Maybe its luck, maybe its karma, maybe its grace (cos there’s grace for everything), but I finally won a nice new pedal on eBay. And I only had to pay £29 plus postage for it. Its one of those Big Muff ones, featured in my last post. I’m quite excited actually.
AND I also won a Marshall Guv’nor distortion pedal for about the same. Not quite as excited about this one, but at least it’ll give me another option. Wooo and, indeed, hooo.
This is a new word, meaning eBay frustration.
I haven’t used it much before, then I shut down my account when I discovered it had been hacked. However, now that I’m looking to rebuild my guitar rig, I naturally thought it would be easier to pick up a few pedals second hand for less than they would cost in the those fine guitar emporiums. One of the pedals I really really want is this:
It’s a Fulltone Full-Drive 2, one of the best overdrive pedals money can buy. Particularly valued by those over on Bwack’s forum, under whose spell I have fallen. Alternatively, or in addition, I’d quite like:
Stop sniggering at the back.
So, I’ve been trying to get one on eBay, but I’m getting increasingly frustrated by the simple fact that most people seem to wait until the very last minute. You think you’re going to get something for a very reasonably price then suddenly, woooossshshhh, it goes miles up. With literally minutes to go, I was winning the Fulltone with a bid of £73. It went for £99. Poo.
Following the outbreak of gig-going that occurred last week, this brings to an end a year that has included 5 Rush shows (I might have mentioned that before), Frenzy and T In The Park. Not bad, and next year I’m already planning on going to the latter two again.
Such thoughts have brought me around to pondering all the different bands I’ve seen since I went to my first proper gig in April 1992, Rush at Sheffield Arena. From the depths of my memory banks, I reckon the roll call is something like:
Primus, Rush, Runrig, Lisa Stansfield, Genesis, Marxman, Stereo MCs, U2, Crowded House, The Australian Pink Floyd, Dream Disciples, Fish, Snow, Crowded House, Aimee Mann, The Dopplegangers, Thrum, The Dopplegangers, Dream Disciples, The Dopplegangers, Skunk Anansie, Cast, Black Grape, Terrorvision, Paul Weller, Therapy?, Elastica, Belly, Spearhead, The Cranberries, REM, Kula Shaker, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Republica, Sneaker Pimps, Travis, Longpigs, Reef, The Charlatans, Ash, U2, The Seahorses, U2, Delirious, Switchfoot, Delirious, Kelis, U2, Delirious, Skin, The Proclaimers, The Cardigans, The Flaming Lips, REM, Delirious, Rush, Rush, Taylor Sorenson, Rock n Roll Worship Circus, Delirious, Taylor Sorenson, Rock n Roll Worship Circus, Delirious, Paul Oakley, Johnny Parks, Cathy Burton, Fredy Triay, David Crowder Band, Delirious, Third Day, Newboys, The Bravery, Snow Patrol, U2, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Interpol, U2, The Radiators, Snow Patrol, U2, The Thrills, Paddy Casey, U2, Live 8, Tree63, Hillsong United, David Crowder Band, Delirious, The Hazey Janes, Elbow, Snow Patrol, Starfield, Leeland, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Newboys, The Skids, Little Man Tate, Albert Hammond Jr, James, The Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Rufus Wainwright, The Killers, Rush, Rush, Rush, Rush, Rush, The Electralytes, Delirious, Duke Special, Crowded House.
Now, I’m sure I’ve missed a few and there are a variety of easily forgettable support bands that I’ve, er, forgotten. For example, I’m fairly sure I did go to a few gigs in both 1998 and 2000 but my memory seems to have failed me there. Still, not a bad list. Apart from Lisa Stansfield, but that’s because she was a support act at the Genesis gig at Roundhay Park in Leeds in 1992. Actually, come to think of it, that’s not much of an excuse.
The observant amongst you will have noticed that the address in the top line is now restored.org.uk. I have officially now started to use the domain I bought nearly two years ago. If I actually get around to putting anything else on here, it might even become an interesting place.
In the meantime, more ramblings to follow…..
I’m currently undertaking a review of my guitar rig, with a view to making it all a bit more user friendly and adding a bigger degree of in-performance flexibility. However, I am distracted by the potential purchase of a new guitar. Quite simply, I want that one.
In the last week, I’ve been to gigs by two very different bands that do actually have a little something in common (apart from having me as a fan). Both have a distinct knack with melodic songwriting. The kind of tunes you’ll be humming for months after hearing their album, going to a gig etc. And both gigs were excellent too.
First up, there was Delirious? in Dundee last Saturday night. I’d had a memory of going to the venue – Fat Sam’s – before, but I now realise that this comes from a fairly vivid story once told by my brother Graham about a Fish concert while he was a student at St Andrews. Anyway, it appears that the venue has had a bit of money spent on it recently as it wasn’t the sticky, beer and b.o. stinking studenty club that I was expecting. Still, not a huge venue, where we thought it was entirely possible to get up on stage and pretend to be the support act before anyone noticed you were an imposter.
This was the D: boys’ OmniSonic tour, trying out some new songs from their upcoming album. However, in front of a swaying, passionate crowd of 700 or so, they started off with an old favourite, the guitar hero heavy Bliss from 1999′s Metamorphosis. Thoughts of protecting my slowly recovering ankle disappeared as I joined in with the bouncing throng. Thereafter, it was straight into a newie, the rather oddly named Stare the Monster Down, and a rollicking rocker it was indeed. The live favourites Rain Down and Solid Rock followed, then they brought out a string of new songs. The highlight of these for me was the ephemeral Kingdom of Comfort (title track of the forthcoming album), which led into the haunting Take Off My Shoes from The Mission Bell.
Finishing the main set with a terrific run through History Maker, Paint the Town Red, Majesty, and Our God Reigns, the boys were clearly enjoying themselves with Stu G on the guitar in particular playing as if it was his last ever gig. A Quo-esque new number opened the encore, which didn’t really grab me to be honest, before the soaring My Soul Sings closed proceedings. A beautiful song, to be heard coming from our churches and cathedrals very soon.
So, another outstanding gig from 5 men of Littlehampton. I think I’ve seen them 9 or 10 times now, and they’ve never failed to deliver. Professional yet passionate. Loud yet sensitive. Awesome and humbling. A great show indeed.
Zooming forward 6 days and Friday night saw me heading towards the big red shed that is the SECC in Glasgow for Crowded House. Not my favourite venue (actually, only just above the old Venue in Edinburgh as the worst I’ve experienced), but definitely one of the best live bands around. I saw the Crowdies a couple of times in 1993/1994 on the Together Alone tour and they were just great fun live, playing a wide variety of old faithful and new songs. This show would be no different.
I was a little surprised at how long the venue took to fill up and it certainly didn’t appear to be sold out. However, as Neil Finn & Co took the stage at around 8.30am, I was full of anticipation. Starting with Private Universe, then straight onto World Where You Live,was something odd going on. Yes, this was Glasgow, home of world-renowned lively gig crowds. Yes, it was Friday night, and time to let your hair down but……everyone stayed sitting down. In fact, they did so until Neil got everyone to stand up as he started a romping Mean To Me towards the end of the main set.
Inbetween, a mixture of oldies – Four Seasons in One Day, Its Only Natural, Don’t Dream Its Over etc – and some fine selections from the new album Time on Earth – Silent House, A Sigh, Don’t Stop Now, People Are Like Suns – had kept the momentum going. There were some nice crowd singalongs, but everyone remained resolutely on their backsides. Maybe its because the audience was so overwhelmingly white, middle class and, to be honest, mature. Maybe when you’re past 30, you just can’t take standing up for 2 hours. Or maybe, everyone was just being too polite. It didn’t spoil the gig for me, it was just odd. Most of the gigs I go to are mainly standing only, so it could be that I was the odd one out.
Anyway, once everyone was on their feet, the atmosphere stepped up a notch as they closed the main set with one of my own favourites, Distant Sun from Together Alone. Coming back for two encores – Something So Strong/In A Lowland/Weather With You followed by Locked Out/Fall At Your Feet/Better Be Home Soon – the Crowdies showed just why they are so loved. Everyone sang along and felt included in the performance, particularly after Neil’s Bono-esque run around the arena. Another top notch night and a fine way to finish my gigging year. And I was even back home before midnight!
