I realise with lock down everywhere there aren’t much happening atm, ( so far two gigs cancelled on me due to the COVID ) but I am starting this thread hoping the things will improve soon.
Saw Genesis at Madison Square Garden just days before the omicron variant really blanketed the city. Who knows, that may have been ground zero.
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27th August 2021 - Ese and The Vooduu People
19th January 2022 - Ese and The Vooduu People
Things are looking up!
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I was really hoping to hear Stéphane Denève conduct Prokofiev’s’ Romeo and Juliet at the St. Louis Symphony this month. Covid sucks. Now I’ll miss it. 
Durand Jones at the Concorde 2 in Brighton October 25th, 2019.
I missed Paul Weller at an open air concert in Valencia August 2020 and Herbie Hancock/ Alfa Mist in Madrid, July 2021.
Primal Scream at the O2 Academy in Leeds, December 2019.
Have had a few gigs cancelled since due to Covid - Gun, Richard Hawley & KT Tunstall.
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Messiah at Waterperry Opera 17 December 2021
Next event is on 21 January in Oxford at a launch of a new Albion Records CD of music by RVW, Maconchy and Finzi (restrictions permitting).
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London Grammar at Alexandra Palace on the 13th Nov. First time at that venue. Very enjoyable.
The first concert for 2022 is CSO/Muti performing Vivaldi and Handel.
Program
Vivaldi
Concerto for Four Violins in B Minor, RV 580
Flute Concerto in G Minor (La Notte), RV 439
Concerto in C Major (Per la solennità di San Lorenzo), RV 556
Handel
Water Music, Suite No. 1
Smaller scaled and intimate than usual but the band produced warm and rich tonal colours. It’s not the HIP school of playing so no sharp corners. What I enjoyed the most was the Flute Concerto La Notte. CSO Principal flute player Stefan Ragnner Hoskudlsson played with an excellent control and precision impressive sustain of low notes in Largo created an eerie mysterious mood. The other two concertos were upbeat and nice to listen to but after a while they all started to sound like Four Seasons. 
Muti stretched Suit No.1 by playing repeats lasting over 30 min. I Wish he did the entire Suites as the music started to sound a bit monotonous towards the end.
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My first concert this year was on Thursday night. We went to the Royal College of Music for a concert of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 8, and Ruth Gipps’ Symphony No.4, conducted by Martyn Brabbins. This is VW’s 150th anniversary year and, as both an alumnus and erstwhile professor, the RCM are running a series of concerts featuring VW’s music.
New to me was the piece by Ruth Gipps, an oboist and pupil of Vaughan Williams who went on to become a composer, conductor and teacher. I must seek out more of her music.
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Always fun to discover new music, isn’t it?
I still need to get into Willam’s catalogue. For some reasons his music has not been played much in Chicago which their program is always skewed towards German composers.
A local charity (which focuses on improving life for people with dementia and related issues) held a fundraising folk night last night, 3 excellent local folk acts, Ghost School, The Bromleys and Alice Jones. It’s great to hear live music, and they’re all really good, wonderful fun night.
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Just got back from the Orchestra Hall.
Alsop/CSO + Lukáš Vondráček
Program
Barber: Symphony No. 1
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Vondráček was note perfect tho at times perhaps too mechanical ( not much use of pedals ) and too obvious rubato calling too much attention to himself. In the beginning Alsop made sure the band was together as he kept shifting the tempo in odd places.
Alsop was excellent for both Barber and Elgar programs with and excellent showman ship. ( chaneling Lenny ? ) This was the first time I listen to the Enigma Variations and whilst I appreciated the scale and weight perhaps I missesd some intimacy and charming short tunes such as Dorabella and G.R.S. (supposed to be a little bulldog swimming but Dan was supersized with a full orchestra! )
The house was packed to night and not a single cough during the concert!
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GoGo Penguins
Over on the other thread…
Beethoven Symphony 9: Muti/CSO
Sold out concert. Poignant given the current geopolitical climate. Muti made a short speech before the performance. Some patron sneaked in a video recording of it and posted on Youtube.
The performance was tense and I felt an added intensity. Tempi were fast for the fist two movements but then Adagio was slower than normal. The weak point was that the Mezzo did not have enough projection so her voice was mostly drawn into the massive chorus. The tenor, Issachah Savage, OTOH, was terrific. What a reach, power and clarity! He made a debut pinch hitting for someone else. I missed the fearless speed of Furtwangler in Coda. Packed house and after the last note the entire audience roared. The longest standing ovation I experienced at the Orchestra Hall.
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Trifonov Rectial
**Program**Szymanowski
Sonata No. 3, Op. 36
Debussy
Pour le piano
Prokofiev
Sarcasms, Op. 17
Brahms
Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5
Oddly the hall was not filled unusual for Trifonov program as he usually packs the house.
Interesting collection of the program and I enjoyed the first half. Szymanowski was vivid and brightly lit, he did a good job creating magical and mysterious atmosphere. This is a beutiful sonata remind me a bit of Prokofiev. Not as cool as Richter set nonetheless I enjoyed it.
Contrasting Debussy it was muted and blurry like impressionist painting a la Arrau. Proofiev’s short piece Sarcasm was very similar to his album ‘silver age’. I was hoping he’s put a bit more sense of humour but as the album release, it was played out straight. Laser sharp note articulation and not one misplaying but somewhat monotonous.
The biggest disapointment was Brahms’s No.3. All technical and no emotion. He puts in his own decorations and elaborations but they sounded rather trite and not necessary. I guess I am more old school. My imprint of this piece is by Curzon where his slow movement digs out so much more emotions and underlying yearning. Unfortunately Trifonov’s set failed to engage.
And oddly no encore.
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Blomstedt/CSO + Martin Helmchen
**Program**Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 17
Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)
J.S. Bach arr. M. Reger
“Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ,” BWV 639 [Mar 12. Encore]
Finally got to hear Blomstedt conduct a Bruckner program! 94-year-old maestro donning a blue and yellow ribbon on the lapel showing solidarity still has it! Up in the podium without any chair or a score, the symphony was well organised with excellent tension and dynamic expressions throughout.
Bruckner must be heard live. It is so tremendous and powerful to experience of Bruckner symphony in full colour. CSO brass rose to the occasion with that bronzy amber hues yet adding necessary bite. My friend, OTOH, this was his first Bruckner outing and he was not too happy. Claiming Bruckner has nothing to say and it was a complete waste of his time. Well, that’s what most people thought, including Bruckner’s critics back then. One needs patience when you listen to Bruckner.
Mozart PC17 was lovely. Tho it lacked a bit of bouncy sparkle, sensitively played by Helmchen.
Just one encore. Bach’s Prelude, dedicated to suffering people in Ukraine.
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