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.
A couple of shows for my look back trip down memory lane for you down the years.
2008, Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Coming together for these two songsters touring on the back of their second collaboration ‘Sunday at Devil Dirt’ down at the South Coast in a great little venue in Southsea.
As you would expect banter and energy are in short supply but Isobel does give some light to Lanegan’s shade. Most of both albums are played and it’s a lovely evening of dark folk I guess.
1984, the Firm, Hammersmith Odeon, London
A supergroup of sorts with Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Free’s Paul Rodgers coming together after forming a short lived band that recorded one album and toured once.
It’s a rare outing for Mr Wordingham joining me and Graham for tonight’s show. We are way up in the gods of the circle at the Odeon and were sat behind the great Janick Gers. For those who don’t know he was the guitarist in Gillan’s band.
As part of the two coming together they agreed they wouldn’t play anything from their previous bands and just do new stuff, their solo work or covers. And so it proved. A great night even with the rubbish seats from two rock legends.
The night was made more memorable by being pulled over by the cops on the way home. This unmarked car behind kept flashing me and trying to overtake, so I ignored it and swore a lot. It was only when they got side by side I could see their uniforms. When I asked why I didn’t stop I replied well I just thought it was some idiot boy racer being an arse. No drama and we were let on our way.
That’s it for today’s trip down memory lane. Here’s hoping we can get to some form of normality soon but with the new lockdown my last chance of a gig disappeared this month and I have now had my first gig of 2021 cancelled 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.