Springsteen Live in Philly!

Some Springsteen clips from 28th April Show:

Bruce Springsteen performs Outlaw Pete in Philadelphia

Bruce Springsteen performs Out in the Street in Philadelphia

Bruce Springsteen performs Badlands in Philadelphia

New Bob Dylan Album

Great deal of excitement about the new Bob Dylan album. Unfortunately I will not be able to get a hold of the new album until the weekend at the earliest!



In the meantime this stream shall need to suffice! Enjoy!

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2009/04/album-stream-listen-to-bob-dylans-together-through.html

This Ends The Debate!

The magnificent Leonard Cohen singing from the O2. I must encourage you to get out and buy this concert CD or DVD.

Wonderful songs, band, performances and simply unmissable.

[unfortunately the site I linked to is no longer showing the Cohen concert = you will nweed to buy it!]

AC/DC Manchester

Well that is it no going back! I have entered the dark side! No not Dark Rum and Coke....I have entered the world of heavy Rock!



AC/DC it has been pointed out to me are not strictly my kind of thing but I though the chance to see these Rock Gods live was too good a chance to miss.

The whole affair was HUGE with the biggest stage I have ever seen in my life, giant props and even bigger screens. The band did not disappoint I have to say with a great set list:

Rock N' Roll Train
Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be
Back in Black
Big Jack
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Shot Down in Flames
Thunderstruck
Black Ice
The Jack
Hells Bells
Shoot to Thrill
War Machine
Anything Goes
You Shook Me All Night Long
T.N.T.
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock
Encore:
Highway to Hell
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)





Plenty Rock there! I have some photos I will post later and I say that I now get it - I think!

Ryan Adams BBC 4 Sessions

I have been fairly heavily critical of Ryan Adams and he is just about the only person I have ever walked out of a gig from....but my friend Michael pointed me in the direction of his BBC4 session with the Cardinals and it is absolutely fantastic.

Here is the setlist and band details:

The setlist:
Halloweenhead
My Winding Wheel
Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd
OMG,Whatever,Etc
Carolina Rain
Blue Hotel
How Do You Keep Love Alive
Desire
Down In A Hole
I Taught Myself How To Grow Old
Dear John
Let It Ride
Two
Blue Sky Blues

The Cardinals (Ryan's band)
Jamie Candiloro
Neal Casal
Christopher Feinstein
Brad Pemberton
Jon Graboff




Some information on Ryan can be found here

http://www.myspace.com/ryanadams

Also I think this link may give access to some of the music but if you do so you do at your own risk I do not condone illegal downloading in anyway.

http://www.ryanadamsarchive.com/showthread.php?p=68867

Record Store Day 18th april

Sadly this nice Springsteen 7" is only available in the states. If anyone happens to get their hands on a copy...



Side A: "What Love Can Do" from Working On A Dream
Side B: "A Night With The Jersey Devil"

But I will report back on what I do pick up on Saturday next week!

The wonderful Josh Ritter

Not only is Josh Ritter a fantastic very much on the way up artist, the way he runs his web site with streams, free mp3 downloads, live clips etc etc I am delighted to see that he is handling a re-issue series with a good helping of additional material.

I cannot praise his live performances enough and the re-issue of The Golden Age Of Radio has some additional material and a full acoustic set of the album, and at what looks like a reasonable price. If there are going to be re-issues then this is the way to do it.

As a totally side note the guy, Doug Brown, who set up a fan site ended up on his staff and singing backing vocals....Bruce I am available!

Follow this link for a free mp3 and more info.

http://www.joshritter.com/mp3store/goldenageofradio/

And a great live performance here:

Phil Spector

First and foremost a life has been tragically lost and the circumstances will probably never be known. There will be pages and pages written about Phil Spector and great glee will be taken with lurid tabloid headlines will will do nothing to convince us either way about his guilt or innocence. I have seen some excellent blog and comments about this subject and no doubt you will have too but I cannot resist copying this quote from Mike Scott of The Waterboys

So Spector goes down and papers are all saying "his legacy is forever tarnished' etc etc, the usual nonsense....A man can be a mad egotist killer and also produce something as beautiful and child-like as Happy Xmas/War Is Over and the one does not undo the magic and genius of the other. So Spector...brilliant genius and pitiful killer. Both.

This is a music Blog and I simply do not know if radio stations will continue to play the muisc he was involved with or not. A very well known star who was involved but not convicted of at very least dubious practices continues to be played, to me shamefully, the loss of Paul gadds music was no big deal, Spectors would be a loss to us all.

Easter Weekend / The Decemberists

It is the Easter Weekend and I am off for a wee break - so no posts! Will keep up the Song of the Day though - please check it out!

In the meantime here is a nice wee link to the Decemberists Live:

http://tiny.cc/9qf3s

Happy Easter!

Record Store Day.....and ABBA!!

I wanted to give a quick plug for Record Store Day on 18th april, I will certainly be getting out and buying some nice shiny new records!

http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home

http://www.recordstoreday.com/UnitedKingdom

Hopefully there will be a store near you - it is vital we support these guys!I still remeber butying my records from Chris Records in Dingwall as a youth. Happy Days.

Now then to ABBA. Musical Snobbery is pants we whould all just like what we like and be fibne with that! I would not normally listen to ABBA but this came on Radio Scotlands Get It ON last night and it sounded fantastic! At least I hope this is the track!!

ABBA - The Name of The Game

and that is going to be song of the day!

Glasgow Americana Festival

I have to admit I have been a bit flat the last couple of the days so maybe that was reflected in my blog posts! I really took the hump with the music industry yesterday....I pay a lot of money for CD's, lps, concerts and all the rest of it. I and many others are being right royally ripped off. But hey there are some seriusly good guys out there. Iain Anderson on Radio Scotland along with many of his colleauges is one and through him I have become aware of many new, emerging and frankly very old artists! And the better off for it I am.



Following the threads generated in my head with his good msuic I have become aware of The Glasgow Americana Festival and I am delighted to get tickets to the opening night on 16 May with Rachel Harrington & The Doghouse Roses! First to shout gets the spare!

Follow these links.....

http://www.cca-glasgow.com/index.cfm?page=236B7D10-868E-4F86-A306909B378E5655&eventid=10381E30-A4F9-8EBC-11D3165100F304B8

http://www.fallenangelsclub.com/


http://www.rachelharrington.net/home.html

Re-issues

Just had a good old rant at Tom Morton via email! Music purchasers permanently ripped off!

Matthew Sweet and Susannah Hoffs

I am pleased to see there is a forthcoming release from the duo under the moniker Sid and Susie! Under The Covers Vol 2 is due for release on 21 July, in the states anyway, and not surprisingly picks up where Vol 1 left off and promises to be a another excellent set.

Here is what looks like a great track list:

1. Sugar Magnolia (The Grateful Dead)
2. Go All The Way (The Raspberries)
3. Second Hand News (Fleetwood Mac)
4. Bell Bottom Blues (Derek & The Dominoes)
5. All The Young Dudes (Mott The Hoople)
6. You’re So Vain (Carly Simon)
7. Here Comes My Girl (Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers)
8. I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People (Yes)
9. Hello It’s Me (Todd Rundgren)
10. Willin’ (Little Feat)
11. Back Of A Car (Big Star)
12. Couldn’t I Just Tell You (Todd Rundgren)
13. Gimme Some Truth (John Lennon)
14. Everything I Own (Bread)
15. Maggie May (Rod Stewart)
16. Beware Of Darkness (George Harrison)


You can check out some of the tracks from Vol 1 here, Cinammon Girl is particularly good.

http://www.myspace.com/sidnsusie

Bobbie Gentry The Delta Sweete

I am trying to get a hold of Bobbie Gentry album The Delta Sweete - as far as I know it has never been released on CD and if anyone knows where I could pick up a vinyl copy please drop me a line!

Leonard Cohen Live In London

I am really looking forwrad to getting the Leonard Cohen album Live in London. I was fortunate enough to catch his show in Glasgow and have to say that it was a fantastic concert, the wit and wisdom of Mr Cohen lit up the hall and we were treated to outstanding renditions of classic songs.



I see that he is playing some limited dates this summer including Dublin and Liverpool and I cannot recommend him highly enough.

There is a rebview of the album here

http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/leonard_cohen/reviews/12999

And here

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-leonard-cohen-live-in-london-columbia-1655061.html

Indigo Girls - New Album and Tour

I am delighted to see that Amy Ray and Amy Saliers aka The Indigo Girls are releasing a new album follow up to the superb Despite Our differences.

I am not sure as yet of UK release or tour dates but will update here when I have any info. I have to say the last couple of albums by them have been outstanding and I am really looking forward to some live dates, do not hold your breath though as their US schedule looks full until end of july!

Sorry about the lack of a good clip here but follow this link..

http://www.indigogirls.com/news1.html

Playing For Change

This is just an incredible video of street artists from around the world playing Stand By Me.

http://playingforchange.com/pop2.html

Believe me if you see anything that captivates you as much as this .......please send me a link!

Freddie Stevenson

Totally new artist as far as I can see and not sure if he has a record deal but this is well worth checking out:

http://www.myspace.com/freddiestevensonmusic

Jackson Browne Concert Mini Review

I have to say another excellent concert. Jackson Browne was on stage from 8pm to 10.50pm with a half hour break and played a great set mixing some old favourites with a health amount of new and newish material. But with a back catalogue like his there will be some omissions but its a pretty small gripe when the set included Fountain of Sorrow, Running On Empty, For A Dancer, The Pretender amongst many others.

I thought the band were great, more or less the same touring band he has had for about 15 years now and it shows. Mark Goldenberg(?) is a great guitarist and fills the hall with a wonderful sound a bit of a cross between Mark Knopfler and the ambient sound filling that Buddy Miller would provide.

Rubbish clip sorry!

Springsteen kicks Off In San Jose

Will not, I promise be posting about every gig on the tour, but cannot resist the occassional note on progress.

The set from last night may not please the die hards but is sure to be a crowd pleaser when he hits the stadium summer gigs:

Badlands Outlaw Pete My Lucky Day No Surrender Out In The Street
Working On A Dream Seeds Johnny 99 The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Good Eye Good Rockin' Tonight Darlington CountyGrowin' Up Waitin' On A Sunny Day The Promised Land The Wrestler Kingdom Of Days Radio Nowhere Lonesome Day Born To Run

Encore

Hard Times (Come Again No More) Thunder Road Dancing In The Dark Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out Land Of Hope And Dreams American Land

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmAORPQcNHQ&feature=player_embedded

Jackson Browne

Tonight Jackson Browne is playing at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, I am really looking forward to the gig as Jackson normally puts on a great show. You can read a review of his performance in Sheffield hear and the set lists looks superb:

http://www.jacksonbrowne.com/news/2009/03/31/concert-review-jackson-browne

Time The Conqueror I have to be fair is not as strong as his previous studio albums but is by no means a dud either.

Bonnie Prince Billy

I have always been somewhat intimated by the whole Bonnie Prince Billy / Will Oldham / Palace music etc. that Will Oldham has used to publish his music. On reading reviews it seems that some albums are fantastic and some dreadful. I really did not know where to start until Ricky Ross recommended his Beware album on last weeks Another Country blog. Again it is an album cover which would not draw the casual listener in...

However I have to say having taking the plunge at the weekend and bought the album it is absolutely fantastic. It is a full production number despite the strak sleeve, full of choirs, country, pedal steel and excellent production. Harvest Moon hitting Tonight's The Night head on perhaps.....

Ongoing minor grumble - a digital code to enable putting the lp on my zen would have been good (dont know why these are not provided for vinyl purchasers)

David Byrne

Well it is at times like this I wish I had a way with words. This was one of the best concerts I have ever been at. David Byrne mixed his new material with tracks written mostly with Eno through his Talking Heads days.

In addition to a stunning band which made the 5 pieces sound like 10 or 15 his use of the talents of the backing singers together with a 3 piece dance group all wonderfully choreograped into one set was just amazing.

I took some clips on my phone having forgotten to pick my cameras out of the boot of the car! Curses. I will try and add these at sometime tomorrow (now added).

In the meantime the reviews are found here and trust me if you get the chance to go to a future date....please take it!

http://www.davidbyrne.com/tours/reviews/index.php





Updated : I have added in a wee clip and a photo, pretty poor quality and my apologies for that!




As a further wee update check this great site and work out by artist Jenny Soep

http://jennysoep.blogspot.com/2009/03/whole-host-of-byrne.html

Set List:

Main Set: Strange Overtones, I Zimbra, Life Is Long, Help Me Somebody, The River, Houses In Motion, My Big Nurse, My Big Hands (Fall Through The Cracks), Heaven, One Fine Day, Crosseyed And Painless, Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), Once In A Lifetime, Life During Wartime, I Feel My Stuff.
1st Encore: Take Me To The River, The Great Curve.
2nd Encore: Air, Burning Down The House.
3rd Encore: Everything That Happens.

Glasgow Herald review here:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/search/display.var.2499285.0.david_byrne_glasgow_royal_concert_hall.php