Old New Romantics gather on Valentine’s Day in Poole. Some friends down and up this evening who are more the Ultravox/ Midge long-term faithful than me (AMu, SLa, APi and DPi): even t-shirts being sported. I could feel under dressed.
I have no long Ultravox or Midge Ure history. These were every bit sounds of my 80s, but I didn’t buy stuff, just heard it. Hence I’m a bit ‘greatest hits’ on this… certainly the Vienna album, being focused on tonight, is park of the life soundtrack of many 50 somethings, including me.
I first saw Midge Ure live only in quite recent years at a Newton Abbott Racecourse 80s gig (2.8.16) and Basingstoke Anvil (12.3.16) for a multi-band 80s tour – how rock ‘n’ roll are those venues eh😎?
Midge Ure: Running in the 4.20 at Newton Abbott – August 2018Midge Ure in the final straight- Newton Abbott Racecourse, Aug 2018
This is more a proper gig with Midge’s band – keyboards and violin one side of the drummer, keyboards and guitar the other, with a smart and trim Midge roaming below in front of them, alternating from keyboards to guitar – full sound. A relatively big venue on this tour (1500 all seated) and really good to see the Lighthouse full and rocking. We don’t get many like this.
Poole Lighthouse is a multifaceted arts centre and the live band market is not a very significant part of their offer…but it is tonight! Don’t look a gift gig you can walk to in the mouth.
Midge Ure – Concert Hall, Poole Lighthouse 14.2.20
Back in the noughties I saw Paul Weller here, and Doves, from the famously bouncy sprung floor. Since moving to Poole about eight years ago, although I’ve enjoyed plenty of other events at The Lighthouse but the only gigs for established artists I’ve been attracted in for have been Paul Young, Marc Almond, Simple Minds and Glenn Tilbrook…the lighter end of it all and all seated (Tilbrook being in the smaller Theatre). The Live and Unheard sessions are a great idea though and welcome recent addition. These have been taking place in The Studio.
Dublin electronic threesome Tiny Magnetic Pets are the support tonight – short lively set – with some strong keyboard sounds and other assets.
Tiny Magnetic Pets – support
The tour is billed as ‘The 1980 Tour – Vienna and Visage’. I didn’t pick up on that before hand which meant I was wildly impressed with my mate Andy’s song ‘predictions’ as the set progressed….the penny dropped eventually 🙄.
Smart and trim – Midge Ure
Some Visage numbers early on and a nod of respect to the late Steve Strange as ‘Fade to Grey’ got people up. Great song that echoes the early 80s so well.
‘In the year 2525′, a Zega and Evans’ song appeared early on – I’m still impressed with the details emerging from my friend next to me – can I get him to a pop quiz before he goes home?
‘Sleepwalk’ (opening album track – but just a pleasant surprise to me at this point) moves us into the ‘Vienna’ section. Pockets of standing and (dad) dancing emerge again – usual disgruntlement for those glad of their seat. Never perfect but it works itself out. Best off with plenty of standing room at the front.
‘Mr X’ was notable and more heavily electronic and ‘All Stood Still’ was the last belter from ‘Vienna’.
Midge introduced B-side ‘Passionate reply’ as a song chosen by fans to hear on the tour. Then perhaps the best one: ‘Dancing with Tears in My Eyes’ with the classic Midge grimace as he holds the notes and pulls his head back from the mic to let the vocal tail off.
Midge Ure Dancing, with tears in his eyes
To finish, ‘The Voice’ and ‘The Hymn’. Great stuff . Who says New Romanticism is dead eh? We hide in the Lighthouse bar – now easy to get served and sit and linger a while avoiding the storm outside, though merely delaying our soaking as Storm Dennis approaches.
It’s 38 years since I first saw Julian Cope. A fair bit of water has flowed under our respective bridges in that time. I wonder if he’s altered much? Yup….OK, I’ve gone grey but you win Julian…
Julian Cope at The Fleece, Bristol
Yes, once fresh faced Julian, of 80s Liverpool popsters Teardrop Explodes, has clearly moved on….but fear not, he still gives time to some ‘Teardrop’ sounds.
It was 6 February 1982 at Birmingham Odeon when I first saw Mr Cope, in Teardrop Explodes. A mate from college (Mish) had acquired some free passes for the gig which got us in and meant we could wander about, but not backstage – ‘all areas’ bit was crossed out. This didn’t stop us getting asked outside if we could get people ‘to meet Julian’ and feeling generally pleased with ourselves. If I remember rightly this freebie came via the student union events team…students eh!
Birmingham Odeon 6.2.82
Move on a decade and I recall the solo Cope at The Tic Toc Club in Coventry, with my then Earlsdon, Cov. mate Chris (CMe). With some Setlist prompting this was April 1991. Cope was wearing a skirt. I don’t suppose I’d bat an eyelid now, but I remember that. I’d started to go grey…and was buying CDs instead of cassettes – we were maturing, each in our own way.
This was around the time of the modestly titled ‘Saint Julian’ album which I now think sounds loads better to me than it did then.
Cope played at Pheonix and Reading Festivals in the 90s but despite some Google line-up memory jogging I can’t 100% recall if I was at the right stage at the right time, or indeed the right day as certainly for Reading, in that period, I was more of a day ticket visitor.
The Fleece, Bristol
St Thomas Street, Bristol
Scroll forward 25 years and it’s Bristol for a Sunday night Cope gig at The Fleece. A short walk over the river from the heart of the old town, in Storm Ciara – I know ‘they’ said only essential journeys – it is Julian Cope after all.
On a February night the Fleece’s entrance is not exactly obvious, but welcoming security staff give the game away.
The Fleece main entrance – an easy spot in daylight
The Fleece is a grade two listed building – once a sheep trading market in the 1800s. The capacity is 450 standing. The stone floor is like a medieval street underfoot. Iron pillars, two rows near the front and one across the middle keep the ceiling up. While they can get in the view, it adds to the historic feel.
A great selection of posters adorn the walls with the ‘tunnel’ to the toilets being a virtual art gallery of previous and upcoming gigs.
I’ve only been here once before, Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg last year, but I like the place. Good bar with some decent Bath Ales options and not much waiting time, with a good value can fridge option also, on the opposite side.
Support: Tom Hickox
Perhaps an unexpected choice for a Julian Cope support act – quite conventional but a well received singer songwriter, with keyboards. Top drawer.
Songs were introduced with some context from Tom, revealing the passion. Highly listenable on a first hearing… and people listened.
Tom Hickox
Cope takes the Stage
I was expecting more madness..no… thoughtful, witty introductions to put his work in context. He needed to be the ‘almost solo’ act. That’s what he wanted and that’s what the audience appreciated.
Early notable numbers included ‘Autogeddon Blues’ and ‘Greatness and Imperfection of Love’. He started to refer to the ‘Ba Na Na Na Naaa’ songs…. the Teardrop material, but he’s still proud of it and sings it like a choir boy still – great voice and diction. The first is ‘Passionate Friend’.
It is Cope… with guitar. There is a keyboard. A bass and player appear..but this is Cope….and the audience of 50 something guys are here to concentrate, listen and ‘worship’. No mindless chatter.
‘Great Dominions’ was another corker, from Teardrop’s ‘Kilimanjaro’.
Cope mentioned his new album ‘Civil War’ and explained how the album reflected on a country which had become a place where Nazis had vegan kids and the related internal conflicts at large these days. Thoughtful man, without obvious mainstream politics being spat at us.
Sporting an US Airforce cap, as a nod (or jibe) to his American father-in-law, Cope grabbed us. Pretend encores included ‘Treason’ and ‘Out of My Mind on Dope and Speed’…an anthem clearly.
Saint Julian – what a fabulous example of English individuality…I’d say eccentricity but is it for me to say that? Perhaps I will read one of his books first.
I toddled off happy, to The Old Duke for one more pint.
A great illustration of the fact I am a gig goer with a pocket camera, not ‘a photographer’. When the light works, snap. In the right place, snap, but not much scope for variety at a one man show….but evidence that ‘I was there’.
I’ve had a bit of a Winter break…three casual pub gigs since the end of December and now I’m back on it. Been looking forward to this…The Rezillos at the Brook, Portswood, Southampton.
The Brook
I haven’t been here since January last year. Instant feeling of guilt and wondering… why not? I don’t know. Possibly the travel…. 1.5 miles south of Southampton Parkway station with some seriously big roads to contend with on foot or 2.5 miles north of Southampton Central Station. The Brook website gives all the detail you need for an innovative combination of public transport and taxis…but I just drive here. Free on street parking is available.
What a great place. Unusual balcony with upstairs bar and great view from any early grabbed seat. The upper floor has a huge overhang to almost get you on the stage.
Balcony view of support band The Flying Alexanders
I’ve seen several acts here since moving to the south coast in 2003, but not loads – Undertones, a Men They Couldn’t Hang duo, The Rifles, Ben Montague, Steve Diggle, Secret Affair and Absolute Bowie (this place is generally tribute paradise).
Capacity of 550, this is a ‘hollowed out’ big suburban public house. One new addition I noticed was the Pieminister pie counter, just on the left on entry.
The Flying Alexanders (support)
Jon Sansom – Flying Alexanders – The Brook
The name sounded familiar. I think I’ve seen this Southampton band before, supporting The Stranglers, having Googled.
They’re good – a mix of Clash, Jam, Ruts sounds, without the band looking like any of them. About six songs in all. Impressed.
Rezillos Retro
The band formed in 1976 in Edinburgh. Fun, visual, cartoon sci-fi imagery, mixed with 50s rock ‘n’ roll and post-punk pop. A lot of songs conjureup thoughts of Lost in Space and B-movies with Martians in. (I’m sporting my ‘Flying Saucer Attack’ Rezillos t-shirt tonight.)
There is a bit of a B-52s feel. When they started there were the two girls, ‘Fay Fife’ and ‘Gayle Warning’ (!), no, not their real names. Fashion design students – Fay still has it – look at her gear later.
I was first aware of the Rezillos when most were – Top of the Pops 1978 – the programme and the song, which got to number 17 in the charts, back when we listened to the chart show on little radios at school and were bothered, and didn’t realise it was fiddled.
After their initial burst, which included ‘Destination Venus’ (Number 43 pop-pickers), and the first album ‘Can’t Stand the Rezillos’, they disappeared from my radar. They split up and a reformed ‘Revillos’ returned in 1979 with ‘Motorbike Beat’ getting to number 45 in 1980…I seem to have got hooked on the chart thing now but that was pretty much it on the hits front until…..
In 2002 a film Jackass: The Movie included The Rezillos cover version of “Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight”, a Fleetwood Mac song. This is what most would know them by outside the UK.
The Rezillos got re-started in 2001 and next Rezillos album, ‘Zero’, wasn’t until 2015. There’s a live album and a few Revillos albums in between.
Previous Gigs
I didn’t see the Rezillos live until March 2015 when they supported The Stranglers at Portsmouth Guildhall. We (+Sally S) were late – some foot injury – and just caught three last songs, including ‘Top of the Pops’.
Next was Thekla, Bristol – the moored ship – September 2018. That was a cracker. Department S were supporting. I turned up with mate Dave P about 8.15pm and we asked the merch man what time Department S were on…they’d played and gone ashore. (It was one of those gigs where they chuck the old people out early and open a night club for youth afterwards.)
That night was announced as a last one for the then Rezillos guitarist and his place was subsequently Philled by Phil Thompson who is with The Rezillos on tour currently.
I finally caught up with Department S at the February 2019 Great British Alternative Music Festival at Butlins, Minehead, where I was down the front for another great, but shorter, Rezillos set. I was keen to see them again after that and here I am.
The Rezillos – live tonight
The Brook, Southampton 8.2.20
A great up-close place to see the animated performance of The Rezillos. Fay Fife leaning over the audience, staring and facially expressive, performing mime while singing and Eugene darting to and fro with guitar, saxophone, x-ray spex and a cheeky smile.
Eugene Reynolds on stage at The Brook 8.2.20Fay Fife – The Brook 8.2.20
They open with ‘Destination Venus’. Great start. There are several large quiffs in tonight. I can see one particularly enormous one twitching away.
Phil Thompson and Fay Fife
New guitarist Phil Thompson is up front and central to a lot of the songs, with Fay and Eugene dancing around and generally teasing him at his central riffs.
The set list was stuck on one of the stage amps as a spoiler for those with good eyesight or a zoom.
Tonight’s set list
‘Head kicked in’ was an air puncher – I must listen to the Fleetwood Mac version – and ‘Top of the Pops’ the obvious highlight. Their best song though, I thought, was ‘My Baby Does Good Sculptures’ and that was saved until near the end.
The saxophone got a full outing for the instrumental ‘20,000 Rezillos Under the Sea’ of course.
An enthusiastic Saturday night crowd squeezed out a second encore, not on the set list: a full-on Fay Fife cover of ‘River Deep Mountain High’.
My big gig year is over. I started recording my gig trail late on in a gig-filled 2019. So many different aspects make something the tops. The best come as a result of an all round good trip, the location, the company, the suitability and sound at the venue and the night out, the nostalgic value of catching up with an old favourite or a band seen regularly, even meeting some of them….or just a great performance.
This year I have seen 195 live performances, in full, at 66 gigs plus a total of 10 days at three festivals. I didn’t count part sets and a few songs from a support bands I was late in for. I saw several bands more than once including four Skids performances. 164 different bands/ artists.
This topped last year’s 55 gigs and one festival, with 2018 including an eight gigs in eight days in three cities – an epic adventure that Summer. I really cannot imagine I have ever, or will ever, get anywhere near the 2019 total again without becoming part of the entertainment industry.
I’ve been very fortunate to have so many opportunities presented on a plate by my mate and gig buddy Dave (DPi), who has outstripped my total by a mile, and I’ve been lucky enough to have an enthusiastic gig going partner, Sally, who also comprehends my more indulgent gig programme. There have been some lucky breaks in who we’ve bumped into through the year as well as a few special tickets. It has been a belter. One day we won’t be able to do it, or even want to…so rock on while the sun shines.
‘Fallers and Non-Runners’
Despite my dodgy ankle I only missed one gig – The Cult – through illness or injury. A few were touch and go with a crutch, some supportive pillars, timely seated tickets and a low wall saving the day. Only Shed Seven cancelled a gig, due to illness, but Sam Fender and Snow Patrol dropped out of Glastonbury, but I saw them anyway. We beat the train strikes and weren’t unintentionally late for anything. No disasters, although I did delete all my camera photos of Alice Cooper after that gig.
Golden rule has to be to make time for food before a gig night with alcohol. “Eating isn’t cheating!”.
10 Days of Festivals
The festivals were at four days of a hot and sunny Glastonbury, three days at a hot and sunny Victorious Festival in Southsea and three days of indoor performances at the Butlins Great British Alternative Music Festival in March. Three hugely enjoyable events and I even had to adjust the mortgage to accommodate the Glastonbury yurt experience. Some raised eyebrows on that but it’s done now. We were there and it was a glorious week (aside from a infected horse-fly bite that blossomed horribly and later needed urgent medical treatment. What the hell had that fly had been eating before me?
Horse-fly bite revs up on day three of Glastonbury
Being over ambitious at a festival, particularly Glastonbury, is a potential pitfall. After a long walk I failed to get anywhere near Frank Turner on the Strummerville stage and couldn’t accommodate The Damned there or The Good, The Bad and The Queen at another distant stage. Perhaps surprisingly I also regret missing a staggering performance by Miley Cyrus that I watched later on TV.
Picking the Best
It is quite hard, well near impossible, to make comparisons between the gigs, performances and festival days…….but of course I’m going to have a go. As I say it’s rarely just about the musical performance – it’s the whole experience.
Out of all these gigs there is not one which I regretted going to. There are a few odd support bands and local ones that I really would not bother with but it’s a handful and if I didn’t like them, well someone else might.
I recognise fully that I love a nostalgia trip so new bands, and new bands to me (the surprises) are treasured all the more – so I’ve done seperate lists to remind myself of the best local bands; other new bands; best surprises and a top ten overall gigs/ festival performances. (All photos taken by me, unless stated or I’m in it, mostly with my trusty pocket zoom.)
Saluting the Worst
I will start with the notable negative of 2019. The Westpoint Arena, Exeter is not a venue I will be returning to, certainly not in the Winter. The 1975 gig there was a bit of a horror show in my book. I had seen then two years previously and they really have lost it. Maybe not helped by an appalling venue – suited more to a car boot. It’s just a hanger. In freezing cold rain partially dressed youths were locked outside in a barren car park for ages. Confused staff played with their radios. I’d been ushered to a grassy car park on the outskirts of the site where I got stuck later.
No Rome, supporting, were, by some distance, the worst band I saw last year. Ghastly, but some of the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Then again I got to see Pale Waves, whoforsome reason had a much shorter support set…which lead me to seeing their brilliant Glastonbury performance in the John Peel Tent.
Top Local Bands
From around Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset five I’ve enjoyed most are, in no particular order:
DD Allen
Nina Garcia
Offbeat Offensive
Capulus
The Alibi
My Top New-ish Band Gigs
Slow Readers Readers Club at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea.
1. Slow Readers Club
The Spitfires at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea.
2. The Spitfires
Sam Fender, supporting Neil Young and Bob Dylan at Hyde Park.
4. Sam Fender
Pale Waves in The John Peel Tent at Glastonbury.
5. Heather Baron-Gracie of Pale Waves
Tom Walker also in The John Peel Tent at Glastonbury.
5. Tom Walker
My Top Six Surprises
Six bands that were new to me or I was surprised by just how good they were – best first.
Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg at The Fleece, Bristol with a brilliant set of Ramones’ classics at full speed in a good small venue.
1. Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg
Kiss at Birmingham Arena with pyrotechnics and rock antics galore.
2. Kiss
James Bay at Victorious Festival, Common Stage with more of a rocky edge than most male solo singer songwriters of the moment.
3. James Bay
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre with so much crowd stirring energy to their old 80s classics.
4. OMD
Jimmy Eat World supporting Frank Turner at Bournemouth International Centre, bringing me a first chance to see these New Jersey pop-punksters indoors after years of album listening.
Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World in Bournemouth
…and Spizzenergi at The 100 Club with a chance to see this niche post punk chameleon at a classic London venue.
6. Spizz
My Top Ten Gigs 2019
He we go then….I’ve tried it and in reverse order my top ten gigs, for a wide variety of reasons are:
10. Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, with Jimmy Eat World. Bournemouth International Centre. Frank was on form. Good set, good crowd and so good to see Jimmy Eat World supporting.
Frank Turner at a quieter solo moment – Bournemouth
9. Skids and Big Country. Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline. A festive pilgrimage with a bunch of mates to the town that gave rise to these two bands.
Simon Hough – the newer face of Big Country Richard Jobson – Skids
8. The B52s. Nottingham Theatre. Last European tour and I was turned away at the doors of Hammersmith Palais last time I tried to see this unique band. Met them after.
B52sB52s+1
7. Gary Numan. Bristol O2 Academy. Packed, devoted audience enjoyed a great set pulling from many albums.
Gary Numan
6. Suede. Southampton Guildhall (O2 Academy). A brilliant, intense and energetic performance by Brett Anderson.
Suede
5. Psychedelic Furs with The Wendy James Band. London Roundhouse. Last night of the UK tour. Top venue. Having been to Wendy James’ soundcheck we were allowed in to the after show drinks where we met everyone.
Me with Richard Butler of the FursWendy James’ post soundcheck
4. Buzzcocks, Skids, Penetration at the Royal Albert Hall, which became the Pete Shelley memorial gig. Old Buzzcocks and guests including the Dave Vanian and The Captain. Best Skids performance I’ve seen in special circumstances and surroundings.
Jobson – SkidsCaptain Sensible and Steve Diggle
3. The Cure. Glastonbury Sunday headliners, wrapping up a great week in the sun. Top set.
The Cure on the Pyramid Stage
2. Neil Young. Hyde Park. This was joint headlined gig with Bob Dylan. Bob was on last and this may have inspired Neil Young to this fabulous performance in the early evening sun. Sam Fender opened on the main stage as a bonus.
Neil Young
1. Saturday night at Glastonbury – The Killers and Liam Gallagher. Liam at the peak of his comeback with great new album and Oasis classics. The Killers returning to the top slot after their ‘secret’ gig on the John Peel stage in 2017 where I craned my neck to see very little from outside the tent. Seen them four times in recent years and this was the best – they can disappoint – joined on stage by Johnny Marr and The Pet Shop Boys. I wish I’d gone closer.
The Killers – Glastonbury Liam Gallagher – Glastonbury
They were my 2019 gig highlights. Rocking on because you never know when the music will stop. Roll on 2020.
It was the end of the road for Barrie Masters in 2019 and not long after I was at the last stand for Eddie and the Hot Rods at Islington O2 Academy.
Barrie Masters RIP: “Do Anything You Wanna Do.”
A full list of lives bands I was privileged to see in 2019 is below. Headliners in CAPITALS, festivals in italics, most notable **/*. In date order.
ABSOLUTE BOWIE THE ALIBI THE 1975 Pale Waves No Rome SNOW PATROL Kodaline Roe FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS** Jimmy Eat World* BOOTLEG BLONDIE RAMONAS The Skones Riteoff Charred Hearts Plague UK Big Country SKIDS* PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT * Peter and the Test Tube Babies GBH Angelic Upstarts Department S Rezillos Toyah The Undertones Complete Clash The Members Neville Staple Band 999 Hazel O’Connor Lurkers Ramonas Sham 69* Cockney Rejects HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT Flux Kapacitors THE STRANGLERS* Dr Feelgood SLEEPER* Lucia SLOW READERS CLUB* GLENN TILBROOK Charlie Austen THE VIBRATORS THE Lurkers 999 CHINA CRISIS EDDIE & THE HOD RODS* UK SUBS The Mistakes Sinful Maggie SUEDE** BC Camplight SLEAFORD MODS BIG COUNTRY Toyah The Blockheads THE RAMONAS LADY WINWOODS MAGGOT SECRET AFFAIR Squire SLEEPER* MANIC STREET PREACHERS* Gwenno THE SELECTER* The Spitfires* OASISS Wave Chase TOTO The Darkness NICK LOWE AND LOS STRAIGHTJACKETS Dawn Landes BUZZCOCKS* SKIDS** Penetration Nina Garcia THE KILLERS** THE CURE** Liam Gallagher** The Charlatans Johnny Marr* Pale Waves* Tom Walker* The Proclaimers The Vaccines Interpol Bad Cowboys Nick Parker and the False Alarms Tom Odell Goat Girl Bastille Gerry Cinnamon Lewis Capaldi Palace Circa Waves Friendly Fires THE B-52s** Trapdoor Social KISS* BOB DYLAN NEIL YOUNG** Laura Marling Cat Power Sam Fender** FLOCK OF SEAGULLS Knight$ Warren Wentworth Rujiero Wesley Bennett Blonde E Lux (Duo) MARKY RAMONE’S BLITZKRIEG** WHITE DENIM* Boy Azooga KILLING JOKE* Radical Dance Faction TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB The Specials The Zutons Doves Dodgy Silver Beatles All Saints Republica The Rifles Ocean Colour Scene* James Bay Tommy Scott (Space acoustic) NEW ORDER* Ziggy Marley Fatherson Offbeat Offensive* Starsailor Future heads Idlewild* Ash Plan B RICHARD JOBSON with Bruce and Jamie Watson* CAPULUS Inner City Smugglers Charlie Cole SPEAR OF DESTINY* Feather Trade LITHIUM SHARPTONES SISTERS OF MERCY* Amenra CHINA CRISIS* DD ALLEN Hengisbury Tobias In Flight PSYCHEDELIC FURS* Wendy James Band THE PROFESSIONALS The Mistakes Self Abuse ALICE COOPER* The Stranglers MC50 PSYCHEDELIC FURS** Wendy James Band* SPIZZENERGI* Healthy Junkies GARY NUMAN** OSO OSO PRINCE DADDY AND THE HYENA Fresh* THE RIFLES* The Moons The Ks MY VITRIOL Novacub Area 11 THE MEMBERS VICE SQUAD TV Smith WISH WE WERE PINK FLOYD SQUEEZE Heaven 17 ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK** MiG 15 CROWS Lumer SLADE TONY HADLEY Altered Images Toyah Sonia Peter Coyle Annabella’s Bow Wow Wow Then Jericho Dr and the Medics Boney M THE WONDER STUFF* Jim Bob (Carter USM) SKIDS** BIG COUNTRY** Aye Hobos
The Skids and Big Country at the Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline 28.12.19
What a trip and what a privilege to get here tonight. Up from Poole as a Christmas treat to the home of The Skids and Big Country. I never thought I’d get up here, ever.
There are five of us gathered tonight, I say tonight but we’ve come from Edinburgh earlier this morning. The trains aren’t behaving so it’s a cab across the bridge from Edinburgh having flown up the day before. This is no ordinary gig. This is a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage to the spiritual home of The Skids and Big Country, and Stuart Adamson.
Tappie Toories pub – Dunfermline
As soon as we arrived we dumped our bags at The City Hotel and headed for Tappie Toories, a pub that Stuart Adamson’s family owned – not sure who owns it now but this is a diamond boozer. It sells beer and it has a juke box. There are seats for us and we are happy…for hours.
Tappie Toories juke box
We had a wander and some good Turkish food (opposite our City Hotel) before meandering our way via another bar to Pittencrieff Park, where the Glen Pavilion is.
My fellow pilgrims Nige, Dave, Garry and Big Gra.
We looked at the park sign board and wondered where in the darkness the venue was. A couple of guys walked passed and we thought best follow them – it was Jamie Watson and Scott from Big Country, returning from town with supplies. On the right track then. We’ve bumped into Jamie several times, not just at the gigs but a post gig hotel bar in Belfast and a kebab shop incident in Frome. We are guided to the entrance, armed with a reliable 8.30pm start time for Big Country.
The Glen Pavilion
In the middle of the park this is an art deco building that probably survives on weddings, parties and events that are not gigs. It’s a lot bigger than I was anticipating and tonight it holds around 2000 people, all standing, and it is pleasantly rammed. Surely no one else has packed it like this? Would Nazareth manage this or Barbara Dickson, also of Dunfermline stock.
The four gents toilets are working overtime.
No bar to speak of but a manicured queue to tables of people serving cans, all poured into plastic cups. Not too torturous though. The walls and windows are ‘sweating’. Later on the windows get opened and we all survive.
Support band: Aye Hobos
Aye Hobos
First on are Aye Hobos. Entertaining, some covers, big beards, heavy and rocky with more than a hint of ZZ Top. That’s just right for a support band.
Big Country
Simon Hough – Big Country – zoom on full – I was not that close
The Big Country sound, the bagpipe guitars, was full on and the set packed with crowd pleasers. Simon Hough’s vocals as reminiscent of Adamson as ever. When you’ve travelled so far, this is special.
Big Country in the park, Glen Pavilion
The set highlights for me were ‘1000 Stars’ (which I find myself singing continuously for days afterwards), ‘In A Big Country’, ‘Wonderland’, ‘Look Away’ and ‘Chance’ and I’m loving all of it. This is emotional…maybe the ‘Buckie’ is kicking in. “Ohhhh lord, where did that feeling go, ohhhh lord, I never felt so low-oh-o”. At a couple of points I’m standing there enveloped in the wall of Watson bagpipe guitar, thinking of the long and tragically departed Stuart Adamson and I can feel my eye sockets mysteriously bulging with liquid – pull youself together man: you’re in Dunfermline.
Simon Hough – Big Country
More, more…another time. Jamie and Bruce Watson, and drummer Mark Brzezicki will be returning in 20 minutes as Skids. Mark had been joining the Skids as well in recent months as a replacement for Mike Baillie.
The Skids
Skids – Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline
The Skids kick off with ‘Charade’. Jobson’s dancing. He’s been down the gym some more and is a powerhouse of energy. It’s boiling hot. Moving on we have the best of the newest album, the track ‘Kings of the New World Order’ before Jobson introduces the song that U2 and Green Day later covered, and Bono ‘fucked up’ written in Dunfermline library: The Saints are Coming.
Richard Jobson – Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline
After the ‘still relevant’ ‘Working for the Yankee Dollar’ we get the Pistols ‘Pretty Vacant’ and ‘Circus Games’. The Boris Johnson version of ‘TV Stars’ was in there somewhere… Albert Tatlock!
Bill Simpson on bass – Dunfermline
On we go…. ‘Masquerade….masquerade’…wonderful, still so powerful.
Skids – Dunfermline 2019
Jobson introduces ‘Charles’, the first single to break for them and dedicated it to Stuart Adamson, “without whom none of this would be possible”.
The boys don’t finish without doing ‘Olympian’ and ‘Into the Valley’. Quite a short set, just over and hour, but a lot of punch… again.
Off we go, happy, back to Tappie Toories to hammer the juke box. Top night. What a pilgrimage. I never thought I’d see this when I was a 17 year old Skids fan in the South West London suburbs.
Been looking forward to this one for a while. The old Opera House, Boscombe, now rather facelessly branded as The Bournemouth O2 Academy, is one of my favourite venues and it is quite convenient. It isn’t in the centre of Bournemouth but slightly out, in the centre of Boscombe. Car park nearby is fine, near Sainsbury’s just a couple of hundred yards from the venue. Train link is not that handy (Boscombe) but the M2 Bus goes near, and via Bournemouth town centre, and is a night bus route as well.
One thing to watch is the start times for gigs. They sometimes have early curfews and so start promptly, even with a nightclub session opening after a gig and everyone has been cleared.
It is a beautiful and ornate structure – it opened in 1895 as Boscombe Grand Theatre. The small standing balcony (one deep unless you don’t want to see) and second floor seated balcony in the gods are not always open. When they are there is a quiter bar open on the first floor.
I don’t why but they hide the decent beer. On the taps it’s Tuborg (!?) and San Miguel but if you ask, in the metal fronted fridges, lurk bottles of ale like London Pride and Wychewood. (Last tour here, there was even Wonder Stuff/ Ned’s Atomic Dustbin tour craft ale.)
Tour ale 2018
Tonight’s support: Jim Bob
Jim Bob – Boscombe
Jim Bob, former Carter, The Unstoppable Sex Machine, front man is tonight’s warm up. I never saw Carter USM but had some long since unravelled tapes and knew some singles but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Jim Bob was very entertaining with quips and chat inbetween songs. Just him, a dainty little lounge table and a guitar.
Jim Bob of Carter USM
Good to hear the cover of Inspiral Carpets’ ‘This is How it Feels to be Lonely’, the comedy of ‘Mrs F*cking McMurphy’ and in particular ‘The Only Living Boy in New Cross’.
I saw The Wonder Stuff twice in 1988 but I haven’t retained any tickets for those. First time was when I lived in Coventry and went to the ‘Eight Legged Groove Machine’ tour at Coventry Polytechnic (3 October 1988). The album was their first and one I have been attached to ever since.
My first Stuffies gig
The Wonder Stuff were always a band I saw as ‘one of my bands’ since then – big in the West Midlands especially- but they disappeared from my consciousness from the early 90s for about 20 years. I assume they stopped producing stuff and touring.
My De Montfort Hall 1989 Wonder Stuff ticket
I saw them again in 1988 at the Reading Festival that year, in August. Then I have a few tickets I kept to mark a 1989 Leicester Poly gig (October 1989) and a big bash with Ned’s Atomic Dustbin at Aston Villa Leisure Centre (August 1990) handy for their Stourbridge contingent.
They played Pheonix Festival in 1994, one I went to several times in its short life, but I can’t recall if I saw them or not.
Four gigs in three years, which for one band was a lot for me then, and I had the first three albums on cassette, two of which I have retained despite them being served with redundancy notices when my tape playing facility ‘closed down’.
Cassettes enjoying retirement. They don’t get out much.
After that early blast of Wonder Stuff years they vanished. I will have a look up and see where they went.
Next time I caught up with main man Miles Hunt was Mr Kyps in Poole when he played a gig with the Stuffies violinist, Erica Knockhalls, on 17 May 2012.
In April 2018 I came to The Wonder Stuff/ Ned’s Atomic Dustbin tour, again here at the ‘Boscombe O2’. Ned’s AD were surprisingly good and bloody loud. Bit of an ear splitter and I didn’t have my muso ear defence with me. That can waste one’s ears for the evening sometimes. I enjoyed it but not as much as tonight which was right up there with my favourite gigs of the year.
Miles Hunt then popped up again here in Boscombe in June 2018 as a late entry to support Public Image (PiL), playing an acoustic solo slot.
Miles Hunt supports PiL 2018Miles Hunt acoustic slot – O2 Academy Boscombe 2018
The Wonder Stuff tonight
Bournemouth O2 Academy 2019
Tonight is part of a tour playing the first two Stuffies albums in their entirety: ‘Eight Legged Groove Machine’ and ‘Hup’. For me this means the set can’t fail…and it doesn’t. This is maybe the best time I’ve seen them – but how could I remember to compare. Sound great, good time of year, a Friday night and a crowd pleasing set.
The novel bit was opening with five or so new songs. Not a bad way to do it when you have everyone’s attention. No one wants a new song encore do they?
Miles Hunt – The Wonder Stuff
I have focused in on lead singer Miles but he is what it’s all about – his songs, his voice, enhanced by Erica especially on the prominent violin pieces.
Two of the original members have sadly died at what must have been quite young ages.
Miles Hunt – the sun shining down like marmalade Erica Knockalls Wonderful stuff at the Boscombe O2
Some great tracks leap out of the set tonight. From ‘Hup’: ‘Cartoon Boyfriend’ (…why don’t you rub yourself out!); ’30 years in the Bathroom’ and ‘Golden Green’ but my biggest faves come from that wonderful ‘Eight Legged Groove Machine’ album: ‘Red Berry Joy Town’, ‘Ruby Horse’, ‘A Wish Away’ and ‘It’s yer Money I’m After Baby’.
Let’s Rock, The Winter Retro Tour. SEE Arena Wembley 13.12.19
This was an odd one. A great evening and more of a festive 80s party than a gig. I came up here for this one with my gig buddy Dave (DPi) for one reason really- to see Annabella’s Bow Wow Wow. We had never seen her or met her before but Annabella is the sister of a mate of ours from Brum student days and we have caught up with again since all turning 50.
Annabella lives in California and gigs and tours from there, so a rare chance to see Bow Wow Wow songs performed in the UK.
We were always going to enjoy the array of 80s bands on offer so went for it, but in the end we missed half of them, instead choosing to hang about in the Heineken Lounge with some of the bands. Annabella acquired some wristbands for us, which we were extremely grateful for so we could meet her – then a string of others started wandering in.
So this is a summary of a night out with some pics to mark what what a top night, but not like a normal gig. The whole thing was more of a big show. The crowd were more party goers than gig goers and a lot of sparkle about.
SEE Arena Wembley
I’ve never really liked the idea of seeing bands here and I’ve not done it much. The whole area, with the new Wembley outdoor stadium and all the hotels is just an entertainment village. Not much to speak of by way of real pubs. A few sports bars and an Irish pub close by are all I remember from football trips – usually rammed on matchday – or it’s hotel bars which can be hard to access for non-residents. More options up the high street end than Wembley Park tube approach.
I saw the Harlem Globetrotters touring basketball circus here when I was about 10 and maybe a Holiday on Ice show! Aside from that Blur in 1999, a Cure gig in 2017 and this one. That’s it.
Tonight the venue was all seated, a bit surprising and everyone seemed to stand from the off on the flat floor. Our seats were a few blocks back on the edge – easier to get in and out. This was not an event to be stuck in a middle of a row.
The Show
Doctor and the Medics
First out of the traps were Doctor and the Medics with a cover of Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ and their hit ‘Spirit in the Sky’. This was the start of a procession of quick changing acts playing two, three or four songs – bit like a live juke box. The backing band seemed something of a constant which facilitated this slick rotation on a single stage.
The show is one of a series of three similar events in Glasgow, Nottingham and here at Wembley Arena. The promoters do some summer outdoor ‘Let’s Rock’ 80s events as well.
Annabella of Bow Wow Wow emerges in the distance Annabella (Bow Wow Wow)
Only time for a couple of Bow Wow Wow songs. ‘I want Candy’ – We want more… so we’ll have to find a full gig one day – next time we’re in LA eh 😎.
There are two blocks of bands tonight, starting at 7.30pm, 75 minutes each with an interval half way. The second half acts were ‘headliners’ and had longer sets, finishing with eight songs from Tony Hadley, the only one of the second half I watched. I could hear Nick Kershaw and Marc Almond from the main bar and I can only assume Jimmy Sommerville played. Yes there was a lot of beer involved tonight.
I wonder if gig reviewers from Q and NME ever miss entire gigs or have written them up based on an imagined experience from a distant bar – there must be some stories. Photographers have more of a problem with that scenario, although they usually only get a few songs from the front pit before they get thrown out, so theirs is a snapshot anyway. Weird to think they take all these fantastic pics and they’re tucked up in bed by the encores and never get to hear the best songs. How cruel.
Anyway, some of my heavily zoomed distant snaps of who I did see. I wouldn’t even vouch for the order but the camera never lies eh.
Then Jericho were not a band I remember particularly well but sounded good. I did recognise ‘Big Area’: https://youtu.be/peEnpGDjeeU
Mark Shaw – Then Jericho
Peter Coyle, the voice of The Lotus Eaters played, and yes he did their brilliant first single ‘The First Picture of You’. A classic. Nice guy and one of the performers we caught up with later in the Heineken Lounge.
The most Christmassy bit was Boney M. I thought they were all dead and even back in the day there are all sorts of rumours as to who was really singing. A fit young chap was fronting this but I wasn’t moved to extract my pocket camera. The crowd loved it 🙄.
Next up…I think…was Sonia, festively attired. I enjoyed her contribution.
SoniaSonia Christmas
After the overtly seasonal section it’s time for one of my old favourites. That sounds terrible doesn’t it but she is one of my favourites and I’m old and she’s old. Let’s just be honest an enjoy this: Toyah. This is the third time I’ve seen her this year, by chance, honest (not headlining), so maybe this is getting out of hand.
Toyah – crownedToyah Rocks Wembley Toyah
A band I have albums and singles by that I have never seen are Altered Images so a pleasure to see Clare Grogan at last. No sign of ‘Dead Pop Stars’ tonight. I guess it’s not very Christmassy…nor indeed ‘Happy Birthday’.
‘Dead Pop Stars’, Number 15 in John Peel’s Festive Fitfy in 1981, introduced by Uncle John himself: https://youtu.be/62XLy4I9AZg
Clare Grogan – Altered ImagesClare Grogan – SEE Arena Wembley
That was half time. Off to the bar….for a long time. Dave has caught up with our mate Simon, who’s with sister Annabella in the Heineken Lounge and I’m waved over with some wristbands they’ve sorted 👍. That’s the music over with, aside from Tony Hadley’s set to finish the gig – a few Spandau Ballet songs, some ballads and some Christmas songs – yes of course this includes ‘Gold’. Good ole Tony.
Meanwhile, in the bar
Having been in the Heineken Lounge chatting for a bit we notice a few familiar faces wandering in and we are set in for the night, returning after Tony Hadley’s set, some of which follow, and had the closet thing I’ve got to a Christmas party this year. Loved it.
Great to meet Annabella after all this time and hear a bit about Bow Wow Wow. Peter Coyle of the Lotus Eaters was good to talk to – Liverpool music scene in the 80s – not sure anyone else recognised him (easier to spot when you’ve just seen him on stage).
I’m not sure who took the remaining pictures – probably Dave, maybe Toyah 🤔but my arms aren’t long enough for them to be selfies.
Bought The Doctor a pint while he was with us – big lad – and hey….Toyah popped in 😎. I confessed to having her name on the back of my Harrington jacket in 1980, at the London Rainbow. (…and in case my mate Chris M is reading this I mentioned the Mr Kyps gig and it clearly wasn’t you she was looking at.🙄)
Peter Coyle – Lotus Eaters – my ‘first picture of him’A pint with the Doctor – most people have gone to see the rest of the showToyah – she found me again😎
…and a bit of football banter with Arsenal fan Tony.
‘Gold’ – Tony Hadley
Off we go into the Wembley Christmas lights. That was was weird one but a huge amount of fun.
Wembley Christmas lights We look like we had a good night – me, Simon, Dave – Merry Christmas!
My gig 73 of 2019 and it’s a wet Sunday evening in Salisbury, to see what’s left of 70s pub rockers turned hard rockers turned glam rockers, Slade.
Salisbury
Salisbury has only been about an hour’s drive from the area have lived for 16 years, but I’ve hardly seen any bands play here. It’s not that they don’t have some. It just seems off my mental map. I saw The Stranglers with The Alarm here a few years ago and Elvis Costello, both City Hall gigs, and The Ramonas in the tiny Winchester Gate pub earlier this year. That’s it.
First some food at Zizzi’s in Castle Street, which became infamous for its unfortunate involvement in the 2018 ‘Russian spy’ novichok poisoning’ incident. I didn’t give my name. I didn’t want to alarm anyone.
The venue is tucked away a bit off the main roads, next to the theatre with an enormous open air car park behind and covered car park nearby. Built in 1937, it holds around 950 people seated, set out with close rows of temporary seats on a level floor with a temporary steep banked section at the rear. It must hold a couple of thousand when all standing, as it was when I was here for The Stranglers – good size. I don’t really like seating at all but I get it when the band are this mature. I managed to make a good nuisance of myself popping out before the support band finished, clambering over a large woman.
The entrance area is quite small with a few bars so it’s pretty choka on arrival before people go in.
Slade
Since I knew I was coming tonight I have been dipping into the Slade back catalogue. Yes I remember Slade on Top of the Pops, the pull-out posters in my Look-In magazine (well more a comic) and 4 decades of that Christmas song, but there is so much more. Some great songs, and beyond the singles. You can see why Oasis were attracted to cover a few of theirs.
Alas no original lead singer Noddy Holder with Slade these days. Original guitarist Dave Hill is the focus of the band, with original drummer Don Powell. Both of them are 73 now and they are spring chickens compared to some of the audience. This gives me hope for a few more decades of gig going. 😎 (Maybe not at my current pace.)
On the day of writing this, and a tip off – cheers (Al Mc) – I find that Don was ruled out of this particular tour due to some problem with his knee, explained on his website: http://www.donpowellofficial.com/
Noddy Holder is Walsall born, an area I covered when I had my first full-time job. I’d find myself hearing these mysterious rolling accents of The Black Country in places like (loike) Bloxwich and Brownhills markets. Noddy Holder’s accent can be heard at it’s best in Banks’s beer adverts (below) – “save yer thanks’s, oil ‘ave a point o Banks’s”, a strap line that sticks I’m my mind (moind).
The band was based in the neighbouring Black Country area of Wolverhampton. Dave Hill was born in Devon, I was surprised to find, and he moved to Wolverhampton when he was young – he actually lived in Penn, where my Grandad was from, and indeed my step-Gran. They never mentioned Slade.
With original guitarist Dave Hill tonight are Russell Keefe on lead vocals and John Berry on bass and keyboards. It works. God knows who the drummer was. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.
Slade tonight
The support band hit the right note for a full crowd. Sons of the 70s do what you’d expect and very well. A bit of Led Zeppelin and other 70s rock classics – My Sharona by the Knack gets an outing.
Sons of the 70s
When Slade come on Dave Hill is unmistakable, despite it being four decades since the last image I’d seen of him and the baggage he carries of those decades. Much shorter than I thought which he helpfully compensates for by standing on top of carefully placed stage gear boxes for guitar riffs from time to time.
Dave Hill in action on the box
The replacement Noddy (I know you can’t) Russell Keefe does as good a job as anyone could without resorting to any mimickery or costume.
Russell Keefe and Dave Hill
The fourth member and other ‘new boy’s is John Berry on bass and keyboards.
John Berry
The full set list, which was peeled off the stage at the end for me by the authoritative stage manager is below. It’s greatest hits (if you work out the abbreviations). Can’t go wrong. Everyone’s happy.
Before the encores ‘Goodbye to Jane’ wins it for me – nothing to do with an ex-wife of the same name… I don’t think…maybe it is 🤔. ‘Far Far Away’, ‘My Friend Stan’ and ‘Coz I luv you’ are other high points. This is a surprisingly privileged feeling, seeing Dave Hill stomping through these old hits.
Dave and the mystery replacement drummer
Don Powell was in a terrible car crash back in the Slade heyday, 1973. His girlfriend killed and he broke both ankles and was unconscious for six days. He’s has had short-term memory loss problems ever since. There are stories of him being helped onto the drum kit to perform after the accident and having to be reminded how songs go – this was back in the day. He is temporarily out of drumming action, so I discover five days after the gig.
Encores – ‘My oh my’ and the fabulous anthem of 70s Slade at their most ‘yobbish’ (as they were regularly Christened with Dave as King Yob): ‘Cum on feel the Noize’. No wonder Oasis liked that one. Noel Gallagher is recorded as saying without Slade there would have been no Oasis.
Just one to go and it has to be ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’. I know we’ve all heard it enough now but at least it only comes out in December and it is a belter. I wonder if we will ever see Noddy perform it again….this will do. Bangin’ Dave, bangin’. Cheers boys. Respect. 👊
Band of Skulls. Pyramids Centre, Portsmouth 6.12.19
End of a second week without a gig and I cracked. A spur of the moment trip to the Pyramids Centre on Southsea Common to see a relatively new band for me: Band of Skulls. OK so they’re 10 years old and tonight they finish their tour showcasing their first album, released in 2009, ‘Baby Darling Doll Faced Honey’. That’s still relatively recent for me.
I first heard Band of Skulls (BoS) on a live festival appearance on TV when they played ‘The Devil takes care of his own’. This all sounds like they’re going to be dark and scary but not at all – indie rock with a lot of guitar and with a bit of garage sound and blues which has a Black Keys sound at times.
‘The Devil takes care of his own’ in session on Radio 1:
My first Band of Skulls (BoS) gig was possibly one of their highlights as they returned to their home town of Southampton for what was was a big one at the Guildhall. I bought the live recording on signed CD thinking this was a tour gimmick but this appears to be an official release that was only done at the Southampton gig. Really good recording, properly but rapidly done and got out within half an hour of the encores.
Self print tickets hardly count do they – I only keep proper ones nowLive album from Southampton Guildhall gig 2014
I did try and see them in California that year. We were on holiday and in San Diego when they were playing at The House of Blues. I rocked up earlier in the day and was disappointed to find it was sold out. My pleading and Englishness got me nowhere and we were staying far enough away that trying outside for spares later wasn’t on.
Victorious Festival 2017
Next opportunity was the now annual trip to the Victorious Festival on Southsea Common, about 100 yards from tonight’s gig.
A great performance with big sound, big lights and huge crowd bolstered by their Southampton/ Portsmouth fan base. One of my favourite performances of that year’s festival. This was on The Castle Stage, the second stage.
As always – all photos are my own, even blurred ones – unless stated.
They were at Victorious again this year but I missed them due to a clash of interests – while they played an afternoon slot on the main ‘Common Stage’, I was wrecking my knees watching a relative play in Offbeat Offensive in a tent.
Pyramids Centre 6.12.19
Pyramids Centre viewed from the area where I last saw BoS
For more background on the unusual but convenient Pyramids Centre see my Psychedelic Furs blog, link below. My only added note would be to check out the Southsea Rock Garden to the east side of the complex – a little park. If you’re looking for a convenient hotel another tip I offer is Q8 on Clarence Road. Sea views available.
Tonight’s gig doesn’t seem that full at all which surprises me. Maybe it’s that time of year with parties and stuff on a Friday night. There’s some refurbishment work going on at the rear of the pyramid where the bands play. Only one bar open but loads of staff and it’s not busy.
Support band Higher Peaks kick off. A short set lifted when Russell and Emma from Band of Skulls join them on stage.
Support: Higher Peaks
BoS take the stage and do, as promised set about their first album, ‘Baby Darling Doll Face Honey’. The twist is a brilliant acoustic section in the middle.
Sound is good. Loud and clear. Great guitar and pedals which lead the sound – this is a bit indie rock meets prog – maybe the hairdos are influencing me.
Just three in the band: Russell Marsden on guitar and vocals and Emma Richardson on bass and beautiful vocals, and I now realise the original drummer has gone. I noticed looking at my older photos that he was different. Original drummer Matt Hayward left in 2017 and Julian Dario plays with them.
BoS Pyramids Centre 2019Russell Marsden BoS – Pyramids 2019 – the all important guitar pedals on showThe acoustic middle section
‘Fires’ is the track with the first album title lyric…Baby Darling Doll Faced Honey, and this clip illustrates that indie meets prog sound I was getting at:
After the first album material we get some faves. These include ‘Sweet Sour’ and, perhaps of course, ‘The Devil takes care of his own’.
Really pleased we came out and over to Southsea tonight. We hang about for a promised appearance at the merch stand. Partner Sally picked up a picture disc of ‘Devil’, original cut apparently which she got Russell and Emma to sign.
Sally with Emma Richardson After gig mingle and selfie – Russell Marsden (centre) with The Grey Haired Gig Goer and Sally.
Just one more clip as a Band of Skulls highlight – in case I haven’t convinced you to listen to more. ‘Himalayan’ on Jools Holland:
Wish We Were Pink Floyd, Chichester Assembly Rooms, 9.11.19
A relative gig holiday for me for a few weeks so time to catch up on a gig I missed a Blog on – Wish We Were Pink Floyd at Chichester Assembly Rooms. This may look like an excuse to delve into a host of tribute acts I’ve seen…it is.
There was a time I was a bit dismissive of tribute bands but they seem to have come into their own. Particularly useful where seeing the real deal would involve a time machine, a miracle or a long shot at a £150 for an awful view in some distant venue.
Mr Kyps, Poole
Every town seems to have a tribute band haven where they head for. Posters announce a fabulous array of mis-spelled and pun-tastic names, or just famous names with a UK or similar suffix…how lame. I was so disappointed to see the end of Poole’s Mr Kyps venue in Ashley Cross – yes Mr Kyps still promotes many of the tribute favourites at other venues around the area but we still miss Mr Kyps…we could walk there.
At Kyps I blew my ears out with The Four Fighters, and enjoyed the likes of Green Bay and other eyebrow raising names such as The Fillers and Sgt Pepper’s Only Dartboard Band (!). Fleetwood Bac to me, having never seen or likely to see the real thing, provided an excellent alternative for a tenner. Particular Kyps highlights were U2 Baby and The Sex Pistols Experience – I never did catch the all girl Pistols tribute alternative: the wonderfully named Sex Pissed Dolls (!! Yes really).
Oasiss, Foo Fighters GB and The Stereoiromics are memorable tributes (for the right reasons) that have graced the Poole harbourside summer music festivals I’ve been to in recent years.
Oasiss in Parkstone
Oasiss were put on by Kyps at one his new alternatives: Parkstone Trades and Labour Club earlier this year. Really good but not many there.
The Bowie Experience performances at Mr Kyps were the most memorable. A great night and a full house to celebrate Bowie’s 70th birthday but shortly after Bowie died and two further memorial gigs were put on. People queued right down the road. I went on the first of the two nights. The place was rammed. The bar ran out of beer and emergency trips by staff to the supermarket for extra supplies kept things going. A fine tribute tribute to the great man. Absolute Bowie, who I saw at The Brook, Southampton in January, is another really good Bowie tribute, especially in the early Bowie era.
Just like being there
The Smyths are one of the better ‘it’s like seeing the real thing’ tributes – once at Glastonbury in a tent and later at Bournemouth Old Fire Station. Also Speak ‘n’ Spell delivered a greatest hits alternative to Depeche Mode, again at Glastonbury 2017.
The Smyths, Bournemouth Fire Station 2018
One that fulfilled the need to see a now impossible to see band is Laughing Stock, Talk Talk fakers. They played a captivating set in Brighton last year which finished promptly enough to allow a rare opportunity to see two gigs in one night.
Genuine tribute?
I don’t know if tribute bands with an original band member really count as a tribute – From the Jam with Bruce Foxton is something of a hybrid.
From the Jam – Foxton was The Jam: Ferndown, Dorset
Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg at The Fleece, Bristol was about as good as it gets for a quasi-tribute act, and I did catch Ritchie Ramone at Fibber Magees in Dublin a few years back.
The full tribute Ramones option comes in the form of all girl tribute The Ramonas who can recreate the real Ramones excitement – seen them three times in 2019, including their original material set on the introducing stage at Butlins Minehead Alternative Music Festival.
Ramonas at the tiny Winchester Gate, Salisbury 2019Pee Pee Ramone – Ramonas at Butlins, February 2019
Plastic Letters
Earlier this year I saw Blondie tribute Bootleg Blondie, with Blondie’s original drummer Clem Burke on drums, in Wimborne. How did they pull that off?
The tribute act night out is still something special. It probably doesn’t need watering down with genuine original band members sneaking in to the act, and bumping the ticket price up.
After being hopelessly side tracked into some of my tribute band experiences I will get to the latest one, Wish We Were Pink Floyd, but not before a shout for Blondie tribute Blonde E Lux, playing mainly in Cornwall with some welcome and nostalgic additions to a pure Blondie set – Transvision Vamp, Lightning Seeds, Primitives and more – Bridget and Andy also play occasionally as a duo which is how they were when I caught up with them at the Dorset Soldier pub in Sandford, near Wareham, Dorset this summer.
Blonde E Lux in St Ives: Summer 2018, Kettle and Wink Pub
Comfortably numb – at the back with a bottle of wine
So a Pink Floyd tribute act. Historically not my bag but in recent years I have come to appreciate Floyd, after much mocking of prog rock school mates in the punk filled late 70s.
The recent Chichester Wish We Were Pink Floyd was a good excuse to base a night out with musically appreciative friends on. I still wondered if I should have grown my hair longer – tribute prog rock so maybe a wig even – and sewn some flare bits into my jeans; a cape, a mousey ‘tash. I needn’t have worried.
There are of course some big name Floyd tributes that I have heard people rave about. The likes of Australian Pink Floyd are half way to full price fakes. Our lot though are still great musicians and I couldn’t fault it. I’d recommend to any Floyd fan. Perhaps I’ll catch the Aussie tribute sometime to compare. The Brit Floyd one maybe better I’ve heard.
Wish We Were Pink Floyd
Very much a welcome greatest hits selection at this gig. The seated table lay out to the gig was a bit weird but we enjoyed our seats in a back corner. The venue was welcoming and full.
Chichester Assembly Rooms get fake Floyd
I did get the chance to see the real Floyd’s Dave Gilmore last year when he came on as a guest at the final Pretty Things gig in the Indigo O2, Greenwich. He didn’t hog their limelight – quite special to see.
The real Floyd’s Gilmore in December 2018, Indigo O2 with The Pretty Things
I once had a paper round and delivered to his house in Sunbury-on-Thames, down by the river, but I don’t recall him being there then. There is a Floyd mural on the garden wall- my mum took that photo.
Dave Gilmore’s old garden wall – my nephew’s hand pointing
I look forward to more tribute bands in future years. One day maybe I’ll be booking then in a day centre for old rockers somewhere . No time to be sniffy about tribute bands. Value entertainment with some very fine musicians (eh Joe Duke).
Gigs with Ivan 