Face Of Cheam

A solo show by myself is a very very rare occasion. However, I needed a public rehearsal for the song I am playing at Matt's wedding in a few weeks and luckily enough the first open mic nite at Tone's organised by the lovely Gemma who played with Sulphur at Cheamstock in January invited me along. A couple of bands started proceedings, the first playing thrash metal who were good at what they were doing not really not my kind of thing. The second band would just not leave the stage and must have gone on for an hour. Hence proceedings were very rushed & I did not get the opportunity to perform until 11.05pm after a couple of other acoustic people and a 'karoke' style bloke who did Delilah! Still worked out to be second on the bill, behind Gemma's band. I did three songs the first was a rushed version of Same Old Song with no extended middle alas. I felt this was ok (it always take me time to settle in, any opening song I'm never that satisfied with). I then went into Share This World (the wedding thing I'm singing). This was good and has given me confidence to sing it in the church, though I doubt I'll have seven pints before which was the case here. Finishing this I launched into the Who's 'Who Are You' which I was immensely happy with. I could even here some of the audience do the backing vocals. I did the full version of this which must have lasted the same time as the first two songs put together but it seemed to get a good reaction from the crowd and when that happens it is always fulfilling. I stayed on to watch Gemma's band and got a couple of positive comments from random strangers (always nice) so had a great night which I may have to do again.
Actually there is a distinct possibility that Sulphur may be playing Tone's on Sunday 10th September which is a all day event so get yourself along if you can.

RB set -- Same Old Song / Share This World / Who Are You

My first visit to the newly revamped Wembley then. The stage is at the other end, gone are the red & blue sides and a very quick pint of carling dispensers have been installed (£3 a pint!). Concert tickets are very expensive these days and £75 for Mr Joel was probably the most expensive non charity or fesitval show I've paid out for. Still over two hours of music was provided and it was the first time he has played over here for twelve years. Last time I went three times to see him at Earls Court and all three put together were still cheaper than this show!
He started off with Angry Young Man and this was followed in the first part of the show with rarely played album tracks such as Everybody Loves You Now, The Entertainer and Vienna. The latter half concentrated on the hits and much to my disapproval Uptown Girl was played. Still there were more highs than lows with We Didn't Start The Fire, Only The Good Die Young and Scenes From An Italien Restaurent standing out. Ending with what could be a fantastic drunken sing-a-long Piano Man, he dis not let you down and whereas it was pricey it was still a fun packed evening!

Went evening racing at Epsom. Not a single winner. Absolute rubbish.
Entertainmemt after were the Quo. Their set has hardly changed over the last three or four years. Still doing three songs from the Heavy Traffic album, which could be bought for a solitary pound coin in the record & tape exchange in Notting Hill. They always do a good rockin' show though and from the opener of Caroline through to the classics Roll Over Lay Down, Down Down, Whatever You Want and Rocking All Over The World fun was had by all. A surprise in the encore saw the return of Burning Bridges with the jig part played on Francis' guitar. What I enjoyed however, was the solitary cameraman providing pictures for the big screen. Really hadn't a clue what was going on and had to try to keep up on who was playing lead or singing! A few weeks I return there to see Texas, hopefully will be more lucky on the horses.

Given how out of date I am normally, thought there's no harm in adding my sixpence to the World Cup and Englands performance. As expected (well by me anyway) European sides dominated and alas we were not one of them. I wouldn't criticise Sven for the squad except maybe Andy Johnson should have gone stead of Jenas. When it was announced I thought at last he's realised Defoe is a selfish little player who is not really premiership level. Theo was a superlative inclusion but Svenns folly was not to play him. As always with England, we are terrible in the group stage. Normally though we improve and Erikssons failure was to give into the media and switch to one up front. 'ooh' the papers said, 'fat frank isn't playing well and can't play with Gerrard. Let's put a holding player in so both attacking midifielders can play'. What they didn't say is let's leave an irratible young thug up front on his own where he will have no support. Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard are three of the world's best players but the latter was off form, and you have to play to Rooneys strentghs which are playing off someone and dropping deap. Had agsint Portugal, Sven had the guts to drop Lampard (tired, too many pies) and play Crouch alongside Rooney we would have won and been a game from the final. Why was Sven reluctant to bring Theo on in any game. Once we went one up against Trinidad or 2-1 up against Sweden when we already qualified, a few minutes would not have hurt. Even Ecuador there may have been an opportunity, he's a forward so unlikely to give away a penalty or do a stupid back pass. I am also sure he would have made a decent impact if given the chance. As for bringing Carragher on for him to take a penalty, perhaps he should have put Le Tissier in the squad for the same reason!
As to McLaren people envisage more of the same. It may well be, but having got to the quarter final this time (which we tend to do anyway) and losing on penalties, it shows being manager is mainly luck and anyone could do it achieving similar results.

Always good to see a gig at Kings College after spending most Saturdays there at Collide-a-scope during the Britpop years (ahh... happy times) Monday I returned to the venue to see sugary pop - indie female trio the Pipettes. Managed to get in to see the support who were the 1990s. I was impressed with their drummer and they reminded me a little of the American band Dada with their rocky melodies with a hint of a darkside. One of their songs segued into I Fought The Law which is no bad thing. A shame the lead singer / guitarist looked liked a Scottish white Ronaldo heroin addict. Still a band to look out for.
Onto the Pipettes. As a trio in matching polka dot outfits they will always get the comparison of the sixties girl groups. However this is fun stuff and they reminded me of Shampoo in the good old days with song titles such as Dirty Mind, Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me and One Night Stand. Their end song was I Like A Man In Uniform, School Uniform which summed up all that was great about this band. Visually pleasing too although Becki does look like Jenny Eclair! Gwen was the other blonde one but I was enamored with Rose with the dark hair and her mischievous expressions especially when she was on keyboards. Maybe another obsession is coming on!

Set - Can't Explain / The Seeker / Anyway Anyhow Anywhere / Who Are You / Bargain / Behind Blue Eyes / Real Good Looking Boy / Drowned / Mike Post Theme / Baba O'Reilly / Love Reign O'er Me / The Kids Are Alright / My Generation / Won't Get Fooled Again //// Substitute / Pinball Wizard / Amazing Journey / Sparks / See Me Feel Me.



As always they were fantastic.

Over ten years since he cancelled a gig at London's Forum, we eventually get to see the man who wrote 'Rockin' All Over The World'. A solid two hours of a mix of rocknroll, blugrass and blues the man certainly delivered good value. John Fogerty is 61 and looked like he was having the time of his life on stage. We got all the Creedence Clearwater Revival classics (except Almost Saturday Night). Travelling Band was a perfect opener and through to set closer Proud Mary it was guitar based American RocknRoll. As an american, we did get an obligatory reference to Iraq before the acoustic Deja Vu, but it was the more rockier numbers that got the crowd dancing in the aisles such as Fortuante Son and Midnight Special, and obviously he could not leave out Bad Moon Rising, the only deprssing hoe-down written and used in every werewolf movie there has been since the 70s. Solid hillbilly fun!

Set - Travelling Band / Green River / Who'll Stop The Rain / It Came Out Of The Sky / Looking At My Back Door / Blue Moon Nights / Commotion / Born On The Bayou / Porterville / Cotton Fields / Ramble Tamble / Midnight Special / Bootleg / Deja Vu / Heard It Through The Grapevine / Have You Ever Seen The Rain? / Sweet Hitch Hiker / Long As I Can See The Light / Keep On Choogin' / Down On The Corner / Centerfield / Up Around The Bend / Old Man Down The Road / Bad Moon Rising / Fortunate Son /////// Rockin' All Over The World / Proud Mary

So the new wave of British Heavy Metal was about 25 years ago. One of the bands to last are Sheffield's finest, Def Leppard who are back promoting a covers album. The day started with the Australia Brazil World cup game with us watching the second half in a packed O'Neills at Putney Bridge. Full of Aussies there was a fantastic atmosphere especially and Australia pushed forward in the 2nd half. Alas they did not find an equaliser that would have brought the house down. Amazingly depsite jumping up and down an Aussie never spills a drop of beer! Anyway onto the gig, and after a 220 bus ride to Hammersmith we decide to see the support, american band Cheap Trick. Not knowing any songs by them, I still found them entertaining. Actually, although a band that has been around about 30 years I actually thought the songs they introduced as being on their latest album better than some of their other stuff. Their guitarist did use a fantastic three necked guitar in true Spinal Tap fashion towards the end of the set.
Onto the Leps and opening with the Sweet's Hellraiser they rolled back the years playing mainly from their trio of albums Pyromania, Hysteria and Adrenalise. Photograph, Armageddon It and Animal were played in quick sucession after the covers section and a well deserved encore saw When Love and Hate Collide (the only time Joe Elliots voice was a bit iffy) and Pur Some Sugar On Me. Classic Rock at its finest.

Set - Hell Raiser / Rock Rock Til You Drop / Let's Get Rocked / Make Love Like A Man / Promises / Hysteria / Let It Go / 20th Century Boy / Hanging On The Telephone / Rock On / Rocket / Photograph / Armageddon It / Animal / Rock Of Ages //// When Love & Hate Collide / Pour Some Sugar On Me