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.
Four on the floor for today’s trip down memory lane for you down the years.
1988, Human Rights Now Amnesty International, Wembley Stadium, London
This was the first night of twenty gigs around the world raising the awareness of the work of Amnesty International. All the shows featured Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Tracy Chapman and Youssou N’Dour.
I am pretty sure that this was me and Antony for this one. And while we should probably have been there to support the politics these two twenty year olds were here for the music. And a fine day it was too. Each artist played their own shortish set with of course Bruce closing with a restrained for him seventeen song set. Highlights were probably Gabriel for me who was excellent and of course another fine set from Bruce with some poignant covers closing with the Wailers’ ‘Get up stand up’.
2000, North Mississippi Allstars, the Garage, London
I don’t intend to review this one separately. I have seen this band so many times and they are just a great live blues band and this show was no different to any of the others.
2003, Soledad Brothers, 100 Club, London
This was a brilliant show by this sixties throwback psych pop band the short lived Soledad brothers. I have no idea if they were brothers but I do know they had some great tunes and of course the 100 Club was the perfect setting for this band borne out of time. Sadly their light didn’t shine for very long and disappeared just a couple or so years later.
2014, Benjamin Booker, 100 Club, London
I reviewed this show at the time here in the early days of the blog. A fine show from this up and coming blues guy.
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.