- Live Reviews
The engaging singer-songwriter, Annie Dressner from New York (now a resident of Cambridge) charmed our socks off with some lovely songs, to start the evening. She is playing the Green Man Festival in August so, if you are going, check her out.
Simone Felice made another welcome return to Cambridge with yet another band to play songs from last year's solo album, his Felice Brothers days, the Duke & the King era and towards the end of the set, an exuberant cover of Springsteen's 'Atlantic City' and Neil Young's 'Helpless'
Only one new (road) song, from the trio completed by, Matt Green on guitar and mandolin and Mountain John on bass during the set, with Simone rekindling the drummer in himself being behind the kit for most of the evening.
The songs have taken on a power trio vibe for this three week tour covering Ireland and the UK meaning that this show was then was a new variation of the same shows we have seen over the past eighteen months. New songs must now be the order of the day for Simone and band mates even though, this was still an electric performance and much enjoyed on a summer's evening in Cambridge.
Pete
- Live Reviews
‘This could be the last time’ … I guess we think that every time we go to see The Rolling Stones, as they get older, we get older and price of a ticket keeps climbing.
Today however, was a special day in
AEG have done a good job in revitalising the Hyde Park concert scene with their film set of a country village with two stages tucked away in tents as well as the bandstand. ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ festooned the main stage so I think the only issue was the usual 20-30 min. queue even for a bottle of water or a £5.50 pint!
First off, we braved the 300 degree temperatures of one of the tents for the intensely powerful duo Drenge. The boys must have shed a few pounds during their dynamic set. First band on and first big music smiles of the day.
- Live Reviews
The Beck ‘Song Reader’ release was about as far as you can get from modern day music distribution as is possible.
‘Song Reader’ was just that, a book of highly illustrated sheet music, for you to take away and interpret as you wished. So provided you could read music, you were away. For us that can’t, for this Thursday evening only in
The perfect acoustics of the Barbican Hall, gave weight to what really can only be described as a sublime two and a half hours of original music.
Each song had it own performer in most cases. Joan as a Policewoman started the proceedings followed by Villager’s, Conor J. O’Brien. The lady and first man from
Michhael Kiwanuka sang ‘sorry’ followed by the usual blissful voice of Beth Orton on ‘ Please leave the Lights on, when you go’ The second man from Fife, James Yorkston played ‘Ye Midnight Stars’ beautifully, on a string instrument which, is still to be defined.
- Live Reviews
Six months on from The National’s last gig in the U.K. at the ATP Festival in Camber Sands, the band were back in London last night for a one-off date at The Roundhouse with Local Natives in Support.
So let’s start there. If you know the songs from the two albums by Local Natives, then this was a ‘Greatest Hits’ set lasting around fifty minutes. Difficult to class Local Natives as a support band because they are such a fine group in their own right.
The National’s stage layout has gone up a further notch since the last tour on what is effectively a club date on their arena/festival world jaunt. Very spectacular video backdrops and lighting were on display last night, thankfully no dry ice yet!
Songs from new album (Trouble Will Find Me) and High Violet were the mainstay of the set and it was a very purposeful National that hit the stage at 9pm. Matt is back with his bottle of red, as the band fire out ‘Should Live In Salt’ and ‘Don't Swallow the Cap’ after which, they launch into ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ with the capacity crowd roaring encouragement.
I felt the band was still getting into the groove at this point, with ‘Bloodbuzz’ just a beat or two slower than normal. ‘Secret Meeting’ was sublime as was ‘Demons’ with fiery vocals from Matt. Only two songs from the new album were missed out, ‘Fireproof’ and ‘Slipped’ but all the new material ‘slipped’ seamlessly into the set as if they were old favourites.
- Live Reviews
It was a privilege to be at the O2 on Friday to listen to Leonard Cohen again.
He last performed there in 2008 the same year we were bowled over by his appearance one sunny evening at
He played for over 3 hours and so we were treated to all the classics interspersed with numbers from his new album of last year, ‘Old Ideas’. It was magical to hear the appreciative anticipation ripple through the packed O2 arena when the first couple of notes were played of an old classic like Suzanne or Hallelujah.
The band which numbered ten including, Leonard played a few solos. There was a beautiful number from the Webb Sisters which they accompanied on the harp and guitar. After a long encore Leonard finished with Save the Last Dance For Me an old Drifters number.
He will be back at the O2 in September so we can look forward to another enduring performance from this most gracious man.
Ken
- Live Reviews
Thousand’s were squeezed into the moderately sized stadium and they were standing shoulder to shoulder on the pitch. Looking at the size of venues that Bruce and the band usually play though tonight, could quite easily be classed as an ‘intimate’ occasion for 30,000 souls.
With the usual, no support, three plus hours show, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band show no signs of slowing up. The undoubted highlight of this show and perhaps standout moment of any gig attended so far this year was when; Bruce announced that in tribute to "Our good friend James Gandolfini" they would dedicate a performance of the entire "Born to Run" album in this memory.
For us grey haired veterans in the crowd this album also carries many personal memories, with the tragic passing of James Gandolfini on the previous evening, the man who made Tony Soprano a household name, this made the performance truly remarkable.
The earlier request spot had seen a tremendous version of ‘Trapped’ (Jimmy Cliff cover) and Long Time Comin' from 2005's "Devils & Dust" album. It was the first time Bruce had ever performed the song with the E Street Band in concert, so this really was, a special evening.
Needing a breather after ‘Born to Run’, for a trial run of the Coventry City pies (very tasty), it was back in the stands for rousing versions of Lonesome Day’ ‘Badlands’ ‘Born in the U.S.A’ and ‘Bobby Jean’ plus many more.
All quite civilised with a 10.30 ish finish, we headed off singing into the night. Just like we have after every Springsteen gig since the beginning!
Pete
Set
1. Ghost of Tom Joad
2. Long Walk Home
3. My Love Will Not Let You Down
4. Two Hearts
5. Seeds
6. Trapped
7. Long Time Comin'
8. Wrecking Ball
9. Death to My Hometown
10. Hungry Heart
11. The River
Born to Run album dedicated to James Gandolfini
13.
14. Night
15. Backstreets
16. Born to Run
17. She's the One
18. Meeting Across the River
19. Jungleland
20. Pay Me My Money Down
21. Shackled and Drawn
22. Waitin' On a Sunny Day
23. Lonesome Day
24.
Encore
25. We Are Alive
26. Born in the
27. Bobby Jean
28. Dancing in the Dark
29. Raise Your Hand
30.
- Live Reviews
A few years ago I walked out at the end of a NIN gig at the Brixton Academy, absolutely exhausted by the sheer power and pummelling of the performance. The same feeling washed over me standing outside the 02 Arena in Greenwich last night, after my second Neil Young & Crazy Horse gig of this European tour.
- Live Reviews
Neil Young is not a man caught looking back for long and tonight's show is all about giving the audience the live experience of the new album ‘Psychedelic Pill’ with Crazy Horse at full blast with the throttle wide open.
Before the band comes on stage there is the play activity of the white coated roadies as they uncover the giant stage prop amps i.e. the stage is dominated by what looks like three floor to ceiling amps. The band arrives on stage and promptly its hats off for ‘God save the Queen’ before the gig starts.
Neil, Frank and Billy hoist those guitars around their necks, Ralph settles behind the drum kit, and the band fire up 'Love to Burn'. The volume level (sonic) is set for the evening.
A surprise of ’Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze' follows from ‘Re-Ac-Tor' after which we are into the title song from 'Psychedelic Pill' and a lengthy and feedback-drenched 'Walk like a Giant'. This is the point of the set where the audience who came for a greatest hits selection of a gentle acoustic Neil, realise perhaps, it's not going to be their night. On the other hand, those audience members who relish the might and raw power of Neil with Crazy Horse must have felt like they'd just taken their first ‘psychedelic pill’.
An unrecorded 'Hole in The Sky' is next before that acoustic interlude - 'Heart of Gold' (one of those early songs we all reached for when first learning to guitar), Dylan's 'Blowin in the Wind' and another new unrecorded song 'Singer without a Song' which was lovely and had a lost girl with a guitar case in hand, wandering around the stage for effect.
- Live Reviews
Rock and roll is here to stay
The sound of Neil Young with Crazy Horse is unlike that of any other band. There’s a magical meeting of minds when these men get together with their guitars.
Three days and plenty of pilsners into a stay in Berlin, finally it was Sunday at the Waldbuhne, out on the western perimeter of the German capital, just near the Olympic Stadium.
It’s a pale grey evening. Not that we can see it, but the sun is slowly setting.
Two mates and I arrive at 19:00. Is that Los Lobos we can hear through the trees? You bet your David Hasselhoffs it is.
It’s still grey, but it’s getting brighter as the evening draws in. Weird.
- Live Reviews
On stage for a set lasting two hours the two New Yorkers and their band including Franic Rozycki from Wave Pictures entertain to such a level that it just leaves you marvelling at the level at which a gig can put a smile on your face.
Full of Fun 75 year old Stampfel may look his age but has the same energy as his younger compatriot Jeffrey Lewis as the band ripped through a set of band, solo, previous band and cover songs almost non-stop.
Peter on a Chinese copy banjo (better than the original $6,000 version) and Electric violin also had a great recollection of 1940/50's American TV & Radio jingles which were performed lot much hilarity during the evening.
Peter Stampfel
- Live Reviews
What a musical treat we had at Ólöfs’ first gig on her short
Singing in both Icelandic and English, the Icelandic songs had the mysery of the sounds which added an extra dimension and inspired the imagination, with thoughts of strange Icelandic landscapes and sagas. Of course the words in translation would mean something entirely different no doubt.
Ólöf accompanied her singing with acoustic guitar and her very accomplished finger picking style. Skuli Sverrisson accompanied her on the bass guitar which added so much beautiful harmony and tone to the sound.
She has an engaging natural shyness and doesn’t talk much between songs. Her performance though, was very confident and delivered with a happy enthusiasm.
The venue worked well. The large 18th Century church is conveniently next to Bethnal Green park and tube station. A good selection of beers, cider and wine were sold from the pop-up bar in the aisle and the shelves on the back of the pews were perfect for drinks!
We are looking forward to hearing her again at the Green Man Festival later on this year.
Ken
Last show of the tour is tonight - Friday 7th June Brighton –
More Photos HERE
- Live Reviews
We were lucky enough to get a couple of tickets via the Edith Bowman show on BBC 6 Music on Saturday morning, we found ourselves in Horse Guards Parade,
I thought the evening was laid out to see the movie and the gig but it turned out to just be the gig. We had to hang around for a couple of hours, but the time passed fairly quickly and Muse were on stage at 9.30pm for a greatest hits set lasting 50 minutes.
A mini stadium gig with explosions, flames, smoke, dry ice and cool lighting, it was all very spectacular and well worth the wait I hear Brad Pitt got a ticket as well.
Pete
Set List
1.Supremacy
2.Supermassive Black Hole
3.Follow Me
4.Starlight
5.Madness
6.Uprising
7.Knights of Cydonia
Encore:
8.Time Is Running Out