The Hives, Olympia 17/11/2021
Randow review freshly picked from the Web.
The Return. I can’t believe I missed The Cure at Rock en Seine in 2019 in an act of needless and not even asked for caretaking.
So a return to live music for the first time since The Cure at Hyde Park in 2018, which had ended up being a surreal experience (if you need more, I may or may not say).
I think we were still wearing masks then. Short enough set but a great show, it was good to see live music again.
I went with Alessandro, Béa, Jim and Gina (JC? I think but don’t even remember, it was one that I bought without knowing anyone was going, and I was still only near the start of a recovery phase, a lot of things were blurry).
The Jesus And Mary Chain, Le Bataclan 5/12/21
Review from SoundOfViolence here.
With John, Shep, Jim, JC, Ale.
Long delayed birthday gift for John.
Bataclan obviously emotional for the others. Showing bullet holes on the pillar. My first time there since Metric, but that was a month before the attacks, so no emotional charge for me.
The concert itself was OK, they played Darklands in its entirety and in order as planned, then a decent encore, though not enough of Psychocandy for my taste.
As I said at the time The Hives was a show, this was a concert.
Asian Dub Foundation, La Cigale 25/3/2022
SOV review.
With Walter. Met with him in La Fourmi, a few drinks, progressing with awakening really. So we didn’t see the support as we enjoyed ourselves in the bar. Great gig and we hung around the place after for one or two more, so we got to briefly chat with the musicians. Like the old days.
Porridge Radio, La Boule Noire 3/4/2022
SOV review.
First gig on my own in many years…so I got in early not knowing how it worked. I decided to have a single beer all the same. Spotted Fab from SOV but I wasn’t yet confident enough to go speak to him and I settled near the front. Can’t remember the support so well. English singer-songwriter based in Paris I think. Quite nice actually. And while I was not so right due to the re-novelty of the experience and too much in analytical mode as nobody to chat to, it was a good set by PR, and in the end a very enjoyable gig.
Sleaford Mods, Elysée Montmartre 7/4/2022
SOV review.
Postponed twice but there at last, one that Jez and I were really looking forward to.
With Jez and Mike (his mate). – Alessandro joined a little after in La Fourmi, and then Ben and Agnès in the venue by which time I was wrecked!
Superb pre-gig time, and while I was very pissed also a great gig in itself; they played all the tunes I wanted to hear. J&M went to the front which was the right thing to do!
Fontaines D.C., Olympia 11/4/2022
Review from Les Inrocks, still a bit pretentious after all these years.
That’s where the luck starts to kick in. Mentioned at Sleafords that I wanted to see them but it was sold out and that I would consider turning up on the day and trying my luck. I honestly think I wouldn’t have done it, if only because I didn’t say I would, just I might, so it didn’t feel like a commitment to do something I had never done before. Anyway, while in the Eaglet in London with Jez, I got a text from John telling me Sophie had a spare for this if I were interested. So yes, I seized the opportunity, and literally jumped with joy in the pub when I got that text. Met up with Sophie and her friend there. And it was an amazing gig. Just Mustard supported, reminded me of Cranes. Mehdi asked me about them afterwards so it made me take more notice of their available output. We had a drink after the concert. Lots of metro lines closure made the journey home hard to negotiate. Ended up walking a long way with Sophie’s friend, getting lost in the process but made it on time for the last train home. That walk was nice though, don’t think I was that chatty but felt I could be quite comfortable with strangers.
The Besnard Lakes, Supersonic 28/4/2022
Can’t find a review so…. have a setlist.
First gig I was led to without knowing much, only at Ben’s suggestion (who had a friend in town). He actually suggested one or two more, but that’s the only one I felt like. Unusual gig, long pieces and in two parts, but quite enjoyable and a good social moment, though I think it was one of those nights I feel I was still searching myself, not being super confident.
Mogwai, Salle Pleyel, 7/5/2022
SOV review.
A sitting gig. JC was there but we didn’t meet up. Actually thought Salle Pleyel was all sitting but no, so not sure if i only took a seat as standing was sold out or just didn’t pay attention. Night before travelling to a match so sober. bdrmm supporting were pretty good. Mogwai were great, very powerful (in sound more than in emotion).
I was glad they played Killing All The Flies. Also remembered that in 2006, when I was feeling a bit down and maybe saturating with live music, and before switching my going out focus to Arsenal instead (now I do both happily) I had a ticket for Mogwai and didn’t go and that was the end of my gigging for nearly ten years (and I didn’t properly restart until post-Covid, though it is not only due to the end of the restrictions that I restarted….just feeling and acting alive again).
Foals, Le Zénith 16/5/2022
SOV review.
Also on my own and sitting. Think I was a bit flat mentally. Meant to meet JC and his mates, but we hadn’t really arranged, and I didn’t feel like making the full effort so it didn’t happen. I got this one because Stacey (aka Safety) recommended it. I mean, I like Foals but mostly the first album and wouldn’t have gone to see them in Zénith if not nudged.
Didn’t realise when I booked but the Newcastle match was scheduled for then. I didn’t have a great feeling about it and it turned out to be the last nail in our Champions League qualification hopes, so no great loss (well, me missing the match, obviously the match was a big loss). The gig was good, musically top, but I didn’t feel like dancing or even just standing up while everyone did during the encore, so was a bit like a grumpy twat really. The finale of Two Steps, Twice was just phenomenal though.
Cleopatrick, Les Étoiles 2/6/2022
No review, but amazingly again the setlist is available.
A new venue for me. With Ale and JC and Walter. Another no drink due to being under the weather with a small cold. One that I got enticed to by Ale on a drunk evening, that was postponed and went without even a pre-listen. It then got cancelled and reconfirmed in the afternoon on the day of the concert. Turned out the airline had mislaid their gear so they just bought equipment in Paris (in the end they had to cancel other dates so we were lucky). Very young crowd well into it. The music was good, but didn’t connect emotionally.
Blood Red Shoes, La Maroquinerie 21/7/2022
SOV review.
I was supposed to go on a work trip to Italy so offered my ticket to Walter.
But then the trip got cancelled at the last minute (gutted mostly for the Bergamo and Lake Iseo trip I had planned at the weekend), and tickets were still on sale so I got myself one. Great few beers and chat with Walter, we missed the support again. I was feeling more positive, one of the turning points this year. And a splendid gig! I loved it. Shit place to go to and come from for me but it’s also one of my favourite venues. An evening I greatly enjoyed. I had wisely taken the next day to work from home too.
AURORA, Le Trianon, 29/8/2022
Shockingly found no review, so some photos.
And the setlist.
Editing this I realise I don’t really want to write gig reviews as such, because while a lot of it happens in my head during this, if my mind is truly set to reviewing, I might not properly enjoy the moment, which is what I truly want these days, less distance between me and the music I want to feel. Been an amazing year really.
Now this one (again a postponed) I really wanted to see as her album early in the year was a revelation for me. She played Rock En Seine the night before but the line-up didn’t appeal. Put myself on notifications in case any ticket turned up on the FNAC website, also on the waiting list on Dice, but, er, no dice.
The Friday night just before, I was drinking at home on the balcony, and listening to music and I went to check again on FNAC to see if tickets were available (zero expectation), and then miracle yes they were! The gig in itself was great and Aurora herself was kind of like a fairy. But the audience was almost exclusively young and I found their attitude a bit shit, I felt a bit like an old curmudgeon, and not being well placed enough I felt the crowd distracted me from the music.
Support was Sei Selina, quite good. Bought the Aurora back catalogue the next day (a SS EP too), some good stuff but her latest still her best in my opinion.
Babasonicos, Le Pan Piper, 5/9/2022
Now if you find a review or setlist for this, please get in touch and I will update this page.
Walter’s offer as he was away, so I went with Ale. Pissing down in the streets. A South American music venue (and sure Pan Piper = Los Calchakis for me). Got pissed off by pissed people at the bar, so after a long wait walked off from it without having time to place an order, but cooled then after thanks to Ale. Interesting Argentinian racket, but overall not really my cup of tea bar one song or two. Still a good evening, and some indications of work still to do on myself.