Your last gig.

  • I was looking forward to see John Cale at Birmingham Town Hall tonight but just had notice that the concert has been cancelled - a victim of covid! Sitting here in Lincoln wondering whether to still get the coach and use our overnight room. Oh well!

    If you dont have free cancellation, yeah why not use the room booking anyway. Shame about the gig but at least you'd get something out of it and find other things to do.

    Abandon all reason

  • Maggie Rogers at Glasgow Academy, earlier this week. A really joyous event, with a very lively physical performer and an enthusiastic young (mainly female) audience. The combined energy was amazing. I'd definitely see her again.


    What a brilliant gig year it's been. The emotion of the last ever two Genesis gigs, finally getting to see one of my favourite bands The Charlatans after years missing out, a first time seeing Sharon Van Etten and Public Service Broadcasting (hopefully not the last in either case), an evening of superb nostalgia seeing 10cc, and this Maggie Rogers one is up there with the best of them.

    Abandon all reason

  • I saw the Bootleg Beatles last night for the second time.


    They are astonishing, even down to the accents and personalities. My only complaint was that 'mid period' Beatles was represented only by Help! and there were no songs from Sgt Pepper. But their harmonies on songs like This Boy are spot on and when they do I Am The Walrus & Come Together, they rock. Because they recreated the 'rooftop' show we were treated to an absolute favourite of mine, One After 909.

  • I saw the Bootleg Beatles last night for the second time.


    They are astonishing, even down to the accents and personalities. My only complaint was that 'mid period' Beatles was represented only by Help! and there were no songs from Sgt Pepper. But their harmonies on songs like This Boy are spot on and when they do I Am The Walrus & Come Together, they rock. Because they recreated the 'rooftop' show we were treated to an absolute favourite of mine, One After 909.

    They are great. I know "tribute" bands are not everyone's cup of tea, but some are brilliant.


    In fairness to them, they do mix the setlist a bit. In 2017 they did a specifically 1967 show - all of Sgt Pepper, with orchestra. And all the other 1967 tracks.


    And I'm pretty sure that was the show which was introduced by the genius that was Neil Innes. He even did his own set, which was amazing. I never thought I'd get to hear those Rutles songs live.


    Actually I think 1967 was introduced by Roger McGough. NI was a different show.


    But anyway. Yes. They're great. ^^

  • I saw the Bootleg Beatles last night for the second time.


    They are astonishing, even down to the accents and personalities. My only complaint was that 'mid period' Beatles was represented only by Help! and there were no songs from Sgt Pepper. But their harmonies on songs like This Boy are spot on and when they do I Am The Walrus & Come Together, they rock. Because they recreated the 'rooftop' show we were treated to an absolute favourite of mine, One After 909.

    1 after 909, a deep cut. Which brings to mind the Barclay James Harvest track "Titles" in which the lyrics are made up of Beatles titles: Barclay James Harvest - Titles (Lyrics) - YouTube - written by John Lees, who's not in the photo at the start as they show "Les Holroyd's BJH" the post-split band led by the other main songwriter. John Lees had a thing for these sorts of songs, having also penned "Nova Lepidoptera" (New Butterfly, a reference to the bands logo) a science-fiction song lyrically based on lines from movies, the great 1974 Mining Disaster, a parody of the Bee Gees "1941 mining Disaster" centred round the Ted Heath handling of the miners strike, and "Poor Man's Moody Blues" a parody of Nights In White Satin, as BJH were often called that in the music press in the 70's.


    On a Beatles theme, John also wrote "John Lennon's Guitar" about the fact he borrowed it at Abbey Road to record "Galadriel" the night before the Beatles officially split up. Norman "Hurricane" Smith is name checked in the song, as he produced BJH in 1970, and engineered for the Beatles. He had a couple of hits in his own right too.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • That 's the first BJH song I have ever heard. I'm pretty sure the lines 'I got a feeling for you blue and I feel fine' were in another song of this type - but maybe it was this one all along! I did know they did a song called Poor Man's Moody Blues. (After looking on YouTube... quite).


    One After 909 was actually an early song but not recorded until Let It Be. I just love the energy of it. Despite all their differences John & Paul seem to be enjoying themselves.

  • That 's the first BJH song I have ever heard. I'm pretty sure the lines 'I got a feeling for you blue and I feel fine' were in another song of this type - but maybe it was this one all along! I did know they did a song called Poor Man's Moody Blues. (After looking on YouTube... quite).


    One After 909 was actually an early song but not recorded until Let It Be. I just love the energy of it. Despite all their differences John & Paul seem to be enjoying themselves.

    Great band, but prone to the odd turkey. Great albums are Once Again (very early), Everyone is Everybody Else, (mid 70's), Ring of Changes (early 80's) and Welcome To The Show (last good album). Avoid Victims of Circumstance and Caught in the Light. Most of the others are very good too, but Octoberon & Time Honoured Ghosts, consecutive albums from the mid-70's, are patchy. You could make 1 good album out of them! :)

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • One After 909 was actually an early song but not recorded until Let It Be. I just love the energy of it. Despite all their differences John & Paul seem to be enjoying themselves.

    Yes, recorded in 63 I think around the time of From Me To You. It was taped, but they were a bit chaotic and couldn't finish it but an early version is on Anthology 1. Harrison makes a decent start to a solo but then goes astray and when the song breaks down Lennon is heard saying incredulously "What sort of solo was that?!"


    You're right, it's a very energetic song with a sort of joyous quality.

    Abandon all reason

  • I saw the Bootleg Beatles last night for the second time.


    They are astonishing, even down to the accents and personalities. My only complaint was that 'mid period' Beatles was represented only by Help! and there were no songs from Sgt Pepper. But their harmonies on songs like This Boy are spot on and when they do I Am The Walrus & Come Together, they rock. Because they recreated the 'rooftop' show we were treated to an absolute favourite of mine, One After 909.

    Great band. I saw them twice many years ago. At the Birmingham arena theyplayed the first set dressed in gray suits doing pre 67 stuff and the second set dressed in Sgt Pepper garb for the later stuff. Also heard them in the nineties at a tent at Glastonbury. It was so packed I couldn't see them! Had a great time.

  • Mostly Autumn last Sunday. A truly great live band. They create such a huge sound. We've going to they gigs for about 20 years now. I just don't get why they remain with only such a minority following.

  • Mostly Autumn last Sunday. A truly great live band. They create such a huge sound. We've going to they gigs for about 20 years now. I just don't get why they remain with only such a minority following.

    Saw them many moons ago...tbh, i didn't realise they were still going, will have to take another look

  • Well I've completed the triptych of my favorite artists gigs, all within 12 months! I saw Suede tonight. They co-headlined with Manic Street Preachers who played first. I have to say the Manics were pretty average. On the tour they've been alternating who goes first I really can't imagine what the nights where the Manics closed were like.


    Suede came out and electrified the crowd from the get go. With a couple of new songs to start, showing bravery and conviction that I love. Frontman Brett sings and throws himself around the stage like a man wildly possessed. By song 3 he is physically down off the stage and in the middle of the crowd, surrounded by them and moshing along. The stage crew have to lunge forward each time to keep the mic safe and extricate him. At one point he strayed waaaaay far in, about 15 rows back from the stage.


    They covered a lot of territory in the gig. Although I realized after that they've been varying the set a lot - thanks to OneForTheVine will be checking out recordings of other shows *especially* LA!! - and we didn't get the songs I'd have particularly loved from other nights (Killing of a Flash Boy, 2 of Us and That Boy On The Stage). But he did an acoustic Living Dead, and I was glad to see Head Music get some love with Can't Get Enough.


    However, he announced before the last song that this was their last gig ever in the US 😞. This made for a very poignant end. I hope they'll return but suspect not.


    Anyway, truly phenomenal energy and charisma. They are a great, great band to see.


    Edit: I thought I was hallucinating while walking into the theatre. There was Simon Gilbert, the drummer, standing and chatting casually with some fans by the door. So cool.

  • You summarized the show very well - Brett acted just as madly/enthusiastically in Philadelphia; I suspect he does this at every show. It’s probably something beyond his complete control. 😄


    That was what really impressed me about the show, i.e., he and the rest of the band were as tight and energetic as they were 30 years ago. He sang as if it were still the 90s! So much power!


    I can tell you when the show really lifted off was when you heard the Oakes rip into the opening chords of “Animal Nitrate” - good lord! The show was excellent before then; however, once that guitar opening was played, it was a full-blown out-of control madhouse in the venue! I felt like I was in a good old-fashioned 90s mosh pit - the energy in the crowd (and on stage) was just that high! The other time it seemed like the crowd was in full pandemonium was when they launched into “My Insatiable One” - I didn’t even know they had even considered playing that song. The whole crowd belted out every word, with many (including me) pointing at Brett during every line. It was deafening loud during that song, mostly from the crowd. Our acoustic song was “The Wild Ones”, which was great because it’s one of my favorite songs of theirs, and he performed it on the part of the stage that was right in front of me. Just wonderful…


    I’m going to hope that the “ever” in Brett’s quote was a mistake (meaning instead that it was the last American show for this tour - the last show overall being in Toronto), or that you misheard him. 😄 I don’t know how the band could have it proven to them so blatantly that they have a devoted American fan base that wants to see them and acts as enthusiastically as any crowd as they get anywhere. Still, in today’s world, I guess you can’t take any act’s choice to tour for granted. If the worst case scenario proves to be true, I have actually (and finally) seen them, and the show I saw was simply awe-inspiring.


    I’m with you about the Manics. They were good, but they didn’t do a lot for me personally. I’m very glad Suede closed both of our shows; I wouldn’t have stayed for the whole Manics’ set had the order of appearance been reversed. Having said that, they did play both songs I knew and liked by them, and they did a great cover of The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary”. Those were worth hearing.


    I also agree about “Can’t Get Enough” and the “Head Music” album in general. For me, “Head Music” was their 4th great album in a row, and the last of their original classics. Since they’ve reformed, I really liked “Bloodsports” and I really like the new album “Autofiction” too. The two in between (“Night Thoughts” and “The Blue Hour”) weren’t really my cup of tea, although the latter was better. I hope they keep going - the new album and this tour prove that they still have what it takes to remain an active band.


    AND, I also saw Simon Gilbert outside The Met in Philly! 😄 I wonder if this is a thing he does regularly, i.e., goes outside of the venue to chill with the fans for a few minutes. I was too shy to go up to him, but I did get a picture of him. Just a spectacular evening from start to finish. 😎


    Yes, I will also look for a recording of the LA show - that show just had a dream setlist. However, the show I saw definitely scratched my “Suede itch”, to coin a new phrase! 😄 I hope they come back again; if they do, I’ll be ready! 😎

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

    Edited once, last by OneForTheVine ().

  • Yep, totally agree with your assessment of the gig - and the albums, Head Music definitely a classic for me along with the earlier ones, and I have the exact same view of the last 4. Autofiction is stunning. I keep meaning to revisit Blue Hour and Night Thoughts as they didn't stick for me, yet.


    As for the gig, the Manics' highlight was, sadly, when he said "I hope you enjoy Suede, they're on fucking fire!". Musically, When You Tolerate This was good, and A Design for Life. I also wondered if they played second would I have stayed, and the answer is almost certainly not. They're just very workmanlike on stage, which is about the worst thing you can level at a live act I think! They were better when they were young and edgy. He gives off faintly David Brent vibes now. Suede are in a totally different league live.


    And as for Brett's comments we'll see if video surfaces to confirm my strong feeling that he somehow made a definite comment about not coming back to the US.


    They're so brilliant live i would travel far to see them again. There is a pseudo religious fervour he whips up in the crowd, it's remarkable to see. I agree it would be an awful shame if they don't tour stateside again.

  • Just back from York having been to our second Mostly Autumn gig this year and have seen them around 15 times at a guess, maybe more . This time their Christmas show. They are immense live, I just don't get how they can remain virtually unknown . They create such a huge sound. Olivia Sparrman is a fantastic singer. A truly wonderful band. I was next to a chap at the Merch stall who was at his 1st MA show. He was absolutely blown away. He bought a copy of every CD they had on sale , spent £110. I recommend anyone to go and see them.