Gong and Steve Hillage Band

Tramshed - 22/11/2019

“Good evening sir…welcome to the Flying Teapot. Have you flown with us before? Of course, I can see you have. XXS size t-shirt with luminous asymmetric design…green felt pointy pixie hat.”

“Make yourself comfortable…something to make the trip special?  Coffee, alcohol…or something stronger?”

The sensational Gong have been supersonically flying since the late sixties and, as members of the “family” come and go, Gong’s most recent incarnation shows the journey has maintained all of its energy, enthusiasm and expertise. 

In fact, strange as it may seem, Gong’s relentless orbital psychedelic pathway seems to have now completed the circle and reconnected with the zeitgeist. In these days of fear and uncertainty, the calm atmosphere of Planet Gong has so many contemporary attractions that it seems highly likely that Richard Branson would pay a fortune to hire a Brexit escape rocket and visit it.

It was, of course, Branson who brought Gong to wider attention in 1974 by re-releasing the seminal Camembert Electrique album on his new Virgin label (a bargain at 59p at the time), shortly before he threw the hippies out of his Oxford Street shop and still quite a way before he discovered private islands. For those with lesser budgets, Gong’s music takes you to similar destinations for the price of a Tramshed ticket.

That’s where we were privileged to hitch a ride on Gong’s meditative magic carpet ride aboard the carefully, tight-woven fabric of Ched Nettles’ drumming and Dave Sturt’s bass. They provided the rocket fuel to visit the black holes of the long distant past (the former earthlings Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth’s "Fohat Digs Holes in Space"/”You Can Do What You Want”) or enabling the more modern messaging, scribed on space stationery, of “Rejoice!” inspired, according to Sturt, “by the light, love and passing of our dear friend and inspiration, Daevid Allen.” 

Half way through, Kavus Torabi steps forwards and karma connects the more than willing crowds to pitch a single note together and feel the force of the joyous journey. Torabi is a fantastic and inspirational front man, whimsical, waspish, filled with woe and wonder, staring and smiling his way into our hearts and souls with his out-of-this-world urgings and chanting mantras. The projections and light show were stunning, the sound crisp and the atmosphere as light and heady as you just know it would be if you were to deeply inhale and step out onto Planet Gnome.

We have lost many great comedians in recent decades, some like Eric Morecombe and Tommy Cooper, at the stage where they were closing in on financially free, artistic independence and with the potential to follow those such as Bob Monkhouse and Frankie Howard into new, edgy and exciting chapters of performing.  

One such is Peter Sellers, and I couldn’t help thinking that if he was still around and able to star in and executively produce a film about a rock star who was an avant-guarde firecracker but who, fifty years on, had become an old-guard damp squib, he would have done so. And for his anti-hero, he’d have to look no further than Steve Hillage (who actually, these days looks a little like a Sellars’s Strangelove-style creation as, coiffed and assured, he smiles enigmatically from behind his stage shades.)

Look, I get it. Steve Hillage is a hero, of this there is no doubt. And if you were one of the capacity crowd with its fair share of south Wales rockers who doted on every twiddle and kerjang, I’m sorry but I didn’t get it. I slap my own wrists. I’m a lifelong fan of Hillage’s work in forming the futures of Gong, Caravan, Kevin Ayers et al and a fair bit of the eponymous great body of work that Steve Hillage has in his back catalogue. But whereas on the night, Gong was transcendental and trippy, Hillage seemed staid and static- in fact, bordering on the dreaded curse of the seventies, pomp rock. I felt that not even his great technique or the magnificent musicianship of the Gong family behind him could break the ennui. 

But the visuals were great. And Gong was fantastic…

Ghost w/ All Them Witches & Tribulation

Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff - 17/11/2019

Welcome to heaven, or is it hell?

The decor of the Motorpoint Arena stage is gothic and dark, the perfect setting for the first support provided by Tribulation and their brand of blackened gothic rock, a short but sweet set that contains songs such as ‘The Lament’ & ‘Nightbound’ from their excellent latest release ‘Down Below’.

Next to take the stage are All Them Witches, playing a heavy bluesy psychedelic rock that produced a sound far heavier than one might predict from the trio. Songs such as ‘3-5-7’ from the album Sleeping Through The War & latest single ‘1x1’ were particular highlights. Their style slightly out of place on the bill, but highly enjoyable none the less. The crowd head-banging slowly as the riffs resonate throughout the venue, their set ending to healthy applause before attention turned to the night’s headliner.

Cardinal Copia - Wacken Open Air 2018 - Andreas Lawen, Fotandi [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

For those of you that are unaware, Ghost are something of a phenomenon, creating a special brand of occult rock that has slowly evolved into a musical juggernaut, taking the band to venues that befit their new arena style rock. Their influences are many but none do it quite as well as Ghost in today’s music climate, led by the talented Tobias Forge he takes on the guise of a satanic pope, changing at each album cycle, current album Prequelle having the band helmed by the cool and confident Cardinal Copia.

The stage is transformed into a church, of Satan I might add, this is a show that celebrates individuality in the name of the prince of darkness, a pantomime hero in the universe Ghost have created, one that gives the band their identity and their charm.

Now on album 4, Cardinal Copia leads his band of Nameless Ghouls as they treat us to a setlist perfect for the arena environment. Lead single ‘Rats’ from their latest album Prequelle gets everybody in the mood, as if they needed any encouragement. There's a certain magnetism Ghost have that had the crowd eating out of the Cardinal’s hand as soon as he took the stage.

The hits kept coming as the band took us on a trip through their discography, anthemic sing a long choruses and riffs aplenty from the likes of ‘Absolution’, ‘Faith’ & ‘Cirice’ before we are captivated by the instrumental ‘Miasma’ complete with saxophone solo, sending the congregation wild.

Scattered through the performance the Cardinal perfectly executes several costume changes as well as skits that play to his character. Coupled with the various pyrotechnics and confetti cannons add to the spectacle, a complete show.

An encore of sorts takes place as the dear Cardinal attempts to leave the stage, sensing the crowd are not yet ready to leave, launches into fan favourite ‘Square Hammer’, the final chapter in a performance of the highest standard.

As far as live acts go, Ghost are flag bearers of modern rock music and seem to revel in that responsibility. I have heard stories of their live show, I left with a tale of my own to tell, about the time the devil came to Cardiff and blew us all away.

Mike Chapman

Tribulation

Tribulation

All Them Witches

All Them Witches

Ghost

Ghost

Ghost

Ghost

Ghost

Ghost

Squeeze (with Heaven 17)

St David's Hall – 14/11/2019

Billed as “The Difford and Tilbrook Songbook Tour 2019, the Squeeze machine wheeled into Cardiff as part of a UK nationwide tour with a recent highly successful tour of the US under their belts.

The consistency of both Difford and Tilbrook as songwriters, both together and apart is quite remarkable and they never fail to delight wherever they play such is the public's love for their brand of classic British pop, which they still continue to produce to this day.

Before hitting the stage each member of the band is introduced on a giant screen serving ice cream cornets from a van and the screen was to become an integral part of the performance with each song getting it's own mini film during a frenetic and fast-paced set.

Opening with the excellent Footprints from their Babylon and On album it was great to hear songs that they rarely play, if at all, though for fans of their greatest hits, they were not neglected as the famous songbook was dusted down and big favourites like Up The Junction, Pulling Mussels and Cool For Cats interspersed with album tracks Big Beng, King George St and Mumbo Jumbo.

Supported by a great band which included Squeeze regular and powerhouse that is drummer Simon Hanson plus the nice inclusion of Melvin Duffy on pedal steel guitar, amongst other instruments, with all providing backing vocals that helped the songs to another level.

Both Difford and Tilbrook looked in fine form and appeared thrilled by the response of their audience with Hourglass and Slap and Tickle especially, getting the desired feedback with everyone on their feet singing along in unison and quite a sight to witness.

Whilst it would difficult to single out highlights in a quite remarkable evening, their slimmed down version of Tempted was quite sublime, with Tilbrook taking the lead with just his guitar for backing and the song building gradually to stunning finish.

Coming back with an encore of Take Me I'm Yours and Black Coffee in Bed it was the perfect ending with Difford and Tilbrook paying each other touching and heartfelt tributes and a friendship that goes way back to their first meeting way back in 1973.

Special mention to support for the evening Heaven 17 with an impressive set of their own featuring hits like Temptation and the superb (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang.

Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons

Tramshed - 09/11/2019

Saturday Night at Cardiff Tramshed Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons play their last gig of their Old Lions Still Roar Tour and what I night it is.

Kicking off with a great support slot from King Creature really worth checking out some of their songs such as ,Lowlife,World of Sin and Can you forgive me. The Cornish based band set the audience up for a great night with their high energy performance.

The Bastard Sons Hit the stage with Dynamic versions of “ Step into the Fire’ “Freak Show’ and ‘Rock out” all get rapturous receptions from The Packed crowd, “These Old Boots’ is next from Phil’s Solo album “Old Lions Still Roar’ Starr does well with the Dee Snider vocal from the album. It’s a set packed with great songs,Powerhouse drumming from Dane and great guitar riffs all driven by Tyla’s bass and Neils accomplished Vocals.

We are treated to rocking versions of The Ramones ‘Rockaway Beach” Hawkwinds Silver Machine’ and of course ‘Ace of Spades’ sending the Motorhead faithful wild. “big Mouth’ is particularly driving version ‘Lost Woman Blues’ Sublime and “Killed by death” Anthemic.

A totally Class gig by one of the best bands to catch live, the group have really developed their own style and are entertaining and fun.

Check out The albums, You won’t be disappointed and neither were a packed Trasmhed.

Be sure to take a look at our photo gallery from the gig as well as the fantastic podcast with Mr Phil Campbell himself!

Gallery

Podcast

Big Big Train

The Riverfront, Newport - 01/11/2019

There is a palpable excitement in the air, the crowd focussed on the stage before them, they know a night of progressive musical mastery awaits them.

First to occupy the stage are the excellent support act ‘Sweet Billy Pilgrim’, the duo warming up the crowd with a selection of charming, melancholic folk brimming with melody, ending their set with a rather excellent cover of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer.

The time arrives for the main event.

Formed in 1990 initially as a studio project, Big Big Train are revered amongst their fanbase.

Embarking on only their first U.K. tour in support of their twelfth album they take to the stage, immediately flowing into ‘Alive’, the first track from their newest album ‘Grand Tour’. The audience was treated to a performance that consistently shifted between that of a Shakesperien drama and that of a sermon, the congregation in awe of the musical and visual spectacle immaculately executed before them.

Front man David Longdon becomes the embodiment of each song, moving about the stage with intensity and purpose. The 12 strong fellow bandmates in support, with violin and a 5 piece brass ensemble particular highlights, bringing a quintessential English charm to their music.

They move purposefully through a setlist filled with new album material and favourites from past releases with a passion and execution that has made them a name in the prog scene for over 20 years. ‘Winkie’, ‘Brave Captain’ and ‘Voyager’ were particularly well received.

The end of the set contain fan favourite ‘Wassail’ before leaving the stage. Shouts of encore are answered in the form of talented drummer Nick D'Virgilio and the brass ensemble for a wonderful interlude, prompting the rest of the collective to return in triumphant style, performing ‘East Coast Racer’, a monument of sonic theatre that leaves the crowd in raptures.

Take any and every opportunity you can to see Big Big Train live, it is an experience that will leave you breathless.

Mike Chapman

Lisa Stansfield

St David's Hall – 1/11/2019

It's been thirty years since Lisa Stansfield's solo debut album Affection was released and a recording that proved a career-defining moment in her life. The Affection album proved a world-wide hit and spawned a couple of hit singles with All Around The World hitting the top spot in several countries and becoming her signature, go to song. So, how best to celebrate than at a packed St David's Hall to witness the album played in its entirety.

Though she may be small in stature, Stansfield still possesses a big, big voice, and whether it be dance music or ballads, her voice still has a quality that is almost unrivalled amongst her peers.

Opening with the title track Affection, it set the stall out for a quite upbeat and danceable evening with songs sourced directly from this soulful classic, still very much held in high regard today as it was on it's release.

There is no denying her Northern roots, her warming, unmistakable Rochdale burr so noticeable as she introduces another song from a fast-paced 90 minute set, the last of her UK tour with the support of her quite stunning band akin to the unveiling of a classic.

It didn't take Stansfield long to get backsides off seats with This Is The Right Time leading to a surge to the front of the stage and a rather distracting period of selfies taken by fans enjoying their opportunity to get up close to their idol.

Dotted in for good measure were a songs that featured prominently in her career, hits The Real Thing and the much earlier People Hold On which helped bring the evening's proceedings to a quite stunning and delightful climax.

Soft Machine

The Earl Haig Club, Cardiff - 30/10/2019

Once upon a time, music was a serious business. As an example, I remember carefully positioning

the microphone of my second hand tape recorder in front of a radio, new tape from Charlie Marks’

Wyndham Arcade emporium loaded and ready, and pressing “go” on a 45-minute concert of some of

the broadcast works of French composer Olivier Messiaen

It was the age of adventurous, mind expanding “underground”, “progressive” music. This was

serious stuff and anyone caught smiling was stiffly rebuked and sent to listen to Motown. Nothing

was more serious in this era of the po-faced, pop-picker’s pilgrimage than Soft Machine, who

swapped time signatures like bubble gum cards and linked riffs with random notes as if they were

from the same planet.

I was a student at their feet and if Canterbury kingpin Mike Ratledge, part of the great Wyatt-

Hopper-Ratledge line-up, was influenced by Messiaen, then I was ready for enlightenment. He was,

of course, unlistenable and so, in those pre-video days, I unfurrowed my brow, wiped the tape and

recorded instead a sound only version of the Marx Brothers’ anarchic opus, Animal Crackers. Well,

art is art, isn’t it?

Fifty years on, Magnificent Mike’s name was raised on several occasions by host and guitar supremo

John Etheridge, part of the latest reprise of the Softs as they gigged Cardiff’s Earl Haig Club.

Nowadays, only most recent recruit (just thirteen years!) multi-instrumentalist Theo Travis, a musical

baby still young enough to wear designer trainers, dons shades on stage ala Ratledge. His trainers

are in fact filling the sizeable boots of Karl Jenkins, Elton Dean as well as Ratledge and he does it with

energy, enthusiasm and a great deal of expertise.

The others seem very comfortable in the bright lights. There’s nothing eamest in Etheridge’s

comically rambling chats with the audience. A coughing, cackling Mickey Flanagan-esque figure, he

guides us though two hours of tunes to savour.

The music? Well, what do you think? After all, these guys were experimenting, innovating and

pushing the boundaries of rock, jazz and classical with consummate technical ability fifty years ago.

Yes, they may be a little mellower as the Sanatagen replaces the Purple Haze but musically the

stimulants were all still there.

Etheredge’s reliable rhythms, soaring solos and short staccato bursts were clear and compelling;

Bassist Roy Babbington, a four string legend, and the fantastic John Marshall, drumming across times

and tones with tightness, drove the set list of standards to a contented conclusion that saw us Silver

Sagalouts set sail for home humming a complicated riff or two. I’m sure if he could have been there,

Olivier would have tapped a toe as well, before he left to catch his mode of limited transposition.

See them if you can for a night of delights

Keep Cardiff Live sat down with Soft Machine guitarist John Etheridge shortly after their packed gig at The Earl Haig Club in Cardiff.

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Judith Owen

Acapella Studio - 20/10/2019

It was a very successful return to Wales for Welsh singer-songwriter Judith Owen with a quite stunning evening at the intimate Acapela Studios where she displayed a mastery of both voice and instrument and who, along with the excellent Pedro Segundo on percussion, received a standing ovation from those who braved the chilly October evening.

Being the daughter of Opera singer Handel Owen, music courses through her veins and it was no surprise that she would follow in the family business of singing and entertaining but through slightly different musical genres.

Her mix of jazz and blues influenced songs and cover versions have brought her many fans and the latest tour redisCOVERed, featured an eclectic batch of tunes given in many ways a more natural airing and in doing so giving the songs a new meaning and interesting direction.

Not that it's been all plain sailing for Owen, the death of her mother at a young age and the melancholy that stemmed from that can be reflected in her writing and song choices. Who would have thought that a song like Summer Nights from the musical Grease could become such a soulful lament of lost love. Owen's interpretation is magical and sent a shiver down the spine, the same could be said of her cover of Mungo Jerry's In The Summertime, that becomes a sultry, soulful mix that gently soothes and relaxes.

Now mainly a resident of New Orleans where she lives with her husband Harry Shearer, Her music is clearly influenced by the vibe that the City creates and it's most evident in her version of Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music.

In between songs Owen delighted with her views on the state of the planet and her adopted country America but mixed with humour that included a neat put down on a few noisy late comers, all done with her tongue firmly in her cheek.

Owen said it was probably the last time she was to tour with this set of songs and she hoped a return to the Acapela would follow in the future, something we will eagerly await, following such a special evening.