With the country still in the midst of lockdown and no sign of any live music in the foreseeable future if at all this year 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.
It’s the end of June and of course its Glasto time. Day three of Glasto reviews with my virgin trip in 2015 plus six others on what is a busy day in the year for my trip along memory lane for you down the years.
1988, Bruce Springsteen, Wembley Stadium, London
After the ‘Born in the USA’ tour a few years back the three amigos return to the same venue for the Boss on a very contrasting tour in support of ‘Tunnel of Love’. Just a thirty three song setlist on this sunny June afternoon. TOL is one of my favourite Bruce albums full of great songs stripped back but not as much as Nebraska with Bruce as usual weaving his musical way around lovers stories in a country lush honky tonk sort of way.
There still enough space for all the hits from Born in the USA and of course choice cuts from his back catalogue but whilst the E Street band as we know can rock like no other this tour provides a subtler approach with associated ‘Horns of Love’ filling out the already full sound.
This one really stands up as one of my favourite Bruce shows down the years.
1998, Primal Scream, Guildford Civic Hall, England
Next up is Primal Scream in the rock and roll heartland of Surrey. It’s the Vanishing Point tour which shift the band back to their psychedelic electronic roots after the more rock oriented ‘Give out but don’t give up’. I think Mani might have joined the band at this stage to further flesh out the bass heavy riffs. I don’t remember much specifically about the show except I don’t imagine the Civic Hall has rocked out so hard for a long time especially with the cover heavy encore that had ‘Kick out the Jams’, ’Motorhead’ and a Stooges track.
2003, REM, Brixton Academy, London
Was really looking forward to this review when I saw the date was coming up. It’s a full house attendance for this evening with the Burgess boys, Mr Head, John and Graham for day two of an REM double header at Brixton Academy.
This was a greatest hits tour in support of ‘In Time’ their ‘best of’ album. It’s a steady start with a couple from ‘Document’ but it was at song 9 that shit got real. What followed was arguably the best twenty minutes of my gig going life. Five in a row from the early career masterpiece that is ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’ that’s as fresh today as it was in 1986. From the first note of ‘Begin the begin’ cue the six strong Surrey massive storming to the front of Brixton Academy taking no prisoners sweeping up anything that got in our way to form our own mini mosh pit. Pure unadulterated musical joy. The irony about this is that many of the audience probably only jumped on the REM bandwagon around the time of their mega hit album ‘Out of Time’ so most of this twenty minutes went over their head. I think our enthusiasm more than made up for the newbies indifference.
The rest of the evening is a blur but they did play ‘Carnival of Sorts’ from Chronic Town for the first time in twenty years so it just gave another excuse if one was needed to go crazy again. Breathless and sweaty we make our way home floating on adrenaline and a pure musical high. So a solid 3 out of five gig. Ha ha. A special gig with a special band. Come on boys you know you want to reunite one last time.
2004, Alicia Keys, Hammersmith Odeon, London
Taking it down a notch to see the super talented Alicia Keys with Anne. It’s a superb production but Keys doesn’t need any gimmicks as she has one of the purest voices around and is a fine pianist too. ‘Fallin’ is an obvious highlight and I think that this is one the best songs in the last twenty years. Great show but she’s no REM.
2010, Hard Rock Calling w Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Hives, Gaslight Anthem, London
I am guessing here on who came to this show but it may have been the Burgess boys, The Head and Graham but I can’t be sure. A great line-up and all were good and especially nice to see the Gaslights for the first time and The Hives were a lot of fun milking their two hits.
Onto Pearl Jam and it’s the usual long set and despite this being on the back of new album ‘Backspacer’ more songs from ‘Ten’ are played which is fine by me and I think it’s the most tracks from that album they have played on gigs I have seen of theirs. I was a brilliant show and certainly up there with one of the best of theirs I have seen.
2015 Glastonbury, England
I reviewed the weekend in detail here at the time on the blog but I have some additional observations. They say you always remember your first and this was no exception. I think for most of Thursday was just spent with my jaw dropped to the floor just taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the place and its vastness. My favourite area of Glasto is the Park and the short walk up from there to the Glastonbury letters and the first time you look back at the whole site it takes your breath away. Nothing prepares you for this even after seeing the pictures from the BBC down the years. The Glastonbury village extends as far as the eye can see in all directions.
There was no highlight that weekend. It was all highlight. The dampness didn’t dull the enjoyment although sadly due to an absolute tsunami of torrential rain we did miss Motorhead which was particularly gutting as Lemmy died not long after. We did however stumble across ‘Club Fromage’ disco and grooved to an hour or so of seventies rock in a dry tent. And that is the greatest thing about Glasto, there is something to capture your interest at every turn, whether it’s learning Latin dancing, a Cuban salsa band or a surprise set in a small tent or a wandering minstrel with an acoustic guitar there is an option at every turn.
Once you’ve been once you are hooked and I was gutted we didn’t get tickets this year for what would have started today. We won’t be beaten and I am determined to go at least one more time.
2018, Striking Matches, Bush Hall, London
I reviewed this show at the time on the blog here and this band are one of the best live acts out there at the moment. It’s a heady combination of country and blues with these two super talented songwriters and musicians. The guitar playing is off the charts with Sarah Zimmerman stealing the show with her amazing slide work but partner Justin Davis more than holds his own both acoustically and electric. A great band who Anne and myself will never miss any time that they are in town.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. Here’s hoping we can get to some form of normality soon. Support your small local venues and smaller artists in these difficult times, stay safe and keep on rockin y’all.