Looks like you were a fair bit closer to the stage than we were Dave (2nd row balcony seats). But then there aren’t too many bad seats in the Festival Hall.
I didn’t know an acoustic guitar could make sounds like that, and Tommy’s obvious passion for the music was infectious. I’ve never heard anything like it before.
Yep, lucky enough to get 3rd row, dead centre. My gig buddy is fanatical about seat location (face-to-face with Steve Gadd at Ronnie Scott’s, mandolin roadie for Chris Thile, Ry Cooder’s guitar tech) …
But what a superb guitarist and engaging raconteur Tommy Emmanuel is. How he managed to remain completely unphased when his string broke was amazing.
With the amount of punishment Tommy handed out to his guitars, it was a bigger surprise that he didn’t break a lot more! I’ve never seen anyone hit the strings the way he does.
I thought the same, he must use really heavy gauge strings because I was expecting that 3rd guitar to feature pretty early on 
Pat Metheny at the Majestic Theater in Dallas last Saturday. Trio show with no bassist (keyboardist playing the bass parts). I would’ve preferred a bassist. Pat was as convincing as ever. Overall, a good show, but deceptively loud!
It’s good to get back to live music, last night was the Ravi Shankar centenary celebration at the Royal Festival Hall, Anoushka Shankar leading a cast of thousands, well, 15 other musicians, plus guests Dhani Harrison, Nitin Sawhney and John McLaughlin. I’ve never seen so many sitars in one place! Sadly we arrived 30 mins late due to "engineering works’ by network Rail and a replacement bus service for part of the journey. Superb sound, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, perhaps a couple of Indian musicians with guests arriving from time to time, but the stage was filled with the “orchestra” with added guests, truly uplifting and at the finale all the musicians stood at the front of the stage and Indian dancers appeared in the auditorium and slowly danced their way up the steps among the audience while paper flower petals descended from the ceiling, I saw Dhani Harrison pick one up , look at it and slip it into his back pocket!
Magic!
Thursday was Ron Sexsmith at Cadogan Hall with an acoustic set just him on either piano or guitar, just as I like him, a band can stomp all over him I’ve found, He was beautifully suited to the excellent acoustics of the hall. Bit of a late night as we had to walk from Victoria to Sloane Square due to the tube strike…do you detect a theme here?
Chris
Tangerine Dream last night. Two and a half hours of wonderful sounds and lights. First gig of the year for me, many more planned
Me too with my son at Birmingham Town Hall. Really enjoyed it too, particularly the last 30 minute improvised piece which I found quite mesmerising. My son (23) was a stand in and didn’t know the band before and really enjoyed it too.
This was the second time I’ve seen them, the first being in 1986. Different lineup now, but similar result. Loved it
Bill Laurance @ The Fire Station, Sunderland last week. No signs of covid rust on this trio, they were absolutely smokin’!
Status Quo, Hull, 2nd March, really excellent. Supported by a band called the Laurence Jones band who are just superb
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