maybe I shouldn't......but I'm loving these guys right now!!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Elbow @ Prince of Wales
and then sometimes bands surprise you..........
Before this gig I liked Elbow quite a bit...not in a crazy way, but quite a bit. Their albums are beautiful and melodic - gorgeous to listen to when you are sinking into gloominess or just need to chill out.
Elbow Live, however, are seriously out of this world. Yes I'm probably one of those people who gets carried away in the music at gigs and (almost) always find something good to take away, but this was just a whole other level.
Guy Garvey and the boys came out in a flash of lights and noise and energy and launched directly into the rousing crowd pleaser Station Approach. It didn't take long for the whole crowd to be moving en masse and singing along to every word. The Prince is just big enough to fit in a vocal and receptive audience and yet small enough to retain that sense of closeness which is so special when seeing a band like Elbow. Garvey's voice is unspeakably beautiful - something that I don't think is fully captured on the albums. In the flesh he just infuses the room with his majestic croon. It's like a warm blanket that makes all the cold parts inside you melt. Honestly I can't say enough about this guy. He's funny, humble, affable, he connects with the audience, he is seemingly unaffected and his voice will take you to another universe. The band is tight without being slick, just perfectly together. Whether Garvey was up on stage singing with cigarette in hand or wandering around amongst the appreciative audience the whole thing still sounded incredible. It's hard to pick any stand outs in a gig such as this - there was a huge array of material from all three previous albums and the eagerly awaited fourth. Ribcage, Leaders of the Free World, Forget Myself, Buttons and Zips - they were all there, but seriously their rendition of Switching Off this night nearly had me on my knees......
The moment it was over I wanted it to start again and if they'd have played the next night I would have gladly paid to see them again - something I've never thought after coming out of a gig, no matter how great it has been.
honestly - they are that good.
If they are ever playing anywhere around you - don't miss the chance, even if you don't get into the albums so much, or think they are too morose and maudlin - their live performance is so energetic and engaging you won't regret it.
Before this gig I liked Elbow quite a bit...not in a crazy way, but quite a bit. Their albums are beautiful and melodic - gorgeous to listen to when you are sinking into gloominess or just need to chill out.
Elbow Live, however, are seriously out of this world. Yes I'm probably one of those people who gets carried away in the music at gigs and (almost) always find something good to take away, but this was just a whole other level.
Guy Garvey and the boys came out in a flash of lights and noise and energy and launched directly into the rousing crowd pleaser Station Approach. It didn't take long for the whole crowd to be moving en masse and singing along to every word. The Prince is just big enough to fit in a vocal and receptive audience and yet small enough to retain that sense of closeness which is so special when seeing a band like Elbow. Garvey's voice is unspeakably beautiful - something that I don't think is fully captured on the albums. In the flesh he just infuses the room with his majestic croon. It's like a warm blanket that makes all the cold parts inside you melt. Honestly I can't say enough about this guy. He's funny, humble, affable, he connects with the audience, he is seemingly unaffected and his voice will take you to another universe. The band is tight without being slick, just perfectly together. Whether Garvey was up on stage singing with cigarette in hand or wandering around amongst the appreciative audience the whole thing still sounded incredible. It's hard to pick any stand outs in a gig such as this - there was a huge array of material from all three previous albums and the eagerly awaited fourth. Ribcage, Leaders of the Free World, Forget Myself, Buttons and Zips - they were all there, but seriously their rendition of Switching Off this night nearly had me on my knees......
The moment it was over I wanted it to start again and if they'd have played the next night I would have gladly paid to see them again - something I've never thought after coming out of a gig, no matter how great it has been.
honestly - they are that good.
If they are ever playing anywhere around you - don't miss the chance, even if you don't get into the albums so much, or think they are too morose and maudlin - their live performance is so energetic and engaging you won't regret it.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Fionn Regan @ Nortchote Social Club 01-03-07
I was happy that we were a little late because the warm up acts left a little to be desired, but Fionn came on still fairly enthusiastically performing his first album - The End of History. The album is rich and lyrical; one of my faves of the last while, so it was great to hear him live and relish the irish accent for another night. Like the rest of those boys he's a right charmer so kept the crowd captivated and wanting more. Also like that other Irish boy Damien Rice he brought an audience member up on stage to sing with him on what was obviously the most well known of his songs - Penny in a Slot. I have to give big props to whoever that guy was as he was fabulous......not at all an amateurish performance. Fionn played a pretty short set of only eight songs, then returned to give the audience more of what it wanted with Abacus and Be Good or Be Gone to round off the night. I am looking forward to the day his catalogue of songs expands and he can stay on stage for longer entertaining us with his beautiful storytelling and easygoing manner. For now though it was a good performance and we will just have to content ourselves with that taster until he returns again.
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