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 with gigs getting cancelled not rearranged, this is now becoming a trend. I have little to no expectations that the seven gigs booked for March, April and May will happen.
Just a couple of today for my look back down memory lane.
2008, Steve Earle, Roundhouse, London
This was probably the ‘Washington Square Serenade’ album tour and I’m pretty sure that his then wife Allison Moorer was the support act. Sadly in my opinion Earle’s’ influence killed her creatively at this time and her album around then was a pretty bland affair. She’s not out of that relationship and has refound her mojo.
Onto the show, it’s a nice start with a bunch of oldies and as is usual with an Earle show it’s a long set. I seem to recall that there was some turntable action on stage too which I’m not sure added anything to the proceedings.
It’s an OK show but won’t live long in the memory like those early days with the Dukes.
1996, Joan Osborne, Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Riding high at the time on the back of her hit ‘One of us’ I was accompanied by work colleague and bass player Steve from the Prison Service (that’s not the name of a band it’s where we worked).
Osborne, a sort of cross between Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette she has a fine voice and specialises in quirky poppy folk I guess. She doesn’t disappoint with a brief set on the back of one album but that voice is stunning and there are some hair tingling moments which for me is clearly a challenge.
A fine show but I’m not sure she ever really drew on that early momentum but her albums have always received decent reviews in the intervening twenty five years.
That’s it for today so don’t forget, support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.