Steve Earle and the Dukes – Royal Festival Hall - 21^st May 2013

Making a welcome return to London to promote his “The Low Highway” album, Steve Earle initially takes the stage to introduce his support band

The Mastersons, telling us that they’re the best band he’s ever seen. A husband and wife duo comprising Eleanor Whitmore and Chris Masterson, tonight they borrow the Dukes’ rhythm section and make a delightful noise reminiscent of Lone Justice in their prime. Whitmore dedicates one song to “everybody suffering in these down times”. As we will discover, this will be something of a theme for the evening.

When Steve Earle and the Dukes emerge, it transpires that The Mastersons are actually half of the Dukes! They start with the title track of “The Low Highway”, and much of the new album follows. The album is very much influenced by the current hard economic times. Steve explains that Bob Dylan had recreated himself in the image of Woody Guthrie and other songwriters (Earle included) had followed suit. The reason for this is that Dylan and his (and later) generations hadn’t seen hard times like the 1930s. “Now” Steve tells us, “we have”.

However, the subject matter of many of the songs should not distract us from the glorious musical display being provided. I have to agree with Steve’s statement that this is the best band he’s ever fronted. Chris Masterson is a proper lead guitarist who totally owns the stage every time he steps forward to take a solo. Not content with that he also plays sublime pedal steel and (on one occasion) bass. Eleanor Whitmore contributes guitar, some truly incredible fiddle solos, keyboards and vocals. Is there anything that these people can’t do?!! The rhythm section is incredibly tight, with Will Rigby (from The dBs) being very much from the Charlie Watts ‘less-is-more’ school of drumming.

The set is festooned with highlights. For me “Taneytown” and the Stones-y “Calico County” stood out. Apparently Earle is waiting for the call from “Keith” to record the latter! Fan favourites “Guitar Town” and “Copperhead Road” are wisely placed the middle of the set rather than being predictably saved till the end, thus avoiding any potential mid-set ‘sag’. “Remember Me” was particularly moving as it was dedicated to Earle’s young son, who suffers from autism. The Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper” was an unusual encore choice, and was followed by “Nothing But You”, which is apparently Bob Dylan’s favourite Steve Earle song – as it’s the only one he’s covered!

By the end of the encores, this gig proved itself to be by far the quickest two-and-a-half hours I’ve ever experienced! As always with Steve Earle, there was a broad musical palette on display, ranging from bluegrass to country to rock. A wonderful presentation of gloriously down-at-heel blue collar Americana.

                                                                                                Mark Kelly    

Status Quo – Hammersmith Apollo – 16^th March 2013

View: rear balcony

Twenty-five years ago there appeared to be little prospect of the classic line-up of Status Quo ever sharing a stage again, but here they are again on a UK tour. If that wasn’t enough cause for celebration, they’re basing their set on the classic 1977 “Live” album.

As the lights go down we get Jackie Lynton’s introduction from the aforementioned “Live” album and the band crash into “Junior’s Wailing”. Lancaster and Coghlan look in fine fettle, whilst Rossi and Parfitt seem to be more energised than they have been for years. Rossi’s playing in particular seems to have gone up a couple of levels.

They follow the “Live” album tracklisting for the first five songs before they play “Blue-Eyed Lady” from the “Hello!” album. Then after “Little Lady” and “Most Of The Time” they go well and truly off-piste with “(April) Spring Summer and Wednesdays” from “Ma Kelly’s Greasy Spoon” and “Railroad” from “Dog Of Two Head”! Outstanding stuff!

“4500 Times” is a highlight, but seems truncated in comparison with the version from the “Live” album. The main set closes with “Down Down” and “Roadhouse Blues”, and the encores of “Don’t Waste My Time” and “Bye Bye Johnny” bring proceedings to a close after one hour and thirty-five minutes.

Tonight emphasises the superiority of the classic line-up of Quo compared to the cabaret line-up that’s been operating for the last quarter-century. This line-up looks hungry and has teeth. I hope they do more. Bring on the Frantic Four!!! 

The Pretty Things – Brighton Komedia – 6^th March 2013

View: Front. Stage right.

Mercifully the ticket prices for The Pretty Things’ 50^th anniversary tour do not reach the stratospheric heights of those for the equivalent gigs of their Dartford cousins The Rolling Stones. However, that is in no way any reflection of the quality of the music on offer as we get a comprehensive tour of the Pretties’ illustrious back catalogue.

They begin with a four song celebration of their early r’n’b days featuring “Honey I Need”, “Buzz The Jerk”, “Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut”, and “Big City”. They clearly haven’t lost their youthful muscle as much of this is pretty brutal.

We then enter the Pretties’ psychedelic era with “Alexandra” from Electric Banana, and a selection of songs from “S.F Sorrow”. This particular album seems to grow in stature with each passing year, although the band considered it to be a failure at the time of its release. The songs now seem so fresh as to be almost timeless. The harmonies in the title song are commendably precise, and Phil May reading out the list of missing in “Private Sorrow” is surprisingly moving. Dick Taylor takes gruff lead vocals for “Baron Saturday”.

The band execute another gear change and present a blues set. Some of this is performed just by Phil May and a seated Dick Taylor who alternates between acoustic slide and an electric three-stringed banjo. They cover “Little Red Rooster”, a song apparently made famous by another Dartford group.

A return is made to the band’s mid-sixties heyday with “Get The Picture” and “Come See Me” before a version of “Mona” extended in a manner reminiscent of The Who’s “Live At Leeds”. “Midnight To Six Man” and LSD conclude the main set which is followed by encores of “Roadrunner”, “Don’t Bring Me Down” and (what else?) “Rosalyn”.

Tonight The Pretty Things not only demonstrate the breadth of their back catalogue but play with an energy that would credit a band a third of their age. In fact age is irrelevant. This is rock and roll, and that’s ageless.

                                                                                                                       

Savages + Beak> - Camden Electric Ballroom – 21^st February 2013

Tonight’s gig starts with dancers performing on the dance floor in slow motion to lumbering doom-electro. They begin as the audience enters, and they combine together to make fantastical looking creatures. It is quite simply the most inventive and imaginative introduction to a gig that I’ve ever seen.

The invention continues with Beak>. This is the side project of Geoff barrow from Portishead; comprising himself on drums, Billy Fuller on bass and Matt Williams on drums. They produce ethereal electro art-rock designed to take the listener to far-away places. The obvious Kraftwerk comparisons apply, but there is also an element of early Pink Floyd brought into play here. They make time stand still, in a good way.

Savages return us to a sense of electrified urgency, with a long (accidental?) burst of feedback before breaking into “Shut Up”. They exude an air of glacial danger and otherness which is downright intimidating. They vent their ire for a while on the “lazy monitor man” who is apparently missing from his post.

They are even tighter and more razor sharp than when I saw them at Brighton Haunt in the Summer. They seem to remain just on the right side of being in control with Jehnny Beth hitting herself during “Hit Me”. They end with “Husbands”, “Fuckers” and as seems to be usual, no encore. There is no waste with this band – they are lean, mean and dangerous. 21^st Century music as it’s meant to be played. Savages will melt your cerebral cortex.

                                                                                             Mark Kelly 

Exclamation Pony + This Many Boyfriends

Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen – 19^th February 2013

Exclamation Pony are unfortunate in being preceded by the witty intelligent indie rock of This Many Boyfriends. Still, Ryan Jarman should know how good they are – he produced their album. Regrettably for him they set the bar at a height that Exclamation Pony simply can’t reach.

When they take the stage Ryan screams his way through the first song, but generally their material isn’t that different from The Cribs, perhaps with a hint of The Lemonheads at their most stoned thrown in. Jen Turner plays some great lead lines, and  they could well be the most erotic rock ‘n’ roll couple since Lux Interior and Poison Ivy of The Cramps.

“The Only One” is particularly kick-ass, and there’s a surprising cover of The Beatles’ “Julia”. However, whilst this is entertaining and a great deal of fun, it’s not particularly special, which with a bit more effort it could be. They’re a bit pissed and having a good time, and with the amount of goodwill coming from the audience it’s a bit like watching your mates’ band playing a pub.

Ryan Jarman has been hinting in the press that this new band may well replace The Cribs in his affections and priorities. Maybe this gig will make him think again. Love may be blind, but it needn’t necessarily be deaf.

                                                                                                      Mark Kelly    

Toy + Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs + Novella

Kings Cross Scala 12^th February 2013

Toy hit the Scala tonight as tour-hardened veterans of their debut album campaign. However, before they can demonstrate their current state of wonderfulness we are entertained by Novella and Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs.

Novella are a delight. They commence with feedback and produce a pleasantly shoegazey guitar noise which is underpinned by the bassist’s McCartneyesque bass lines. The tunes are ethereal and understated, and on the last song one of the guitarists elicits howls of feedback from her Les Paul which by this stage is hanging behind her back. Everything about this band is ‘just so’. There is nothing that is overblown, wasted or ill-considered. One to watch.

Unfortunately this is more than can be said for Charlie Boyer And The Voyeurs. As the former members of Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong now residing in Toy could confirm, bands with ‘humorous’ names are often a bit shit, and Charlie….. (no, let’s call them CBV – I really can’t bring myself to type all of that out again), CBV do fall into that category. Charlie marches onto the stage and immediately demands “more slapback”. This results in him sounding like an overly tinny Marc Bolan. If the guitarist put as much effort into his playing as he clearly has in applying his make-up he’d give Jimmy Page a run for his money. The bass player sounds as if his strings are a thousand years old and the drummer might as well have soggy cardboard boxes for drumskins. They have a keyboard player too. He’s pretty much inaudible, but he does jump around enthusiastically. Which is nice.

They start off all motorik, a bit like a Toy mini-me, but without the necessary chops to carry it off. Mid-set their material is reminiscent of stodgy Britpop, whilst the closing song returns to the motorik approach. They attempt what in the olden days was known as a ‘freak-out’ to close, but banging away on one chord ad infinitum doesn’t really do it for anyone. There’s simply not enough going on. I can’t help wondering how they got on the bill? Maybe they’re mates with the promoter.

Occasionally you see a band who seem to instinctively know that their moment has arrived, and Toy certainly give off that vibe tonight. They open with “Colours Running Out” and immediately sound majestic. Nothing is too overdriven but the music feels as if it could take you to another galaxy. Despite the Krautrock comparisons however, this is very much English music. Tom Dougall’s vocals recall Syd Barratt and Nick Drake and are modest and understated.

This is in marked contrast to the music which swirls and swooshes and spirals but never quite gets out of control. Each song feels like an adventure to an unknown and unexplored destination. This adventurousness reflects the ambition of the album. However, they play a new song which stretches that ambition further still, with bars of differing length and time signature changes.

Perhaps in order to sweeten the pill the new song is followed by “Heart Skips A Beat”, which is the closest Toy get to pop, They close with “Kopter”, which is gradually achieving the status of their masterpiece so far. Like “Common People” by Pulp, it gradually increases in speed and intensity till it reaches its climax, which Tom Dougall marks by kicking over his amp and throwing his guitar into the drum kit. There is no encore.     

Family – Shepherds Bush Empire – 1^st February 2013

This must rank as the most unlikely and unexpected of band reunions. Family have a 14xCD career retrospective box set coming out and have taken the (possibly rash) decision to celebrate / promote its release by playing their first gigs since making their last stand at Leicester Polytechnic in 1973.

There is a mixture of anticipation and Friday night boisterousness as 1970s Leicester City footballer Frank Worthington introduces the band, calling them “Leicester’s answer to Elvis Presley!” Well, possibly they were!

The 21^st Century version of Family has a core line-up of the irrepressible Roger Chapman on vocals, Jim Cregan on guitar (Charlie Witney has retired to a Greek island and was reluctant to return for only two gigs), Poli Palmer on vibes and Rob Townsend on drums. They are augmented by additional musicians who Chappo has dubbed the “in-laws”.

As soon as the band commence with Top Of The Hill it becomes clear that irrespective of who is or isn’t onstage, this is still Family. Also it’s quickly apparent that these won’t be a couple of quickly dashed off gigs –obviously some serious rehearsal time has been spent.

Chappo promises not to use bad language, and then gloats that Leicester City have beat Cardiff: “anything to f*** Andy Fairweather-Low up!” He then proceeds to make some potentially slanderous comments about the late John Barry which I can’t possibly repeat here.

For two hours Shepherds Bush Empire becomes Heaven for fans of Family. Drawing up the set list must have been a nightmare – not so much what to play as what to leave out! The classics are lovingly wheeled out. Who can argue with No Mule’s Fool, Sat’dy Barfly, Burlesque, In My Own Time, The Weaver’s Answer, My Friend The Sun and Sweet Desiree? Chappo admits that he can no longer reach the high notes in My Friend The Sun so the audience oblige instead. Apparently Linda Lewis was coming the next night to help out.

The question that wasn’t on everybody’s lips but doubtless was in many minds was ‘what next’. This band are clearly tour ready and it would be a terrible shame if more gigs didn’t follow. How about it chaps? And bring Charlie next time!

                                                                                     Mark Kelly

Focus – Islington Assembly Hall – 30^th January 2013

Focus’s music at its best is a multi-faceted thing: you can rock out to it; it can lead you by the mind to far away places; it can wear its medieval influences on its sleeve (does that mean they’re to blame for Blackmore’s Night???). I am glad to report that each of these facets of their oeuvre are served well by the current line-up, who visit Islington to promote their latest album, Focus X.

The current line-up features Thijs van Leer on keyboards, flute and vocals; Pierre van der Linden on drums; Menno Gootjes on guitar and Bobby Jacobs (van Leer’s stepson) on bass. Perhaps Gootjes has the least enviable job when playing the older material in having to replicate Jan Akkerman’s guitar lines of yore while stamping his own identity on them. That notwithstanding, he plays the guitar hero with considerable aplomb.

The star of the show tonight however is Thijs van Leer. He directs proceedings from behind his keyboard like a kind of Gandalf figure. He visibly feels the music, and pulls magical lines from both his keyboard and flute whilst waving encouragement to his bandmates or reining them in occasionally with a gesture.

During Eruption Thijs steps out from behind his keyboard and walks to the front of the stage to play flute and scat sing before leaving the stage while various solos take place, attempting to walk through Bobby Jacobs (to his visible annoyance) in the process.

The new album Focus X is represented by All Hens On Deck and Birds Come Fly Over (Le Tango). Focus X is fits in well with the band’s back catalogue whilst avoiding aping it. However, good as the new material is, what the mostly forty-and-fifty-something audience have come to hear are the oldies, and they are not disappointed. The set started with Focus I and House Of The King, and after Eruption there is a scorching version of Sylvia. La Cathedrale De Strasbourg is followed by Harem Scarem, which Thijs helpfully advises us is about the evils of alcohol. Just say no kids.

The set ends with a vicious version of Hocus Pocus, which is followed by an apparently (but not obviously) shortened version of Focus III, as the band will be fined if they carry on playing beyond 11pm! An evening of Dutch prog from a band who have been in business for over forty years may not be perceived as an appealing prospect by everybody. However, this band ooze enthusiasm, vitality, inventiveness and humour from every pore, and really should not be missed. If you have the opportunity, go see ‘em next time – I certainly will!

                                                                                          Mark Kelly

     

Steve Cropper & The Animals – Islington Assembly Hall 26th January 2013

The version of The Animals onstage is effectively a tribute band, albeit an extremely good one. Early in their set, drummer John Steel walks to the front of the stage in order to justify why indeed his band are calling themselves The Animals. Basically, he tells us that it’s because he is the original drummer, and keyboard ace Mickey Gallagher was in the band for about five minutes between Alan Price leaving and his replacement Dave Rowberry joining. Ho-hum. The real reason is that John Steel owns the rights to the name. No matter – they treat us to a rollicking romp through some of The Animals’ finest moments.

There is however no doubting the authenticity of Steve Cropper when he walks on stage. Opening with Soul Limbo, he comments “you guys are so cool I don’t even have to tell you what that song is!”  What follows is essentially a parade of classic songs, many of which Cropper had a compositional hand in, including In The Midnight Hour, (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay, 634-5789, Hip-Hug-Her, Knock On Wood and (naturally) Green Onions. Throughout, The Animals provide a backing that the MGs would have been proud of. Not only is Crop’s guitar playing excellent, his vocals are really good too. I hadn’t even thought of him as a singer!

The Animals return for We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and House Of The Rising Sun before Crop joins them for a final run through Soul Man. This is a night of unashamed nostalgia, but The Animals and Steve Cropper treat their respective back catalogues with respect and play with a vigour which very much brings the material to life. A truly magic evening!   

Blood Red Shoes – Shepherds Bush Empire – 22nd January 2013

Blood Red Shoes celebrate the end of their busiest year and also the release of their Water EP by playing their biggest headline show to date.

Support comes from two bands from Sheffield, neither of whom are Pulp, or are indeed anything like Pulp. First up are Wet Nuns, a duo consisting of a guitarist and drummer who share vocals. The first song features the drummer on screamed heavy heavy metal vocals, remiscent of Napalm Death. When the guitarist sings he sounds like a cross between John Fogerty and Lemmy.

That this is a band who don’t take themselves altogether seriously is apparent when at the end of the first song the drummer stands up on his stool holding his sticks in the shape of an upside-down cross. The guitarist then tells a tragi-comic story concerning a duck. Wet Nuns have by far the funniest onstage banter that I’ve ever heard!

The music is pretty good too, with a whole load of influences apparent including Black Sabbath and ZZ Top. There is also a lot of musical pissing about though, running the risk of appearing like an in-joke to which the audience aren’t party.

I’d been looking forward to seeing Rolo Tomassi for some time and was wondering how their ‘math rock’ would translate live. The answer to that question is: very well. The music retains its complexity and power. The band are very tight. However, there is a problem with Eva Spence’s vocals. Whereas on record she sounds positively Satanic, live her vocals resemble a dog barking. Her brother James’ vocals are similarly hobbled. During the quiet passages Eve sings like an angel, but as soon as she returns to the ‘devil’ mic, the barking returns. I don’t know whether the sound man was having a bad night, but if not it’s an area that needs to be looked at as the lyrics were rendered unintelligible. Very disappointing. 

It’s immediately apparent that disappointment is something that Blood Red Shoes won’t be dishing up as they crash straight into Heartsink, followed by It’s Getting Boring By The Sea and Don’t Ask. They tell us that the Empire is the biggest headlining show that they’ve played and we all cheer. There’s a definite ‘end of term’ feel to proceedings (the band are apparently going on ‘hiatus’ after these Shepherds Bush gigs).

Tellingly, having been touring their In Time To Voices all year, there are only four songs played from that album tonight. In contrast we get seven each from Box Of Secrets and Fire Like this. However, the most interesting song played tonight are the two (Black Distractions and Red River) from their new Water EP. For each of these riff-driven beauties Laura-Mary carter straps on a Gibson SG, the songs benefiting agreeably from the Gibson ‘crunch’. If this is the direction they will be moving in for their next album then it’s very much a cause for rejoicing.

Colours Fade from Fire Like This is the final song of the main set, and for encores we get Red River (from the aforementioned EP), I Wish I Was Someone Better from Box Of Secrets and Je Me Perds from In Time To Voices. This is introduced as a ‘punk song’ and comes close to blistering the paint on the walls. To say it rocks is an understatement.

If Blood Red Shoes are going on hiatus hopefully it won’t be for long. Bands as vital and inventive as them are few and far between.   

Paul Weller + Emeli Sande + Miles Kane + Ben Elton: Crisis Benefit Concert – Hammersmith Apollo – 19th December 2012

A timely concert in aid of a very good cause. Ben Elton marches onstage and does a very good job of bigging up the charity before announcing the first act: The Crisis Skylight Band. They start off with some acoustically strummed Christmas songs and carols, before doing two songs which I think are their own: Marley and Take Away The Pain. They are only performing a short set and finish with I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day. These are not professional musicians. Indeed, they are all former homeless people who have benefited from the Charity. However, they put in a pretty good performance and give a collective face to those whom the Charity helps.

After a brief interlude featuring more campaigning from Ben Elton, Miles Kane and his band take the stage. Miles and his band are dressed in immaculate threads, but there is a sneaking suspicion that this may be a case of style over substance. Kane’s 60s-inflected pop is perfectly serviceable, but it does seem to lack depth. Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be a world of difference between some of his material and the likes of McFly.

About four or five songs into the set, Kane announces a new song called You’re Gonna Get It which is a co-write with Paul Weller, and is duly joined by the man himself! There is more energy in this song than in all of those which preceded it put together! Kane seems energised by Weller’s guest spot and proceeds to grab the next song by the scruff of it’s neck and give it a good kicking. Kane’s final song starts well with feedback and a slow heavy riff which speeds up, and then turns into a rather formulaic Small Faces style stomp. Hmmmmm.

Miles Kane is lucky in that by dint of some deft changing of horses in mid-stream he has been able to develop his art by releasing three albums on different labels with The Rascals, The Last Shadow Puppets, and now solo. Many artists are dropped if they don’t make it big with their first album. However, Kane is now at the point in his career where he needs to decide whether he wants to be a serious artist or whether he just wants girls to scream at him. Maybe the Modfather can give him some hints…..

Next up we have Emeli Sande, who seems to have been the victim of gross mis-billing. If this was a charity gig with an eclectic bill her presence would be fine. However, she doesn’t really stand a chance in front of an audience of beered-up blokes chanting WELLAH! WELLAH! WELLAH! The audience reaction isn’t hostile as such, it’s just disinterested and mute. Not surprisingly this impacts on Sande’s performance as she sounds timid rather than soulful. However, by halfway through her set she has regained her mojo and declaims as if she’s standing behind a pulpit somewhere in the deep south.

The moment most people here have been waiting for arrives as Paul Weller takes the stage and rips into an adrenalized From The Floorboards Up from his As Is Now album. Weller is joined by his son Natt for Come On / Let’s Go from the same album before dipping into The Jam’s back catalogue for the first time tonight for Start! Subsequent highlights include That Dangerous Age from Sonic Kicks and Carnation from The Jam’s The Gift album (which celebrated its 30^th anniversary this year!).

Emeli Sande returns to guest on People Get Ready, and Weller reminds us of his current Krautrock leanings with Kling I Klang. Weller doesn’t ignore his past with The Style Council and treats us to My Ever Changing Moods. However, the place erupts when Weller plays Strange Town – causing me to seriously worry for my safety!

The set closes with Echoes Round The Sun, which sees the return of Miles Kane, and Steve Cradock showing off his keyboard skills. Weller and his cohorts leave the stage for only a short while, and return with Bradley Wiggins who rather worringly is wearing a cherry red Gibson 335 around his neck. The band quickly break into That’s Entertainment, and Wiggo shows that he can actually play his 335. It’s probably best not to listen too closely to his rather interesting backing vocals though.

All in all this was a great night. Not just entertainment-wise either. All of the artists donated their fees to Crisis by playing for free. Lovely!     

The Black Keys + The Maccabees - London O2 Arena - 12th December 2012

Tonight’s gig would seem to be a co-headliner in all but name. The Maccabees take to the stage to Given To The Wild (Intro), with Orlando Weeks pricking the track’s pomp with a cheery ‘hello!’.

Half of tonight’s set is taken from their last album Given To The Wild, whilst five songs come from Wall Of Arms. Only X-Ray is performed from Colour It In. However, the highlight for me is No Kind Words from Wall Of Arms, which is an excellent song.

The Maccabees are not in the least bit fazed by the size of this venue, and could easily headline here. Presumably the only thing that prevents them from doing so is that perhaps promoters feel that their album sales are not sufficient to warrant them selling the venue out.

Lack of album sales is not an issue that will concern The Black Keys unduly, as over the last two or three years their career path has become positively stratospheric. Tonight they are joined by two auxiliary musicians, presumably in order to provide a little more punch. However, for the most part these guys are largely inaudible, and when they briefly leave the stage mid-set to Auerbach and Carney their absence is barely noticeable.

Most of the set tonight is split between the last two albums (El Camino and Brothers) with three songs from Attack And Release, and one each from Thickfreakness, Rubber Factory and Magic Potion. The Black Keys are not the most flamboyant of performers, but for sheer enthusiasm and the quality of their playing they’re difficult to beat as a live band.

They were by no means blown offstage by The Maccabees, but they were certainly given a run for their money. In terms of value for money we were treated to great performances by two very good bands.