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 and some form on normality would have prevailed and I would be back to live music by the autumn. It quickly became apparent that this was not going to be the case and I soon wrote off the whole year pinning my hopes on a quick resumption in 2021.
Well after his latest bout of brinkmanship with the virus Boris has blinked too late yet again and we’re back in full lockdown. 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.
Just the one today for my look back trip down memory lane.
2020, Tyler Childers, Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Another one from last year and it’s a great show from newcomer Tyler Childers. He is certainly establishing himself as a bit of cult country figure and indeed seems to be crossing over certainly in the US. There is some of that here on this packed night and the audience is definitely younger than the usual country set. His last album ‘Country Squire’ was one of the highlights of 2019 and of course this dominates the set. All was reviewed here at the time in more detail.
2004, the White Stripes, Alexandra Palace
This still remains the only gig I have been to at this venue and rightly so. Its rubbish to get to, the acoustics are terrible as are the sight lines on this flat floor in this behemoth of an arena.
But… all that pales away as soon as Jack White plugs his guitar in and unleashes a vicious attack on twenty five songs barely giving himself and Meg and indeed us a second to draw breath.
I think White is both underrated as a guitarist and vocalist and I have seen him a few times since the Stripes split up and he is phenomenal. Of course he can rock but there’s also subtlety there too when he needs it. But not tonight, this is the ‘Elephant’ tour, an album home of their much purloined rabble rousing song ‘Seven Nation Army’. In addition to their originals White ensures he doffs his cap to the blues legends with covers of Son House and Lead Belly, a birthday tribute to Dolly with ‘Jolene’ and a surprising cover of a great but massively underappreciated band the Soledad Brothers.
It may be cold outside but the frantic energy generated from White and the crowd could warm any cockle. A word for Meg too who keeps that driving beat going throughout for Jack to build upon. T’was a truly Rock tastic night.
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.