Recent gigs

[Nick]

Sitting somewhere between Recent Gigs and Upcoming Gigs as we're about 2/3rds through...
SeptemberSongs festival at Braziers Park.

Currently listening to a gaggle of kids singing about pineapple and mango while finishing coffee and fruit cake, and building up to this afternoon's activities.

Friday was won by Rachel Dadd, who is always a delight. I can't figure out how she plays piano cross—handed the way she does but it works beautifully. Holly Carter was one heck of a discovery too. Really, really good guitar work on top of strong, socially conscious songs.

Last night, phenomenal set from Chris T-T, making a brief return to music after a decade of retirement. Good noises from Miniseries earlier too.

Tonight, Steve Knightley and Danny Wilson, although not together...

Cheers

Nick

[davidmjs]

Last night, phenomenal set from Chris T-T, making a brief return to music after a decade of retirement.

What's the story here - a literal one-off or a toe in the water for a bigger return?

[Nick]

He played at Glastonbury, did a solo set and a talk here, and has a band gig in 100 Club in November. Says that'll be it, but I suspect there will be odd gigs from time to time. It looked like he was absolutely thrilled to be playing, but I guess finds the grind of touring too much.
He does a fair amount of session playing (Jimbob Carter for e.g.) and production (Tom Williams new album) as well as writing, so probably doesn't need to haul up and down motorways too much any more.

Oh, and while I'm here, shout out to Thomas Truax who once again was utterly bonkers and completely entrancing. Now up, well, it's mid Sunday afternoon at a South Oxfordshire festival so of course, it's Jali Fili Cissokho  

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

Want Symphonic - Rufus Wainwright and the BBC Scotland Symphony Orchestra at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, last night. Described by BBC SO on the BBC Website as:

More than twenty years after the release of his iconic albums Want One and Want Two, baroque-pop luminary Rufus Wainwright returns with a bold, symphonic reimagining of these landmark works.

It really was a magical event, in such a beautiful setting. Rufus' voice and his piano/guitar worked really well with the sublime accompaniment of the Symphony Orchestra whose flamboyant and gifted conductor, Lee Mills, also took centre stage.

There are still tickets for Manchester Apollo next weekend, in which I understand he is doing the whole albums, Want One on the Friday and Want Two on the Saturday, this time with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. I thoroughly recommend.

[Andy]

Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings were terrific last night at Pontardawe Arts Centre.


Here's a sample of their work.

https://youtu.be/idSiDLAyATA?si=GwIGbzKURoqRXAeQ

[John From Austin]

The Swell Season - ACL Live, 13 September 2025! Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard have a special magic together, and they did not disappoint. I hope they rekindle their partnership for more than just this tour. Their new album, "Forward," may be the best thing they've ever done. Ten out of ten stars.

Laufey/Suki Waterhouse - Moody Center, 21 September 2025! We saw Laufey last year at a sold out 2400-seat Bass Concert Hall, and in that time she has graduated to the sold-out 15,000-seat Moody Center. If you're not familiar, she's an Icelandic-American jazz/pop songwriter and singer, with an impressive array of skills on piano, guitar, and cello. She's a mere 26 years old and is seizing the hearts and minds of our young tweens. She's a wonderful performer and entertainer, and I highly recommend that you accompany your twelve-year-old grandchildren to see her if you get the chance.

Next up - Robin Trower, Aztec Theater, 17 October, Sir Paul McCartney, Alamodome, 25 October! San Antonio is only 90 minutes and worlds away!

[davidmjs]

Edwin Collins at Buxton Opera House

Life affirming joyful and wondrous music from a very damaged but still immensely talented and funny soul.  Genuinely awesome.

Superb backing band including lead guitar from the support act, the, I thought, bloody wondrous, Hanging Stars.  I mean, it ain't exactly anything new, but it is tip top copycat stuff.

[davidmjs]

Oof.  One for the ages...Nobody does existential angst like our Peter.


Peter Hammill

RCNM

Manchester, England

October 1st, 2025

Don’t tell me
Curtains
Siren Song
Autumn
The lie
Habit of the broken heart
Comfortable
Ophelia
I will find you
Time for a change
Modern
Time to burn
Gone ahead
That wasn't what I said
A way out
Still life
Afterwards

(photo by Steven Hargraves)

[DarrenWilliams]

Oof.  One for the ages...Nobody does existential angst like our Peter.


Peter Hammill

RCNM

Manchester, England

October 1st, 2025

Don’t tell me
Curtains
Siren Song
Autumn
The lie
Habit of the broken heart
Comfortable
Ophelia
I will find you
Time for a change
Modern
Time to burn
Gone ahead
That wasn't what I said
A way out
Still life
Afterwards

(photo by Steven Hargraves)

Did think about this one after enjoying seeing VDGG so much a few years ago at the Bridgewater, but I don't really know enough Peter Hamill solo stuff.

Do you think VdGG will do anything again?

[davidmjs]

Did think about this one after enjoying seeing VDGG so much a few years ago at the Bridgewater, but I don't really know enough Peter Hamill solo stuff.

Do you think VdGG will do anything again?

As you can see, the band weren't ignored...

I saw a pic of them all having lunch together a few months back... I guess the question is how well Peter (serious heart issues as we know) and everybody else is.  Even a solo hour and a half is a massively physical thing for someone with as much emotional and physical engagement as Peter gives...and I expect the band is that with knobs on.  And, tbh, the audience is the same...so the rewards are obviously greatly diminished.  To conclude: I'm unsure, but odds against, I'd say.  Hope I'm wrong.

ps the first track from the first VdGG album as the conclusion was out of this world.

[Alan2]

Tanita Tikaram .

Played 4 songs to an audience  of 50 or less at an independent record store near me. So glad to have been there- i only found out this morning it  was happening.
Had my first ever 'selfie' taken with a famous individual. I wittered on about the cello and how i'd seen 2 other solo artists with a cello. Couldn't think anything else  to say.
We all got a signed print.

I hope she comes back and does a full size gig around here. Underrated artist, imo.

[Kevin M]

Martin Stephenson and the Daintees last night. First night of 40th anniversary of Boat to Bolivia tour. Completely joyous - played most of the album then a few from their new record, and as you’d expect the between song ramblings were both funny and heart warming. Lovely night.

[davidmjs]

And gig 3 in 6 days...Dr Strangely Strange in London. A perfect evening. Happy days.

[John From Austin]

Garbage was great last night - good-sized crowd dancing and moving in unison. They say it's their farewell tour. Shirley was very specific about the economic challenges they face. She said other parties take so much of the money that there's nothing left over for the band. She did encourage the folks to continue supporting live music, particularly to go see new and rising bands. Sad story but undoubtedly true.

P.S. - I don't know why the photo is smushed. Shirley is not squat...

[davidmjs]

Garbage was great last night - good-sized crowd dancing and moving in unison. They say it's their farewell tour. Shirley was very specific about the economic challenges they face. She said other parties take so much of the money that there's nothing left over for the band. She did encourage the folks to continue supporting live music, particularly to go see new and rising bands. Sad story but undoubtedly true.

P.S. - I don't know why the photo is smushed. Shirley is not squat...

Axl has joined Garbage?  Who knew?

[Will S]

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.

[Alan2]

Rick Wakeman and  his English Rock Ensemble  last night.

6 Wives and King Arthur, with a interval in between.

I enjoyed it , although i'm not used to being out on a weekend evening.  I'm teetotal now for a few years and it's a  strange experience sometimes walking through a melee  of young folks  on the drink in a big way- and this is the north east - so that means BIG.

I only get to the occasional gig now, so i can't help asking myself if this was worth 50 quid, and i didn't even buy any merch. Nice to be able to afford it though.

[Alan2]

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.

I'm a fan, which you may know from previous  posts. I gave Al's tour  a miss this year. No regets- i've seen him a number of times and will always have the records.  Similarly Roy Harper- last saw him in 2019 and he was on great form .  
 

[davidmjs]

Rick Wakeman and  his English Rock Ensemble  last night.

6 Wives and King Arthur, with a interval in between.

I enjoyed it , although i'm not used to being out on a weekend evening.  I'm teetotal now for a few years and it's a  strange experience sometimes walking through a melee  of young folks  on the drink in a big way- and this is the north east - so that means BIG.

I only get to the occasional gig now, so i can't help asking myself if this was worth 50 quid, and i didn't even buy any merch. Nice to be able to afford it though.

I feel similarly about much live music.  I'm not teetotal but if I drink at a gig it would be a pint or a single glass of wine.  I'm constantly amazed by the experience of particularly standing rock gigs which seem to simply be nothing more than an excuse to drink as much alcohol as possible.  This creates a really strange dynamic between the 90% of pissed people ignoring a show (apart from the one song they like when they dramatically and noisily over emote) and the 10% trying to actually listen and be a part of the experience.  I'm exaggerating for dramatic effect but only just...

But then I have a week like I had at the start of the month where I saw 3 top drawer gigs - Edwyn Collins, Peter Hammill and Dr Strangely Strange and briefly remembered what I enjoy about live music, and how powerful it can be.  It's perhaps not entirely coincidental that all 3 were effectively 'theatre style' gigs....  Got Cabaret Voltaire at Gorilla in a few weeks, and I have to admit to being a tad anxious about it all.