THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

So did the Smyths last night, at the O2 in Islington, with my son and his drunken mates. I'm on Dry Jan. Boo! First saw the band about 8 - 10 years ago at the Craufaud Arms, again with my lad, and the estimable Gers.

This time was a bit weird. It was their 20th anniversay tour. It was a sell out. There were middle aged men outside asking to buy tickets, like it was a real band. It was all very meta.

The sound was loud but the vocals were mixed badly - too muddy. The guitar and bass were excellent. The songs spoke for themselves and the crowd loved it. Far more younger people than I expected. Groups of late 20s- early 30s football lads, chanting the songs, spilling beer and barging into people. I guess you go see a faux band, expect some faux humans in the crowd.

That aside, I had a great night.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Santa Claus got me tickets for Peter Gabriel in Brum in the Summer - can't wait

Strange things tribute acts. I’ve seen a few over the years. The Smiths thing with you at The Craufurd, who were pretty good. A Nirvana one years ago. Kurt was spot on, but the other two were serviceable enough session men. About 5 minutes of an Oasis one at Glastonbury, which was odd as the actual Oasis were the headliners on the same night. Don’t like Oasis, so either of them would do I guess. Recently Joy Division supported by The Velvet Underground. Both of these were shit.

Can’t figure out why anyone would want to do that. I can understand being in a covers band. In fact some of the best nights of my life were playing in a covers band. Brilliant fun, and our mutual friend’s 80’s synthpop band are truly outstanding, but making a living pretending to be Morrissey (without the right-wing baggage hopefully), odd!

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When you make your music, do you think about the man in the street? No, I've met the man in the street. He's a Ladybit.

Just got in from seeing HMHB at the Electric Ballroom in Camden. Fantastic night. You forget how many great songs they have written. And they just throw them in anywhere, unlike other bands who save the big hits for near the end and the encore. Great between song banter too. The musicianship was top quality - when playing some of their songs with more "normal" tunes, they make a fantastic post-punk, indie power pop noise - as good as the early Jam or the Wedding Present.

The audience was very diverse; wall to wall old, fat, white men. But some had hair (e.g. me!) and others didn't!

Too many Sparta Prague tops on show in the pub, pre-gig though, I'm sad to say.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Yep, I'm doing both of these too.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Saw Trextacy at The Stables last night. Transported 50 years back in an instant. I reckon Mrs Ramone and I were the youngest there. The guy has Bolan's voice off perfectly and yet sounds like a typical Sarf Lundener between songs.

It's all mostly a catchy guitar riff played in a fairly simple blues progression coupled with hippyish lyrics - or actually anything at all that might make a rhyme e.g. Jungle faced Jake, Jungle faced Jake....I say make no mistake about Jungle faced Jake....Automatic shoes, automatic shoes, give me...3D vision and the California blues....on 'Telegram Sam'. Ahem, they don't write 'em like that any more.

First half was OK, some obscure stuff despite being billed as 'The Greatest Hits Tour' - started with something that I had no idea what it was for about 2 mins then I realised it was 'Raw Ramp' from Electric Warrior just as it ended.

This set the tone for the gig; the songs were played hard and fast (which I like very much - his band is 'approved' by Bolan's estate and he has 'license' to alter the songs a bit so he goes for an edgier and harder - and loud.

Second half total string of hits - everything. Brilliant. There's no denying it.

Chr*st, I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday but as soon as we were into 'Metal Guru' ..."Metal Guru, Has it been...just like a silver studded sabre toothed dream...."I'll be clean, you know pollution machine, oh yeah...." I recalled immediately.

He threw in some interesting facts along the way e.g "Punk was supposed to have started in 1976 but here's one that punks used to take their speed to". What the hell was that? I thought. He goes 'It was Joey Ramone's favourite TRex song' (I'm now def listening) and they go into a very fast and hard version of 'Solid Gold Easy Action'. BANG F- BANG! Yeah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw3Rt64lU0Q

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Went to see Danny Baker at the theatre last night. I strongly suspect that he's still talking now.

It was a great evening, and he's a fantastic story teller. It's almost a conversation, albeit one way. His stories, especially about his father, are genuinely laugh out loud funny. Couldn't recommend him highly enough.

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When you make your music, do you think about the man in the street? No, I've met the man in the street. He's a Ladybit.

This.

A very engaging and funny monologue, lasting 195 minutes!!

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Saw Ultimate Bowie at The Stables last night.
His mannerisms are largely spot on but voice wavers a bit on certain songs.
Still...takes bottle to go out and try and sing all those songs .

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Anyone else see 'Quo Connection' at The Stables last night?

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment