Gig reviews & who are you going to see next (other than...)

[Uli]

Well, your fearless correspondent took it upon himself to go check out the new line-up of The Godfathers last night in Stuttgart at the "Keller Klub". Was a last-minute decision whether to go or not, as of course in a week with concerts on I have lots of work (other weeks I might sit around waiting for work)... 
Late arrival at the Keller Klub, promoter Micha tells me the band only just started and it's the first song (he wanted them to go on earlier, but they stayed at the hotel for a while... good for me!). Got to admit the Keller Klub smelled a bit strange and the toilets were in a bad state (I think it'll be closing down in the near future), Peter Coyne on stage mentioned something about "rats in the backstage room". 
Anyway, there were a few people in, not too bad a crowd for a Tuesday night. The band sounded good, very loud (I used earplugs once again). They are becoming a tight unit, I believe. Last time I saw the Godfathers (previous line-up) was a little bit better, but last night was very good, too. They played all the "hits" you'd expect (incl. "She gives me love" and "Till my heart stops beating") and a few extras: a song from the Heavy Drapes (seeing new band members came from them), one from The Sid Presley Experience and Stooges cover "I wanna be your dog" (seems to be THE cover these days, as I heard it recently by Hands Off Gretel too)! 

Good gig and I met some old mates (who used to play in local punk band "The Nerves" more than 15 years ago; now they're both in goth rock outfit "Nosferatu" - more on that later, as I might go see them on Saturday).
One of them knows the bass player Jon Priestley (who I saw with The Damned last year), we were chatting a little bit, seemed like a nice, funny bloke (and his bass lines sounded good). 

[EastKentTaff]

Joe Brown (Minus The Bruvvers) in Herne Bay on Thursday and UK Subs in Dover on Friday

[EastKentTaff]

Went to see Ben Elton last night.   2 1/2 hours of cracking comedy, just as it should be.  Loud, controversial and sometimes filthy.   Excellent!!     Haven't laughed so much in years.

[Fred21]

Hawkwind for me tomorrow too.

They recorded this radio session recently (14/11/19): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ytglMgJ01w
 

[slaughterboy]

Shellac at the Electric Ballroom in December.

Haven't seen them for a few years so really looking forward to some raucousness.

[Uli]

Went to see Nosferatu last night (UK gothic rock band, now featuring some German members, who used to play in The Nerves some 15 years ago) at a pub in the old town centre of Esslingen. Support band Wisborg weren't too bad (for 2 guys with a drum machine & backing tapes).
Nosferatu do use drum machine (plus a bit of background noise) too. First few songs I wasn't too convinced, but it got better, especially when the guitarist put in more "power chords".
Damien DeVille (original member) plays a mean guitar, Tim Vic sings the old songs well (I only know a few of 'em), Thom on bass provides a good "back bone". The old songs I know best are those Rat Scabies used to put the drum tracks on (back in the late 90's), the backing tape(s) used on 2 of those sounded suspiciously like him... (I heard he's going to do a guest spot with them at the 100 Club next year in June!)
It was way too loud for this small pub (pretty full btw), so I was glad I had my earplugs on me. 
Not a bad night all in all & nice to meet some old mates. 

[Fred21]

I could see exactly what you meant about Hawkwind GJ as even Dave Brock didn't fancy some of the extended musical sections and wandered off stage for most of both Silver Machine and Masters of the Universe! For a 50th anniversary tour, they also played too much of the new album. They would have been better splitting it to promote the one and celebrate the other - but at 78 I'm not sure Dave would have been up for that!

Biggest cheers of the night were for when they played Lemmy's "The Watcher" and put his picture up on the screen at the end of it and when they played their first single, "Hurry on Sundown".

That being said, they were on good musical form and it was nice to see Tim Blake playing with them again. I'm not too sure that his keytar added very much, but he did an excellent job of using his theremin to spacey effect - like, far out Man!

[Uli]

It was cold... when I got into my car to start the drive to Stuttgart (gig had been moved to "Goldmark's" club instead of the bigger "Universum" venue next door). It was still cold down in Stuttgart town... but at the club a warm welcome by Micha (promoter), who told me he'd opened doors a bit late, as Ruts DC had arrived late ("only" from Frankfurt, but I know Friday afternoons can be rough on the motorways). When asked how things are going, he told me about the gig the next day ("stoner rock", none of the band names seemed known to me), for which he expects 600 paying visitors (way more than tonight, sadly). I told him it's good he has such "bigger" nights, so he can do the smaller gigs which interest me!! 

Had a small beer and waited for the support band to begin. Loaded are from Mannheim (apparently their frontman is an American) and play some kind of ska-punk, they sounded pretty good and tight. 
In the meantime, I met some old mates (veterans of TV gigs and so on)...

Ruts DC started their show with "The Vox Teardrop" from the latest album, of course they played many songs from "The Crack" (40 years old - I bought the vinyl LP 30 years ago!), including "It was cold" and one of the best punky reggae songs: "Jah War"! Club was pretty full, it was loud and they played very well (Segs & Dave Ruffy are a great rhythm section, Leigh is great on guitar). I was very happy that they performed "Kill the pain", my absolute fave song from recent years! 

Encore started with "Babylon's Burning", they thought we'd deserved a long encore and followed it with the reggae "Love in vain" (dedicated to Malcolm Owen and Paul Fox). "Human Punk" and others were played as well. All in all a great gig with a great band, I was glad to see them again (five+ years after their last show here).

[GJ]

999 in Northwich, Preston and Boro. Good gigs and good turnouts, nothing from the upcoming new album yet (which sounds really good). Great support acts too- Kopek Millionaires and Biteback in Northwich. Lurkers and a really good local band called 'Left' in Preston. At boro it was Bermondsey Joyriders who I was disappointed by and the brilliant Duncan Reid and the Big Heads who were amazingly good.
Jaya The Cat in Leeds tonight.

[Uli]

nothing from the upcoming new album yet (which sounds really good).

Interesting. I re-listened to "Death in Soho" last week and thought it's really good. 
Thanks for da reviews!

[EastKentTaff]

From The Jam tonight in Herne Bay..  Yes Herne Bay, the town of the bewildered.

[slaughterboy]

Shellac at the Electric Ballroom in Olde Camden Toon last night.

Got a good position on the edge of the mosh and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Can't really go wrong with them, with Trainer producing the thunder and Weston and Albini directing the lightning, which fairly crackled.

Always worth the admission price

[GJ]

Ronnie Spector at the Sage, Gateshead. Brilliant, she may be 76 but still has that voice. Then Buzzcocks at the key club in Leeds. Missed the first 40 minutes as I was travelling back from the football in Manchester and they came on at the ridiculously early time of 8.30. Enjoyed the last 20 minutes plus the 7 song encore. Diggle did a good job and wasn't too pissed.

[EastKentTaff]

Well, have just seen a Elton John tribute act at our hotel.. Mmmm.  8/10 for the piano playing.  As for the singing... 4 and that's being generous.

[slaughterboy]

Well, have just seen a Elton John tribute act at our hotel.. Mmmm.  8/10 for the piano playing.  As for the singing... 4 and that's being generous.

Are you sure it wasn't Reg himself, as the marks out of 10 indicate?!