Backseat Lovers - Monday 16th May - Electric, Brixton

Brief review:  Grrr... Message to self: check the calendar before promising to take your daughter to the new band she likes and booking tickets. Hence I'm here at a new venue for me in South London instead of at the O2 where I had a decent ticket for Whitesnake, Europe and Foreigner.

Still, this was OK. Young long-haired musicians playing loud 70's style rock music - good for them. I would guess Deep Purple are one of their influences. I predictably knew none of it, but it was good. In the gap between the support and main act, I pledged to look up ticket options for Whitesnake in Birmingham next week. And purchased the last of the signed event posters from the merch desk. Who knows, could be worth something if the band continue their upwards rise.

Venue and View:  Standing on raised section near the bar on the left. Decent view, without the scrum on the floor.

Setlist
????

Bryan Adams - Friday 13th May - Brighton Centre

Brief review:  Night 4 of the week and it's onto the regular tour set.  I've never heard "Always Have, Always Will" live, so that's a nice novelty. Apart from a slightly dreary middle section (GDR, OTR, HYERLAW, HIA, IDIFY) it's a decent show, albeit slightly disconnected being up in the balcony. The London O2 show has been postponed until December. That's probably not a bad thing and gives Bryan a chance to freshen up the set a bit.

Venue and View:  Looked pretty much sold out. Seats in the South Balcony facing the stage.

Setlist

Kick Ass
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Run to You
Shine a Light
Heaven
Go Down Rockin'
It's Only Love
On the Road
You Belong to Me
Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?
Here I Am
When You're Gone
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
Back to You
One Night Love Affair
Rebel
18 'til I Die
Summer of '69
Cuts Like a Knife
+
So Happy It Hurts
These Are the Moments That Make Up My Life
Always Have, Always Will
Straight From the Heart
All for Love

Bryan Adams - Wednesday 11th May - Royal Albert Hall

Brief review:  Last of the 3 album shows, and it's Waking Up The Neighbours. All 3 shows have been good, although it's a missed opportunity not to mix up the 2nd half "hits" section a bit more. Touch The Hand seemed to be forgotten in the first half and was played later. The truly awful "On The Road" somehow remains in the set, but pretty much everything else is enjoyable. This one was filmed too - I wonder why the others were not?

Venue and View:  Floor Standing, a third of the way back on right.

Setlist
[Waking Up the Neighbours Set]
Is Your Mama Gonna Miss Ya?
Hey Honey - I'm Packin' You In!
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven
Not Guilty
Vanishing
House Arrest
Do I Have to Say the Words?
There Will Never Be Another Tonight
All I Want Is You
Depend on Me
If You Wanna Leave Me (Can I Come Too?)
Don't Drop That Bomb on Me
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You

[Set 2]
Kick Ass
Run to You
Shine a Light
Heaven
Touch the Hand *
It's Only Love
On the Road
You Belong to Me
Here I Am
When You're Gone
Back to You
Rebel
Summer of '69
+
So Happy It Hurts
These Are the Moments That Make Up My Life

* Touch The Hand also comes from "Waking Up The Neighbours" but was missed out during the first set. It appeared later in the second part of the show

Bryan Adams - Tuesday 10th May - Royal Albert Hall

Brief review:  Oh joy, the drunk group from last night are in again, so we'll stand well clear. Into The Fire gets the treatment tonight. I heard most of this on the 1987 tour, but it's good to hear again.

Venue and View:  Floor Standing, halfway back on right, moving forward later for better photos

Setlist
[Into the Fire Set]
Into the Fire
Heat of the Night
Victim of Love
Another Day
Native Son
Only the Strong Survive
Rebel
Remembrance Day
Hearts on Fire
Home Again

[Set 2]
Kick Ass
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Run to You
Shine a Light
Heaven
Go Down Rockin'
It's Only Love
On the Road
You Belong to Me
Here I Am
When You're Gone 
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
Back to You
Summer of '69
+
Cuts Like a Knife
So Happy It Hurts
These Are the Moments That Make Up My Life

Bryan Adams - Monday 9th May - Royal Albert Hall

Brief review:  It's Bryan Adams week and this is show 1 of 4 for me with 3 at the Royal Albert Hall. Cuts Like A Knife gets the live treatment tonight and it's great to hear some of these songs live for the first time. 

Some people seem to have got a bit overexcited and are over indulging on the beer, jumping around and generally being annoying. I heard one say that they got so drunk at the last Bryan Adams show they went to that they couldn't remember any of it. These are £75 tickets - what is the point of not remembering it!

Venue and View:  Floor Standing, halfway back on right.

Setlist
[Cuts Like a Knife Set]
The Only One
Take Me Back
This Time
I'm Ready
What's It Gonna Be
Don't Leave Me Lonely
Let Him Know
The Best Was Yet to Come
Cuts Like a Knife
Straight From the Heart

[Set 2]
Kick Ass
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Run to You
Shine a Light
Heaven
Go Down Rockin'
It's Only Love
On the Road
You Belong to Me
Here I Am 
When You're Gone 
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
Back to You
Rebel
Summer of '69
+
So Happy It Hurts
These Are the Moments That Make Up My Life
All for Love

John Illsley - Wednesday 4th May - Teddington Landmark Arts Centre

Brief review:  An evening of music and chat with the Dire Straits bassist. Lots of hits from his main band and a couple of other numbers too in a lovely setting. The whole thing was filmed, so maybe expect a DVD soon. Musically excellent, I was quite pleased that I identified occasional Thunder guest Steve Smith on keyboards and ex Paul McCartney guitarist Robbie McIntosh on the 6 string. Also present was co vocalist Jess Greenfield, who I think is in Noel Gallagher's live band. All of the musicians where of the highest calibre and this contributed to an excellent evening.

Venue and View:  Huge converted church. Late purchase meant we were in the back row of the standard seats, but on the end of a row, meaning a quick exit to the bar was possible at the interval.

Setlist

Down to the Waterline

Wild West End

Romeo and Juliet

It’s a Long Way Back

Private Investigations

Sultans of Swing

+

Walk of Life

Lady Writer

I Love You Still

21st Century

Money for Nothing

Brothers in Arms

On Every Street

+

Where Do You Think You're Going?

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Tuesday 26th April - Shepherds Bush Empire

Brief review:  Joanne goes from strength to strength, although her move to Joe Bonamassa's record label seems to make her records and merchandise a challenge to buy in the UK! Here, she was supporting her new blues covers album and the set had a fair number of those, together with a smattering of "best of" material. I'm not sure if her new US based band offer much over the old, but she is certainly the focus and the guitar work was as solid as ever.

Joanne's shows are certainly amongst the quietest when it comes to audience reaction, but if you are playing the blues then that is what you've signed up to I guess. That shouldn't detract from how good those shows normally are though, as was the case tonight.

Venue and View:  Near the front and very central on the World's narrowest seats. Thankfully one next to me was empty! 

Setlist

Stop Messin' Round
If That Ain't a Reason
Keep On Lovin' Me
If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody
Can't You See What You're Doing to Me
Two Time My Lovin'
Let Me Down Easy
Three Time Loser
Dyin' to Know
Just Another Word
I've Been Loving You Too Long
Let It Burn
Time Has Come
Mud, Honey
Going Home
+
Bad Love

Suzi Quatro - Wednesday 20th April - Royal Albert Hall

Andy Scott, Suzi Quatro, Don Powell

Brief review:  Bizarrely, after all my years of gig going, I've never seen Suzi - apart from introducing the bands at a Slade / Mud show years ago. This wasn't the cheapest of tickets, but the venue and occasion promised a special set and so it proved. A lengthy show - split into 2 halves contained the hits, rarities, some decent covers and guests in the form of her son, Andy Scott (Sweet) and Don Powell (Slade).

The music was interspersed with some stories, all of which were interesting - even for the casual fan. And the music itself was spot on, suitably loud and well performed. An excellent evening.

Venue and View:  Seated on the floor, about half way back, central.

Setlist

[Set 1]

The Wild One

I May Be Too Young

Daytona Demon

Tear Me Apart

Mama's Boy

Stumblin' In

48 Crash

No Soul / No Control (with Richard Tuckey)

The Devil In Me (with Richard Tuckey)

Slow Down (with Andy Scott and Don Powell)

Rockin' in the Free World (with Andy Scott and Don Powell)

Can I Be Your Girl? 

[Set 2]

Motor City Riders

I Sold My Soul Today

Rock Hard

She's in Love With You

Bass Solo & Drum Duet (Another One Bites the Dust - Superstition - Smoke On The Water Jam)

Your Mamma Won't Like Me

Too Big

Glycerine Queen / Bass Solo

Can The Can

Devil Gate Drive

If You Can't Give Me Love

Sweet Little Rock & Roller

Desperado

Magnum - Wednesday 30th March - Islington Assembly Hall

Brief review:  I wasn't too sure what to expect from the latest incarnation of Magnum. Stalwarts Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin remain, but I felt that losing Mark Stanway and Harry James would be big gaps to fill. But to be fair, their replacements are very competent musicians. It always feels that Tony keeps a tight grip on what is performed (he writes all the songs, so I guess he gets to choose!) and I'm sometimes critical about the old favourites that are left out of the set. 

Tonight though seemed to be a good balance. Starting with the recently re-recorded "Days of No Trust". The re-recording (in my view) is vastly inferior to the original! But this live version had a bit more oomph to it and was fine. Then a run of newish material which can best be described as "generic modern day Magnum". That sounds harsh and it's not meant to. The songs are good and well performed, just maybe with no standout qualities. But perfectly listenable to! Then onto some crowd favourites including an excellent "Wild Swan". I'm never quite sure why "All England's Eyes" seems undroppable from the set, but there are enough highlights for that not to matter. Bob's vocals were better than last time around and it felt like a proper Magnum show despite the changes in personnel.

Venue and View:  Left hand side, towards the front. A bit busier than expected.

Setlist
Days of No Trust
Lost on the Road to Eternity
The Monster Roars
The Archway of Tears
Dance of the Black Tattoo
Where Are You Eden?
The Flood (Red Cloud's War)
The Day After the Night Before
Wild Swan
Les Morts Dansant
Rockin' Chair
All England's Eyes
Vigilante
Kingdom of Madness
+
On a Storyteller's Night
Sacred Hour

Wayward Sons - Tuesday 29th March - Islington Academy

Brief review:  Toby Jepson and his current band. Despite not really knowing any of the set, it's a typically good rock n roll sound with good vocals and musicianship. I just can't help feeling that throwing in a handful of Little Angels numbers may get more punters through the door to hear the new stuff.

Venue and View:  Front left. Pretty sparse audience meant easy bar access.

Setlist

Any Other Way
Don't Wanna Go
Even Up the Score
Land of the Blind
Ghost
Punchline
Bloody Typical
Sign of the Times
Fade Away
Downfall
Fake
Crush
Small Talk
Faith in Fools
Joke's on You
+
Feel Good Hit
Big Day
Until the End