Astoria night, PT, Lem, more...

[Henderson Keith]

Jill said...

>Is anyone else staying overnight in London?    I've got my accommodation
>sorted out but I know there are still people thinking about where to
>stay who would appreciate some (not too expensive!) recommendations.

Yeah, me for one.  What's 'affordable' and reasonably close?  Denis,
what did you find?

So, looking forward to this 'holiday' vacation.  It comes at the end
of a great run for concerts here in the central Europe area.  Two weeks
ago, I caught Porcupine Tree in Olten, which I refer to as the Breezewood
of Switzerland, which probably won't be understood to more than one or
two listmembers, but hey.  Its train station is three times as large
as it should be based on the city's population, but it lies precisely
in the middle of a rectangle with Basel, Bern, Luzern, and Zuerich at the
four corners.  Anyway, it was a good show...not quite as hot as the show
in Zuerich four or five months ago, but that one was sizzling (in more
ways than one).  The Olten show featured unusual tracks like Moon Touches
Your Shoulder and Fadeaway, though the latter was rather disappointing
as Wesley sang it in some falsetto voice that was really quite dreadful.
And they wasted a lot of time on this boring Russia on Ice 'prog-opus'
thing from Lightbulb Sun.  Actually, I'm happy that they focus mainly
on stuff from the new album, as it's really quite good in its own way.
They're really not much of a psychedelic band anymore (which is a little
sad, though I feel less discouraged as now they seem to be a pretty
decent 'prog-metallish' band without the predictability of 'prog-metal'
such as Dream Theater and their ilk...which is in fact what Russia on
Ice sounds like), so perhaps there's a good reason why they should
jettison the 'classic' material (that most of the new fans don't even
really know).  Sadly, they didn't play Tinto Brass this time, but still
amazing things like Creater had a Mastertape were enough to give this
show high marks.

Last week was Procol Harum in Zuerich...I'd seen them once before on the
previous reunion following the Prodigal Stranger album (that I thought
was acceptable)....so about 10 years ago?  It was at a open-air food
festival in Cleveland, actually on a temp. stage set up about where the
Rock n' Roll Hall of Shame sits today I believe.  That was an ok show,
but lots of the people probably had no idea who the hell was playing
(I think Donnie Iris opened the show, and he probably drew more fans),
and it was 'free' to anyone who paid admission to the food fest I think.
That was fine, but not amazing or anything.  This show in Zuerich was
really quite impressive.  Of course, the only people under 50 were myself
and the children (or grandchildren) of some of the audience members who
couldn't find babysitters.  But it was a packed house of 1,200 or so,
and the band was playing their final show of the world tour, and were
extra 'playful' and seemingly picked songs at random towards the end of
the show.  And they went on nearly 2 full hours by the end of the encores.
I was over by Matt Fisher the whole time, and it was nice to watch him
work up close...it looks like he essentially plays the same Hammond organ
that was used for the recordings from 1967.  And Brooker's voice hasn't
changed one bit....but I think he always sounded 60 years old when he
was just 25, so I guess that's an advantage.  Presumably he hasn't done
so much long touring in the last 20 + years, and so his voice is hardly
shot, but rather sailed right through easily.  I was happy that they
played some cool tracks like Cerdes and Homburg, and the 'rockier' ones
like Whisky Train and Simple Sister were pretty heavy for such a 'subtle'
band.  A Salty Dog is a wonderful studio track, but it proved nigh on
impossible to reproduce on stage, it being so full of incidentals and
orchestration...but it was still nice to hear it live.  Really surprisingly
good show, that turned out to be worth the high ticket price in the end.

Last night was Motorhead in Zuerich...different club, but very nearly
the same size, strangely enough on *their* very last show of a long world
tour.  I had seen them way back at the outset of Phase 1, in a club in
Basel.
Then they'd at least done a few songs from the new album, but last night
it was all 'oldies.'  Actually a really well-diversified selection of tunes
covering about every phase of the band's existence...with the continued
exception of Robbo stuff.  I don't know why, but Lem seems completely
averse to playing *anything* from Another Perfect Day live.  I've seen them
on just about every tour starting with Orgasmatron, and never have I heard
a single track from that album.  But last night, they ripped through the
usual standards, including much of the No Sleep till Hammersmith set (where
Metropolis is always a highlight for me).  But also Shoot you in the back,
Iron Fist, Damage Case, Love Me Like a Reptile (the coolest choice...first
time I can remember this one resurrected!).  And then from the post-Eddie
days, Civil War, Over the top (another surprise choice), Dr. Rock (another
highlight), Sacrifice, Going to Brazil, Ramones, We Are Motorhead, and
God Save the Queen.  The crowd was more than packed, we were pretty
'friendly.'  Which is ok by me, except that for some reason, half the
idiots feel like it's their god-given right to leave the floor in the
middle of the show, go take a piss, grab another beer at the counter,
and then fight their way back through the throngs of people to where
their buddies were still holding fort.  That would still be ok, if they
weren't so damn obnoxious about it, coming at you from behind completely
unawares by slamming their fat sweaty bodies into your backside and elbowing
you in the face without so much as a kind tap or nod of appreciation for
you not thrusting their beer up into their nose and kneeing them
simultaneously in the crotch.  Still, not even that and the horrid pall
of cigarette stench, sticky floor, and still-ringing ears could persuade
me that this wasn't another worthwhile show.  Despite Lem's best efforts,
he still seems more than capable of performing just the same as 15 years
ago.  Well, with a voice like that, how could you ruin it so easily?  :)
Encore was Ace of Spades and extended Overkill, but then you already knew
that, didn't you?  Opening act was some band from Berlin, with a crazy-
haired female singer, that sounded much like AC/DC in every way.  I
guess one of their tunes was actually written for them by Lemmy himself,
and I think it was one of the better ones.

So, tomorrow I head for Stuttgart to see Korai Öröm, and that should be
really cool.  Next week is On Trial in Winterthur (not so far from
Zuerich), and then Quimby on Sat., HW on Sunday.  Oh, yeah, more good
shows coming next year already.  Including Fish in late March, Monster
Magnet (nothing on their website, but it's going on sale here already)
in early April, and the old German band Jane the next night.  And
Guru Guru plays again in der Schweiz in late April.  I dunno...I don't
see how I could ever move back to the states again, but as my job will
(almost) certainly end next year December, I'm not sure how I'll be
able to remain in Switzerland.

So..hope to see some of you soon in London (anybody still planning to
go check out that crazy art exhibit that some folx were mentioning?
Where is it again?)...

Grakkl (FFA)

P.S.  On BBC TV, all I seem to see are silly shows about crack home-
improvement 'teams' that makeover your house with wonderful results.
Why is it then that England looks more run down and dumpy every time
I visit?  No offens(c)e intended, just an observation.  :)