Abba Voyage - Sunday 7th April - Abba Arena, Stratford

Brief review:  ABBA. Well holograms of ABBA to be correct. So not really a concert, but still an impressive show. There is a live band playing on the songs too to a sold out arena (as it seems to be night after night). And to be fair I enjoyed it and am glad I went, but would leave it a while before going back.

Venue and View:  Mid way back on the right.

Setlist
The Visitors
Hole in Your Soul
SOS
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Chiquitita
Fernando
Mamma Mia
Does Your Mother Know
Eagle
Lay All Your Love on Me
Summer Night City
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
Voulez-vous
When All Is Said and Done
Don't Shut Me Down
I Still Have Faith in You
Waterloo
Thank You for the Music
Dancing Queen
+
The Winner Takes It All

Friday 29th March - Bootleg Blondie - Boom Boom, Sutton

Brief review:  Excellent Blondie tribute. I'd not seen the band before but would happily go and see them again. I particularly liked the attention to detail, such as the song-appropriate outfits that the singer (another Debbie) wore.

Venue and View:  Standing

The Who - Wednesday 20th March - Royal Albert Hall

Brief review:  Night 2 of the TCT Who shows. Slightly cheaper seats to the side, but the front row gave an excellent vantage point. As ever, the second show sees the band with more rehearsal time under their belts and arguably a better performance than on Monday. A highlight and change in the set was The Acid Queen. Regular readers may recall that I don't think Eddie Vedder is a great singer, but - to be fair - he did a decent guest spot here.

Venue and View:  Front Row in the left hand side-stalls.

Setlist
[With Orchestra]
Overture
1921
Amazing Journey
Sparks
The Acid Queen
Pinball Wizard
We're Not Gonna Take It
Who Are You
+
[Band Only]
The Kids Are Alright
Substitute
My Generation
Cry If You Want
You Better You Bet
Won't Get Fooled Again
Behind Blue Eyes
+
[With Orchestra]
The Punk And The Godfather (with Eddie Vedder)
I'm One
5:15
The Rock
Love, Reign O'er Me
Baba O'Riley

The Who - Monday 18th March - Royal Albert Hall

Brief review:  Night 1 of 2 Who shows this week in aid of Teenage Cancer trust at the Royal Albert Hall. Expensive, but great seats purchased. the band were on decent form, albeit predictably under-rehearsed. Pete Townshend seemed to catch them out in the first song by launching into I Can't Explain which he later claimed was on his setlist and not the others. But it was good to see the band in full electric mode for much of the set and the orchestra tracks worked well. Looking forward to the 2nd show in a couple of days.

Venue and View:  3rd row seats, right of centre.

Setlist
I Can't Explain
+
[With Orchestra]
Overture
Amazing Journey
Sparks
Pinball Wizard
We're Not Gonna Take It
Who Are You
Eminence Front
+
[Band Only]
The Kids Are Alright
You Better You Bet
Substitute
My Generation
Cry If You Want
Won't Get Fooled Again
Behind Blue Eyes
+
[With Orchestra]
The Real Me
I'm One
5:15
The Rock
Love, Reign O'er Me
Baba O'Riley

Guitar Legends - Friday 15th March - Boom Boom, Sutton

Brief review:  My previous review of the Guitar Legends would have mentioned that I didn't think the vocals were up to scratch. I therefore was slightly reticent about seeing them again, but as Richard hadn't seen them, he persuaded me to go. And I am glad I did as I had no such complaints this time around. An expected set of Rock classics with a couple of surprises thrown in for good measure.

Venue and View:  Pretty central standing of a reasonably spacious floor. Easy access to the bar.

Slade UK - Saturday 9th March - Charles Cryer Theatre, Carshalton

Brief review:  The excellent Slade tribute band come to Carshalton for an intimate show. They are an excellent act combining the key hits with some great deeper dives into the catalogue such as "Gypsy Roadhog" and "Dizzy Mama". Keep On Rockin'!

Venue and View:  Seated a few rows back on the right

Kaiser Chiefs - Thursday 7th March - Pryzm, Kingston

Brief review: Having very much enjoyed Ricky and the boys at the church carol service last year, an album launch show at the intimate Pryzm seemed too good to miss. And indeed it was excellent with "Beautiful Girl" the standout new song for me plus the expected hits towards the end of the short set.

Venue and View:  Front left on the floor

Setlist
The Job Centre Shuffle
Everyday I Love You Less and Less
Beautiful Girl
Modern Way
How 2 Dance
Burning in Flames
Never Miss a Beat
Ruby
I Predict a Riot
Reasons to Stay Alive
+
Oh My God 

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Thursday 22nd February - Indigo2

Brief review:  Joanne is back supporting a new album which seemed especially difficult to buy in the UK for some reason. Her playing was as excellent as ever and it was a good show, but for me there is something slightly lacking since she changed her band. They are all very competent, but there's a lack of the fun element that was with her shows pre-covid.

Venue and View:  Seated, centrally in 5th row

Setlist
In the Mood
Keep On Lovin' Me
All My Love
If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody
Can't You See What You're Doing to Me
Dyin' to Know
Wild Love
Won't Be Fooled Again
Watch 'em Burn
Diamonds in the Dirt
Fade Away
Runaway
Sweet Lil Lies
Bad Love
+
Going Home

Luke Morley - Wednesday 31st January - O2 Academy, Islington

Brief review:  Luke Morley from Thunder promoting his new album - Songs From The Blue Room - which is rather good. The band includes Chris Childs (also Thunder), Dean Howard (T'Pau and many others) and the brilliant Sam Tanner on keys. Excellent evening with a number of other muso friends spotted in the crowd.

Venue and View:  Front Left, standing

Setlist

I Wanna See the Light
Damage
Killed by Cobain
This World
Errol Flynn
Quiet Life
The First Day
I'm the One You Want
Nobody Cares
Lying to Myself
Watch the Sun Go Down
+
A Better Man
Go With the Flow
Lola

Paul Jones and Friends - Wednesday 10th January - G-Live, Guildford

Brief review:  Paul Jones and Friends in Guildford in aid of a prostate cancer charity. The Friends are often quite famous in this annual event. The first half included Mike D'Abo - probably most well known for "Handbags & Gladrags" (Rod hit and theme from "The Office"). Robben Ford was the other first half guest with some neat blues guitar. It does transpire that Mr Jones can indeed play the harmonica. Very well!

There is a "no photo" rule. Without being rude, most of the audience would struggle to get the photo app on their phones. We're in the youngest 2-3% of the crowd, although the claret sales were doing well at the bar in the interval.

Part two bought some pleasant music and some wildly out of time clapping from those seated near us, but alas no mega-stars. It turns out I have seen Jimmy Helms before - in Londonbeat supporting Bryan Ferry at Wembley Arena in 1991! Andy Fairweather‐Low was good, but I feel slightly guilty in saying the evening was underwhelming. It was an expensive ticket, so it's probably just as well it's going to a good cause.

Venue and View:  Seated, front right

Setlist

Leave No Trace (With Jawbone)

Build Me Up Buttercup (With Mike D’abo)

Just Like A Woman (With Mike D’abo)

Hand Bags And Gladrags (With Mike D’abo)

If Youve Gotta Go ,Go Now (With Mike D’abo)

What I Haven't Done (With Robben Ford)

White Rock Beer ....8 Cents (With Robben Ford)

Blues For Lonnie Johnson (With Robben Ford)

Fair Child (With Robben Ford)

Warm Up That Cup (With Jawbone)

Lover Man (With Elaine Delmar)

Summertime (With Elaine Delmar)

Stairway To Paradise (With Elaine Delmar)

Gonna Make You An Offer (You Can't Refuse) (With Jimmy Helms)

I've Been Thinking About You (With Jimmy Helms)

Higher Ground (With Jimmy Helms)

(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice (With Andy Fairweather‐Low)

Wide Eyes And Legless (With Andy Fairweather‐Low)

When They Ring Those Golden Bells (With Andy Fairweather‐Low)

If Youve Gotta Go ,Go Now (Reprise)