London Grammar at the Brixton O2 Academy

Posted on October 31, 2017 by John S

After Sunday night seeing one of my favourite old bands, Steely Dan, at the O2 Arena at the Dome, it was the turn of one of my recent favourites, London Grammar, at the O2 Brixton Academy. I am not sponsored by O2!

London Grammar’s first album, “If You Wait”, has five or six songs that I play frequently. There’s little better for melancholy beauty, encapsulated in the affecting vocals of Hannah Reid. “Strong”, “Wasting my Young Years” and “If you Wait”, in particular, are truly moving pieces. The 2017 follow up, “Truth is a Beautiful Thing”, is a shoo-in for my annual top ten, and songs like the total track, “Hell to the Liars” and “Rooting for You” are up there with the aforementioned trio.

I’m glad to say all those songs (except “If You Wait”) made it into last night’s set. It was a good mix of tunes from both albums, obviously with a bit more emphasis on the new release. The crowd in a sold-out Brixton Academy was enthusiastic about old and new, and had a great rapport with the band, even though they were shrouded in darkness or a half light much of the time.

Possibly the most captivating show from Glastonbury that I’ve ever seen was London Grammar on the John Peel stage in 2014. There was a sparse, atmospheric quality about the songs which was truly moving. With Hannah, of course, at the centre of it, with that beautiful sadness in her singing. Last night didn’t quite capture that feeling, maybe because it was more of a celebration – and I was standing in a big crowd, with people bobbing about, talking, getting drinks. No complaints about that – that’s what live concerts are like. A shared celebration. But you lose a bit of that stillness, which is so integral to the band’s sound and persona.

So, the wonderful “Strong” became a crowd singalong, Hannah greeting all parts of the crowd. That’s fame for you! My highlight was “Rooting for You”. Hannah sat down, in front of a large glowing orange circle, and explained how sitting helped her hit the high notes – and they go high! – in that song. She talked briefly about how writing the song with her colleagues helped her pull through a difficult time for her, when she got stage fright and couldn’t perform. That set the context for the performance – fragile but uplifting. And when Hannah hit those notes the crowd cheered like they do for a great sax solo at a jazz concert. Celebration.

Three songs in, we went on a brilliant journey through “Wasting my Young Years”, “Stay Awake”, “Hell to the Liars”, “Truth is a Beautiful Thing” and “Hey Now”. All in my London Grammar top ten. What’s not to like?  Excellent encore too, starting with “Bones and Ribbon” and then two of the more strident songs – by London Grammar standards – “Oh Woman Oh Man” and “Metal and Dust”. Just writing this, I’m thinking I want to see this again! Ah, maybe they’ll do Latitude in 2018. They’d be perfect headlining the BBC Music stage on Sunday night.

We can but hope…

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Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers at the O2 Arena, 29 October 2017

Posted on October 31, 2017 by John S

On Sunday a bunch of us went down to the O2 for a bit of 70s soft rock nostalgia: Steely Dan, supported by the Doobie Brothers.

The Doobie Brothers? Yes, the Doobie Brothers. Not sure they got a mention in my book, but a few of their songs are etched in the memory: “China Grove”, “Long Train Running” and, of course, “Listen to the Music”. They were a real Bob Harris favourite on the Old Grey Whistle Test, if I recall. On those grounds alone, I would have turned against them once punk came to the fore!

Anyway, they were pretty good on Sunday. Very slick, in good voice, ace guitars and some impressive hair. And a handle bar moustache that was a true monument to 70s California. They played all the classic tunes, with the aforementioned three taking pride of place at the end. “Listen to the Music” was a joyous singalong. Put us all in a good frame of mind for the Dan.

Steely Dan, of course, is now just Donald Fagen and assembled musicians, after the passing away of Walter Becker this year. There were no fulsome tributes, just an acknowledgement from Donald that he just had to carry on. I guess the real tribute is the enduring legacy of the music, some of the best around.

The set was great of course. It featured the later 70s pretty heavily, when Steely Dan got jazzier and funkier. There were four songs from “Aja”, which may just be my favourite Dan album of all. “Black Cow” was second up, after a rousing “Bodhisattva” opened proceedings. I did love the rendition of “Aja” itself, with that laid back, wistful groove and some sparkling saxophone. And the upbeat “Peg” and “Josie” towards the end went down really well. Other highlights for me were “Kid Charlemagne” and, just because it’s a bit sentimental for me, “Dirty Work”. The three backing singers each took a turn at the verses, all in their different, expressive styles; but the reason that song has a special place in my heart is that my kids used to sing along to it in the back of the car when they were little and one of my girls used to call it “Daddy Work”. Happy days!

The guitarist, John Harrington, deserves a special mention. He took on all the guitar duties – they often had two, I think – and was really excellent. Subtle where subtlety was needed, and capable of rocking out too. For those who love the rockier side of Steely Dan, and some sharp solos, two from the first album, “Can’t Buy a Thrill” were standouts. A lot of my friends think “My Old School” is the best Steely Dan song of all, and the guitar work the most intricate. John Harrington was pretty awesome on that. And “Reeling in the Years” was perfect for the encore.

There were a few quibbles with sound mix from where we were sitting (fairly high up in the O2). Some of the vocals got a bit lost, and even the guitar at times. But the sheer quality of the songs and the band won through. Everyone could name a whole load of songs they wished had been played, given the brilliant back catalogue; but really, there wasn’t much to complain about. This was a superb concert by one of the greatest bands.

Like I said in my book, if in doubt put on the Dan… it always makes sense.

 

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lovelondonscenes 137 – The City aglow

Posted on October 28, 2017 by John S

From our office on Millbank we have a great view of the river at Lambeth Bridge and the City beyond. As the sun goes down at the moment, it reflects in the glass of a couple of the buildings and imparts a glow over the whole cityscape. It’s quite stunning when the skies are clear. The shots here are taken through a window which is (a) a bit mucky and (b) was just beginning to reflect back the pattern of the room. So they are not crystal clear, but are OK, I think. Hope you like them.

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Two parts country, one part rock’n’roll – Brandy Clark, Catherine McGrath and Dream Wife

Posted on October 26, 2017 by John S

I somehow managed to schedule three gigs in successive nights this week – all great, but fatigue set in this morning!

Two were at the suggestion of friends; the other from a Facebook post and subsequent ballot. Read on.

On Monday it was the Union Chapel in Islington to see country singer Brandy Clark. My friend Steve suggested it – in the same mould as Kacey Musgraves he said. I mugged up on Spotify over the weekend and liked her sound. Familiar country themes: the unfaithful man, left with the kids, struggling to make ends meet, alcohol, drugs, revenge. Don’ you just love the music of the American heartland! Spotify now has this feature, which, if you’ve finished an album and haven’t changed onto something else it selects a playlist of related sounds. So I got to hear Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini, amongst others. Now, listened to all together, it does follow a formula. And most of them are veering into a pop/rock sound too. Taylor Swift’s success is clearly an inspiration.

What I especially liked about Brandy Clark’s show tonight was that she’d pared the sound of her two albums – “A Big Day in a Small Town” and “12 Stories” – down to the essence. It was just her, another acoustic guitarist, who played the fancy runs, and a bassist – playing the double bass. It was a warm, intimate sound, and Brandy is a real class act. Great voice, a real tenderness, and a good story teller. I loved it – real good American music.

A word for the support act, Cross Atlantic, who are a duo, James Sinclair Scott from the UK and Karli Chayne, a country gal from Missouri (her words). They had some lovely songs and nice harmonies. They finished with a striking song of their own called “Mercy” and then a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way”. Didn’t have the full solo of course, but they did the song justice, and there’s a bit of Stevie Nicks in Karli.

On Tuesday I went down to SE London, about ten minutes walk from London Bridge, to see a showcase by Catherine McGrath at Cambridge Audio HQ. It was a nice space, with images of classic albums through the ages on the walls. And the drinks were free!

I first came across Catherine at Latitude. I really liked her music – country with a modern pop sensibility. When I got home I downloaded her two EPs, “One” and “Starting from Now”, and found myself playing them more than anything else that I’d heard for the first time at Latitude. One of my kids asked what I was listening to – it sounded a bit like Taylor Swift to them. Which is interesting and maybe a pointer to the future.

So I was really looking forward to tonight’s show, while wondering exactly what it would be. I got invited through a ballot of Facebook followers. Inevitably I was a bit (OK, a lot) older than most of the people there, but I’m used to that. And it was a wonderful show. Great to see her in such intimate surroundings – before she gets too famous, because she will. She seemed really pleased to be playing in front of a crowd who’d come to see her. As she put it, she’d been playing support slots most of the summer, where a lot of the crowd are just waiting for the main act.

The opening song was “Hell Would Have to Freeze Over”, one of my favourites. A put- down of an ex, like a lot of her songs. Most of the others are about the start of relationships. My absolute favourite, “Cinderella”, was third up. A Nashville tune. Pure country heartbreak. She worked her way through most of her recorded input, including, of course her first “proper” single, “Talk of this Town”. A mini-autobiography, about facing down the doubters at home and coming to London, to try to make her way in the business. There was a cover too, which she performed solo, of a song called “Elsworth, Kansas”, by Rascal Flatts. Beautiful.

I love seeing bands at the early stages of their careers. They have a passion and, still, a sense of wonder about what they are doing. Great to see the seasoned operators, at the top of their game too, and I’m not averse to a bit of nostalgia either. But that start, when all the ideas you’ve had for the whole of your life so far come flooding through, has to be the best.

And that’s what tonight was all about. I have a feeling that Catherine will make it big in America first, and then Britain will latch on. We’ll see. Best of luck to her.

Finally, on Wednesday, Dream Wife. They’d been at Latitude but we missed them there. Tonight at the Scala they were awesome! Pure energy, with their singer, Rakel Mjoll, an amazing presence. She just exuded enjoyment and the spirit of rock’n’roll. The band are from Iceland (Rakel) and Brighton. They’ve combined punk, indie and pop in a totally infectious way. Rakel’s engagement with the crowd was brilliant. Included a bit of crowd-surfing, of course, and at the end a whole load of people got invited on stage to celebrate the last song. Like I said before, passion and that sense of wonder. Rakel made it clear how big this night was for the band. The London finale – for an up and coming band, it’s always the one.

Three quite different shows. All incredibly enjoyable in their different ways.

Love London life!

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Daisy Vaughan at the Cleveland Arms, Paddington, 18 October 2017

Posted on October 19, 2017 by John S

Last night, my friend Tony and I went along to a pub in Paddington called the Cleveland Arms, to check out a singer who became one of my real favourites in 2015 and has stayed that way ever since. Her 2105 debut album “Light on our Limbs”  was a real joy. I put it at No 5 in my albums of the year  , but really, it could have been No 1. I said this about Daisy in my review of 2015 in music:

I must say something about Daisy Vaughan, who I only really discovered towards the end of the year. It’s a great example of how something just suddenly creeps upon you and becomes your next big thing. I’d heard a lovely track called “Earth Let Me In” on Marc Riley’s 6 Music show, made a note of it and then rather forgot it. But one evening I decided to catch up on all those notes I’d made – I write loads! I checked her album, “Light on Our Limbs” on Spotify. It was so beautiful I downloaded it immediately. And it became my new favourite, It’s a sparse, simple, fragile work – all those qualities I talked about earlier in this piece. She’s 18 and who knows where she’ll go from here. I hope the management don’t take hold of her and get her to do more pop/glam stuff, like has happened to Gabrielle Aplin and Ellie Gould, for example. Equally, that will make her money, so good luck to her if it does go that way. I’ll always relish this beautiful album, some of the loveliest songs I have ever heard.

It’s fair to say that she hasn’t gone the way of Gabrielle Aplin or Ellie Gould – in fact she has pretty much gone off the scene over the past two years. The occasional Facebook post about a one-off gig, but nothing else. In 2016, I almost got to see her in St Pancras Old Church, but the show was cancelled when the headliners had their equipment stolen while on tour in the US.

So I’d rather given up on her, although “Light on our Limbs” has continued to be one of my most played albums. It’s one that soothes you at the end of a long day – not bland, but peaceful, atmospheric, beautiful.

And then, one of those rare Facebook posts. She was playing at the Cleveland Arms. Initially, I wasn’t able to go, as I had another gig booked. But that got postponed to January, so Daisy it had to be. I enquired about tickets, but there didn’t seem to be any. It was just a gig in a pub. Seemed a bit of a come down for an artist who’s been well-acclaimed back in 2015, but I figured she might just be feeling her way back into public performance; and something low key, like this, suited her.

I think that was right call. The Cleveland is a nice pub – plenty of good, old fashioned features amid the modern refurbishments, and a decent range of beers. Daisy and her equipment were stuck in a sort of corridor between two rooms in the pub. When she started singing, a little nervously I thought, she seemed to be singing to the opposite wall. But the songs were lovely – a nice mix of songs from “Light on our Limbs” and quite a few new ones. The new ones sounded really good – a progression on the older ones, but evoking the same feelings. She was a bit hesitant at times and had a couple of false starts; but that hardly mattered – it was great to see her perform some of my favourite songs live, and, hopefully, take a step back into the limelight.

She played two sets, each about half an hour long. The crowd in the pub was very appreciative – quite a few looked like they were friends or relatives. In the second set she seemed to become more confident, so that by the time she sang “This Envelope” towards the end, she really was giving it the full vocal. That song, in particular, really came alive for me.

I had the chance to speak briefly with her as we left and said how much I’d enjoyed it. I enquired about a new album and a tour, but nothing seems to be fixed yet. She’s got some excellent new songs, so I hope we will be able to hear them soon. In the meantime, if you haven’t heard “Light on our Limbs”, I encourage you to check it out on Spotify or download it, or even buy the CD/vinyl. You won’t regret it

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lovelondonscenes 136 – Heavy skies in central London – the Ophelia effect

Posted on October 16, 2017 by John S

The British Isles caught the late throes of Hurricane Ophelia today. Ireland got the full force. London, tucked away in England’s south east corner, escaped the worst, but still had a very windy day and some strange skies. They’ve been widely reported – the unusually red glow of the sun to the fore. This, apparently, was due to dust from the Sahara, thrown in our direction by the storm.

There was a weird feeling in the atmosphere this afternoon. It was grey and strangely dark for the time of day, but the grey felt heavy, with a hint of pink and yellow. It was that Macbeth feeling – all feels unnatural. It was the talk of the office. I walked out of the office; it was the talk in the lift as I came back in. An American colleague said it was like when they were waiting for a tornado. That didn’t happen; but for us, with our rather moderate weather, this was a strange day.

I  took a few photos outside with my iPhone 5S. They all looked a bit standard grey, which was not what the eye was transmitting. I’ve slightly enhanced them to bring them closer to what I was seeing.

 

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Music and colour at the Tate Modern

Posted on October 14, 2017 by John S

There has been a great exhibition at the Tate Modern, which is just coming to an end. “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power.” A fascinating account of, mainly, art in the 60s and 70s by a range of black American artists. Some very real, related to the conflicts of the time; other pieces abstract, testing the imagination. Amongst the latter were two works which related music to colour and shape.

The first was a canvass by William T.Williams, entitled “Trane”. An abstract work which the artist saw as a reflection of the abstraction of John Coltrane’s music, that wild, emotional saxophone. I could see that – once I had read the description on the wall, of course.

The second was an artefact, a piece of wood, a sculpture, I guess. By the artist Daniel LaRue Johnson, and called D9 Flat 5th. A bebop jazz chord, comprising D, F, A flat, C and E. Way beyond my guitar capability!  Which colour is which note? I don’t know. But think of the combination as the chord.

It’s all about perception, this stuff. You have to put yourself in the minds of the artists, think about how a sound might be represented by a colour. We’d all give varied answers to the same sounds. Because we are all different, and our perceptions of the same things vary widely. We all need to understand that and respect the differences. Which, of course, doesn’t happen a lot of the time.

But maybe art, including music, can help us understand what unites us, and what reflects our differences.

 

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lovelondonscenes 135 – The swings at Tate Modern

Posted on October 13, 2017 by John S

The latest attraction in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern is a load of swings. Brought back the child in people, and was nice for the children – probably more fun than looking at abstract art with their parents! There’s also a big colourful carpet stretched over the slope, which, from above, looks like steps. people were finding it very comfortable to lie on!

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A Thames walk from Henley to Marlow

Posted on October 8, 2017 by John S

Kath and I and our friends Jon and Maggie are finishing off our walk along the Thames, from the source to Erith, on the estuary. There’s still a chunk upstream and downstream of Oxford; but otherwise it’s now filling in the gaps. This was one of them, and a lovely one at that. In the heart of prosperous and beautiful England.

We finished a walk at Henley back in May.  I didn’t get around to blogging on that one, but start the photos for this one with a picture as we came into Henley. It’s a place associated with rowing and toffs; and yeah, both associations are justified. It’s a place that oozes money. And it is beautiful too! It’s fair to say that the people of this place will vote Conservative until the planet Earth is sucked into the sun.

In fact, the whole walk reminds you why some people think things are OK, while others rail against injustice. The Thames flows through the land of plenty – and brought that plenty in the first place, no doubt.

The approach to Henley, from upstream in May.

Leaving Henley today.

The English countryside is an ever-lovely thing.

A White House!

Who can resist a weeping willow?

The grand view.

The family swan. Five cygnets have survived to what looks like the swan equivalent of teenage. Ain’t that wonderful? And soon to make their own way?

A typical Thames picture in this part of the world. Loads of posh boats moored. Not many out today. A summer trifle?

Heading into Marlow, I liked this set up. Looks like the front end of an oligarch’s yacht on the Mediterranean. But the space inside must be brilliant, with an awesome view outside.

Marlow and its bridge. Like Henley, the church tower dominates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Have You heard? – (84) “Poison Dart” by The Bug ft Warrior Queen

Posted on October 7, 2017 by John S

I got home from work reasonably early on Friday. Did my favourite thing. Can of beer and a bit of BBC 6 Music. While lying on the bed and reading Macbeth! There are reasons for the latter. So I heard a bit of Steve Lamacq – a great DJ, but one I usually miss. And he played this track. Immediately I thought, what is this? That bass line, it is awesome. Every time it kicks in you just want to do something. Dance, punch the air, something.

It’s by The Bug. “Poison Dart”. With rap by Warrior Queen. Gets classified as dubstep, I think, but it’s the reggae bass line that makes it a great tune. I would love to hear this on a massive PA. It would be amazing. A rib crusher.

It’s from 2008. Passed me by at the time. Shame! On an album called “London Zoo”. And it is a London tune par excellence. The video here is a bit shorter than the album version, but you get into the meat of the tune straightaway. Won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but let me tell you, I love it!

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