Musings on music: Del Amitri and Sting

It's been a big week when it comes to music for us. We have been to two live events and we have another one this week which I am very much looking forward to.

Last Thursday night we went to see Scottish band Del Amitri. Back in the very late 1980s and early 90s their album Change Everything was one of my favourite albums. I still love to listen to the big songs off it now. 

Memory is a really funny thing. I associate this album with driving all around Adelaide on multiple occasions with my friend Brigid. I didn't see her for many years and when we reconnected I mentioned this album and she had no recollection of it whatsoever. And yet for me, I always think of her when I hear a Del Amitri song.

The live show was so good. They played all the songs that I love, plus a few I didn't. It was also funny watching the crowd. I don't know if you've observed this, but if you go to a show where the crowd is of a certain age, there is a constant tussle between the people who want to get up and dance and the people who want the crowd to sit down sedately and enjoy the show from their seat.  We've seen this happen at multiple concerts. This played out as there were a couple of very excited fans who wanted to dance to all the songs. The security guard, who was just doing his job, kept on going down and telling them to sit down. After this happened a few times, the security guy was stopped by another crowd member who said something along the lines of leave them alone. Next thing, the crowd is going crazy, and there is a guy shouting out "Everyone stand up. They can't throw us all out!"

Here is one of my favourite songs from them

On Saturday evening, we headed out to a winery about 85kms from us where they regularly hold an event called A Day on the Green. This is an outdoor concert which starts around 5pm and it goes on into the evening. I have seen Elton John there before as well as Cold Chisel and other Aussie bands.

This time we saw Sting live, supported by his son Joe Sumner and Aussie singer James Reyne.  I would have said that whilst I have always liked several of Sting's songs, I wouldn't have called myself a super fan. After seeing him perform I am now definitely more of a fan. I have already said that if he comes to Australia again we are definitely going to see him again.

Sting had most of the crowd up on their feet from the first song and most of them stayed standing for the whole concert! Outstanding, or should that be upstanding! 

There are so many great Sting/Police songs, it's hard to know which song to share, so I am going with this one.

What's your favourite Sting or The Police song?

This week ...

I'm Reading....

I decided that I wanted to read a book that I could get completed engrossed in. After thinking about some options, I decided that it was high time that I read another Rainbow Rowell book. There is a slight flaw in this plan as I had absolutely no time whatsoever to just sit and read over the weekend but never mind.

I am enjoying Fangirl, even though as an Australian we don't really do the college thing in the same way. It is a little interesting in terms of location though because if my son had of gone back to US college this year he would have been going to a college in Nebraska which is where this book is set.

I have long been a fan of the idea of stories with stories which this book has because Cath, the main character is a massive fan of a series called Simon Snow, even writing fan fiction. I do find it a bit odd that Rainbow Rowell has then gone onto write two Simon Snow books. Will I read them? Most likely. Do I still find it a bit odd? Yes

I also finished reading Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas. This is part of the  Ravenels series. I enjoyed the book, although I though that the subplot at the end came out of left field a bit, but overall another solid read from this author. I did love that we got to see Sebastian and Evie from Devil in Winter (review here). The hero of this book is their son, and so we got to see the family life that they have build together.

I'm watching....

We finished watching The Witcher and also Friday Night Dinners, so now we wait for new series of both of those.

We have also been watching The Good Place over the last couple of years. Now we wait patiently for each new episode, knowing that before long there will be no more because this series is the last.

I guess that means that we need something knew to watch. Any recommendations

I'm doing...

Over the weekend we went to a big outdoor concert and then to the theatre. Very cultural!

Every summer there are a series of big outdoor concerts that take place at various big wineries. There is usually a good mix of international stars and local legends. This weekend we went to see a lineup that included a local band called Magic Dirt, then Birds of Tokyo, Paul Kelly and finishing with Cold Chisel. The last two are Australian legends, and I hadn't seen either of them live before.

I really enjoy Paul Kelly's music because he is a storyteller within his music, which I love. He is a voice for social justice issues, and he was phenomenal on stage. I am definitely keen to go and see him live again

Cold Chisel are an Aussie band who were huge in the 70s and 80s before going their separate ways. I had seen the lead singer, Jimmy Barnes, in concert several times but not the band as a  whole.  They have so  many iconic songs that had the crowd going wild!

A funny story to give you some idea of how entrenched Cold Chisel was back in the day. The first time I went to America was in 1993 and my friend and I were doing a Contiki tour of the south west corner (San Diego, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas etc). The first morning we got on the tour bus, the guide was talking about playing music during the tour. Basically everyone could send their cassette tapes (remember those) or CDs (fancy new technology!) and they would then be played over the course of the week. After everyone had done so, the guide said that she was somewhat puzzled as were the first tour she had done in 8 years where there were Aussies on the bus and no one had bought a Cold Chisel tape!!

The other thing we did this weekend was going to see the theatre of War Horse!  The puppetry was totally mesmerising and there were times that you had to remind yourself that they weren't real horses on stage. The story can't help be somewhat bleak given the subject matter, but there were moments of light relief, mainly from the goose.

I'm glad we went to see it this time it was here!


I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Keith Urban in concert

Last night I had the great pleasure of going to see Lady Antebellum in concert, ably supporting Keith Urban!

Keith Urban is my one auto buy artist when it comes to music. I will buy others if there are a few songs that I like, but Keith's albums are the only ones that are like my favourite authors for me in that I know exactly when an album is about to come out, and I know that I am going to buy it without even having heard any of the music off of it!

Lady Antebellum were an awesome opening act, with most of their songs coming off of their very successful second album, so I knew most of them. I really must make an effort to get their first album, which they sang two songs from, and also they sang a song off of their next album. They also did an cover version of Start Me Up, originally by the Rolling Stones. Of course, they didn't leave to leave the stage without singing this song:





A short break and it was time for the main event! And what a main event. I was so busy enjoying the time that I could't begin to tell you what songs he sang in what order, although he did start with Put You in a Song, and along the way sang Flame Trees (originally by Cold Chisel) and played all his hits! My throat is a bit sore this morning from singing along to every single song!

The set was a really good mix of his slow songs as well as the more boppy one, and the crowd was totally left wanting more.







Before I get tempted to embed every single song from Youtube, I wanted to say a couple of things in particular - I loved how much audience participation there was in the show. Right from the first couple of songs there were parts where the crowd was singing to Keith, and he also wasn't afraid to move around in the crowd to a stage at the back of the arena, and then actually in the crowd at one point!

The other thing I loved was the way he introduced his band. Normally an act will say their name and what they play, they get a bit of a solo, and then onto the next one. Keith Urban introduced each of them individually and they all got to sing a short song, and I have to say all three of them could sing really, really well! It just seemed so genuine!

Oh, and for all that this show was completely awesome, it was completely kid friendly

If there had been another Melbourne concert tonight, and there were tickets available, oh, and I didn't already have something else on, I totally would go again. I might however choose to go with a different companion. I am not sure why but at every concert I go to I seem to come home with a story. Generally that story will be about someone else, but this time, it will be my son that people will go home telling a story about!

Last time Keith Urban came to Australia, I was all set to go and see him with a couple of friends, but his Melbourne concert happened to coincide with my grandfather's 100th birthday, so I figured that I should go to that instead. There was no way known I wasn't going this time but everyone who might have been willing either had something else on or couldn't go this time. I didn't want to go by myself so I took my 12 year old son. He was keen and eager, but I am thinking he didn't quite enjoy himself as much as I did.

Unfortunately  his pillow (i.e. me) wouldn't sit still, so he had to find a more comfortable position to sleep in.

I am not exactly sure how you sleep for more than an hour at a rock concert, let alone sleep in that position but he managed it!

Sunday Salon: Order, order!

This was supposed to be my Sunday Salon post last week, but instead I spent hours outside in the sunshine. Unfortunately I wasn't expecting to be out for anywhere near that long so I managed to get sunburned which isn't good. I also started some new medication last weekend, and I think I was still getting used to it, as I really didn't feel great at all, so I was in bed by 8.30 that night!

And then, quite without warning, I hit the blogging wall. I have loads of things that I should have posted about over the last couple of weeks but really couldn't manage anything much at all. Still reading though, so that is something!

Anyway, there are lots of things on the agenda to get through, so I had better get on with it.

Item 1: Historical Tapestry

I meant to post about this earlier last week, but I've been really, really busy. More about that later!

Back at the beginning of December, we had Susanna Kearsley week at Historical Tapestry. There was an interview, a Why I Love post, and reviews! If you have a spare five minutes, check it out! We are getting ready to announce the 2011 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, so if you like historical fiction, and like reading challenges, then please keep an eye out over there!

Item 2: 2010 Virtual Advent Tour

Once again this year, I am cohosting the Virtual Advent Tour along with Kelly from The Written World. Yesterday was the fifth day, and so far we have had posts about food, music, Sinterklaas, books, memories, and oh so much more! To see where the tour is taking us, head on over to the tour blog or follow @VirtualAdvent on Twitter. And if you are inspired and want to join in, it's not too late!

Item 3: #spbkchat

Not only are we a twitter tag, we also have a blog now. It will be updated with the new topics for each week! If you think you might be interested in participating in then please check it out. #spbkchat runs from 6pm JPN/8pm Eastern Aust/10pm NZ time for approximately 2 hours and features lots of bookish chat.

If there is anyone who can help the graphically challenged we would love to have some kind of graphic for #spbkchat, so if anyone could help please let me know.

Item 4: Blogoversary giveaway

I hadn't forgotten to draw the winner of my blogoversary giveaway. In  fact, I drew it on the day that the converday that the contest closed, but I just haven't told the winners yet!

So, the winner of the special boxed set edition of The Arrival and Sketches from a Nameless Land is

Alex

and the winner of  the second prize, which was a copy of The Arrival is

Kathrin

Congratulation to both the winners.

I will be contacting you shortly to get your addresses so that I can get your prizes on the way to you!

Item 5: Australian Book Bloggers Directory

We now have more than 100 entries in the directory, and it continues to grow. Early next year I will be starting to try to organise get together's in Melbourne and Sydney to start off with.

Any other business?

I am sure there were a couple of other things I was going to mention but I can't remember what they were from a week ago now!

So, what was I so busy doing?

I was luckily enough to be invited to participate in the local community radio station's Book Chat program to talk about book blogging a couple of weeks ago. Once I got over being a bit nervous, and worrying about what I was going to wear (yes, even though I knew it was on radio this was an issue) it turned out to be a lot of fun. It was supposed to be a live broadcast, but there were some technical issues and so it ended up being broadcast the week after. Unfortunately I missed it when it did air! Once it is uploaded I will share the link, assuming that I don't sound too terrible!

The other thing that I did that week was go to U2's 360 Tour concert! It was amazing! Loved every minute of it!

Just remembered one other thing I needed to blog about! Haven't done my November reads yet! Maybe by sitting down and actually finishing writing this post I will give my blogging mojo a kick start and I might do that this week, or maybe I will just hold it over and do a big post in November.

I am already contemplating which challenges I will participate in next year, and I have already signed up for a few of them. I am going to try and do a few different challenges next year, and also to do my challenges differently, if that makes sense.

To finish off today, here is a video of U2 - such a good concert, I need to relive just one moment again, or maybe I will hang out on Youtube for a while reliving a lot of them!

Saturday night in Melbourne town

Not sure exactly why but when we go to concerts we always seem to see people behaving in ways that definitely qualify as a bit odd. There was the girl who fell asleep at a Rob Thomas concert, the people who got so drunk when we went to see Matchbox Twenty that they had to leave before the band came on, the people who I think had sex in the seats being us at Soundrelief in full view of everyone, and the latest instalment happened at the Jet and Powderfinger concerts that I went to last Saturday night.

The first was more annoying than odd - a bloke who was standing directly in front of me who couldn't leave his girlfriend alone. He was constantly groping her - inside and outside her clothes! By the end of the night I just wanted to slap his hand and tell him to leave her alone. Maybe I am getting old, but seriously, leave her alone mate - or at least wait until you get her home!

The second definitely counted as odd. There was a group of people who were sitting a row in front of us and to the left. When they pulled out a pillow we thought it was a bit odd (and that maybe they should have made friends with the sleeper from Rob Thomas), but when they started pulling the stuffing out of the pillow and throwing it around, that was even stranger! What was that about?

Jet and Powderfinger were awesome. I had such a great time, and left the concert with such a buzz that it took me about three hours to be ready to sleep!

This is Powderfinger's final tour. I had tried to get tickets when they went on sale but wasn't successful. On Thurday one of my friends sent an email around asking if anyone wanted a ticket and I jumped at the opportunity, and I am so glad I did!

One of the highlights was definitely hearing Bernard sing Nobody Sees whilst playing the guitar - just him, the guitar and a spotlight - sent chills up my spine. Another highlight - the whole crowd singing My Happiness! I am trying to decide if I want to buy the recording of the concert that is available. It is certainly tempting.






The only slightly odd thing from the concert was that the song that was played over the loud speakers as we were leaving was Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough. Whilst the sentiment was definitely relevant, it is slightly strange to leave a Jet and Powderfinger gig with a Depeche Mode song stuck in your head!

How to make a good concert a GREAT concert!

Three and a half years ago, some friends of mine were going to see Rob Thomas live in concert, but one of them wasn't able to go and gave me their ticket. That concert was the first time I have been to a concert in about 13 years. Since then I have been to a few concerts and I intend to go to more. It does seem that one concert that we go to is whenever Rob Thomas comes to Australia, whether as a solo artist or as part of Matchbox Twenty and his current solo tour is no exception. Last night was the night! Dinner and drinks with friends and Rob Thomas in concert, supported by Australian singer Vanessa Amorosi who has an amazing voice.

Last time I went to his solo concert, we had a girl fall asleep behind us (in the middle of a rock concert!) but everyone managed to stay awake this time. The Rob Thomas concert experience is very much about the music, and his voice in concert is very true to his voice on recordings which is always a good thing.

He sang a lot of songs off of his newest album, including the hits off of it, Her Diamonds and Meltdown and a lovely acoustic version of Smooth, and it was a very enjoyable night, but what happened next moved this concert from a good concert to something really memorable.  I had heard a rumour that INXS was going to come on stage and play, but all my friends were disbelieving, but the crowd went absolutely wild when they did come on stage. Rob sang Never Tear Us Apart and Don't Change a Thing. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

So here are some videos of Vanessa Amorosi, Rob Thomas and INXS

P!nk!

I was very fortunate last night to go and see Pink in concert with a couple of friends.

I am not really sure why but Pink really seems to have an affinity with Australian audiences. Her songs regularly reach number 1 here, and there are huge album sales. Last time she toured there were all sorts of attendance records broken, and this time those records have been broken as well. I think she is performing something like 58 concerts in Australia, with about 18 of those in Melbourne alone. I think it is partly to do with the fact that she doesn't seem to take herself too seriously which is something that Aussies tend to like a lot.

The support band was an Australian band called Faker, who I would say have had one mainstream hit and probably a few more alternative hits. I think we missed the one hit, which is called This Heart Attack but they weren't bad. Between Faker and Pink there was a DJ who played a really interesting mix of music, but it was obvious from the crowd that there was only one person who they were there to see! Here's Faker singing This Heart Attack from TV:



Starting with a short video set to Pink singing a cover version of Highway to Hell, an Australian classic by AC/DC, the show was an interesting mix of high energy songs, more mellow tunes and a fair sprinkling of cover versions. And make no mistake, this was a show. A lot of musicians go and play music and maybe have some lighting effects and video behind them to add visual interest but there was a more musical theatre feeling to a lot of what was done, with outlandish costumes, a really interesting set and a few acrobat style tricks.

For me the highlights were a really, really hot version of another Australian classic, I Touch Myself originally sung by The Divinyls, a totally awesome version of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. For the high energy songs it is hard to go against So What? which had the whole crowd going crazy and there were plenty of quieter moments as well, including a spine tingling rendition of Family Portrait. I must confess I was pleasantly surprised by how strong her voice was.

One weird thing was that we weren't allowed to take any water bottles into the stadium, not even the ones that were bought inside. If you bought a drink the servers had to pour the drink into cups before they could give it to us! The other things I learnt were how to use the zoom on my phone camera and that the flash is really, really bright! I really needed the zoom because we were sitting up the very back, so none of the photos are all that good, but it doesn't matter because we had a totally awesome time!

By the time we got out of the car park and I dropped my friend off, I didn't get home until well after 12.30 which is a bit late on a work night, and I am feeling it quite a bit today! Oh well, it's not like it happens often, and it definitely won't stop me from trying to go to see her again when she comes back again.

In the meantime, I am trying to find at least one of my friends who I can give some Keith Urban CDs too so I can go and see him if he tours here! I am almost tempted to go by myself but it would definitely be better to have someone to go with!

You went to sleep where?

I don't normally post about other things except for what I am reading, but this made me laugh a lot so I am going to share it here!

On Wednesday night of this week, I went to see Rob Thomas in concert! Given that this is the first concert I have been to in probably 13 years I was pretty happy that I got to go, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Lots of the other people at the concert were pretty happy to be there as well, including one of the women who was sitting in the row behind us. She arrived literally two minutes before he came on stage, and she started screaming and wolf whistling (there were lots of "Oh, he is SOOOO sexy" kind of comments going on!) I hope you are getting the idea - she was EXCITED with a capital E!

And then....nothing. Everything went quiet, no more sexy comments, no more wolf whistles. Turned out that she had gone to sleep! She woke up half an hour later, and was obviously refreshed by her powernap, because we got really EXCITED again!!

I was astounded. How could anyone go to sleep in the middle of a concert! Bizarre! I mean I used to pretend to be asleep in some strange places, but don't think I really was asleep!


Oh, and the concert was great fun! I might even try not to wait that long until I go to the next one!