Did you enjoy the game on Sunday afternoon? If you’re sensible and watched Newcastle dismantle West Brom, the answer will be yes. If you’re stupid like me, and watched a stultifying 0-0 from Dalymount on RTE2 between Bohs and St. Pat’s, the answer will be no. Of course, I made up for it with my live football attendance; on Saturday I met up with some blogging, tweeting, real ale quaffing, music loving pals at the FA Vase semi-final when Dunston deservedly beat Staveley 1-0; here’s hoping they do the job this Saturday in the second leg down in Derbyshire.
Even better was Team Northumbria’s sparkling second half performance on Monday night when they came from a goal down to beat Billingham Synthonia 3-1 in the Northern League Cup, while 26 goals were scored in the first round of the EA Sports Cup. Then there was Wednesday’s delightful evening at Hillheads, among sparkling companions, where Whitley Bay A defeated Ashington Colliers 4-1 in a great game. Best of all was Tuesday night, when we all discovered Party With Marty actually involves making Everton look like Brazil 70.
However, apart from that opening brace of paragraphs, there’s no football here on the blog this week; sorry everyone, but as the first third of 2012 is drawing to a close, I thought I’d like to focus on some music for a change. Not recorded music, as I’ve not bought any yet this year, though that’ll soon change with releases by The Wedding Present, Gerard Love’s Lightships and Trembling Bells with Bonnie Prince Billy on order, but live music. Having been to 5 gigs this year, in the period between February 23rd and March 23rd, I thought I’d give you my impressions on what I’ve seen and heard. Partly because I’m opinionated and partly because I realise I’m slightly rusty when it comes to writing about music, so here’s the blogging equivalent of a five finger exercise.
Actually, perhaps the best gig could have been the one that got away, though I doubt it; my mate Dan from work is in a band called Dennis and they were supporting obscure one –hit wonders Baby Bird on the latter’s last chance tour at the Academy on February 4th. As this was a Saturday night, it was a freakishly early show, with them due on stage at 7.30. I made for the queue around 7.00, but my passage was blocked by 1,000 geeks, weirdos and associated beatniks with green hair, bike jackets and ripped tartan keks, as the truly woeful Misfits were playing downstairs. By the time they’d let that lot in, it was 7.45 and there was no way I was paying £15 to see quarter of an hour of the support act, regardless of the chance to hang around for “You’re Gorgeous” with a couple of dozen curious onlookers. In the end, the Thornbridge Jaipur in the Bodega and Newcastle Arms rightfully won the day. So, who did I actually get to see?
The Staves: February 23rd The Cluny
Actually they were supporting Michael Kiwanuka, who is my idea of torture, as sincerity always grates. The Staves are a sweet voiced trio of sisters from Hertfordshire who are closer to the early 80s acoustic indie ladies, The Marine Girls, than they are to the more fist-pumping power folk populists like Noah & The Whale or Mumford & Sons. To me, that’s a good thing as I’m wary of anything too commercial in the folk genre; give me Phil Ochs over Peter, Paul & Mary any day. The Staves have one stand out track, “Mexico,” when their 3 part harmonies soar over hushed guitar picking. They are nice young ladies and they deserve to do well; however, even if they sell jack shit, the sound they make is pleasant, undemanding and pure.
Fairport Convention: February 26th Sage 2
Well, just what can you say about a band that are celebrating 45 years together? Apart from “I wish I could go to Cropredy as it ends on my birthday this year,” not much. The steady, settled line up was back again on their 33rd annual winter Tour, playing the usual classics; “Matty Groves” and “Meet On The Ledge” bring the house down as joyously as ever, but minor jewels such as Chris Leslie’s brilliant interpretation of “The Hexhamshire Lass” deserve fulsome praise as well. Also, what I love about these folk gigs, apart from the fact time seems to have magically stopped in 1972, is that I’m one of the younger elements in the audience.
Rab Noakes: March 4th Porters
If things had gone to plan, I’d not even have been here for this, but that’s enough moaning over my cancelled trip to Arbroath. Instead, there was the opportunity to have a lemon and ginger infusion in Tynemouth Station’s swanky coffee house, while watching the hidden gem of Scottish singer songwriting in a capacity crowd of 50. Noakes, who was an early member of Stealer’s Wheel, is probably most famous for writing “Turn A Deaf Ear” and “Together Forever” for Lindisfarne (Ray Laidlaw put this gig on incidentally). Both of those got an outing, as well as about a dozen of his songs that extend back 45/50 years to his roots in small town Fife. There were also covers of Dylan, Leadbelly, Radiohead and, bizarrely, “Bye Bye Blackbird.” To be in the presence of a celebrated, intense talent was an unexpected pleasure. I do hope I get the chance to see him again.
Sexual Objects: March 16th Star & Shadow
So we leave 1972 and head to 1981. Davey Henderson, of Fire Engines, Win & Nectarine Number 9 fame, came down from Glasgow with his arcane patter, intense guitar driven harmonies and innovative improvisation. No merchandise on sale; no hint at a tour, just a minor post punk genius playing atonal riffs in front of the size of crowd you’d get at a Northern League Division 2 game; I loved it. I loved the support as well; Beauty Pageant, who appear to be Heaton’s answer to Teenage Jesus & the Jerks meet Essential Logic. Tunes? No thank you!
Ray Jackson’s Acoustic Gathering: March 23rd Cluny 2
I’d gone 30 odd years without seeing Lindisfarne, then two of them turn up in the space of a month. Jacka, together with former members of Magna Carta and Fotheringay, played at the Cluny 2. Great gig it was, I’d think twice about attending this cramped, claustrophobic cellar again; 12 people pushing past you to get to the bog in one song is just no fun. To be fair, it was a non Ray Jackson number and the audience were only there for him. He began with “Road To Kingdom Come,” took in “Together Forever” and “Lady Elanor,” before ending with “Meet Me On The Corner.” It honestly had me on the verge of tears; there was no “We Can Swing Together,” but he did the harmonica bits as a last encore. “Blaydon Races” on the mandolin? You can’t beat it.
I’m happy to stay in 1972.
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