Liverpool Carling Academy, Thursday 29th April 2004
It was a homecoming night for the latest band hot off Liverpool’s musical production line and tonight’s proceedings certainly showed the fact that Liverpool’s musical legacy is still in fine fettle.
The atmosphere at the Carling academy it almost felt like you had stumbled into someone’s family party. No doubt the various Zuton – aunties and uncles gave the atmosphere that feeling. Prior to the arrival of the latest hometown favourites, Liverpool’s future stars were on display.
First up tonight was the Jones’s fronted by Edgar Jones, veteran of numerous ‘I can’t believe they were never bigger’ Liverpool bands The former Stairs front man’s band has certainly raided the Motown albums for inspiration. They are certainly one’s to watch for the future
The Dead 60’s label mates of the Zutons due to release their first single, displayed a two-tone element that has always been lacking from the Liverpool scene.
It’s good to see Liverpool taking their inspiration these days from a wider source than is usually the case and no doubt the future looks good.
The crowd had been suitably warmed by the exceptional support acts, it was time for the main attraction, buoyed by a top ten album and headlining national tour was certainly out to prove what they had to offer.
Drawing heavily from their debut album the Zutons the band played with a swagger that was pleasing to see. The only thing that averted their concentration was the odd shout from people they knew in the audience.
They kicked into life with ‘Zuton Fever’, which had the Carling Academy crowd bouncing off the walls, of this homely venue. ‘Pressure point’ followed and was a real tour de force as the band belted out the recent single as one at the front of the stage.
The varied nature of the Zutons set meant that there was something for everyone from their mixed bag of musical influences, scallydelic is the term that the NME has dubbed this style of music, but whatever it is it certainly has mass appeal.
The somewhat skewed tribute to a night out in the city of culture, ‘Dirty Dancehall’ was delivered to an appreciative audience who sang back the mocking lyrics.
The encore delivered the crowd favourite ‘You will, You Wont’ and the crowd went home happy having heard the new album near enough track for track.
Friday, April 30, 2004
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Tears For Fears
Wednesday 27th April 2004,Manchester Carling Apollo
Set List: (Famous Last Words intro), Secret World, Call Me Mellow, Who You Are, Sowing the Seeds of Love, Closest Thing to Heaven, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, The Devil, Mad World (new version), Quiet Ones, Size of Sorrow, Snow Hill, Who Killed Tangerine, Break it Down Again, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Pale Shelter, Head Over Heels, Encore: Woman in Chains, Shout.
A gig for those who viewed the eighties and all that came with that decade, not with any sense of irony as is the current vogue, but because it was the formative years of most of tonight’s audience.
The reunited duo of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, childhood friends who succumbed to the age-old cliché of musical differences, seemed relatively at ease with each other and the audience, with a smattering of Little Britain impressions! And the relaying of the score from tonight’s Champions League semi-final.
The set drew heavily from the latest album ‘Everybody Loves a Happy Ending’ and fitting it was that the house PA played ‘Famous Last Words’ the last track from the duos last album together ‘Sowing the Seeds’, an album of similar influences the latest release.
The new album is the traditional game of two halves, for every great track there is one that is at best take it or leave it, though tonight in the live arena, some of the those songs seem to come alive, songs such as ‘The Devil’ which on record didn’t appeal. The stand out tracks from the new album - ‘Closest Thing to Heaven’ and ‘Everybody Loves a Happy Ending’ will no doubt become staples of the set for years to come.
The crowd came alive later in the set when the band rattled through the hits. Curt alluded to the Gary Jules version of the song ‘Mad World’ before they put a new slant on the bands eighties classic.
The subdued audience eventually got what they came for, when they launched into the more familiar closing numbers of Break It Down Again, ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, ‘Pale Shelter’ and ‘Head Over Heels’, and for encore ‘Woman in Chains’, ‘Shout’.
A good gig but one highlighting the age-old problem for an act returning to the fold. Do they promote the new material or mine that back catalogue that an audience are baying for?
Set List: (Famous Last Words intro), Secret World, Call Me Mellow, Who You Are, Sowing the Seeds of Love, Closest Thing to Heaven, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, The Devil, Mad World (new version), Quiet Ones, Size of Sorrow, Snow Hill, Who Killed Tangerine, Break it Down Again, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Pale Shelter, Head Over Heels, Encore: Woman in Chains, Shout.
A gig for those who viewed the eighties and all that came with that decade, not with any sense of irony as is the current vogue, but because it was the formative years of most of tonight’s audience.
The reunited duo of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, childhood friends who succumbed to the age-old cliché of musical differences, seemed relatively at ease with each other and the audience, with a smattering of Little Britain impressions! And the relaying of the score from tonight’s Champions League semi-final.
The set drew heavily from the latest album ‘Everybody Loves a Happy Ending’ and fitting it was that the house PA played ‘Famous Last Words’ the last track from the duos last album together ‘Sowing the Seeds’, an album of similar influences the latest release.
The new album is the traditional game of two halves, for every great track there is one that is at best take it or leave it, though tonight in the live arena, some of the those songs seem to come alive, songs such as ‘The Devil’ which on record didn’t appeal. The stand out tracks from the new album - ‘Closest Thing to Heaven’ and ‘Everybody Loves a Happy Ending’ will no doubt become staples of the set for years to come.
The crowd came alive later in the set when the band rattled through the hits. Curt alluded to the Gary Jules version of the song ‘Mad World’ before they put a new slant on the bands eighties classic.
The subdued audience eventually got what they came for, when they launched into the more familiar closing numbers of Break It Down Again, ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, ‘Pale Shelter’ and ‘Head Over Heels’, and for encore ‘Woman in Chains’, ‘Shout’.
A good gig but one highlighting the age-old problem for an act returning to the fold. Do they promote the new material or mine that back catalogue that an audience are baying for?
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Nora Jones
Manchester Apollo, Tuesday 20th April 2004
When you see a Man with a jumper draped over his shoulders heading for the front row of a gig, you certainly know that you haven’t purchased tickets for Motorhead.
If you were looking for someone to blame for the current crop of jazz-lite artists currently clogging up the charts, non-entities such as Jamie Callum and Katie Melua Nora Jones is an easy target. Her success has brought a deluge of similarly jazz crossover acts.
Though not my artist of choice – I was very much the plus one equation in the purchase of these tickets, an Evening with Nora Jones is not too arduous a task as I thought it might be.
In the quite expansive arena that is the Manchester Apollo the feel of the show, is that of a bar room band playing in a smoky saloon bar.
Nora Jones cuts a somewhat down to earth presence as she kicks off her shoes to open the proceedings with ’Cold Cold Heart’. The set features many of the tracks from her two successful albums, plus the odd other song thrown in for good effect, including a country version of AC/DC’S ‘Ride on me’.
She was equally at home on her own at the piano or backed by her band and she carried the songs though the night. The pace of the set was good, but perhaps a little too similar throughout. One criticism that people level at her is that live she sounds no different than she does on record. Where as on record it makes perfect background music or something relaxing, live it needs to be a bit more panoramic to catch the attention.
It certainly was a pleasant enough experience, but not one that gets me rushing out to buy the records or witness her next gig.
When you see a Man with a jumper draped over his shoulders heading for the front row of a gig, you certainly know that you haven’t purchased tickets for Motorhead.
If you were looking for someone to blame for the current crop of jazz-lite artists currently clogging up the charts, non-entities such as Jamie Callum and Katie Melua Nora Jones is an easy target. Her success has brought a deluge of similarly jazz crossover acts.
Though not my artist of choice – I was very much the plus one equation in the purchase of these tickets, an Evening with Nora Jones is not too arduous a task as I thought it might be.
In the quite expansive arena that is the Manchester Apollo the feel of the show, is that of a bar room band playing in a smoky saloon bar.
Nora Jones cuts a somewhat down to earth presence as she kicks off her shoes to open the proceedings with ’Cold Cold Heart’. The set features many of the tracks from her two successful albums, plus the odd other song thrown in for good effect, including a country version of AC/DC’S ‘Ride on me’.
She was equally at home on her own at the piano or backed by her band and she carried the songs though the night. The pace of the set was good, but perhaps a little too similar throughout. One criticism that people level at her is that live she sounds no different than she does on record. Where as on record it makes perfect background music or something relaxing, live it needs to be a bit more panoramic to catch the attention.
It certainly was a pleasant enough experience, but not one that gets me rushing out to buy the records or witness her next gig.
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