King Princess at New Century Hall in Manchester last night supported by Susannah Joffe. Not sold out but kind of not surprising given that the new album is minus Mark Ronson, on a new label and a mix of stuff which sounds poor or unfinished and songs which are okay but not really adding anything to her first two great albums.
Gig prefaced rather oddly by what appeared to be the entire canon of The White Stripes for no obvious reason.
Support act was very reminiscent of Chappell Roan and a lot better than her album suggested. Spent the gap between her and KP trying to remember who she reminded me of. Got there in the end. Angel Olsen in her Burn Your Fire For No Witness period.
KP suffered further through having a much reduced band and some obvious backing tapes. The new stuff was well received but not exactly setting the gig on fire. However, one of those lovely things which happens at gigs occasionally. The last bit of the set absolutely took off with a couple getting engaged and having their fave song played. That was followed by her getting the whole audience (apart from us in the accessible seating) to get down on their haunches ready to leap up for Hit The Back. One of those songs where you forget how great it is until it starts, The last sequence of seven songs was excellent.
I personally wouldn’t have gone to see her a second time (I very rarely watch any act twice) but the offspring missed her last time around through illness so it was lovely for the two of us to go together and that last sequence of songs made it worthwhile.
I took umbrage at both buying the offspring cans at £6.50 but then being asked to tip as well. I don’t think so. Also took mock umbrage at the two girls given early entry with us for access reasons. Having established that the offspring and I were related one of them asked “So which one of you is the King Princess fan?” Both of us you cheeky children.
Pavel Kolesnikov at the Wigmore Hall in London last night. Utterly, utterly sublime. I have not seen him live before but he is something really special. A programme of mainly Chopin ending with his 3rd Piano Sonata. The lyricism, warmth and soul that he brought to his playing was just superb. If there were a thread for Best Recital of 2025 this would easily be my first choice
A memorable concert yesterday. Herbert Blomstedt conducting at 98 years the Bamberger Symphoniker. Program Beethoven Symphony Nr. 4 and Sibelius Symphony Nr. 5….
Nottingham’s very own Divorce at Rock City in Nottingham tonight. Last night of their tour so a homecoming gig. One of those performances where the band were clearly quite emotional at the reaction they were getting, having worked so hard to reach that level.
Unknown fiddle player and conductor for me. Canadian fiddler James Ehnes was a star of Britten Violin Concerto. I have a few readings of this including Janine Jansen/Parvo and the latest Isabela Faust/Hrusa sets. Ehnes is perhaps not as delicate as Jansen but what a presence and sheer power rivaling Heifetz! No lazy or missed notes. This is a very difficult piece with soft and loud passages being played in machine gun like speed. He missed nothing. Just about the only thing I missed was the coda of the final movement where it always reminded me of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde’s “The Farewell” as the melody repeats but become softer and softer till it becomes a total silence. I felt that it could have been more piano. The orchestra supported him skillfully. In union. Not missing a beat. Clearly Noseda had a good handle on the band. The last time he conducted in Chicago was over 10 years ago.
Anyways, I highly recommend to listen to this Concerto live. I have discovered so much more going on this piece tectures and colours I have never heard from any recordings I own.
I did not enjoy Prokofiev 4th symphony as much as the Britten VC. Perhaps because I have never heard of this later version (1947) but I thought there must be some resemblance to the original version OP.47 which I was more familiar with. This later version OP.112 sounded nothing like the 1930 version. It felt like a typical brutal dystopian Stalin communism brutality and the way it was played also was garish and uncouth. It ended with a big bang so the audience loved it but I was glad it was over.
The program started with Debussy’s Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun but I nodded off during the performance. Probably because the tempo was too slowish and lullaby like.
One more thing I forgot to mentioned is that for encore he played very difficult Ysaÿe’s Sonata No.3 after equally tasking Britten’s Violin Concerto! Wow.
It has been a busy few weeks here having seen very little this year.
Orchestra Baobab at the Barbican a few weeks ago. I saw them many years ago with the original band that Nick Gold brought across after the release of their Pirates Choice. That was sublime. This was much fun and they did well to get the audience on their feet who did stay there for much of the gig. I saw them a little while ago at Coco in Camden Town. That was a joyous party primarily as there were no seats…………..and clearly a different audience!
Kate Rusby ten days ago at the Royal Festival Hall for her Christmas show. Fun as always although I always yearn for the Christmas songs deep in her catalogue rather than so many of the crowd pleasers but that is just me being a bit ‘humbug’!
And then the mighty Saving Grace with Robert Plant, last week again at the RFH. A thing of wonder and joy. Ramble On was very special.
Yesterday Symphony Hall Birmingham, Thomas Trotter organ with Hereford Cathedral Choir. Carols and Christmas music. Pic before the start, no photos allowed due to youngsters in the Choir.
Martin McAloon last night at the Jazz Cafe in London. Performing the songs of Steve McQueen solo on guitar, plus other prefab sprout hits and oddities. Started off with a turbo charged breakneck Faron Young in which both his singing and guitar seemed both out of tune and disjointed. But things settled down after a while and there were some sublime moments and memories. Highlights for me were Cruel from the first album, and Moving the River from Steve McQueen. It’s strange how songs that meant so much to me in my early 20’s can prompt something in the memory bank and throw me back to a time people and places. Good evening and glad I went. Quite impressive how many younger people were in the audience, singing EVERY word to each song. The music still resonates.
The conductor was also new to me - he replaced the sick Phillipe Jordan. His Mahler 5 was great. While always the question to what extent it’s the orchestra or the conductor leaning in. The young violin player has already gained some following. I found her playing at the beginning a bit mechanical, while that seemed to be nerves, as further into the piece her playing was excellent.
