Wild Frank

I'm not sure if this has been picked up before but I was wondering about peoples highlights in gig-going history. What little moments have moved you or made you giddy with joy. Do you have any interesting stories or were you at any famous shows. Personally I can recall the following highlights.

My Morning Jacket: Manchester Acadamy 2009. When the boys performed 'Wordless Chorus' I felt such a feeling of joy its almost undescribable. A great song from a great live band.

The Jayhawks: London Borderline Early nineties. A show in a tiny London vene around the time of Tomorrow the Green Grass. I was at the front and Gary Louris kicked over my bear. He also commented on my brothers Neil Young T-Shirt. A great show.

Bob Dylan: Brixton Acadamy Early nineties. Another amazing show with Elvis Costello as the support act. Elvis also returned for the encore. I've seen a few bad Dylan shows in recent years but this night was up there with the very best. Also I was standing next to PJ Harvey in the cue outside, which was nice.

The Decemberists: Wolverhampton 2008. A strange night. It was apparent that something was wrong after a couple of songs when Colin disapeered and the band had to improvise for a couple of minutes. After he returned he looked really ill and cut the show short. He made some reference to feeling ill and, as it turned out, the rest of the tour was cancelled and was the US tour later the same year.

Neil Young: Finsbury Park, Mid-nineties. A Great show but made memerable because I mentioned to my friends before the show started that my least favourite Neil Young song was 'Motocycle Mama' which he then played to our astonishment. It rocked aswell, surprisingly.

Bjork: Union Chapel late nineties:A great venue and Bjork, with the Broski Quartet, played a great accoustic show. There was no amplification, it was a genuinly accoutsic evening. All the lighting was provided by candles and we were all sat on pews. It was one of those shows that took you to a higher place.

Jeff Tweedy: Union Chapel June 30th 2010. Due to the above.......I know this is going to be a good show.

This sounds like an amazing residency. It times like this I wish I was over on your side of the pond. I just can't see them coming to Shrewsbury in the U.K for five shows such as these!!. I have only seen MMJ once here in the UK and it was amazing. I've been to many, many shows, but the performace of 'Wordless Chorus' I heard when I saw them was up there as a highlight.

I am also a big fan of the Tennessee Fire record so would love to hear some of those tracks in a live setting. I figure on the Evil Urges night they may unleash a couple of new tracks. After their last album, and the bad press they received, I am curious to hear what direction they head in next.

Interesting that while the critical review has ben tepid this side of the pond the reviews in the UK have been universally favourable. Spoke to my brother last week who's recently bought 5 or 6 new albums and this was his favourite. So maybe B.o.H, are on their way into that small group of American bands who do better overseas.

That does seem to be the case here in the UK. The album has got very good reviews here and they have sold out most shows on their recent tour. They also had a good performance on the Jules Holland TV show which can make bands in the UK. Anyway, irrespective of perception, I'm still enjoying the record. It also sits well with the unusually good weather we have had over here in the two couple of months!!

A couple that haven't been mentioned:

M.Ward - Beautiful Car

Belle and Sebastian - I Love My Car

I think I mainly like the groove in Ordinary People.

Yeah, 'Ordinary People' is a great track but the lyrics are a bit lacking.

I've been looking for this for almost two weeks and I can't find it, anywhere!

 

Yeah and I can't wait to hear news on the studio album and also the new Waits/ Robert Wilson play "A Very Dark Matter," which is set to premiere in Paris in early 2011!

Hi Raindog. Is the new studio record music from the play, as with the Black Rider, Alice, Blood Money, or independent material?

Rush

I'll second that. Geddy's voice has become more palatable as he's got older. Musically they are an amazing band though.

Also, the Travelling Wilbury's had a few rubbish singers. Orbison, Dylan, Harrison, Petty and Lynne never really cut it with me!!

This months edition of Mojo (200th edition) has been put together by none other than Tom Waits. Its a cracking read and comes with a CD of Tom's favourite tracks. An interesting and eclectic bunch of tunes. I'm not a regular Mojo reader (I swithed to Uncut some years ago) but I would recommend picking this one up.

ps: There is no mention of Tom's impending record which should hopefully be out around the turn of the year.

I really like this record. It seems to be getting poor reviews. The first four songs are all class. The second half kind of mellows a bit but its a nice record. They've not re-invented the wheel here but sometimes nice solid tunes will do it.

i'm waiting for someone to mention Wiggle Wiggle from Dylan's Under the red sky.... so i can disagree

 

on the other hand, Self Portrait!

O.K. I'll bite: 'Wiggle Wiggle' is a crap song.

'All the tired horses' is a good song.

Other Dylan opening tracks that don't impress me much:

* On A Night Like This;

* Political World;

* Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum;

Not really a song, but I wish Grandaddy's Just Like The Fambly Cat didn't have the opening "what happened to the family cat?" audio bit. Great album, and I do like how the end segues into Jeez Louise so perfectly, but still. I'd like it a lot more cut in half, or ditched entirely.

I like that opening. I'm one of the few that actually seems to like that whole album. It seemed to get slated abit upon release but I think it stands up well.

Jon Anderson and YES.

The Dark Night of The Soul album is finally released next month. There is a nice deluxe version listed on Amazon with two slabs of vinyl, two cds (regular album and instrumental version) and loads of lovely David Lynch images. Its a bit pricy but worth it in this instance. The release is dedicated to Mark Linkous and Vic Chestnutt, both of whom have died since the time of original (somewhat limited) release.

Taking my cue from a similar thread I was wondering what peoples favourite piece of music is to soundtrack the beauty of sex. It can be romantic or funny or twisted and perverse. Personally I have to say the best song for lovin' is 'All Blues' by Miles Davis. The rythmic nature of that track is just perfect. I would love to say 'A Love Supreme' by Coltrane but I'm afraid my stamina is not that great!

I've been trying a variety of songs with the wife since this thread started!!! Our opinion is: 'Pieholden suite'. Its beautiful but a bit disjointed with a perky little ending!

My Morning Jacket

 

Yeah, I said it.

I do respect your opinion but it surprises me. I didn't realise he polarised opinion at all. Listening to Jim sing 'Wordless Chorus' or 'Burmuda highway' sends shivers through me. He is a genuinly great vocalist.

I have to admit that Perry Farrell used to turn me off when listening to 'Jane's Addiction' back in the day. I got over it though.

Genesis: 'Watcher of The Skies'

Pink Floyd: 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'

Neil Young: 'Country Home'

Lambchop: 'Paperback Bible'

Nick Cave: 'As I Sat Sadly By Her Side' or 'Into My Arms'

Belle and Sebastian: 'Stars Of Track and Field'

Massive Attack: 'Safe From Harm' or 'Protection'

John Coltrane: 'A Love Supreme'

I have had this record on non-stop for ten days now. I have a mantra floating around my head: "I was afraid that I'd eat your brains". Its like lyric-turetts. I hope I don't blurt it out in a meeting or whilst in bed with the wife!!.

I'm sticking my vote in for 'On and On'. Because I like it.

Its simple and a bit over-sentimental. Also my wife loves it and always wants to hear it....and I love her so I'm sticking up for this song.

Elmore James (I think): The sky is crying

I'll also throw a couple in that the style police may lynch me for knowing and, in the case of the latter, liking:

Phil Collins: I wish it would rain down

Phil Collins: The roof is leaking

How about.......

Chuck E Weiss: It rains on me (written by Tom Waits);

Ray Charles: Rainy night in Georgia;

Sparklehorse: Rainmaker (Still missing Mark Linous);

The Counting Crows: The Rain King;

Burt Bacherach: Raindrops keep falling on my head (A great song);

The Jayhawks: Settle down like rain.

I've just secured tickets for their show at the Manchester Academy (U.K) in November. The gig sold out in little under twenty minutes!!

Threads like this make me happy. Its so easy to focus on the negative things in life. As people have highlighted its amazing how one little action can cause happyness in us.

And for me...Watching "Yo Gabba Gabba" with my two little boys (3 & 5 yrs old) is the best.

Also, I live by a nice river (River Severn in Shrewsbury, U.K) and sometimes I take my cup of coffee down to the river and sit on the bench for 15 minutes and watch the water and the wildlife and the dog-walkers. Perfect.

If we stop and look, life can be pretty cool.

(Also, in reference to a previous poster, watching David Lynch in interviews makes me happy. He's a funny fellow!!)

I dig Conversations 16.

Thats my favourite track, along with Bloodbuzz. The lyrics on Conversation are amazing. Real dark.