en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal The Last.fm journal for reallywunderbar. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/10/26/28sfhd_bnh%2C_manchester_academy%2C_22nd_october_2008 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:59:06 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/10/26/28sfhd_bnh%2C_manchester_academy%2C_22nd_october_2008 Wed 22 Oct – The Brand New Heavies



I first saw the Brand New Heavies as an audience member at Pebble Mill, which was a lunchtime chatshow. I was wandering around BBC Pebble Mill in Birmingham and was asked if I wanted to watch the show. I think it was Judi Spiers rather than the Titchmarsh who presented.

I did remember more clearly the Brand New Heavies who were promoting Midnight At The Oasis, their current single. It was my first real experience of a live band, I was quite impressed. I carried on following their music but it's only now fourteen years later that I've been able to go to a full live show.

Support was A.Human. Started a wee bit strangely but actually turned into a quite a rip-roaring set. A good warm-up. They were certainly a lot of fun.

The Heavies started with a couple of their instrumental tracks and jams (as they themselves started out) before N'Dea Davenport came on for the vocal tracks. You can tell they've been doing this for almost 25 years because they are a fantastically tight live band. 90 minutes of relentless piano, brass, bass and soulful vocals (Jan Kincaid has a marvellous voice I think). I bopped and sang a left exhilarated :)

Setlist (in no particular order)
BNH
Ride In The Sky
Dream On Dreamer
Midnight At The Oasis
Back To Love
Spend Some Time
Day Break
Let's Do It Again
All Fired Up
Dream Come True
Never Stop
Don't Let It Go To Your Head
Jump 'n' Move
You Are The Universe
Sometimes]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/09/21/26heg8_stevie_men_9th_september. Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:02:12 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/09/21/26heg8_stevie_men_9th_september. Tue 9 Sep – Stevie Wonder

Following on from http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/09/21/26hd04_stevie_nia_8th_september, this was my second of consecutive Stevie Wonder gigs.

Maybe it was the fact that I had by now recovered from my night shifts, maybe the seats, maybe the crowd but tonight really blew me away. For a start there wasn't the Visions problem from Birmingham. Which allowed for more of his songs. There was a real connection between Stevie and the crowd - although possibly the whole audience participation was a tad overdone (though to very funny effect as someone shouted "TURN IT UP!" in the midst of I Called To Say I Love You.

I sang, I danced, I felt free.

Ten out of Ten.

Setlist (as best as i can remember and with thanks to CaesarXxx)
All Blues
As If You Read My Mind
Master Blaster (Jammin')
Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
All I Do
Knocks Me Off My Feet
People Make The World Go Round
Higher Ground
Spain
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
Visions
Living For The City
I'm Gonna Laugh You Out Of My Life sung by Aisha Morris
Ribbon In The Sky
Overjoyed
Golden Lady
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
Sir Duke
I Wish
Do I Do
Isn't She Lovely
My Cherie Amour
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Superstition
As]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/09/21/26hd04_stevie_nia_8th_september Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:41:13 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/09/21/26hd04_stevie_nia_8th_september Mon 8 Sep – Stevie Wonder

It’s been a wee while since Stevie Wonder last hit these shores to do a full tour. I’ve always been keen to see him. Very keen. I remember seeing some of his performances on the West German music programme Beatclub and being mesmerised by them. Having said that I wasn’t overly keen on his Natural Wonder album – as notoriously difficult as live albums can be. I signed up for two gigs and through gifts from friends are seeing two more in October. Lucky me 

So which Stevie would turn up?

The lights dimmed, some beatboxing and percussion filled the air and in came Stevie flanked with his backing singers to the cheers of the crowd. The harmonica came out, that incredible voice filled the air and the keys were tapped with aplomb.

The night was a hit-filled affair with an excellent choice of covers – a really atmospheric People Make the World Go Round made famous by The Stylistics, Spain by Chick Corea really showed off the band to its best.

The only really dampener on the night was an unnecessarily prolonged appearance by a chap talking about Arthur Wharton (the first black professional footballer in Britain). Though to be fair if I was on stage with Stevie I’d do the same.

However things got back on a more than even keel with the hit-list going through his major works of the sixties and seventies.

I think everyone has their favourite album tracks that they’d like to hear and I wait with bated breath to see if they appear. In the meantime I’m happy he does “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” which is pretty much my all time favourite.

All in all – eight out of ten for this evening.


Setlist (as best as i can remember and with thanks to CaesarXxx)
All Blues
As If You Read My Mind
Master Blaster (Jammin')
Did I Hear You Say You Love Me
All I Do
Knocks Me Off My Feet
People Make The World Go Round
Higher Ground
Spain
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
Moon Blue
Visions
Living For The City
Ribbon In The Sky
Overjoyed
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
Sir Duke
I Wish
Do I Do
I Was Made To Love Her
My Cherie Amour
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Superstition
As]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/07/10/22akis_woodchurch_faced Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:21:36 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/07/10/22akis_woodchurch_faced Wed 9 Jul – Crowded House

Terrible, terrible pun.

Crowded House played Liverpool as part of the Summer Pops season. Warm-up provided by Don McGlashan (part of the NZ cohort) and local band Voo. Don did a one-man band set complete with one of the most under-used instruments in popular music today - the Euphonium. Voo hhad a kind of Editor-ish vibe to them and were a cracking, tight band and quite endearing on-stage.

Crowded House were themselves as engaging as ever, even as a follow on from Glastonbury having debates with the security staff. It was a hit heavy set with only two songs from the latest album and two new songs. The crowd were warmly appreciative with a lot of dancing in the aisles. I was particularly in the mood for Distant Sun this evening and was pleased it came towards the end. And Fall At Your Feet made me as misty eyed as ever.

An encore with Jonny Marr and the Smiths song There Is A Light... was a fantastic addition and two encores was more than merited. Below is the setlist as best as I can remember..


Setlist
Everything Is Good For You
World Where You Live
Love You 'Til The Day I Die
Isolation
Fall At Your Feet
It's Only Natural
Locked Out
Heaven That I'm Making
Turn It Around
Whispers And Moans
Not The Girl You Think You Are
Pineapple Head
Either Side Of The World

Don't Dream It's Over
When You Come
Distant Sun

Encore [with Johnny Marr adding vocals and guitar]
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Don't Stop Now
Throw Your Arms Around Me
Weather With You

Second Encore
Fingers Of Love
Into Temptation]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/06/13/20ti1w_yazoo_reconnected_tour Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:02:01 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/06/13/20ti1w_yazoo_reconnected_tour Sat 7 Jun – Yazoo

A great gig. Started off with a bomb (Nobody's Diary) which is one of my favouties. I was too young to remember them originally but glad that there is an opportunity to see them again. A bit of a theme with me and gigs at the moment!

As you'd expect there was a visual element to the show as well with Vince and Alison on separate platforms with a video back drop which changed with each song. Really added to the atmosphere.

There was a real warmth in the Apollo and it was touching to see the interaction between the pair, especially with some of the second album songs.

All in all a great big smile :)

Setlist
(as best I can remember/cobble together from other sources)
Nobody's Diary
Bad Connection
Mr. Blue
Good Times
Tuesday
Ode To Boy
Goodbye 70's
Too Pieces
In My Room
Anyone
I Before E Except After C
State Farm
Sweet Thing
Winter Kills
Midnight
Unmarked
Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)
Situation
Don't Go
Only You]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0sx_the_girl_done_good Sun, 9 Mar 2008 23:20:47 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0sx_the_girl_done_good Fri 8 Feb – Alison Moyet

I wonder if Alison Moyet ever contemplated playing Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall when she started in the Punk scene of the late seventies?

It's a pleasure to see her on stage. Her voice just has the most fantastic timbre. Moreover she interprets songs beautifully - see Windmills of my Mind for evidence.

Even when things don't quite go to plan, she exudes such charm and spark that you quite secretly what things to continue that way.

Some good reworkings of her older material added to the theatre appropriate to the venue. It was just a bit difficult to get up and move to her more rocky numbers at the Phil'.

Will be able to remedy that at the Yazoo gigs!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0qb_night_%2526_day_caf%25C3%25A9 Sun, 9 Mar 2008 23:12:29 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0qb_night_%2526_day_caf%25C3%25A9 Tue 27 Nov – Sia

Waiting for the gig to start you were intrigued by the apparel on-stage. Is this a taster of the new album? Colour The Small One was, in general, a down beat affair understansably given what had happened in her life at the time. However, those who have seen her with Zero 7 and followed her between albums and kept an eye on her site know what a devilish person she can be.

And so on burst Sia & Band in Day-Glo costumes with the hidden track on her album Buttons. A romping, stomper of a track that inspires all to walk away from their lover.

The gig showcased her new album Some People Have REAL Problems well, including the lost pop album which surely must be released! Backed up by a tight backing band including her co-writers, Sia's vivacity makes her not only a singer, but an entertainer.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0nk_back_%2526_thankful Sun, 9 Mar 2008 23:02:32 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0nk_back_%2526_thankful Sat 1 Dec – Crowded House

A gig I'd never thought I'd see, given the parting of ways and sad death of Paul Hester.

Touring the new album Time On Earth, that material fitted in very well with their old material.

The Crowdies have a way of narrowing the space in large arenas to nothing, inviting the audience in with a way that is utterly seductive and far from corny.

And Fall At Your Feet is now my all-time gig memory for a single song. And that's some going!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0lu_still_scott Sun, 9 Mar 2008 22:55:52 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a0lu_still_scott Tue 20 Nov – An Evening With Jill Scott

I finally managed to see this wonderful artist. Since first catching her on an episode of Later... about eight years ago now, and listening to her live album, I've wanted to experience it myself.

Focussing on her new material, it could have been trying. One thing you get with Jill Scott is honesty. And a real feeling of warmth. It didn't matter that I hadn't heard much of what she sang before, it just made it all the more new and enthralling.

Her backing band really brought out the varied voice she does have, from the girly lightness to sheer all-woman boomings.

Three encores said it all.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a064_the_breath_from_a_kiss Sun, 9 Mar 2008 22:48:33 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/reallywunderbar/journal/2008/03/09/a064_the_breath_from_a_kiss Thu 8 Nov – Kathryn Williams

This gig came at a good time for me. Hearing KW's style of music in this small venue was perfect, even if it was set up like a school assembly.

Sustain Pedal was the track of the night for me. That first line is just so evocative of the intimacy you have with someone.

And as I said, just at the right time to wallow in what you cannot have :)]]>