Gigs

[pdw1]

Got tickets for Maiden as well. It's a family thing, I always go with my brother.

That's nice/ I always go with my accountant and lawyer 

[Thenop]

Got tickets for Maiden as well. It's a family thing, I always go with my brother.

That's nice/ I always go with my accountant and lawyer 

Oh great, you can write it off as a tax deduction?

[pdw1]

With the price of tickets these days, I wish   

[Matt2112]

Fri 1st Apr - STEWART LEE, Leeds Playhouse
Sat 16th Apr - The Vaccines, Leeds Academy (chaperoning)
Fri 6th May - STEWART LEE, Bradford St George's Hall
Friday 17th Jun - YES, Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Wed 22nd Jun - YES, York Barbican
Sat 25th Jun - NILE RODGERS & CHIC, Halifax Piece Hall
Sat 17th Sep - KING'S X, Holmfirth Picturedrome
Fri 28th Oct - FM, Bradford Nightrain
Fri 18th Nov - JERRY SADOWITZ, Bradford The Studio
Sat 19th Nov - THE SAW DOCTORS, Leeds Academy

2023

Sun 18th June - YES, Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Tue 20th June - MUSE, Huddersfield John Smith's Stadium
Wed 28th June - IRON MAIDEN, Leeds First Direct Arena

[Pudders]

Not published the list before but, as just made late call on Wishbone Ash, decided to check the calendar!

Thu 20th Oct - Wishbone Ash (Andy Powell's version!). Oxford O2 Academy.
Wed 26th Oct - Space Elevator. The Bullingdon.
Fri 11th Nov - Porcupine Tree. Wembley Arena.
Wed 16th Nov - Corky Laing/Brave Rival, The Bullingdon.
Wed 30th Nov - Kira Mac. The Bullingdon.
Sat 17th Dec - Cats In Space. The Stables. Milton Keynes.
Wed 21st Dec - Krissy Matthews. The Bullingdon.
Sat 28th Dec - Jump. Limelight Theatre Aylesbury.

[David L]

Happened upon a band playing in a bar in Whitstable this evening, The Strydes.

Possibly one of the best bar bands I've ever seen. All covers, mostly AOR classics and a few prog favourites. The set included a few deep cuts from Toto (including Rosanna), classics from Eagles, Mister Mister, Don Henley, Stephen Stills and Free.

Great, tight playing from the five-piece with three guitarists who could all take solos. Mostly older guys with a younger rhythm section.

 I was really surprised when they launched into Carry On Wayward Son, never heard a pub band take that on before! And what a great job they made of it too! It helped that the three guitarists could all sing and harmonise with each other really well.

Seemed a shame that the majority of the folks there were with the band. I always feel sorry for good bands that fail to get a decent audience. As is customary for me, I made sure I thanked a few of the band members for putting on such a good show. Turns out the (main) lead guitarist had played with Procol Harum for a time.

They are based in Kent and I'd thoroughly recommend you check them out if you ever get the chance.

[Slim]

Sea Power at Stoke last night.

Encouragingly, a much better night than my previous Sea Power gig at Cullercoats. Drummer Woody was absent due to COVID, but Tom White from Electric Soft Parade had been parachuted in and I must say, he did a sterling job. Viola operator Abi was also missing though this wasn't mentioned at all either at the gig, or in the band's various social media posts leading up to the tour - unless I missed one, but I don't think so. I wonder if this is the new norm?

As usual, a great atmosphere. They opened with Who's In Control? - perhaps a nod to current events, perhaps not. The new songs went down a storm again, especially Doppelganger and Green Goddess. For me though the highlight was Darker Skies which for some reason I can't quite put my finger on was magical last night. Crowd favourite No Lucifer though seemed to have lost some of its potency.. not sure exactly why. Maybe it suffered from Abi's non-participation, though I have heard it sans viola a few times now.

Tom had trouble with a snare drum, which gave rise to some mischievous banter from Noble. It was replaced after a few minutes. Interestingly he's a very powerful, technical drummer which I don't think I'd have guessed from the Electric Soft Parade tunes that I gave a listen this morning. He even helped himself to a bit of a drum solo at the end of Remember Me.

Support band Loose Articles, a rowdy girl band, were a lot of fun. A spirited racket. I'm looking forward to seeing them again on the tour, though I don't think I'd buy one of their records. I feel certain John Peel would have been a fan if they'd been around in the early '80s.

[Thenop]

Went to see Wolves in the Throne Room last night in Utrecht. Supported by Stygian Bough and Incantation. WITTR is an almost ethereal experience, as odd as it may sound - it is a black metal band. Shows rarely outlast the 1 hour mark in which 4/5 song are played. The stage filled with smoke, copious amounts of sage being blown into the room and the almost hypnotising music makes for a less than 'metal' experience. When you look around though it is clearly just that: a contest of battle jackets, waving hair (not mine, lol, that was once upon a long ago), beer drinking & hell raising but at the same time a gathering of misfits: most people there are shy (hence the alcohol useage) but know the songs note for note.

Of course I would go again - in a heartbeat, I feel right at home.   

Setlist:
Mountain Magick
Spirit of Lightning
Angrboda
Prayer of Transformation
I Will Lay Down My Bones Among The Rocks and Roots

[pdw1]

Machine Head - Of Kingdom And Crown

new machine head good

[Nickslikk2112]

Just booked for Rick Wakeman at the London Palladium next Feb 22nd, he's performing Six Wives of Henry VIII and Myths and Legends of King Arthur.

[R6GYY]

FM: Friday, August 12, 2022, Buckley Tivoli
Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers: Friday, September 30, 2022 - St. Asaph Cathedral
Level 42: Sunday, November 6, 2022 - Venue Cymru, Llandudno
London Film Music Orchestra - A Tribute To Hans Zimmer & John Williams: Saturday, March 11, 2023 - St. Asaph Cathedral

[Slim]

Wonderful Sea Power gig in Nottingham last night. I hadn't been to the Rescue Rooms since 2004 when I went to see Amy Winehouse there; that was a very memorable night as well. Last time (British) Sea Power were due to play the Rescue Rooms in 2018, the venue was moved to Rock City.

Main singer / guitar player Yan in particular seemed to be having a whale of a time on stage - I did have a suspicion that he was a bit pissed early on but if he was, he held it together very well and the whole set had a terrific energy. Tom White from Electric Soft Parade performed drum duties for Woody, who's still suffering from COVID and did a terrific job, just as he did last time.

Viola player Abi was absent again. Someone near the back shouted "we miss you Abi" which prompted a thumbs-up from the band's bass player Hamilton who's her partner, but no explanation for her absence was offered.



No Lucifer fell just a little flat again. I think it must be the absence of the viola, although Hamilton did cock up the guitar intro. No Bad Bohemian. But once again Darker Skies was magical. The Lonely was especially good as well, as was Fire Escape In The Sea.

I enjoyed support band Loose Articles a bit more than I did in Stoke. They have a nice sort of Sultans of Ping / The Fall thing going on and it went down well. Lots of energy. Quite visually appealing as well.

That was my eighth Sea Power gig since the hiatus imposed by the plague, and for me probably the best of the lot.

[dom]

Great pic!  What's all the onstage foliage about?

[Slim]

Great pic!  What's all the onstage foliage about?

Thanks!

They always do that. Just part of the schtick. I saw Hamilton and Noble collecting bits of tree outside before a gig at Leicester last year. Actually a year ago tonight come to think of it.

Unfortunately the two men in bear suits that used to mingle with the crowd have now been retired. I'm not sorry, they always smelled like they needed a dry clean when you got close to them.

[David L]

Great pic!  What's all the onstage foliage about?

Thanks!

They always do that. Just part of the schtick. I saw Hamilton and Noble collecting bits of tree outside before a gig at Leicester last year. Actually a year ago tonight come to think of it.

How do you go about "collecting bits of tree" without resorting to vandalism?