Gigs.

Jungle last night was utterly wonderful. £15 for the gig and the latest CD.
Nice medium size venue, at about half capacity. Times I couldn’t believe it was happening cos they were pretty big before lockdown. So I just boogied for 2 hours. Looking exactly like this

Brill.

I went to see Martyn Joseph at Acapela Studio (tiny venue near Cardiff) on Monday. He’s an excellent local singer/songwriter type*, and the venue is a tiny ex-chapel, I think. It was great – an actual performer, an actual crowd. Emotional, but that’s maybe just his music.

We forgot where we parked the car, so spent a while wandering around the small village trying to find it, then almost ran out of fuel, and then had a midnight chocolate feast on the way home. That doesn’t happen when you stream a gig onto your sofa! 😀

*regularly described as the Welsh Springsteen. I’m not sure how much he likes that, but he certainly likes The Boss!

Sounds great. I don’t mind a bit of adventure to go to a gig. Jungle was in Kingston, about an hours drive, my dad’s hometown, but I’d never been there before in my life. Also had trouble finding my car, but phone insurance app sorted me 🙂

Also had trouble finding my car, but phone insurance app sorted me 🙂

Weirdly, my phone map app used to tell me where I’d parked the car but has stopped doing it recently.

And obviously I couldn’t listen to my wife when she was pointing up the correct street!

Oh my, Greenman is nearly here, can barely contain myself.
DJ Rap Saturday night (well, 2.00am Sunday morning) has got my jaw aching at the prospect.
I must make the effort this year to seek our the bands I like instead of wandering aimlessly about like a fool.

Just booked 2 more gigs – Little Simz (another one who was well pricey before Covid, now £16 including the latest CD!) and the awfully named, but rather weird and interesting, Jockstrap (£9.50!). Awesome.

First gig I’ve got is my band supporting The Ataris in October all being well.

I’m looking forward to playing again, I’m still wary of being in a packed room though.

We haven’t practiced much through and post lockdown, luckily we’ll be first on so no one will hear how crap we are 😂

Around 60% of our work is festivals, so it’s been great to get the money coming in. catch up with everyone who works them in all the different capacities who we would never see other than at a festival and find out how they are etc.

But I had forgotten the sheer joy of hearing a very good performer who you would never normally listen to, quite possibly of a style you would never listen to anywhere else by choice, but still being blown away by their skill.

Twice recently the first act of the day has had everyone in the front of house with their jaw on the floor, with small local acts who deserve far more than to be playing to 10 punters.

One of our guys described listening to live music again as like having a shower where you know you need it, but after you have it you realise just how much you needed it.

So stay safe, stay sensible, do what’s right for you and your health, but if you love music then I promise you you will love it all the more seeing it live again.

Debating with going to see a tribute band on friday. Saw then 2 years ago and they were great but not sure about being crammed into a venue at the mo….

Well, my first gigs in roughly two years are this Friday and Saturday! Even better, the Friday gig is in my home town!
That one is Cara Dillon, Irish singer/songwriter who lives in Frome, so a short drive for her as well.
Saturday is Lump, the duo formed by Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay of Tuung, playing the Trinity Centre in Bristol, a great venue. Really looking forward to both, I’ve seen Cara before, and Laura on her own or with a band, but Lump only did a small handful of gigs when they released their first album, and it didn’t look like there would be a second, but there was, and a proper tour to go with it.
Then there’s Elbow playing the Hammersmith Apollo on 20 September, Thea Gilmore playing the Folk House Bristol on 12 October, The Staves on 13 October at O2 Academy Bristol, Laura Marling on 13 October at the Tramshed, Cardiff, Big Thief, on 5 April 2022 at O2 Academy Bristol, Goldfrapp at Bath Forum on Friday 29 April, 2022, Kate Rusby, Clifton Cathedral Bristol on 1 May 2022 and Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets at Bath Forum on 11 May 2022.
That’s it for now, some of those have been postponed since 2019 or 2020, some are new gigs announced this year, and I’m sure there will be more to follow. What’s nice is that most are pretty local, with just one in London, and one in Cardiff, and I haven’t been to a gig there in some years, since 2013, in fact, that was Leonard Cohen at Motorpoint, on his last ever tour.
Magical evening, that. 😎

Quick revision to my gig list, the first two are the following week, 3/4 September!
There’s a couple more that have just been announced which will need tickets purchased, Blood Red Shoes at the Fleece in Bristol, and Half Man Half Biscuit at the Cheese and Grain, Frome.
Gonna have to be careful and not overlap dates!

Played my first gig last night.
Showcase type event for the music school I do my drum lessons at, they have a few bands made up of students and have been doing these things for years.
Sold out 180 capacity venue for my first gig was quite something. Cover band playing 2nd last out of 5 bands and I’m pretty sure we had the longest set too. Absolutely incredible feeling, thought I was going to be terrified but it went so damn well I’m very very chuffed.

Round 2 in 2 weeks, same place, same songs, sold out again. I love music, it’s right good.

Went to the Wildhearts in Cardiff laxt night. So so good to be back watching live bands, and the new album is a thing of amazement. How he writes these things I can only wonder.

Both of my first gigs went well, the Lump gig was very well attended, no support, and not quite what I’d expected, I’ve seen Laura Marling a bunch of times, but with Lump she’s part of a band, so completely different atmosphere.
Cara Dillon was a much quieter affair, but fun, lots of chat among the musicians, and as two of them are married to each other there’s lots of references to domestic things with their kids and their attitude to mum’s singing.
A couple of the traditional Irish songs about loss and losing family got a bit too close to home, though.
Roll on the next ones!

Good choices CZ.

Glaston – Bury last Monday.

Enjoyed it very much, the highlight an early afternoon slot for Mrs Cakehead.
They’re usually one of the last acts on, but nice to see they’d managed to get Blethered For Nowt at lunchtime……..

Off to Glasgow tomorrow to see Biffy Clyro. My name is Northwind, and it has been 546 days since my last gig.

I mean, yes the supports are shit and there’s going to be a thunderstorm and it’s got some completely pointless covid theatre around it, and it might be quite hard to get into the front bit. Doesn’t matter. Heaven is whenever we can get together

Pardon?!? You’ll need to speak up.

“Watch the volume!”
“Sorry. Tinnitus”
“CLUB DISEASE”
“You kids are all going to be deaf”

Double post – its like the old days

I booked a couple of tickets to be able to say I never saw Abba, My gut feeling is this is the way forward for a lot of nostalgia acts and I’m just interested to see what the show is like

(my brother’s pic, not mine.

Felt like taking a bit of myself out of storage

As @RT60 says….

But I had forgotten the sheer joy of hearing a very good performer who you would never normally listen to, quite possibly of a style you would never listen to anywhere else by choice, but still being blown away by their skill.

This is so true. Had a great time at Lindisfarne Festival last weekend, saw some bands that were awesome that we were expecting, also saw the likes of Dilutey Juice, Not Now Norman (terrible name but great music) and Connor Fyfe – wouldn’t have made an effort to see any of them but they were all outstanding.

On the downside I did manage to catch the lurgy there despite being double jabbed so I’m in Covid jail for another 6 days – which annoyingly means that I’ll miss Little Comets on Sunday night among other things. The 6 months where it’s thought you can’t catch it again after having it should cover some of the gigs we’ve got coming up so I’ll feel fine for Gerry Cinnamon, Me Lost Me, Kasabian, Holy Moly and the Crackers, This is the Kit, Peat & Diesel, Emma Jean Thackery etc….

I’ve been poorly with it, so was it worth going to Lindy and catching it? Not sure yet, need to give it some time and perspective. I do love live music and we did have a great time – and thankfully I was the only one to come down with it out of our little group.

Wildhearts at Norwich Waterfront tonight – 581 days since my last gig.

Must admit to being a bit covid-nervous…

@verses,
Went to Cardiff, best I’ve ever seen em. Just kick back and relax, if youre jabbed then youve already done all you can. Its not in your control, just dont worry, be happy.

dont worry, be happy

Nice 😀

I guess I do want to go where the people go, I’m probably crying over nothing.

EndOfTheRoad last weekend. Probably best weather we’ve ever had there – lovely and warm into the evenings from Friday on.

John Grant on top form, Sleaford Mods playing a gentle headline set of ballads and covers (well, 90 minutes of rightous anger and bile), and I was finally converted to the charms of Richard Dawson.
Ones to watch – country of The Golden Dregs. Also the ‘Stroud scene’ – The umlauts were great as were the stupendously wacky Mermaid Chunky – and Yard Act (who seem a lot more interesting than their gimmicky Fixer Upper track suggested)
Early bird tickets for next year in the bag….

Then got offered a last minute ticket to see John Grant at the Alexandra Palace Theatre on Tuesday. An amazing venue, seated (but comfortable and spacious) and fantastic sound.

I went to wide awake festival last friday, and it was awesome to be back at a gig, and watching the security lose their minds at crowdsurfing and a mosh pit during Crows was funny as. Crows are amazing btw. Black Midi, Idles and Murder Capital were highlights.

Got Black Country New Road on Tuesday, and I’m looking forward to my first indoor gig since Feb last year at the electric ballroom.

😉

I’m going truly retro in December.
First booked EMF now about a week earlier/later I’m going to see Supergrass and Ash at Brixton!!
I’m two exclamation marks excited.

Also at EOTR, which was so awesome, we got tickets for next year already. Seriously did not want to leave, could have done the 4 days again, seen different bands, and still enjoyed it as much.

Highlight for me was Anna Meridith (probably due to the wtf surprise having never seen her before). Runners up not limited to Katy J Pearson, Girl Ray, Hen Ogled, Stereolab

Got John Grant local end of the month

London Grammar coming up in just over a week, not so much my cup of tea but my Mrs loves them and the last gig (just pre COVID) we went to I did make her stand on the edge of the pit at The Corteeners.

Added HMHB to my growing list of artists to see, they’re playing the Cheese and Grain in Frome in November, and I’m taking my Joy Division Oven Gloves with me!
Cara Dillon’s doing a Christmas gig there right before Christmas, it’s her hometown venue, so should be good.

Two folk festivals so far for me:
Underneath the Stars near Barnsley which was so so and Shrewsbury Folk Festival which was ace. All very relaxed and managed to drink Mild all day long for four days.
Sisters of Mercy tonight at the Roundhouse which will be very different!
Last band I saw before lockdown as well in Nottingham 2020.

Broke the ice last night with our first gig since December 2019. Nick cave and Warren Ellis at st George’s hall in Bradford. I’ve got into cave late, last five years or so, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him. Wow. I think it’s partly returning to gigworld and partly the power of cave/Ellis and the other guys, but I was totally drawn into it, the outside world vanished for two hours and I probably sat with my mouth agape.

Nick cave and Warren Ellis at st George’s hall in Bradford.

jealous. long since come to terms with the fact hes a stadium act now and the price of tickets is just tooooo much for me, thats if i could even get my hands on a couple.

@gallowayboy I went last week in Stoke I’m a long term fan who didn’t particularly like the the last two Bad Seeds albums. I wasn’t set on going but I listened to the Cave and Ellis album on Hols and loved it. I thought it was absolutely amazing I was transfixed even though half the show was form the albums I didn’t particularly like. It was so good I’m going again tomorrow to the Bridgewater hall which is saying something at nearly £100 a ticket.

@sadexpunk I agree with the stadium thing I didn’t go to the last show at the Manchester arena because of that despite having a free ticket. These shows are certainly not stadium shows there in regional theatres and concert halls. The setting suits the material but the tickets prices are eye watering.

Got IDLES tonight. Not sure what to expect, it’s an album “outstore” gig. Do they just play that album, or is it just a normal setlist? Guess I’ll find out

Got IDLES tonight.

grrrr…..is this thread just going to be me continually being jealous? 😀

had tickets for the original, but postponed and we couldnt make the new date. set up twickets alerts for hull and leeds but didnt get lucky. i think we got tickets for february at sheffield but seems a long way off.

someones going to come along next and tell me theyre off to see the murder capital arent they, just to top it all off for me 🤣

It’s not cheap is it, we don’t do many of those, it’s back to the local club for the next few gigs. Our tickets were sixty odd quid and were in the gods. I don’t generally like big venues, but st George’s hall was ok for a sit down gig. I also find the big gig experience is more stressful – transport, parking, queues etc. I refuse to queue to spend a fortune on drinks. It’s a shame when an artist you love progresses away from you through venue size and becomes remoter. Hope the second gigs as good as the first @stainypants

had tickets for the original, but postponed and we couldnt make the new date

I could make it worse by telling you I have a spare ticket and you’re welcome to join us! 😛

I looked at seeing Nick Cave, playing local to me too, but sod £80 for a few hours entertainment. Nothing is worth that.