I agree about Danny. He was a great player…gave Tom guts and fire.
On the night, Mick was good too lol.
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In the two pics I posted in white over on the right is Glen Matlock.
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Wow…that was Glenn? I didn’t know…
(Speed and beer…
)
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Emotional. Just back from two and a half hours with Steve Hackett at the Hexagon in Reading. To hear the Genesis classics played in full with proper care and precision by one of the original artists after so many years was very moving. To hear first hand the guitar playing that was a signature sound on ‘Seconds Out’ as I first discovered Genesis - amazing.
The set includes some new material, some of his immediate post Genesis material and some amazing and lesser-known tracks from The Lamb…which will rarely get played now. Diverting to Selling England by the Pound we were enjoying our Fine Fare discount and about to take the Safeway home before the band delivered Firth of Fifth and Los Endos as encores.
With such a back catalogue I can’t imagine how he selects the set list. Hackett is supported by an excellent band including Amanda Lehmann who has a stunning voice.
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Looks like the pianist is taking a nap! 
he was channeling Bill Evans.
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John Grant, Vicar Street, Dublin
Again fantastic to see artists in this smaller venue, where there is a great connection with the audience & music.
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Yeah his typical position of hanging above the piano. Actually Keith Jarrett was also sometimes playing like this when he got in his flow.
The Irish fiddler Martin Hayes at the Union Chapel in Islington last night. If he were a guitarist rather than a fiddler, he would be in the Page/Clapton/Gilmour league - seriously. A supremely talented and lovely man playing glorious music in one of my favourite venues. If you get the chance to see him then you should
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Julius Rodriguez at Ronnie Scott’s. A very young quartet, but already excellent technically, sounding fresh and new, despite Julius’s obvious love of vintage synth sounds.
With all the love for the London jazz scene for the last few years, I thought this American band was the most exciting new jazz I’d heard in London in 2024. It was in the tradition, yet sounded like nothing I’d heard before. A great evening.
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High Llamas at the Lexington in London a couple of evenings ago. I didn’t know a huge amount about them but enjoyed the gig. Sort of lo fi gentle prefab sprout thing going on with added electronic squelches. Difficult to describe really…
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Maximo Park at The Leadmill in Sheffield
Quite liked the band when they emerged around 2005 and saw them at a festival last year. They have a new album out that is really good.
Happily the band played 8 songs from the album which were well received - not always the case with new material. Paul Smith has a way with lyrics and comes across as a really nice guy.
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Donald Runnicles + CSO
Program:
BeethovenOverture to The Creatures of Prometheus
Humperdinck
Suite from Hansel and Gretel
R. Strauss
Don Quixote
A series of light tone poems done by one of my fave director Donald Runicles who is an excellent story teller.
As I expected they were all super spirited with wide dynamic contrast and groovy rhythmic pulse. Principle soloists were John Sharp ( CSO Principal Cello ) and Teng Li ( CSO Principal Viola )
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100% agree and whole heartedly second your statements.
Have enjoy Martin Hayes both solo and within The Gloaming group, which sadly can be no more. Always in Dublin, but good to see him enjoyed outside of Ireland.
Nice bloke as well, would be fantastic to have pints with him.
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Friday night, celebrating 70 years of The Troubadour, and the last gig of their current residency there:
Ese and The Vooduu People.
Just magical
A Vooduu Communion.
Can’t wait for the next one, this coming weekend just up the road from home.
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York Barbican, last night.
Any doubts I had beforehand, about Ian Astbury’s voice holding out at 62, were immediately banished as it proved to be as strong and as pitch perfect as ever.
He still scampers around like a demented pixie, and where he finds the energy is beyond me. He’s also developed a party piece involving juggling his tambourine off his feet, shoulder and anything else he can think of, which was highly entertaining.
Meanwhile, Billy Duffy remains a monster of distortion / wah wah and chorus pedals combined, and I’m glad he’s ditched the peroxide quiff of old.
The band were absolutely on their game, and received a warm enthusiastic welcome from the York crowd.
A great night out.
Edit : Here ya go!
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But was it loud enough for you?
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