Wow, Jack White, wow. Does this man know how to put on a good show. Tonight’s gig at the HMV Forum was the launch night for Jack’s new solo album, Blunderbuss. Backed by his all-female group, right from the off, Jack hit the stage running.
The night didn’t start off well. Due to the last minute announcement of the gig, it meant turning up early to stand in the rain while wristbands were issued. Eventually, we were allowed into the gig with the strict instructions that photography wasn’t allowed.
I’d seen the support act before and was not impressed but I wanted to be as near to the front as possible so suffered them for a second time. The Smoke Fairies seem to have all the components necessary to be a band I would like. Musically they’re okay but the two lead singers just doesn’t work, leading to an almost drone sound that puts me to sleep. Thry’re not terrible, just not for me.
At about 9.40, Jack attached the stage. Right from the off he showed his intention to impress starting with a thundering rendition of the White Stripes song, Leaves the Dirty Ground. He’s touring with two bands, an all girl group and a male group. Each group has a slightly different composition, with the all girl group featuring fiddle, double bass, drummer, keyboards, slide guitarist and backing vocalist. At times the fiddle player leant a ‘country’ sound to the proceedings and it means Jack can choose a style that suits the day. He also played without a set list and Jack clearly enjoyed acting the part of conductor. I wasn’t sure what to make of this approach, but having seen the first band, I can’t wait to see how the rockier male band sound. Hopefully on his return in June, he’ll take the opportunity to play with both bands.
Jack White
Another great gig from the Sea of Bees. I love Joule’s voice (the lead singer). Her voice has a vulnerability that draws me into the songs and although there is a vulnerability in her performance, oddly there’s a self-effacing confidence. I know it doesn’t sound right. But I just can’t explain it. Joules, while confident on stage, taking to and reacting to the audience, she never steps over the line into over-confidence. When talking and joking with the audience, it seems to me that I’m listening to her own internal monologue of the things she should be saying as a ‘rock star’, but isn’t confident enough to say them. Sometimes there’s a kind of ‘Frank Spencer’ about her, in the way he verbalised his doubts, and for me, this all works. Tonight’s gig was a mixture of old and new with the new material already finding a comfortable place within the live set.
The Sea of Bees were supported by Stealing Sheep. Their set was ‘interesting’, in a good way.
Stealing Sheep
Stealing Sheep
British Sea Power
Daniel Johnston
"British Sea Power", Daniel Johnston
Unusually for a gig in the Attic at the Forum Hertfordshire, The Shirt Tail Stompers managed to generate a large turnout. The promise of a large dose of swing pulling in a wider audience than usual. Though I had expected more students, especially as there’s a swing society. Unfortunately the gig fell during the Easter holidays when many students return home. But initially I thought it was nice to have a full room.
It turns out busy wasn’t an improvement. Especially if those people turn out to be swing dancers who insisted everyone vacated a big space for them to dance (badly). Maybe I’m just sick of the whole swing / lindy hop scene because the proponents of the scene who seem to think that everyone should enjoy it. But I should have guessed they would monopolise the night. After all, it’s swing music, and swing music means dancing. But I was there to listen to the music, not dance.
As it turns out, the band on the night weren’t actually very good. I’m not sure if I’m being fair as looking at the pictures of the band on their website, the band seemed to consist of different band members and the band’s leader kept introducing people in the band but didn’t seem to be sure of where they had come from. Although swing isn’t my music, I’ve seen a few swing bands, and it felt to me that although everyone was playing ‘correctly’, the music felt pedestrian and lacking and kind of ’swagger’. I’m sure once the new members gell, the swagger will be back. But tonight, as somebody there to listen to the music, everything was flat. But saying that, the people dancing didn’t seem to mind.
The Shirt Tail Stompers
I’ve only recently become a fan of the Futureheads. I caught them when they played a charity event at the Roundhouse. I really liked the short sharp shock, instancy of their music. So I’ve been keeping an eye out for their gigs. Unfortunately (or so I thought), this tour turned out to be an a cappella tour. A cappella, in my opinion, is fine in small doses, and their recent acapella album, was a few song long of being the right length. Individually the music was good, collectively it felt too ‘samey’. So I wasn’t sure what to expect from tonight’s gig.
My trepidation was unfounded. Instead tonight’s gigs at the excellent Union Chapel, was a fun filled 90 minutes of excellent vocal harmonisation, interspersed by imaginative acoustic takes on their back catalogue with some interesting covers, such as a Black Eyed Peas number.
For the last few numbers, the lads were ably supported by their support act, The Cornshed Sisters, and a London choir. It was a great finish to a great night’s entertainment.
Cornshed Sisters, Futureheads
As you can see from my reviews, guitar music is my bread an butter. But over the years I’ve become more open to other genres. My collection of classical music has grown substantially in the last decade and I try to catch a few Proms every summer. One composer I’m a big fan of, is Estonian minimalist composer Arvo Pärt. In my opinion some of his music is simply sublime. With it being Easter week, Westminster Abbey’s choir decided to perform his Passio – Pärt’s setting of St John’s passion. This piece is one of my least favourite Part pieces. But I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to hear a performance in the Abbey.
I find the Passio a difficult piece to listen to on CD. Although it’s a striking piece, it’s performed entirely in Latin so it’s difficult to follow. But live, in an abbey, with an English translation, the piece really came alive. The baritone playing Jesus brought a dignity to Jesus’s responses that doesn’t come across in my recordings of the piece. As often happens when I see a performance of a piece for a choir, the speciality adds nuances that are missing from CD and tonight’s performance was no different. Overall it was definitely worth watching.
"Arvo Pärt"
