I remember this concert so well, but to my shame, I have no recollection of Richard and Linda Thomson - could I have been in the bar??? I was so pleased to get seats only two or three rows from the front. Gerry was his usual uncommunicative self - "Hallo Aberdeen" and "Good night Aberdeen" but the concert was great. I remember the concert because it coincided with the start of my hearing loss - seats at the front turned out to be a mixed blessing. Gerry had a large and very loud brass section. I recall the 12 minute version of Baker Street - with the sax solo repeated three or four times. When I emerged on to Aberdeen's Union Street I thought someone had pressed th mute button - the traffic was strangely quiet! I had ringing in my ears for a couple of days and my hearing never really recovered. A warning for today's concert goers! Ach well, it was worth it.

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Review in Swedish

PÅ LISEBERG
1 september 1966, Stjärnscenen
1 september 1966, Pop In
Detta var Dusty Springfields första Sverigebesök. Kvällens första framträdande gjorde hon på Stjärnscenen kl. 20. En drygt 35 minuter lång konsert som följdes upp med en minst lika lång spelning på Pop In senare under kvällen. Hon kompades av The Echoes, som för kvällen var förstärkt med två trumpetare ur Lisebergs Promenadorkester.

Dusty släppte sin första soloskiva två år innan Lisebergsbesöket och hade under de åren blivit mycket populär. I en läsaromröstning arrangerad av den brittiska poptidningen New Musical Express korades hon 1965 till ”världens bästa sångerska”.

LÅTLISTA
(Konserten på Stjärnscenen)

Dancing in the streets
24 Hours from Tulca
Whishin’ and hopin’
You don’t have to say you love me
Shake
Little by little
In the middle of nowhere
These Boots are made for walking
La Bamba
PRESS
"Nu är det dessutom bevisat – mycket hörbart; Dusty Springfield låter precis lika bra i verkligheten som på skiva! (...) Tack Dusty! (Tack Liseberg!)" – Hans Sidén på Göteborgs-Posten.

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Snippet taken from Roslyn Owens article, who reviewed the show for The West Australian a leading news source in Perth and WA.


Perth Capital Theatre 4th April 1964.

When the phenomenon of the beat sound, located most significantly in Liverpool, started to take off in Australia in mid-1963, Harry M. Miller set about booking his own ‘Liverpool Sound’ show to tour the capital cities, including Perth. ‘The World’s Top Record Sensations on the Wild “Liverpool Sound” Show,’ as they were advertised, played three sets in Perth at a converted cinema, the Capitol Theatre, on Saturday 4th April 1964, two months before the Beatles came to Australia. Headlining the show were Gerry and the Pacemakers. Dusty Springfield opened after her backing group, the Echoes, had played a warm-up set. Also on the bill were Gene Pitney and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. Dusty Springfield was a blue-eyed soul singer who came from London and had previously been in a vocal trio called the Springfields. Brian Poole and the Tremeloes came from Dagenham in Essex. Gene Pitney was American. Miller, it seems, called the show the ‘Liverpool Sound’ to capitalise on the presence of Gerry and the Pacemakers.

This preference in Perth for the lighter, poppier end of the beat sound spectrum is more clearly demonstrated in the reception of the other group of the ‘Liverpool Sound’ tour, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. Roslyn Owen, who reviewed the show for The West Australian, commented that ‘Jerry [sic] Marsden, backed by his Pacemakers, had tremendous attack, a wide grin and a loud presentation.’ However, Owen preferred Brian Poole and the Tremeloes: ‘Why Gerry and the pacemakers [sic] topped the bill is a mystery. The group was outshone by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes and the professional polish and charm of Miss Dusty Springfield

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I was really looking forward to this gig, mainly because of Caravan, whose material I knew quite well by this time, but also as a mate of mine bought 'Turn Of The Cards' by Renaissance the previous year and had played it a lot whenever we went round to hang out. I think I'm right in saying that during the tour, the bands had taken it in turns to headline, but I'm not sure.
The following is taken from my diary of the time:
"We arrived at the Corn Exchange and had to join a huge queue of people waiting to get in; not as bad as it had been two years ago when we saw Focus there though, and we eventually got in. By the time we'd been to the bar to get some drinks Renaissance were starting their set, so we hurriedly found a place to sit down. (Note: The Corn Exchange is a seatless venue but for this gig the audience had decided to sit on the floor - they obviously knew it was going to be a long night.) The band sounded great from the off; Annie Haslam not only looked incredible but had a beautiful yet powerful voice, and at one point bassist Jon Camp played a great solo accompanied by his own echo. After a fantastic set that lasted nearly two hours and included 'Mother Russia', the band left the stage to deafening applause and cheering.
Before Caravan came on there was a BTM Records promo slide film shown on a screen at the back of the stage, with pictures and musical excerpts of other artists on the label, including Curved Air, Climax Blues Band, Trace and Wishbone Ash alongside Caravan and Renaissance of course.
At around 10:30 Caravan appeared and opened with 'Memory Lain, Hugh'. Each member of the band played extremely well, including the somewhat egotistical (it says here) viola player - Geoff Richardson - who also contributed guitar and flute at times. They featured some tracks from 'For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night' and some new ones from their forthcoming LP to be called 'Toys In The Attic' which apparently is an American expression meaning madness, according to Geoff. (Note again: by the time the album came out it had been re-named 'Cunning Stunts' instead, probably due to Aerosmith having made an album called 'Toys In The Attic', and beat them to it.) Their last number was the one I'd been waiting for and which I'd occasionally dared to shout out for - the lengthy 'For Richard', which was superb. After that they went off but soon came back and encored with a really lively piece appropriately entitled 'Hoedown', again from 'For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night'. The night's concert ended at around 12:25, a total of over four hours of live music and it had been thoroughly enjoyable and real value for money."

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Support band were probably called TNT and didn't come on until 10. My diary describes them as "crap" and "doing Quo stuff". Rich Kids didn't come on until midnight so audience was getting a bit "lively", thanks to the long wait. A friend of mine got chucked out but managed to sneak back in. RK were great.

Note: I found another site which says that this gig was on the 26th, but it was definitely Friday the 24th.

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A bit of a disappointment for various reasons, this one. I noted at the time that The Permanents were "worse than dire, impossible to describe" and The Slits were "just bad". Unfortunately, the Buzzcocks' set was ruined by a fight after just a few numbers. This was pretty rare for Lancaster Uni gigs, but punk/New Wave acts did tend to attract yobs, especially from Blackpool. Buzzcocks were obliged to play the rest of the gig with the house lights up which rather killed the atmosphere.

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I've added a (less than complementary) review of the gig from the local students' newspaper, SCAN. Yes, that was a good idea, send a self confessed fan of Camel, Caravan and Barclay James Harvest to review a Jam gig. However, to be fair, it wasn't The Jam at their finest. I was already a massive fan, but was quite disappointed. The vocals were barely audible and every number was indeed taken at the same breakneck speed. Weller's line in crowd interaction was almost non-existent, exemplified by the entire introduction to Bricks and Mortar, "this is about the Houses of Parliament". Huh? What? Probably the longest sentence he uttered throughout the set too. New Hearts were fair, but the vocals were inaudible. Local band China Street were so bad we walked out.

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I noted at the time that Clover were "trash" and I walked out. GP & The Rumour were excellent, sticking faithfully to the arrangements on record, but with tons more energy.

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Here's what I wrote shortly after the gig: "A great night. Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe were excellent musically. Ian Dury was unbelievable. Only the twat Wreckless Eric let things down a bit - apart from the single his stuff was rubbish. Overall EC was probably best - did a great encore of Alison."

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My diary notes that the lead singer of the Tyla Gang was "a fat balding bloke who jumped about a lot - stupid prat". The PA broke down, delaying AC/DC's set until about 10pm. Apparently, they "got better as the night went on" and were "quite enjoyable". Damned by faint praise, I would say.

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At this distance in time, it's hard to believe that this was very much Lofgren's tour. The programme (for which I've added a few scans) was heavy on NL, with just a couple of pages set aside to introduce Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I believe this was only the latter's 2nd UK gig. I'd gone to see Lofgren, but TP&TH completely stole the show. At the time I noted that they were "BLOODY EXCELLENT, real shit hot rock & roll". After that, Lofgren was (inevitably, in retrospect) something of a disappointment, though the 2nd half of his set was tighter. Naturally, we were treated to the trampette somersault at the end, which was always a crowd pleaser.

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I was conned into buying a ticket by two god-bothering door knockers. Awful.

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According to my diary, Dick Envy were "terrible" and The Adverts "weren't much better ... TV Smith was the only one who knew what he was doing". Sounds like a cracker.

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Worth going for John Otway alone. His half hour set was shambolic and mad, as always. Alexei was good too.

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Simon and Garfunkel live
by Chris Heard
BBC News Website - Friday, July 16, 2004

Simon and Garfunkel only played their second UK concert in more than 20 years to 50,000 fans at London's Hyde Park on Thursday.

Few acts can rival Simon and Garfunkel's famous catalog of hits in capturing the elusive spirit of mid-1960s America.

Nearly 40 years after their heyday, there is little in pop and rock music as evocative of a time, a place and the mood of an era.

Framed somewhere between Kennedy's death and the march of Vietnam, Simon's songs and Garfunkel's angelic voice distilled the end-of-innocence transition from folky optimism to poignant reflection.

The duo's harmonies seem forever destined to form the soundtrack for grainy footage of civil rights marches and stripey-scarved students at campus sit-ins.

But these are truly classic songs which have not only survived but aged well, sounding fresh and invigorated when replicated live - 50 years after the pair, now both 63, met and forged their friendship.

Heralding their arrival on stage, a series of video images on a giant screen replays iconic moments in culture - from the moon landings and a disco floor to the Berlin Wall's collapse and the Millennium celebrations.

Interspersed with mischievous shots of the pair's changing hairlines and dodgy fashion choices, the message seems to be: 'Not only have we witnessed and survived all this, we're intact and as vital as ever'. And so it would prove.

The sight of them physically side by side is an instantly recognizable delight, one much loved by the caricaturists: Garfunkel, tall and serene, the lion's mane of hair still framing his studied features. Simon, diminutive and fluid, rocking with his acoustic guitar.

"Here's a song about my country, and a time and place that no longer exists," says Garfunkel introducing America, Simon's mythical journey into the soul of a nation that symbolized a generation's idealism.

While unashamedly nostalgic and bordering on the sentimental, there is also a playful undertone, with both parties - noted for their fall-outs over the years - drawing on the irony of the tour's Old Friends title.

"This is now the 50th anniversary of the friendship that I hold very close to me," says Garfunkel, before Simon counters: "Fourteen years old we started to argue. That makes this the 48th anniversary (of us arguing)."

Introducing musical heroes The Everly Brothers, the four run through a celebratory Bye Bye Love with an energy that belies a combined age pushing 250.

The show - part of a tour which will reputedly make the duo £ 30m - is also an upbeat affair, with electric guitars, piano and occasional strings joining their more pastoral moments.

An enthusiastic crowd cheerily greets gem after gem: The Sound of Silence, I Am A Rock, Homeward Bound, Keep The Customer Satisfied, Kathy's Song, Hazy Shade Of Winter, Scarborough Fair, The Boxer, Mrs Robinson ...

Will Young, Zoe Ball and Little Britain's Matt Lucas are among the revelers at Hyde Park on a still midsummer's night for what will probably be the last UK approximation of the duo's legendary New York Central Park concert.

The set ends with the hymnal Bridge Over Troubled Water, and 50,000 people are rapt.

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From my diary of 7/May/76 : "Budgie turned out to be crap, just a nasty row ..."

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From my diary of the time: "Scorpio Rising were supported by Curveball who were fairly ordinary, pop with louder guitars. SR were brilliant though, starting with 'Bliss' they belted through a 45-minute set which included their current single 'Saturnalia'."

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Los Angeles Times - 6th June 1988.
Pop Capsules : Clannad: Hooting and Hollering at the Wiltern
By CHRIS WILLMAN

Hearts melt and float off toward the Atlantic when Maire Ni Bhraonain of the Irish group Clannad lets loose her lovely vibrato. The fact that she often sings in Gaelic, a language in which few Angelenos are well-versed, matters little. Her utterly entrancing voice seems airy/wispy and knockout/powerful all at once.

If that seems like a contradiction in terms, consider the amorphous sound of the band itself, which encompasses suggestions of Gregorian chants, traditional Celtic music, Fairport Convention-style folk, Cocteau Twins-style ethereality, new age and soft rock. This blend met with unexpected attendance and receptivity Friday at the Wiltern, site of the band’s first American concert in eight years.

Opening with the delicate, almost a cappella “Caislean Oir,” Clannad was greeted by a hooting and hollering crowd that sounded as if it was fresh from an Irish pub. The effect was not unlike visiting a European cathedral where other tourists are yelling “rock ‘n’ roll!”

Ironically, the few times Clannad actually tried to act and sound like a rock band, the boisterous crowd grew quieter. Greater enthusiasm was reserved for the more acoustic, traditionally rooted material that makes this group something special. And rightfully so.

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(This is a review I wrote for a fanzine at the time)
"As soon as we paid to get in we were given a Jam badge, pretty good.. most bands would charge 50p or so for that.
Radio Stars were on first; their music was rock with heavy metal / commercial leanings but they tried to act like new wavers. At one point lead singer Andy Ellison took off his plain T-shirt and put on a paint-splattered one. Hmm.. 5 out of 10.
When The Jam came on everybody cheered but didn't really exert themselves so after a couple of songs Paul Weller (guitar, vocals) told the audience to dance. After a few more numbers then 'In The City' the place went wild. Almost everyone there was dancing. The band played 'Non-Stop Dancing', 'Time For Truth' (a killer), 'Takin' My Love', 'Slow Down', 'Art School', 'Changed My Address', 'London Girl', and the Batman theme among others.
The stage sound was clear as a bell, really ace. The individual musicians know how to play R'n'B, Paul Weller smashing the chords out of his Rickenbacker like there's no tomorrow (cliché), Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler (bass and drums respectively) are an A1 rhythm unit, moving through the set like a pair of bulldozers. That reminds me, 'Bricks And Mortar' is just about THE social commentary on the housing problem. Strong stuff. They went off, came back, went off, came back, went off, came back. Then went home I suppose. Three encores, really demanded by the crowd. Real value for money although you go home knackered through dancing so much."

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This was Petula’s debut appearance live in the United States which garnered great reviews .
Opening act was comedian Lee Tully

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CROWD GETS PETTY WORKED UP AT ARENA

Robert Morast, Argus Leader, Friday, June 27, 2003

Tom Petty may have been the most gracious rock legend on Earth Thursday night.

In front of 6,100 very appreciative fans, and with obvious zeal on his face, Petty constantly thanked his audience between songs as if the guy hadn't heard cheering in 12 years.

"You're getting me all excited," Petty said from stage. "When I get all excited I go wild. I can't be responsible for myself when I get all worked up. Just, so you still respect me tomorrow."

Arena officials were excited too. Petty's performance was the Arena's highest grossing concert ever. Final numbers weren't available, but Arena officials confirmed that it broke the previous single-show record held by Aerosmith for a 1998 show that grossed more than $250,000.

Even though the show wasn't a sell-out - Arena capacity is 6,800 - an average ticket price of $44.50 made it the top grossing show.

Aside from making Arena history, the show was special because it was the first date of Petty's current tour.

Even more special may have been a rare symbiosis between musicians and spectators where the two actually seemed on par with each other.

After spirited renditions of Petty and the Heartbreaker hits like "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and "Free Fallin'" (to which the crowd freely sang along) the audience bathed the blond rocker with honest applause.

Amped up by the appreciation, Petty smiled, danced and shimmied his way through classic rock tunes while actually looking like he was having fun - not a trait exhibited by all musicians when they hit Sioux Falls.

Because of Petty's excitement, the symbiosis was less parasitic than most concerts and felt more spiritual, resulting in a very enjoyable and entertaining concert.

The entertainment factor started early when opener Mavis Staples ended her set by talking to the crowd during a rendition of "I'll Take You There" and paying heed to "Sioux City, S.D." Not surprisingly, boos followed.

Unphased by the major faux pas, the crowd clapped when Staples left the stage and began waiting for the main draw.

At 8:45 Petty and his longtime backing band the Heartbreakers took the stage and strolled into "American Girl."

For a first tour date, the band sounded surprisingly good with no major hiccups or minor malfunctions.

Wearing a turquoise blazer, Petty danced through "You Don't Know How it Feels" for the night's second number and gave the crowd its first clue that he was feeling good.

Portions of the crowd also took Petty's advice from the song. When he sang "Let's roll another joint," wafts of marijuana smoke christened the show with the smell of a "real" rock concert.

"The joint is jumping tonight, just jumping," Petty said from stage.

Maybe the fans just appreciated a good sound. Petty's voice was what you'd expect: it sounded just like the albums, but with enough added spunk to raise the energy level. Ditto for the Heartbreakers. This was especially evident during "The Waiting," which sounded excellent thanks to an evident tempo boost.

Petty also served up the title track from last year's album "The Last DJ" and an unrecorded new song with a title that wasn't easily understood by this writer.

It could have been "The Limit" or "Melinna" or something phonetically similar [ed. note: "Melinda"]. Regardless of the name, the acoustic guitar driven tune was good, with a driving country beat and keyboard quality reminiscent of the Doors.

An hour into the performance, Petty still had the crowd standing and singing along.

Walking away, two things were evident: Petty had a ton of fun. And he's definitely a living piece of Americana.

Each of his songs reads like a journal entry that could easily have been written by Joe Average in Anytown, U.S.A. He captures the experiences we all live through. But manages to romanticize them in a way that makes life feel a little better, at least until the song is over.

Or in the case of last night, until the concert was over.

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Jeff Gemmill's review.

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I was there brilliant gig

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A show limited to 1000 punters enjoyed the Lips run through "The Soft Bulletin" album in random order. Most of the songs were heavily reworked arrangements from the now 20 year old classic album. It didn't matter, the band was tight and all the songs sounded great. The crowd screamed "Wayne". Lots of confetti, bubbles and blow up dolls added to the spectacle. The venue was great and the house sound was great. The crowd screamed "Wayne" again. There was a five song encore where the Lips unleashed "She Don't Use Jelly", "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Pt.2)", "Are You A Hypnotist", "It's Summertime" and "Do You Realize??" just for good measure. The crowd screamed "Wayne" some more and everyone left happy. A memorable evening out.

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Springsteen Has 83,000 Celebrating
By ROBERT HILBURN
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES - SATURDAY, SEP. 28, 1985

TIMES POP MUSIC CRITIC
The 83,000 fans who filled the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Friday night for the first of Bruce Springsteen’s four concerts came to celebrate.

They stood in front of their chairs (or on them) and danced as the New Jersey-born rocker, performing in front of a huge American flag, opened the show with “Born in the U.S.A.,” a rousing but complex song about a Vietnam veteran rallying against the disillusionment of returning home to indifference.

The audience moved even more energetically two songs later, when Springsteen and his seven-member E Street Band raced through “Two Hearts,” an uplifting tune about renewing one’s dreams.

With the audience’s spirits so high, the last thing most rockers would do--especially in a vast stadium setting--is slow the pace for a series of stark social commentaries. But Springsteen’s commitment to exploring failures--as well as victories--in America is what has helped make him the most acclaimed figure in U.S. rock since Bob Dylan in the mid-1960s.

In songs like “Johnny 99" and “My Hometown,” Springsteen explains how the American dream has been replaced by a nightmare for many of his fellow citizens. Introducing “The River,” one of his most poignant songs, he reminded the crowd about the plight of unemployed steelworkers in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

‘Shadow of a Dream’

“What do you do when the jobs go away, but the people remain?” he asked. “When communities begin to disappear and families fall apart, and you end up living in the shadow of a dream?”

Although the 36-year-old singer-songwriter’s show was also filled with endearing songs about romance and good times, the heart of the concert revolved around the idea that the challenge of the individual is to refuse to give up in the face of defeat, and that a citizen must help his neighbors regain any loss of dignity.

On the latter note, Springsteen, as in past concerts, urged the well-behaved audience to support local food bank organizations, specifically Community Food Resources of Los Angeles and the Steelworkers Oldtimers Foundation.

“The response around the country to Bruce’s endorsements has been phenomenal,” Doris Bloch, executive director of Community Food Resources, said. “We’ve had fans call up after the concerts in each city offering to volunteer.”

In moving to the larger outdoor setting, Springsteen lost little of the intimacy of his smaller Sports Arena shows here last winter and he showed no evidence of compromising his strong artistic vision.

‘As Good as Ever’

“I’ve been a Springsteen fan for a long time and I was worried that all this new popularity may have led to . . . compromises which would have weakened his show, but he’s as good as I’ve ever seen him,” said fan Martin Sanders, 28, of Lomita.

The Coliseum stand--which continues Sunday, Monday and Wednesday--ends a 15-month record-breaking world tour. Springsteen will have been seen by an estimated 5 million people by the time he leaves the Coliseum stage Wednesday. The tour box office gross will be almost $90 million. His Los Angeles audience for this series will have totaled 332,000.

Despite the vast numbers he attracts, Springsteen’s appeal lies partly in his ability to reflect his blue-collar roots in an age when so many affluent rock stars seem out of touch with their audiences.

“He’s the kind of guy who makes you feel that if you were stranded after the concert, he’d take you home in his pickup truck,” said fan Stuart Levine, 21, Canoga Park

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Terry Slade (real name Alcock) had a tremendous voice, range and stage presence. Peter York (real name Childs) was an outstanding guitarist. It was my pleasure to manage them and other groups from Sheffield in the 1960s.

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Tom Petty understands audience
By Gary Graff
Beaver Country Times - Wednesday, July 16, 1980

Tom Petty does something with his songs that too few musicians are doing nowadays: He writes about fans frustrations, which also happen to be his frustrations. Topics range from romance (mainly) to generally being fed-up with life, but in each case Petty tried to become a mirror for the feelings and frustrations he senses in his teen-age audience.

The audience at his Stanley Theare concert last Thursday was certainly teen-age -- and abundantly female -- and if the fans wanted to indeed use Petty as a reflecting glass for their problems, he was happy to comply.

Listening to his records, it's easy to doubt his sincerity and his "understanding" nature. Writing about teen-age frustrations (particularly when you're no longer a teenager) is one thing, but understanding what you're writing about is another. In concert, even if he doesn't really understand what he's writing and singing about, Petty sure makes it look like he does.

And, most importantly, the kids believed that Petty understood. They screamed their agreement for lines like "sometimes this town just seems so hopeless" from "Here Comes My Girl" and the cautiously optimistic chorus of "Even the Losers."

The girls in the crowd were there to watch Petty more than to listen to him. Dressed in a green shirt with black polka dots and tight black slacks, Petty served their interests by tramping around a platform that extended across the orchestra pit, giving the girls a good view of all sides.

He also managed not to lose his macho appeal. More than anything else, Petty sings about girls from a male viewpoint. Songs like "Shadow of a Doubt" (the opening number), "Here Comes My Girl" and "Need to Know" from all indications gave Petty's male audience what it came to hear.

Whatever appeal Petty has, the clincher in the concert's success was the Heartbreakers. After the second number, an aggressive rendering of "Fool Again," Petty told the sold-out audience "the band is in a particularly good mood tonight." The statement was accurate.

Mike Campbell, the lazy-faced lead guitarist, provided the most dynamic musical moments of the concert. Perched on the edge of the stage, Campbell's searing solos took the spotlight also as many times as Petty did. Ron Blair and Stan Lynch provided a solid bottom and some moments of their own: Blair's came with his base leads on "American Girl," while Lynch's moments were his harmonies with Petty, whose singing was a bit weak and raspy.

Then there was Benmont Tench. Behind his friendly smile and congenial bounding around, Tench supplied keyboard strength that wasn't really noticed until you thought about it. He never really soloed, but his playing on the spooky, "Luna" (with Petty on organ), "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Breakdown" stood out.

The only thing wrong with Petty and the Heartbreakers' show was the song selection. The right songs were played, but by the time a rendition of "Shout" ended the main body of the concert, all the hits -- "Refugee," "American Girl" and "Breakdown" -- had been played. They were all strongly performed, except for "Breakdown" in which Petty's mock breakdown seemed a little boring and a lot contrived.

There was even a new, unrecorded song that fit Petty's style well. "The Best of Everything" is a ballad, a lament over lost love but with a (seemingly) amicable resolution. It worked.

But the encores didn't -- something was missing. There were no hits, no show-stoppers left to end the performance. Petty and his band did deliver four pounding rockers including "Strangers in the Night" and "Century City," but the lack of a first-line song was noticed by the crowd as many left while Petty was still performing the songs.

It may not have been a suitable ending, but it was in general a more than suitable night. Petty fans -- male and female -- got exactly what they came for and no one left the concert feeling frustrated.

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Owen Peters watches bestselling singer-songwriter Rumer play a pitch perfect set to an enraptured audience at the Barbican in London.

Penny Black Music review of the concert by Owen Peters, 12 April 2015.

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One of the first gigs I went to. Crazy contrast of performers - Prinipal Edwards psychedelic multimedia folk rock, band lights dancers... Then Marc Bolan and Micky Finn, sitting on the corner of stage floor playing gentle acoustic whimsey, followed by Deep Purple performing the In Rock material at a volume I had never experienced before.
Finally at about 1.00 in the morning Marsha Hunt came out onto the stage to tell us the hall managers had said it was too late for her to perform, treating us only with an expletive packed rant of frustration and rage - she was magnificent!

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A very bizarre night.

The band looked pretty pissed off throughout the performance and after the show ended a punch up broke out between Axl and Duff and they were both chucked out by the bouncers.

Was this was some serious method acting or was it a genuine fight?

Pretty amusing whatever the case.

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