Have you booked yet? Better hurry up!
Booking for London O2 and Manchester Opera House opened this morning. The Manchester option on Ticketmaster didn’t let me buy, so I booked for London O2, very reluctantly – far too big, far too expensive … .
I wouldn’t have booked this venue at these prices for anyone else, not even St Bob … industrialised fun … blah … blah …, but I’ve never seen Lenny; I’ll just have to train myself to look forward to it.
Gerry Smith
Friday 14 March 2008
Bob v Neil and 30th Anniversary Concert
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
“Further to the recent discussion about Bob versus Neil, readers may be interested in following this link:
www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/dylan.htm
“And further to comments about the Dylan audience booing Sinead O'Connor, I seem to remember from John Bauldie's coverage of the event at the time that the audience was made up of record company suits, showbiz types and corporate guests - I believe it likely there were very few ‘real’ Dylan fans present ... “
“Further to the recent discussion about Bob versus Neil, readers may be interested in following this link:
www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/dylan.htm
“And further to comments about the Dylan audience booing Sinead O'Connor, I seem to remember from John Bauldie's coverage of the event at the time that the audience was made up of record company suits, showbiz types and corporate guests - I believe it likely there were very few ‘real’ Dylan fans present ... “
Wednesday 12 March 2008
Keep It Simple - more on the new Van Morrison CD
Promoting Keep It Simple, the new Van the Man album released in England next Monday (17 March), Lost Highway Records are hosting “good quality, non-pirated, preview tracks - full versions of ‘That's Entrainment’ and ‘Behind The Ritual’”:
www.losthighwayrecords.com
And, for the next few days, you can hear Morrison’s interview with bluesman Paul Jones from his Monday BBC Radio 2 show:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio2_aod.shtml?radio2/paul_jones
After an unpromising, solipsistic start – “the album addresses the propaganda about myself” (oooh, noooooooh, I groaned - not that tedious old BS again …), the interview found Morrison in jovial, generous mode.
Result? An unusually compelling listen, and an intro to what could well be Morrison’s best album since The Healing Game.
Gerry Smith
www.losthighwayrecords.com
And, for the next few days, you can hear Morrison’s interview with bluesman Paul Jones from his Monday BBC Radio 2 show:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio2_aod.shtml?radio2/paul_jones
After an unpromising, solipsistic start – “the album addresses the propaganda about myself” (oooh, noooooooh, I groaned - not that tedious old BS again …), the interview found Morrison in jovial, generous mode.
Result? An unusually compelling listen, and an intro to what could well be Morrison’s best album since The Healing Game.
Gerry Smith
Yes - Neil Young IS upstaging Dylan
Thanks to Dave Dingle:
“Neil Young upstaging Bob? You better believe it!
“Having seen Bob over 100 times (an amateur compared to some, I know), I was struck last week by Neil doing a full one hour acoustic set, the like of which we haven’t seen from Bob since the 1960s, and a storming electric set ... active, prowling the stage, playing his own lead …
“I was left with the feeling that going to see Neil was an altogether more satisfying experience than Bob in recent years, stuck behind the piano, or even doing his few guitar songs.
“Sad to say, my conclusion is that Bob will never undergo the kind of renaissance that Neil obviously has!”
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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Neil Young upstaging Dylan?
Neil Young’s current London shows, with long setlists drawn from across his catalogue, have been getting rave reviews.
According to Martin Cowan:
“Interesting to compare Neil Young's 23/24 song sets from his current tour with the 17 that Dylan serves up these days.
“I have been pondering lately on Dylan set lists (further to my last email) and concluded that if he cut short some of the instrumental "noodling", he could play a few more songs and perhaps be a little more generous with that superlative song book. Just a thought.”
Here’s a sample of Young’s ever-changing setlist, from 8 March at Hammersmith Apollo, courtesy of Bad News Beat:
01. From Hank To Hendrix
02. Ambulance Blues
03. Sad Movies
04. A Man Needs A Maid
05. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong (grand piano)
06. On The Way Home (grand piano)
07. Harvest
08. Journey Through The Past (upright piano)
09. Love In Mind (upright piano)
10. Mellow My Mind
11. Love Art Blues
12. Love Is A Rose
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
---
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Down By The River
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Too Far Gone
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. Winterlong
23. Powderfinger
24. No Hidden Path
---
25. Roll Another Number
Gerry Smith
“Neil Young upstaging Bob? You better believe it!
“Having seen Bob over 100 times (an amateur compared to some, I know), I was struck last week by Neil doing a full one hour acoustic set, the like of which we haven’t seen from Bob since the 1960s, and a storming electric set ... active, prowling the stage, playing his own lead …
“I was left with the feeling that going to see Neil was an altogether more satisfying experience than Bob in recent years, stuck behind the piano, or even doing his few guitar songs.
“Sad to say, my conclusion is that Bob will never undergo the kind of renaissance that Neil obviously has!”
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Neil Young upstaging Dylan?
Neil Young’s current London shows, with long setlists drawn from across his catalogue, have been getting rave reviews.
According to Martin Cowan:
“Interesting to compare Neil Young's 23/24 song sets from his current tour with the 17 that Dylan serves up these days.
“I have been pondering lately on Dylan set lists (further to my last email) and concluded that if he cut short some of the instrumental "noodling", he could play a few more songs and perhaps be a little more generous with that superlative song book. Just a thought.”
Here’s a sample of Young’s ever-changing setlist, from 8 March at Hammersmith Apollo, courtesy of Bad News Beat:
01. From Hank To Hendrix
02. Ambulance Blues
03. Sad Movies
04. A Man Needs A Maid
05. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong (grand piano)
06. On The Way Home (grand piano)
07. Harvest
08. Journey Through The Past (upright piano)
09. Love In Mind (upright piano)
10. Mellow My Mind
11. Love Art Blues
12. Love Is A Rose
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
---
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Down By The River
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Too Far Gone
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. Winterlong
23. Powderfinger
24. No Hidden Path
---
25. Roll Another Number
Gerry Smith
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Leonard Cohen tour dates
The Leonard Cohen tour dates, announced this morning, are disappointing if you’re English: a choice of Manchester – I’d rather visit Baghdad – and London’s cavernous O2 Arena – ditto. Looks like Montreux or Nice for me!
http://www.leonardcohenforum.com
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EARLIER, RELATED ARTICLES:
Leonard Cohen European tour 2008 (You heard it here first #2)
In mid-2007, like a voice in the wilderness, Music for Grown-Ups was confidently speculating that Leonard Cohen would tour Europe this summer, after years without live shows.
Well, blow, me: Leonard’s 2008 European tour dates are set to be announced early next week!
Watch this space …
XXXXXXXXX
Leonard Cohen live - looking a bit more likely
Earlier speculation about possible Leonard Cohen London shows (see below) looks a bit more accurate with the news that Lenny is appearing in a free pre-show “conversation” with Philip Glass at The Barbican at 6pm on Sat 20 0ctober.
The show itself is a performance of Glass’s treatment of Book Of Longing, Cohen’s new volume of poetry, set for voices and instruments (but not, note, Leonard himself).
Leonard Cohen? Free? What?
Well, there’s a snag – you need a ticket for the main gig to get in to the pre-show talk. And the main gig is, er, sold out. It was already sold out in the new Barbican programme - which arrived today. I wonder where it was first advertised?
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Leonard Cohen set to tour?
Leonard Cohen’s portrait on the cover of new issue of The Word, following loads and loads of recent UK press, makes me think that we’re about to see Leonard touring England - after such a long break.
He can’t surely be doing the press rounds in support of the slightly expanded reissues of the first three albums, or Anjani, his companion’s, new album of Leonard material. There simply has to be a bigger picture.
I’ve never seen Lenny live, but, then, who has? He hasn’t toured – anywhere - in 14 years…
If, like many grown-ups, you’re excited by the interface where pop culture (rock) meets high culture (literature), Lenny is certainly your man.
Watch this space…
Gerry Smith
http://www.leonardcohenforum.com
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
EARLIER, RELATED ARTICLES:
Leonard Cohen European tour 2008 (You heard it here first #2)
In mid-2007, like a voice in the wilderness, Music for Grown-Ups was confidently speculating that Leonard Cohen would tour Europe this summer, after years without live shows.
Well, blow, me: Leonard’s 2008 European tour dates are set to be announced early next week!
Watch this space …
XXXXXXXXX
Leonard Cohen live - looking a bit more likely
Earlier speculation about possible Leonard Cohen London shows (see below) looks a bit more accurate with the news that Lenny is appearing in a free pre-show “conversation” with Philip Glass at The Barbican at 6pm on Sat 20 0ctober.
The show itself is a performance of Glass’s treatment of Book Of Longing, Cohen’s new volume of poetry, set for voices and instruments (but not, note, Leonard himself).
Leonard Cohen? Free? What?
Well, there’s a snag – you need a ticket for the main gig to get in to the pre-show talk. And the main gig is, er, sold out. It was already sold out in the new Barbican programme - which arrived today. I wonder where it was first advertised?
XXXXXXXXX
Leonard Cohen set to tour?
Leonard Cohen’s portrait on the cover of new issue of The Word, following loads and loads of recent UK press, makes me think that we’re about to see Leonard touring England - after such a long break.
He can’t surely be doing the press rounds in support of the slightly expanded reissues of the first three albums, or Anjani, his companion’s, new album of Leonard material. There simply has to be a bigger picture.
I’ve never seen Lenny live, but, then, who has? He hasn’t toured – anywhere - in 14 years…
If, like many grown-ups, you’re excited by the interface where pop culture (rock) meets high culture (literature), Lenny is certainly your man.
Watch this space…
Gerry Smith
Neil Young upstaging Dylan?
Neil Young’s current London shows, with long setlists drawn from across his catalogue, have been getting rave reviews.
According to Martin Cowan:
“Interesting to compare Neil Young's 23/24 song sets from his current tour with the 17 that Dylan serves up these days.
“I have been pondering lately on Dylan set lists (further to my last email) and concluded that if he cut short some of the instrumental "noodling", he could play a few more songs and perhaps be a little more generous with that superlative song book. Just a thought.”
Here’s a sample of Young’s ever-changing setlist, from 8 March at Hammersmith Apollo, courtesy of Bad News Beat:
01. From Hank To Hendrix
02. Ambulance Blues
03. Sad Movies
04. A Man Needs A Maid
05. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong (grand piano)
06. On The Way Home (grand piano)
07. Harvest
08. Journey Through The Past (upright piano)
09. Love In Mind (upright piano)
10. Mellow My Mind
11. Love Art Blues
12. Love Is A Rose
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
---
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Down By The River
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Too Far Gone
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. Winterlong
23. Powderfinger
24. No Hidden Path
---
25. Roll Another Number
Gerry Smith
According to Martin Cowan:
“Interesting to compare Neil Young's 23/24 song sets from his current tour with the 17 that Dylan serves up these days.
“I have been pondering lately on Dylan set lists (further to my last email) and concluded that if he cut short some of the instrumental "noodling", he could play a few more songs and perhaps be a little more generous with that superlative song book. Just a thought.”
Here’s a sample of Young’s ever-changing setlist, from 8 March at Hammersmith Apollo, courtesy of Bad News Beat:
01. From Hank To Hendrix
02. Ambulance Blues
03. Sad Movies
04. A Man Needs A Maid
05. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong (grand piano)
06. On The Way Home (grand piano)
07. Harvest
08. Journey Through The Past (upright piano)
09. Love In Mind (upright piano)
10. Mellow My Mind
11. Love Art Blues
12. Love Is A Rose
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
---
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Down By The River
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Too Far Gone
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. Winterlong
23. Powderfinger
24. No Hidden Path
---
25. Roll Another Number
Gerry Smith
Monday 10 March 2008
Van Morrison on radio promoting Keep It Simple, the new album
In advance of next Monday’s (17 March) UK release of the new Van Morrison album, Keep It Simple, Van The Man is busy in promo mode.
You can catch him tonight on BBC Radio 2 at 1900-2000 on the Paul Jones blues show, with, we are told, five live songs and an interview.
Then, on Saturday (15 March), Radio 2’s Music Club (2000-2100) has a concert presenting the new album, recently recorded in London - Van Morrison Live & Exclusive.
Here’s hoping Morrison has re-ignited the spark which made him one of the top poprock writer/performers for grown-ups for almost 40 years from the early 1960s.
Gerry Smith
You can catch him tonight on BBC Radio 2 at 1900-2000 on the Paul Jones blues show, with, we are told, five live songs and an interview.
Then, on Saturday (15 March), Radio 2’s Music Club (2000-2100) has a concert presenting the new album, recently recorded in London - Van Morrison Live & Exclusive.
Here’s hoping Morrison has re-ignited the spark which made him one of the top poprock writer/performers for grown-ups for almost 40 years from the early 1960s.
Gerry Smith
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