Slim Jim Phantom - Wednesday 21st June - West Hampstead Arts Centre

Brief review:  We’re gonna rock this town… with the town in question being errm… West Hampstead. Earlier, we heard there was a Rumble in Brighton tonight. And we will most definitely be doing a Stray Cat Strut back to the tube. 

Yes, it’s Britt Ekland’s ex hubby - Slim Jim Phantom in between his “Let’s Rock…” festival dates.

The set was basically as you'd expect - a mix of Stray Cats and rockabilly standards. And none the worse for it - unlike our view of the stage!

Venue and View:  Long, Narrow and Thin. We were at the back with a very limited view indeed.

Setlist
Matchbox
C'mon Everybody
It's All Over Now
Say Mama
Oh, Boy!
That's All Right
Honey Hush
Runaway Boys
Stray Cat Strut
Flyin' Saucers Rock & Roll
Summertime Blues
Stood Up
+
Rock This Town

Rumble in Brighton

John Coghlan (Jazz) - Sunday 4th June - Half Moon, Putney

Brief review:  Sunday evening Jazz in Putney. Really? I hear you cry. Well, yes - with a twist. John Coghlan is on drums, so the set is largely Quo classics reimagined in the Jazz style. Nice!

Ben Holder is on vocals and his Jazz passion and violin playing add much to the occasion. If I tell you that everyone at the interval I heard talking about it at the bar were saying things along the lines of "it is much better than I expected" then John and the boys should take that as a complement from a crowd of largely non jazz enthusiasts.

Venue and View:  Pretty much central - half way back, with room to move around

Balham Music Evening - Tuesday 30th May - Bedford, Balham

Caitlin & Ollie

Brief review:  We went to this on the basis that Ilo was on the bill, but unfortunately she had dropped out at short notice. Thankfully, Tony Moore's set was OK and the duo called Caitlin and Ollie Clark were pretty good too. 

There was a brief interlude from an unlisted pair, photographed below, but I didn't catch their names.

Unfortunately, we couldn't hang around for the evening headliners, Arden.

Venue and View:  Seated table towards the rear - near the bar

Unlisted Act

Mud - Saturday 27th May - Cavern, Raynes Park

Brief review:  Well, That’s neat, that’s neat, that’s neat, that’s neat. We are enjoying a classic 70’s night with the legends that are Mud. This, of course, means the mate I've gone with recounting many a tale around the band and demonstrating obscure knowledge. I feel Mastermind is beckoning. Oh boy!

The show itself was excellent. All the hits and more.

Venue and View:  Front left - a bit to the side.

Setlist
to follow...

Francis Rossi - Tuesday 16th May - Epsom Playhouse

Brief review:  Quo frontman plays acoustic career spanning set. It’s proving popular with the mature crowd.

Venue and View:  About a quarter of the way back on the left

Setlist

Set 1
Pictures of Matchstick Men
(April) Spring, Summer and Wednesdays 
Spinning Wheel Blues 
In My Chair 
Gerdundula 
Rock 'n' Roll 
Claudie 
Break the Rules 
Down the Dustpipe 
Burning Bridges (On and Off and on Again) 

Set 2
What You're Proposing
And It's Better Now 
Nanana 
Tongue Tied 
Marguerita Time 
Rockin' All Over the World 
Paper Plane 
Caroline 

Jim Kirkpatrick - Thursday 4th May - Cavern, Raynes Park

Brief review:  Back to Raynes Park for a bit of bluesy rock. Jim Kirkpatrick (FM) is the headline. Most recent Quo drummer - Leon Cave - is on the sticks.

It's the normal classy performance from Jim and it was nice to grab a few words with him during the interval.

Venue and View:  Front right - next to stage.

Setlist

First Set
Ballad of a Prodigal Son
No Such Thing as a Sure Thing
Razors Edge
61 & 49
Ain't Goin' Down Alone
Changed Priorities
Heavy Weather
Full Time Occupation

Second Set
Dead Man Walking
How Blue Can You Get
Brave New World
Got to Know
Union Train
Road Of Bones
Always on the Road
+
I Fall Apart 

Duran Duran - Tuesday 2nd May - O2 Arena

Brief review:  Christmas present for Mrs B - Duran Duran at the O2. And unlike Elton John, the Amex lounge process worked - albeit very slowly!  They have a live covers band on. Good news for me is that is basically a greatest hits tour, so I have a chance of knowing some songs. Blokes making up around 25% of the crowd we estimate.

The show turned out very well indeed - by some margin, the best of the half dozen Duran Duran shows I have been to. Great setlist and excellent vocals from Mr Le Bon.

Venue and View:  Tier one seats, left

Setlist

Night Boat
The Wild Boys
Hungry Like the Wolf
Invisible
A View to a Kill
Notorious
Give It All Up
Lonely in Your Nightmare / Super Freak
Is There Something I Should Know?
Friends of Mine
Careless Memories
Ordinary World
Anniversary
Planet Earth 
White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) 
The Reflex
Girls on Film / Acceptable in the 80's
+
Come Undone
Save a Prayer
Rio

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)