With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

WOW – A Celebration of the Music and Artistry of Kate Bush – Grand Opera House York – Thursday 7th March 2013 March 8, 2013

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:22 pm
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I can count on one hand the amount of tribute acts I have seen in my lifetime. Before last night it was just two; The Bootleg Beatles and The Wall a Pink Floyd tribute band. Both were very good. However in my opinion both were surpassed by the excellent show I saw at the Grand Opera House in York last night. It was titled ‘WOW – A Celebration of the Music and Artistry of Kate Bush’. The fact that Kate Bush is such an original and unique solo artist means that any attempt at a decent tribute to her would be difficult. However 36 year Maaike Breijman from Holland pulled it off impeccably well.

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She has a resemblance to Kate and a similar vocal style. She is also an excellent all round performer and she proved this by singing, dancing and playing the night away. She didn’t only focus on Kate Bush’s greatest hits although most of them were there. The overall show, including a brief interval, was close to two hours long. I lost count of the costume changes Breijman undertook but every one of them worked. Her band was superb as were the two male dancers that accompanied her for most songs.

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She seemed to draw her influence for the performances from film of Kate’s one and only tour and the videos for the later songs. The show included a terrific light show and some excellent projections and props. Including the weather machine from the ‘Cloudbusting‘ video. I particularly loved her performances of “The Wedding List”, “The Big Sky”, “Wow” and “Babooshka“. She also brought things a little more up to date with an excellent version of the 2005 hit “King Of The Mountain”. The theatrical staging of “Breathing” from inside a womb was pretty impressive too.

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The two most exceptional moments for me were her wonderful rendition of “this Womans Work” whilst accompanying herself on the piano and the obvious choise for closing the show, the incredible “Wuthering Heights”. It is highly unlikely that we will ever get to see the real Kate Bush play live now, although to be fair whoever thought David Bowie would release a new album? But in the absence from the stage of Kate Bush I can definitely recommend Maaike Breijman. The only disappointment for me was how few people there were in the audience. When she tours again I order you to do your utmost to see her. Sell your Granny, send your kids to sweep chimneys, do whatever it takes just make sure you are there for Maaike’s next tour. That’s an order ok! Click here to find the WOW website.

 

Rufus Wainwright – York Barbican Wednesday 21st November 2012 November 22, 2012

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 12:56 am
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Teddy Thompson, Adam Cohen and Rufus Wainwright on the same bill. Could this be the greatest ever offspring of famous musical fathers and mothers show? Yes it could be and it probably was. How do I know? Because I was there at the Barbican in York on Wednesday night.

Teddy Thompson, son of Richard and Linda Thompson took to the stage first armed with just his acoustic guitar. He is a real troubadour with great style, great songs and a superb dry wit. In my opinion an inspired choice to support Rufus. Incidentally Teddy is also a member of Mister Wainwright’s band.

Adams Cohen son of Leonard Cohen is a very talented showman indeed. He has clearly invented the great song writing gene from his Dad. He also did a rather amusing ‘guess whose son I am thread between songs. In fact the between song banter was intelligent and humorous. Especially the Celine Dion and George Michael references. All of this helped him achieve great rapport with and support from the audience. But what cemented that was the songs; his own compositions are truly special and he also interprets his father’s material very well too. Adam’s “I Love You” (I think that may be the title) is a stupendous song that ought to become a classic. I would definitely go and see Mr Cohen Junior again.

Rufus Wainwright, son of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle is a true showman with undoubtedly one of the best voices of his generation. I have heard him described as the gayest man on the planet. I’m not sure how you measure that, but he is certainly one of the campest. His stage clothes look like they came from Rupert The Bear’s wardrobe. I have loved his music since I first acquired a copy of his ‘Want One’ album so I was really looking forward to his show and believe me I wasn’t disappointed. He and his band were on stage for around an hour and forty minutes in which they performed new stuff, old stuff and a cover of one of his Dad’s songs which was shared equally among the whole band. He also gave the spotlight to a couple of band members too. He played one of my favourites in “Going To A Town” as well.

But he saved the best until last. After Rufus and the band left the stage we were waiting in anticipation for the usual type of encore. But what happened transcended any other encore I have seen before. Some of the band came back on stage dressed in their best funk and soul brother outfits and were followed by a musclebound Cupid, who proceeded to whip the crowd into a dance frenzy of mega proportions. Well ok he get everyone on their feet at least. We were all stomping and clapping for the return of the newly anointed Rufus Apollo who appeared from the back of the auditorium wearing a toga like outfit a mask and a blonde wig. He and Cupid started some of the crowd in a conga and lead them onto the stage. Rufus and the band then closed proceedings with a barnstorming version of the truly wonderful “Gay Messiah”. This Rufus bloke knows how to put on a good show and a great party, I order you to go and see him. Don’t delay get out and buy your tickets now!

Please note that none of the pictures and clips are from the show at the Barbican, I was enjoying the show way too much to get my camera out!

 

Fascinating Aida – Grand Opera House, York – Wednesday 14th November 2012 November 18, 2012

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:10 pm
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Last Wednesday I went to see an act that has been around for thirty years. I had been conscious of them but never really aware of what they were. My interest was raised when my good friend John Williams (not the composer or the classical guitarist but a better bloke altogether) sent me a clip of this act from YouTube. I came close to wetting myself while watching it. The act was Fascinating Aida and that clip was for their excellent take on budget airlines “Cheap Flights“. If you have never seen them live or on-line the best way I could describe them would be a satirical, singing cabaret ensemble who are also bloody hilarious!

They kicked off their show with a superb song attacking the banking and big business fraternity which made an excellent acronym from their ‘Companies Using Nifty Taxation Schemes’ I’ll let you guess the actual acronym. They included their biggest internet hits; the aforementioned “Cheap Flights” and the not to be missed “Dogging”. You don’t know what dogging is? I suggest you ask your parents or maybe Stan Collymore.

The group managed to take a dig at so many people in such a short space of time including Tom Cruise, Pamela Anderson, U2, the Germans and many politicians to but a few. In fact their Belgian Song Cycle (at least I think that is what it was called) contained many of these put downs. As a result of that song cycle I will never be able to look at Cheryl Cole again without thinking ladyboy!

Their show is also very topical and referred amusingly to the austerity protests in Europe earlier in the week. These are three very talented women who I would like to thank very much for a hilarious evening out with Catwoman, Caron and John. So Dillie, Adele and Liza we loved your show and we would be delighted to see you again sometime. I would also advise any of my readers who have never seen Fascinating Aida on-line or in concert to check them out immediately!

 

Ian Hunter – Harrogate Theatre Thursday 25th October 2012 October 25, 2012

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:54 pm
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I had the good fortune to accompany my good buddy John Williams to a gig in Harrogate on Thursday. Not just any gig, but an Ian Hunter gig. Someone who I have always liked but up until now had never seen play live. So I was anticipating great things. Did we get great things? Well let me talk about the support act first and then I will tell you!

Otis Gibbs all the way from Wanamaker, Missouri provided a very entertaining support set. He has some great songs, many of them well written story songs. He also engages really well with the audience between songs. Otis Gibbs; talented, humorous, good bloke and frankly bloody good at what he does!

As I said earlier I was expecting great things from Mr Hunter and I can say that categorically he didn’t let us down. He was, and I use this word sparingly these days, awesome. He started the show with two great rockers “Comfortable” from his new album and the classic “Once Bitten Twice Shy“. He played a lot of songs from the new album including the superb title track “When I’m President”, the wonderful “Black Tears” and a song that grows on me every time I hear it “Ta Shunka Witco (Crazy Horse)”

Obviously he played some classic Mott The Hoople tracks including “All The Way From Memphis” and “Roll Away The Stone“. Then there was the obligatory (well Mott played it often) cover of the Velvet Underground‘s “Sweet Jane“. But that wasn’t the end of the Mott songs. During the encore they played my two favourite Mott The Hoople songs; the sublime “Saturday Gigs” and the best song Bowie wrote and never released himself “All The Young Dudes“. A stupendous end to a great set from a brilliant artist and indeed an excellent band; the Rant Band. Ian is 73 now but he rocks better than many younger rock stars.

Mr Hunter thank you for an excellent night and keep on rockin’ dude! Let me finish with a short clip of “Saturday Gigs” from tonight which was filmed on my positively ancient Nokia as were the photographs in this post.

 

“I’m feeling kind of hurt, sitting in the dirt” October 13, 2012

Filed under: News,Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:03 pm
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It’s all doom and gloom these days isn’t it; well according to rock’s best known pensioners it is. “Doom And Gloom” is the title of the new Rolling Stones single. Can we still call them singles if there is no physical product or even a B Side? Anyway the song is one of two new recordings that will be included on yet another Stones hits compilation coming out soon, that album is called ‘Grrr!’

“Doom And Gloom” is a template Stones rocker that has a whiff of ZZ Top about it. But it is really growing on me. Have you heard it yet? What do you think of it? Inevitably now that the tickets for Glastonbury 2013 have sold out the headliner rumours have moved up a gear or two and the Stones are getting quite a few mentions. Personally I think they would be a great choice. Anyway take a listen to “Doom And Gloom” and tell me what you think of it.

 

Lady Gaga – MEN Arena Manchester – Tuesday 11th September 2012 September 12, 2012

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:57 pm
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Some months ago I bought tickets for Catwoman and I to go and see Lady Gaga on her Born This Way Ball show. Well the time finally came around and we were there at the MEN last night. I should say up front that as far as the music goes I have been a fan of Gaga for a while so I was certainly looking forward to seeing her. But first there was the little matter of the Darkness who were on stage when we arrived at the MEN. I have unfinished business with these guys. I saw them at the Reading Festival back in 2003 when they were easily the highlight of Saturday afternoon. In fact highlight would be an understatement, they blew the opposition away. However the following year they were elevated to headliners and they truly sucked the big one, they were awful. So whilst I was pleased that they have got back together I was a little apprehensive. In my opinion they are easily back to their best and their new album is pretty good too. Catwoman wasn’t so keen and claimed that the volume almost had her ears bleeding! possibly a little exaggeration there!

After Justin and the boys left the stage we were promised a 30 minute wait for HRH Gaga, this stretched to about an hour which is never a good thing is it? Gaga’s entrance though did tick all the right dramatic and spectacular boxes. The curtains dropped to reveal a stage set that was part Disney princess castle and part Hammer Horror film left over. She then made her way onto the stage on the back of what can only be described as a very posh pantomime horse. For most of the gig the band were hidden away in the castle; shades of Bowie’s theatrical excursion across the USA in 1974 for the Diamond Dogs tour.

I felt that all of Ms Germanotta’s influences were on show during the evening. Bowie in the theatrical element, Freddie Mercury in how she tried to manage the crowd and I suspect her loyal little monsters won’t like this; Madonna for all the costume changes and a bra with two guns pointing from it. I can’t believe that didn’t have it’s roots in Madge’s now iconic cone bra from a few years back. How did all this rate? 9 out of 10 for the theatrical set, 4 out of 10 for crowd control and 8 out of 10 for costumes. Including one dress that allowed her to move like a Dalek, now that was cool!

Her songs are very strong and the dancers and the band are also very good. All the hits were rolled out “Born This Way”, “Just Dance”, “Bad Romance” and “Alejandro” to name but a few. It wasn’t her fault but I do believe the sound from her head mic could have been better. It certainly improved when she used a hand-held or one in a stand. Keeping up the scoring theme I will award her 10 out of 10 for the songs and 8 for the singing and the dancing, including the Lady herself, gets an 8 from me. So if I add all those scores together that would be 47 out of 60. Which is not a bad score is it? However I need to adjust it with at least a minus 30 for all the pretentious crap she spouted not so much between songs but in the prolonged talking part of the show. It’s right that a good artist should change the tempo of a performance but what she did was effectively grind it to a halt just to talk bollocks for what seemed like ages. I know that one of the dancers had suffered a family bereavement, but even so this was way, way over the top.

Constant questions about whether we ‘give a fuck’ or not tend to grate after a while. For the record I purchased tickets and I own her albums so I do give a fuck. My question to Gaga is do you? The little monsters worshipping mother monster is all well and good but her pontifications were almost cult like and a little bit Dubya in the sense that you’re either with us or you’re not, no in-between. I was with her, but now I’m not. So I assume that this make’s me the Gaga equivalent of a ‘cheese eating surrender monkey’

Also how many times did she have to tell us that “Born This Way” was written at the MEN during her last major UK tour. Once would have been enough. Then there was the new song about Princess Diana. It sounds like a reasonable song, but the spoken introduction which went on and on and on added nothing to it and would have struggled to raise a laugh or excitement from someone afflicted with a disease that means they laugh all the time.

She has a fixation for Disney Princesses and a clear dislike for Barbie which surprises me given how bland, insipid and devoid of controversy most Disney princesses actually are. It was quite amusing to see Ms Germanotta struggling to rip Barbie’s limbs off though. Overall I was disappointed I expected more from someone who I still believe has much potential and talent. But she really does need to take her head out of her, albeit rather nice, arse and get real before I would ever consider seeing her again.

Gaga has left the building and seems to have at least temporarily removed her head from her arse

 

Reading Festival 2012 – Day 3 – The Pictures September 2, 2012

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:21 pm
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Here we go good people of the blogosphere a few Reading Festival 2012 pictures (including mistakes) taken with my outdated Nokia. This is post 3 of 3. I hope you enjoy!

 

Reading Festival 2012 – Day 2 – The Pictures

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:19 pm
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Here we go good people of the blogosphere a few Reading Festival 2012 pictures (including mistakes) taken with my outdated Nokia. This is post 2 of 3. I hope you enjoy!

 

Reading Festival 2012 – Day 1 – The Pictures

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:19 pm
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Here we go good people of the blogosphere a few Reading Festival 2012 pictures (including mistakes) taken with my outdated Nokia. This is post 1 of 3. I hope you enjoy!

 

Reading Festival 2012 – Day 3 – Sunday 26th August August 27, 2012

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 5:26 pm
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So how did the last day of the festival arrive so quickly? Perhaps because two old rockers (that’s me and Mr Horslen) have had a fantastic jolly boys outing! Day 3 kicked off with the highly recommended (by Simon Pattinson) Deap Vally. They were fucking good; like an all girl White Stripes but with a much better drummer! We caught some of the Band Of Skulls set and they served up some pretty good blues rock. The Eagles Of Death Metal who on the previous occasions I had seen them were a superb party band. They were good this time but not as good as usual. I wonder whether the fact that the audience is now a bit further from the stage given the new safety barrier arrangement.

The Gaslight Anthem were next on the Main Stage. These guys definitely get better every time I see them, it must be something about the water in New Jersey because there is definitely at least an injection of Springsteen in their songs. Another comedy break came next and Stephen K Amos was bloody hilarious. His handling of hecklers was the best I have seen in a long while. Alberta Cross don’t sound like they’re from Alberta nor do they sound cross. But they do sound good.

The loudest band ever on the BBC Introducing stage has to be Marmozet. Are they Slipknot without the masks? I think I like them. Next it’s the Lock Up stage for Good Riddance, basically a bit derivative of many US punk bands and therefore not particularly original. Was that Johnny Cash playing guitar in the Mark Lanegan Band? Is Mark receiving messages from beyond the grave from Jim Morrison? We need to know! The Kaiser Chiefs were far better than I expected but I doubt that I’ll ever be a big fan of theirs. Every day I love you less and less; indeed. Everything is average nowadays; double indeed! The Black Keys rocked like motherfuckers; ’nuff said!

So just how good was the send off from Reading 2012? It was the Fucking Foo Fighters, that’s how good it was. Undoubtedly one of the best headline sets I have ever seen at Reading and I have been going since the late 70s. Sadly I haven’t been every year in that time, but I have only missed around two of the last twenty and Nick and me have headed to Reading together for around ten years now. The Foos played for two and a half hours and if the field had a roof on they surely would have blown it off. Dave Grohl is a talented genius and a true superstar. None of the rumoured special guest turned up but they weren’t needed. In the few hours before the Foos Nick and I both thought about toning it down or not going as often. But after the Foo Fighters we were completely fired up for Reading 2013. Bring it on!