When I first started this little exercise we were a month into lockdown on the 24th April. Like most of you I expected this to last a month or two. The reality now is clear and sadly it will be a full twelve months and probably a lot more between my last gig and the next one. I will be surprised if I am seeing any live music again before June.
We go again and hopefully this brings back memories for my gig going chums who have joined me on this great musical journey down the years.
A busy one with five today for my look back trip down memory lane.
2019, Ashley Monroe, Bush Hall, London
Ashley Monroe is one third of the Pistol Annies but 100% a super talented artist in her own right and a must see every time she comes around. Tonight was no exception and was fully reviewed here at the time.
2017, Black Sabbath, O2 Arena, London
Can finally tick Ozzy off my list of people that I hadn’t seen live. I saw Sabbath back in the eighties but that was with Ronnie Dio on vocals so I wasn’t going to miss maybe this last chance to see the Sabs again with Ozzy back at the helm. Sadly it’s without Bill Ward on the sticks but contractual issues prevented that from happening.
It’s an incredible, relentless wall of noise for 100 minutes and I loved it. The advancing years have not diminished the power of these guys and Ozzy’s voice stands up really well. Super show reviewed here at the time.
2016, the Lone Bellow, Islington Assembly Hall, London
First time seeing these guys and it’s a faultless show and really set the benchmark that year which had some brilliant shows. Reviewed here and is still one of the best shows I have seen at the Assembly Hall in a long list of great shows.
2011, Justin Townes, Earle, Union Chapel, London
Well where do I start with this one. Firstly, it’s a poignant review after Earle sadly died last year. Troubled for years with addiction and depression he finally succumbed.
Onto the show. I am really conflicted with the Union Chapel as a venue. It’s a stunning setting, with good sound and certainly an intimacy if you are downstairs, not so much upstairs in the tightly tiered pews. However, it’s a bun fight to get a seat and you need to get there really early to secure anything resembling a good one. Whats more annoying is that when you enter you are met with pews full of coats and not people. And so it is tonight for me and John as we view a sea of coats and few people. We selected a row and pushed a couple of coats along a little to squeeze in at the end. The woman along then started about she had saved the seats for friends. There then ensued twenty of minutes of verbal’s, etc. and at one stage she asked us to stand up so she could to the toilet and as we did tried to push us out. Sadly for her, she was no match for the, I would guess, combined thirty stone of us and that scuffle didn’t last long.
Her friends duly arrived and we started again. Things got a little heated shall we say and language not befitting the setting was used. Regardless of who was right there was of course enough space for us all to sit comfortably. Suffice to say it took the edge off the gig and the uncomfortableness of the situation did not make for a relaxing show. I remember little about the show itself but I’m sure it was good.
1997, Chuck Prophet, Jackie Leven, 12 Bar Club, London
A rare visit to the great 12 Bar Club for John, Graham and myself which like all of that area has now been demolished to make way for the ill-fated cross rail links. Famous for its weird two level viewing area where downstairs you couldn’t see the artists head and upstairs you couldn’t see below their waists.
Tonight is Chuck supporting Jackie Leven and to be honest we are only there to see Chuck. Clearly not making any cash at that stage his jeans must have been made pre-war and so worn that one of his balls was hanging out which was slightly off putting.
Still music wise he delivers a perfect short acoustic set. We stayed for a bit of Leven but not really being our cup of tea we left early for a beer before bedtime.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. With hopes dashed of any form of normality soon I am trying to cling on that by June we could be back in business but my hopes have been dashed so many times in the last twelve months that I wouldn’t bet on it.
Don forget, support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.