David Byrne - 27/10/18

We saw the earlier version of this tour back in June and were so blown away we just had to have a reprise. This time the support was different - billed as Benjamin Clementine but actually after one solo track he brought on wife plus two others and it became the Clementines. She contributed as much as he did - she has a great singing voice, sort of folky but with power and volume when required. I didn't take much to the early tracks but the latter half of the set included some interesting songs - one about a fat man in Vegas and another involving keeping calm. David Byrne for his part produced almost the same set list and the same moves from this show, which is what I expected. The single very welcome change was the introduction of 'Road to Nowhere' as the first encore song (replacing 'Dancing Together'). Given that the first encore comes right after the astonishing live 'Burning Down the House' which finishes the main set, it was a good change to add another classic storming track. For my part I enjoyed 'Once in a Lifetime' much more this time. I don't know whether the change comes from them or me but who cares. Absolutely classic stuff. If he comes back in another four months I'll go again.

Richard Thompson - 17/10/18

First there was Joan Shelley plus guitarist Nathan Salzburg. She folky with a sweet singing voice and an acoustic guitar, he also with an acoustic guitar with an attractive twang to its sound. Together they produced an understated set of songs with some quality that made me want to give them another listen at some point. Memorable were 'Push and Pull' and 'If the storms never came'. Although from Kentucky they brought a Canadian flag on stage to celebrate that day's law change! Richard Thompson arrived on stage with a drummer and bassist plus a second guitarist who supplemented the trio on some songs with some background rhythm guitar. The drummer was Michael Jerome who we have seen with him before and he is an outstanding drummer. He launched straight into a song off the new album 'The Bones of Gilead'. The title and words and indeed the rhythm of the song shout Richard Thompson - it's difficult to think of anyone else who could have written it. It becomes clear that this is guitar virtuoso night. He plays in several guises and this one is where he delivers astonishing electric guitar and the very extended solo during the third song of the set shows he means business. There were more extended solos and the one later on in 'The Storm Won't Come' pinned me back to my front row seat. The set had a number of songs from the new album '13 rivers' plus of course a number of back catalogue favourites and a couple of Fairport songs. 'Beeswing' stood out for some beautiful and delicate acoustic guitar,, 'Wall of Death' because it's such a great song, ditto '1952 Vincent Black Lightning' and 'Put it there pal' for another astonishing extended solo. The second encore finished with 'Take a Heart' a 1965 hit for Coventry band 'The Sorrows'. Like the first song - very Richard Thompson. I need to see him at least once a year so I hope he's back in 2019. Outstanding. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/richard-thompson/2018/the-forum-bath-england-7b96fafc.html

Low - 15/10/18

I try and avoid standing gigs in overcrowded venues but Low are a band I'll put up with it for. I am always glad to do it and this was no exception. Support was a duo called Keto. The main thrust of the sound was the female vocalist who also played guitar whilst her collaborator played either guitar or keyboards. At their most dynamic and frenzied they were on a par with the calmer elements of the singer Redwood (seen as support a couple of gigs ago) but there were some superficial similarities in the vocal style. I preferred Redwood - partly the minutiae of the lyrics were not to my taste. Low cam on as a trio with bassist Steve Garrington. I liked the way they reverentially brought their own instruments on - no rough roadie allowed to mess with their stuff. Steve is a great creative and interesting bassist who fits right in with the idiosyncratic Low sound. There is no band remotely like them partly because of Alan Sparhawk's edgy and unique guitar - he plays chords that are either in the furthest reaches of the chord book or more likely not even in them. Then there are the exquisite vocals of Mimi Parker and Alan's vocals are pretty damn good too and the two voices blend brilliantly. They started with the opener on the new album ('Quorum') but it was a bit less white noiseish than the album version and then moved onto some old favourites; 'No Comprendre', 'Plastic Cups' and 'The Innocents'. I particularly love the last of these because of Mimi's vocals. Then there was a group of songs from the new album with a couple of other songs I didn't know thrown in. The one really long song featured some frenetic playing from both guitar and bass racking up the speed and volume with some of the bass being experienced through the skin. Great stuff. After that section there was a return to some older stuff including 'Spanish Translation', 'Nothing but Heart' and 'Holy Ghost' - this last again being Mimi's vocals front and centre. 'Lies' was next and then just a few more songs before the encore of 'Murderer'. What a great and uplifting gig. To hear top-notch original music played with verve and enjoyment. Standing for 4 hours without a drink in the overheated hall - a pleasure. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/low/2018/trinity-centre-bristol-england-7b969e4c.html

Andy Fairweather-Low 11/10/18

We've caught the A F-L show a few times now but he is always worth going to see when he is close by and he couldn't get much closer than the Savoy in Monmouth. This time it was with the High Riders rather than the Low Riders which basically meant it was the Low Riders quartet plus a couple more horns and a keyboard player. His shows tend to follow the same format - a mixture of stuff from his extensive back catalogue and covers of some classic songs in the various genres he dabbles in - Country Blues, Soul and Rock mainly. Much of the setlist is in reference to his history - he starts by playing 'Route 66' ('the first solo I ever learnt') and near the end of the set he played 'Peter Gunn' immediately followed by 'Apache' and then 'Hideaway'('the music I listened to when I was growing up'). These three tracks rings similar bells for me so that was a highlight. In belting out 'Peter Gunn' and also the soul stuff he is much assisted by Nick Pentelow on tenor sax who is very good but also an excellent trumpeter and completing the super horn section was a bass saxophonist. The soul section began the second set and was another highlight. I think A F-L said it was the songs Otis Redding started with when he played the Colston Hall in '66 - I am sure A F-L was there. Also much enjoyed was 'Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out', 'Hymn for my soul' and 'When Things Go Wrong' but none of it was not enjoyed. He plays guitar with a fluency and ease that arises from 50 years of playing and changes guitars, styles and sounds seamlessly. Well worth the trip out and I'll go next time as well.