Yes Newcastle City Hall November 20th 2009
Yes are a special band for me. The first concert I went to over 40 years ago was the Bonzo Dog Band at Sunderland Empire with Yes, Roy Harper and Mad Dog (?) as supporting acts. At the time Yes were a new band who had just released their first album. Since then Yes and I have seen a lot of changes over the years. I’ve seen lots of different line-ups and lots of different tours; including most of the 70s tours, the Buggles line up, Topographic Oceans (yawn), a show at Stoke City Ground which was stopped short because of terrible rain, headlining Reading in the mid-70s when they were simply majestic and at the top of thier game, up to the last UK tour at Manchester MEN arena (which was OK). Once again a new line-up is touring the UK, and Yes are back at the City Hall.
The current line-up features long timers Chris Squire (the only remaining member from the really early days), Steve Howe, Alan White, Oliver Wakeman (yes Rick has been replaced by his son) and a new singer (can’t remember his name; I need to look it up!) replacing Jon Anderson. To be honest I wasn’t sure what this was going to be like or what to expect; but hey its Yes, its the City Hall, and its Friday night!
I dropped a guitar off to Laura and arrived at around 7.35, took my seat and Yes took the stage about a minute later! Wow! An early start; that’ll do me ; I thought!
The set was a best-of-Yes including some songs that I don’t think I’ve seen them do for years. If I had to write down my favourite Yes songs it would have pretty much been this. So we get Yours is No Disgrace, Astral Traveller (great; takes me back to the late 60s! and seeing them play the Time and a Word lp supporting The Nice), Roundabout, Heart of the Sunrise (probably my favourite), Steve plays Mood for a Day, And You and I (I’m back in the field in Reading in my mind, but actually I always thought this one was a bit over-rated), and Starship Trooper.
And they were absolutely great. The new members have brought new life into the band. The new singer is excellent, he sings faultlessly. Of course he isn’t Jon and thats sad, but actually he does a wonderful job. The older guys area clearly enjoying it, Steve plays great, and Chris is as in command of his bass, and the band as ever. It is of course, a home coming for Alan White. The crowd love it and the band get standing ovations for many of the songs, and some even run down to the front and are dancing along to Roundabout (does seem a bit strange seeing 50+ and 60+ year olds behaving like kids again, but also great; I’m not the only one reliving rock memories).
Awesome. The best concert I have been to for some time. I’m tempted to drive to Manchester tonight to see them again.
Next gig is Yusuf (aka Cat Stevens) in Birmingham on Monday. That should be interesting.

Set list:
Siberian Khatru
Your Move – I’ve Seen All Good People
Tempus Fugit
Onward
Astral Traveller
Yours Is No Disgrace
And You And I
Steve Howe Acoustic Solo including Mood for a Day
Owner Of A Lonely Heart
Southside Of The Sky
Machine Messiah
Heart Of The Sunrise
Roundabout
Encore:
Starship Trooper

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The Arctic Monkeys Newcastle Arena 16 November 2009
New songs, big arenas, long hair, can the Monkeys still do it? Of course they can. Their hair may be longer and the new album explores some new territory, but they are still a great rock band, and the Newcastle crowd knew that on Monday night. This was our second Monkeys experience, our first being at their Lancashire Cricket Ground gig a couple of years ago.
We took our seats which were at the front of a side block, facing the crammed crowd standing on the floor.
Support came from Eagles of Death Metal, who seemed a pretty standard rock band. The crowd seemed to enjoy them and gave them a good reception.
But everyone was of course there to see our heroes from Sheffield who came on stage at around 9pm to a great reception. The set was a mix of songs from the new album and old favourites. The old songs (Dance Floor, Sun Goes Down, Mardy Bum), of course, go down the best, but everyone (except perhaps me) seems to know the new ones too. It looks pretty wild down on the floor; lot of people are pulled out of the crowd at the front, lots of shoes (?) are thrown onto the stage (pleased that we had seats). Laura, David and I agree it was a good gig (and that the set was just the right length!).

Setlist: The Jeweller’s Hands; Brianstorm; This House Is A Circus; Still Take You Home; I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor; Potion Approaching; My Propeller; Crying Lightning; Sketchead; The View From The Afternoon; Cornerstone; If You Were There, Beware; Pretty Visitors; Dance Little Liar; Do Me A Favour Play Video; When The Sun Goes Down; Secret Door Play
Encore: Fluorescent Adolescent; Mardy Bum; 505

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Malcolm McLaren The Baltic Newcastle 13 November 2009
I was seeped in rock music throughout the early days of punk, and caught all of the major punk gigs in the North East: The Pistols, The Clash, the Damned, the Jam, Vibrators, 999, Siouxsie, Ramones, Television, Iggy, Buzzcocks, and too many others to mention. So when I saw that Malcolm McLaren was coming to the Baltic Art gallery to present his new film and talk about his work I couldn’t resist getting tickets to go along and hear what he had to say. I was hoping for some insights into those great days which are fasting becoming fading memories. So Laura, David and I went to this event last Friday to hear what Malcolm had to say.
The evening had been sold out for some time and was held in the exhibition space in the Baltic, which holds around 300 people (I would guess). The main part of the evening was the first showing of Malcolm’s new film: Paris. Paris is in 21 sections; each section is a collage of old French commercials overlaid with McLaren speaking, singing and other music. After the film Malcolm was interviewed and then he took questions from the audience.
I usually enjoy most things that I go to and always look for the positives in a performance; and almost always find some. On Friday I am afraid I didn’t really see anything positive. The film seemed to go on forever and I’m afraid I either didn’t get it at all; or it really isn’t very good at all. Similarly, I didn’t enjoy the discussions with Malcolm, which focussed on his contributions to art over the years. I had been hoping for more insights into his role in the Sex Pistols and the emergence of Punk. Still it was interesting to see him, but not an experience I would wish to repeat.

The Baltic : http://www.balticmill.com/

ticket / flyer for the event

Shift-Static Head of Steam Newcastle 5 November 2009

Shift-Static are a new band from Newcastle. All of the band members are students at Newcastle University, all coming from different musical backgrounds and with different musical tastes, who have come together to give us some wonderful music. Although the band have been together for some time, and have caused quite a stir with their recent demo which was rated demo of the month by Narc magazine, this was their first performance. Oh; and the singer (and my daughter and often gig companion) is Laura.
The Head of Steam was pretty packed for their debut gig, with Shift-Static taking the stage second, sandwiched between local bands The Cut and Sword Attack. Most of the crowd had clearly come along to see Shift-Static, many of them being friends of the band. They took the stage to a great cheer from the crowd and launched into their five song set. Shift-Static music is difficult to categorise; they blend some very complex sounds with strong guitar and basslines. Laura’s lovely vocals weave in and out of the sound textures, almost like another instrument. Its sort of Portishead meets New Order meets Enya but its not really like any of those. For a first gig its pretty wonderful, in fact its pretty wonderful for any gig. The crowd love it; give them a great reception; their short set is over all too soon.
Shift-Static are back at the Head of Steam next Wednesday 11 November supporting Foot Village; if you can make it go along and see them.

Setlist (may not be in the correct order) : Green Knees; Haystacks; Fathers Footsteps Part 1 & 2; Give you all.

myspace site: http://www.myspace.com/shiftstaticmusic
another review on wordpress: http://musicfromagreenwindow.wordpress.com/

Shift-Static Debut at The Head of Steam

Fleetwood Mac Sheffield Arena Nov 2nd 2009
Fleetwood Mac were on great form last night. Went along with Norm to see them. This was probably the best I have seen them. The set list was a greatest hits which drew mostly from the Rumours period. Lyndsey Buckingham was the star of the show, he’s a great guitarist and a human dynamo. Steve Nicks’ vocals were very strong; much better than last time I saw them in Manchester. The crowd loved it and sang along with every word. Well worth the drive to Sheffield.

Setlist : Monday Morning ; The Chain ; Dreams ; I Know I’m Not Wrong ; Gypsy ; Go Insane ; Rhiannon ; Second Hand News; Tusk ; Sara ; Big Love ; Landslide ; Never Going Back Again ; Storms ; Say You Love Me; Gold Dust Woman ; Oh Well ; I’m So Afraid ; Stand Back ; Go Your Own Way
Encores: World Turning ; Don’t Stop

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Green Day Manchester MEN Arena October 30th 2009

I had promised David and Laura that we would go to see Green Day when they returned to the UK. Although they have been around for some 21 years; I’ve never fancied seeing them until recently; largely because of the American Idiot album which we all liked, and their growing reputation as one of the best live acts in the world. So on Friday we braved the rush hour traffic down the A1 and across the M62 to the vast MEN Arena to see if they would live up to their reputation.

We got to Manchester in time for something to eat at Nandos in Printworks and went into the MEN around 7.45pm, having missed the support act Prima Donna. Laura was sitting with me and David was in the next block on his own (there was a limit of two tickets per person for this show).  Green Day were advertised as coming on stage at 8pm. Around 8.15pm a giant drunken rabbit took to the stage drinking out of two cans and started dancing to YMCA to the delight of the audience. I guess this was a sign of what was to come. Green Day took the stage at around 8.20 to a great roar from the crowd. Billy Joe worked the crowd from the start. Lots of singing along; several fans were brought up on stage to sing lead vocals and then asked to stage dive into the crowd. Lots of effects; explosions, flames, etc. And the show was very long at around 2 hours 40 mins. Underneath it all lies a great rock band. The favourites are all played, and played very well and we do enjoy it. But there is something of the pantomime to it, which the kids in the crowd of course love.  

We meet up with David at the end of the show; we all agree that it was good but perhaps a little long and too geared towards the kids in the crowd. We get home around 1.15am.

website: www.greenday.com

Setlist:

Song of the Century;21st Century Breakdown;Know Your Enemy;Viva la Gloria!; East Jesus Nowhere;Holiday;
The Static Age;Burnout;Are We the Waiting; St. Jimmy; Boulevard of Broken Dreams; Hitchin’ a Ride; When I Come Around; Give me Novacine; Brain Stew/Jaded ; Knowledge; Basket Case; She; Welcome to paradise;
King for a Day; Shout /Orgasim Addict/Teenage Kicks/Champagne Supernova/Satisfaction; 21 Guns; American Eulogy
Encore: American Idiot; Jesus Of Suburbia; Minority

Encore 2: Last Night on Earth; Wake Me Up When September Ends; Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)

my ticket

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Classic Legends of Rock Newcastle Tyne Theatre October 28th 2009

Featuring Focus, Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash, The Strawbs

Went along with Will and Norm  on Wednesday night for our second dose of Classic Legends Rock. We saw the tour last year in Harrogate; this year it came closer to home at the Newcastle Tyne Theatre. The only change from last year was that the Groundhogs have been replaced by Strawbs. This is sadly because Tony McPhee has recently suffered a stroke, and although reports are that he is recovering well, he is not yet well enough to join the tour.

First up was the Strawbs who delivered a short set of classic folk-rock. Dace Cousins is, as always, the showman of the band delivering the songs with his own very characteristic vocals. After a short break Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash take to the stage. Tonight they deliver the enitre classic Argus album, followed by a great version of Jailbait. Focus keyboard and all-round character Thys Van Leer joins them on organ for one song. I find it hard to decide which of the current versions of Wishbone Ash is truer to the original. In my view they both deliver and are well worth seeing. If anything Martin Turner’s band are closer to the original albums; tonight they could have done with a being a little louder for me. Coincidentally Andy Powell’s Wishbone Ash were playing the night before at Newcastle Academy. I decided to give them a miss this time, but have promised myself that I will catch up with them next time  they come to the North East.

Closing the show was Focus. Last time I thought their set was a little too long and some of the solos a little too drawn out. Tonight I felt it was just the right length. Thys is as eccentric as ever and plays his Hammond organ wonderfully. The guitarist is spot-on; musically this band can’t be faulted. We get great versions of House of the King, Hocus Pocus and Sylvia.

Verdict: Three great bands; all playing well and playing the songs we  wanted to hear. A good night.

i hate ticketfast printed tickets

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The Dead Weather Newcastle Academy October 21st 2009

The Dead Weather are Jack White’s latest band. The fact that Jack White is in them raised enough interest in David, Laura and myself to go along and see them at the Academy on Wednesday night. None of us have seen Jack White before; we had tickets for the White Stripes the last time they were due to come to Newcastle, but the show was cancelled when Meg became unwell. The nearest that David and I got to seeing Jack was when he walked past us at a Dylan gig in Manchester a couple of years ago. Support came from Creature with the Atom Brain (great name), who we all agreed were not too hot. It wasn’t too long before Jack and the band took to the stage.  Jack played drums for most of the night, only coming to the front to sing and play guitar in a couple of songs. But the front person role is well covered by the singer Alison Mosshart (of the Kills), who runs round the stage like a whirling dervish. The music is very blues-based with many clear 60s influences. I can hear Beggars Banquet Stones, Dr John, The Cramps, Bo Diddley in there. Great guitar riffs played on cool-looking Gretch guitars and a square Bo Diddley guitar at one point. We all agree that they are pretty good, but to be honest, the songs begin to sound a little samey as the night goes on. It would probably be better if we had listened to the album. I certainly had heard nothing at all by them before going to see them.

website: http://www.thedeadweather.com/

I hate Ticketfast printed tickets

Cliff Richard and the Shadows Newcastle Arena October 12th 2009
Watching Cliff’s TV show every week. Going to see Summer Holiday at the pictures. Wanting a strat like Hank’s. Spending hours learning how to play “Apache” and “Wonderful Land” and still never being able to play them properly. Buying an old 78 of “Travelling Light” and playing it again and again. Watching Cliff on Eurovision and willing “Congratulations” to win (it didn’t ; of course). Cliff and the Shadows bring back lots of memories for me. They may not exactly be cool these days, but back in their day they meant something to lots of us.
So I collected all those memories together in my head and went along to Newcastle Arena to see Cliff and the Shads for one more (and probably the last) time.
And there they were; just three rows away form me ; on the stage playing all my favourites: In the Country; Apache; FBI; Summer Holiday; Don’t Talk to Him; On the Beach; Bachelor Boy, Atlantis, Travelling Light, Time drags by. Finished with the Young Ones. Lots of references to “The Toon”;a great homecoming for Hank and Bruce.
Great show; great memories; Cliff and Hank look great; Cliff’s voice is great (and its his 69th birthday the next day!); Hank plays great! 

SETLIST
Fist half:
WE SAY YEAH
IN THE COUNTRY
GEE WHIZ IT’S YOU
A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS
LIVING DOLL
DANCING SHOES
I’M THE LONELY ONE
A GIRL LIKE YOU
DO YOU WANNA DANCE
SHADOWS – SHADOOGIE / WONDERFUL LAND / THE SAVAGE /SLEEPWALK
HIGH CLASS BABY
I COULD EASILY FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU
WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE
SEA CRUISE

Second half
C’MON EVERYBODY
DYNAMITE
LUCKY LIPS
TRAVELLING LIGHT
TIME DRAGS BY
ALL SHOOK UP
PLEASE DON’T TEASE
SHADOWS – APACHE / FOOT TAPPER / ATLANTIS / FBI
I LOVE YOU
THE NEXT TIME
DON’T TALK TO HIM
ON THE BEACH
SUMMER HOLIDAY
BACHELOR BOY
NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN
IT’LL BE ME
VISIONS
Encores:
MOVE IT
SINGING THE BLUES
THE YOUNG ONES

i hate ticketfast printed tickets

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Jon Lord Usher Hall Edinburgh 5 October 2009

I’ve alway liked Deep Purple’s Concerto for Group and Orchestra album, and I regret that I never saw them perform it live in concert. I remember seeing it on TV in the late ’60s and bought the lp at the time. I used to play that album and the Moodie’s Days of Future Past again and again on my record player. So when I saw that Jon Lord was planning to perform the work at the Usher Hall I couldn’t resist buying a ticket. The concert sounded pretty interesting from the word go. The plan was for Jon to rehearse with young music students from Stevenson College in Edinburgh and from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow. These young people would be the group for the night and also form members of the orchestra. Sounded like a great opportunity for some young scottish musicians to work and perfrom with a legend. The final performance was to be with Jon Lord, a 100 piece orchestra and the group of young musicians. The Usher Hall has recently reopened after being refurbsihed. So this seemed a great opportunity to see one of my favourite pieces of music performed in a great setting.

As it happened I was feeling pretty tired on Monday night; I was still recovering from the trip to London to see Mott the Hoople a couple of days earlier; and couldn’t really face the 250 ml round drive to Edinburgh after work. But I convinced myself it would be worthwhile. I arrived in Edinburgh around 7pm and went into the Usher Hall to find my seat and buy a programme (a bargain at £2!).

The first half of the show consisted of Phil Cunningham, traditional musicians and the orchestra from the Royal Scottish Academy and Stevenson College playing some traditional tunes. This was a nice start to the evening and brought us to the interval at around 8pm.

Around 8.30pm the lights went down and Jon Lord, Stevenson’s six piece rock band Concertium and the orchestra took to the stage. The conductor for the evening was Paul Mann who has conducted this work with Jon before. The Concerto is in three movements; Slow, Fast and Slow as Jon told us. The performance stayed true to the original and was played brilliantly by the young musicians, most of whom were first year students. The three movements seemed to be over in no time at all. The band were first class, the guitar solos were fluid and seemed improvised yet also stayed true to the original as played by Ritchie Blackmore. The vocalist, Grant Barclay, was superb. And Jon’s swirling Hammond (hired, I noticed, from Vintage Hammond Hire Scotland!) took us all back to the 60s. This was a concert unlike any I have ever seen, blending orchestral music with rock in the unique way that the Concerto does. After a standing ovation, the musicians returned to the stage and Jon introduced us to ” a song from the same period”. The first few notes of Child in Time raised an immediate cheer from the audience and we were treated to a breath-taking version of the Purple classic with faultless vocals from Grant Barclay. As Paul Mann said at the end “Ian Gillan would have been proud”.

The show was over at around 9.45, and I reached home shortly after midnight, tired but pleased that I had gone. The concert was excellent; something that I will remember for a long time, and I may not gate the chance to see performed again.

website: http://jonlord.org/

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