The Lemonheads, Manchester Academy 2, 13th September 2009

This was the gig I've always wanted to see - The Lemonheads are utter perfection. I've seen Evan Dando a couple of times acoustic, and he never fails to whisk me away, but seeing him perform as the Lemonheads, electric and acoustic, was special. He always seems a little nervous when he comes onstage, and generally looks like he's trying to hide behind his hair, but the music soon takes over. The crowd were very attentive, listening carefully to every word he sang, singing along under it's breath, and in the perfect venue for a gig like this. Evan Dando always fascinates me - he plays the songs almost 'album perfect', but there is always some feeling of improvisation, as though the songs are being written as he sings them. He plays the guitar in a natural flowing 'intuitive' kind of way, letting notes ring out and not rushing or sticking to the rhythm, it really makes you feel like that song can only exist for that moment.

Here's the setlist:

Layin' Up With Linda (Off 'Varshons')
Down About It
Confetti
Pittsburgh
My Drug Buddy
Style
Bit Part
Big Gay Heart
Hospital
Dandylion Seeds (Varshons) - This was ACE!
It's About Time
Tenderfoot
The Green Fuz

Evan Dando Acoustic:
No Backbone
Favourite T
Into Your Arms
Why Do You Do This To Yourself
The Outdoor Type
Ride With Me
All My Life - The crowd LOVED this acoustic section, I recon you could have had us all in one big group hug at the end of this (yes even the everso trendy Manchester types).

Encore:
Rudderless - The BEST song to end on with that beautiful chord at the beginning! Wanted more though :-)

Thanks Evan!

Brian Wilson, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 2nd September 2009

A couple of years ago (can't remember the date - I'll dig out the ticket and write about it shall I!?) I saw Brian Wilson in the Summer Pops in Liverpool, in a huge marquee on the dockside. I've said ever since that (amazing) night that the next opportunity I had I would take my mum and brother to see him with me. The Beach Boys were played throughout my childhood on our old record player, the first cassette I ever bought was 'Endless Summer' on a family holiday in Cornwall in about 1990, my first album bought purely because it had a song on it called 'Wendy'! We used to sing along to that cassette every time we went out in the car, harmonising at the top of our lungs - I have a lot of happy memories with a Beach Boys soundtrack.

So, without going into too much detail about how mind-blowingly wonderful it was to see Brian the first time around, my chance came to take my mum and brother last night when he played the Liverpool Philharmonic as part of his 'greatest hits' tour. We went with Alan (who is to thank for getting the hottest tickets in town) and his mum and dad as part of his dads 60th birthday celebrations, so we were all quite merry despite the torrential rain. The venue is brilliant, I've been there a few times and there doesn't seem to be anywhere bad to sit, my only criticism is that it's better suited for 'sit still and listen' gigs, because the angle of the slope is so shallow that if everyone's bopping around in their seats it can be difficult to see.

There was no support act, at 7.30 exactly Brian and his band took to the stage and launched straight into 'California Girls', I won't remember everything he played, and probably not in the right order, but I'll have a go. There have been some comments online about sound quality and Brian's voice, but to be honest it didn't marr my enjoyment of the gig one bit. The first half was a little quiet, and the atmosphere did seem tense whilst they were trying to sort things out, but I would have listened to him singing through a loudhailer in a storm and enjoyed it! I feel privileged that I was able to see him as himself, and looking like he was enjoying the experience. He was fascinating to watch - he 'conducts' the band, and whilst singing the sweetest melodies his arms are usually moving around infront of him 'painting' the sounds that the band create, a real life genius.

Some of the songs that I can remember him playing include: Surfin USA; Little Deuce Coupe; In My Room; Surfer Girl; Shut Down; I Get Around; Good Vibrations and When I Grow Up. The encore consisted of: 8 Days A Week (preceded by a comment about Ringo that didn't go down at all well - he's not popular in Liverpool these days!); Johnny Be Good/Barbara Ann; Sloop John B; Fun Fun Fun; Help Me Ronda. There were a few of Brian's solo songs, That Lucky Old Sun appeared here and there, and they ended with a song called Love and Mercy.

It was a dream come true to see Brian Wilson again, and the fact that he seemed happy and at ease on stage was reassuring. I spent the night bopping around smiling like a loon - nothing beats seeing your hero!

Ah just found the set list for the London gig which is mostly the same apart form the order fo tracks, and we had '8 Days A Week' aswell:

'Do It Again' (I'm pretty sure that he started with 'California Girls in Liverpool)
'Dance, Dance, Dance'
'Girl Don't Tell Me'
'Then I Kissed Her'
'In My Room'
'Salt Lake City’
'Custom Machine'
'Soul Searchin''
'Desert Drive'
'Please Let Me Wonder'
'Don't Worry Baby'
'I Get Around'
'Sail On Sailor'
'Marcella'
'Roll Around Heaven'
'California Girls'
'The Little Girl I Once Knew'
'Your Imagination'
'All Summer Long'
'Shut Down'
'Little Deuce Coupe'
'Add Some Music To Your Day'
'Do You Wanna Dance?'
'Sloop John B'
'Wouldn’t It Be Nice'
'God Only Knows'
'Midnight's Another Day'
'That Lucky Old Sun'
'Going Home'
'Southern California'
'Good Vibrations'
'Surfer Girl'
'Johnny B Goode'
'Help Me Rhonda'
'Barbara Ann'
'Surfin' USA'
'Fun Fun Fun'
'Love And Mercy'