lundi 20 octobre 2008

Gainsbourg Exhibition @ Cité de la Musique & Lou Reed reading @ 104 Paris Oct 20th 2008

First we went to the Varnishing-day of the Gainsbourg Exhibition @ Cité de la Musique.
Lots of hangers-on as always, awfully crowdy it was hard to see anything,
We spotted Jane Birkin & daughter Charlotte surrounded by so many cameras and security that it was ridiculous, Poor girls they were so scared by all this mess that they made a quick exit by a side door.

Jane ( left ) Self-portrait ( right )
Lots of hand-written lyrics and memorabilia, so that's very cool unfortunately this exhibition is a little bit of a mess, with screens everywhere playing TV shows , movies and images with no explanations at all, the sound of these tv-sets is also coming from everywhere so after half an hour you have a headache.
Lots of very small pictures on the walls so you need a magnifying glass to see them.
When they did this were they on fucking drugs or what ?
Maybe the conditions were not at their best for this exhibition. I'll give it a second chance and maybe some of us were a bit angry after dealing with this vermine PR.
Can't believe the attitude of this bitches.
Nevertheless we had a nice time at the aftershow cocktail but we made a quick exit to the new hype place in Paris : Ze 104 ( a french modern " Factory" )

Sculpture of " L' Homme à la tète de chou" ( left )


Alternate picture for the cover of Melody Nelson ( right )


Lou Reed 's reading at the 104.
It started very late ( 9:20 instead of 8:30 PM ) so we didn't miss that much , glad we didn't see the whole thing as hearing someone reading texts even if it's Lou reed's , it's a bit boring.
The 400 capacity hall was sold-out and listened religiously.
Thanx he answered a few questions .

We went backstage to meet him , French superstar designer Philip Stark was there , french singer Christophe too. we all stayed there for 30 min , had a chat , he signed a few things too. Then everybody went to the aftershow cocktail , a 100 people were already there drinking Champagne. Lou Reed talk to a few, signed a couple of programs and left .
First time I was going to an event there, it's beautiful and huge.

Lou Reed backstage with French singer Christophe

That's it for tonight,many things to come next week including many TV Shows ( with Kaiser Chiefs , the Killers , Franz Ferdinand , Beck , Santogold... ) Private gig ( Jacques Higelin ) and so on ... So stay Tuned

dimanche 19 octobre 2008

Suzanne Vega @ Alhambra Paris Oct 19th 2008


Richie Havens ( left ) Suzanne on stage ( right )

Suzanne Vega is back in Paris , this time @ the tiny Alhambra.
Needless to say that the show is SOLD-OUT.
As we arrived around 5 PM we spotted Richie Havens going out of the venue ( he's playing here tomorrow ).
This club is brand new , first time i'm going there. around 600 capacity with a small balcony.
Suzanne played in Paris last year ( June 27th 2007 ) to promote her then new cd " Beauty & Beast", i've been listening to her whole catalogue these last few days and this album is really her best so far ...
i don't know if it is because it's sunday , show starts at 6:30 Pm
Still very good looking with her hat ( and without ... ) , this is one of the last show on the tour, no full band tonight just Gerry Leonard on guitars , loops , some kind'O Bass and weird noises.
I love her music and when you have the right songs you don't need 20 musicians to enhance them.
I remember a show at la Cigale a few years ago she came with only a bass player and when i saw that i thought "What the Fuck ?!? It's gonna be boring" No way it was one of the best gig i've been to that year .
With a guitar or just on vocals (with the help of Gerry) that's enough don't need no more as she has some very good songs , she picks up some of her best plus a few from the last cd ( did i tell you that it is very good ? )
See Setlist for details... NB : Song n° 12 was " Maggie May" & She added "world before Columbus" before "Anniversary" ( here on video ) & last song was " Cracking".
Very good songs, a few jokes, a smile and you've got yourself a GREAT gig !!! Isn't that simple ?
After the show, as she always does , she came to sign a few cds in the lobby.

Setlist ( incomplete ... ) + Promotionnal cd signed
"Anniversary":


Yesterday Sony Music France organized a "hunt" in Paris to promote the new AC/DC record " Black Ice" . Hostesses were giving you clues in different part of the capital , to find cds with in one of them a ticket to go and see AC/DC in the US for the first show of the world tour .
Didn't get ANYTHING .

A beautiful hostess in front of 1 of the 6 "Black Ice", here in Montmartre.

samedi 18 octobre 2008

Julien Doré @ "Pont des Artistes" Oct 15th 2008

After the sound, the broadcast was tonight on France Inter, here are the images with a video from the show recorded a few days ago on Oct 15th :

Listen to the full show ( podcast ) on their website this week :
http://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/em/pontdesartistes/

James Hunter @ New Morning Paris Oct 17th 2008

JVC Jazz festival in Paris with James Hunter @ the New Morning in Paris Oct 17th.

One of the last concert for this Jazz festival in Paris , haven't been to a lot of these as there were many other gigs this month.
But what a nice way to ( almost ) end this Fest with James Hunter.
It's not really Jazz even if you can hear this musical influence into his Soul/ R&B , even a bit of the very early rock in a time when it wasn't called Rock and was played mainly ( shoul i say ONLY ) by blacks .
If you close your eyes, this lad ( yes mate he's one of us ) sounds like a black man from the 50's-60's even tough he's as white as ... M Jackson well , a bit more !
Hard to believe that his music was made in the 21st century,
I don' t want to repeat myself so have a look at the review i wrote when he played Canal+ TV Show " L' album de la semaine" in September.
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/09/james-hunter-l-album-de-la-semaine.html

He is just FUCKIN' GREAT !!!
His new record " Hard way" is getting rave reviews everywhere and he fucking deserves it.

Just listen to a few songs for free on his website : http://www.jameshuntermusic.com/
And this chap is funny too ...

NOW , Watch our video below you won't be disappointed.

Setlist signed with Pass

-Pictures AND review by Patrice Guino-
Here's the title track of his new cd " Hard Way" :

Thanks to Yazid

see ya folks tomorrow afternoon for AC/DC 's "Black Ice" hunt down the streets of Paris.
and don't forget Suzanne Vega on sunday at the Alhambra in Paris.

vendredi 17 octobre 2008

Jimmy Barnes Paris Trabendo Oct 16th 2008

Jimmy Barnes @ Paris' Trabendo Oct 16th 2008
Jimmy's sexy "little" daughter Elly- May
First we have Jimmy' s 19 year old young daughter Elly-May who 's doing a few covers including Lou Reed's " Satellite of love", Dolly Parton's " I will always love you" ( covered by Whitney Houston too ) and some others .
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=jfW2zVpK_DE
Older sister E.J sing one on her own on guitar she speaks perfect French . Both have stunning voices, and are doing backing vocals in Jimmy ' s Band tonight .
It's a family affair as the drummer is their brother Jackie.

Jimmy' s second daughter E.J
Last time Jimmy Barnes played in Paris was 14 years ago so we're glad that he's back , he's a legend down under but not really here in France .
The Trabendo isn't sold out, where are all the Australian living in Paris ?
We watch a bit of the soundcheck so we know it's gonna be rock.
And yes... IT IS ROCK !
Many people on stage 5 musicians plus Jimmy's daughters on backing vocals and Jimmy on vocals.
We are treated to a Best of ... some Cold Chisel , Jimmy's first band and many songs from his solo career ( see setlist below ). So lots of rock tunes , the 80's were fatal for many rock bands so we also have some AOR songs and a couple of ballads.So a nice balance with heavy stuff and more relax songs . He's playing a duet with his daughter Elly-May .
Jimmy Barnes still have his voice intact , he would have been the perfect singer for AC DC .
On stage He's giving it all for more than 2 hours .
He mentioned several times a fan who is following them around Europe and who's been to every show and they rehearsed a couple of songs specially for him as he asked them to play different songs . How cool is that ?
Another great gig .
After the show Jimmy went straight to the merchendising to sign cds and take pictures with fans
Cool !

One beer please !
Resurrection Shuffle :

See ya tonight ( Oct 17th ) @ New Morning Jazz club for JAMES HUNTER
http://www.myspace.com/jameshuntermusic