With the country still in the midst of lockdown and no sign of any live music in the foreseeable future if at all this year I thought I would take the opportunity to look back in the archives, sounds posh I know but it’s just an spreadsheet, and revisit gigs I attended on this day down the years. I will keep this going until I can attend my first gig again in person so hopefully this also brings back memories for my gig going chums who have joined me on this great musical journey down the years.
Three for today’s trip down memory lane for you down the years.
2015, the Arcs, the Forum, London
Brilliant show from one of Dan Auerbach’s distractions when not being half of the Black Keys or producing others albums. This time it’s The Arcs with their psych rock and soul revue. Reviewed here at the time.
2006, Bruce Springsteen, Wembley Arena, London
This tour would have been in support of ‘The Seeger sessions’ album with Pete and his band. Antony and I had terrible seats for this gig at the back and up at one side. But hey it’s Bruce what you gonna do. He has such a hard core fan base who scoop up the goodies before us mere mortals have our pick.
Obviously given the nature of the album its largely acoustic reworking’s of traditional American folk songs. These are interspersed with a handful of old Bruce originals given the Seeger treatment.
It won’t go down as one of his great shows but nice to see him in another setting away from his usual full on rock show.
1998, Bonnie Raitt, Shepherd Bush Empire, London
I think that this might remain the one and only time I have seen Bonnie Raitt which is a travesty if true although I seem to recall a Hammersmith Odeon show too but can’t find a formal record of that.
Still, at least I have seen her once because she is a blues legend with her great voice and guitar pickin. Not many songs in the set but that allows the band to breathe and gives plenty of room for guitar solos. It’s nice to hear a number of John Hiatt covers too that must greatly help him pay his bills.
The other nice things is with the beauty of the internet, YouTube has the whole concert audio available so it was nice to revisit that again today.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. Here’s hoping we can get to some form of normality soon but with the new lockdown my last chance of a gig disappeared this month and I have now had my first gig of 2021 cancelled so that will take it to a full twelve months at least between gigs.
Support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.