Tag: gig review

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Gig Round Up of 2024: Part 1

Posted on by Jackie B

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!

Posted in disability access at music venues, gig review

Gig Review: Jethro Tull

Posted on by Jackie B

The Glasshouse, 2 May 2024

The gigs continue. This was one of several pairs of tickets I’d got for Kevin for his Birthday. Of course these are the best gifts because I ‘d get to go too, but I would always look for things that he was into, even if they were’t my thing at all, and I’d always try to keep an open mind.

The Glasshouse, is the former Sage Building, the magnificent curved structure on the South Bank of the River Tyne at Gateshead (known locally as The Slug!) . I understand that the name change is down to a change in sponsorship arrangements as a new arena is being built. It is a light airy place, with two large performance spaces and also assorted practice rooms and studios hidden away in its interior along with bars, a cafe and a brasserie, a shop. A huge range of musical activities take place there from workshops, choirs and musical groups of all kinds as well as an extensive programme of concerts, featuring classical and popular music of every genre.

As you would expect from a modern purpose build music venue, the facilities for customers with disabilities are pretty good. Once your details on their system you don’t need to provide further proof or details of your requirements again (presumably they will check at some point to comply with data protection regulations). Tickets can be booked on line or by phone – I prefer to phone them so I can ask for more detail on the accessibility of the seats available. . They can also issue a free companion ticket if needed and these are all posted out at a small extra charge (or collected before the event from the Box Office).

I was accompanied by my friend Vera for this one. I’m lucky to have lots of lovely friends – of course the more they love the music the better, so when Vera said she liked Jethro Tull she was the perfect person to go with. We went a little early so we could get an accessible car parking space and also allow extra travelling time as the Tyne Bridge is undergoing extensive renovation and the road traffic is restricted. All went well and we had time for something to eat before the performance. We had excellent seats in one of the boxes on Level One. I was able to drive straight in , transfer to a seat and then our lovely steward moved my scooter to a safe place very nearby.

I wasn’t at all sure what to expect here. I’d been listening to Jethro Tull and the only tune I recognised was Living in the Past. I also had vague recollections of an old episode of Top of the Pops, featuring a wild-eyed, wild-haired, bearded man playing a flute, while standing on one leg, pixie style, and just about managing to keep his balance. Not much to go on really.

Shortly before the band came on stage, a disembodied voice, a recording of Ian Anderson, made an announcement that cameras and mobile phones would not be permitted until the encore, and a signal would be given at that point. Reasons for this were, that mobiles are annoying to the audience, distracting to him and the band (especially when he was trying to remember the words) but also that people do not need to watch everything through the screen of their device – its so much better just watching and enjoying without. He has a point – I’m sure I’ve had a moan about this myself on the blog before now. Having said that I always take photos to post on here and occasionally (though sparingly) take an odd video, though only short clips. Anyway I totally respect what he said and as a law-abiding citizen I dutifully put my phone away until after the show.

This was the Seven Decades Tour (because Jethro Tull’s career spans seven decades obviously! This was a carefully curated setlist showcasing the range of music (folk rock, prog rock, metal , blues etc) recorded over the band’s lifetime, not necessarily the greatest hits (no sign of Living in the Past for example). I’ve also heard it said that the setlist was partly chosen to accommodate Anderson’s voice, which is not what it was.

They opened with a track from way back, off the This Was album (My Sunday Feeling) with the first of some amazing videos showing on the backdrop. This one comprised clips of a much younger Anderson performing, meanwhile on stage, the current lineup played the same song live, perfectly synchronised with the visuals. The videos gave a real sense of narrative to the songs, especially Heavy Horses and Aqualung (including some stunning portrait photographs of homeless men).

Seven decades in the business generates lots of anecdotes, so there are stories in between songs like the one about how We Used to Know inspired the Eagles’ Hotel California (as guitar player, Jack Clark demonstrated to perfection as it was played.)

Ian Anderson may be the only original member of Jethro Tull on stage tonight, but his band are all excellent musicians….

  • David Goodier – bass
  • John O’Hara – keyboards
  • Scott Hammond – drums
  • Jack Clark – guitar (and the most recent recruit)

The show was in two acts, with an interval in between. Of course those of us who are permanently wired to our mobile devices would switch on again at this point, but there was a gentle reminder before the music recommenced as the disembodied head of Ian Anderson with a pair of binoculars came up on the screen. We were being watched for unauthorised camera/phone use!

Then it was back to the music. If there’s one unique thing I’ll take away from this gig, something that will stick in my mind as being quintessentially Jethro Tull it would have to be Anderson’s flute playing. It was spectacular, sounded amazing (often played on one leg with no apparent balance issues, in his late 70s – impressive! ) I believe Anderson was self taught, choosing the instrument as it was something different – even more impressive. True, I can’t think of any popular flautists apart from James Galway and Lizzo, but Ian Anderson gets my vote!

I used to listen to a lot of folk music and I love that the Jethro Tull classics tell stories in that tradition, with a lot of social comment that is as valid now as when those songs were written, whether that relates to homelessness, (Aqualung), indifference to the death and destruction of war (Mrs Tibbets) or the mechanisation of agriculture (Heavy Horses).

All too soon the sign flashed up allowing the cameras – it was time for the encore (Locomotive Breath). Of course having been deprived of the opportunity all evening, out came the phones, even though this was an older and very appreciative audience filming their souvenir videos. After seven decades this could be `”last chance to see”, though I hope it’s not. A well deserved standing ovation followed.

Leaving the Glasshouse took a while. My scooter was retrieved quickly but unfortunately there was only one of the two lifts working and the staff were clearing the upper floors before it stopped to let those of us on Level 1 use it. It was all pretty good natured with those who could do so using the stairs to leave the lift clear for those of us who needed it most. After that we were able to leave, load up the scooter and drive off pretty quickly. I think most of the traffic had dispersed by the time I got out the lift, and of course I had Vera’s excellent company on the way home.

So thank you dear Kevin for sharing your birthday present with me. You continue to enrich my musical education and encourage me to open my mind and listen to music outside my usual sphere. It would have been so easy to give those tickets away but I’m so glad I didn’t. Your Legacy Tour continues, with more gigs to come.

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Gig Review: Hawkwind

Posted on by Jackie B

Newcastle City Hall 5 April 2024

We were back to the City Hall last night. This one was for K. Hawkwind aren’t my sort of thing at all, but he’s seen them a number of times over the years.

Unlike the last gig we went to at the venue, this one was seated. I suppose you shouldn’t rub it in, but as Hawkwind have been around since the late 60s, their audience are not exactly in the first flush of youth so it’s debatable whether many of them could comfortably stand through an entire set.

As usual the excellent stewards from ShowSec are well briefed on supporting disabled customers and as soon as I rock up on my scooter we are escorted to the level entrance at the side of the building on College Street, where my name is quickly checked off the list, bag searched and ticket scanned and we are escorted to our seats – the designated area is right at the front left of the stalls – the view is good, but it is very close to the speakers. More on that later.

I opt to transfer to my seat as the scooter is quite high and I don’t want to block the view of anyone behind. As one of the stewards checks over the radio about the best place to park my scooter, he refers to me as a “young lady” – it’s been a while. Maybe that expensive face cream I bought a while back is working better than I thought. Mind you, looking around I could see that for the most part, I’m right about the audience, which is…mature.

As when on the viewing platform for standing gigs, there is a drinks ordering service for disabled customers, operated by the lovely Alec.

Looking up at the stage I can see some weird statue-like figures painted either side of a central screen, that make it look like the set of an Indiana Jones tomb set. There are also banners with representations of some past albums (at least that’s what K told me)

It’s time for the support. I do love it when the first sound hits you straight in the chest and you can feel your sternum and diaphragm vibrating with the bass. After a short while my concerns about seats so near to the speakers had become real. My ears were actually hurting slightly. Now I remember being told many year ago , “If it’s too loud, you’re too old”. Maybe that’s true! As for the band, all except lead guitarist were…vintage.

This is not my sort of stuff at all but I do remember a cracking classic rock drum solo at the end of their set. Oddly, the band didn’t introduce themselves so I’ve still no clue who they were.

In the break, I decided to be kind to my ears – ear protector plugs are available in the box office, so I went and got some.

K went to stretch his legs. I’d reminded him to take some more paracetamol as he’s had a touch of flu and was feeling lousy earlier in the day. ” I don’t want to be seen popping pills here” he said. “Look around,” I replied. “Most of the people here are likely to be taking joint supplements, statins. or other prescription drugs. When he got back he agreed that I had a point as the queue for the toilets was longer than the queue for the bar.

Hawkwind came on to cheers from the fans and on came the lasers , all five of them- a pretty spectacular show really. They’d have looked better with more smoke but the air conditioning limits that – still looked great. And the banners and backdrop sides began to glow as the UV lights came on. Meanwhile a series of animations played on the central screen.

Hawkwind had just released a new album that day (Stories of Time and Space) so this tour was to promote that. Their set was a mixture of tracks from this and old favourites. You won’t hear them playing two of their greatest hits though. Apparently the band hated Silver Machine, and Motorhead became more associated with the band of the same name when it was formed by former Hawkwind bassist, the late Lemmy.

Hawkwind have had numerous changes of personnel throughout their long career and only Dave Brock remains, reading lyrics and poems in between songs (didn’t get that bit at all really) and doing the vocals, though not on all songs – lead guitarist Magnus Martin did a lot of that.

Interestingly they weren’t as loud as the support act, so I didn’t really need those earplugs! And I learnt a new term: space noodling. The weird spaceship sounds from the keyboards that begin some of the tracks.

The obligatory encore and we were done. I couldn’t comment really but K said Hawkwind were as good as they’ve ever been. The playing was tight and he really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the lasers. The things we do for love!

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Gig Review: Echo and the Bunnymen

Posted on by Jackie B

Newcastle City Hall 23 March 2024

It’s been a while since I wrote a review – as usual it’s from my viewpoint as a disabled fan, which is not always the experience you’d like it to be.

This was the first standing only concert I’d been to at Newcastle City Hall. There is a registration system for disabled customers – once you have sent them details of your requirements and proof of disability, you can book an accessible seat and a companion ticket, ie two tickets. If it’s a standing gig they send you one ticket – which confused me until I phoned them. The other thing to remember is that if tickets go on sale at 10 am, the box office at City Hall doesn’t open until 12 noon!

The accessible entrance is on College Street (one of the side doors) but it’s not clearly marked – knock hard and they open it for you, check your ticket and stamp your hand, then escort you to your seat – in this case the accessible platform – a good solid structure at the back of the stalls with plenty of very helpful stewards and a reserved spot with your name on. I was able to drive my little folding scooter straight into the space. There was even a member of staff to take your bar orders – all great so far!

The place was filling up fast – looked like a sellout.

Erica Nockalls was the support act. She’s a confident performer with strong, soaring vocals .

It was a bit of a revelation when she brought out the violin – turns out she’s classically trained, has played with the Wonder Stuff, the Proclaimers and more. The set was engaging, but dark….a cut above the average support act.

There’s a great atmosphere on the platform tonight. There’s space enough for three of us on wheels with our companions and seats behind for ambulant disabled. I’m aware that my scooter seat is quite high and I don’t want to block anyone’s view so I give K’s seat to the woman behind- he never sits anyway. I have a long chat about accessibility at concerts with someone else on the platform – he’s a musician, loves going to gigs and has some horror stories about the total lack of thought that has gone into some of the disabled facilities he’s come across in the past – things are getting better, but are still a long way from perfect.

They’ve certainly tried at the City Hall, but there is one flaw: the position of the platform. It’s at the back of the stalls underneath the balcony, so the chatter from the audience is magnified and is very distracting when you just want to listen to the band (I despair at why people do this almost as much as when they watch the gig through their mobiles).

The House Manager comes over to check all is well on the platform – he’s been working there for years – it turns out that several of us on the platform saw our first gig at the City Hall (mine was The Tourists, forerunner of the Eurythmics, back in the 80s). He was telling us that the venue is celebrating its centenary in a couple of years – it’s been through a lot, closed for a while and then underwent a big refurbishment some years back, which has created a flexible space with both seated and standing events possible.

In the interval I went to find the accessible toilet, which is situated in the foyer, Radar Key operated. One of the lovely stewards on the platform helped me as I appeared to have left my own Radar Key in another handbag! It’s not a bad facility, spacious enough, though could do with a mirror. As I was reversing my scooter out, someone held the door open for me – I looked up and it turned out it was Erica, the support act, who was standing there next to the merch stall – so we had a brief chat – she was lovely!

The atmosphere was building. It was time for Echo & The Bunnymen. A projection of bare trees created a sombre look to the stage as the band came on stage, the perfect backdrop to the brooding silhouette of Ian McCulloch, who remained unlit for most of the performance.

We’ve seen a lot of 80s artists over the last couple of years – some have changed a lot over time, but McCulloch’s voice sounds as good as ever (and he still has a full head of hair). There’s something menacing about those songs: the minor chords, the jangling guitar, the dark lyrics, but I love it!

They played two sets. In the interval we are really glad of the platform bar assistant as everyone in the place is replenishing their drinks. The band return to the stage and McCulloch’s control of the crowd is powerful – the smallest gesture sets everyone up to sing or clap along.

He’s a man of few words and the one time he said more than a sentence between songs, it was drowned out by the chatter (damn those platform acoustics). We already heard Bring on the Dancing Horses at the end of set one, but the rest of the hits come thick and fast now. The Cutter, Seven Seas, the hauntingly beautiful Killing Moon, and to end, Lips Like Sugar.

Echo and the Bunnymen never figured heavily in my record collection at the time but those are classics, with a dark edge to most that set them apart. Somehow that has stood the test of time.