Tricky Live at Warsaw Basen 18th November 2013

Saw Tricky at Warsaw Basen on Monday night, this being the third time I've seen him over the years.  The first time I saw him was at his legendary early Saturday evening appearance at Reading Festival in 1995, when the whole 'Maxinquaye' thing with Martina Topley-Bird just seemed to perfectly soothe and relax everybody:  it was a really fantastic experience, so I still clearly remember it now. 

So, after a full day of EFL teaching around Warsaw, why did I go to see Tricky on Monday night?  Well, I'd seen him about three years ago at Warsaw Palladium, and hadn't been that into it to be honest, but after repeatedly playing the recent 'False Idols' album, mainly as background music while working on the computer, it just naturally grew on me, and I quite naturally decided that I must go and see Tricky.

About the concert itself Monday night, well, Tricky and his band did a really great 2-hour set, obviously doing the 'False Idols' material, but mixing it in very nicely with older stuff, for me, noticeably tunes like 'Overcome'; 'Black Steel'; and 'Hell Is Round The Corner' from the 'Maxinquaye' album (for me, 'False Idols' is a good album, but still not as good as 'Maxinquaye').  Below, there is a kind of picture of the controlled bedlam when the party-piece version of Motorhead's 'Ace of Spades' was being done (still remember seeing Motorhead as a 14-year-old schoolboy on the 'Ace of Spades' tour at Manchester Apollo):

Yes, Tricky and his band, especially the elfine-looking Francesca Belmonte with her impish-like dance moves, were excellent, but the flip side was that the Basen was badly overcrowded with, unfortunately, a few 'knobheads' scattered here and there amongst the majority of normal people (e.g. I saw a couple of 'knobheads' optimally goading a smallish doorman and pushing a much older guy, about 60, to the ground, although the latter was also a 'knobhead').  Also normally don't get (or only get lightly) searched going into the Basen, but, as I'd expected, there was a heavy search for this, and I was even asked to turn my pockets out, although this may've been a wise move given the obvious small number of 'knobheads' amongst the crowd. 

Maybe also the first time I've seen a makeshift metal barrier patrolled by security at the front of the Basen stage.  Really hope that this doesn't become the norm at the Basen, as the usual lack of barrier between band and crowd makes the Basen a pretty special place, as noticed by Icelandic band, Mum, when playing there in early October.

Anyway, despite a few venue discomforts (in fairness, the first time I've experienced them at the Basen), the concert was really good, at times positively hypnotic - the desired concert effect, and I guess that's the main thing. 

My favourite track from 'False Idols'?  Well, that would have to be 'We Don't Die' which is genuinely sublime:

Planet of the Abts Live at Warsaw Klub Progresja 17th November 2013

A couple of weeks ago, I saw that a band called Planet of the Abts were playing the Klub Progresja in Warsaw, checked them out on Youtube; discovered they were the drummer and bassist of Gov't Mule joined together with another guitarist (T-Bone Andersson); liked what I heard on Youtube (especially the Black Sabbath cover 'Who Are You' above); and quite naturally ended up going to see the band on Sunday night.

First up, I arrived halfway through the set of all-female Led Zeppelin tribute group, Lez Zeppelin, who were more than okay:

Found 'Stairway To Heaven' a bit hit and miss, but the band did rousing versions of 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Heartbreaker', so I was glad that I arrived in time to catch them.

As for Planet of the Abts, well, having seen Gov't Mule at the Klub Progresja earlier this year, I already knew that drummer, Matt Abts (in the picture below), and bassist,  Jorgen Carlsson, are seriously talented musicians, but this was my first look at T-Bone Andersson, and must say that I really liked both his guitar work and slow drawling-type vocal style.

For many in the crowd, the highlight of the set seemed to be when a young Polish lad called Darek got on stage playing his violin alongside the band, especially T-Bone:

What I also like about T-Bone is that he seems to be a throwback in appearance, reminding me a bit of both Rory Gallagher and Fast Eddie Clarke:

Yes, like Gov't Mule, I really like Planet of the Abts as they remind me of Rock music the way it used to be done years ago. 

How would I describe them?  Well, I find them pretty difficult to categorise, but thoughts like 'raw prog with a touch of psychedelia mixed in' spring to mind.  Just one small disappointment, the band didn't seem to have done 'Circus' while I was leaving for my last bus home at 10.50 (of course, they could've done it afterwards).

The Burnt Rainbow at Plac Zbawiciela

I found the picture above, showing some Polish youths setting fire to the controversial rainbow frame at Plac Zbawiciela during a Patriots' March on Indepensence Day last Sunday.  Of course, this action was routinely condemned as wanton vandalism or hooliganism on the part of Polish Nationalist youths, but an important question remains of what might've prompted the youths concerned to burn the rainbow frame as they did, and why flowers are now being placed inside the rainbow frame:

Could it be that some of the youths viewed the rainbow frame as a symbol of Western politically 'correct' imperialism?  In Poland, there is some deeply felt fear about politically 'correct' ideology being imposed on Polish society, as the failure of Western multiculturalist experimentation is clear to see (acknowledged by Angela Merkel, amongst others, of course). 

Having said this, after speaking to quite a few Poles, very few of them seem to be aware that the rainbow, as a symbol, has been hijacked by the gay rights lobby and other politically 'correct' causes in the West.  Thus, the burning of the rainbow frame at Plac Zbawiciela remains something of a riddle for me. 

All in all, just can't understand why a Western-style rainbow symbol has been stuck up in the middle of Warsaw.

A Picture of My Mother When She Was a Child

Love this old picture of my late mother when she was a child.  Today, it's the second anniversary of my mother's death, so having these kinds of pictures means a lot to me.

The Spotted Cow (Bell Lane, Bury, Lancashire): Caught in a Magical Time Trap

When I'm thinking about places caught in a time trap, 'The Spotted Cow' on Bell Lane in my hometown of Bury, Lancashire, immediately springs to mind.  For me, this place doesn't seem to have changed in any way at all since the early/mid-1970s (my earliest memories of the place as a young schoolboy).

Yes, long gone are Bensons Toffee Works (for me, the heart of the East Ward community died when this was closed down); the Co-op across the road (where my late mother used to work), and 'Sally's Pie/Cake Shop' just round the corner, while the 'Horse & Jockey' is now 'The Old Crow', and many other Bell Lane pubs ('The Fleece'; 'The Grapes'; 'The New Inn'; 'The Brewers' etc.) have long disappeared.

However, caught in its own magical time trap, 'The Spotted Cow' just trundles along, seemingly never running out of energy, just effortlessly providing the pints for local punters. 

To be honest, I've only ever been in 'The Spotted Cow' a handful of times in my life, but would be genuinely sad if it were ever pulled down.  But why?  Just pure nostalgia, I guess, as the pub is one of the last standing cultural symbols of the old East Ward area of Bury where I lived as a child in the 1970s.

Randy Crawford Live at Warsaw Sała Kongresowa 8th November 2013

Was at Warsaw Sała Kongresowa to see Randy Crawford last night.  The last time I was here was about 5-6 years ago to see PJ Harvey, while I've also seen Yes; Kraftwerk; Tracy Chapman and the Gotan Project here over the years.

As can be seen in the picture above, the Sała Kongresowa is a gorgeous, Classical-type building.  However, the place can be a touch pompous, for example, last night, I was ordered to leave my light jacket in a cloakroom before I could enter the theatre.

Anyway, Randy Crawford (just about visible on the right below) was fantastic doing her most famous tunes:  'Rainy Night in Georgia'; 'One Day I'll Fly Away'; 'Street Life'; and 'Almaz'.  However, as 'Almaz' was the first encore, I had to sacrifice half of it so that I could retrieve my coat (just didn't fancy battling it out with 2,500+ others after the show).

Besides the more famous tunes, I was happy to see that I recognised quite a few of the more Jazzy songs from the 2011 'Leverkusener' concert video:

As for the Joe Sample trio, well, in the absence of Joe himself, I've got to say that son Niklas Sample is one hell of a bassist, while both the drummer and pianist are also top notch:

Another word about the Sała Kongresowa and it's not a bad one:  the sound is really good there (still find the ambience of the place difficult to like, though)

Also really like the incredible alcoves and ceiling at the Kongresowa:

And the last word about Randy Crawford?  Well, she's got such a beautifully soft and yet measured, and, in its own way, powerful voice, and she makes it all look so effortless.  Thus, she has a great God-given talent.

Bury, Lancashire: Park Chapel (on the Way To Ramsbottom/Stubbins from Bury)

For years, I kept passing this old chapel (called Park Chapel), just before you turn left into Ramsbottom - near Stubbins, and it was really black, almost dilapidated-looking, so I feared that it was going to get pulled down.  However, during my last trip to Bury in late May this year, I was really pleased to see that the building had been done up, and it even looked like it was still functioning as a chapel.  In particular, I find the front window (below) really eye-catching:

Of course, a big well done to whoever has taken care of this place, as we need to keep on preserving such aesthetically pleasing buildings.