What was the last concert / gig you attended?

Now that’s a beautiful venue!

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They both are! The Concertgebouw is the best sounding hall I’ve ever been in. The English horn solo in ‘From the New World’ just sang out above the orchestra . . . amazing acoustics there!

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Hey I was there too! :grinning:

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Yeah I know must have missed it given the spell check……, but thanks for spotting it….

No kidding! I had a great time . . . chatted with some lovely Dutch people having free tea with me in the canteen prior to the performance starting. And the entire performance was stunning IMHO.

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Soon…:innocent:

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Looking forward to a report, Bjorn.

Where are they playing, Boras?

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The first band that I saw live. At Barnet college 1970 I think. The Groundhogs were playing at the Salisbury Hotel across the road.

Memories :relieved:

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They played in Gothenburg as you can see on the T-shirt in front of me, great concert :+1::grin:

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Beautiful new release of a less played set of pieces of R. Strauss.

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Tetzlaff plays Sibelius

Programs

Lotta Wennäkoski: Hava
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Op. 47
Tchaikovsky: Symphony 5

Performers

Conductor: Dima Slobodeniouk + London Philharmonic Orchestra

Violin: Christian Tetzlaf

I have seen this conductor ( Dima Slobodeniouk ) back in November in Chicago conducting Rachmaninoff Sym1 and Peer Gynt but they did not make a strong impression on me. As for the LPO I also had no expectation as I knew they were British and were established back in the 30s by Thomas Beecham. So maybe I was expecting some polite laidback bunch of stiffs but how I was wrong!

The program opened with Wennakoski’s Hava which is a very percussive and fast moving piece. Slobodeniouk had a good handle on the band and the best of all the players were very animated yet right on time. Particularly I loved their richly hued string sections! Excellent first violin, viola and cello noted. Overall this band had a very warm tonal balance and no instruments sounded peaky or thin. Even a flute in a high register sounded inviting. Horn section also was excellent and I thought that overall balance was just right. Also the band play an encore. Topped it off with Sibelius’ Valse Triste which is my fave.

Tchaikovsky’s 5 had the speed and grip of Mravinsky/Lenningraad. If you were expecting romantic Tchaikovsky this is not it. I absolutley was glued to the seat all the way to the end.
Slobodeeniouk certainly made a strong impression on me.

Tetzlaff’s Sibelius offered a bold, dynamic and earthy performance. Just as this concerto should be. I have heard this piece played by Hilary Hahn and equally enjoyable. The difference perhaps was maybe Tetzlaf’s playing is more percussive. I was just a few feet away from him so was able to hear even a softest nuanced playing.





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John Martyn Project
Tung Auditorium, Liverpool

A fascinating night out to a venue new to us.
6 relatively young musicians who come together to celebrate the work of John Martyn.
Some sublime musicianship on display as they gave his back catalogue the live treatment that’s otherwise impossible to experience.
Currently on a nationwide tour and if they’re on near you I can’t recommend it enough.

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Transatlantic Sessions at the Birmingham Symphony Hall last night. I’ve been to several of these that have been taking place for a week or so every February for the last 30 years. Always a great mix of music, old and new, from Ireland, Scotland and USA, performed by a group of highly talented musicians. The core group, who perform every year, include Aly Bain, Jerry Douglas, Michael McGoldrick and John McCusker. They are joined by various ‘guest’ artists, this year including Loudon Wainwright III and Julie Fowlis. Another that I hadn’t heard of was a young Irish singer-songwriter, Niall McCabe, who has a great voice and whose music I plan to seek out for further listening!

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Trivium and Bullet for my Valentine at the o2 Arena last weekend.


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The John Martyn Project at The North Wall in Oxford last night. Seen them twice before, third time’s the charm. They have developed into one of the finest live bands I’ve seen, taking John’s music and making it their own, pushing it forward into psychedelic splendour. Gobsmackingly good gig. Their tour schedule attached below, go if you possibly can.


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Mike Westbrook’s ‘Band of Bands’ at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis this afternoon.

Lovely concert in a nice, historic venue.

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Brandon Allen Quintet - Shrewsbury. Jazz at The Hive.

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I went to see Nick Lowe and Los Straightjackets at Komedia Bath. It’s a small venue (former cinema) and I’d guess there were maybe 5-600 people there.

A good set, lasting about an hour and a half. Los Straightjackets are visually striking (Mexican wrestling masks) but very good and suited Nick Lowe’s material. He did the hits (Cruel to be kind and an excellent version of What’s so funny ‘bout peace love and understanding’) some older stuff (Brisley Schwarz, Rockpile) a few covers but mostly his stuff from this century. Setlist.fm has the set list which looks right to me (but not my work)

I left before the second encore (which apparently was Nick Lowe covering Alison) a minor regret.

A good concert, I’d have liked to have heard him do the encore (and The Beast in Me). I’d certainly go and see him again. Apparently he last played in Bath in 1973 so maybe next will be something like 2079?

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Reading through this thread I’m a borderline hermit.
Cheeky trip to the Barbican last night. London Symphonic Orchestra playing Vaughan Williams.
Half orchestra / half choir

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