Marcus Miller Ronnie Scott’s London, Friday 22 July 2022 was superb.
My third time seeing MM live, but the first time for my son and daughter who immediately found out why I had been so enthusiastic about watching him play - a true world class musician and performer.
The small club setting and excellent sound (haven’t heard anything less than perfect on my previous visits) were enhancements to a fantastic night for us all.
I heard an interview with Marcus earlier in the day where he talked about his recent 2 week residency in New York at The Blue Note where he played with different musicians and guests. Those dates helped him choose the band members for the gig, and wow were they all amazing!
Marcus Miller Bass Donald Hayes Sax Russell Gunn Trumpet Julian Pollack Keyboards Anwar Marshall Drums
I’ve seen them twice in the last couple of weeks . Once with Duncan Lyle (at Hebcelt), and once also with Michael McGoldrick (at Tiree). The Hebcelt performance was particularly good I thought.
We had the very wonderful Le Vent du Nord, from Quebec, on 12 July. I’d never seen them before and they were just great. Very talented and great fun too. They borrowed my son’s Orange bass amp for the show, as they are really too heavy to fly over.
Managed a quick visit to Buxton International Festival for a lunchtime recital a couple of days ago: countertenor and lutenist performing music by Purcell, Handel and Dowland.
The event had been rescheduled from 2020 because of you-know-what and the lutenist Thomas Dunford, in particular, made heroic efforts to get to Buxton in time, in spite of transport disruption. This involving spending the night on a bench at Frankfurt Airport to catch a 6 o’clock flight to the UK — the concert began at mid-day. In spite of being so short of sleep, his playing was quite astonishing. And the countertenor, Iestyn Davies must have one of the most beautiful voices around. An hour and a quarter of haunting music and sheer bliss.
Last weekend I saw The Curator and Arch Garrison along with a new band (Garden of live flowers) in Cheltenham, day 1 of Eppyfest. A lovely evening with some wonderful music.
George Thorogood and the Destroyers, last night at York Barbican.
Still on the road, and George’s humorous banter between songs is still rubbish, and he knows it is, but he’s been doing it since 1973, and he’s not about to stop now.
The band are as tight as ever, and don’t aim for anything other than to entertain you with some driving roadhouse rock ‘n’ roll, at which they excel.
Predictably, the audience was largely composed of, ahem, shall we say, the older music fan, (your faithful correspondent fitting firmly into that category), and there’ll be some aching hips this morning from some front row members who danced energetically throughout the entire set.
All in all, a great evening, and if George and the Boys can make both myself and my 30 something daughter happy, then they’re clearly doing something right.
Saw them at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow on Saturday. Really enjoyable concert & great value for the money. I actually quite like George’s banter. It’s pretty obvious that it’s tongue in cheek and he doesn’t take himself too seriously. I don’t see the sax player onstage in your photo. I take it he was just taking a break during that number?
I’m always surprised at how many older music fans there are at most of the concerts I attend these days. I have to constantly remind myself that most of the acts I go to see are equally old or even older, and that I too fall into that same demographic.
Yes, I wasn’t so much criticising George’s banter, as saying that it’s pretty corny, and that he knows that too, and with that wide grin he’s simply joining in with the fun.
Yes, there were toilet breaks aplenty last night, but then, at their age … … …
The audience last night fell into the same loose age bracket, with plenty of “back of the wardrobe” clothes making their first appearance in years.
One guy was wearing a Rolling Stones Roundhay Park T shirt, which he’s treasured for the last 40 years. (Didn’t fit too well, though.)
It should have been Steely Dan at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida last night (my birthday treat). But they cancelled the rest of the tour yesterday because of the dreaded lurgy.
. Once with Duncan Lyle (at Hebcelt), and once also with Michael McGoldrick (at Tiree). The Hebcelt performance was particularly good I thought.
