Ryan

He can’t help being so good

Happy Valentines Day

That's it.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

I am really struggling to work up any enthusiasm for this whatsoever. Oddly I am fairly sure I saw Faith solo back in the day and she was pretty good. But this just screams out "product" to me, totally fake and incredibly underwhelming as a principal act at C2C.

Morgan Evans and Kelsea Ballerini

Its quite odd that the mist you can find out about Morgan is that he is Mr Ballerini! So I guess good to lump them together so to speak.  I like what I hear of his work though got to admit I know very little

 

Kelsea on the other hand is absolutely a rising star and was absolutely superb supporting Lady A at the Hydro and I was really taken by her (not my normal thing), worth listening to for Peter Pan alone, outstanding track. First Time to me is also a superb song. Could do without their wedding video!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elvis - The Searcher

Ok so how much more can they milk out of Elvis. And do you really need Take 6 of Suspicious Minds, probably not but hey ho.

This might be worth the cover alone which looks superb and the track listing is excellent. Thom Zimny has directed the documentary and so it is bound to be a first class film, Im looking forward to it. Ernst Michael Jorgensen is of course the Elvis expert and Jon Landau does not lend his name to anything other than perfect:

Vinyl list below:

Side A

1. Trouble / Guitar Man
2. My Baby Left Me
3. That’s All Right
4. Baby Let’s Play House
5. Heartbreak Hotel

Side B

1. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
2. Hound Dog
3. Crawfish
4. Mona Lisa
5. Milky White Way

Side C

1. Like A Baby
2. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
3. It’s Now Or Never
4. Tomorrow Is A Long Time

Side D

1. Suspicious Minds (take 6)
2. Separate Ways (rehearsal version)
3. Hurt (take 5)
4. If I Can Dream

Soundtrack Producers: Ernst Mikael Jørgensen, Thom Zimny and Jon Landau

John Prine - Kelvin Bandstand

I was lucky enough to see the legend that is John  Prine at GRCH last year and he was outstanding.

The great news is that he is coming to the Kelvingrove Bandstand this August and even better its not just one of Glasgow's greatest venues (on a rare dry night) but he has the amazing John Moreland supporting.

This will be superb - worth the price for John  Moreland alone. He was the shining star when we went to Nashville. Saw him in Birmingham last year and he is outstanding!

 

 

 

 

Luke Combes

I have been listening to the artists in advance of C2C and I am hoping to do a series of posts to get me in the zone so to speak.

First up is Luke Combes who has just hit me "like a hurricane"! I am delighted that he is doing the song writers night as his lyrics and songwriting craft to me is perfect for that format.

Luke has a brilliant mix of the easy sing along but with much more sensitive work. I think stripped back he is going to be sensational.

Josh Kelley - King Tuts

It is not very often you go to a gig where you literally know nothing about the artist and haven't heard a single song....and yet love the gig.

Josh Kelley at King Tuts was such a night. Armed only with his guitar, a great voice and amazing songs Josh Kelley was an absolute treat. I loved the fact that he gave it his all to what was a small but hugely appreciative audience (maybe 150 people) who all seemed very familiar with his work. He is a pretty amusing guy as well with a friendly sense of humour and he was very appreciative of the fact that a lot of the audience knew his deeper cuts.

I don't have a setlist but standout tracks for me were Georgia Clay, Its Your Move, One Foot In The Grave and Almost Honest.

He does a pretty good version of I'm On Fire.

He has, to my ears, a good mix of styles about him. Mostly Country / Americana but I was getting quite a lot of Jackson Browne in some of the songs.

Well worth checking him out.

If I can track down some live videos I will post them.

 

 

 

Little Steven - Glasgow Academy

Well after 25+ years what were we to expect from the man known mainly as an actor these days, and sometime Springsteen sideman.

The answer was an absolutely blistering set full of Miami Steve classics and a concert which made you listen to the Soulfire lp in a whole new light.

From the opening Tom Petty tribute to the closer of one of my favourite tracks of all time this was Little Steven at his best.

https://youtu.be/pwXbhZjubR0

Set list:

  

Even the Losers

(Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover)

Soulfire

(The Breakers cover)

I'm Coming Back

The Blues Is My Business

(Etta James cover)

Love on the Wrong Side of Town

(Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes cover)

Until the Good Is Gone

Angel Eyes

Some Things Just Don't Change

(Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes cover)

Saint Valentine's Day

(Cocktail Slippers cover)

Standing in the Line of Fire

Play Video

I Saw the Light

(Little Steven cover)

Salvation

(Little Steven cover)

The City Weeps Tonight

(Little Steven cover)

Down and Out in New York City

(James Brown cover)

Princess of Little Italy

Solidarity / Leonard Peltier / I Am a Patriot

(Little Steven cover)

Groovin' Is Easy

(The Electric Flag cover)

Ride the Night Away

(Jimmy Barnes cover)

Bitter Fruit

(Little Steven cover)

Forever

Encore:

I Don't Want to Go Home

(Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes cover)

Out of the Darkness

(Little Steven cover)

As a total aside I have listened to Soulfire again since this concert and it has really grown on me. I think his own version of St Valentines Day is exceptional and would sit alongside anything on The Promise.

Jace Everett Bad Things

https://youtu.be/MiBhZIaJsQ4

Great track that I missed first time round!

I do not know that much about Jace but will be checking him out.

New Waterboys Lp - Modern Blues streaming here

Great to see that the Waterboys are releasing a new lp after their outstanding shows last year.

On a quick run through the album is excellent and can be streamed in advance of the release on the 19th January here:

http://www.mojo4music.com/18409/listen-waterboys-new-album-full/

Morrissey Arena Tour 2015

The 2015 gig Calendar is hotting up already and welcome news that the mighty Mozz will play Glasgow Hydro Arena in March. Saturday 21st to be precise.

Frankly the venue is too big but it has been a while and I will certainly be going to see the great man again.

The Waterboys - Kelvin Bandstand

Just in from a fantastic second night at the Kelvin Bandstand. What a stunning gig (leaving out the drunken *****) this is a superb venue. Mike Scott in stunning form, a more than enthusiastic audience. The current Waterboys incarnation delivers a seriously rocking sound reminiscent in parts of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

Highlights to many to mention but The Pan Within and A Girl Called Johnny will always hit that spot!

Stevie Nicks - The Dealer [Official Lyric Video] Bit of a guilty secret but hey ho

This is the trailer for the "new" song The Dealer from her forthcoming album 24 Karat Gold. Made up of old songs (I think recorded as new). My Bruce has set a trend with The Promise and  High Hopes...

Steve Earle - Kelvingrove Bandstand

Great to see the Kelvingrove Bandstand up and running afterrefurbishment. Also delighted to see the superb Steve Earle live again (albeit pretty quickly after his BBC Pacific Quay Slot), however he was excellent playing solo and really playing the best of his songs in my opinion.

1. Girl on the Mountain
2. My Old Friend the Blues
3. Someday
4. I Ain't Ever Satisfied
5. Taneytown
6. Now She's Gone
7. Goodbye
8. Every Part of Me
9. Sparkle and Shine
10. Valentine's Day
11. I Feel Alright
12. Fearless Heart
13. South Nashville Blues
14. CCKMP
15. Rex's Blues
16. Fort Worth Blues
17. Paddy on the Beat/Dixieland
18. Dominick St./The Galway Girl
19. Tom Ames' Prayer
20. God Is God
21. The Devil's Right Hand
22. Copperhead Road
23.  Jerusalem

 

It stayed dry what more can you ask!