Jack White @ L'Album de la Semaine, Paris April 20 2012

Jack White @ L'Album de la Semaine, Paris April 20 2012

setlist

GREAT show ! Looking forward to see him again on sunday @ Cigale

First show of Jack White in France before the one on sunday at La Cigale, it's like having him playing in your living room as the audience is sitting on stalls just in front of the stage with only 200 people.
First we have the Boys Band called "Los Buzzardos" for 6 songs set (25 min):

1. Sixteen Saltines
2. Missing Pieces
3. Trash Tongue Talker
4. We’re Gonna Be Friends
   
5. Weep Themselves To Sleep
6. Cut Like A Buffalo
   

Quintet with bass , drums, piano,lap steel & violin/ mandoline ; as usual with Jack the band is dressed up so are the roadies.
The band is neat, finally Jack White is writing proper songs, I mean compare to the one he wrote with The Dead Weather.
I Have not listen to the record yet but the songs sounds really great.
Glad that he played some White Stripes' and dead Weather's , fantastic version of "Buffalo".
There is a 10 min intermission so that they can change the drum kit and the back drop.

Then we have the Girls Band called the "Peacocks", all the girls are really good looking all dressed in white & blue. It's a sextet with a backing vocalist.
They have a great drummer that's kicking ass and the girl on the lap steel is a very sexy blonde but I think I have a crush for the black girl on backing vocals.
6 songs most of them no more than 3 min max so it's a short 20 min set.

1. Freedom At 21
2. Hypocritical Kiss
3. Love Interruption
4. Top Yourself
   
5. My Doorbell
   
6. Take Me With You When You Go

Jack is on top form and the guitar playing is neat, cool bluesy-rock-soul songs.

We were lucky to get both bands tonight but I don't know if it's like this for every gig.
We shall see on sunday as he's playing @ La Cigale

Great performances just hope he will play more than 45 min
Pic from the rehearsals HERE

Reminder:
Dead Weather @ Olympia October 2009
The Dead Weather @ Cigale June 2009(click for Pics setlist & review ) or Canal+ Tv show recording @ L' Album de la semaine ( click for review & pics ).
the Dead Weather @ Bataclan in 2010
The Raconteurs @ Rock en Seine 2008


Mariee Sioux @ Fargo store (6:00 pm) free show

Norah Jones @ France Inter (Invit' only) 8:00pm
Broadcasted live on the radio

Gossip @ Rouge club, Paris, April 10 2012

Gossip Listening Party @ Rouge club in Pigalle , Paris, April 10 2012

Rouge Club 77 rue Jean baptiste Paris 9 ème

It was advertised a couple of weeks ago as a showcase then it turned into a Listening Party with the band. Too bad !
Some dance music is played in the background, free drinks and canapés, strangely enough, no one is rushing to eat the food.
Then we listened to the album, not really our cup of tea as the band is turning more and more into a disco band.
Just one listen was enough.

After some more crap music from the DJ, Beth Ditto + The Band & entourage are walking through the packed audience to one side of the room.
Beth is surrounded with people & fans who wants a picture with her or have something signed, she's very nice and chatty with everyone, giving out kisses and roses.
The members of the band are more relaxed on the side and not too bothered.
That's when we decided to leave the promises to go to the Gibus club for the launch Party of Mojo Mag.
A short set , even 30 min would have been nice !

Out for a smoke (center)

There is also the launch of MOJO mag @ Gibus Club with Trigger Finger

Elvis The Concert @ Zénith, Paris March 29 2012

Elvis The Concert @ Zénith, Paris march 29 2012

Elvis is still alive & well more than 35 years after his death.
As we were at the press Conference for the Hellfest we were very late and the fact that we had trouble getting tickets we've missed a good 30 min of the first part.
It's a medium size Zénith and all seated event, Elvis fans are getting older and older... not I'm jocking there are quite a few young people in the audience.
Cool to see that Elvis is still as popular in France specially when he is only on a screen with his band, The TCB playing live.
Lots of musicians on stage there's a classical orchestra led by Joe Guercio, The Imperials (Male Backing vocalists), The Sweet Inspirations (Female backing vocalists) plus the original live band : The TCB minus bass player Jerry Scheff, who's missing for the second time (last show two years ago was Nathan East on bass), this time his substitute is Elvis' session man Norbert Putman.
Of Course Glen D Harding is on piano, Ronnie Tutt on drums & James Burton on guitar.

Norbert Putnam on bass

It's basically the same show as two years ago, I guess it will never change as they probably don't have too many live footage of Elvis that they can use for the show.
Complete setlist here.
Most of the footage are coming from "Aloha from Hawaii" & "That's the way it is" with a couple of songs from the "Comeback special '68".

Glen D Harding / Ronnie Tutt/ James Burton

It's like attending a real Elvis Presley concert as they kept the same running order, it might be weird if you're attending for the very first time but you're getting used very quickly and then you don't even noticed that Elvis is on a screen.

Fans are well behaved for rockers staying seated for the whole first set.
There's a 20 min intermission and a voice is inviting you to get stuff at the merchandising, Remember It's business first.
For the second half in the second set the audience is finally standing up and getting closer to the stage trying to get something signed or to get the best picture of one of the musicians.
The TCB might be getting older and older , they are aging well and can deliver like young kids will do.

great 2 hour show !!!

Merchandising

Reminder (review & Pics):
Elvis with TCB @ Zénith March 2010
Elvis 2008 feat TCB @ Grand Rex Oct 2008 (Part 2)

Other Lives @ Fnac Ternes, Paris March 23 2012 6:00pm

Other Lives @ Fnac Ternes, Paris March 23 2012 6:00pm

Great 6 songs -30 min set @ Fnac Ternes for Other Lives before their sold-out show @ Café de la Danse tonight.
They've played with all the equipment including a grand piano
respect... or maybe they tried to catch up because they've cancelled last time.
great gig too bad we couldn't go @ Café de la danse

Check our previous reviews
@ Casino de Paris Nov 2011
@ Black Session Nov 2011

Leon Russell @ New Morning, Paris march 19 2012

Leon Russell @ New Morning, Paris march 19 2012

I can't tell you if Leon Russell has already played in Paris before, maybe in the 60's or 70's so tonight's show at the tiny jazz club New morning is a "must see".

French female singer Jain is opening on acoustic guitar, sounds like Selah Sue to me, enjoyable.

Leon Russell arrived @ the New morning in a wheelchair but get on the stage with his cane to sit down behind his keyboard for the whole of his 90 min set.
White long hair and beard , sunglasses white cowboy hat and brown leather jacket: cool look.
Maybe his "hawaiian" shirt with the big flowers is not up to the standard ;-)
Anyway we heard some of his most well-known songs tonight and many covers from other bands
setlist included : Delta lady, Rollin in my sweet, stranger in a strange..., sweet little angel, lady blue, kansas city woman, takes a train, let the good times roll, hard rain, I've just seen a face, lucky ol' sun, song for you, a medley of jumping jack flash-papa was a rolling stone-kansas city (here on video) and a few others.
The voice is a bit frail but the piano playing is intact some of the songs were re-arranged like the up-tempo version of The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses".

I would have prefer more of his songs and less covers but I guess that he's more well known for his contribution for other artists he worked with than for his repertoire even though he had huge hits with his own songs.
Very good show, better than expected.

signed by the Master

Medley: