voice and by the maracas player who did vocals and occasionally a rhythmic sort of clog dancing.
These were serious musicians. I'll look out for more South American music.
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Mumford & Sons 6/3/10
There was a range of conflicting feelings at this gig but there is one thing I am fairly sure of. This band is going to be very big. They have the musicanship, the energy and the anthemic sound to take the stadia route, a la U2, if they chose. Let's hope they don't go that way.
There were two support acts - I missed most of the first because the venue apparently were unable to tell me a few hours before the gig whether there was a support act or indeed anything about the gig. Strange. He was a singer songwriter and on the basis of a couple of tracks I could maybe say that he was a little on the pretentious side.
The second band, Fanfarlo, were good, the fiddle was fairly strident, the bassist fluid and loud, the singer sang rhythmically, a bit like David Byrne does and all in all they had something about them. Maybe a bit Arcade Fireish.
Mumford & Sons came on to great enthusiasm from the packed sold-out hall and immediately reeled off four popular tracks from their album starting with "Rumour and Sigh", then "Winter Winds". The audience was transfixed and it was good stuff.. However apart from the last of those four tracks which did have some edgy rhythms to it, I felt that I had heard more or less what is on the album. True the bass was coming up through the floor, and yes it's always good to hear music live, but I wasn't sure whether anything creative and improvised was going on. They then did a new track (after apologising for doing so) and that to me was one of the high points. As was the next new track which was done three tracks later after a couple more from the album.
The gig was a little short at an hour and a quarter including encore but every track was delivered with high energy and the audience was more than happy.
As for the Yorkshire twat who split his beer over my head after talking through the gig - I only hope he crashed on the way home whilst uninsured and then got breathalysed. As I said mixed feelings but I still have the music running through my head three days later so they must have been doing something right.
There were two support acts - I missed most of the first because the venue apparently were unable to tell me a few hours before the gig whether there was a support act or indeed anything about the gig. Strange. He was a singer songwriter and on the basis of a couple of tracks I could maybe say that he was a little on the pretentious side.
The second band, Fanfarlo, were good, the fiddle was fairly strident, the bassist fluid and loud, the singer sang rhythmically, a bit like David Byrne does and all in all they had something about them. Maybe a bit Arcade Fireish.
Mumford & Sons came on to great enthusiasm from the packed sold-out hall and immediately reeled off four popular tracks from their album starting with "Rumour and Sigh", then "Winter Winds". The audience was transfixed and it was good stuff.. However apart from the last of those four tracks which did have some edgy rhythms to it, I felt that I had heard more or less what is on the album. True the bass was coming up through the floor, and yes it's always good to hear music live, but I wasn't sure whether anything creative and improvised was going on. They then did a new track (after apologising for doing so) and that to me was one of the high points. As was the next new track which was done three tracks later after a couple more from the album.
The gig was a little short at an hour and a quarter including encore but every track was delivered with high energy and the audience was more than happy.
As for the Yorkshire twat who split his beer over my head after talking through the gig - I only hope he crashed on the way home whilst uninsured and then got breathalysed. As I said mixed feelings but I still have the music running through my head three days later so they must have been doing something right.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Gotan Project/Alabama 3 9/8/03
This was the first time we had seen or even heard of Gotan Project. We got to see them because of a TV show we never watched, The Sopranos. We actually watched a show that preceded the Sopranos and gradually became addicted to the opening theme song from the Alabama 3. Hence our prescence at this open air Summer Sundae gig at De Montfort Hall. Alabama 3 were brilliant, full of positive and radical energy and with some very catchy tunes to boot.
We decided that it would be a shame to dull the memory of Alabama 3 by staying for the headline act which was Gotan Project. As we weaved our way towards the exit Gotan started and that first minute or so was enough to turn us around. It was hypnotic stuff and a great warm-down from Alabama 3 as well. The mixture of electronica and real Tango music shouldn't work but it does; beautifully. It has the evocative and sensual power of Tango and adds in a modern but complementary zeitgeist. It's not often that you get to see a new band you haven't even heard of before that becomes a staple of the stereo back home. Gotan Project achieved that staus.
We decided that it would be a shame to dull the memory of Alabama 3 by staying for the headline act which was Gotan Project. As we weaved our way towards the exit Gotan started and that first minute or so was enough to turn us around. It was hypnotic stuff and a great warm-down from Alabama 3 as well. The mixture of electronica and real Tango music shouldn't work but it does; beautifully. It has the evocative and sensual power of Tango and adds in a modern but complementary zeitgeist. It's not often that you get to see a new band you haven't even heard of before that becomes a staple of the stereo back home. Gotan Project achieved that staus.
Grateful Dead 9/9/74
I had been looking forward to this gig so much that I arrived way too early and ended up queueing on my own outside the Ally Pally for some hours. There was an interesting moment while we waited. A big car drew up and out stumbled the man himself - Jerry Garcia. He shuffled up the steps to the door where we stood. He started to open the door and at that point he stopped abruptly and to no-one in particular said "Ugh!...I forgot my gitarr". Luckily the driver had not already left so he was able to retrieve the guitar from the boot.
Eventually we were let in and secured our place immediately in front of the "stage" which was just delimited by some floorcovering if I remember right. When they came on we found ourselves sat down cross-legged a few feet from the Grateful Dead with many people behind us with big tape recorders to bootleg the show. The Dead kicked off with one of my all-time favourite dead tracks "Bertha". This was at that moment perfection. The Dead pretty much at their peak starting one of their lengthy gigs with a classic track. Jerry may not have been very good at getting himself to the gigs but onstage he was unrivalled.
And of course the Dead were an ensemble and Bob Weir was an outstanding songwriter, singer and guitarist in his own right and "Mexicali Blues" and "El Paso" featured at this gig. This was the band that included the Godchauxs, Keith on keyboards and Donna on vocals as well as Bill Kreutzmann and Phil Lesh.
The Dead played a classic set that night. "Wharf Rat" near the end was immense. "Deal" was played - enough said. "Row Jimmy Row" was as sweet and poignant as it gets. As was "It must have been the Roses". "Ship of Fools" stirs faint memories but whilst I can see that they also played "Tennessee Jed", "Jack Straw" and "Scarlet Begonias" I can't say I recollect those particular versions.
The Grateful Dead were a unique live experience and this was one of my all-time favourite gigs. To immerse yourself for three hours or so in the fluid eclectic music the Dead produced was a privilege and a pleasure. Top 10 all-time gig hall of fame for sure.
Eventually we were let in and secured our place immediately in front of the "stage" which was just delimited by some floorcovering if I remember right. When they came on we found ourselves sat down cross-legged a few feet from the Grateful Dead with many people behind us with big tape recorders to bootleg the show. The Dead kicked off with one of my all-time favourite dead tracks "Bertha". This was at that moment perfection. The Dead pretty much at their peak starting one of their lengthy gigs with a classic track. Jerry may not have been very good at getting himself to the gigs but onstage he was unrivalled.
And of course the Dead were an ensemble and Bob Weir was an outstanding songwriter, singer and guitarist in his own right and "Mexicali Blues" and "El Paso" featured at this gig. This was the band that included the Godchauxs, Keith on keyboards and Donna on vocals as well as Bill Kreutzmann and Phil Lesh.
The Dead played a classic set that night. "Wharf Rat" near the end was immense. "Deal" was played - enough said. "Row Jimmy Row" was as sweet and poignant as it gets. As was "It must have been the Roses". "Ship of Fools" stirs faint memories but whilst I can see that they also played "Tennessee Jed", "Jack Straw" and "Scarlet Begonias" I can't say I recollect those particular versions.
The Grateful Dead were a unique live experience and this was one of my all-time favourite gigs. To immerse yourself for three hours or so in the fluid eclectic music the Dead produced was a privilege and a pleasure. Top 10 all-time gig hall of fame for sure.
African Soul Rebels 2010 2/3/10
I always find the African Soul Rebels' tours good value. This was no exception with all three acts having something to offer though I particularly took to the Kalahari Surfers. They took the middle slot and played to a half empty hall as for some reason a lot of people took to the bar for their show.
Kicking off was Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou a big band from Benin featuring several percussionists, a horn section, two main vocalists, bass, drums, keyboard and an excellent guitarist. They were founded 45 years ago and it showed as the music just flowed, mellow and rhythmic. They had a sort of funky sound but the horns were harmonious and the taut, high, african-style guitar was just right.
Next up were the Kalahari Surfers - two guys up front with Macs which 'played' the drums and other sounds, one of whom played guitar and one of whom was featured vocalist. At the back of the stage the dynamic bassist laid down the groove. I just took to these guys immediately and a couple of tracks in they played a song whose strapline was "And now we have a general amnesty, and the generals will walk free". Good stuff from a multi-racial band outlawed in the apartheid era. It reminded me of Latin Quarter and that is a big plus. Another track railed against the deluded middle classes "Durban Poison" and there were also beautiful vocal tracks featuring Deba the vocalist with Warwick Sony the guitarist on backup vocals. Their show was over too quickly.
The crowd all came in to hear Oumou Sangare. The band featured very good musicians and an energetic dancing backing vocalist. I liked the guitar player and in particular a guy called Brehima Diakite who played a six-stringed instrument from Southern Mali which I eventually worked out with the help of t'internet was a Kamale N'goni. It's sound is similar to some of the sounds you get from a Kora but it has a lot less strings. He played a great solo on one track. Oumou herself has a powerful and expressive voice. This is music from Southern Mali which is different to the Northern Malian desert groove. At one point she played an Ali Farke Toure track and I relaised that actually I prefer that genre. The guitarist was particularly good on that track. She finished with "Wele Wele Wintou" - her powerful protest against forced marriage. Strangely the encore was only an extended band introduction.
Kicking off was Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou a big band from Benin featuring several percussionists, a horn section, two main vocalists, bass, drums, keyboard and an excellent guitarist. They were founded 45 years ago and it showed as the music just flowed, mellow and rhythmic. They had a sort of funky sound but the horns were harmonious and the taut, high, african-style guitar was just right.
Next up were the Kalahari Surfers - two guys up front with Macs which 'played' the drums and other sounds, one of whom played guitar and one of whom was featured vocalist. At the back of the stage the dynamic bassist laid down the groove. I just took to these guys immediately and a couple of tracks in they played a song whose strapline was "And now we have a general amnesty, and the generals will walk free". Good stuff from a multi-racial band outlawed in the apartheid era. It reminded me of Latin Quarter and that is a big plus. Another track railed against the deluded middle classes "Durban Poison" and there were also beautiful vocal tracks featuring Deba the vocalist with Warwick Sony the guitarist on backup vocals. Their show was over too quickly.
The crowd all came in to hear Oumou Sangare. The band featured very good musicians and an energetic dancing backing vocalist. I liked the guitar player and in particular a guy called Brehima Diakite who played a six-stringed instrument from Southern Mali which I eventually worked out with the help of t'internet was a Kamale N'goni. It's sound is similar to some of the sounds you get from a Kora but it has a lot less strings. He played a great solo on one track. Oumou herself has a powerful and expressive voice. This is music from Southern Mali which is different to the Northern Malian desert groove. At one point she played an Ali Farke Toure track and I relaised that actually I prefer that genre. The guitarist was particularly good on that track. She finished with "Wele Wele Wintou" - her powerful protest against forced marriage. Strangely the encore was only an extended band introduction.
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