With the shitshow that is this Government puttting my part of the country back in the midst of lockdown and no sign of any live music in the foreseeable future 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 of the best today for my look back trip down memory lane for you down the years.
2002, Grand Drive, the Vessels, Dingwalls, London
What a great double bill this was with two of South London’s finest Americana bands. The very short lived The Vessels from Kingston with one excellent album in 02 and of course Danny George Wilson’s first venture this time with his brother in the great Grand Drive who at this stage were probably mid-way through their five album career.
A super show and would happily pay good money to see this again and you never know maybe Danny will temporarily reform for a final run of shows.
1997, Paul Weller, Kilburn National, London
The first thing to say about this show was it was absolutely packed breaking all fire code regulations. You couldn’t fit a Rizla between the crowd it was that tight. My other observation given I was only thirty at the time is how old I felt. The crowd seemed to be made up of teenagers with a few oldies scattered about like me John and Graham.
This would have been the ‘Heavy Soul’ tour but being quite early in his solo career there’s a good selection from those first two masterpieces. The band were on top form and it’s certainly got a rockier edge and with Peacock Suit and Friday Street open up the set perfectly. Looking at a similar set list from the tour it’s a fine ending too with ‘broken stones’. I think this is the only time I have seen Weller live and I’ll be honest I haven’t really enjoyed his last through albums where stylistically they have been a bit disjointed and all over the shop but the one form this year is more of a coherent body of work.
1990, Robert Plant, Town & Country, London
It’s Plant in the nineties. There some solo stuff, there some Zep stuff, there’s some covers, there’s a bunch of fucking around with his voice showing off and we’re usually left lamenting what could have been. Nothing more to add.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. Here’s hoping we can get to some form of normality soon but I have had several gigs slated for early 2021 already being moved to the back end 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.