Latin Quarter - 25 November 2023

A very special gig - Latin Quarter playing a 40th anniversary gig with a focus on the album 'Modern Times'. I had only seen them once in a pub in Leicester more than 30 years ago, before they disappeared off the touring scene. For this gig the rules didn't apply so we went all the way to London at a small standing venue ( the surprise was we got a seat!). The support act was a California band called 'The Tearaways' who may have imagined they were the Beach Boys but apart from an exceptional drummer they weren't very interesting. Latin Quarter included three original members with guitarist David Wright, Steve Jeffries on Keyboards and of course Steve Skaith on vocals and guitar. They had borrowed a bassist for the gig and there was a drummer. Both were good. They had also recruited a singer Mary Carew who had just the right vocals for Latin Quarter, pure and sweet but with emotion and force when needed. They kicked off appropriately in this war torn year with'Remember' and then straight into 'Modern Times'. Fabulous so far. The song choices were brilliant. I hardly expected to hear one of my later LQ favourites 'Bringing Rosa Home' and the choices from the even later LQ releases were also spot on. 'Nico' is a great song and the main set finished with 'Pantomime of Wealth' with an extended chorus of 'We are many they are few' sung by the audience until Steve had to stop them. But back to the classic songs from Modern Times - we got 'Toulouse' and 'No Ordinary Return' and of course 'Radio Africa' and 'There's No Rope as Long as Time' and 'The New Millionaires' and 'The Truth about John' - 8 out of 11 ain't bad when you add in the must-have encore 'America for Beginners'. What a way to end the show with a brilliant low-key guitar solo from David Wright. A cracking gig - thoroughly enjoyed

Saving Grace 15 November 2023

This was the fourth time we have seen Saving Grace and although it still seems like a newish Robert Plant project we first saw them more than four and a half years ago. Unlike the first time in a Monmouth school hall this was a very soon sold out gig where the best seats I could get were row P despite being online the second sales opened. The support was Scott Mathews, a singer songwriter from the states who had some interesting songs and was a good guitarist but whose vocals were unremarkable. Saving Grace had the same line up as when we last saw them with the brilliant Matt Worley on banjo and guitar and Tony Kelsey on guitar playing some lovely disonant solos plus of course Suzi Dian on vocals and various instruments and Oli Jefferson on drums. They started with a couple of traditional songs before two songs from Robert Plants back catalogue including 'Friends' from Led Zep days. Soon they handed over to Matt Worley to lead a gospelly song that for me was perhaps the highlight - an infectious rhythm, Robert and Suzi on backing vocals. Matt did something similar at the last gig with a Levon Helm song. There were a few of their preferred covers, 'Everbody's Song' from Low, 'House of Cards' from Richard Thompson, 'Angel Dance' from Los Lobos. All delivered with feeling and precision. Suzi's vocals are beautiful, all the musicians are pros. Great gig.

Nick Harper - 2 November 2023

This was another gig booked when the calendar looked a bit empty that has become part of a gig frenzy over the last few weeks. I am definitely glad we went - it was something different and very enjoyable. I last saw Nick Harper playing as part of father Roy's band decades ago. I knew he was a good guitarist but he was in fact very good. Some of it had a spanish ring to it, at other times it sounded like a rather more fluid version of Roy's style, there was some looping to build up some density as well. Patrick Duffy was the support and also played with Nick when he came on. He was enjoyable. Nick played a lot of stuff from his new album 'Tempus fugitive'. I liked it all but the title track and 'Davey Graham and Hedy Lamarr'were memorable. His singing was strong and unusual and good and at times reminded me of Roy - not a bad thing. A very different and interesting gig. I'd go back for more.