Sutton Folk Festival (Del Amitri, Nick Lowe) - Sunday 19th August - Manor Park, Sutton

Brief review:  Manor Park in Sutton (popular hangout at school lunchtimes!) for a folk festival. Definition stretched - we are here for Nick Lowe and Del Amitri - who’s show T shirts have the tagline of “Drunk In Glasgow Since 1982”! All good, apart from the bar queue.

The show made me realise that I don't own any Del Amitri albums or CDs - that anomaly was put right very soon after this excellent perfomance.  

Venue and View:  Capacity crowd of 2,000. 2 easily accessible stages - we went "front right" for both.

Setlist
Nick Lowe
Man That I've Become
People Change
Long Limbed Girl
Lately I've Let Things Slide
I Live on a Battlefield 
Lay It On Me Baby
Rome Wasn't Built in a Day
Tokyo Bay
Heartbreaker 
Love Starvation
Far Celestial Shore 
Cruel to Be Kind
Trombone
Heart 
I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock 'n' Roll)

Del Amitri
Musicians and Beer
Always the Last to Know
Not Where It's At
Kiss This Thing Goodbye
Nothing Ever Happens
Mockingbird, Copy Me Now
Driving With the Brakes On
Missing Person
Move Away Jimmy Blue
Roll to Me
You Can't Go Back
Here and Now
Spit in the Rain
Stone Cold Sober
+
Be My Downfall

Ealing Blues Festival - Sunday 21st July - Ealing

Nick Lowe

Second festival of the weekend - in Ealing for some "blues". Bad Influence get things off to a decent start. I also get to see a bit of Tim Stafell (ex Smile - pre Queen) and The Eel Pie All Stars before the early evening headliner - Nick Lowe.

The affable Mr Lowe jokes about getting the bus to the festival and about feeling a bit of a fraud, because "although I love the blues, I just write pop songs. Is it OK if I play some?". Of course it is and his acoustic performance enthrals the crowd for the next 75 minutes. Highlights include "I Knew the Bride" and "(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding". All good stuff.

Bad Influence (with daughter Jess Hayes)

Evening headliners were "Who's Next". I have seen them before, but was surprised that they ventured toward the more "hardcore" elements of a Who set, based around "Live At Leeds" at a festival. To be fair, "Tattoo", "Fortune Teller" and "Heaven and Hell" can be heavy going for all but the hardened Who fans.

Tim Stafell & Paul Stewart Band

Anyway, after 7 hours on my feet, I headed to the exit as they approach their encore. Regrettably this meant I apparently missed "Long Live Rock". Ho, hum... next time maybe. And I will be back for the Ealing Festival - really impressed by layout and organisation.

Who's Next

The Eel Pie All Stars