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. 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.
So another gig gets cancelled today not rearranged and this is now becoming a trend. I have little to no expectations that the seven gigs booked for March, April and May will happen.
A busy day with five shows today for my look back down memory lane.
2016, Lucero, the Garage, London
This is the band that started me writing the blog nearly seven years ago. This show a couple of years later only cemented the fact that these guys are Premiership quality country rock n roll. Another great show that was reviewed here at the time.
2015, Hiss Golden Messenger, Bush Hall, London
I am massively biased when I review this band. MC has a love or hate nasally voice but I love it and he is a supreme songwriter. So this was a five star review of a gig at one of my favourite London venues. They started and ended the gig in the crowd and for the encore they stood right next to me. A great show reviewed here at the time.
2009, Teddy Thompson, Shepherds Bush Empire, London
I’ve seen Teddy a few times and such is his quality he doesn’t need to trade off his famous parents name. Coming quickly off the back of seeing him in San Francisco a few months before its largely the same set touring in support of the fine ‘a piece of what you need’.
I won’t repeat my memory from that gig but suffice to say it’s another fine show.
2006, Goldfrapp, Brixton Academy, London
This was one show where I wanted to get there early to have a good view. Goldfrapp were famous at the times for their stage shows and we weren’t disappointed at all. It’s very theatrical, with the dancers with horse heads and tails, etc.
Of course the show doesn’t detract from the music which had matured over those first three albums with a great soulful disco pop vibe. The set is drawn heavily from the ‘Supernature’ album with choice cuts from the first two albums.
It’s certainly up there in my top five ‘theatrical’ gigs and by that I mean it’s not five guys with guitars on a bare stage. This was a show in al aspects of the word. Great stuff and a thoroughly enjoyable night for me and Anne with plenty of boogieing down.
2002, Chris Whitely, the Borderline, London
This was sadly the last time we saw Chris Whitley before his death a couple of years later. He was responsible for some epic steel guitar blues albums and gigs down the years. Whilst billed as the ‘Rocket House’ album tour looking at setlists around this time he takes in a good balance of tracks from across all of his albums.
A super talent for sure that’s sadly missed and if you’ve never heard of him just listen to his debut album ‘Living with the Law’ as its firmly in my top fifty albums of all time.
Don’t forget, support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.