Ever been dragged to a gig...

[Bigwan]

So last night I was pretty much dragged, kicking and screaming to a Will Young gig. Was not looking forward to it at all. Not my thing this X-factor/pop-idol generation of nonsense.

Started out pretty well - support band were great. After they finished up I started to notice the things only bass players notice - Mojo'd P-bass, Aguilar rig (AG500 and 2 DB112s - nice), Reddi tube di.... at which point there's something jumping up and down in my head trying to get my attention. That rig sounds familiar, but surely not...

Once the Young-ster got going and the curtains that were covering the band were raised I realised my initial guess was totally right - it was only PAUL bleedin' TURNER (I suppose the man's got to get paid since Jamiroquai aren't doing an awful lot at the minute)! My interest in the gig suddenly went from non-existent to full on. He didn't get to step out much but there were some tasty fills thrown in throughout, along with some nice upright playing (NS electric of some description). Made for a not so terrible night after all!

On top of that the Young-ster can actually sing... who'd have thought it.

Anyone else have a similar silver lining story?

[Golchen]

I think that Will Young is a pretty decent artist actually.


Over the years the wife has dragged me along to see Cliff Richard FIVE TIMES!!!! But I have to say that he actually puts on a very good show, has a lot of good songs, and I did get to see Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch.

[Adrenochrome]

The missus took me to an ASIA gig early this yearas she's a fan and I never was.
Not my usual thing but I was mightily impressed by the musicianship and the general show without any attempt to push the latest CD, political agenda(s) etc. Just some blokes playing music to the best of their ability. Was a treat to hear songs by King Crimson, Yes, Buggles, ELP etc.

[yorks5stringer]

I had tickets to see Snake Davis with Hamish Stuart last December but was ill ( I'm never ill!) that night with a 24 hour virus. Forgot all about it, till the Promoter emailed me in late October this year that the next day Snake was on with Burden of Paradise and to come along.
So me and Mrs Y5S went along not knowing what to expect ( we'd never seen a Snake show but had seen the AWB, hence the original Snake/Hamish interest).
Snake was appearing as Burden of Paradise with Snake Davis on sax and flute, Helen Watson on vocals, Dave Bowie on double bass, and Mark Creswell on guitar.
What a great gig, Dave Bowie on DB was superb (looked a bit different since I saw him at Newcastle City Hall in 1972 on the Ziggy Stardust Tour) and it wasn't until I got home and did some research that I realised Helen Watson had recorded with Little Feat ( mind who didn't in the 70's!).
No drums, just the musicians mentioned above, superb originals and adaptations of soul classics (Games People Play), a thoroughly great evening at Coopers in Guiseley.
Big Thanks to Keith, Mr Bassman

[spinynorman]

Our former keyboard player dragged me along to see Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. (One or two older BCers may remember the BA Trinity's "This Wheel's on Fire" with Julie Driscoll). I'm not a big fan of endless Hammond organ solos, or of bands made up of the leader's children (his son plays drums and his daughter sings), but actually they play some good tunes, the girl can sing and the bass player was really good and played a Lakland.

Wife & daughter dragged me along to see Korn (twice) and that was absolutely as mind-numbingly tedious as I expected.

[chris_b]

My Dad dropped out at the last minute so I took Mum to the Albert Hall for an evening of Viennese waltzes with Willi Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra!! I was dreading it, BUT, let me tell you, when you are sitting in the front row of the stalls, a full orchestra playing waltzes all night.... is great!

[MacDaddy]

I took Granny to see Billy Elliot - The Musical. I was not looking forward to it, but it was brilliant! The music was great the band were great, and it was also very funny.

I did however watch the film a couple of months later, and was mightly disappointed.

[quote name='Golchen' post='650401' date='Nov 10 2009, 09:49 AM']I think that Will Young is a pretty decent artist actually.[/quote]

Decent bloke too, I've met him and he let me get served at the bar first.

[quote name='Golchen' post='650401' date='Nov 10 2009, 09:49 AM']Over the years the wife has dragged me along to see Cliff Richard FIVE TIMES!!!! But I have to say that he actually puts on a very good show, has a lot of good songs, and I did get to see Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch.[/quote]

I've seen Cliff twice, and would go again.

[KevB]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='650561' date='Nov 10 2009, 12:45 PM']Decent bloke too, I've met him and he let me get served at the bar first.[/quote]

He let you get served first so he could sidle up behind you

Edited November 10, 2009 by KevB

[bobpalt]

Quite a few years ago, I got dragged to a nightclub in the middle of nowhere kicking and screaming, to see The Barron Knights! I really didnt want to be there, but after a while, I realized that their drummer was a bit special, so I had a good look at him. I thought I recognized who it was, but it was only after the show when the 'Knights invited the audience backstage if they wanted a chat that I wandered up to him and confirmed it was my favourite drummer at the time, Nigel Pegrum from Steeleye Span. I asked him what he was doing playing with a comedy cabaret act, and he said "they work 52 weeks of the year, Steeleye only a month, and I have bills to pay!". Fair enough. He moved to Australia shortly after, and that was that unfortunately.

On another note, has anyone seen Joe Brown play live? What a star! I saw him a few weeks ago at a packed Cheltenham Town Hall, and had a totally unexpectedly fabulous nights entertainment. Great band, great talent on a multitude of stringed instruments. Cant wait to see him again.

Bob

Edited November 10, 2009 by bobpalt

[P-T-P]

Had to accompany my missus to see Tom Jones a few weeks back. Given that he comes across on TV as being a bit up himself and a lot of the time he seems to be singing squarely on the beat (something that bothers me a fair bit), I wasn't really anticipating much.

How wrong I was. Singing was top notch, much more soulful than a lot of the recordings and the whole stage act was very much tongue-in-cheek, not taking himself seriously at all. The band were terrific too and I was surprised at how many of the songs I knew.

Only slightly weird part was realising that about half the songs he played were actually cover versions and I was kinda waiting for the break for bingo lol

[WHUFC BASS]

Was dragged along to the The Stray Cats recently at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Don't really like Rock 'n' Roll to be honest but I tell you what, they were top notch. I really really enjoyed it. I'd go again definitely.

[Bikenbass]

[quote name='bobpalt' post='650585' date='Nov 10 2009, 01:15 PM']On another note, has anyone seen Joe Brown play live? What a star! I saw him a few weeks ago at a packed Cheltenham Town Hall, and had a totally unexpectedly fabulous nights entertainment. Great band, great talent on a multitude of stringed instruments. Cant wait to see him again.

Bob[/quote]

Yep!
Had the pleasure of seeing him at the Cambridge Corn Exchange last year, Dave Edmunds was guesting. Both were on top form. Thoroughly recommended, brilliant musicians.

Level 42 on the other hand at the same venue; What a let down. Far too loud so it was just one huge noise. Two idiots behind me kept bellowing for a 'bass solo' and when we were graced with it, because of the volume, it was a dreadful racket. Left before the end, pounding headache and severe ringing in the ears. And before any flaming, it's not my age, it really was too much.

[Floyd Pepper]

George Michael - Bought Mrs. FP the tickets thinking that she would take her sister but at the last moment, I made up the numbers...and blimey, he's good live.
FP

[Born 2B Mild]

Hardly went kicking and screaming, but I went to a work-related party with colleagues three years ago, and I don’t usually like going to these things but feel I have to go to some of them. It was full of Z-list celebs as it was put on by OK Magazine. I had to get someone to ID most for me (reality TV and soaps aren’t my thing).

The host of the party was the boss of Express newspapers, Richard Desmond, and he plays drums (quite well as it turns out) and so as it was his party he had a band on stage which he played with. He calls the band [i]RD Crusaders[/i] and they raise money for children’s charities (£14 million so far, apparently).

The bass player introduced a song that he wrote called “Lucky Man”. Yes, it was Greg Lake. A guitarist I recognised ...Russ Ballard, but I found out through the introductions that it was Pete Townsend’s brother on another guitar, Zoot Money on keys and a chap from the Storys on BV. Then there were a few guest singers including Lulu and Rodger Daltry who did [i]Won’t Get Fooled Again[/i].

Well, at least the food and drink were free

[jim_bass]

A couple of years ago my mate asked me if I wanted to see some woman that I'd never heard of singing at Nottingham Rock City. Turns out said woman was 'Amy Winehouse'. She was off her face, but the backing band were excellent.

A big plus was the support act 'Mr Hudson and the Library'. They were fantastic. Not so sure about the new stuff for Mr Hudson, but that was a mighty fine gig.

Edited November 10, 2009 by jim_bass

[MB1]

[quote name='WHUFC BASS' post='650647' date='Nov 10 2009, 02:06 PM']Was dragged along to the The Stray Cats recently at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Don't really like Rock 'n' Roll to be honest but I tell you what, they were top notch. I really really enjoyed it. I'd go again definitely.[/quote]

MB1.
+Seven and Twelvety!
...Ive seen them Theyre a Mustard! 3 piece....If you get the opportunity go!...
When i went there was 2 Ampeg 8x10s on stage with Svt Valve heads for the double bass(was told ones a spare!..just in case!)....Guitar/Vocals Brian Setzer was amazing!

[Alun]

I think must have been when I went to see Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings are a few years ago and there was no mention of a support act. Sitting there waiting for to start and out walks Colin Hodgkinson who proceeded to play a really mindblowing set

Alun

[Mykesbass]

Went, representing the company I worked for at the time (as everyone else had made their excuses) to a gig we were filming in Zwikau (sorry, don't know if that's correct spelling) amazing sports hall venue in the former East Germany - it was the James Last Orchestra and they were amazing. Got very drunk with the horn section later that night!

[tonybassplayer]

Went on a business trip with Volkswagen to the factory in Wolfsburg about three years ago and after the business meeting we were taken to the old factory power station that had been stripped out of all the major machinery and converted in to some form of entertainment building and when combined with the use of some strategically placed lighting was quite a funky place.

We went upstairs where a large stage had been built with some tasty gear set upon it that got me intrigued ( earlier on in the evening I was convinced that we were going to be subjected to a night of oompah bands and men wearing lederhosen !! )

A brilliant four piece jazz ensemble with an absolutely stunning female singer played for about forty minutes or so then their gear was moved off stage whilst a few more speeches were made.

At this point the suspense was killing me as I could tell that the set up on stage was from a pro band as we were only a few feet away. The lights then dimmed and the band came on and it was Kool and the Gang !! They played for about an hour and a half and it was just hit after hit and they were just the perfect party band with some absolutely superb musicianship.

Brilliant night and made the 2 day flying visit so memorable ( got to see the Scirocco when it was just the Iroc concept car as well...awesome )

[Rayman]

Seasick Steve last night. I really wasn't arsed at all about going, but what a great night, thoroughly enjoyed the whole set, brilliant. Amy LaVere was outstanding on the upright bass, even after she had helped Steve and Co polish off various bottles of grog inc. wine and whisky, they were all totaly blotto by the end of the night, but what a brilliant gig it was.

Steve's obviously a very talented player, and the man has a fantastic voice too.

[Cat Burrito]

I was dragged to a Motley Crue gig but I can't think of any silver lining :snob: My wife enjoyed it at least

[thisnameistaken]

My (ex) girlfriend made me go see 311, who I almost liked at the time but not enough to go see, but it turned out a little-known band called No Doubt were opening for them. Their set was one of the best live performances I've ever seen, and of course Gwen Stefani's fairly easy on the eye.

I remember they dropped out of one tune into 'Ghost Town' for a couple of minutes and confused the crap out of all the 13 year olds in the audience who didn't know what it was, but it sounded great.

[bassace]

Most of these posts simply confirm that, whatever people's pre-conceived notions about who they like and who they don't, going to see a live band is something different. I've been to see some (nominally) naff acts and been blown away by their live performance. Also remember that a singer who you may not rate will often have the very best backing players.

I went to see Neil Sedaka once and he had Jim Fielder (ex Blood Sweat and Tears) on bass - fantastic . Neil's a bloody good peformer too - he played right through without an interval.

[chrisba]

[quote]+Seven and Twelvety!
...Ive seen them Theyre a Mustard! 3 piece....If you get the opportunity go!...
When i went there was 2 Ampeg 8x10s on stage with Svt Valve heads for the double bass(was told ones a spare!..just in case!)....Guitar/Vocals Brian Setzer was amazing![/quote]

Not seen Stray Cats, but did see The Brian Setzer Orchestra at a corporate jolly in Hawaii. Brian is a great performer and front man, and although his backing band were as different as it could get from the Cats, ( full-on big band, about 25 strong, instead of drums and double bass ), the music was remarkably similar.

[farmer61]

My Mrs took me to a Simply Red concert at Wembley....................it was sh*te