Seem to have neglected this outpost for a while; lost out on the early part of the year's details in a mix up with Blogger details so 'bear with'
As far as my Senior memory can recall, so far this year I've seen The Straits, Within Temptation, Steve Hackett (pronounced Hackay!) and the mighty Rutles. All at various venues all with differing appreciations.
Can't honestly recall the chronological order, not that important.
The Straits were a long time wish as I knew that former colleagues of Mr Knopfler were doing the rounds and creating something of a stir. Well, for me, on the night Mark cast too much of a shadow and despite the excellent blowing and plonking from former members of Dire Straits it seems a work in progress. Nice bit of PR though with an audience member acquiring a geetar I believe at one point.
Within Temptation at the 02 Westgate Rd, been looking forward to hearing this lot ever since I first heard Faster on Planet Rock about a year or so earlier. Both myself and good friend John Peace had managed to download much of the back catalogue in the interim and turned up on the night thinking we'd enter about the time doors officially opened. Greeted by a queue that circled the building and headed back down Clayton street we wondered why the sudden interest and would we actually get in.
A bit of regular queue banter and sometime later we became part of the increasing throng at the back of the auditorium. Don't remember much of the setlist, just about recall the support act being very similar and here I think I should leave some space for a future edit. Sharon, I think she's called, has a tremendous set of pipes on her (did I just say that!) and singing her way through a collection of demanding material every night on tour...well, maybe you can guess the rest. From out of the ether came some vocal assistance that can only have been recorded. Maybe, given time it will be treat like canned laughter; just part and parcel but on the night both me & John took exception. About 2/3 into the set list we disappeared to a local hostelry closeby. Nothing wrong with the sound quality, big production values but you can't help feeling you were being taken advantage of by technology. Would I see them again, yes, I think I would, but not at 02.
Mr Hackett, the one that time tends to forget as far as Genesis is concerned. Had seen his early tour efforts at the Sage at the end of last year and he was as impeccable at the City Hall as he was there.
This is where you mention things like stand out tracks etc and without the benefit of notes I have to rely on memory and say it was all blinding! Mind you, I'm improbably biased - never really forgiven the absence of Inside and Out from the Wind & Wuthering album of 77.
Finally The Rutles upstairs at the 02 - running out of space here but just to say that Tea was taken and much amusement was had on the night. Reet good turn Mr Innes!
