Status Quo - Saturday 20th December - Brighton Centre

The next blog entry should have been "The Who" last Wednesday, but that is postponed until March next year due to Roger Daltrey's throat condition.

So, instead it a "traditional" trip to Brighton for a bit of Quo. The afternoon was spend on a darts session (luckily of high enough standard to impress a group of lads on the "shared-space" pool table).

The evening was at the sold-out Brighton Centre for the last night of the 2014 tour. The evening started with a mixed set from Chas 'n' Dave. They bravely did some new material as well as many of their old favourites. All good fun, but for me they are at their best in a smaller venue with a lively crowd joining in. The arena setting just didn't feel right.

Quo came on around 8:45 and very good they were too, despite the fairly predictable setlist (I'm not going to bother moaning about the lack of change or "Blue Eyed Lady" being dropped from the start of the tour) and more surprisingly a new guitar for Francis Rossi. Turns out his classic green Telecaster has nearly given up the ghost and can barely be played due to it's condition. I'm not quite sure why he hasn't purchased / been given one that looks the same as he is so identified with it - surely Fender would make one for him!

Still, the new guitar sounded fine and the band were all on good form. Rick sounded better vocally than recently and after his latest health scares is hopefully off the fags and booze and fighting fit. Even the normally dodgy "Burning Bridges" sounded OK here with Rossi playing the lick alongside the keyboards.

Despite what the detractors may say, "current Quo" still pack a punch and give the audience what they want (missed the obvious "Whatever You Want" reference there!).

Setlist (Chas 'n' Dave)
Gertcha
I Wonder in Whose Arms
London Girls
Margate
That Old Piano
(Unknown)
The Shape I'm In
My Blue Heaven
(Unknown)
When Two Worlds Collide
Diddle Um Song (Diddle Umma Day)
Rabbit
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Ain't No Pleasing You
The Sideboard Song (Got My Beer In The Sideboard Here)

Setlist (Status Quo)

Caroline

Something 'bout You Baby I Like

Rain

Paper Plane

Little Lady

Hold You Back

Beginning of the End

What You're Proposing / Down the Dustpipe / Wild Side of Life / Railroad

Big Fat Mama

The Oriental

Creepin' Up on You

Oh Baby

In the Army Now

Drum Solo

Roll Over Lay Down

Down Down

Whatever You Want

Rockin' All Over the World

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Burning Bridges (On and Off and on Again)

Rock 'n' Roll Music / Bye Bye Johnny

Chas & Dave - Chicago Rock Cafe, Sutton - Wednesday 5th December

Yes indeedy, Charles and David - live in Sutton on a Wednesday evening! Now before I hear you scoffing, let's just say this was actually really good fun. I hadn't been to Chicago's for years, but it had a nice friendly crowd and felt more like a weekend. Everyone was in the mood for a Cockney sing-along and that's what we got for about an hour and 10 minutes.

 

Quite a late start (10:30) which gave us time to watch the Geordies grab a deserved draw with the Gooners. The set list was pretty much what you'd expect, with all the hits played. They are also the only artist I've seen (I think) who have had just piano, bass and drums. We were trying to work out how old they are... a bit of surfing suggests Chas and Mick are 64 (Mick looks older!) and Dave is 62.