New Gig Thread

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:50 am

verbal gymnastics wrote:Actually I'll see them at V in a few weeks time

Twice in one year, like me and Ron Sexsmith. I detect a true fan in the making.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:44 am

In future I'll be checking tour schedules to pray that Elvis and Keane aren't touring at the same time!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:49 pm

Now that would give you a true dilemma!

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:15 pm

this looks interesting

http://www.mucklewain.com/index.php

and possibly Scott Miller again on Thursday, depending on the weather.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:34 am

NY board meet-up for Sufjan Stevens. Mech Mug Grace, WSS and, I think, Stormwarning will all be joining me to see him at NY's Town Hall late September. My first time in NY, and what a way to spend a Friday night! MBA will be at the pre-gig drinks but not the gig. Any other locals invited to join us for that! I have met Mech Mug and WSS in London, and it will be a delight to see them again, MBA and Storm will be a thrilling first time. The Town Hall is an astonishing venue. I was open-mouthed looking at their roll call of legends who've appeared there through the decades, especially all the classical greats of the first half of the 20th C, Stravinsky, Bartok, etc. Not to mention jazz greats, Dylan in '63, and so on. I've been dying to see Sufjan live since I fell in love with Illinoise and read this account in the Observer of them cartwheeling onto the stage etc. Let's hope there's a bit of that! I've read strings and brass will feature. Need to get The Avalanche, the new 'outtakes from Illinoise' that's meant to be not far off the original for quality, not to mention Michigan and Seven Swans, which I still haven't heard.

stormwarning · Post by **stormwarning** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 7:42 am

I'll definitely be there and I can't wait to see SS. I can't say I'm happy that he's reverted to his real name, he'll always be "Shakey" to me. If he sings "This Old House" or "Green Door" then I'll be straight down the front for a bop - historic venue or not. Special thanks to WSS for getting me the ticket.

I have a Raconteurs ticket for the Monday before SS, and with Otis staying just a couple of blocks away from me it should be quite a week.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 12:19 am

verbal gymnastics wrote:Have booked tickets for

Franz Ferdinand - London 23rd August
Paul Weller - Brighton 2nd December
Richard Ashcroft - London 5th December
Kylie (for Mrs VG natch) - London 8th January.

Awesome! The Showgirl tour, right? See her recent tv interview? the interviewer (an Englishwoman) kept interrupting her, I wanted to slap her fanny!

It's her first post-cancer tour, the sense of occassion could make it extra memorable.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 3:55 am

Kylie's going to war with eBay trying to stop all the tout selling there. Fair dues, it's made a joke of acquiring tickets, but how to clamp down on the racketeers as opposed to the more genuine selling because someone couldn't come kind of thing?

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:24 am

bambooneedle wrote:
verbal gymnastics wrote:Have booked tickets for

Kylie (for Mrs VG natch) - London 8th January.
Awesome! The Showgirl tour, right? See her recent tv interview? the interviewer (an Englishwoman) kept interrupting her, I wanted to slap her fanny! It's her first post-cancer tour, the sense of occassion could make it extra memorable.

That's right bamboo but Mrs VG is having a girls' night out for this one.

The interview according to Mrs VG (I'm assuming you're talking about the one with Cat Deeley) was very frustrating in that it was more like Cat Deeley talks about how wonderful she thinks she is interjected with some chat with Kylie.

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Kylie's going to war with eBay trying to stop all the tout selling there. Fair dues, it's made a joke of acquiring tickets, but how to clamp down on the racketeers as opposed to the more genuine selling because someone couldn't come kind of thing?

And good for her. There are loads of people who purely buy tickets so that they can make a profit from eBay. I was pleased to see that Seetickets traced the owners and have cancelled their tickets. If Seeticket's action works then I hope it's extended.

There will always be fans that can't make the concert and there's always the danger that touts will go onto a fan website, buy a ticket from somebody who genuinely can't go and then sell them on at a profit. Ticket touts aren't exactly moralists.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:06 am

Booked to see The Decemberists in November at the Hammerstein Ballroom. That's my fall concert schedule set - M. Ward, Sufjan Stevens and The Decemberists. October's a no-no, with the wife away for two weeks on bidness trips.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:49 pm

We're very used to Brits singing in American accents, but not so much to Americans doing the reverse, but that does seem to be what Thingy Melloy is up to. Very odd. I like a lot of the song-writing on the LP, but he knows the hell out of me. 'We both go down together' is great.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:07 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:We're very used to Brits singing in American accents, but not so much to Americans doing the reverse, but that does seem to be what Thingy Melloy is up to. Very odd. I like a lot of the song-writing on the LP, but he knows the hell out of me. 'We both go down together' is great.

I assume you mean "annoys the hell out of me".

I'm not sure that's quite it. Doesn't sound British to me, at least. Very unusual, to be sure. You're not the only person I know who is turned off by his voice.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:16 pm

Oh yeah, too much vino tinto. On the aformentioned song, at least, where it's set in England, with all the cliffs of Dover refs etc., I swear he's in character at least and being English. Some weird vowel-mangling, for sure.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:04 am

Just listening to a live version of John Wayne Gacy Jr, really quite astonishing. It sounds even more haunting. I've assumed that the vocals on the CD were SS double-tracking, but live it's a duet with a woman with a very fine voice. Shara Worden perhaps, who is one of three backing vocalists on the record? (I don't have a purchased copy of the CD, I have to confess, so don't know if sleeve notes clairfy!) She'll be supporting SS on his fall tour, so hopefully it will sound the same then as I've just heard it:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/art ... 1002801845

This was on a Dime download of a radio show, very good quality. The presenter came on after and said she wanted to both laugh and weep uncontrollably.

(To my fellow Sufjan gig attenders, worry not, this will be shared with you in due course!)

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:05 am

I was at the V Festival this weekend at Chelmsford - not a drop of rain during the shows

I saw

Saturday

Kula Shaker - OK

The Magic Numbers - superb (but then I'm a bit biased)

The Cardigans - OK

Girls Aloud - entertaining for their version of Kaiser Chiefs I Predict A Riot. There were hundreds of people locked out - we jumped a barrier to get in!
Keane - poorly paced set. The lead singer looked tired. They were OK though and he has a good voice.

Radiohead - excellent for the 45 minutes I saw. Mrs VG wanted to see Kasabian so we went to watch them and they were very good.

Sunday

Dandy Warhols - OK

Sugababes - who I have to say were excellent. They just played all the songs you know. Very bouncy and the surprise of the weekend for me!

Hard-Fi - very very good live band.

Paul Weller - this was just watching a professional at work. I managed to get about 6 rows from the front centre stage so had a fantastic view. He should have ended with Town Called Malice but played another after this which was Foot of the Mountain. He was fantastic though.

Beautiful South - good festival band and played a good selection of hits.

The Charlatans - very good

Morrissey - this was strange as there were thousands more people who went to see Razorlight who were headlining the Channel 4 stage. I think Razorlight would catch more of the "floating" concertgoer. We got very close for Morrissey and there were large gaps near the front. He came on wearing black and the band all wore immaculate white suits. He walked to the front of the stage, looked around, sang "Are you lonesome tonight?" and then played "Panic". Brilliant

He was excellent I have to say and very very funny inbetween songs. I really enjoyed him.

Top weekend.

Franz Ferdinand for me on Wednesday

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:16 am

Saw Camera Obscura doing a club show ( place just stuffed, everyone sweating buckets) last night - well worth checking out if you can. Great synths./guitar/trombone sound , with a lead singer who combines the sulleness of Tracey Thorn and the , er, kittenness of Claire Grogan - damn I'm old!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:06 pm

VG: nice one! Was looking for you on C4/E4 too no avail. I'd say you must have been seen in some of the Weller audience shots, there were a few of people singing Town Called Malice, I recall. Footage was annoying. Far too much bollocks banter between presenters and way too little music, often with only half a song shown. I saw The Bends, No Surprises and Creep on E4, and then on C4 they announced 'lots more from Radiohead before the end of the show', so I stayed up till 1.10, wrecked after a long family day in London, and all they showed was Creep again! At least there was a decent Lauren Laverne interview with the Moz and then In The Future When All's Well and a fabulous How Soon Is Now? Amazing that there were spaces up front when he has such a devoted fanbase. His naked torso was more visible than usual at the end!

No offence to Kasabian, but how could you leave Radiohead for them? I would love to see them anywhere, but particularly at a festival.

I am amused by your low-key refs to your real highlight, or at least up there with Sugababes. 'Poorly paced set' indeed! Go on, you couldn't wait for Brighton so went to drool over them here as well.

Agree Hard-Fi looked good live. They showed their most famouds song, whatever that is, buut it's good. I'd like to hear the LP, which has a good reputation.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:41 am

verbal gymnastics wrote:Keane is in October *shudders*.

Maybe not verbal!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/0 ... index.html

lostdog · Post by **lostdog** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:29 am

If I had the misfortune to be in Keane I'd have turned to drink and drugs by now as well.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:44 am

Otis Westinghouse wrote:VG: nice one! Was looking for you on C4/E4 too no avail. I'd say you must have been seen in some of the Weller audience shots, there were a few of people singing Town Called Malice, I recall.

You should have seen me during that one! It was just like 1981 again for me (except for the bad clothes!). And to think I'd been transported back to 1978 for In The Crowd and then forward to 1982 for Running On The Spot! Even though I hadn't heard the song for a long long time every word was sung with gusto!

I took a picture of Paul Weller on my phone and tried to send it to you, Jackson, BWAP and SoLack but it wouldn't send

Otis Westinghouse wrote:No offence to Kasabian, but how could you leave Radiohead for them? I would love to see them anywhere, but particularly at a festival.

The price of love...

Otis Westinghouse wrote:I am amused by your low-key refs to your real highlight, or at least up there with Sugababes. 'Poorly paced set' indeed!

They were good to start with but then played three slower songs which lost the atmosphere. Tom Chaplin (who I have learned is the lead singer) was diagnosed with exhaustion. The real story is now out. He didn't look good though I have to say.

From reading the link WSS put there, I read that as meaning they will rest now so that they can tour in October. Lucky me!

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Go on, you couldn't wait for Brighton so went to drool over them here as well.

Ah, you know me so well...

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Agree Hard-Fi looked good live. They showed their most famouds song, whatever that is, buut it's good. I'd like to hear the LP, which has a good reputation.

Actually it's on sale in Woolworths for a fiver. And Live Jam is only Â£3 as is Paul Weller's debut album.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:59 pm

Woolworths closed here to create a second branch of Next. Total scandal.

No wonder he looked tired!

My phone is v basic and doesn't accept photos anyway.

had a long chat with a colleague who was at V and loved it. Told me lots of amusing stories about wheelbarrows and camping. he said Moz was dull as he didn't know Ringleader, Radiohead had loads of space in the crowd due to Kasabian (I really should have been there for this!) and he enjoyed Girls Aloud. In The Crowd! Sublime!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:07 am

I'm off to see Franz Ferdinand tonight at the Forum.

I could have had Arctic Monkeys tickets for the Forum tomorrow night but you have to turn up at the venue between 3pm and 6pm to get a wristband together with the credit/debit card you bought it with. I'm due to be out on business tomorrow so I couldn't do it and nor could my mate because of his commitments.

And I refuse to buy tickets from a tout.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:17 am

Franz Ferdinand were - as usual - excellent. The Forum is a great venue (if a bit dingy!).

They only did a 55 minute set followed by a 25 minute encore.

On 40 Ft they had the four members of the band, another three people playing drums, someone else playing keyboards and a three piece brass section.

This was a warm up show for the Carling Weekend. The brass section hardly had any involvement which made me wonder if they were under-rehearsed for other songs. It seemed a bit silly for this brass section to be on stage for one part of a song.

I got an email from Brighton Dome yesterday about Billy Bragg playing there on Saturday 16th December. Booking on the website was a nightmare so I used the 'phone

and was the first person to make a booking! Four front row centre seats for me

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:41 am

Just got back from seeing Mamma Mia! It was so fabulous! We got in the cast party afterwards and talked the most of the leads. They were very gracious and seemed to genuinely enjoy the play and the music.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:14 am

In continuing with my Rock Gods Month (get the T shirt here) I went to a festival put on by a friend of mine last weekend.

My mate played an acoustic set and did a version of Girls Talk which was ace (as was his version of Britney's Hit Me Baby One More Time).

There was a superb band called The Plan which played some great punk covers. They did songs by The Jam, The Stranglers, The Sex Pistols, The Cure, early Gary Numan (before he discovered synthesisers) and Sham 69 amongst others. They were excellent musicians (which is ironic in some ways!). Unfortunately they do not have a website as yet but if you see them billed then see them. BWAP - you'd love them!

The other bands were not really for me though!