Not sure how this happened but…

Me and some mates usually go to Download, but this year the line-up wasn’t grabbing us so we’ve binned that. We saw Aerosmith there a few years ago and were a lot more impressed by them than we expected to be, they announced a tour which looked like being a good alternative but the ticket prices for London were OTT.
One mate spotted that they’re playing Milan and it’s half the price of London – obvs there’s other incidental costs, but it’s a bit of lads weekend away so should be a laugh… He then noticed that Foo Fighters are playing the next night, also considerably cheaper than they would be over here – bonus.

The other halves, on hearing of our plans to gallivant off to Milan for a weekend decided they’d like to be involved too…

So rather than a weekend in a muddy field in Leicestershire, we’ll be living it up in Milan! It’s all a bit dad-rock, but should be a cracking weekend.

I’ve been really slack on gigs over the past few months. Nothing has grabbed me, I’ve been spending my fun money on surf trips instead. However I have got tickets for Dub Pistols at the Craufurd Arms in Wolverton next month.

I’ve got Black Midi, Yacht & The Murder Capital in Feb. (I really should listen to see if I like The Murder Capital!)
Squid in March
Girl Band (yay!), Squarepusher and Jimmy Carr all in the same week in May.
Good job it’s not many cos I’m poor.

Might rob a bank and go to this in June
https://pitchfork.com/news/primavera-sound-2020-lineup-pavement-strokes-tyler-bikini-kill-bauhaus-more/

@theotherjonv – go and see Jonny Marr. He’s fantastic live and is a thoroughly lovely bloke who seems to get increasingly cooler as Morrisey carries on his transformation into Nigel Farage.

His solo stuff is great, but he also chucks some classic Smiths tunes into his set nowadays, after not doing do for a very long time

We were lucky enough to go to his first solo gig (at the Deaf Institute in Manchester) where he played some Smiths stuff. Hearing him play ‘How Soon is Now’ and ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’ for the first time since the Smiths split up was actually really emotional

I saw the Murder Capital last year, didn’t do anything for me.

As well as the Italian Job (above)…
I’m seeing The Interrupters next month and I’ve got tickets for Squid in March too.

We’re off to see John Bramwell next Saturday at Hebden Bridge Trade Club

Saw him as a support act last year and it was lovely – he’s genuinely good company.

Steve mason at the trades club tonight, a short but excellent set, delved into early beta band

I’ve seen him quite a few times in recent years and he’s never played a single Beta Band track that I can remember. Might all have been festival gigs so shorter?

Saw Baloji at Rich Mix this week. Great band, loads of energy.

he’s on my to do list. I love this version of Please, Please Please……

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JU3bogr4oc

A friend of my wife married a music engineer who did some session work on the side; their wedding was ace – we had a proper stand up comedian as best man, and an eclectic covers band as the evening entertainment where the make-up changed frequently because a huge proprtion of the guests could sing, or play an instrument and went and had a turn. Including Boz who can play a decent version of How Soon is Now too……

I quite fancy seeing Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs @ Leeds (April I think).

Just noticed my tickets for The Hold Steady on 7 March. Ariel Sharon and Matthias Kom (Burning Hell) in April, plus just booked Juniore at Bush Hall at the end of April.

Glastonbury tickets also in the bag though yet to hear an announcement of a band I actually want to see. Not that that matters a jot at Glastonbury.

Have tickets for Warmduscher and Squid both at esquires in Bedford in the coming months plus the pixies and Pearl Jam at Hyde park in the summer.

Also

However I have got tickets for Dub Pistols at the Craufurd Arms in Wolverton next month.

I’ll be going as it’s a 2min walk from my house so might see you down there MrP… Just look for the mid 40’s bloke with a beard….Lol its the Craufurd beards are regulation.

Not not much planned yet, Ian brown at neighbourhood and just got tickets for the oh sees at the Albert hall. That’s it so far. Might go to the chats in October, but that’s a bloody long time away!

(I really should listen to see if I like The Murder Capital!)

i like what ive heard so far, they seem to be being bigged up by the idles and fontaines facebook groups i look at, ive got tickets for nottingham next month.

First one of the year is skam at the musician in Leicester on Friday 31st.

Clutch-esque 3 piece, sound pretty good on recordings. Plus the bassist is the dad of one of my daughter’s friends.

i like what ive heard so far, they seem to be being bigged up by the idles and fontaines facebook groups i look at, ive got tickets for nottingham next month

Yeah, from what I’ve read they’ll be good. Last band I saw without hearing, from reading about them, was Working Mens Club and they were brilliant 😊

Last band I saw without hearing, from reading about them, was Working Mens Club and they were brilliant 😊

Posted 45 minutes agoREPLY

Forgot about that, should be going to see WMC in Blackpool in Feb. Only seen a few clips and heard a couple of songs but I’m thinking it should be good

Has anyone seen System of a Down over the past ten years or so? They are playing some European dates this year, plus Donnington in the UK. Would love to go see them with my wife but wondering if they might be past it – The Serj seems very disinterested in the band and not sure he has the pipes anymore? But I have never seen them live myself.

going to see WMC in Blackpool in Feb

Nice one, hope to see them again this year.

The Musical Box ( Early Genesis tribute band) in Feb , David Gray in March , Christy Moore ( backstage pass) in April, Crowded House in July. 👍👍

So…. The Smyths

I think they nailed it themselves – opened with Hand in Glove, and then introduced themselves as ‘we’re just actors, playing parts, but when the material is this good….’

And that’s the way to approach it. I can happily go to a play or watch a film where someone is playing a part, and I forgive that they might not look exactly like them and congratulate them for being able to mirror aspects of their character, etc.. So it’s like a play about a Smiths gig, with music, in which we play the part of the audience. Job done.

As for the acting – Morrissey was excellent – didn’t particularly try to overdo it between songs, but hit the right spots in places, and in the songs particularly with flailing microphone leads and geeky dance moves. It’s impossible to be Johnny Marr, he’s the coolest person alive, and no-one plays his pieces with such precision. The guitaring was definitely Smiths songs but not quite.

I never saw enough of Joyce / Rourke to be able to judge character but as above ‘when the materials this good’ the drums and bass pounded on through well. I’d also say as a bassist myself (sic) who’s been listening to Andy Rourke’s playing closely that it lacked the subtlety and all the twiddles but that’s being picky.

And the audience. Well, we were excellent. Mix of 50 year olds, mums and dads with kids and some youngsters too, which was great to see that the music lives on and isn’t rolling towards the cemetery gates with us.

I was almost tempted to get the tour T-shirt, a clever nod to the GI helmet on MiM (which was the first set, playing this album) – the helmet with Somehow Still Alive across it.

Queen is Dead 35th anniversary tour next year. I’m in.

Had a great Saturday night at the Brudenell seeing
Jah Wobble and the Invaders of the Heart,
They came on around 8.40 and did a great set covering decades of his music and covers, finishing at 11.00
Then he hung around the Merch stall chatting to anyone and signing stuff,
So of course I picked up some signed vinyl 😁

Slipknot were amazing on Monday, absolutely banging setlist, delivered faultlessly.

Support Behemoth were heavy and brutal, they have a new fan now.

Did get my phone nicked though, as did many others. Ah well.

I was thinking about doing Greenman this year, having skipped a couple of years, but then I saw the lineup for End Of The Road at Larmer Tree in September. Nice and handy, too, although, having said that, it takes about as long to get down there as it does Crickhowell.
Looks like it’s been organised by 6Music…
Pixies Angel Olsen King Krule Big Thief Bright Eyes Richard Hawley Little Simz The Comet Is Coming Aldous Harding Field Music Girl Band Pinegrove Romare Richard Dawson Warmduscher Andy Shauf Squid Creep Show Black Country, New Road Nadia Reid Girl Ray Vanishing Twin Arlo Parks Dry Cleaning Big Joanie Jerkcurb Darren Hayman Shygirl Penelope Isles Just Mustard Fenne Lily W. H. Lung 75 Dollar Bill Monophonics Itasca Dana Gavanski All We Are Studio Electrophonique Tenesha the Wordsmith Trash Kit Sarathy Korwar Aoife Nessa Frances Katy J Pearson Jake Xerxes Fussell Sleep Eaters The Claque The Goa Express Junior Brother Elijah Wolf Lazarus Kane The Golden Dregs Lee Patterson
+ more to be announced.

Brass Against tickets just turned up, this’ll either be ace or a crushing disappointment

Thinking about picking up tickets for Amigo the Devil in Glasgow, liked his last album a lot

Recent gigs end of last year have been Evil Scarecrow, Battle Beast, Steve Harris’ British Lion.

coming up
Going to see a friend play locally on Sunday

have Delain in Feb. Was hoping to also see Sabaton, but with already having tickets to Delain in Manchester on Friday, it was pushing it to get down to London to see Sabaton the next night.

Week after Delain, off to Wacken Winter Nights. Went last year and it was brilliant fun, so booked again this year. Winter Nights Lineup

later on the rescheduled Saxon 40th Anniversary show

June – Off to RockFest in Tampere

Then summer – Wacken Open Air (7th time, 4th in a row)

Also this summer, helping organise a music fest of local musicians in the village park

Going to see the Dutty Moonshine Big Band in April in Cambridge, very excited about that as I’ve been wanting to experience them live since listening to their first album Most Wanted a couple of years ago. They’re different, eclectic and I’m sure their new album, Sin City will not disappoint.

Aside from that, it’ll be the annual pilgrimage to the Hants/Berks border in June for 36 hours or so of Psy Trance and leaping around, throwing shapes and ‘aving it large to banging beats! 😎

Just bought a ticket to Mr Ben & The Bens in Manchester in April 🙂

Courteeners tomorrow night for album launch set. Saw Stormzy last week at a 600 capacity theatre. Banquet Records in Kingston are brilliant at getting bands / artists in for short (45-60 min) launch events.

Recently got tickets for John Grant doing a stripped back thing in town in May, The Oh Sees in Bristol also in May, and End of The Road

Forgot one, we’ve got a family outing to the Killers at Ashton Gate in June.

The Wildhearts tomorrow night! With the Backyard Babies in support, which is weird, because I do love a bit of BYB but I thought their only purpose in the world was to be a sort of backup Wildhearts for all the times that the Wildhearts have split up.

Courteeners last night were fantastic.

Our local record shop (Banquet, Kingston) has excellent connections and gets in a lot of bands / acts (massive range of styles too – we’ve seen Stormzy, Snow Patrol, Elbow, Kaiser Chiefs, Louis Capaldi this year) for record launch nights, tickets include a CD/Vinyl plus entry. Some just show up and do 45 mins (tickets are pretty reasonably priced). Last night Courteenrs did 2 gigs (8pm and 10.30pm), we went to the 8pm (missed out on tickets for the later one, you need to be quick for the popular acts) and played an hour plus, some of the new stuff and a load of the back catalogue. Crowd was absolutely mental, took the Mrs to the edge of the pit for an experience she won’t forget in a hurry.

Just got tickets to see Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs in Leeds in April.

Have tickets to see Ozzy Osbourne if he is ever fit enough to resume his tour.

Also very tempted by the Cast tour later this year.

our plans to gallivant off to Milan for a weekend

Be VERY careful on the underground – the pickpockets (especially around tourist stations) are rife. I was a victim in December then, even though we were all being very careful given what happened, another member of our party was also pickpocketed the day after. I would go so far as to recommend a money belt and absolutely don’t stand on trains with a rucksack on your back.

I was really looking forward to seeing Michael Kiwanuka in Leeds but I now have to go to a work conference in London that week.
Oh Bugger!

Hi raz thanks for heads up re banquet kingston launches. I go there a bit so will look out. Are the events still listed in the window, last visit I saw Bacchus was still trading, haven’t been for 25 years.

I’ll be going as it’s a 2min walk from my house so might see you down there MrP… Just look for the mid 40’s bloke with a beard….Lol its the Craufurd beards are regulation.

I’ll be sporting the same look @donks as will most of the people I’m going with. Even the women.

So its Warmduscher on Sunday at Bedford and then……. Milton Keynes have only got a reggae festival this summer which we got tickets for yesterday and am very much excited:

Toots
Aswad
David Rodigan
Mungo’s Hifi (hell yes)
General levy
Eva Lazarus (probably with Mungo’s)
And maybe Damian Marley

Get in….and a couple of miles away so easily ridable… although not sure about home again.

Some great gigs coming up for people. Re murder capital saw them at a festival last year and really liked them. Playing in Sheff in 3 weeks but we can’t go as we’re at a 50th.
Just bought tickets for green man. Absolutely storming line up this year. Thundercat, working Men’s Club, murder capital,Michael Kiwanuka and little dragon etc etc etc.
We got tickets for self esteem at the leadmill the other night. Really good gig very intimate stripped back set unlike her recorded stuff. Some of its on bbc sounds but you have to listen to Steve lamacq..
Just bought tickets for porridge radio at the end of March, saw them supporting Ezra Firman last year. He’s great live too.
Oh and one for the oldies we are going to see heaven 17 play reproduction and travelogue at the city hall next month too.
I do like seeing bands me.

Ooooh I didn’t know about the reggae festival at Campbell Park.