Quireboys - Friday 21st April - Pattern's, Brighton

Brief review:  An evening of Rock ‘n’ Roll with the Quireboys in Brighton. They may be ”Spike”-less, but the rest of the band still play most of the classic QB stuff well.  Audience numbers are thin though, but do include Luke Morley from Thunder.

Venue and View:  Nice cosy venue - stand anywhere you wanted for this one!

Setlist

I Love This Dirty Town
Misled
Gracie B
Roses & Rings
Turn Away
27 Years
Louder
Mona Lisa Smiled
Original Black Eyed Son
Too Much of a Good Thing
Lie to me
This Is Rock 'n' Roll
7 O'Clock
+
I Don't Love You Anymore

* This setlist may not be 100% accurate - it is based on shows around he same time as this one.

Elton John - Monday 17th April - O2 Arena

Brief review:  Having baulked at the prices for Elton John’s farewell tour when they went on sale several years ago, I’ve got used to hearing how good the show is from those who have been recently, so thought I would do some investigation on “single” tickets. The resale prices were still horrendous, but I’ve managed to nab a Level 1 ticket for Mr Dwight side-on to the stage (flagged restricted view) for about half the price of a front-on ticket at the back. 

The whole O2 complex is heaving, but having found that my preferred Amex lounge is allegedly full, I breezed through the improved security lines and into the not-quite-so-glamorous O2 Blue Bar. At least they have ditched the awful plastic “glasses” for now and replaced with an Elton paper cup!

And what about the show? Outstandingly good! I fully expected a host of backing singers handling the vocals, but it was all Elton. And his playing and that of the long standing band colleagues was excellent.

Venue and View:  Right hand side - slightly behind stage

Setlist

Bennie and the Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
Border Song 
Tiny Dancer
Have Mercy on the Criminal
Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
Take Me to the Pilot
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Levon
Candle in the Wind
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Burn Down the Mission
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
The Bitch Is Back
I'm Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

+
Cold Heart
Your Song
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Blackberry Smoke - Saturday 1st April - Roundhouse

Brief review:  Blackberry Smoke at The Roundhouse. Who and where I hear you cry! Excellent US country-rock (Eagles-esq?) band at the the ex steam train shed - now arts venue, in Chalk Farm.We missed the first song and a half unfortunately (the opener is a favourite of mine), but everything else was very good indeed. Howdy folks

Venue and View:  Side right, towards the back to start and then leaning against pillar with side view

Setlist

Six Ways to Sunday
Good One Comin' On
Let It Burn
Live It Down
Pretty Little Lie
You Hear Georgia
Living in the Song
Hey Delilah
Sleeping Dogs / Don't Come Round Here No More (Snippet)
Ain't the Same
Ain't Gonna Wait
The Whippoorwill
Waiting for the Thunder
What Comes Naturally
Rock and Roll Again
Restless
Ain't Got the Blues
Run Away From It All
One Horse Town
Old Scarecrow
+
Shakin' Hands With the Holy Ghost
Ain't Much Left of Me / Mississippi Kid (Snippet)

Johnny Warman (Total Who) - Friday 31st March - Boom Boom, Sutton

Brief review:  Who classics from Johnny and band including Marcus Flynn and Neil Fairclough. If you have not seen them before then go!

Venue and View:  Floor, middle. Front half

Don and The Dreamers - Wednesday 22nd March - Water Rats

Brief review:  Don Powell (Slade) and his Norwegian Dreamers band. Album launch show, which meant a very short set. That didn’t account for the very early 7:45 start! At least we were forewarned and saw it all. CD duly purchased, signed and handshakes all round. Guests included the Animals Mick Gallagher who was also a “Blockhead” in Ian Dury’s band.

Venue and View:  Floor standing.

Spike and Chris - Sunday 19th March - Cavern, Raynes Park

Brief review:  Looking forward to some acoustic rock ‘n’ roll with Spike and Chris in Raynes Park. Already had a fun soundcheck with Spike teasing Chris’s wife about an old relationship with Roger Taylor with an obscure Queen track. Expecting the Cadbury’s flake jingle later along similar lines. Show timings will be haphazard and some of the stories may be true!

Venue and View:  Front left.

Setlist

[Soundcheck]
Tenement Funster
Raining Whiskey

[Set 1]
The Wombling Song (Partial)
The Cadbury's Flake Advert Jingle (Partial)
We Hope its Chips Its Chips (Partial)
Roses & Rings
Run for Home
I'll Never Fall in Love Again 
Darlin' 
Pearl's a Singer 
Fortune 
Raining Whiskey 
Have a Drink With Me

[Set 2]
Wild Horses
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
The First Cut Is the Deepest
The House of the Rising Sun
Here I Go Again (Partial)
So Far So Good
7 O'Clock
How Come It Never Rains
I Don't Love You Anymore
There She Goes Again
Streets of London

Slady - Saturday 11th March - Sound Lounge, Sutton

Brief review:  First gig at this excellent Sutton venue. Slady play Slade with a few new songs in the set promised that may challenge our “deeper cuts” knowledge. Support was from the very engaging Isabella Coulstock who included a cover of Jolene in her set.

There’s always one who thinks that standing at the front of a mainly seated event is acceptable. All other standees are at the back.

Venue and View:  Seated.. front left. Until we stood!

Belinda Carlisle - Wednesday 8th January - Oxford New Theatre

Brief review:  Much postponed trip to see Belinda in Oxford. Booked in May 2020 and subject to Covid delays and rearrangement, the show was originally on a Sunday (24/11/21). Busy midweek traffic meant we only caught the last 2 songs of the support (The Christians), but I'm not especially a fan of theirs, so not much missed for me. 

Belinda bounded on stage at precisely 9pm and her silver shoes didn't even last the first song before being discarded. The next 90 minutes were excellent - basically a "Greatest Hits" show. A great evening and I even made a merchandise purchase which is unusual these days!

I'm annoyed that I can't go to the Guildford show later in the tour - especially as I had front row tickets.

Venue and View:  Front row, centre of circle. Nice theatre and perfect view.

Setlist

(We Want) The Same Thing

Do You Feel Like I Feel?

In Too Deep

Deep Deep Ocean

I Get Weak

Circle in the Sand

Vision of You

La Luna

Summer Rain

Fool For Love

Our Lips Are Sealed

Mad About You

Leave a Light On

Heaven Is a Place on Earth

+

Runaway Horses

Big Scary Animal

Live Your Life Be Free

Man of The World (Peter Green Tribute) - Thursday 26th January - Half Moon, Putney

Brief review:  An enjoyable evening of blues, celebrating the life and career of Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green. Recreations of the songs I knew in the set were spot on and I particularly enjoyed The Stumble and Shake Your Money Maker. Unfortunately we missed the first 2 songs, but I will definitely check out the band again the next time they play locally.

Venue and View:  Sold out, view from the back for the first half, a few steps forward and left for the second

Setlist

Rhino's Revenge - Thursday 12th January - Teddington Constitutional Club

Brief review:  A late decision to see Rhino Edwards with son Freddie and current Status Quo drummer Leon Cave. I'm glad I bought a ticket as it was sold out!  Due to the strange config of seats and standing, the initial part of the show wasn't much fun (especially to the group of 3 people near me who had little interest in the show, but talked very loudly amongst themselves and found everything hilarious - even a conversation about building works!). Rather than be rude to them, I thought it best to move and the rest of the show was enjoyable with lots of Rhino's solo stuff, a few Quo covers that he normally does and some other covers such as Mony Mony, Old Time Rock 'n' Roll and Let's Work Together. An array of guests joined in, including daughter Mae who played drums for a bit and then shared vocals on Paper Plane.

Sadly, Jeff Beck had died the previous day. Rhino wanted to pay tribute to him as "he was a hero to me and all musicians and one of the reasons I do what I do". He then added "As a tribute, we are going to play a song you'll all know. Ironically, for a tribute, he hated this song..... (laughs).... so you'd better sing along!". And thus we got an excellent rendition of Hi Ho Silver Lining. All good fun.

Venue and View:  Busy old-school working club venue. Once they realised it was sold out, I think a number of the tables in front of the stage should have been removed. Standing in the extended back room meant little view and terrible sound. I moved to near the ticket desk which was busy, but better.