I find myself terribly behind with blogging and haven’t posted since last November. I thought it was time to collect my notes and photos together and and write up the rest of last year’s gigs. To recap, K and I went to see Echo and the Bunnymen and Hawkwind before K’s untimely death in April, then the Interzone Event and Jethro Tull after that. Some I wrote up but never got round to publishing, but I always took photos. This is a LONG post!
The Feeling: The Venue, Newcastle University Students Union, 10th May 2024
I love the Feeling. Beautifully crafted pop songs. Daughter likes them too., and my brother, who got to know them way back when they were the resident band in his favourite French ski resort bar.
Some months ago the venue for this gig changed, moving from NX (formerly the Academy) to The Venue at Newcastle University Students Union. I have been there before, for a very different sort of event. Kevin was a proud graduate of Newcastle University and got involved in lots of extracurricular student activities, including selling the student newspaper: The Courier. We attended a dinner celebrating 75 years of The Courier. Guest speakers included former courier reporters now successful journalists on national papers. It was a lovely event and held in the same Venue. Situated in a student union basement with a low ceiling it does have more of a club feeling that most concert venues (though more spacious than say The Limit in Sheffield, which was one of my favourite student hangouts back in the day)
When I booked my ticket, plus guest list place for companion and accessible viewing space for this it was for NX but the venue for this changed to The Venue (confusingly simple name for the multi-event space at Newcastle University’s Students Union- fortunately I checked because though the ticket was still valid – my access requirements had not been transferred. After a couple of attempts I was able to contact someone at The Venue who confirmed this, and sorted out what I needed once I had sent proof of disability/access number.
We were given directions to go down the ramp at the side of the Students Union to Luthers Bar (named after Martin Luther King, who famously visited the University in 1967 and received an honorary doctorate) . It’s actually run by pub chain Wetherspoons. You need to go down the ramp to the level below the main entrance as Luthers is actually over two levels. Once you work out that you should not be on the terrace at the back of the building and get down to Level -1 it’s a little bit more straightforward as there were event staff who knew what to do, unlike the bar staff. I showed the ticket and gave my name to staff on the door and daughter and I were given wristbands and directions to the area reserved for disabled customers aside of stage, There was a barrier and a steward to restrict access to wristband holders. I have to admit that this had quite a cool VIP access feel to it and the view was ok – obviously the band are going to perform towards front stage , not side, but if you can get past that it was fine. And unrestricted views of some of the technical aspects of the gig, more of which later.
I don’t know why I haven’t heard of Callum Beattie, tonight’s support. His “Boris Song” went viral during/after the COVID epidemic – a scathing comic song about the then UK PM. He’s a Scottish singer songwriter (from Musselburgh, near Edinburgh) and he’s really active on social media.
The songs are great – can’t say I’ve had an ear worm from a support act original song before EVER! What’s not to like? He was even in the bar after the gig meeting fans – I had to go and find out when he’d be playing in Newcastle again. Mission accomplished. – appearing at the Cluny in November 24.
Callum played a great set… he’s even done a charity recording. Great songs. When he said that he didn’t have the physique to take off his t-shirt and throw it into the crowd, I thought Peter Hook should take note – read the review I wrote for that one and you’ll see what I mean.
As we get back to our little private viewing area (I think my brother, who is with his wife and some friends, is a tiny bit jealous) the excitement in the crowd is palpable. There are some real fans at the front of the stage. Then the band come right past us as they go on stage.
This was a greatest hits tour and the set list a real crowd pleaser. All the hits, some of the new album, a cover version (Video Killed the Radio Star – I defy you to NOT sing along to that) . It was all there, AND the side project. Front man Dan Gillespie wrote the musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, a hit in the West End and now a movie – who can forget the scene when Jamie’s mother (played by the excellent Sarah Lancashire) sings an ode to her son, My Boy – I cried. It’s just beautiful. So we got the title song from the show too.
I said earlier that the band perform to the front – true, apart from the slow ballad Rosé. The piano was wheeled on sideways – Dan was facing us for that one.
This lot are great musicians – and they sing – the Feeling harmonies are just gorgeous.
In our little side stage enclave we had a perfect view of the fifth band member – the very hard working guitar tech. He had his work cut out for him I counted an obscene number of guitars on the rack and the same number of cases lined up next to the stage – this unsung hero looks like he loves his work, he was moving and singing along all the time.
In summary, a great singalong gig from some fantastic musicians and The Venue (once the access requirement details were supplied) looked after me reasonably well too.
Our journey home involved a detour to find a spot away from light pollution. As The Feeling played, one of the best ever Aurora Borealis displays ever seen in our part of the UK was lighting up the skies. It seemed that everyone else was doing the same – every lay-by , every farm gateway was occupied by vehicles, but eventually we joined another car in a field entrance. and as our eyes accustomed to the dark, faintly glowing bands of green, pink and purple appeared. These looked even more spectacular through the nighttime settings of a phone. What a night
Elbow: Glasgow Hydro, 11 May 2024
This was one that K and I had really been looking forward to. Elbow are so good live. I changed our hotel room booking from a double to a twin and my friend Val joined me. After a leisurely drive to Glasgow via Falkirk, where we stopped for coffee and cake at a delightful Italian coffee shop. we reached the hotel, one of many in that part of Glasgow surrounding the Hydro and Conference Centre.
Access was totally trouble free at this gig. Ticketing for the accessible area, including a companion ticket was all automatically done through the Ticketmaster app – I’m registered with them. This involved sending a copy of my proof of disability. Registration lasts 3 years and is free of charge. The Hydro is a short walk (or in my case scoot) over a footbridge across the river Clyde from our Premier Inn.. Large signs directed us to the entrance for accessible seating area. As you would expect at a large arena that regularly presents massive shows, the whole event was well staffed by professional event stewards who kept everything running smoothly, from bag security checks on arrival to being directed to our seats. We even got some great Thai fast food at one of the concourse concessions – all the restaurants round and about were rammed.
Our places on the viewing platform were great – central with great unimpeded views and next to the mixing desks – K would have loved that – he was always interested in the technical aspects of staging a gig.
This was the first gig of the tour, though that had not been the original plan. The tour was supposed to open at the new Co-op Arena in Manchester, with Elbow to be the first act to appear there , on their own turf. However, technical problems with the building delayed open so Glasgow saw them first!
The support were…forgettable, but Elbow where as good as ever. The indomitable Guy Garvey is one of the best front men in the business and his gravelly heartfelt vocals deliver poetic lyrics like no other, all backed up by great musicians – friends from schooldays, there’s a real bond there.
He belted out songs old and new, including my favourites, Mirrorball (for which a giant mirrorball descended from the ceiling) and Magnificent.
As you’d expect, the light show was great as befits a stadium-sized gig .
Naturally they ended the encore with One Day Like this. Fabulous!
As the happy fans filtered out of the building and dispersed to the surrounding hotels and bars. As we made our way past the Conference Centre, V photographed the coloured building lights and posted the pics on our friends’ Whatsapp Group, captioned “We hit lucky and caught the northern lights on the way to the gig!”
This part of Glasgow certainly looks wonderful at night.
Back at the hotel we had lots of wine before we finally got some sleep, consequently missing our complimentary breakfast! At least we found somewhere that sold bacon sandwiches on the way home!
Human League, Heaven 17, Peter Hook and the Light, Altered Images: Herrington Park, 12 July 2024
I have A LOT to say about access arrangements for this one. First of all getting a ticket with platform access, forward parking and a companion ticket involved several unanswered emails, downloading a ticketsales app that I’d never heard of before and forking out an additional £15 for a Nimbus Access Card which at the time didn’t operate for any other venue or event type Id ever go to.
There are several similar schemes – in principle they are a good idea – send your proof of disability and access needs once, with payment, and you get a photo id card bearing symbols representing each of your access needs. This would be great if there was one universal scheme, but there are several, with variable costs to join and many venues operate their own.
All this went right down to the wire and I had to collect my tickets at the gate. I was attending with my friend K, who shares my love of 80’s pop. The disabled parking seemed a bit haphazard, but I drove as close to the gate as I could and got the all terrain scooter out – this was an open air gig on a rather rutted field with a central stage and food and drink concessions around the edge. We joined the queue only to find that everything was delayed so we had to wait half an hour or so before things began to move – not great as we were expecting to go straight through – I was fine sat on my scooter but I was concerned for K who was recovering from some very serious health issues.
Finally we were funnelled though various gates and queues with tiny signage, totally unreadable at a distance, ended up in the wrong place and were escorted by a steward to the appropriate place to pick up tickets. I was handed a large envelope which also contained a forward parking pass. A bit late for that!
Finally we got in and found our places on the accessible viewing platform and the field filled up. The people watching at such things is always great – the thing we noticed was how groups of people had acquired matching cowboy hats to keep together and see each other at a glance.
Altered Images came on, with lead singer Clare Grogan in a pink satin ballgown looking great as ever – she must be about my age but looks much better preserved – whatever she’s on I want some! …and she’s such an engaging performer, warm and funny, with the talent to shrink a big venue into something more intimate.
Her vocals are as good as ever and the setlist hasn’t changed much in recent years apart from adding some recent album tracks: all those hits from their heyday are there, Happy Birthday, Dead Pop Stars, I could be Happy and the sublime Don’t Talk to Me About Love. I’ve heard it before but was glad they still included a brilliant cover of the Ting Tings’ That’s not my name. That’s my favourite kind of support act!
Our next act was Peter Hook and the Light. I’m glad to say that he was in much better form than he was in Newcastle earlier this year at the InterZone Event (though not quite as good as a show at BoilerShop a while back). There were all the old New Order songs we know and love.
Next on: Heaven 17. I was curious about them appearing together with Human League. Historically Human League was part of the 80’s Sheffield electro-pop movement . Martin Ware and Ian Craig Marsh recruited vocalist Phil Oakey – those early hits included Being Boiled and Empire State Human (I am instantly transported to the disco dance floor at Sheffield Student’s Union, c1981). There was a falling out, Ware and Craig Marsh left to form Heaven 17 with Glenn Gregory as lead vocals. Oakey’s Human League went on adding vocals from teenagers Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Tully, spotted by Oakey in a local nightclub. The iconic Dare album was a huge commercial success (when I think of my 80’s music collection I think of that one). Every wannabe popstar loves that story about those two young women getting permission to be out of school for the band’s tv performance on Top of The Pops!
Back to H17. I just love their songs. (We Don’t Need That) Fascist Groove Thing has lyrics as applicable today as they were then, not to mention being a cracking dance track, as are Penthouse and Pavement, Temptation and the rest (…and I’m back on that dance floor in Sheffield again!) .
Glenn Gregory is an excellent front man, funny, charismatic with a great voice – he’s wearing well (sorry to harp on about the age thing but there’s nothing sadder than trying to recapture the gigging experiences of your youth and finding that the artistes are so bad that they really should retire!)
Martin Ware is looking rather older, prompting some “Son” and “Dad” banter between songs. When K went to the bar she overheard a priceless comment from a punter” Isn’t it lovely that he performs with his Dad” . We had a good laugh about that one.
Then on to Human League.
Oakey comes over a bit of a diva – it’s the frequent costume changes…but the songs still sound great and we all know all the words.
And they did Being Boiled, which I’ve previously seen performed by H17. It all seemed very amicable after that schism back in 1980.
I just wish they didn’t do Electric Dreams as their encore. They had so many better songs.
A good day, once we got in!
Stitches by the Sea 