Slady - Friday 20th January - New Cross Inn

Brief review:  A late decision to go and see one of the best Slade tribute acts around. The venue was reasonably busy and the girls cooked up a storming show, including a few songs not heard from them before. Prior to the show, we had gone to a couple of the less visited pubs towards New Cross station. Let's just say, we reminded ourselves on why they were "less visited"! The New Cross Inn itself is an excellent venue though!

Venue and View:  Standing towards the back, left of centre.

Setlist
We'll Bring the House Down
Look Wot You Dun
Cum On Feel the Noize
Coz I Luv You
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Know Who You Are
Darlin' Be Home Soon 
The Bangin' Man
Just a Little Bit 
Dig Me
Don't Blame Me
Hear Me Calling
Run Runaway
Move Over 
Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me
Born to Be Wild
Take Me Bak 'Ome
Everyday
Gudbuy T'Jane
+
Merry Xmas Everybody
Get Down and Get With It

Rockz - Monday 16th December - English Channel (MS Arcadia Cruise)

Brief review:  All girl cruise ship band play a selection of rock and pop covers. Not the obvious choices of songs (I only knew about 50%), but all the girls could all sing and it was a nice way to while away 50 minutes in the main auditorium.

Venue and View:  Front left stalls

Paul Heaton - Tuesday 10th December - Hammersmith Eventim Apollo

Brief review:  I had been looking forward to this since seeing the highlights of Paul's Glastonbury show on TV and listening to tracks from his new album "The Mighty Several". And it was great. "New" vocalist Rianne Downey is a star in the making and the set list covered most of the essentials from his solo work and the best of the Beautiful South. In fact it was so good, I am sorely tempted to go to the extra night tomorrow, but probably can't!

Venue and View:  Front Left, Hammersmith (aka the "normal" spot)

Setlist

Just Another Family
Sheep
Old Red Eyes Is Back
Quicksand
Bell Bottomed Tear
The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death
A Little Time
H Into Hurt
I Don't See Them
Silly Me
We're Not Deep
Fish 'N' Chip Supper
Song for Whoever
Small Boats
Me and the Farmer
I'll Sail This Ship Alone
Don't Marry Her
Heatongrad
Happy Hour
Perfect 10
Good as Gold (Stupid as Mud)
+
One Last Love Song
You Keep It All In
+
Rotterdam (Or Anywhere)
Caravan of Love

Human League - Monday 9th December - Brighton Centre

Brief review:  "The Human League?" I hear you cry! Yes, if you see the other artists on the blog, you will realise they are unlikely to be my "cup of tea". But, ably supported by a brief set from T'Pau, the excellent Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the show was really good. In fact, I'd say the sound and vocals were superior to many of the studio tracks I'd forced myself to listen to (many I didn't enjoy) in the run up to the show. So the lessen of the day is that generally, these famous bands are famous for a reason - they are normally good!

As a bonus, I was able to pick up a live T'Pau CD from the merchandise stand that I had never seen before!

Venue and View:  Seated at the side

Setlist
[T'Pau]
Sex Talk
Secret Garden
Valentine
Whenever You Need Me
Heart and Soul
Bridge of Spies
China in Your Hand

[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]
Crying at the Discoteque 
Take Me Home 
Hypnotized
Ready for Your Love 
Get Over You
Lady (Hear Me Tonight) / Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) / Can't Fight This Feeling / Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
Freedom of the Night
Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer) 
Murder on the Dancefloor

[Human League]
Hard Times
Love Action (I Believe in Love)
Mirror Man
Heart Like a Wheel
Behind the Mask 
Life on Your Own
The Lebanon
One Man in My Heart
The Path of Least Resistance
Empire State Human
Louise
Soundtrack to a Generation
All I Ever Wanted
Open Your Heart
The Sound of the Crowd
Tell Me When
(Keep Feeling) Fascination
Don't You Want Me
+
Good-Bye Bad Times 
Together in Electric Dreams

Mark Stanway's Kingdom of Madness - Sunday 8th December - Underworld, Camden

Brief review:  Mark Stanway and KOM play classic Magnum. I wasn't sure if I could make this and so only bought a ticket on the night, but was glad I made the effort. The vocalist had changed since last time I saw the band (continuing the heavy rotation of musicians), but the quality was still high. Even as a keen Magnum fan, I struggled to identify a couple of the more obscure songs that started both sets and as the empty spaces in the venue suggested, I wonder if Mark is gong to find an audience for this type of show. I genuinely hope he can. Maybe any night but a Sunday would be a good start.

Venue and View:  Stand wherever we wanted. We chose left of centre, a few yards back.

Setlist
So Cold the Night
Back to Earth
Just Like an Arrow
Vigilante
Wild Swan
The Prize
Need a Lot of Love
Les Morts Dansant
Love's a Stranger
All England's Eyes
+
If I Could Live Forever
Soldier of the Line
Only in America
Drum Solo
Midnight (You Won't Be Sleeping)
Red on the Highway
On a Storyteller's Night
Kingdom of Madness
The Lights Burned Out
Sacred Hour

SAS Band - Saturday 7th December - G-Live, Guildford

Brief review:  30th Anniversary show for Spike Edney and his All Star band. with a revolving selection of guests each year, you never know for sure who will be appearing. Our "smart money" on Roger Taylor was spot on and it was nice to see a couple of acts we had not seen before with Spike including Jim Cregan (singing!) and Kiki Dee as well as some more regular favourites.

Most amusing was Justin Hawkins renditions of 2 different "Power of Love" songs with a very high version of the Jennifer Rush track morphing into the rocky Huey Lewis & The News song.

Venue and View:  Front left, standing.

Setlist

Rebel Rebel (with Tony Vincent)
Creep (with Tony Vincent)
Don't Stop Me Now (with Tony Vincent)
School's Out (with Toyah + Justin Hawkins on guitar)
Sweet Child O' Mine (with Toyah + Justin Hawkins on guitar)
War Baby (with Tom Robinson)
2-4-6-8 Motorway / "Here Comes the Sun" snippet (with Tom Robinson)
Every Kinda People (with Kiki Dee)
I've Got the Music in Me (with Kiki Dee)
The Power of Love (Jennifer Rush Song) (with Justin Hawkins)
The Power of Love (Huey Lewis Song) (with Justin Hawkins)
Dixie Chicken (with Justin Hawkins)
I Believe in a Thing Called Love (with Justin Hawkins)
+
Mamma Mia (with the FabbaGirls - Zoe Nicholas and Susie Webb)
Dancing Queen (with the FabbaGirls - Zoe Nicholas and Susie Webb)
Over My Shoulder (with Roachford)
Cuddly Toy (with Roachford)
Higher Ground (with Madeline Bell)
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (with Madeline Bell)
Forever Young (with Jim Cregan)
Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) (with Jim Cregan)
Under Pressure (with Roger Taylor and Justin Hawkins)
These Are the Days of Our Lives (with Roger Taylor)
Radio Ga Ga (with Roger Taylor)
Tutti Frutti (with Roger Taylor)
30 Riff Overture (with Jamie Moses and band)
Fairytale of New York (with Jamie Moses + Fabbagirls on vocals)
Do They Know It's Christmas? (ensemble)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (ensemble)
All the Way (ensemble)