2 Month Round-Up...

It's been almost two months since my last post because I have been extremely lazy.
In that time my beloved football team Manchester United won the English Premier League and the European Champions League Final. Incredible. May 2008 will never be forgotten.
On the music front, I got to see the Eagles at Madison Square Gardens. The harmonies were excellent but the setlist was very safe and predictable. However it was great to hear the James Gang's 'Walk Away' in a live setting. Other notable shows were Terry Reid in New Jersey and Steve Winwood and Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers at Madison Square Gardens.
Terry Reid, very much a cult figure, but an incredible singer/songwriter to my ears played in front of approximately 50 people. His voice was strong and he made my night by playing 'A Brave New Awakening' from his masterpiece album Seed of Memory.
Steve Winwood played for around and hour and thirty minutes in his support slot for Tom Petty. He played way too many songs from his new album but his version of Blind Faith's 'Had To Cry Today' was scorching and his five minute guitar solo at the end of 'Dear Mr Fantasy' was jaw-dropping.
Tom Petty, as usual, was professional throughout. Although I have never been a big fan of his, The Heartbreakers are probably the tightest band on the planet right now.

Gary Louris, NYC Town Hall 4/2/08

The former Jayhawks' frontman solo tour in support of his debut album Vagabonds has sadly not been selling too well.
I suppose it's no surprise in the current music climate, but a real shame as the show was superb. Backed by the LA band Vetiver, Louris mixed songs from his back catalogue that included the unreleased Jayhawks gem from 1995 'Everybody Gets By'.
The songs from Vagabonds sounded invigorated with more electric guitar and 'She Only Calls Me on Sundays' was a particular highlight. However, the best part of the evening was the inclusion of 'Sound of Lies' that was simply mesmerising. Louris' voice has never sounded better.
The show closed with Golden Smog's gorgeous 'Until You Came Along'. A fine way to end the evening.
Great songs, great artist, incredible show. Thank God for Gary Louris.

Set List:
1. Omaha Nights
2. I'd Run Away
3. True Blue
4. Every Word
5. To Die A Happy Man
6. She Only Calls Me On Sundays
7. Three Too Many
8. Sound Of Lies
9. Waiting For The Sun
10. Everybody Gets By
11. DC Blues
12. Save It For A Rainy Day
13. Black Grass
14. I Wanna Get High
15. Tailspin

16. Listen Joe (solo)
17. Vagabonds
18. Blue
19. Until You Came Along

Songs I'm Hooked On

'Dean' - Terry Reid, pictured above (from the album River)
'Clifton Bridge' - Mark Olson (from the album Salvation Blues)
'Pour le monde' - Crowded House (from the album Time On Earth)
'On The Road To Find Out' - Cat Stevens (from the album Tea For The Tillerman)
'Autopsy' - Fairport Convention (from the album Unhalfbricking)
'Circumstances' - Rush (from the album Hemispheres)
'I'd Rather Be The Devil' - John Martyn (from the album Solid Air)
'Don't Do It' - The Band (from the album Rock Of Ages)

Currently grooving to:

Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus
(pictured above)
The Black Crowes - Warpaint
Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking
Gram Parsons - Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels Live 1973
Gary Louris - Vagabonds
Sweet Pickle Salad - SPS Sessions (Bootleg)
Mason Profitt - Wanted
Crowded House - Time On Earth

Things are looking up...

With the release of Gary Louris' excellent Vagabonds and the Black Crowes' new album Warpaint, things are looking good for 2008. I have have yet to purchase Warpaint, but from the few tracks that I have heard, it sounds like their best offering since 1996's Three Snakes and One Charm. This is a relief as their last two albums By Your Side and Lions were terrible.
Other good news includes the re release of Whiskeytown's Stranger's Almanac. This time it's the expanded two disc version with unreleased material and acoustic versions of tracks from the original CD. I can't wait to hear this as to my ears, this is the best thing Ryan Adams has ever done. Praise indeed.

50th Anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. February 6th 2008

The Munich air disaster took place on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at the Munich-Riem airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the Busby Babes, along with a number of supporters and journalists. Twenty-three of the 44 passengers on board the aircraft died in the disaster.
Seven of Manchester United's players died immediately, and Duncan Edwards, one of the greatest footballers in the history of the game, died from his injuries on 21 February. Johnny Berry and Jackie Blanchflower were both injured to such an extent that they never played again.
The Manchester United players involved in the fatalities:
Geoff Bent
Roger Byrne
Eddie Colman
Duncan Edwards (survived the crash but died in hospital 15 days later)
Mark Jones
David Pegg
Tommy Taylor
Liam 'Billy' Whelan

What a tragedy.
You will never be forgotten by the millions of Manchester United fans throughout the world.