GIGS

[killyourtv]

John Grant @ Cambridge Junction

Has moved on from the performances of 2010-11, which I loved but which left me wanting a few new songs by the end. In contrast, I must have missed the start because it was pretty much all the new LP, which to be honest is a mixed bag with, I think, some clumsy and clunky lyrics. Thought the band, though, were superb, adding real dynamics to the new material, and making the best of the Junction's acoustics. Still love the voice and between-song natter. Much older crowd than I'd have expected, but perhaps that's Cambridge for you.

[killyourtv]

Iron & Wine @ The Barbican

First time I've seen them (review of their EotR performance in 2010 led me to them) and they were wonderful. A few parallels with John Grant in terms of quality of the voice and newish band, but Sam has the great tunes. I had one of those interesting (cheap) seats stage left, which meant the guitar and piano stuff worked better than the big band numbers, but I loved the new songs with the strings.

Early start for I&W (8.30 on a Tuesday) meant I missed support, and quite a few folk seemd to come in very late after that. Barbican crowd very quiet, and predominantly couples in their late-20s, though whether they were disappointed by absence of "Flightless Bird" I rather doubted.

[RedRockRick]

Bruce Springsteen @ Wembley

This one wouldn't make it into my top 40 of Springsteen concerts, though of course that wouldn't preclude it from featuring in my top 100 gigs of all time. A decent set list on paper, the whole of Darkness played in order, but probably due to a degree of knackeredness on my part and a mistiming of when to put away the Red Bull , it never quite caught fire for me in the way Springsteen gigs do. The bar is of course set high. Thousands would and do disagree with me.

Bruce Springsteen @ Hampden

Hey, it's Scotland and a much better crowd and everyone is having so much more fun, band included, with some excellent mugging from Steve. Good setlist with more than a few of my faves. Everything seems to run so much better, including the pit queuing, though I didn't appreciate them moving the Andy's Loo I was patronising whilst I was still in it. I got a sun tan!

Bruce Springsteen @ The Ricoh Arena, Coventry

I haven't made up my mind about this one yet. Because this is the kind of person I am (and because she was so much shorter than me) I let a woman from Northampton stand in front of me in the pit. She would not stop wittering for the next two hours and close to kick-off announced that because she'd parted with hard-earned money for that privilege, she'd every right and intention to sing along to all the hits and we would have to accept this. Bruce started with an acoustic Ghost Of Tom Joad, followed up with Long Walk Home, My Love Will Not Let You Down, Two Hearts, Seeds, Trapped, Long Time Coming...She was gone by Wrecking Ball. Thank you, Bruce.

[Blannyboy]

Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Birmingham LG Arena. I've seen some mixed comments about this, I don't know whether its because some expected him to do a back catalogue of all his well known numbers but that's not what you get with Old Shakey.

They were loud and at their age the energy that they exuded was staggering, for me it was a good mix of old and new, however at times I felt myself drifting off with some of the long guitar solos and the lengthy spell of feedback at the end of Walk Like A Giant bordered a bit on self indulgence, but it was a great night, and great credit to NY and CH for playing for over two and half hours, he did three quiet numbers, a cover of Blowing In The Wind, Heart Of Gold (I wish that he had done Comes A Time instead as for some other performances) and a new one, Singer WIthout A Song.

Like I said a great night, but for me nothing will top his performance at Finsbury Park with Booker T and the MGs 20 years ago.

Edited June 23, 2013 by Blannyboy

[wackojackohighcliffe]

Bruce Springsteen @ Wembley

This one wouldn't make it into my top 40 of Springsteen concerts, though of course that wouldn't preclude it from featuring in my top 100 gigs of all time. A decent set list on paper, the whole of Darkness played in order, but probably due to a degree of knackeredness on my part and a mistiming of when to put away the Red Bull , it never quite caught fire for me in the way Springsteen gigs do. The bar is of course set high. Thousands would and do disagree with me.

Bruce Springsteen @ Hampden

Hey, it's Scotland and a much better crowd and everyone is having so much more fun, band included, with some excellent mugging from Steve. Good setlist with more than a few of my faves. Everything seems to run so much better, including the pit queuing, though I didn't appreciate them moving the Andy's Loo I was patronising whilst I was still in it. I got a sun tan!

Bruce Springsteen @ The Ricoh Arena, Coventry

I haven't made up my mind about this one yet. Because this is the kind of person I am (and because she was so much shorter than me) I let a woman from Northampton stand in front of me in the pit. She would not stop wittering for the next two hours and close to kick-off announced that because she'd parted with hard-earned money for that privilege, she'd every right and intention to sing along to all the hits and we would have to accept this. Bruce started with an acoustic Ghost Of Tom Joad, followed up with Long Walk Home, My Love Will Not Let You Down, Two Hearts, Seeds, Trapped, Long Time Coming...She was gone by Wrecking Ball. Thank you, Bruce.

[killyourtv]

Lanterns on the Lake @ Scala, London

First gigs for some time and surprised by absence at EotR, but that's the joy of EotR.

A mixed bag, with the 5 or 6 new songs (LP In Sep) being very well received, and rather fuller in sound than previously. The Scala sound did them no favours, although Hazel's solo piano piece was stunning; I need to know what that song was.

A respectful and mixed crowd, with only me seemingly disappointed at the continued absence of Keep on Trying. Sleepyhead was wonderful though.

[RedRockRick]

Bruce Springsteen @ Hard Rock Calling, Olympic Park

I turned up at 12.45 with no great expectations of getting a good spot, but wandered round to what will always be Clarence's side and found myself a position about 5 off the barrier: probably as good as I've got on this tour. I didn't get selected to any Olympic team last year so have no knowledge of what the park was like when the hunting, shooting and fishing was going down, but there's something of a strangely abandoned air about the place, particularly with the main concert site being overlooked by blocks of empty rooms which comprised the athlete's village.

First, the undercard. Deaf Havana are apparently from Norfolk, and I rather liked them, but due to a pasta incident in my bag which finished off my prog, I can say no more about them. The Zach Brown Band are not from Norfolk and have something of a following, but didn't live up to the anticipation: a pretty ordinary American bar band playing pretty ordinary country rock. With getting on to a year having gone by, I was hoping for some new stuff from the Alabama Shakes and indeed they had a new song: sadly, it wasn't very good, but I have to say for pretty much the rest of their set they really did hit the spot. I found The Black Crows a bit disappointing, incense sticks and all, apart from some lengthy guitar soloing which I quite liked but looking around, no-one else did.

As for the man himself, inevitably darn good again. He got the Wrecking Ball stuff out of the way early, which pretty much meant he'd do an album: it was a run through of Born In The USA, as in Paris the night before, which gave me the full set for this tour. Fine by me.

[RedRockRick]

I See Hawks In L.A. @ The Greys, Brighton

The final night of a three week tour for the Hawks. A stripped down line-up but two sets, superlative guitar picking from Paul Lacques, highlights being a cover of the Dead's "Friend Of The Devil" and tonight's closer The River Knows from the new album. A very happy evening all round, not just for old hippies.

[RedRockRick]

Bruce Springsteen @ Millenium Stadium, Cardiff

I didn't expect Cardiff to produce what was to prove one of my top 5 Bruce gigs ever, and this some 30 years after my first one, but it did. It didn't feel like a stadium show: the roof was shut, the floor cut in half, with the back section screened off by a curtain: it all created an entirely different vibe. Too many highlights, but you'd have to pick out Eric Burden coming on for We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, and the genuinely lump-in-the-throat finish of an acoustic Janey/Thunder Road. Big hug from the family I'd stood in line with all day - we all knew what a special show it had been.

[wackojackohighcliffe]

Great setlist that one, glad you enjoyed it. Just got back from my holiday in Italy where I got to see him in Rome - absolutely sensational, Incident into Rosie and then the only ever performance of NYCS outside of the US!

[RedRockRick]

Frontier Ruckus @ The Boiler Room, Guildford

From the Woods Stage to the intimacy of what felt like a friends-and-family show. One of the hazards of a Boiler Room show is the difficulty of finding it. I live in Guildford and I struggle. Even now, there may be ticket bearing FR fans desperately trying to get to the venue, or, having given up, trying to find their cars again. I have to say the Boiler Room is much improved since my last visit, now they've removed the two pillars which blocked your view of the stage, so you can now see, and they've stopped serving Chinese food to punters right in front of the stage. Oh, and FR were pretty good.

Two Cow Garage @ The Windmill, Brixton

A loud and raucous evening with my favourite band from Columbus, Ohio. Ringing ears, split jeans and I bought the very last copy of the new CD.

[RedRockRick]

Hem @ Union Chapel

Long overdue return, but well worth the wait. Near perfect evening from pretty near a perfect band, and Sally Ellyson undoubtedly has one of the most beautiful voices ever. Gave my customary call for Valentine's Day during the encores, and, as ever, they obliged. Magic.

[killyourtv]

Lanterns on the Lake @ Hare and Hounds, Brum

Ropey sound, unusual for H & H, meant the subtleties of the new LP were lost, particularly on the wonderful " Green and Gold" which sounded like a new standard at Scala. Not sure they've taken the great leap forward I hoped for, and now succeptible to a few aimless wig-outs, but still welcome back at EOTR.

Daughter and Indians @ Wulfrun, Wolverhampton

Indians was one of this year's EOTR highlights for me, and as good again here, lovely Synth tunes from Norway even if a lack of variety kicked in 30 minutes in.

I felt very old last night, only a few of us over age 20 to hear what clearly left most of this forum cold at EOTR. I thought this was another example of complex guitar pop at its greatest, augmented by a couple more guitarists. It is of course possible that this is a great con-trick, and the teased intro to Youth was a bit calculating, but there's no better line than "we are the reckless we are the wild youth" when you're my age.

The Wulfrun is a great standing venue of the old school.

Also saw Matthew E White at Sheps Bush but was unlistenable.

[RedRockRick]

Lanterns on the Lake @ Hare and Hounds, Brum

Ropey sound, unusual for H & H, meant the subtleties of the new LP were lost, particularly on the wonderful " Green and Gold" which sounded like a new standard at Scala. Not sure they've taken the great leap forward I hoped for, and now succeptible to a few aimless wig-outs, but still welcome back at EOTR.

Daughter and Indians @ Wulfrun, Wolverhampton

Indians was one of this year's EOTR highlights for me, and as good again here, lovely Synth tunes from Norway even if a lack of variety kicked in 30 minutes in.

I felt very old last night, only a few of us over age 20 to hear what clearly left most of this forum cold at EOTR. I thought this was another example of complex guitar pop at its greatest, augmented by a couple more guitarists. It is of course possible that this is a great con-trick, and the teased intro to Youth was a bit calculating, but there's no better line than "we are the reckless we are the wild youth" when you're my age.

The Wulfrun is a great standing venue of the old school.

Also saw Matthew E White at Sheps Bush but was unlistenable.

[killyourtv]

Agnes Obel @ Union Chapel, Islington

Ideal setting for the chamber-folk (?) loveliness of Agnes's piano/cello/violin trio, and as good a sound as I've heard anywhere, but slightly soporific effect and confirmation that I'm not ready for seated gigs yet. Not blown away by new LP, but Fuel to Fire sounded wonderful. Scarily polite crowd.

[riverlodge]

also caught Lanterns on Monday.

I agree their gigs still seem like a mega battle between Paul wanting to 'raawk' (in a perfectly okay way though) and them creating periodic silences for Hazel's beautiful voice to shine. the boundaries could sometimes be less severe.

the very, very beautiful solo is (as no doubt you know by now KYTV) is Green & Gold.

[wolfamongwolves]

Deafheaven , bring to light festival, rainbow warehouse , Birmingham. 25/oct

Have to say I love there album sunbather. But they sounded even better live. They were incredible

[RedRockRick]

Rod Picott & The Gun Shy Dogs @ The Prince Albert, Brighton, Sunday

Always good to see Rod, and he's getting particularly good reviews for the new album, though I personally think he's yet to make a bad one. I haven't seen Rod other than solo for quite a few years, so it was rather nice when openers Wild Ponies morphed into the Dogs for Rod's set. Woof, woof. Weather, what weather? Got out before the bad stuff hit.

[riverlodge]

The National @ Manchester Apollo

Every time I see them now I half doubt them before I go, then wondering how I could be so stupid. Really wonderful two hour set, and we took yet another newbie to them, now converted. Pretty decent sound at the O2, super visuals and a band toying with greatness.

[killyourtv]

Phosphorescent @ Kazimier, Liverpool

First time I've seen Matthew with a full band, and to be honest I think I preferred his solo set at EOTR a couple of years ago. When you've heard songs played acoustically it can be difficult to enjoy them at Kazimir volume, although the rest of the (fantastic) crowd loved it all.

The Kazi is a lovely small club next to Cream, and I left early to enjoy the real ale wonders of L1.

Straw Bear @ Waterbeach Baptist Church, Cambridge

From L1 to CB25 is quite a cultural shift, though the average age of the crowd, compactness of venue and the reception were pretty similar. Straw Bear are an engaging purveyor of N******l styled pop, and I'm glad our little village can put on gigs like this.

[killyourtv]

Austra @ Koko, Camden

I had to see what I missed at EOTR having enjoyed both LPs, and they certainly make an impressive wall of sound behind her wonderful voice, but it all became a bit samey until a wonderful encore rescued it. I preferred Diana, who combined Austra's electronica with Destroyer-like weirdness and some distracting visuals.

Koko is a gorgeous venue with goodish sound once you chose a good place to stand, but a fantastically poor bar. Speaking of which, is Camden as stuck in the 90s as it seemed ? - all Thai menus, Suede on repeat and poor beer.

[Fareham Grecian]

Danny & the Champions of the World + The Dreaming Spires @ The Railway, Winchester

Latest SC4M show promoted by Oliver Gray, bringing consistently brilliant artists to the lovely Railway. Full band show including the 3 Dreaming Spires adding flute, bongos, keys, trumpet and BVs. How the 10 of them fitted on that stage is a mystery, but blimey they were good. Loud, powerful, but subtle and moving too. I've seen Danny half a dozen times now and he just gets better and better. Almost a 2 hour set, to follow an excellent electric set from The Dreaming Spires who play 60s influenced Tom Petty style harmonic pop very well.

Both these artists would fit perfectly at EotR. MAKE IT BE SO. Please.

[RedRockRick]

Danny & the Champions of the World + The Dreaming Spires @ The Railway, Winchester

Latest SC4M show promoted by Oliver Gray, bringing consistently brilliant artists to the lovely Railway. Full band show including the 3 Dreaming Spires adding flute, bongos, keys, trumpet and BVs. How the 10 of them fitted on that stage is a mystery, but blimey they were good.

Edited December 4, 2013 by RedRockRick

[Fareham Grecian]

Umm, they did it by only having nine.

[MattL80]

Do you know, I knew I'd get that wrong. I counted them in my head several times too.