Pere Ubu - Carnival of Souls live at Sage Gateshead

When I last saw Pere Ubu at the Sage, Gateshead last April, I reported that during the show David Thomas removed one of his boots and adjusted his sock, something I had never before witnessed at a music gig. Well, I returned to the same venue last night to see them promote and perform the latest album 'Carnival of Souls' and was stunned to see Thomas once more remove his boot. This time however, the sock came off as well and he then proceeded to use the sock to mop up some red wine he had spilt on the stage. The wine stained sock was then tossed onto the stage and remained there for the remainder of the set.

Well this was a Pere Ubu gig. What did I expect?

They took to the stage without any preamble, warning or introduction and Thomas seated centre stage regaled us for a few minutes with random stories including how Nico smoked 50 to 60 cigarettes a day and would often hit on people for £10 to buy more cigarettes. Thomas reckoned it would go on on booze or drugs. And so the stories went on. So far not a note had been played.

The music started without warning and continued for twenty minutes when Thomas called a halt and the band left the stage. We had just witnessed Pere Ubu being their own support act.

I have owned the latest album since it was released in August. Once again they have maintained the high standards that have been constantly set during their 40 year and 15 album career. Has any other band been quite as consistent? Answers on a postcard please. Yet there were only about 200 of us in Hall Two of the Sage. A travesty or what?

They may be an acquired taste but I believe that everyone should make the effort to acquire that taste. Perhaps it is the eccentric nature of Thomas and the band that detracts from the music itself. Certainly during live gigs, a central part of the performance involves the rhetoric of the seemingly world-weary Thomas. At one point last night he pointed to the discarded sock and said "I had to use my sock to mop up some wine, the zipper on my boot is broken and it flaps about." He then looked down at his legs and torso and said, "And I'm covered in food stains." Then after a slight pause, he peered out into the audience and growled "But I'm a fucking legend."

And he's right!

Last night the band were missing bassist Michele Temple but guitarist Keith Moline covered the absence well. Also added to the line-up since their last visit, is clarinetist Daryll Boon who added some wonderfully creepy touches as he does on the album itself. During 'The Road Trip of Bipasha Ahmed' from the previous album, 'Lady From Shanghai', Thomas sang into the mouthpiece of an old black, bakelite telephone, Who knows why? 

Two highlights from the current album were 'Carnival' in which Thomas reveals the male psyche and just what goes on inside his head. Not a pretty sight. The ballad 'Irene' combines words from 'Goodnight Irene' and 'I Put a Spell on You' over a chord progression reminiscent of the start of The Beatles' 'Sun King'. It might just be the loveliest song ever done by Pere Ubu. The old curmudgeon does have a heart after all.

On this occasion they did return for an encore. To finish they played something called 'Buy More Merchandise' It is not the weather for T-shirts and I have all the albums, so I did not take the advice.




My own advice is get the album. It may be destined to be a classic.

Wild China #6 - Shuhe Old Town

We arrived in the old city of Lijiang in Yunnan Province with our nerves in tatters. Our four hour car journey across the mountains from Dali had opened our eyes to the perils of being driven in the Chinese countryside. Overtaking very slow moving lorries on steep winding mountain roads was not my idea of fun and our arrival in Lijiang could not come soon enough.

Something quiet and relaxing was required to settle the nerves and the old town of Shuhe nestling at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain fitted the bill rather nicely. Situated only four kilometres (2 miles) to the north west of Lijiang, it is similar in style to its larger neighbour but much more quiet and tranquil.

We entered through a wooded area bordering a stream, the waters of which are a dominant feature of this lovely little town. 














It wasn't long before we passed beneath the Qinglong Bridge which was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and which is one of the town's main focal points.









 
But even the main streets of the town do not escape the waters as each of them has a narrow stream running alongside. 













Different streams we discovered were used to wash and prepare food.

Or even from which to sell locally produced fruit and vegetables.

And some were used to wash clothes and household items.

The locals certainly made the most of their natural resources.

Wandering through the narrow streets was the perfect way to recover from the nerve shattering journey.









 

I found it fascinating to peer into hidden courtyards some of which have existed for hundreds of years, the town being situated on the famous tea road between China and Burma.

















The streets on the outskirts of the town offered a variety of sights which we are not familiar with in the western world.

Every available space seemed to be put to effective use, either for growing plants, ripening fruit or drying clothes. Yet there always appeared to be space to hang the traditional Chinese lanterns..

Occasionally the sound of horses hooves made one think of the transport used on this busy trading route in times gone by.

However these days it is more likely to be rides provided for the tourists from the central and more commercial town square. .










 

The local people are of the Naxi ethnic minority group and the town was one of their earliest settlements. As in other regions of China, it was fascinating to see their traditional costumes. .








 
 The picturesque town was also obviously used for a variety of photographic opportunities. Such as this wedding  -








 
 

-  and this model photo shoot.


Eventually our time came to leave this peaceful setting and return to Lijiang where we were to spend the next few nights. I was sorry to leave but knew that there were many more exciting things lined up for the next few days.

Books #17 Different Every Time by Marcus O'Dair

It hasn't taken me long to make my way through the 465 pages of this book and I am very pleased that I made the effort. I have been a fan of Wyatt since his days with Soft Machine and I regard his 1974 album 'Rock Bottom' as one of the greatest albums of all time. Yet being a fan of a person's music does not necessarily make for an interesting read when it comes to biographies. However I recall a 2001 BBC4 documentary 'Free Will And Testament' which delved into the real story of Robert Wyatt. I watched the film again recently on YouTube and felt compelled to also read this book.

The title of course comes from the the opening line of the brilliant 'Sea Song' which opens 'Rock Bottom'. It is fitting because with each subsequent album, Wyatt has produced something different from what has come before. He is clearly an artist who is prepared to take chances and not comply with the expectations of the record buying public. Perhaps that explains why sales of his records have never been in the major league, but credit to him for sticking to his own principles.

The book gives a great insight into the writing and recording of all of his recordings (under his own name, or supporting other artists) but it gives so much more than that as Wyatt is and was a fascinating character in his own right. Consequently among other things we get details of his political activities (he was for many years a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain),  and his relationships with others, most notably his wife Alfreda (Alfie) Benge.

Alfie is indeed central to the story and has often single-handedly kept Wyatt going, acting not only as wife but as a business manager, album cover designer and writer of beguiling lyrics. Of course she has also been the muse and inspiration for many of Wyatt's greatest songs. Fans of Wyatt certainly owe her a debt of gratitude.


One of the most striking things gleaned from reading the book, is how self deprecating Wyatt is about his own ability as a writer, singer and musician. Indeed it has taken many other very talented musicians to encourage and bring the best out of him. These include Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and David Gilmour, plus numerous others from many fields of music. Also, the actress Julie Christie played a significant part in the lives of Robert and Alfie.

For me however, the single most striking thing is the way that Wyatt responded to the terrible accident in 1973 that left him paralysed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair. One must remember that this incident happened not too long after Wyatt had been unceremoniously booted out of his own band, Soft Machine and he had ended his next venture, Matching Mole. He was very much in a state of flux, unsure about whether his future lay as a singer or a drummer. The accident effectively made the decision for him as he was left unable to operate the foot pedals necessary for a career in drumming. Wyatt referred to the accident as "an incidental detour" and he described his new situation as being "fantastically liberating". He realised that he couldn't be all the things he was trying to be and his mind became more focused on what he could become. 

As fans of his music, we can only be grateful that he survived the fall and took the route that he did.

If you are a fan of Robert Wyatt or just want to read an interesting story of someone overcoming all kinds of adversity, I thoroughly recommend this book. Oh and have a nice bottle of wine and all of Wyatt's albums close at hand. You will find it a great journey.

 

Robert Plant & Sensational Space Shifters at Newcastle Academy

I last saw Robert Plant performing live 12 years ago at Newcastle City Hall but was unable to see him at the Sage in 2005. I made sure therefore that I secured my ticket in plenty of time for his appearance on Tuesday evening at the Newcastle Academy.

It is not my favourite venue to be fair. Originally the New Westgate Picture House (opened in 1927), the building subsequently became the Majestic Ballroom and later a bingo hall. It was eventually converted into a music venue in 2005 but in my experience I have never been entirely satisfied with the sound there, perhaps something to do with the acoustics of the building. Having said that, I could find no fault with the sound on Tuesday. Plant's sound crew seem to have got it spot on though it could have been just a touch louder.

Visually too, the crew did a great job with stage lighting effects. That is what I could see of them. It strikes me that I am either shrinking with age (when I last checked I was 5' 8"" tall) or people are becoming much taller. I suspect in reality it is a bit of both. Anyway the result is that I spent a couple of hours on tip-toes trying to peer between the taller people in front of me. That was when I wasn't moving out of the way to allow people to go backwards and forwards between the bars and the toilets. Such are the joys of standing only venues. Perhaps I should in future confine myself to seated halls or at least some of the many smaller standing venues of which we are blessed with many in this area.

Of course, the problem was also of my own making. Meeting with friends for a pre-show pint or two, we elected to remain in the nearby Bodega pub until just before showtime. Consequently we were unable to fight our way through the 2000 strong crowd to get closer to the stage. Those that had chosen to arrive early and claim prime spots deserved their better view.

At exactly 9.15, Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters took to the stage and launched into 'Friends', the first of six numbers written or covered by Led Zeppelin. That was the first surprise for me as having not bothered to check any of the tour setlists, I was expecting much more from his latest album, 'Lullaby.... and the Ceaseless Roar'. Plant may not be able to attain the higher registers that made him famous, but the older songs are adjusted to suit his range and he makes a terrific job of all of the numbers. Of course he is also ably supported by some excellent musicians. Highlights for me included 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' featuring some great acoustic guitar from Liverpudlian Liam 'Skin' Tyson and the wonderful 'What Is and What Should Never Be'. The Led Zeppelin songs are given a new dimension through the electronic wizardry of keyboards man John Baggott and the ritti of Juldeh Camarah. And of course there is Justin Adams on guitar.

To acknowledge the fact that they were performing in the home town of The Animals, the medley of 'Just Want to Make Love to You / Whole Lotta Love /Mona' was preceded by a snatch of 'House of the Rising Sun'. It was much appreciated by the audience. After an encore of 'Rock and Roll' the band took their bows and left the stage.

Despite my self inflicted limited view, I have to say it was a splendid night.

Newcastle Black Gate and Castle Keep - a visit

In April this year I mentioned the fact that the Castle Keep and Black Gate in Newcastle were being renovated and I hoped to visit once the work had been completed. Well. I eventually found the time to do just that when I accompanied a group of friends (and friends of friends) to this historic site yesterday.

I have of course walked around and past these wonderful buildings on many occasions but I am slightly ashamed to admit that I have never previously been inside. 

Rather than give you a history of the site here, I will instead refer you to the excellent website http://www.castlekeep-newcastle.org.uk/

My visit was fascinating for all sorts of reasons but not least for the views across the city and the Tyne from the top of the keep.

For example, this view looks down river and takes in the Tyne Bridge, the Sage Gateshead and the Millenium Bridge.

This one shows the Black Gate in the foreground with St Nicholas' Cathedral behind it. Also in the distance on the left, St James Park the home of Newcastle United can be seen.

You can tell from this picture that we were braving the cold but the views made it all worthwhile.

This photo shows the swing bridge on the left and the Robert Stephenson designed high-level bridge on the right.

Finally here is an unusual view of a favourite watering-hole of mine. The Bridge Hotel where I have spent many a fine evening drinking beer and talking rubbish.

Things I Hate

Robert Wyatt - A Coda

Further to my post a couple of days ago on the subject of Robert Wyatt's album 'Rock Bottom' I omitted to mention that all of Wyatt's albums are currently being reissued by Domino. There will also be a double album consisting of one disc of tracks from Wyatt's entire career to date and a second disc of collaborations and guest appearances on works by other artists. The thirty track album will be titled 'Different Every Time' which also just happens to be the title of an authorised biography of Wyatt  written by Marcus O'Dair.

I intend to grab copies of the album and the book and will no doubt be reporting on each in due course.

Watch this space.

Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom - a retrospective view 40 years on.

Reading recently that twins Jack and George Barnett of These New Puritans regarded Robert Wyatt's 1974 album 'Rock Bottom', as one of their favourites I nodded my agreement with their choice, yet realised that it was an album I liked very much but had not actually heard for goodness knows how long. I quickly scanned my CDs to find my copy but could not lay my hands on it. Nothing unusual there as I have quite a few CDs and I have never gotten round to sorting them into alphabetical order. Fortunately I do keep a computer database of all my music (see, I can be organised when I wish to be) but checking that revealed that I did not appear to have a copy. 

Shock, horror!

I recall having  a vinyl copy of the album and can only assume that when my albums went to the great vinyl graveyard in the sky (what a great place that must be), I somehow never replaced that one on CD. A travesty I know but thankfully I have now rectified the situation and have managed to listen to it two or three times in between working my way through Dylan's 'Complete Basement Tapes'.

And what a great album it is.

One must remember that this album was recorded very soon after Wyatt's terrible fall from a third floor window in June 1973, an accident that left him paralysed from the waist down and subsequently confined to a wheelchair. Despite this, the intensity of the songs does not, as many assume, originate from the accident as they had already been composed by that time.

In those six songs, Wyatt covers traditional sounding themes as well as the more free-form jazz that he was known for with The Soft Machine. He is accompanied by Fred Frith on viola, Mike Oldfield on guitar and a host of others including the wonderful Ivor Cutler on concertina, harmonium and deadpan spoken words. Incidentally the album was produced by Pink Floyd's Nick Mason.

From their own music, I can understand the likes of These New Puritans being influenced by this 40 year old album, and as Jack and George Barnett were not born until August 1988, I can only assume that the influence originates with the music collection of their parents. However they happened to discover 'Rock Bottom' I am thankful that they did and thought fit to broadcast this fact. Without that, my music collection would have been sadly lacking.

Chinese Music

Having fallen for some of the wonderful Chinese music I heard while on my travels in China a few years ago, I was drawn to a concert held the other day in the King's Hall, Newcastle. This featured Jie Xu who plays the two-stringed bowed instrument that I have always referred to as a Chinese violin but which I now learn is actually called an erhu. With him was Olivia Yan-Hua Lu who is an exponent of the pipa which is a four-stringed lute-like instrument.

Their performance featured traditional and more recently composed pieces which included 'The Ditty of Mount Yimeng', 'Beautiful Myth' and 'Dance of the Yi People'. A particular delight for me was a piece called 'Butterfly Lovers' which I fell in love with while in China and which I selected as a soundtrack to a photograph slide show I prepared. Consequently as I sat in the beautiful hall listening to that music, I was transported back to some of the wonderful scenes I had witnessed.

Of course it also reminded me of some of the music I heard and musicians I saw while on my travels. 

Such as these two erhu players I encountered close to a bridge crossing the Yangtse River near Stone Drum Village.

 
And this group who entertained us in Lijiang with a selection of Chinese traditional instruments including erhus and pipas. 

Many of them had begun playing as children and a couple were now in their 80's.


Wonderful stuff.










 

Here is a link to a performance of the 'Butterfly Lovers Concerto'.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOuPpyuqcOE

Dave & Phil Alvin at the Cluny, Newcastle

It's been some time since my last visit to the Cluny but I returned on Wednesday evening for a special treat. I last saw Dave Alvin with his band The Guilty Ones just over two years ago but since then he has been reunited with older brother Phil following what Dave describes as his brother dying in Spain and being brought back to life by his nurse, Maria. They both realised that life's too short, patched up their differences and here they were performing in front of a wildly enthusiastic crowd, including ourselves.

I didn't take note of all the songs they performed but their reunion has driven them back to their roots. Consequently they focused on their current album of Big Bill Broonzy songs, 'Common Ground'. Among them were 'Key to the Highway', 'I Feel So Good' and 'Stuff They Call Money'. They were also happy to delve back into their own shared recording career as from their days with The Blasters, they gave us 'Marie Marie' and 'One Bad Stud'.

For the most part Phil took centre stage strumming his acoustic guitar or blowing a mean harmonica, while Dave in his trademark stetson hat played those great guitar licks which appear quite effortless to him. They were of course superbly supported by Dave's band, Chris Miller on guitar, Lou Whitney on bass and the terrific Lisa Pankratz on drums.

It was a phenomenal set but a great joy for me to see Phil looking and sounding so strong. Particularly on James Brown's first hit from 1956, 'Please Please Please' on which his voice was absolutely awesome. Another highlight was 'Johnny Ace is Dead' and it seemed only fitting that from Dave's 'Eleven Eleven' album, they should do 'What's Up With Your Brother'.

It was a rocking, stomping evening and personally I can't wait for their next visit.