Gigs with Ivan

‘An Evening with Richard Jobson’

St. George’s, Bristol 4.9.19

Beforehand I wasn’t quite sure of the format of Tuesday night’s gig. At one point I had a question mark over whether this was a gig or a chat but ‘an evening with Richard Jobson’ was exactly what it was. A gig and as billed.

St. George’s, Bristol – Tuesday night’s venue

In the recently renovated, historic and smart surroundings of St. George’s, Bristol, this was the songs of The Skids stripped bare to expose the lyrics and put in context by Jobson. Each song individually wrapped to be savoured without the usual sea of electric guitars, drums, Jobbers’ dancing and mosh pit. It worked. A real treat for any Skids enthusiasts.

Yes Jamie and Bruce Watson were there providing acoustic guitar and vocal backing (with the classic Watson t-shirts and Bruce solo material at the merch stand) but this was very much a Jobson production.

The two part evening was opened by Bruce and Jamie Watson (both play with The Skids as well as Big Country) with a couple of numbers including ‘Fragile Thing’ which Bruce introduced as “the last song that I wrote with Stuart Adamson”.

Jobson came on and explained the reasoning for wanting to revisit the Skids material in an acoustic way and how the recently released album ‘Peaceful Times’ was born, and we were off, with ‘Hurry on Boys”.

For me what was notable from the set list for the first half was how well three songs from the 2017 album ‘Burning Cities’ stood up alongside other Skids’ classics. ‘Kings of the New World Order’, ‘World on Fire’ and ‘Desert Dust’, which I shall be revisiting and hadn’t fully appreciated – the last track on ‘Burning Cities’ about recent middle east war zones.

“The added context makes the songs more memorable and meaningful, already.”

Audience questions were invited at various points throughout and these extracted tales and detail from Jobson, a tactic which must bring individuality to each night on the tour. The added context makes the songs more memorable and meaningful, already. I will just share a couple.

John Peel

Before playing ‘Charles’, one of the first Skids recordings, Jobson, prompted by a question, referred back to that grip that John Peel’s Radio 1 show had on all of us of an age: listening every night to new sounds mixed with older classics. The band had sent in a recording of ‘Charles’ and one night after presuming it had been passed over Peel played it – Jobson’s jaw dropped as he recounted that moment. Their moment….then the next night Peel played it again, and again, and more. This was it. A gig shortly after, at the Red Cow in Hammersmith, The Skids signed to Virgin Records as a result.

The Saints are Coming

‘The Saints are Coming’ was introduced with the tale of the out of the blue phone call Jobson took from The Edge of U2 to get him down to London’s Abbey Road Studios to ‘have a talk about something’. When he got there Green Day and U2 were recording ‘Saints’ as a charity single. Jobson gave them the freedom to use it, with all proceeds going to a post Storm (Katrina) flooding music project for young people in the New Orleans area. The Green Day/ U2 version was released and first heard at the New Orleans Saints’ stadium and went to number one in countries all over the world. Jobson never took a penny. “What goes around, comes around” he reflected.

YouTube link. U2/ Green Day video of The Saints are Coming: https://youtu.be/PD_0fqvT32g

During the evening Jobson also opened up on more negative experiences like the break up of The Skids, The Joy album, and the failure of The Armoury Show to gain traction, while Big Country toured the world with Bowie and the Stones.

After the second half, which included a stunning solo vocal rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and a rare outing for the Armoury Show’s ‘Castles in Spain’, this absorbing ‘evening with Richard Jobson’ and the Watsons ended with ‘Into the Valley’. Well how else could you end?

Before the show

Pre-gig posing with Jobbers
(Photo by DPi)

There were some familiar faces and some new friendly ones in the hall early before the gig. Relaxed catch up and time to get some stuff signed – given the opportunity I had some CD covers signed and a couple of photos I took at a gig in Frome last year. (A meet an greet option this. An area to explore in another blog some time.)

If you are in the centre of Bristol at St George’s or O2 Academy for instance and want a prompt sit down meal then Wongs Chinese restaurant is well worth checking out in Denmark Street.

It’s a couple of hours by car for me to Bristol and hopelessly inconvenient by train but it is a great city centre at night and I always enjoy coming here, especially when staying over. This was a memorable and different mid-week gig experience, tonight with DPi and ‘Glasto Nige’, with a late drive home for all of us.

The Skids back on track

This week I’m heading to Bristol on Tuesday night to catch THE SKIDS acoustic tour, or ‘An Evening with Richard Jobson of The Skids’ as it’s billed.

My first SKIDS gig was 1980 at Hammersmith Palais. Circus Games was high in the charts. Jobbers was sporting cricket whites. Great venue the Palais. Don’t recall any bad gigs and this was a cracker. My teenage excitement was filed in a scrapbook I still have.

Stuart Adamson cutting from Sounds with my ticket

That was the only time I saw them first time around, despite having all the albums. After that I saw the Armoury Show a couple of times in Birmingham the 80s: Aston University and I think Edward’s No 8, a nightclub in town. Meanwhile Stuart Adamson had ventured out with Big Country, who I caught supporting U2 at Brum Odeon in March 1983 and later that year at Reading Festival for the alarming stage pyrotechnics set (With long time school mate GGu).

Stuart Adamson’s Big Country at Reading Festival – my ticket £7!

March on more than 30 years and THE SKIDS re-emerged for a tour in 2017, having done some one off gigs. Original line-up minus Adamson RIP but with Bruce and Jamie Watson from Big Country on guitars. They were back out of the box and into the studio with a new well received album ‘Burning Cities’ – checkout ‘Kings of the New World Order’ and ‘This is Our World’.

The new album and Live CD of 2017 London Roundhouse gig

The 2017 London Roundhouse gig was a reunion for a bunch of my mates as well (DPi, GGu, AMu, PMo, DSy), sparking a new enthusiasm for THE SKIDS live.

Big GGu, Jobson, me, AMu at The Roundhouse 2017 (Photo by DPi, our Skids ‘operations manager’)

Mate and gig buddy DPi sorted an excellent trip for the two us to Belfast in December 2017, a double header gig with Big Country at The Limelight 1. The following June we went to the Cheese and Grain at Frome gig and Shepherds Bush O2, the latter being a particularly good night, Theatre of Hate supporting and some special tickets which got a group of us from Brum student days backstage.

Richard Jobson – Frome, Cheese and Grain – June 2018

In February 2019 the latest gig going venture organised by my relentless gig buddy (DPi) was for a group of us to go to the Butlins Alternative Music Festival – my Butlins debut. Who was headlining one of the nights? THE SKIDS of course, with Big Country also. The Butlins bouncing ballroom floor was in full flex.

Bruce Watson – with The Skids and Big Country – Butlins 2019

Then the finest performance of all in this run of middle aged Skids-mania: The Albert Hall in June 2019. This joint gig, headed by Buzzcocks, and with the excellent Penetration, was all set up a year before. Jobson told us about it the previous June. In the interim there was the sad, sudden and shocking loss of Pete Shelley which led to some speculation about the gig Albert Hall event. It became very much a memorial gig for Pete Shelley with various guests performing with the various other Buzzcocks, including Jobbo doing a stint.

THE SKIDS set didn’t focus on that emotion. This was THE SKIDS celebrating their return first. Jobson, with visibly more power than ever, delivered a masterful performance with the band in the amazing surroundings of the Albert Hall.

So you can see why I’m looking forward to this Tuesday in Bristol.

It looks like calmer affair – acoustic set accompanying the new SKIDS acoustic album, entitled, presumably ironically, ‘Peaceful Times’.

Blue Sunday – Victorious Day Three

More perfect festival weather down on Southsea Common for Victorious Festival. We never assume good weather and when we get it for these events it is beautiful. Everything sounds better and this was the case from Ziggy Marley to New Order.

Ziggy Marley opens main stage on Sunday at Victorious Festival

James Bay is Victorious – Day Two in Southsea

Well I never thought I’d see All Saints. I never thought I’d enjoy James Bay as much as that and I never thought I’d be eating a vegan paella watching the Fun Loving Criminals playing Scooby Snacks in 2019. This was Saturday by the sea on day two of Victorious Festival in Southsea.

The Silver Beatles open on main ‘Common’ Stage

A bit of background music to start with – the Silver Beatles.

Next on my Saturday weave through 80s and 90s pop, rock, britpop, indie rock were All Saints. Lots of arm waving. I recognised a couple of hits and a Police cover but wasn’t sure what I was doing there.

Republica brought a bit more punch. Not a band I know much about. When they came on I realised I’d got them mixed up with Elastica.

Popped down the front and cheery atmosphere. It felt like a proper gig, despite the early afternoon sun.

Next I just watched a few songs by Badly Drawn Boy and went off to the Castle Stage to catch a 30 minute set by The Rifles. Flitting between stages at a festival can be a fruitless chase sometimes. It takes a good 20 mins to wrestle through the crowds between the big stages here.

The Rifles played a short greatest hits set. Half an hour isn’t really enough to get going for a band you like. A good taster for the unfamiliar.

Back to the main, ‘Common’ Stage for Ocean Colour Scene, the pride of Moseley. I’ve seen them a fair few times over the years, including over the water at Ryde Ice Rink, and here at Victorious on the Seaside Stage in 2014. When Simon Fowler came on stage I barely recognised him. I feared the worst….

…needn’t have worried though. Despite some technical problems Fowler fronted up beautifully, with a few solo numbers to paper over the gap while road crew scurried around plugging and unplugging.

Opening with Riverboat Song the set included Profit in Peace, Travellers Tune, Blown Away, The Day we Caught the Train and the only song I know about a bus route in Birmingham: The Circle, written about the 11C route that goes through Moseley on its lap of the city.

I was going wander off to see The Hives – always entertaining – but I thought I’ve seen them several times at festivals/ Hyde Park so I would stick with friends who were eagerly awaiting James Bay.

First song and I thought this is worth sticking around for. Best act of the day and something new amid the retro. Rocky all action performance rather than the mournful shoe gazing singer songwriter stance I was anticipating. So pleased I stayed and went up closer for some pics.

Nearly done. The headliners left. Rudimental on the Common Stage and Bloc Party on Castle Stage….. so I headed with my partner (SSo) to the Acoustic Stage to see Space and a sit down on the hay bales.

Female of the Species and Neighbourhood were among the enthusiastically received numbers in the short acoustic-ish set. Excellent.

A big turn out had swamped the usually placid Acoustic Stage which was a surprise to everyone including a grateful Tommy Scott who we said cheers to afterwards and grabbed a pic as he emerged from the stage to get the golf buggy out.

Goodnight to Tommy Scott of Space (Photo by SSo)

That was Saturday for me at Victorious Festival. So many options. Today’s winner James Bay with a big hand to Ocean Colour Scene, The Rifles, Tommy Scott and Republica.

Glorious Victorious – a sunny Friday in Southsea

Festivals can get by with grey skies and drizzle but it’s hard not to enjoy bands when it’s blazing sunshine and blue skies. Friday at Victorious Festival is a bit of an intro day with a mid-afternoon start with the main Common Stage and not much more starting up until Saturday.

First up for me – Dodgy. ‘If it’s good enough for you, it’s good enough for me’ and ‘Staying out for the summer’. Easy listen.

The afternoon continued in relaxed nostalgic mood. The Zutons had more energy about their performance than the Doves and Dodgy. ‘Valerie’ went down a treat of course followed by the debate about who recorded it first and who wrote it – Mark Ronson wrote for The Zutons who recorded it a while before Amy Winehouse gave it a worldwide airing.

For me today was all about The Specials. As medium term resident in the allegedly ghostly concrete jungle of Coventry, through late 80s and the 90s, I love ’em. When I bought their first album I never thought I’d end up in 2-Tone country. I missed the boat slightly but good times. Terry Hall left The Specials and Coventry when I was there.

I have lost track of precise band changes but Terry Hall is back now and in quiet moody control with Lynval Golding. No Dammers or Neville Staple these days. This evening we have Steve Cradock from Ocean Colour Scene and Weller’s band on guitar. I’m not sure if this is a regular thing.

Terry Hall. The delightfully moody boss.

Great set mixing old and new songs – great new album (Encore) with live old extra tracks/ disc if on CD. Gangsters, Nite Klub, Monkey Man…..(No Ghost Town). This lot should have been headlining but maybe I’m just old and moody like Terry.

To round up tonight, are Two Door Cinema Club. I liked their first two albums and haven’t got to see them until now. Their new album appears to have taken a turn and the direction isn’t one I like. I was disappointed but good show and others seemed to enjoy it.

How many gigs have you been to then?

I never used to count but when I cranked up the gig going a few years back it was a question I was getting asked. I thought I’d better have an answer, for myself at least. But what counts as a gig?

Yup, it doesn’t matter but as a gigaholic I think you need to know. It’s like counting your units of alcohol. Whether that leads to you moderating your behaviour is another matter.

So I have my rules. To count a gig I have to purposefully go to see the gig and know who I’m going to see. It doesn’t matter if it’s free. I don’t count seeing a pub band just by wandering in somewhere without knowing who’s playing.

One gig may include any number of bands/acts. When counting bands/acts as a separate tally I have to see a significant proportion of the performance (OK, a bit vague but you know when you know) …. oh and I need to know who I saw… obviously!

Then there are festivals. My gigaholic counting rules make one day at a festival one gig. Two days is two gigs etc. Rules on counting bands/ acts still apply.

Glastonbury 2019 – 4 days so 4 gigs – that’s my rules

Comedians and acts without a substantial musical content don’t count. Writing out these rules I’m now thinking of Al Murray and his “You’ve gotta have rules…where would we be without rules?”(France) line. (…and too many rules? Germany!)

Jimmy Tarbuck and Des O’Connor (Poole) yes I did go – didn’t count. Not enough song content. 🙄

What prompted this obsessive output on rules was last night. I was out around Poole with friends (TEv, TGi) and caught four acts in four different pubs. I didn’t count them, given the rules, but always pleased to catch up with the locally legendary Lady Winwood’s Maggot in The Lord Nelson.

Duo Samantha and Paul sounded good in The Stable. Only caught a few songs.

Nine Eyes were playing classic rock in The King Charles and The Kings Head had an open mic. My tally for the night 0 gigs 0 bands – that’s my rules.

Victorious Gems: Part 1. Slow Readers Club.

Headliners at the Victorious Festival (August Bank Holiday weekend, Southsea Common) are usually ‘very experienced’ and appeal to the more mature end of the broader festival going crowd (myself included), but with so many acts there is still always the chance of a couple of new gems. A couple from 2017 that I really enjoyed are now going places after extensive touring. One of these is THE SLOW READERS CLUB.

I was recommended THE SLOW READERS CLUB by friends [DPi/APi] so went to see them on the Seaside Stage first in 2016. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t more popular and when they returned in 2017 and played two sets (opening the Main ‘Common’ Stage and another Seaside Stage set) I was disappointed there weren’t bigger throngs of people to see them.

The ‘Readers’ open up main stage at noon – Victorious 2017

T.H.E.S.L.O.W.R.E.A.D.E.R.S.C.L.U.B – Seaside Stage -Victorious 2017

This indie pop/ rock band from Manchester gave up their jobs at the end of 2018 and went for it. Seems things have really picked up with a European and UK tour, a UK top 20 album and some big sell out Manchester gigs. I caught up with them at the Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms in March this year and took a trip to Glasgow last December and saw them at the Glasgow Art School.

Slow Readers Club – Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea – March 2019

Aaron Starkie – Slow Readers Club – Glasgow December 2018

SRC – Glasgow Art School – December 2018

Some good nights. The Art School burned down and was refurbished just in time for that gig.

For a taster check out: Lunatic; On the TV; I saw a Ghost.

Victorious Gems: Part 2. Crows

I was drifting across the Castle Stage area at Victorious Festival in 2017, early afternoon, with friends on the way somewhere and we put the brakes on when we saw CROWS. I hadn’t heard of them. They hadn’t released much at all at that point – just a few tracks available. The lead singer was captivating – a modern day Ian Curtis thing going on. I hung around for the rest of the set. Loved it. A modern punchy take on late 80s post punk bands.

Crows – stopped us in our tracks – Victorious Castle Stage 2017

I haven’t managed to see them live since but they seem more active this year with a new album ‘Silver Tongues’.

They have been supporting Idles on tour this year so sure to get noticed more. I just bagged some tickets to see them in November in the small basement bar that is The Anvil, Bournemouth. Looking forward to that.

I wonder if we will see any hidden gems this year at Victorious – a week to go now.

Looking forward to Victorious Festival 2019 …and backwards to 2018

Less than two weeks now to what regularly turns out to be the bargain festival of the summer. VICTORIOUS FESTIVAL on Southsea Common, Portsmouth. I’ve been for the last four years and each time bought early bird tickets (£30/day) for the following year without knowing who’s coming.

All the photos I put on here are my own. Usually that will be a pocket zoom camera or a poorer mobile phone shot but at outdoor events I take a better bridge camera. Nothing special, I don’t want it to get in the way but outside with a little backpack the bridge camera gets better shots.

Looking back to last year here’s some snaps I took then. It was the last stand of course for THE PRODIGY, who headlined the Sunday. It wasn’t long before Keith tragically ended it all.

Killing Joke back on home turf

KILLING JOKE + Radical Dance Faction at Subterania, Ladbroke Grove 10.8.19

A more intimate gig for Killing Joke, if Killing Joke can be intimate, in the club under The Westway which holds less than 500 I’d say.

No wonder this one sold out so quickly. Apparently they used to come down here when they were youths, when it was Ackland Halls. Indeed they played here in 1980.

Chaos at the bars with cash only and then till fault as the temperature cranked up. A real steamy joint.

Settled for edge of a potential mosh pit. Views from balcony surrounding stage must be good if you get to the rail.

Radical Dance Faction to start. Reggae sounds. Hints of Clash about it.

Killing Joke confined by quite a small stage area with Paul drumming low down behind. Didn’t stop Jaz from his animated air grasping theatricals.

Set was unpredictable with The Wait, Eighties, Wardance and Psyche being my high spots.

I have honestly never been so hot at a gig. My thin shirt was drenched. Jaz required ice pack treatment – maybe another ailment, I’m not sure.

A great opportunity to catch them at this small gig. They clearly enjoyed this nostalgic return and so did I. Youth took his own phone pics before they disappeared.

Afterwards there was an impromptu mass photo with a large group of us reluctant to leave. I assume this is one of those venues where they get the band out of the way and the old rockers out before round two starts as a club.

Our remaining group of three ambled off in a fruitless search for a late night curry.

The Castle was a decent pre-gig pint venue. Walking up from Portobello Road seems the best idea. Plenty of places to eat early on. Shutters down by 11pm mind.