News and Reviews: 25th September 2006

24 Sept 2006.The Cult live at Birmingham Academy, Birmingham.Back to see The Cult again up north after their great Brixton show.This was the 4600th gig (yes 4600)i have seen since 1973. This venue is always hot and humid inside but at least the band come on 30 mins earlier than Brixton.Its the same 90 mins set but who cares, its great rock n roll.The band are feeling the heat on stage and moaning about the lack of stage fans provided by the venue.Loads of great songs again like Brixton.Ian Astbury is in fine form and tells the crowd "we are gonna play a whole bunch of songs that Wolfmother wish they had wrote".Rockers like "Rain" ,"Fire Woman","Love Removal Machine" and the encore of "She Sells Sanctuary" are the highlights.The show may have lacked the buzz of the Brixton gig but it still was a great night................... 23 Sept 2006.Magic Numbers + Soho Dolls + Maxfield live at Shepherds Bush Empire,London. This was a 15th birthday gig for The Big Issue the magazine that supports homeless people. Nice to see Virgin Mobile supporting the event but due to lack of publicity the venue is only half full.Maxfield is a black female rocker who reminded me of Roachford and i liked her rock chick leanings.Soho Dolls brought their glammed up electro pop and "Stripper" and "No Regrets"were really good. Headliners Magic Numbers were all smiles and harmonies as usual. They have just finished recording their second album.Lots of good tunes like "Loves A Game", the new single "Take A Chance" ,"Forever Lost " and "Love Me Like You" all went down well and overall a good evening for a very good cause................................ 22 Sept 2006.The Cult live at Brixton Academy, London.While some 1980s bands cannot fill their local telephone boxes The Cult have easily sold out Brixton as part of their first UK tour for 5 years.From the start they are superb .I could listen to Billy Duffys guitar riffs all day long. Ian Astbury still gets the girls going and for 90 mins its all great oldies one after the other. "Lil Devil" ,"Spiritwalker",a really superb "Rain" ,then others like "Edie" ,"Fire Woman" ,"Wild Flower" and "Love Removal Machine " .The stunning encore featured the rock classic "She Sells Sanctuary" with the crowd going mental .A great show.See aftershow page for this gig.................... 21 Sept 2006.Beyonce + Bryan Ferry + Razorlight + Andrea Bocelli + 50 Cent live at The Giorgio Armani Fashion And Music Party at Earls Court Arena, London. Its fair to say this was the hottest party ticket of the year.Costing over a million pounds to put on and over 1200 guests it was a massive event.Each of the live acts did 3 songs inbetween the 100 models doing the catwalk.Up first was Beyonce who played "Deja Vu","Irreplacable " and a stunning "Crazy In Love" then Bono gave a speech on behalf of the AIDS charity RED.Bryan Ferry was cool as usual for "Slave To Love","Love Is The Drug" and "Lets Stick Together" .Razorlight played "In The Morning","Stumble And Fall" and "America". Andrea Bocelli did 3 songs as well .Then it was finished off by 50 Cent who got everyone down the front for "Window Shopper" and "In Da Club".Lots of other big names here included Alicia Keys,Elle MacPherson,Kim Cattrall,Leonardo Di Caprio,Oliver Martinez(Kylies fella),Richard Curtis and footballers like Frank Lampard and Freddie Ljungberg.Not as many musicians as expected but good to see David Gilmour,Julian Lennon and Nick Rhodes all on the same table .Across the room was Natalie Imbruglia .The food was nice but could have been better .The free booze was flowing non stop and Groove Armada kept the dj sounds going until 1.30am when we left .Even the goody bag was great with lots of Armani products and a MOTOROLA phone no less .Yes you could say this was the real deal party wise.............. 20 Sept 2006.30th Anniversary Of The 100 Club Punk Rock Festival ,London.I was only 17 but i was lucky enough to have been at this legendary Sex Pistols show. Now 30 years later to the day punk inspired fashion designer and huge Sex Pistols fan Tom Baker has hired out the venue for a mens catwalk fashion party with djs etc.Sex Pistol Glen Matlock is here and the collection of clothes (see www.sirtombaker.com) is a brilliant mix of punk,rock n roll ,glam and sharp suits.After we went along to the Zandra Rhodes party in Hanover Square which like the BIBA one the night before was excellent........................... 16 Sept 2006.Scissor Sisters live at Trafalgar Square ,London.This was a AIDS charity show for RED for 10,000 fans who won the phone text donation competition.This venue hosts 1 or 2 gigs a year but usually the bands play short sets in daylight with a small production but Scissor Sisters have got a great stage and light show and start their 80 mins set just as dusk falls. They are introduced by Kylie Minogue and launch into their big hit "Take Your Mama" and the crowd go wild .The singers are all dressed up in glitter and its party time a go go and its all very camp as expected."Tits On The Radio" and " Laura " are great .The band play a few tracks off new album "Ta-Dah" which comes out this week."Kiss You Off " and "Mary" both go down well. The disco mirror ball comes down for their amazing version of "Comfortably Numb" and "Everybody Wants The Same Thing " is really good and band and crowd are all having a great time. Superb encores of current hit "I Dont Feel Like Dancing " sends more of the crowd into the Trafalgar Square water fountains for a dance and "Filthy Gorgeous" has the singer down to his gold lame shorts and they bring on some costumed dancers on stage for a knees up and mad finish to a really good show................ 15 Sept 2006.Robbie Williams live at Milton Keynes Bowl ,Bucks.This was the second of Robbies five nights here playing to 60,000 punters each evening.Forget The Rolling Stones or Madonna as Robbie Williams has had the biggest European Tour by any artist this year.He enters to a barrage of fireworks and lights and the stage production is very impressive.Second song in "Rock DJ" is really good and "Millennium" is excellent but its a show full of highs and average bits. Too much weak comedy banter between songs just ended up being tedious and annoying.The duet with his mate Jonathan Wilkes was plain awful.Still "Strong" and "Back For Good" were very good."Advertising Space" and "Come Undone" went down well.Encore of "Let Me Entertain You" was superb and new single "Rudebox" was a nice change in direction and "Angels " was excellent. Overall i thought the 1 hour 40 mins show was good but not as good as his Knebworth shows .Not that will bother Robbie who left the venue by helicopter 10 mins after the show.............. 11 Sept 2006.Pearl Jam live at The Bercy,Paris, France.Well its been 3 years since i saw The Rolling Stones at this venue and the omens could not be better as we bump into singer Eddie Vedder and a couple of PJ band members sightseeing the evening before the concert.All are friendly and pose for photos,give out guitar picks and even tell us they are staying at The Hyatt Hotel. The Bercy is nearly full tonight so its a big crowd of 15,000 or so punters.Earlier in the year Pearl Jam played Londons Astoria which was one of the hottest gig tickets this year.Tonight the band played a set lasting 2 hours 15 mins which this crowd really went mad for.Mixing new album tracks with oldies they worked the audience to a real frenzy ."Even Flow " was superb. Encores of " Alive " and "Rockin In The Free World " went down a storm. Eddie Vedder tried to speak some French so give him some credit. The band seem really happy to be in Paris and although they have been away a few years they are still a massive live act ............... 07 Sept 2006.Patti Smith Photos Exibition At Alison Jacques Gallery ,Clifford Street,London W1.Female Punk Rock Icon Patti Smith is here and Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet is here and a few other trendy faces are here .The booze is flowing and after there is a party at The Dorchester Hotel.Patti is having dinner in the corner and the champers is flowing in this posh hotel bar. Patti Smith plays poetry and music The Queen Elizabeth Hall on Sept 11 and 12 ................ 02 Sept 2006.Glen Matlock live at Filthy McNastys,London EC1.Another solo acoustic gig from The Sex Pistols legend.Tonight is a free admission for all gig so the pub is very packed and very sweaty which resulted in a much better atmosphere.Same 60 mins set as 3 days ago .Great solo material like "Sad Meal For One","On Something" and "White Knuckle Ride" alongside all those Rich Kids and Sex Pistols classics. Encore of "Anarchy In The UK" again had the crowd singing every word loudly .A great little gig ..................................... 31 August 2006.Primal Scream live at The 100 Club, London.Only a few days ago the band played to 10,000 inside a rammed tent at Reading Festival so its amazing they are here playing an invite only secret show to just 300 comp winners of myspace.com and the bands guests. We get a full 85 mins of their scuzzy dance rock n roll .The drums drowned out Bobbys voice a bit at times but it was a great show.Loads of mega tunes like "Moving On Up","Swastika Eyes" and stunning versions of "Country Girl" and "Rocks". Encores included a manic version of The Damneds "Neat Neat Neat"................................ 30 August 2006.9pm.Glen Matlock + Gary Lammin live at The Boogaloo,Highgate,London. Up first was Gary Lammin who did a neat set of his punk rock blues with some great lyrics. During the interval i saw Kate Moss ,Shane McGowan and The Towers Of London all floating about.Glen did a great 60 mins set of solo material ,Rich Kids hits and 3 Sex Pistols anthems "God Save The Queen" ,"Pretty Vacant" and amazing encore where the crowd sung all the lyrics to "Anarchy In The UK".Glen plays another acoustic show on Sat 02 Sept at Filthy McNastys in the city.See you there.................................... 30 August 2006.6pm.Kasabian live at HMV,Oxford Street,London.A free show to promote their second album "Empire" out this week. The album has had lots of great reviews and the band play a massive UK tour in December which includes a show at Earls Court Arena.They have got a great swagger about them .Only 4 songs tonight and a signing session after but the band have got a mini lightshow and strobes anyway ."Empire", "Shoot The Runner" ,"Club Foot " and "Lost Souls Forever " all went down well..................... New York Dolls are playing a few UK shows with a London show at The Forum on Oct 22............ The UKs number one Pistols tribute band The Sex Pistols Experience have a brilliant DVD for sale of their "Live In Texas - Jan 2006" show.It has all the Pistols classics here.For info on the band and how to buy the DVD check their website. www.sexpistolsexperience.co.uk................. 24 August 2006.KERRANG Music Awards at The Brewery ,Moorgate ,London.A massive bash for the metal mag that now outsells NME.Some 600 people here(550 seated at tables and 50 standing).6pm to 7.30pm there is a cocktails , champers and canopes reception in the courtyard as The Torture Garden Circus Freakshow acts do their stuff.Contorsionists, burlesque dancing,body mutilation ,snakegirl etc. All very impressive really.Then 7.30pm to 8.45pm the 13 awards are given out.The event is hosted by Stuart Cable(ex Stereophonics).Those here include rock legends Meat Loaf and Angus Young from AC/DC also Prodigy,Bullet For My Valentine,Slayer ,The Answer,My Chemical Romance,Lost Prophets who won 2 awards for Best Album and Best British Act. Placebo,Aiden,New Found Glory,Rod Smallwood,Nick Oliveri,Killswitch Engage,Fall Out Boy ,Trivium, Fightstar and no doubt a few more.After the awards we got some cold burgers but this crowd are interested in the free booze.For a couple of hours everyone is at the venue drinking and chatting then 11pm to 2am its up the road to the afterparty at Turnmills which is a sprawling club that must have 10 or 12 bars and rooms in it.The DJ is playing some great rock tunes and the free booze is still flowing.A great night. ................................................. 22 August 2006.Rolling Stones + Charlatans live at Twickenham Stadium ,Middlesex.Back again to see The Stones and again its another full house of some 50,000 punters which is pretty amazing considering the ticket prices were up to £150 each.Support Charlatans take to the stage to a half empty stadium .They have plenty of good songs like "North Country Boy" and "The Only One I Know" and got a decent reception.The Stones again were fantastic.They swapped the playing order around and dropped a couple of songs and added a couple."Jumping Jack Flash" and "Its Only Rock And Rock " started things off great .Again we have great seats only 10 rows from the stage.More classics follow like "Lets Spend The Night Together" ,"You Cant Always Get What You Want" ,"Tumbling Dice","Miss You". The three songs played on the second stage in the middle of the stadium were "Rough Justice", "Start Me Up" and "Honky Tonk Woman" .Just so many great songs and again Mick Jagger is superb. "Sympathy With The Devil","Paint It Black " and "Brown Sugar" were all fab. Single encore again of " Satisfaction" sealed another great show. Massive production with massive songs .Its only rock and roll but we like it .A LOT........... ............................................... 20 August 2006.Rolling Stones + Feeder live at Twickenham Stadium ,Middlesex. The Stones roll in to town for an impressive 50,000 crowd sell out. (They return here on Tuesday for show number 2). Up first are Feeder who do a good 40 mins set. They play "Buck Rogers" and a few other rockers and go down well even though it can be hard work trying to impress a Rolling Stones crowd. We get great seats near front right of stage. The Stones do a mainly greatest hits show that was superb. A massive production that looked like a posh new city office block where 200 fans overlooked the stage.Opening tracks "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Start Me Up" were mega and for 2 hours Mick Jagger showed off his unique dancing skills and ran up and down the stage numerous times.You could not take your eyes off him.Also good were "Ruby Tuesday" and "Tumbling Dice" .In the middle there was a lull as we got a couple of new tracks and Keith Richards sang(???) a couple.A teasing version of "Miss You" was great and then the band were transported into the middle of the stadium on a hydrolic stage for 3 songs "Rough Justice","Get Off Of My Cloud" and "Honky Tonk Woman" .The stage became a blaze of red for "Sympathy For The Devil".The finale of "Its Only Rock And Rock " and "Brown Sugar " was superb. "Satisfaction" was the only encore before the fireworks and expolsions hit the skies. Mick, Keith,Ronnie and Charlie took the final bow and it was all over and yes despite their ages The Stones still put on a great show.There was an aftershow party at Ronnie Woods house............ ................................................. 19 August 2006.Radiohead + Editors + Keane live at V Festival ,Chelmsford ,Essex.A midday lashing of rain made the ground a bit muddy but at least no rain fell during any of the bands sets.We spent the entire afternoon in the Virgin Mobile Louder Lounge which like every year hosts a massive all day free booze and food party for 800 or so people complete with a dj and an area where the girls can get a free makeover.Some faces here included Billie Piper,Sophie Ellis Bexter and some chancers from Big Brother.Anyway the first band up were Keane who are a perfect V Festival act,nice catchy radio friendly tunes and of course the singles from their first album go down well.......next The Editors who i really like with their uptempo bass lines they played all the best songs from their debut album and were joined by a couple of members of We Are Scientists for a version of REMs "Orange Crush"...............there is a lot of anticipation in the crowd tonight for headliners Radiohead who played a superb 1 hour 45 mins set. I am not their biggest fan although i love the way they go about things and their always changing setlist.Best songs tonight were "No Surprises","Paranoid Android","Just" ,"Street Spirit(Fade Out) and stunning encores of "Karma Police" and " Creep" .A great show............... 15 + 16 Aug 2006.Madonna live at Wembley Arena ,London.These were the last two shows of 8 that Madonna played at this venue and i ended up seeing 3 shows altogether which included the opening Wembley night a couple of weeks ago. Those that moan about Madonna tickets have probably never seen her in concert.This is so much more that your average concert . For both nights we had stunning views at front of block A dead centre so we could see the sweat ,the tears, the precision and sheer hard work Madonna puts in. It takes weeks of rehearsing to put this on. The songs were the same on each night of the tour .The last night on Wed 16 August was her 48th birthday so the backing singers and crowd sang happy birthday to her.Highlights for me have been mentioned in the full review back on Aug 01 but "Like A Virgin","Ray Of Light","Lucky Star" and "Hung Up" were just some of this amazing 2 hour show.Perhaps it was we were so close at just 5 yards away but the final show for me was the first 10 out of 10 gig this year.After the show she held a small party at a club in Shoreditch for band,dancers and close friends only....... ............................................... 11,12,13 August 2006.Wasted Punk Festival live at Blackpool Winter Gardens, Lancs. Fri = Cockney Rejects + Hugh Cornwell Band + GBH + TV Smith Band + Chelsea ...... Sat = Cocksparrer + Angelic Upstarts + Ari Ups Slits + Vibrators + 999 + Ron Watts Q and A......Sun = Damned + Slaughter And The Dogs + UK Subs + Selecter + Neville Staples.......Well here we are in this great old ballroom that will host over 100 acts over 4 stages for the main punk rock event in the UK.There is a great turn out and the Saturday was a 5500 punter sell out.Amazing sight of punks, skinheads ,mods,rockers all meeting up with old friends ,sharing a beer or three and hardly any trouble whatsoever. The atmosphere is just brilliant.They have come from all over the UK and Europe.Up first we get Chelsea who are still pretty rubbish but finish off well with "I Fought The Law" and "Right To Work"......TV Smith is one punk rocker whose attitude mixed with great lyrics is a real joy. Oldies like "Gary Gilmores Eyes","Bored Teenagers" and "One Chord Wonders" are superb......GBH have always been third rate but they go down well tonight and "No Survivors" and "Alcohol" even had me tapping my feet........... Hugh Cornwell Band played his usual set of old and new material. Stranglers stuff like "Hanging Around","Peaches" and "No More Heroes" are good......Cockney Rejects headline tonight.They go down well mainly due to their lively singer. "War On The Terraces" ,"Im Not A Fool" ,"The Greatest Cockney Rip Off " and "Join The Rejects" all are rocking........On the next day popped in to see Q and A session with Ron Watts who booked the Sex Pistols at the 100 Club in 1976. His book is called "Hundred Watts" and is a great read on his gig promoting in the 1960s and 1970s. Could not face any bands in the afternoon so went walkies for a while then came back for 999 who are always very good.They play all their best tunes like "Nasty Nasty","Homicide" and "Im Alive".......Next its The Vibrators who start off pretty boring but liven up near the end with "Automatic Lover","Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", "White Riot" and "Baby Baby".............next its Ari Up and her (male)Slits who try to gamely play some "dancehall".Ari Up is full of fun but best songs are old Slits gems "Typical Girls" and "Shoplifting"..........Angelic Upstarts were a let down as Mensi the singer is not here due to an eye injury .His replacement starts well with "Teenage Warning" but its just not the same.......Cocksparrer headline tonight and the place is packed.I am sure they never played to crowds this big in the 1980s.Loads of catchy tunes like "Argy Bargy","Whats It Like To Be Old?","Where Are They Now?","Riot Squad" ,"Chip On My Shoulder ","Sunday Stripper "and a mega "England Belongs To Me".Excellent show......... Sunday started with Neville Staples whose ska set went down well and he played a few Specials gems like "Too Much Too Young" and "Ghost Town"...... more ska with Selecter and Pauline Black is looking fit.They play good oldies like "Three Minute Hero","On My Radio" and "Too Much Pressure"............UK Subs and ole Charlie Harper go down well as usual with the hardcore punks with tunes like "Warhead" ,"Stanglehold" and "C.I.D".............next are Slaughter And The Dogs who play a brilliant 60 mins set .With a powerhouse drummer and Mike Rossis guitar its quite a rocking show with great songs like "Boston Babies","Youre A Bore","The Bitch", "Cranked Up Really High","Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone?" and "My Generation"............. last band The Damned also do a superb 70 mins set.Both The Captain and Dave are on top form. "New Rose" and "Neat Neat Neat" are played early. Other gems included "Eloise","Love Song" ,"Jet Boy Jet Girl" and a superb "Smash It Up".Great encore of the rarely played "Rabid Over You". So a great weekend and my fave 3 bands were Cocksparrer, Slaughter and The Damned .Lets hope they do it all again next summer.

Posted 25th September 2006