Raving about last July’s Leonard Cohen London show (Music For Grown-Ups review reprinted below) to whoever would listen, I suggested that the multi-camera big-screen live video mix was so good that the gig was destined to end up on DVD.
Well, I never!
Leonard Cohen Live In London on DVD and 2CD is now being advertised for (UK) release on 30 March.
Both could be strong contenders for Rock Album of the Decade.
Which to buy, though? Simple: both. DVD for the house, CD for the car.
Rave on, Lenny!
Gerry Smith
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Leonard Cohen in London: Hallelujah!
Death-bed scene: “Well, Dad, that’s the money sorted out: you seem to have blown most of it on live music. As a matter of interest, what were your top five gigs?”
I think I’d have to include last night’s London leg of the Leonard Cohen tour at the O2 (aka Millennium Dome).
The septuagenarian charmer delivered almost three hours of intense beauty, deep joy and not a little glee.
For the assembled 20,000, it was a predictably reverential (if unexpectedly intimate), celebration of a major, rarely seen, talent.
The setlist (below) was remarkable, Zeitgeist-marking signature songs succeeding each other, relentlessly. Cohen’s performance was energetic, engaged, generous. His singing made you suspect that maybe he really does have the gift of a golden voice after all. His spoken renditions, particularly of A Thousand Kisses Deep, were deeply moving.
Hallelujah! What a writer! What a performer! What a charismatic, inspirational man.
Band – 6 plus 3 vocalists – were accomplished accomplices. Horn-man Dino Soldo was particularly impressive. Sound quality was the best I’ve heard at an amplified gig. Staging, lighting, vision/mixing on big screens were all benchmark quality.
I’d waited many years to see Leonard, the second best writer/performer of the rock era. It was well worth the wait.
SETLIST (approximate):
1. Dance Me to the End of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure for Love
4. Bird on a Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who by Fire
8. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
9. Anthem
10. Tower of Song
11. Suzanne
12. The Gypsy's Wife
13. Boogie Street
14. Hallelujah
15. Democracy
16. I'm Your Man
17. Take This Waltz
18. First We Take Manhattan
19. Sisters of Mercy
20. If It Be Your Will
21. A Thousand Kisses Deep
22. So Long, Marianne
23. Closing Time
24. I Tried to Leave You
25. Whither Thou Goest
A perfect 10, then?
Not quite. A churl could point to the slight unevenness of the setlist: it flagged a bit towards the end of the second half. The finales were underwhelming – the welcome Webb Sisters duet was wrongly positioned; Closing Time is dramatically and melodically too weak to close a show.
And there was an ever-present threat that the show might tip over into mainstream showbiz hoopla – Leonard’s frequent name-checking of the band palled early; he was far too nice to the assembled hordes; and you suspected that the “spontaneous” jokes had been the same at most gigs on the tour.
For most performers, all this would have been a turn-off. For Leonard, we can make an exception.
Gerry Smith
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Jim Moray last night
Last night’s Jim Moray gig at The Stables in Milton Keynes was occasionally brilliant, but only intermittently engaging, and probably the weakest of the six Moray shows I’ve seen.
Moray and his regular collaborators performed beautifully, as usual. The 18-song two-hour setlist was beyond reproach, drawing from Moray’s three albums and beyond. Barbara Allen and the closer, Valentine, were standouts.
And yet…
The trio performed manfully all night but were clearly troubled by sound problems. Accordionist Nick even had a public discussion (on mic) with the soundboard op late in the second half.
The addition of a full set of rock drums was a problem. I’ve no ideological objection to drums or rock – I really enjoyed the full-on Jim as Rock God set at Madame JoJo’s in London, which launched the second album – but this line-up simply didn’t work.
The drums, especially the somewhat lumpen bass, detracted from the finely sculpted, richly melodic instrumentals – these are three gifted young musos. It drowned out Moray’s fine vocals, too. The mix was clearly wrong.
And Moray must despair at ever reaching the audience he so richly deserves. Last night attracted about 100 people, even after all the PR from the recent awards for his magnificent new album, Low Culture.
Regardless. Jim Moray is a major young talent. His updating of English folk is bringing its delights to a wider audience (fr’instance me, babe). Music For Grown-Ups will be following him faithfully.
If you’re yet to taste the delights of the Jim Moray catalogue, here’s the detail:
www.jimmoray.co.uk
Gerry Smith
Moray and his regular collaborators performed beautifully, as usual. The 18-song two-hour setlist was beyond reproach, drawing from Moray’s three albums and beyond. Barbara Allen and the closer, Valentine, were standouts.
And yet…
The trio performed manfully all night but were clearly troubled by sound problems. Accordionist Nick even had a public discussion (on mic) with the soundboard op late in the second half.
The addition of a full set of rock drums was a problem. I’ve no ideological objection to drums or rock – I really enjoyed the full-on Jim as Rock God set at Madame JoJo’s in London, which launched the second album – but this line-up simply didn’t work.
The drums, especially the somewhat lumpen bass, detracted from the finely sculpted, richly melodic instrumentals – these are three gifted young musos. It drowned out Moray’s fine vocals, too. The mix was clearly wrong.
And Moray must despair at ever reaching the audience he so richly deserves. Last night attracted about 100 people, even after all the PR from the recent awards for his magnificent new album, Low Culture.
Regardless. Jim Moray is a major young talent. His updating of English folk is bringing its delights to a wider audience (fr’instance me, babe). Music For Grown-Ups will be following him faithfully.
If you’re yet to taste the delights of the Jim Moray catalogue, here’s the detail:
www.jimmoray.co.uk
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Van Morrison’s new release - Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl
Thanks to Anne Ritchie:
Because I’m often too quick at making judgments, I thought I’d better give Astral Weeks Live another chance before posting my original negative review (First draft, below) and consigning the CD to the never-to-be-listened-to-again shelf.
OK, come to the album with an open mind. Judge it on its merits, without making too many comparisons with the sublime original. Look for positives.
Many of the tracks swing. Van actually seems to be enjoying making music with this band. I like his idiosyncratic playing of the guitar (as I always did) and his mimicry of instruments. The opening track sounds better than it did on first hearing. The middle of Slim Slow Slider and the beginning of Cyprus Avenue still excite.
Still don’t like the straining vocals of Beside You or The Way Young Lovers Do, though. Van is no crooner. Sweet Thing is still disappointing.
So, it’s musically richer than I’d first credited it. And of course the songs themselves are a great improvement on those of the last decade or so. But I probably won’t play Astral Weeks Live again.
Why would I, when I could listen instead to masterpieces like the original studio recording? Or It’s Too Late To Stop Now?
And I’m still unsure about the forthcoming concert.
First draft - ditched
I wished I’d listened to Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl before booking tickets for Van Morrison in Cardiff in June.
When I first heard of the project there was a frisson of excitement. Before the doubts set in. Who was it who said:“Don’t look back!”
That was a persistent niggle. But some very positive reactions to the LA concerts convinced me that perhaps it was time to reopen up to the music that had meant so much to me before Van the artist morphed into Van the entertainer.
But listening to the new album only strengthened the doubts. I didn’t like the throwaway delivery of the opening track, the unconvincing emoting (especially in Slim Slow Slider), some mannered scatting, the neat endings of many of the songs. I didn’t feel the mature voice was appropriate to expressions of youthful love. There was little of Morrison’s delightful trademark wonderment on display.
I did like the musicianship, though – apart from the dated pipes and soppy vocal backing in Listen To The Lion. I thrilled to hear Richie Buckley again and I found Ballerina perhaps better than the original.
But I doubt I’ll ever be playing the new album again.
It did send me back, though – way, way back, to the original, to that freshness, spontaneity, and originality that great young musicians still exhibit (check out Conor Oberst or Jim Moray, two favourites of this web site).
Because I’m often too quick at making judgments, I thought I’d better give Astral Weeks Live another chance before posting my original negative review (First draft, below) and consigning the CD to the never-to-be-listened-to-again shelf.
OK, come to the album with an open mind. Judge it on its merits, without making too many comparisons with the sublime original. Look for positives.
Many of the tracks swing. Van actually seems to be enjoying making music with this band. I like his idiosyncratic playing of the guitar (as I always did) and his mimicry of instruments. The opening track sounds better than it did on first hearing. The middle of Slim Slow Slider and the beginning of Cyprus Avenue still excite.
Still don’t like the straining vocals of Beside You or The Way Young Lovers Do, though. Van is no crooner. Sweet Thing is still disappointing.
So, it’s musically richer than I’d first credited it. And of course the songs themselves are a great improvement on those of the last decade or so. But I probably won’t play Astral Weeks Live again.
Why would I, when I could listen instead to masterpieces like the original studio recording? Or It’s Too Late To Stop Now?
And I’m still unsure about the forthcoming concert.
First draft - ditched
I wished I’d listened to Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl before booking tickets for Van Morrison in Cardiff in June.
When I first heard of the project there was a frisson of excitement. Before the doubts set in. Who was it who said:“Don’t look back!”
That was a persistent niggle. But some very positive reactions to the LA concerts convinced me that perhaps it was time to reopen up to the music that had meant so much to me before Van the artist morphed into Van the entertainer.
But listening to the new album only strengthened the doubts. I didn’t like the throwaway delivery of the opening track, the unconvincing emoting (especially in Slim Slow Slider), some mannered scatting, the neat endings of many of the songs. I didn’t feel the mature voice was appropriate to expressions of youthful love. There was little of Morrison’s delightful trademark wonderment on display.
I did like the musicianship, though – apart from the dated pipes and soppy vocal backing in Listen To The Lion. I thrilled to hear Richie Buckley again and I found Ballerina perhaps better than the original.
But I doubt I’ll ever be playing the new album again.
It did send me back, though – way, way back, to the original, to that freshness, spontaneity, and originality that great young musicians still exhibit (check out Conor Oberst or Jim Moray, two favourites of this web site).
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
John McLaughlin's brilliant Corea
Thanks to Andrew Robertson:
John McLaughlin’s and Chick Corea’s Five Peace Band graced Adelaide last week with a concert of effortless brilliance.
This was not a band as much as it was an ensemble, all five musicians being equal – albeit that McLaughlin and Corea were both (if that is possible) first among equals.
It seemed to me that Corea rather than McLaughlin was the bandleader, even though it was McLaughlin standing centre-stage and whose name was first on the bill – but it was Corea’s keyboards that the music seemed to be built around.
How often does one get to hear two Miles Davis alumni play? And yet, it wasn’t two Miles Davis alumni playing, it was one Five Peace Band. This was a concert at which the music was the star, not the players. So perfectly did the band meld that the music they created became bigger than any of them. They were one whole – and that cliché about the whole being greater than the sum of the parts was never more true.
Reflecting after the concert, I was struck by the fact that I didn’t really remember any great solos – of course they had played them, but they were not the experience of the night, because that would have individualized it, whereas this night was about the totality of the music.
Jazz is sometimes considered to be serious, but this jazz was joyful. I think after every song they all acknowledged each other. If it was a Corea composition, he would acknowledge each band member and McLaughlin. Similarly McLaughlin with his compositions. This respect for each other was uplifting, and it uplifted the music. The respect for the music was reverent – but not in a stuffy, religious, can’t-touch-it kind of way. It was earthy and honest, reflected in their big beaming smiles and warm embraces. There was no distance between band and audience.
Christian McBride on bass is as good as they come – he had also played in Adelaide a couple of years ago with Pat Metheny, another great concert. Kenny Garrett on sax was outstanding, and Brian Blade did amazing things on his drums. These guys were all of the calibre of Miles Davis alumni, even though, of course, only Garrett is. Could anyone have played better? Billy Cobham? Wayne Shorter? I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter – but I think there comes a time when the music just can’t be played any better, and this ensemble achieved that, at least to my ears!
Songs included McLaughlin’s New Blues, Old Bruise (great song title!) and Senor CS from Industrial Zen, and an expansive Raju; Corea’s Hymn to Andromeda; Dr Jackle, an old Miles Davis track (although I am not sure whether he wrote it); and a couple more.
So that’s the story of John’s brilliant Corea and Chick’s brilliant career.
Andrew in Adelaide
John McLaughlin’s and Chick Corea’s Five Peace Band graced Adelaide last week with a concert of effortless brilliance.
This was not a band as much as it was an ensemble, all five musicians being equal – albeit that McLaughlin and Corea were both (if that is possible) first among equals.
It seemed to me that Corea rather than McLaughlin was the bandleader, even though it was McLaughlin standing centre-stage and whose name was first on the bill – but it was Corea’s keyboards that the music seemed to be built around.
How often does one get to hear two Miles Davis alumni play? And yet, it wasn’t two Miles Davis alumni playing, it was one Five Peace Band. This was a concert at which the music was the star, not the players. So perfectly did the band meld that the music they created became bigger than any of them. They were one whole – and that cliché about the whole being greater than the sum of the parts was never more true.
Reflecting after the concert, I was struck by the fact that I didn’t really remember any great solos – of course they had played them, but they were not the experience of the night, because that would have individualized it, whereas this night was about the totality of the music.
Jazz is sometimes considered to be serious, but this jazz was joyful. I think after every song they all acknowledged each other. If it was a Corea composition, he would acknowledge each band member and McLaughlin. Similarly McLaughlin with his compositions. This respect for each other was uplifting, and it uplifted the music. The respect for the music was reverent – but not in a stuffy, religious, can’t-touch-it kind of way. It was earthy and honest, reflected in their big beaming smiles and warm embraces. There was no distance between band and audience.
Christian McBride on bass is as good as they come – he had also played in Adelaide a couple of years ago with Pat Metheny, another great concert. Kenny Garrett on sax was outstanding, and Brian Blade did amazing things on his drums. These guys were all of the calibre of Miles Davis alumni, even though, of course, only Garrett is. Could anyone have played better? Billy Cobham? Wayne Shorter? I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter – but I think there comes a time when the music just can’t be played any better, and this ensemble achieved that, at least to my ears!
Songs included McLaughlin’s New Blues, Old Bruise (great song title!) and Senor CS from Industrial Zen, and an expansive Raju; Corea’s Hymn to Andromeda; Dr Jackle, an old Miles Davis track (although I am not sure whether he wrote it); and a couple more.
So that’s the story of John’s brilliant Corea and Chick’s brilliant career.
Andrew in Adelaide
Monday, February 23, 2009
Is Bob Dylan losing credibility? A resounding no!
Over on Dylan Daily, regular contributor Martin Cowan mused whether Dylan’s credibility is in decline.
Not so, insist several readers:
* Thanks to Chris Floyd:
My response to Martin Cowan's -- what to call it? bill of potential indictment, maybe? -- is this:
He is neither on the ball nor off his rocker. He is simply exercising his right to be somewhat trivial and presumptuous -- a right that all humans have, and should freely exercise whenever they wish.
It also seems a bit silly to me. He says that how Dylan is to be "judged" following his next shows and next album is "crucial." Crucial to whom? Perhaps to someone who invests a bit too much of their own self-image in the image of a singer or some other celebrity; I can't see how it would be "crucial" to anyone else.
If Dylan's next shows are found to be, by some measure or other, lesser than "Cohen's glorious performances," then -- what, exactly? Does that lower Dylan's "credibility"? And again -- credibility to whom, and for what?
Has Dylan got something to prove? Even after all these years, even after all he's done? Even if he does give a sub-par show, puts out an album someone doesn't like, or, god forbid, associates his music with commercials, like Hank Williams used to do -- what does this matter?
It can only matter to someone who requires perfect heroes to fulfil their own emotional needs. I understand that need; we all have it to some degree, I'm sure. But it is, in the end, a rather juvenile impulse. And its seems somewhat odd to apply it to Dylan, of all people -- an artist who has been very much concerned with the fullness of our human reality, which of course includes failure, decline, disappointment, etc. etc., and not the production of fantasy figures we can mindlessly adore -- or attack and reject when they, inevitably, "let us down."
Dylan is a 67-year-old man who likes to make music, and makes it as best he can. Should he stop doing all that, just because it might make someone feel all wiggly for one reason or another? Should he stop playing great records on the radio because someone doesn't like it?
Finally, one last question: is someone holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to go to Bob Dylan shows and buy Bob Dylan records and listen to Bob Dylan's radio show?
If you don't like them, fine. Don't go, don't buy, don't listen. Go find someone else whose "credibility" serves whatever needs you have.
As I say, it all seems a bit childish and pointless to me.
* Thanks to Liam Mogan:
Martin Cowan's 'shock-jock' musings on Bob's credibility seem like a calculated attempt to jolt Dylan nuts out of their collective smugness.
I find it quite funny really and not totally serious. (Credibility? I think he's been reading too many copies of his son/daughter's NME. Either that or he has recently bought The Guardian for the first time in his life.)
Rather than rant on about how great our hero is I'd rather point to Mr Cowan's strangely formal way of addressing that other elder statesman, 'Brooooce'.
I seem to remember that those oh-so-worthy behemoths of late ‘70s rock-journalism, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone etc employed a number of writers who suffered from similar, almost ceremonial, courteousness. Maybe that's why he's so obsessed with 'cred', man.
Seriously, good on you Martin for daring to shake the tree. To answer your 3 key questions
1. No, Modern Times wasn't that good (at a push you could say 2 songs were worthy additions to the canon)
2. Adverts - Er, for the Money?
3. Theme Time - I got bored midway through Series 2. Don't listen religiously anymore, but still beats on most other Radio Shows with a big stick whenever I catch it.
I do remain excited by the new album though - you gotta have some hope and faith in your life. The o2 shows? Nah, you just know they're going to be spoiled by the usual fairweather fans, moaning loudly about the fact that the songs 'don't sound the same as on the record', whilst chewing on a big fat hot-dog.
Just a quick question though Martin. As a regular contributor to the Dylan Daily, how's your 'street-cred' these days?
* Thanks to Joe King:
I would not presume to have the measure of "Dylan Daily" readers' views but, once ISIS had posted news of the new album on its website, the story was quickly picked up by other websites, including UNCUT and ROLLING STONE. This may not amount to "excitement" but it does show that Dylan news provokes great interest.
I will not be attending the O2 Arena show either but simply because that venue is so very large. Should the extra show in London be in a smaller venue, then I will most likely try to attend.
Was MT really that good? No. It was good in parts but not nearly as good as the critics wrote.
Why is he doing these ads? We don't know what's in Dylan's mind but I would suggest these possibilities: (1) for the money, (2) to reach a different audience now that Martin Cowan is, as it were, falling by the wayside, (3) there is nothing wrong about doing ads. I don't recall a single adverse comment about the use of Woody Guthrie's "Car, Car" in those Audi adverts. Do I sense a double standard here?
Have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? No, no, no, no, no. May it continue for a lot longer.
Comparisons with Cohen and Springsteen? If either had achieved as much as Dylan, I might take the question seriously. That is not to put them down, merely to state the self-evident. Whether they receive more acclaim than Dylan in 2009 is neither here nor there in the scheme of things.
And thanks to Fred Bals, writer of the very fine Dreamtime blog:
”In a word, "No."
“In more than one word:
* If the activity on the various Dylan forums and at Dreamtime are any indication, fans are eagerly looking forward to a new album... and it hasn't even been officially announced yet.
* I can't speak to the second question, since I'm in the U.S., but I do know if he releases a new album, I'll be first in line for tickets when the N.E.T. comes back to the U.S.
* was MT really that good? Personal opinion of course, but I think there's lots to like about MT, especially When the Deal Goes Down and Beyond the Horizon. Of course, I'm a big Bing Crosby fan. :-)
* why is he doing these ads? Why shouldn't he? Mr. D's commercial affiliations doesn't impact my appreciation for his talent one whit. Should he be going, "Oh, no, my music is too pure to sell biscuits."?
* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? Jesus, the man is mad. Along with Chronicles, TTRH is one of the best non-music achievements Bob Dylan has ever produced. I hope he does it for a dozen more years.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dylan’s declining credibility?
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
Is there any excitement among Dylan Daily readers for either:
* a new Dylan album or
* "in show and in person" at the O2 or any of the other venues on the UK tour?
Personally, I remain to be convinced that a new album will reveal anything startlingly original and I won't be going to any of the shows.
In fact, it occurs to me that Dylan's credibility is on the wane at the moment:
* was MT really that good?
* why is he doing these ads?
* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio?
How he is judged following these shows and any new release will be crucial. The shows are likely to be compared to Cohen's glorious performances, and Mr Springsteen's new platter seems to be going down a storm.
Interesting times.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Is Martin on the ball? Or is he off his rocker? Please let The Dylan Daily know what YOU think. Gerry Smith, Editor
Not so, insist several readers:
* Thanks to Chris Floyd:
My response to Martin Cowan's -- what to call it? bill of potential indictment, maybe? -- is this:
He is neither on the ball nor off his rocker. He is simply exercising his right to be somewhat trivial and presumptuous -- a right that all humans have, and should freely exercise whenever they wish.
It also seems a bit silly to me. He says that how Dylan is to be "judged" following his next shows and next album is "crucial." Crucial to whom? Perhaps to someone who invests a bit too much of their own self-image in the image of a singer or some other celebrity; I can't see how it would be "crucial" to anyone else.
If Dylan's next shows are found to be, by some measure or other, lesser than "Cohen's glorious performances," then -- what, exactly? Does that lower Dylan's "credibility"? And again -- credibility to whom, and for what?
Has Dylan got something to prove? Even after all these years, even after all he's done? Even if he does give a sub-par show, puts out an album someone doesn't like, or, god forbid, associates his music with commercials, like Hank Williams used to do -- what does this matter?
It can only matter to someone who requires perfect heroes to fulfil their own emotional needs. I understand that need; we all have it to some degree, I'm sure. But it is, in the end, a rather juvenile impulse. And its seems somewhat odd to apply it to Dylan, of all people -- an artist who has been very much concerned with the fullness of our human reality, which of course includes failure, decline, disappointment, etc. etc., and not the production of fantasy figures we can mindlessly adore -- or attack and reject when they, inevitably, "let us down."
Dylan is a 67-year-old man who likes to make music, and makes it as best he can. Should he stop doing all that, just because it might make someone feel all wiggly for one reason or another? Should he stop playing great records on the radio because someone doesn't like it?
Finally, one last question: is someone holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to go to Bob Dylan shows and buy Bob Dylan records and listen to Bob Dylan's radio show?
If you don't like them, fine. Don't go, don't buy, don't listen. Go find someone else whose "credibility" serves whatever needs you have.
As I say, it all seems a bit childish and pointless to me.
* Thanks to Liam Mogan:
Martin Cowan's 'shock-jock' musings on Bob's credibility seem like a calculated attempt to jolt Dylan nuts out of their collective smugness.
I find it quite funny really and not totally serious. (Credibility? I think he's been reading too many copies of his son/daughter's NME. Either that or he has recently bought The Guardian for the first time in his life.)
Rather than rant on about how great our hero is I'd rather point to Mr Cowan's strangely formal way of addressing that other elder statesman, 'Brooooce'.
I seem to remember that those oh-so-worthy behemoths of late ‘70s rock-journalism, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone etc employed a number of writers who suffered from similar, almost ceremonial, courteousness. Maybe that's why he's so obsessed with 'cred', man.
Seriously, good on you Martin for daring to shake the tree. To answer your 3 key questions
1. No, Modern Times wasn't that good (at a push you could say 2 songs were worthy additions to the canon)
2. Adverts - Er, for the Money?
3. Theme Time - I got bored midway through Series 2. Don't listen religiously anymore, but still beats on most other Radio Shows with a big stick whenever I catch it.
I do remain excited by the new album though - you gotta have some hope and faith in your life. The o2 shows? Nah, you just know they're going to be spoiled by the usual fairweather fans, moaning loudly about the fact that the songs 'don't sound the same as on the record', whilst chewing on a big fat hot-dog.
Just a quick question though Martin. As a regular contributor to the Dylan Daily, how's your 'street-cred' these days?
* Thanks to Joe King:
I would not presume to have the measure of "Dylan Daily" readers' views but, once ISIS had posted news of the new album on its website, the story was quickly picked up by other websites, including UNCUT and ROLLING STONE. This may not amount to "excitement" but it does show that Dylan news provokes great interest.
I will not be attending the O2 Arena show either but simply because that venue is so very large. Should the extra show in London be in a smaller venue, then I will most likely try to attend.
Was MT really that good? No. It was good in parts but not nearly as good as the critics wrote.
Why is he doing these ads? We don't know what's in Dylan's mind but I would suggest these possibilities: (1) for the money, (2) to reach a different audience now that Martin Cowan is, as it were, falling by the wayside, (3) there is nothing wrong about doing ads. I don't recall a single adverse comment about the use of Woody Guthrie's "Car, Car" in those Audi adverts. Do I sense a double standard here?
Have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? No, no, no, no, no. May it continue for a lot longer.
Comparisons with Cohen and Springsteen? If either had achieved as much as Dylan, I might take the question seriously. That is not to put them down, merely to state the self-evident. Whether they receive more acclaim than Dylan in 2009 is neither here nor there in the scheme of things.
And thanks to Fred Bals, writer of the very fine Dreamtime blog:
”In a word, "No."
“In more than one word:
* If the activity on the various Dylan forums and at Dreamtime are any indication, fans are eagerly looking forward to a new album... and it hasn't even been officially announced yet.
* I can't speak to the second question, since I'm in the U.S., but I do know if he releases a new album, I'll be first in line for tickets when the N.E.T. comes back to the U.S.
* was MT really that good? Personal opinion of course, but I think there's lots to like about MT, especially When the Deal Goes Down and Beyond the Horizon. Of course, I'm a big Bing Crosby fan. :-)
* why is he doing these ads? Why shouldn't he? Mr. D's commercial affiliations doesn't impact my appreciation for his talent one whit. Should he be going, "Oh, no, my music is too pure to sell biscuits."?
* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? Jesus, the man is mad. Along with Chronicles, TTRH is one of the best non-music achievements Bob Dylan has ever produced. I hope he does it for a dozen more years.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dylan’s declining credibility?
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
Is there any excitement among Dylan Daily readers for either:
* a new Dylan album or
* "in show and in person" at the O2 or any of the other venues on the UK tour?
Personally, I remain to be convinced that a new album will reveal anything startlingly original and I won't be going to any of the shows.
In fact, it occurs to me that Dylan's credibility is on the wane at the moment:
* was MT really that good?
* why is he doing these ads?
* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio?
How he is judged following these shows and any new release will be crucial. The shows are likely to be compared to Cohen's glorious performances, and Mr Springsteen's new platter seems to be going down a storm.
Interesting times.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Is Martin on the ball? Or is he off his rocker? Please let The Dylan Daily know what YOU think. Gerry Smith, Editor
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Free MUSIC for GROWN-UPs Newsletter re-launched
After a lengthy delay, the free MUSIC for GROWN-UPs Newsletter has just been re-launched.
If you’re a subscriber, you should have already received your copy by email. If you haven’t, it’s probably because:
* your spam filter has rejected it - please ensure that my sending email address – info@musicforgrownups.co.uk - is in your spam filter’s Friends list
* you’ve changed your email address since registering to receive the free newsletter; if so, please re-register your new email address via the Music For Grown-Ups Home Page – it only takes seconds.
And if you’re not already a subscriber – why not register now, from the Music For Grown-Ups Home Page – it only takes seconds.
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Receiving the free Newsletter is a foolproof way of catching up with new content on the web site that you may have missed.
The Newsletter is now mailed to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.
Thanks for your interest.
Gerry Smith, Editor
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RELAUNCHED FREE NEWSLETTER - JUST MAILED TO SUBSCRIBERS
MUSIC for GROWN-UPs: celebrating great musicians:
from Sinatra to the Stones, Miles to Mozart, and Dylan to David Bowie.
Exclusive news and views, emailed free to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.
Editor: Gerry Smith (info@musicforgrown-ups.com)
MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS:
Hello again. Apologies for the break in sending you your copy of the MUSIC for GROWN-UPs newsletter. I curtailed it for a while to focus on finishing my new book, also called MUSIC for GROWN-UPs - check it out at http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/
This newsletter is now published on alternate Thursdays, and you'll receive your copy at the email address you've already registered. I hope you like it and will tell fellow grown-up music fans about it.
If you haven't visited http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/ for a while, please take another look - you'll find more articles and a sharper, easier-to-use design. And please continue to send me your news and views - of gigs you've enjoyed, new releases, and back catalogue discoveries – and I’ll be pleased to post them on the web site for the benefit of your fellow grown-up music lovers.
Gerry Smith, Editor (email: info@musicforgrown-ups.com)
NEW on MUSIC for GROWN-UPs
to read the articles listed, please log on to http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/
* New albums from Springsten, Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Young
* Bartok, Baaba Maal, Bob Dylan
* Your last chance to win a copy of new Music For Grown-Ups book
* A fine Buddy Holly documentary
* Jose Carreras and Roberta Flack play Adelaide
* Morrissey, Dylan, Beethoven
* Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Jeff Beck
* John Martyn RIP
* Bob Dylan, American folk, Handel
* Astral Weeks - live
PREVIOUSLY on MUSIC for GROWN-UPs
http://www.musicforgrownups.com/
* Top Grown-Up Gigs of 2008
* Win a free copy of new book, Music For Grown-Ups
* Handel: Composer Of The Year, star of Music For Grown-Ups, the new book
* Prog Rock: music for grown-ups? Well, yes, sort of
* Beck, Roberto Alagna, Pentangle: least loved gigs of 2008
* Astral Weeks - Live in LA
* Purcell, Prog Rock, Michael Brecker
* Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and John McLaughlin - top gigs for grown-ups
* Handel, Keith Richards, Prog Rock
* Roy Orbison profile - good music, weak analysis
MOST VIEWED RECENT ARTICLE on MUSIC for GROWN-UPs
http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/
Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Jeff Beck: one week in Australia
Thanks to Andrew Robertson in Adelaide:
I have just enjoyed the most incredible week of music so I'll see if I can manage to share it with you...
Last weekend was the Australia Day long weekend and on Saturday night we saw Neil Young at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Ordinarily we would have stayed the whole long weekend in Sydney, as it is such a great city, but before I had booked flights and accommodation, it was announced that Leonard Cohen would be playing in Adelaide on the holiday Monday - so naturally I booked that. That meant coming home from Sydney on the Sunday, which turned out to be fortuitous because it was then announced that Jeff Beck would be playing in Adelaide on the Sunday night. Don't things have a way of working out in the end?
And then it was announced that Neil Young would be playing the Big Day Out circuit, including Adelaide, so I saw him again on Friday night - so that was 4 amazing concerts in one amazing week. Probably only surpassed by Van Morrison's Astral Weekend at Hollywood Bowl. Although the week I saw Dylan in Adelaide then Van twice in 2 nights in England, all in the same week back in 2007, was pretty good too!
So let's begin with Neil Young in Sydney...
(You can see the full text online at: http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/)
ADMIN
Why not bookmark http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/ now, to make it easy to re-visit the site?
The MUSIC for GROWN-UPs newsletter is delivered free, by email, on alternate Thursdays. It's sent to you because you have subscribed via the web site.
To unsubscribe your email address, please go to the web site Home Page (http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/); in the Subscribe area in the left column, please enter your subscribed address in the "Your Email" box; select "Unsubscribe"; and then click "Go"; you'll be automatically unsubscribed.
(c) Gerry Smith 2009
If you’re a subscriber, you should have already received your copy by email. If you haven’t, it’s probably because:
* your spam filter has rejected it - please ensure that my sending email address – info@musicforgrownups.co.uk - is in your spam filter’s Friends list
* you’ve changed your email address since registering to receive the free newsletter; if so, please re-register your new email address via the Music For Grown-Ups Home Page – it only takes seconds.
And if you’re not already a subscriber – why not register now, from the Music For Grown-Ups Home Page – it only takes seconds.
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Receiving the free Newsletter is a foolproof way of catching up with new content on the web site that you may have missed.
The Newsletter is now mailed to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.
Thanks for your interest.
Gerry Smith, Editor
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RELAUNCHED FREE NEWSLETTER - JUST MAILED TO SUBSCRIBERS
MUSIC for GROWN-UPs: celebrating great musicians:
from Sinatra to the Stones, Miles to Mozart, and Dylan to David Bowie.
Exclusive news and views, emailed free to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.
Editor: Gerry Smith (info@musicforgrown-ups.com)
MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS:
Hello again. Apologies for the break in sending you your copy of the MUSIC for GROWN-UPs newsletter. I curtailed it for a while to focus on finishing my new book, also called MUSIC for GROWN-UPs - check it out at http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/
This newsletter is now published on alternate Thursdays, and you'll receive your copy at the email address you've already registered. I hope you like it and will tell fellow grown-up music fans about it.
If you haven't visited http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/ for a while, please take another look - you'll find more articles and a sharper, easier-to-use design. And please continue to send me your news and views - of gigs you've enjoyed, new releases, and back catalogue discoveries – and I’ll be pleased to post them on the web site for the benefit of your fellow grown-up music lovers.
Gerry Smith, Editor (email: info@musicforgrown-ups.com)
NEW on MUSIC for GROWN-UPs
to read the articles listed, please log on to http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/
* New albums from Springsten, Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Young
* Bartok, Baaba Maal, Bob Dylan
* Your last chance to win a copy of new Music For Grown-Ups book
* A fine Buddy Holly documentary
* Jose Carreras and Roberta Flack play Adelaide
* Morrissey, Dylan, Beethoven
* Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Jeff Beck
* John Martyn RIP
* Bob Dylan, American folk, Handel
* Astral Weeks - live
PREVIOUSLY on MUSIC for GROWN-UPs
http://www.musicforgrownups.com/
* Top Grown-Up Gigs of 2008
* Win a free copy of new book, Music For Grown-Ups
* Handel: Composer Of The Year, star of Music For Grown-Ups, the new book
* Prog Rock: music for grown-ups? Well, yes, sort of
* Beck, Roberto Alagna, Pentangle: least loved gigs of 2008
* Astral Weeks - Live in LA
* Purcell, Prog Rock, Michael Brecker
* Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and John McLaughlin - top gigs for grown-ups
* Handel, Keith Richards, Prog Rock
* Roy Orbison profile - good music, weak analysis
MOST VIEWED RECENT ARTICLE on MUSIC for GROWN-UPs
http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/
Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Jeff Beck: one week in Australia
Thanks to Andrew Robertson in Adelaide:
I have just enjoyed the most incredible week of music so I'll see if I can manage to share it with you...
Last weekend was the Australia Day long weekend and on Saturday night we saw Neil Young at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Ordinarily we would have stayed the whole long weekend in Sydney, as it is such a great city, but before I had booked flights and accommodation, it was announced that Leonard Cohen would be playing in Adelaide on the holiday Monday - so naturally I booked that. That meant coming home from Sydney on the Sunday, which turned out to be fortuitous because it was then announced that Jeff Beck would be playing in Adelaide on the Sunday night. Don't things have a way of working out in the end?
And then it was announced that Neil Young would be playing the Big Day Out circuit, including Adelaide, so I saw him again on Friday night - so that was 4 amazing concerts in one amazing week. Probably only surpassed by Van Morrison's Astral Weekend at Hollywood Bowl. Although the week I saw Dylan in Adelaide then Van twice in 2 nights in England, all in the same week back in 2007, was pretty good too!
So let's begin with Neil Young in Sydney...
(You can see the full text online at: http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/)
ADMIN
Why not bookmark http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/ now, to make it easy to re-visit the site?
The MUSIC for GROWN-UPs newsletter is delivered free, by email, on alternate Thursdays. It's sent to you because you have subscribed via the web site.
To unsubscribe your email address, please go to the web site Home Page (http://www.musicforgrown-ups.com/); in the Subscribe area in the left column, please enter your subscribed address in the "Your Email" box; select "Unsubscribe"; and then click "Go"; you'll be automatically unsubscribed.
(c) Gerry Smith 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
New albums from Springsten, Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Young: Encore #1
Thank to Pat Kenny:
“Like you, I prefer to celebrate rather than knock the output of great musicians – as all those listed above undoubtedly are.
“But, having bought the three albums already released, I have to admit I’m underwhelmed.
“Springsteen’s CD sees him treading water… Van the Man should have resisted the temptation to update his untouchable masterpiece… and does Morrissey have anything left to say?
“I’m not optimistic that the new Dylan or Young albums will be Earth-shattering, either.
“Time for me to take a rest from rock, and catch up on some recent jazz releases. I feel a Miles/Coltrane/Herbie/Wayne period coming on.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The big beasts in the rockpop jungle are stirring, with new albums from Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Neil Young.
Springsten kicked off the season with Workin’ On A Dream. I’ve yet to hear it. Please let me know what you think.
Van Morrison was the second to stir with Astral Weeks Live last week. The original is one of my top three albums in any genre. After half a dozen plays of the new version, I’m suspending judgment.
Morrissey followed yesterday with Years Of Refusal. What do you think of it?
New Dylan album rumours are flying fast. Some have a new 10-track studio album already in the can and due for release at the end of April.
And it seems that Neil Young’s eternally delayed Archives box has been put back yet again to accommodate an original new CD, Fork In The Road, on 30 March.
Great days for grown-up rockpop fans!
All of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of this page/
the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Gerry Smith
“Like you, I prefer to celebrate rather than knock the output of great musicians – as all those listed above undoubtedly are.
“But, having bought the three albums already released, I have to admit I’m underwhelmed.
“Springsteen’s CD sees him treading water… Van the Man should have resisted the temptation to update his untouchable masterpiece… and does Morrissey have anything left to say?
“I’m not optimistic that the new Dylan or Young albums will be Earth-shattering, either.
“Time for me to take a rest from rock, and catch up on some recent jazz releases. I feel a Miles/Coltrane/Herbie/Wayne period coming on.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The big beasts in the rockpop jungle are stirring, with new albums from Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Neil Young.
Springsten kicked off the season with Workin’ On A Dream. I’ve yet to hear it. Please let me know what you think.
Van Morrison was the second to stir with Astral Weeks Live last week. The original is one of my top three albums in any genre. After half a dozen plays of the new version, I’m suspending judgment.
Morrissey followed yesterday with Years Of Refusal. What do you think of it?
New Dylan album rumours are flying fast. Some have a new 10-track studio album already in the can and due for release at the end of April.
And it seems that Neil Young’s eternally delayed Archives box has been put back yet again to accommodate an original new CD, Fork In The Road, on 30 March.
Great days for grown-up rockpop fans!
All of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of this page/
the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Gerry Smith
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
New albums from Bruce Springsten, Van Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Neil Young
The big beasts in the rockpop jungle are stirring, with new albums from Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Morrissey, and maybe Dylan and Neil Young.
Springsten kicked off the season with Workin’ On A Dream. I’ve yet to hear it. Please let me know what you think.
Van Morrison was the second to stir with Astral Weeks Live last week. The original is one of my top three albums in any genre. After half a dozen plays of the new version, I’m suspending judgment.
Morrissey followed yesterday with Years Of Refusal. What do you think of it?
New Dylan album rumours are flying fast. Some have a new 10-track studio album already in the can and due for release at the end of April.
And it seems that Neil Young’s eternally delayed Archives box has been put back yet again to accommodate an original new CD, Fork In The Road, on 30 March.
Great days for grown-up rockpop fans!
All of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Gerry Smith
Springsten kicked off the season with Workin’ On A Dream. I’ve yet to hear it. Please let me know what you think.
Van Morrison was the second to stir with Astral Weeks Live last week. The original is one of my top three albums in any genre. After half a dozen plays of the new version, I’m suspending judgment.
Morrissey followed yesterday with Years Of Refusal. What do you think of it?
New Dylan album rumours are flying fast. Some have a new 10-track studio album already in the can and due for release at the end of April.
And it seems that Neil Young’s eternally delayed Archives box has been put back yet again to accommodate an original new CD, Fork In The Road, on 30 March.
Great days for grown-up rockpop fans!
All of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Gerry Smith
Monday, February 16, 2009
Bartok, Baaba Maal, Bob Dylan
FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC this week
Hidden among its vast TV and radio output, the BBC broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups every week of the year. And it’s all free - well, sort of….
All of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Mon 16 Feb
1200 & 2200 Bartok, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3 (1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
Wed 18 Feb
2315 Baaba Maal live, Late Junction – BBC Radio 3
Thurs 19 Feb
1400 Handel’s opera Silla – BBC Radio 3
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast live online - please see the channels’ web sites for details. Some BBC radio and TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Hidden among its vast TV and radio output, the BBC broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups every week of the year. And it’s all free - well, sort of….
All of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Mon 16 Feb
1200 & 2200 Bartok, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3 (1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
Wed 18 Feb
2315 Baaba Maal live, Late Junction – BBC Radio 3
Thurs 19 Feb
1400 Handel’s opera Silla – BBC Radio 3
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast live online - please see the channels’ web sites for details. Some BBC radio and TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Friday, February 13, 2009
Late entries to win a copy of new Music For Grown-Ups book
Thanks for the flurry of late entries, including Top 5s like:
* Dylan, Mozart, Len Cohen, Cecilia Bartoli and Marcelo Alvarez
* Bach, Miles, Dylan, Mozart, Ella
* Warren Zevon, Stan Rogers, Paul Simon, Ray Davies, Stephen Sondheim
The competition closes in one hour and I’m looking forward to drawing the winner and compiling a ranking list next week.
Thanks again to all who entered – the response was excellent, the ranking list looks like it will be a revelation.
Gerry Smith
* Dylan, Mozart, Len Cohen, Cecilia Bartoli and Marcelo Alvarez
* Bach, Miles, Dylan, Mozart, Ella
* Warren Zevon, Stan Rogers, Paul Simon, Ray Davies, Stephen Sondheim
The competition closes in one hour and I’m looking forward to drawing the winner and compiling a ranking list next week.
Thanks again to all who entered – the response was excellent, the ranking list looks like it will be a revelation.
Gerry Smith
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Your last chance to win a copy of new Music For Grown-Ups book
Your last chance to win a copy of the new Music For Grown-Ups book is fast approaching - the deadline for entries is 2359 GMT on Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks to readers for the many recent entries, including some welcome unusual choices like: Andy Sheppard, Bryan Corbett, Tord Gustavsen and Ketil Bjornstad (as well as the Beatles!)
Recent entries have also included nominations for: Ryan Adams, Eels, Bruce Springsteen, Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Franz Schubert, Louis Armstrong, John Martyn, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.
Most of these great musicians are celebrated in the book!
Gerry Smith
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks to readers for the many recent entries, including some welcome unusual choices like: Andy Sheppard, Bryan Corbett, Tord Gustavsen and Ketil Bjornstad (as well as the Beatles!)
Recent entries have also included nominations for: Ryan Adams, Eels, Bruce Springsteen, Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Franz Schubert, Louis Armstrong, John Martyn, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.
Most of these great musicians are celebrated in the book!
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Music For Grown-Ups competition: hurry – only two days left
Thanks to readers for yet more entries in the competition to win a copy of my new book, Music For Grown-Ups.
If you intend to enter, please remember that the deadline is fast approaching - 2359 GMT on Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks in advance. And good luck!
Recent entries have included nominations for:
Ryan Adams, Eels, Bruce Springsteen, Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Franz Schubert, Louis Armstrong, John Martyn, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.
Nearly all these great musicians are celebrated in the book!
Gerry Smith
If you intend to enter, please remember that the deadline is fast approaching - 2359 GMT on Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks in advance. And good luck!
Recent entries have included nominations for:
Ryan Adams, Eels, Bruce Springsteen, Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Franz Schubert, Louis Armstrong, John Martyn, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.
Nearly all these great musicians are celebrated in the book!
Gerry Smith
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A fine Buddy Holly documentary
Last week’s BBC4 Buddy Holly documentary, from Arena in 1985, was a nice mixture of dramatic original footage and analysis by expert talking heads. As well as Crickets, both a Beatle - Paul McCartney – and a Stone – Keefe – testified to Holly’s overwhelming impact on their own musical development.
Recommended.
You can still catch it online – until midnight on Wednesday 11 Feb – on BBC iPlayer:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Buddy Holly, like 170 other great musicians, is celebrated in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Gerry Smith
Recommended.
You can still catch it online – until midnight on Wednesday 11 Feb – on BBC iPlayer:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Buddy Holly, like 170 other great musicians, is celebrated in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Gerry Smith
Monday, February 09, 2009
Music For Grown-Ups – yet more book competition entries
Thanks to readers for yet more entries in the competition to win a copy of my new book, Music For Grown-Ups.
Remember - the deadline has been extended to Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks in advance. And good luck!
Recent entries have included nominations for:
Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Franz Schubert, Louis Armstrong, John Martyn, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.
Nearly all these great musicians are celebrated in the book!
Gerry Smith
Remember - the deadline has been extended to Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks in advance. And good luck!
Recent entries have included nominations for:
Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Franz Schubert, Louis Armstrong, John Martyn, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.
Nearly all these great musicians are celebrated in the book!
Gerry Smith
Jose Carreras and Roberta Flack play Adelaide
Thanks to Andrew Robertson:
So a couple of weeks ago it was Neil Young, Jeff Back and Leonard Cohen.
This week’s fare was Jose Carreras and Roberta Flack, both of whom played with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (separate concerts on separate nights).
Quite an eclectic couple of weeks!
The ASO is a great orchestra, who just a few weeks ago played Carnegie Hall in New York. They often do collaborations like this – I have seen them with Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham doing a Mahavishnu Orchestra set, Kurt Elling the jazz crooner and scatter, The Whitlams (great Aussie band), and so on.
Sometimes they mesh well, other times they don’t, but I think this is more about the way the featured artist chooses to use them. Roberta Flack was a case in point – she didn’t really use the orchestra effectively, or at least, I didn’t think so. So there was a bit of a sense of missed opportunity.
Carreras still has a fine voice, but to be honest I think I would rather see him in an opera than in concert. Reason being that he only ever sang two songs at a time, then went off stage – no doubt to rest his precious voice and fair enough, but it meant that the concert never gathered any momentum. The stop-start nature of it meant that it was hard to get emotionally involved and after all, isn’t that what makes the concert experience?
When he went off, Fiona Campbell, an Aussie mezzo-soprano, sang and she was very good too. Or sometimes the orchestra would play a piece on their own. It was all good, and hard not to be impressed by, it’s just that it was like an exhibition performance rather than a real music experience – a bit like the difference between watching an exhibition tennis match and a Grand Slam final, the tennis might still be good, and the players might be the same and therefore as good as ever, it’s just that the atmosphere, tension and excitement are different.
Roberta Flack on the other hand got a real vibe going in the second half of her show. The first half was only half an hour and seemed to be over as soon as it had started. But the second half was an hour and she had a great band who really cooked once they got going. The band comprised drums, bass, keyboards, an outstanding horn player and two singers – I was going to say “backing” singers but they were really more than that.
The horn player played sax, clarinet and flute and he was the star of the show – although the drummer came close. The bassist played a five string bass and there being no lead guitar, he often played bass as if it was a lead instrument, not just part of the rhythm section.
Roberta Flack played piano and while no virtuoso, she was good. And her voice was excellent, especially for someone in her 70s).
This concert varied between very smooth middle-of-the-road to good lounge jazz, but was always engaging. The favourites were all good, and delivered with feeling. She didn’t do Hey That’s No Way, but having heard Leonard Cohen himself sing it a couple of weeks ago, that was fine by me.
She said she is making a Beatles album and I thought, don’t tell me she’s going to play A Day In The Life as well, but no, she did Here Come The Sun in a very interesting, slow, jazz-inflected interpretation. Probably my highlight of the night.
Nothing booked for next week (what am I going to do?!) but John McLaughlin and Chick Corea the week after that – really really looking forward to that one!
Andrew in Adelaide
So a couple of weeks ago it was Neil Young, Jeff Back and Leonard Cohen.
This week’s fare was Jose Carreras and Roberta Flack, both of whom played with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (separate concerts on separate nights).
Quite an eclectic couple of weeks!
The ASO is a great orchestra, who just a few weeks ago played Carnegie Hall in New York. They often do collaborations like this – I have seen them with Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham doing a Mahavishnu Orchestra set, Kurt Elling the jazz crooner and scatter, The Whitlams (great Aussie band), and so on.
Sometimes they mesh well, other times they don’t, but I think this is more about the way the featured artist chooses to use them. Roberta Flack was a case in point – she didn’t really use the orchestra effectively, or at least, I didn’t think so. So there was a bit of a sense of missed opportunity.
Carreras still has a fine voice, but to be honest I think I would rather see him in an opera than in concert. Reason being that he only ever sang two songs at a time, then went off stage – no doubt to rest his precious voice and fair enough, but it meant that the concert never gathered any momentum. The stop-start nature of it meant that it was hard to get emotionally involved and after all, isn’t that what makes the concert experience?
When he went off, Fiona Campbell, an Aussie mezzo-soprano, sang and she was very good too. Or sometimes the orchestra would play a piece on their own. It was all good, and hard not to be impressed by, it’s just that it was like an exhibition performance rather than a real music experience – a bit like the difference between watching an exhibition tennis match and a Grand Slam final, the tennis might still be good, and the players might be the same and therefore as good as ever, it’s just that the atmosphere, tension and excitement are different.
Roberta Flack on the other hand got a real vibe going in the second half of her show. The first half was only half an hour and seemed to be over as soon as it had started. But the second half was an hour and she had a great band who really cooked once they got going. The band comprised drums, bass, keyboards, an outstanding horn player and two singers – I was going to say “backing” singers but they were really more than that.
The horn player played sax, clarinet and flute and he was the star of the show – although the drummer came close. The bassist played a five string bass and there being no lead guitar, he often played bass as if it was a lead instrument, not just part of the rhythm section.
Roberta Flack played piano and while no virtuoso, she was good. And her voice was excellent, especially for someone in her 70s).
This concert varied between very smooth middle-of-the-road to good lounge jazz, but was always engaging. The favourites were all good, and delivered with feeling. She didn’t do Hey That’s No Way, but having heard Leonard Cohen himself sing it a couple of weeks ago, that was fine by me.
She said she is making a Beatles album and I thought, don’t tell me she’s going to play A Day In The Life as well, but no, she did Here Come The Sun in a very interesting, slow, jazz-inflected interpretation. Probably my highlight of the night.
Nothing booked for next week (what am I going to do?!) but John McLaughlin and Chick Corea the week after that – really really looking forward to that one!
Andrew in Adelaide
Friday, February 06, 2009
Morrissey, Dylan, Beethoven
FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC in the next 7 days
Hidden among its vast TV and radio output, the BBC broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups every week of the year. And it’s all free - well, sort of….
Nearly all of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Sat 7 Feb
2200 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
Sun 8 Feb
2100 Folk America (3/3) – Blowin’ In The Wind – BBC4
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC 6Music
Mon 9 Feb
1200 & 2200 Beethoven (last 12 years), Composer Of The Week
– BBC Radio 3 (1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
Wed 11 Feb
2000 Morrissey (interview/live gig) – BBC Radio 2
Thurs 12 Feb
1400 Handel’s opera Teseo – BBC Radio 3
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
Fri 13 Feb
2000 Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Sound Of The Sixties - BBC4
2010 Festival (Newport Folk, 1963—6) - BBC4
2140 Sings Dylan (cover versions) – BBC4
2230 Roger McGuinn et al, Folk America At The Barbican – BBC4
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast live online - please see the channels’ web sites for details. Some BBC radio and TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Hidden among its vast TV and radio output, the BBC broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups every week of the year. And it’s all free - well, sort of….
Nearly all of these musicians are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:
www.musicforgrown-ups.com
Sat 7 Feb
2200 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
Sun 8 Feb
2100 Folk America (3/3) – Blowin’ In The Wind – BBC4
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC 6Music
Mon 9 Feb
1200 & 2200 Beethoven (last 12 years), Composer Of The Week
– BBC Radio 3 (1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
Wed 11 Feb
2000 Morrissey (interview/live gig) – BBC Radio 2
Thurs 12 Feb
1400 Handel’s opera Teseo – BBC Radio 3
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
Fri 13 Feb
2000 Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Sound Of The Sixties - BBC4
2010 Festival (Newport Folk, 1963—6) - BBC4
2140 Sings Dylan (cover versions) – BBC4
2230 Roger McGuinn et al, Folk America At The Barbican – BBC4
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast live online - please see the channels’ web sites for details. Some BBC radio and TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Win Music For Grown-Ups book – competition deadline extended to 13 Feb
Thanks to readers for lots more entries in the competition to win a copy of my new book, Music For Grown-Ups.
In view of the continuing stream of entries, the deadline has been extended to Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks in advance. And good luck!
Recent entries have included nominations for John Martyn, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, Mark Linkous, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Beethoven, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams – nearly all of whom are profiled in the book.
Gerry Smith
In view of the continuing stream of entries, the deadline has been extended to Friday 13 Feb.
All you’ve got to do is email your ranked list (1 to 5) of your favourite musicians to info@musicforgrown-ups.com - please use TOP 5 as your subject header.
All responding readers will be entered in a free draw and the winner will be selected by lucky dip.
Thanks in advance. And good luck!
Recent entries have included nominations for John Martyn, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, Mark Linkous, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Beethoven, Cecilia Bartoli, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams – nearly all of whom are profiled in the book.
Gerry Smith
Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Jeff Beck: one week in Australia
Thanks to Andrew Robertson in Adelaide:
I have just enjoyed the most incredible week of music so I’ll see if I can manage to share it with you…
Last weekend was the Australia Day long weekend and on Saturday night we saw Neil Young at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Ordinarily we would have stayed the whole long weekend in Sydney, as it is such a great city, but before I had booked flights and accommodation, it was announced that Leonard Cohen would be playing in Adelaide on the holiday Monday – so naturally I booked that. That meant coming home from Sydney on the Sunday, which turned out to be fortuitous because it was then announced that Jeff Beck would be playing in Adelaide on the Sunday night. Don’t things have a way of working out in the end?
And then it was announced that Neil Young would be playing the Big Day Out circuit, including Adelaide, so I saw him again on Friday night – so that was 4 amazing concerts in one amazing week. Probably only surpassed by Van Morrison’s Astral Weekend at Hollywood Bowl. Although the week I saw Dylan in Adelaide then Van twice in 2 nights in England, all in the same week back in 2007, was pretty good too!
So let’s begin with Neil Young in Sydney. He was supported by My Morning Jacket who I thought were great. I don’t know much about them, but understand they play a variety of styles – that night they played mostly softer, more acoustic, country influenced music. If anyone can recommend which of their albums I should start with, I’d be interested to hear.
Shakey played a really great concert, with a set list that was about as good as you could hope for. Of course, it would be easy to come up with another whole set list of favourites he didn’t play, but when you walk out happy with everything he did play, it’s a good concert.
It was mostly electric, a short acoustic set in the middle, but mostly electric. However, without Crazy Horse he didn’t really extend out the songs with long, loud, grungy solos. I wondered if that was just Neil, like where he’s at right now, or whether it was a conscious decision to try to balance the “two Neils” for a mixed audience. For the grunge lovers, it was certainly loud and guitary enough. But for the folkies it wasn’t too grungy. I’m happy with both Neils, and was very happy with the way he played it on the night. A case in point was Cinnamon Girl, which probably only went for 3-4 minutes, like a single rather than an album track or an extended live version.
The only other time I’ve seen Neil Young was the Greendale tour with Crazy Horse, and their second set – after Greendale – went for 90 minutes with just 6 songs. A real blast. Raw power. Great songs.
Anyway, back to Sydney where he started with Love And Only Love, so it was a powerhouse opening. A real highlight was Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, which came very early in the concert and it was obvious he was on top of his game. He looked great, no sign of any health issues. And in great voice – his voice doesn’t seem to have changed over the years, unlike others (most notably Dylan).
No doubt in my mind that the highlight of the night was Cortez the Killer. Slow, powerful and menacing, the song just took hold of you – and took hold of him, as he doubled up to rip those notes out of his guitar. Doesn’t he have a great guitar style that is quite unique to him, and it’s songs like Cortez that really showcase that (Powderfinger too, but unfortunately we didn’t get that). Spirit Road was a very spirited performance, and reminded me how much I liked Chrome Dreams II (Ordinary People would be great live wouldn’t it?).
He then went to the organ (a proper one with pipes) and did a heartfelt solo version of Mother Earth, which led into the acoustic set. Highlighted by The Needle and The Damage Done, which still resonates today and which he still seems to feel deeply, but then there were some unexpected songs – Unknown Legend and One of These Days, both songs I really like from Harvest Moon, but not songs I was expecting. Similarly Words, from Harvest, which was great and led back into the electric finale.
I know I’ve forgotten a few, but he closed with Rocking in the Free World then came back to encore with The Beatles’ A Day in the Life which if you didn’t know otherwise you would have thought was his song. I’m sure Lennon would have approved. For a bit of theatre at the end he destroyed every string on his guitar in that cacophonous crescendo, before hitting two notes on a xylophone (or something like a xylophone). A nice ironic touch.
Jumping forward to Friday night, Neil played the Big Day Out in Adelaide. These are outdoor, all-day concerts for kids, with mosh pits, crowd surfing and the like. And bands I’ve never heard of and music that doesn’t really reach me (with exceptions, obviously – except that I don’t know what they are). I should stress, that’s my opinion only – but most new young music I hear doesn’t attract me to find out or listen more. Anyway, for the Big Day Out I was intending to go and listen and see if I could find some other music I liked. But then this monstrous heatwave descended on Adelaide so I decided not to – it was over 40C (that’s well over 100F). I skipped the whole day and arrived a bit after 8pm for Shakey’s set at 8.30 by which time the sun had gone down and a bit of a breeze was blowing. I got a great spot, a bit side on to be out of the mass of people, but still close to the stage.
Neil came on wearing a loose shirt and cargo shorts (!), no jacket, no hat. Again he looked great and I think they must have had enough cooling on the stage because he didn’t seem at all bothered by the heat. If anything, on the night he seemed more relaxed and into to it than Sydney (not that there was anything wrong with Sydney!). He started with Love and Only Love again, then ripped into Hey Hey My My. I wondered if the younger audience knew the significance of the song, in respect to Kurt Cobain’s suicide note – but judging from the incredible response to the whole set, I decided they all knew Neil’s work pretty well. The audience was still predominantly young, although quite a number of other “old farts” like me had turned up (probably mostly only for Neil too).
I half expected him to delete the acoustic set in this concert, thinking that “grungy Neil” might have been more appropriate for the audience, but I was wrong. And the acoustic set got huge audience response, especially Heart of Gold. As well as HoG, he also did Old Man, so that was two new acoustic songs we hadn’t heard in Sydney.
Another killer Cortez, but this night a new highlight would emerge: Like A Hurricane. Most of my friends think I’m crazy, but it is definitely worth going to more than one concert in the same tour (as everyone on these lists knows)! He unleashed his full throttle on Like A Hurricane, long, loud, spectacular.
And what an ending, reaching a massive guitar driven and drum crashing crescendo while Neil somehow wailed the chorus line above it all. A moment to remember! So with Hurricane and Hey Hey My My, there were two different electric songs to Sydney, as well as the two different acoustic ones. Another great Day In the Life to close, another 6 guitar strings destroyed.
Then Jeff Beck on Sunday night was a revelation. The reviewer in our local paper described it as guitar poetry or guitar sculpture, not mere guitar playing. And that wasn’t a bad description. I always liked Rolling Stone’s description of Clapton’s and Duane Allman’s playing on the Layla album: never have guitar heroics sounded so sweet. And Jeff Beck’s concert was in that category. Especially if you add “subtle” to “sweet”.
One thing that struck me. He used the same guitar, unchanged, all night – what’s with these other guys who change guitars after every song (is it just to keep the roadies busy?).
As probably everyone knows, the other interesting thing about him is the way he uses his fingers rather than a plectrum. And on one song he used the slide thingy on his “picking” hand rather than up the fretboard. Apologies if I’ve got the technical terminology wrong! Anyway, it sounded great – but more importantly, it sounded like music, it was right for the song, not a gimmick.
I’m not familiar enough with his body of work to list the songs – the only album I have of his is Blow by Blow, although I might now go and get some more. I was told that the set list was similar to the Ronnie Scott’s CD/DVD that has just been released which I will definitely be getting.
But one song I did recognize was The Beatles’ A Day in the Life, which I just couldn’t believe I was hearing – the very next night after Neil Young had encored with it. In Jeff Beck’s case, he closed his set with it before coming back for two encores.
This was a seriously great concert, one I was so pleased I didn’t miss. And for us Aussies it was great to see Tal Wilkenfeld, the young (22yo) female Aussie bass player, who was outstanding. Jeff Beck was quoted as saying she’s like Jaco Pastorius in Kylie Minogue’s body – great quote!
The best concert of the week, though, was Leonard Cohen. As every review I’ve read has said about this tour, from all over the world (including on MFGU) this was a privilege not a concert.
It was another weather-affected day in Adelaide, the concert being an outdoor affair, A Day on the Green at a Southern Vales winery, an hour south of Adelaide. Incidentally the promoters of A Day on the Green describe them as a Big Day Out for Grown-ups!
The first act, Augie March, started around 5pm in the real heat of the day. We just couldn’t sit out there, so had to just listen to them in the background from the shade of the cellar door. We did go out for Paul Kelly – he is unmissable – and he did a great set even though it must have been most uncomfortable. He just had Dan Kelly supporting him on lead guitar and backing vocals, no other support but it worked really well. I think Dan is his nephew.
Leonard Cohen’s first set started around 7.20 still in full sun and let me tell you, it was blazing. The sun was just going down an hour later as the first set finished, so after a short break it was quite pleasant for the second set. I wondered why they didn’t just push the whole thing back, but anyway it didn’t affect the quality of the music.
How to describe Leonard Cohen? I am not sure I have ever seen a performer so happy to be there, so impishly playful yet so masterfully intelligent, so humble yet so self confident, so respectful of his musicians yet so revered by them, and so equally respectful of his audience while having us eat out of his hands, in awe.
Excellent band – drums and bass, electric guitar, acoustic 12 string and mandolin, keyboards, sax and other “blowing” instruments, three wonderful backing singers and Leonard (who occasionally strummed a guitar or tinkled a keyboard, although seemingly unnecessarily).
This was poetry set to music, as everyone who appreciates Leonard Cohen knows. But I think compared to earlier Leonard Cohen, the music has become more integral to the songs rather than just the accompaniment to the words. A very complete and uplifting experience.
The highlights were many. In fact every song was a highlight – and there were many of them because I think he must have played for almost 3 hours.
Without trying to put them in any order, we were graced with: Suzanne, So Long Marianne, Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye, Tower of Song, Hallelujah, Bird on a Wire, I’m Your Man, Dance Me to the End of Love, and some of the more recent ones like Boogie Street, In My Secret Life and A Thousand Kisses Deep.
Having seen Van the Man doing Astral Weeks live at the Hollywood Bowl in November, and that being my all-time concert high watermark, this one came close – that’s how good Leonard Cohen was. Perhaps equal to Springsteen’s The Rising tour, which was my previous high watermark (at least I think it was – so easy to change your mind about these things!).
So that’s been my week – how about yours?
Andrew in Adelaide
I have just enjoyed the most incredible week of music so I’ll see if I can manage to share it with you…
Last weekend was the Australia Day long weekend and on Saturday night we saw Neil Young at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Ordinarily we would have stayed the whole long weekend in Sydney, as it is such a great city, but before I had booked flights and accommodation, it was announced that Leonard Cohen would be playing in Adelaide on the holiday Monday – so naturally I booked that. That meant coming home from Sydney on the Sunday, which turned out to be fortuitous because it was then announced that Jeff Beck would be playing in Adelaide on the Sunday night. Don’t things have a way of working out in the end?
And then it was announced that Neil Young would be playing the Big Day Out circuit, including Adelaide, so I saw him again on Friday night – so that was 4 amazing concerts in one amazing week. Probably only surpassed by Van Morrison’s Astral Weekend at Hollywood Bowl. Although the week I saw Dylan in Adelaide then Van twice in 2 nights in England, all in the same week back in 2007, was pretty good too!
So let’s begin with Neil Young in Sydney. He was supported by My Morning Jacket who I thought were great. I don’t know much about them, but understand they play a variety of styles – that night they played mostly softer, more acoustic, country influenced music. If anyone can recommend which of their albums I should start with, I’d be interested to hear.
Shakey played a really great concert, with a set list that was about as good as you could hope for. Of course, it would be easy to come up with another whole set list of favourites he didn’t play, but when you walk out happy with everything he did play, it’s a good concert.
It was mostly electric, a short acoustic set in the middle, but mostly electric. However, without Crazy Horse he didn’t really extend out the songs with long, loud, grungy solos. I wondered if that was just Neil, like where he’s at right now, or whether it was a conscious decision to try to balance the “two Neils” for a mixed audience. For the grunge lovers, it was certainly loud and guitary enough. But for the folkies it wasn’t too grungy. I’m happy with both Neils, and was very happy with the way he played it on the night. A case in point was Cinnamon Girl, which probably only went for 3-4 minutes, like a single rather than an album track or an extended live version.
The only other time I’ve seen Neil Young was the Greendale tour with Crazy Horse, and their second set – after Greendale – went for 90 minutes with just 6 songs. A real blast. Raw power. Great songs.
Anyway, back to Sydney where he started with Love And Only Love, so it was a powerhouse opening. A real highlight was Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, which came very early in the concert and it was obvious he was on top of his game. He looked great, no sign of any health issues. And in great voice – his voice doesn’t seem to have changed over the years, unlike others (most notably Dylan).
No doubt in my mind that the highlight of the night was Cortez the Killer. Slow, powerful and menacing, the song just took hold of you – and took hold of him, as he doubled up to rip those notes out of his guitar. Doesn’t he have a great guitar style that is quite unique to him, and it’s songs like Cortez that really showcase that (Powderfinger too, but unfortunately we didn’t get that). Spirit Road was a very spirited performance, and reminded me how much I liked Chrome Dreams II (Ordinary People would be great live wouldn’t it?).
He then went to the organ (a proper one with pipes) and did a heartfelt solo version of Mother Earth, which led into the acoustic set. Highlighted by The Needle and The Damage Done, which still resonates today and which he still seems to feel deeply, but then there were some unexpected songs – Unknown Legend and One of These Days, both songs I really like from Harvest Moon, but not songs I was expecting. Similarly Words, from Harvest, which was great and led back into the electric finale.
I know I’ve forgotten a few, but he closed with Rocking in the Free World then came back to encore with The Beatles’ A Day in the Life which if you didn’t know otherwise you would have thought was his song. I’m sure Lennon would have approved. For a bit of theatre at the end he destroyed every string on his guitar in that cacophonous crescendo, before hitting two notes on a xylophone (or something like a xylophone). A nice ironic touch.
Jumping forward to Friday night, Neil played the Big Day Out in Adelaide. These are outdoor, all-day concerts for kids, with mosh pits, crowd surfing and the like. And bands I’ve never heard of and music that doesn’t really reach me (with exceptions, obviously – except that I don’t know what they are). I should stress, that’s my opinion only – but most new young music I hear doesn’t attract me to find out or listen more. Anyway, for the Big Day Out I was intending to go and listen and see if I could find some other music I liked. But then this monstrous heatwave descended on Adelaide so I decided not to – it was over 40C (that’s well over 100F). I skipped the whole day and arrived a bit after 8pm for Shakey’s set at 8.30 by which time the sun had gone down and a bit of a breeze was blowing. I got a great spot, a bit side on to be out of the mass of people, but still close to the stage.
Neil came on wearing a loose shirt and cargo shorts (!), no jacket, no hat. Again he looked great and I think they must have had enough cooling on the stage because he didn’t seem at all bothered by the heat. If anything, on the night he seemed more relaxed and into to it than Sydney (not that there was anything wrong with Sydney!). He started with Love and Only Love again, then ripped into Hey Hey My My. I wondered if the younger audience knew the significance of the song, in respect to Kurt Cobain’s suicide note – but judging from the incredible response to the whole set, I decided they all knew Neil’s work pretty well. The audience was still predominantly young, although quite a number of other “old farts” like me had turned up (probably mostly only for Neil too).
I half expected him to delete the acoustic set in this concert, thinking that “grungy Neil” might have been more appropriate for the audience, but I was wrong. And the acoustic set got huge audience response, especially Heart of Gold. As well as HoG, he also did Old Man, so that was two new acoustic songs we hadn’t heard in Sydney.
Another killer Cortez, but this night a new highlight would emerge: Like A Hurricane. Most of my friends think I’m crazy, but it is definitely worth going to more than one concert in the same tour (as everyone on these lists knows)! He unleashed his full throttle on Like A Hurricane, long, loud, spectacular.
And what an ending, reaching a massive guitar driven and drum crashing crescendo while Neil somehow wailed the chorus line above it all. A moment to remember! So with Hurricane and Hey Hey My My, there were two different electric songs to Sydney, as well as the two different acoustic ones. Another great Day In the Life to close, another 6 guitar strings destroyed.
Then Jeff Beck on Sunday night was a revelation. The reviewer in our local paper described it as guitar poetry or guitar sculpture, not mere guitar playing. And that wasn’t a bad description. I always liked Rolling Stone’s description of Clapton’s and Duane Allman’s playing on the Layla album: never have guitar heroics sounded so sweet. And Jeff Beck’s concert was in that category. Especially if you add “subtle” to “sweet”.
One thing that struck me. He used the same guitar, unchanged, all night – what’s with these other guys who change guitars after every song (is it just to keep the roadies busy?).
As probably everyone knows, the other interesting thing about him is the way he uses his fingers rather than a plectrum. And on one song he used the slide thingy on his “picking” hand rather than up the fretboard. Apologies if I’ve got the technical terminology wrong! Anyway, it sounded great – but more importantly, it sounded like music, it was right for the song, not a gimmick.
I’m not familiar enough with his body of work to list the songs – the only album I have of his is Blow by Blow, although I might now go and get some more. I was told that the set list was similar to the Ronnie Scott’s CD/DVD that has just been released which I will definitely be getting.
But one song I did recognize was The Beatles’ A Day in the Life, which I just couldn’t believe I was hearing – the very next night after Neil Young had encored with it. In Jeff Beck’s case, he closed his set with it before coming back for two encores.
This was a seriously great concert, one I was so pleased I didn’t miss. And for us Aussies it was great to see Tal Wilkenfeld, the young (22yo) female Aussie bass player, who was outstanding. Jeff Beck was quoted as saying she’s like Jaco Pastorius in Kylie Minogue’s body – great quote!
The best concert of the week, though, was Leonard Cohen. As every review I’ve read has said about this tour, from all over the world (including on MFGU) this was a privilege not a concert.
It was another weather-affected day in Adelaide, the concert being an outdoor affair, A Day on the Green at a Southern Vales winery, an hour south of Adelaide. Incidentally the promoters of A Day on the Green describe them as a Big Day Out for Grown-ups!
The first act, Augie March, started around 5pm in the real heat of the day. We just couldn’t sit out there, so had to just listen to them in the background from the shade of the cellar door. We did go out for Paul Kelly – he is unmissable – and he did a great set even though it must have been most uncomfortable. He just had Dan Kelly supporting him on lead guitar and backing vocals, no other support but it worked really well. I think Dan is his nephew.
Leonard Cohen’s first set started around 7.20 still in full sun and let me tell you, it was blazing. The sun was just going down an hour later as the first set finished, so after a short break it was quite pleasant for the second set. I wondered why they didn’t just push the whole thing back, but anyway it didn’t affect the quality of the music.
How to describe Leonard Cohen? I am not sure I have ever seen a performer so happy to be there, so impishly playful yet so masterfully intelligent, so humble yet so self confident, so respectful of his musicians yet so revered by them, and so equally respectful of his audience while having us eat out of his hands, in awe.
Excellent band – drums and bass, electric guitar, acoustic 12 string and mandolin, keyboards, sax and other “blowing” instruments, three wonderful backing singers and Leonard (who occasionally strummed a guitar or tinkled a keyboard, although seemingly unnecessarily).
This was poetry set to music, as everyone who appreciates Leonard Cohen knows. But I think compared to earlier Leonard Cohen, the music has become more integral to the songs rather than just the accompaniment to the words. A very complete and uplifting experience.
The highlights were many. In fact every song was a highlight – and there were many of them because I think he must have played for almost 3 hours.
Without trying to put them in any order, we were graced with: Suzanne, So Long Marianne, Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye, Tower of Song, Hallelujah, Bird on a Wire, I’m Your Man, Dance Me to the End of Love, and some of the more recent ones like Boogie Street, In My Secret Life and A Thousand Kisses Deep.
Having seen Van the Man doing Astral Weeks live at the Hollywood Bowl in November, and that being my all-time concert high watermark, this one came close – that’s how good Leonard Cohen was. Perhaps equal to Springsteen’s The Rising tour, which was my previous high watermark (at least I think it was – so easy to change your mind about these things!).
So that’s been my week – how about yours?
Andrew in Adelaide
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
John Martyn RIP
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
“No doubt you have seen that the great John Martyn has sadly passed away, aged just 60.
“Criminally overlooked in his lifetime, his vast output over 40 years holds up remarkably well and defies the simplistic categorisations of "folk" or "jazz".
“This was soul music of the most tortured kind, with Martyn's heart-on-sleeve song writing and naked vocals enhanced by the genius of his guitar playing.
“Much has been made of his superb 1970s output, including phenomenal live performances both solo and with long time sparring partner Danny Thompson, but he continued to write and record strong songs through the 80s and 90s.
“Releases such as "Glorious Fool", "Cool Tide" and 2004's "On The Cobbles" are as good as anything in his entire catalogue.
“Eccentric, innovative, joyous and moving - I can only hope that now in death he will at last reach as large an audience as his talent deserved.”
“No doubt you have seen that the great John Martyn has sadly passed away, aged just 60.
“Criminally overlooked in his lifetime, his vast output over 40 years holds up remarkably well and defies the simplistic categorisations of "folk" or "jazz".
“This was soul music of the most tortured kind, with Martyn's heart-on-sleeve song writing and naked vocals enhanced by the genius of his guitar playing.
“Much has been made of his superb 1970s output, including phenomenal live performances both solo and with long time sparring partner Danny Thompson, but he continued to write and record strong songs through the 80s and 90s.
“Releases such as "Glorious Fool", "Cool Tide" and 2004's "On The Cobbles" are as good as anything in his entire catalogue.
“Eccentric, innovative, joyous and moving - I can only hope that now in death he will at last reach as large an audience as his talent deserved.”
Normal service restored
Apologies to all readers and contributors for the lack of site updates and email acknowledgments on Monday and Tuesday – I got caught up in the traffic disruption following heavy snowfalls.
Normal service has been restored!
Gerry Smith
Normal service has been restored!
Gerry Smith
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