From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V11 #171 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Monday, July 24 2006 Volume 11 : Number 171 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [AVALON] Dock Rock [Richard Evans ] [AVALON] Lauren Laverne's all time top ten [KWil632057@aol.com] [AVALON] Re: If There is Something, that I might borrow... [KWil632057@ao] [AVALON] Rockin in the dockin ["Guy Lawley" ] [AVALON] From Cork to Docklands ["Mark Stephens" ] [AVALON] Re: Rock The Dock [Jocelynfiske@aol.com] Re: [AVALON] Rockin in the dockin [Stevesiren@aol.com] To leave the list, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon-digest ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 11:54:54 +0100 From: Richard Evans Subject: Re: [AVALON] Dock Rock Four guitarists??????????????????? Glad you had a good time Cheers Richard On Sunday, July 23, 2006, at 02:02 AM, Chandla911@aol.com wrote: > Just back from Dock Rock. The venue WAS completely soulless and > corporate as > I had expected, but somehow the evening was almost perfect. > > The sound was much better than I'd feared and the rain held off. > > Leo's solos in Out Of The Blue and Tara, as well as sonic soundscapes > in > Ladytron were unbelievably excellent. I did not expect someone new to > fit in > with the sound and the band so well. I am so pleased he was selected > to fill out > the sound. But I remain unconvinced that Roxy need four guitar players > and > three keyboard players as well as drums, percussion and Andy Mackay on > reeds. > It's starting to get a bit muddled in the middle and you lose count of > who > you're looking at ;-) > > My whole family attended the show. My daughters are convinced that > Bryan and > Phil were waving and smiling to them and them alone (even though we > were in > front row seats to the side of the stage some way away) and this > pleases them > immensely. > > It was a wonderful evening. Can't believe Roxy are calling a halt to > the > tour on number 13, but there you go. I hope Bryan decides to bring out > a new > Roxy album and that there's a tour to promote it. If the last ever > Roxy track > played live proved to be Let's Stick Together, how weird would that > be??? > > Best wishes > Richard Mills > > Ladytron - Roxy > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > ____ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:28:00 EDT From: KWil632057@aol.com Subject: [AVALON] Lauren Laverne's all time top ten 5. Roxy Music: All I Want is You A true classic amongst the other gems of the period! J ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 08:05:27 EDT From: KWil632057@aol.com Subject: [AVALON] Re: If There is Something, that I might borrow... I was listening to the excellent 'Super Breaks Vol. 1' compilation CD the other night and was rather taken with Isaac Hayes' excellent instrumental ' Ike's Mood' (the b-side to his sweeping 1970 version of The Look Of Love). Perhaps the most interesting discovery about the track was that it sounds almost exactly like the instrumental break in 'If There Something.' Having played it to three eagle eared experts we all noticed the similarity and even sang Ferry's lyrics to Hayes music. Ferry's love of Stax (who I believe Hayes was signed to) has always been cited as a major influence and I bet he had a copy of 'Ike's Mood' to hand when he was writing the songs for 'Roxy Music'.... I wonder if there are any other borrowings... J ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:21:11 +0100 From: "Guy Lawley" Subject: [AVALON] Rockin in the dockin Yus, great sound, much better than I expected after the awful sound of the big tellies showing old Bowie vids and adverts etc before the performance. Very enjoyable evening all told. Roxy perhaps not at the top of their game but better than competent. If not doing the fullest justice to the phenomenal material they play, still great to hear them doing it. Thought they rushed through some songs esp. in the second half of the set, including Bogus Man too fast all round, and V Plain where they screwed up the dynamic (the building tension and release was partly lost). Editions of You seemed to lose some of that two-guitar excitement between Phil and C Spedding, but admittedly that was a variable feast anyway and some nights didn't come off so well as others in the past (IIRC Wembley 2001 was brilliant for that). Avalon somewhat perfunctory (though the lady singer did a great job); likewise More Than This, though good to hear it again. Song For Europe came off pretty well. Jealous Guy was, unexpectedly, a high point of sorts; they seem to have decided that, having this bloated crowd-pleasing anthem as an albatross round their collective neck, they may as well bloat it up to an epic max, and it worked! The Boy Guitarist got to strut his stuff, especially at the end of My Only Love, which was nice, though the cameras for the big tellies chose to show the backing singer (also strutting her stuff nicely) rather than him. I could see Phil smiling at him like an encouraging uncle. Charming. Leo seemed pretty good if unspectacular; exception being the solo on Out of the Blue, I thought, but that could be seen as simply competent, in a way, for a man of his obvious ability. Let's hope the new album sees him showing some originality. Finishing with Let's Stick Together was obviously a huge gift to the crowd, who loved it. Similar dynamic to BF finishing solo sets with Woolly Bully. A very weird thing though to me, as a relatively hardcore fan, agreeing very much with Richard here. Have Roxy ever played a Ferry solo song before? I seem to recall we've had Wild Weekend and maybe Diamond Head, in the past.??? Am I right? Not entirety unprecedented, then. Certainly left the crowd very happy, and I'm not complaining; I loved standing up and clapping along. While My Heart is Still Bleating should be pensioned off. Why does it hang on in there when they have so many better songs which are never played? Andy was subdued, certainly not dancing around. BF was in good voice. The night really belonged to Phil though. What a star. I had a good night out, but oh!! how I'm itchin' to hear new album material!!!!! Roll on that record and the supporting tour!!!! Living in hope, Guy ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:37:03 +0100 From: "Mark Stephens" Subject: [AVALON] From Cork to Docklands So Cork is history now, a great trip and a better show than Dublin, main bonus was staying in the same hotel as the band, and grabbing a few autographs and photos. Once all the band had left for the soundcheck, it just left the long wait for Mr F to come down the lift and a few Roxy ladies were rewarded with a quick photo before he was off. He looked very well, and in good shape, with a sharp blue suit and designer sunglasses and not a single grey hair in sight. The show was a similar venue as Liverpool Docks last year in a big marquee. All the usual suspects on front row of course. We got Ladytron, after Re-make Re-Model instead of Out of the Blue, as in Dublin, pity nobody told Andy Newmark as he bashed into Out of the Blue on the second number. Newmark looked a bit stressed but held it together. New guys really did well, and overall it was a lot tighter set than in Dublin and after a few negotiations, we got Lets Stick together, not described by all as an added bonus, but this was unfortunatley a must, in the crowd pleasing department, and we have to concede that 99.9% of the audience would expect it along with Avalon. Back to the hotel, and an opportunity to meet Oliver Thompson who told me that he was fortunate to have this opportunity at just 18 years old, and it was by being a close friend of Isaac Ferry, and some connection from his Mother who used to work with NME, that the suggestion was made for him to cut his teeth with the band. Isaac also joined in the conversation at the bar, and John O'Brien and myself took the opportunity to influence some change in the Set List. Isaac was a big fan of For your Pleasure, so John suggested Strictly Confidential, and I threw Beauty Queen into the pot for luck, but I think it will take a bit more than luck. Maybe I will win the lottery first. Guy Pratt managed to find the bar, but alas all we got was a peer from the Bar door small window from Mr Ferry and Ottis, and swiftly resigned to their suite for his Horlicks. The rest does get a bit Blurred after the Guiness is starting to turn me into a an Irish Rover singing No nay never no more! with a group of Irish men. I would have been content with the one verse, but they insisted on all 372 verses, or so it seemed. We did try to re talliate with Carrickfergus but it seemed to lack something, probably Spedding,an acoustic guitar, and also someone who could actually sing in tune, and remember the words at the same time. No kissing the Blarney Stone next day for me, had to get back to Blighty to arrange a day off on the 22nd July, as you never know when you have seen the last show. So onto Docklands even though I sing No nay never no more until that bloody new album is out, but maybe the next time is the best time........................................ Regards to all, Mark ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 17:54:19 +0100 From: "Mark Stephens" Subject: [AVALON] Standing at the Dock of the Bay So after a last minute decision to go I bought my tickets Friday and collected them on Saturday from the post office. Since Cork, it has been 90 degrees with no rain, but somehow I managed to get caught in a monsoon collecting my ticket. I invited my Cousin Paul from Plymouth in Devon to the show, he hasn't got a lot of experience of concerts, Jethro and the Wurzels to name just two, but he did buy me a Bob Dylan ticket once, hence the Dylan seat being almost behind the stage, and a great view of his back all night. He did have his girlfriend Judy over from San Francisco, and at a sweet 26 years old was up for enjoying what all the fuss was about. After what was a four hour plus nightmare travelling down to Docklands, dreadful weather, like a scene out of Twister, although we didn't see any low flying cows, we arrived at the hotel, and I threw my bag in the room, and ran off leaving them behind to get my front row position in front of Mr.McKay. Running being schedule, I skipped through the Motor show, looking left and right but not stopping to talk to strangers. Thanks go to Lynn at the front of the queue, who turned into my Geordie wife, shouting Mark! where have you been, I've been waiting here for ages. So I managed to blag pass about 30 people already in the queue. As time went on there was quite a few wives, husbands, lost aunties, and half, step, brother in laws, cousins twice removed, blagging their way to the front, until poor Al was just one too many, and nearly got into a scrape. The soundcheck was late, considerate to wait for me, and with just a couple of notes here and there, were given a preview of a few changes on the set list. Oh Yeah On The Radio and Dreamhome, As the gate opened, the stewards shouted do not run, which was like asking the Pope not to pray, and all the usual suspects found their way to the front for a long wait, threatened by huge black clouds overhead, that luckily never poured down to ruin the show. Feeling naked without my camera, I was up for just enjoying this full on. As the show Kicks off....I TRIED BUT I COULD NOT FIND A WAY, this sounded bloody good, racy and powerful, I thought Wow! we just might be in for a treat. Pyjamarama and Ladytron followed, which was a nice change to the order in Ireland. Andy Newmark seemed a lot more confident and relaxed, probably cos he had the right set list. Wish they would drop WMHISB, tired of this now, but then OOTB and to concentrate on this new talent called Leo Abrahams, who is pretty motionless at the back. Is it the lap top or the guitar making the sound? Well if you closed your eyes, you would swear it was an electric violin playing, and that note at the end...perfect. Is there a new Eddie Jobson in the making? Oh Yeah in on the set list, short and sweet the Bogus Man, which never has the same power of the early years, but good to hear. ASFE again, It sighs, and (like WMHISB) My Only Love, is getting a bit tired now, and lacks energy, bring back Lucy, and Sarah Brown. Both Ends Burning, I never tire of hearing, no need to drop this one ever, but I would exchange it for All I want Is You, (if only) Then the first dropped note of the night, take centre stage Andy McKay, but recovered well for continue into Tara, great in 2001 and Frantic, but thank you enough now. I hate it when people take the instrumental as an opportunity to have a chat. IEDAH was back, like it never went away. then it was Crowd pleaser time, Avalon, More Than This, Jealous Guy which really lacked the drums of TGPT, then back to business with Editions of you, at this point some credit has to go to Oliver Thompson who looked really comfortable up there and really did a great job. Manzo again stepped aside during a couple of numbers to let him loose centre stage. Do the Strand not a new sensation anymore, but it just wouldn't be complete without it, Love is the Drug, Guy Pratt's favourite 10 seconds of the whole show and it looked as if the cue from Ferry was to quit whilst they were very well ahead with a very appreciative audience. But with a few gobby pleas from the front row, except Mr Reecy of course, for just one more, with single index fingers in the air we got Lets stick together to end one of the tightest shows I have seen and is up there with Liverpool Summer Pops. Not realising through the whole show Cousin Paul and Judy was just just a few paces behind me, and comments from my Roxy Virgins? Judy....Absolutely blown away, Paul..I've always liked Roxy Music, just didn't know how much until tonight. Best tracks for you Judy? Something Burning, Solo Sax blew me away and boys will be boys will be boys. and I didn't know it was them who sung Avalon...Bless. Did Ferry write Jealous Guy, I thought it was Lennon.....Double Bless. Well she they came, they conqoured and bought the tee shirt, think my burner might be busy in the few days Regards to all, Mark ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:37:44 +0200 (CEST) From: robert@rwhiteford.freeserve.co.uk Subject: RE: [AVALON] Dear All, Sometimes I get it well wrong with expecations and Bryan Ferry. I hated the idea of 30's covers for ATGB but loved it when it appeared. I hated the idea of coporate rock and Roxy doing old material - so I arrived at Docklands without much sense of expectation at all. BUT IT WAS BRILLAINT. Lynne and were about 10 rows from the front in the middle - great view, great atmosphere, great crowd and a fabulous performance. Ferry looked and acted 40, putting more into his performance than I have possibly ever seen, and the band clearly knew they had a good audience. Bryan even thanked them as if he meant it. And HE looked relaxed and happy to be there. Long and full set list even though it started at about 9.30. Superb. Loved the kiddie on guitar. How it never rained with a black sky for 2 hours I dont know, but it was so good i doubt many would have cared. You know I dont rave about these things just cos its Bryan - I thought Roxy at Wembley was poor in 2001 - but this was a great evening. Corporate rock or not I'm so glad we went. Cheers Rob ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:58:13 +0100 From: "Mark Stephens" Subject: [AVALON] Docklands Well they came, they conqoured and bought the tee shirt, think my burner might be busy in the next few days Just to confirm I have not recorded the Docklands show, but would be more than happy to tree it if anybody else did. Regards, Mark ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:32:49 EDT From: Jocelynfiske@aol.com Subject: [AVALON] Re: Rock The Dock In a message dated 22/07/2006 23:55:23 GMT Standard Time, andy.clique@btinternet.com writes: > Well, just got back. Hoarse and sweaty. I thought it was fab and they were > all in good form. > > Scoured the front rows.... where was Jocelyn? > > XX > > Andy Langley > > In my usual spot Andy. I'm either getting shorter or quieter (shuttit Ivor!). Didn't see you either, where were you? Sorry I didn't get to chat this time. Anyway, brilliant time had by all. I thought as good as Cork, but the concessus seemed to think better than. Phil the star of the evening this time, loads of screechy early Roxy type solos. He and Andy appear to have taken Ollie Thompson to their hearts, encouraging and applauding him at every opportunity. Watched the note for note OOTB solo this time and was very impressed by the synthetic replication. But haven't seen F this relaxed and playful in many a moon. Lots of larking about, laughing and smiling. Oh, and what an amazing first half jacket. At long long last, the return of the black sequin. My favourite 1972 outfit now languishing as an art prop in the V&A-the black sequinned bomber jacket with green sequinned heart, has metamorphosed into a sleek sequinned DJ with black satin lapels. Fabulous darhling, wonder if The old Chicken Meister AP is waving his bantam trimmed wand over the wardrobe again? Have to say, I was amazed by how good the audience turned out, it didn't bode too well on the way in (not surprising really to be honest!). I too, wasn't really up for the gig before hand, tired and uncomfortable in the heat, I was praying for rain and when we got a few sprinkles just as the band took the stage, I wondered if it was going to be a Thetford moment (when we got a Hard Rain song and weather right on cue), but like Mark, I could tell almost from the opening bars of RMRM that we were in for a treat - everyone was cooking. Amazing how quickly I managed to perk up. Which after the usual group therapy session deep into this morning, is more than can be said for me now. J ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:43:41 EDT From: Stevesiren@aol.com Subject: Re: [AVALON] Rockin in the dockin In a message dated 23/07/2006 14:45:55 GMT Standard Time, aove97@dsl.pipex.com writes: The Boy Guitarist got to strut his stuff, especially at the end of My Only Love, which was nice, though the cameras for the big tellies chose to show the backing singer (also strutting her stuff nicely) rather than him. I could see Phil smiling at him like an encouraging uncle. Charming. Manzanera also mouthed "Go on" to him during The boys solo, and I'm sure he passed him a Werthers Old Original at one point like a doting grandfather..I was also greatly impressed by Olivers "Knees together I'm bursting for a wee" type dancing. Steve I ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V11 #171 ***************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest