Al Stewart & The Empty Pockets at Glive, Guildford on Saturday night.

Billed as his farewell tour (not completely an end to playing live, but no more big tours, having just turned 80).  For one who has loved Al and his music since I was about 17, it was an emotional evening - especially as I was seeing him with one of my best friends who originally introduced me to Al's music, and in whose company I first saw him live - we drove up to the RAH in 1984 in Rob's old Morris Minor.

He played a good mix of tracks from across his career - as for anyone with such a back catalogue there are so many others we might have wanted him to play.  To be honest, I feel his voice is probably losing something - it wasn't painful to listen to or anything, it's just that he has obviously had to rearrange certain parts. So it probably is a good idea for him to stop touring now, but I'll miss seeing him when he comes to the UK.

Lamb was one of the first Genesis albums I heard, and it put me off them for a long time!

I'm currently reading Ian A Anderson's autobiography (Alien Water), and when he mentions 3 Mustaphas 3 I am reminded that I never heard anything by them, and I feel I ought to have done.

Matt Steady's sampler is available for free from him. I really like his music - his last album Flight Of The Raven is brilliant. TBH I prefer his instrumental stuff to his songs though.

On topic, while visiting Guildford at the weekend for Al Stewart's concert, I went to the local HMV which is apparently closing at the end of the month.  I picked up a few reduced price CDs: the 25th anniversary edition of Buena Vista Social Club, Shirley Collins' Archangel Hill and Dexys Too-Rye-Ay 'As It Should Have Sounded' remix (single CD edition). Also Sheku Kanneh-Mason playing Elgar's Cello Concerto which will do nicely as a present for Mrs Will's Christmas stocking.

Just bought a reasonably priced copy of the first Genesis archive 4x cd box
Not sure about the live Lamb concert with the rerecorded vocals , bit like Sandy's Gold Dust recording although that was the guitar?

Will be seeing that Rick Wakeman in an hour or so. Aylesbury Friars Club gig - a very good use of a Sunday evening.

Cheers

Nick

I suspect the argument would be that in the current ticket market that does offer value for money with seeing a major league artist in a compact venue.  Horses/courses and all that...(I wouldn't either).

Just a handful of seats left for Fairport at the Sub Rooms in a couple of weeks. Seem to be towards the back of the hall.

3 CDs for £1 at a charity stall in Tesco car park...

Matt Steady (celtic guitar rock sampler album),

Baka Beyond's live album,

and....

"BAM! Big Mustaphas play stereolocalmusic" by, er, "3 Mustaphas 3 meet l'Orchestre BAM de Grand Mustapha International & Party" - the first two EPs collected.

Some nice pics on the FC Touring FB page of the chaps playing at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews. Musicians from the St Andrews' Folk & Trad Society joined them for John Gaudie including one Ava Pegg, a student at the Uni and Peggy's granddaughter.

https://www.facebook.com/FairportTouring

Someone posted a video with a very proud looking grandpa at the end.  

Back in NYC rocks.

Jules