ROCK EN SEINE 2 : The Raconteurs, Kate Nash , The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Scars on Broadway, Jamie Lidell , Brooklyn & Amy Winehouse ... NOT

Once again i'm late today, i'm on the site and Jamie Lidell is already playing, considering what he's playing i though that he would play with a funk band instead he's playing on his computer some electronic shit and " singing some 'OOh' and 'aaahh' and ' Iiiih' à la Michael jackson .
Complete crap

Jamie Lidell

So we go to the main stage to catch the performance of Scars on Broadway with former System of a Down musicians.As the festival is running late i don't miss anything. Nice introduction as the first world he is saying is "Motherfucker".
They're a light version of System of a Down. Good but after 45 min that's enough and i don't want to miss ...

Scars on Broadway

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion , well the name says it all it's a BLUES EXPLOSION. Jon Spencer is a real showman, the music is kicking ass . And it's chaos in the pit.
Great set

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Small detour to the third stage to see French band Brooklyn , they sound OK but Kate Nash is about to start her gig on the second stage :

Brooklyn

I've heard a lot about Kate Nash but it's the first time i see her live, her music is not really my cup of tea even if the single is quit funny. She seems a bit tired, she probably has a cold , her roadie is bringing her a inhaler. Nice set but nothing special.
Once again our photographer Patrice Guino manage to go on stage.
Live video here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
I have to leave before the end to see the Raconteurs on the main stage , they already played the Rock en seine and they were terrific.

Kate Nash on piano (left) and levitating to her music ( right)

Kate Nash on Guitars

Everybody seems to be here, it's really crowdy or maybe is everyone turning up soon to secure a good "seat" for Amy Whinehouse.
No need to waste some time , paper , saliva what-the-fuck-you-want.
THEY WERE FUCKING BRILLIANT , AWESOME , TERRIFIC .

They're blues country rock is kicking ass. The wildness of Jack White and the coolness of Brendan Benson works perfectly on stage. It's so sad that they can't match it on record.
The Raconteurs is a band to see LIVE , just forget about the cd on which they're so disappointing.
Jack is dedicating a song to Amy Winehouse " who can't be here tonight " of course we take it as a joke. Nobody knows for the moment that Amy won't play.
The encore (3 songs) is smashing .
Best performance of the whole Festival.

Brandon Benson & Jack white

The Raconteurs ...

...in action !

Goodbye Miss Flower

Setlist : ( courtesy of www.whitestripes.fr )
consolers of the lonely
hold up
level
hands
you don't understand me
top yourself
old enough
Keep It Clean (Charley Jordan Cover)
steady as she goes
rich kids blues
together
Many shades of black
the swith and the spur
(encore)
salute your solution
broken boy soldier
carolina drama

It's 9:30 PM and Salomon the promoter is making an announcement :
" We're very sorry but Amy Winehouse can't perform tonight just go to the festival website for some compensation" No explanations given
That BITCH she did it once again, last year she cancelled her show a week before.
Can someone slap that Bitch !!!

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion :

Check also Kate Nash live here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

ROCK EN SEINE 1 : REM, Dirty Pretty Things,Kaiser Chiefs , Serj Tankian

Review and videos below:

Serj Tankian

Back from the Rock en Seine near Paris , the weather's perfect : cloudy and not to hot. We arrive in this beautiful parc quite late , not too many bands that i dig this year.
We're getting close to the main stage to see Serj Takian , the leader from System of a Down, easy to get down the front as he's far from attracting people not their cup of tea. it's sad because his pop-heavy metal is quite interesting and he has a sense of humour covering ABBA .
Live video here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
We're leaving before the end to go to the secong stage for Dirty Pretty Things.

Dirty Pretty Things

They have a new cd to promote and Carl's band is very popular in france. Things are getting serious here and it's very crowdy. Lots of young girls praying the Libertines down here. Of course Patrice Guino, our photographer, with all his contacts could manage to get on the stage for their performance ( hope you like the pictures and see his exclusive live recordings here or on our Youtube account , link below ). Well i saw them many times live and i'm not a fan , their rock on stage but they're missing some really good tunes. they're not very tight but they're giving it all on a stage. Enjoyable anyway but it could be better.
Live videos here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Kaiser Chiefs

Kaiser Chiefs is already playing as we're getting back to the main stage, twice more people here than for Serj Takian. Hard to find our way down the front as it's impossible to move. They play all their hits plus a few new numbers, the new cd should be good. The singer knows how to treat an audience.They're tight and their songs are fantastic .
Absolutely Great set. This band is getting better and better and they fuckin' deserve it.
Next is Tricky on the second stage, we had a quick look but as we're not fans we prefer to have a walk instead and go to the main stage for REM.

REM

Last time i saw them a few months ago was at Canal+ for a tv show in front of 200 people. They did a great set for 90 min ( longer than the gig they played the day after at the RAH in London ). I've always found them a bit boring apart from a couple of songs, not rock enough for me until their last cd which really rocks.
For this tour they are back to the basics, They ROCK and that's what we like. Michael is still funny to watch. REM alternates some rock tunes with pop songs ( they're biggest hits ). Like Kaiser Chiefs they're getting better and better .
The highlight of the Festival so far.
See our video of Michael Stipe shakings hands with the audience on Youtube for " losing my religion"( link below ).
Live video here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Setlist REM:
Bad Day
Living Well Is The Best Revenge
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Drive
Man-Sized Wreath
The Great Beyond
Ignoreland
Hollow Man
Electrolite
Imitation Of Life
I’m Gonna DJ
The One I Love
Fall On Me
Let Me In
Horse To Water
Orange Crush
It's The End Of The World As We Know It
-------------------------------------
Supernatural Superserious
Losing My Religion
Man On The Moon

Exclusive live recording ON the stage by Patrice Guino ( you did it mate ! )

The Dirty Pretty Things live @ Rock en Seine :

More videos from the Rock en Seine here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

George Clinton @ Bataclan August 27 th 2008

Nice dress george / smile for me

Smoking a joint

The summer of 2008 is Funky : after Tony Cook's Trunk- o-Funk and Martha High in June , Bootsy Collins ' Tribute to James Brown featuring Danny Ray , Vicki Anderson & Martha High in july now it's time for George Clinton to play the Hot & Sweaty Bataclan in late August. ( check our reviews of all these concerts on this site ).

Just in time from Canal+ after seeing The Last Shadow Puppets, we get into the Bataclan as the support band leaves the stage. we say hello to a couple of friends and try to get a seat upstairs ( we're getting old ) at the balcony 'cause it's gonna be a long & sweaty night . As always at the Bataclan no AC , the show hasn't started yet that we're sweating like pigs.
Around 9 pm musicians are getting on the stage , many musicians : one drummer , one bassplayer , 2 keyboards , 4 guitar players , 4 backing vocalists , 2 brass ,3-4 MC-Dancers-singers whatever ... and several of them are dressed in typical 70's LSD way ( see picture below ).
Funkadelic's in da house tonight , we are treated to a mix of Funk & some rock with heavy guitars of course the band is playing a good hour before George Clinton finds his way to the stage to rousing applause. He's more a "character" than a real singer. Hard to tell you which songs they've played it's more a long jam with songs played one after another for 3 hours. Looks like a bit of a mess as musicians and singers are coming in and out all along the show ( i try to count them all but i gave up after 20 ), but the band is tight .
George is nearly 70 but he's doing the show : singing , dancing and... smoking some weed that he took from a fan in the audience ( see our picture above ).
Great night but it's so damn hot at the Bataclan.
Thanks again to Patrice Guino who took the pictures in the pit down the front, i' m sure he would have prefered to relax upstairs with us...

Black Cyrano

Setlist :
Funkentelechy
Bop gun
Gamin' on ya
Undisco kidd / you do me (Belita Woods)
Cosmic Slop
Atomic dog
P.funk (wants to get funked up)
I got a thang
I betcha
"I'll be gettin' down with it" / stuff and thangs
Maggot Brain
Garry's one nation intro
One nation under a groove
Aquaboogie
Flaslight
Knee deep
Give up the funk
Up for the down stroke
Bounce to this

Last Shadow Puppets Canal+ August 27th 2008

Once again Great gig , better than yesterday.
Songs are very catchy , i heard them for the first time yesterday at the Olympia and i remember most of '' em today.
Well i 've recorded the show yesterday and i watched it this morning on my computer ;-)
Very intimate afternoon gig as they're playing in front of just 200 people for French TV show " l' album de la semaine " for Canal+ , VV from The kills is there too and like yesterday sing one song.
We have a longer set ( around 75 min ) as they have to replay 4 songs at the end (including the one with VV )
They're really enjoying themselves on stage ( so much that they're telling us ), and so we are .
Great privilege to see them in these perfect conditions.
Sorry no photos or videos for this one.
Setlist ( as picture ) + 'encore' consisting of : Black Plant , Paris summer ( with VV ), Hang the Cyst , i don't like you anymore ( the last 3 songs have been played twice in that order ).

then we rushed to the Bataclan to see George Clinton ... Groovy

The Last Shadow Puppets Olympia Paris August 26th 2008

Hi Lads

Just back from holidays and already in the pit for some good rocking tonight .
THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS is The up and rising band featuring Miles Kane from The Rascals and Alex Turner from the Artic Monkeys.
There's a real hype with this band and the Olympia is SOLD OUT.
There was a real hype too with the Artic Monkeys last year , i wonder why because they're really (just above )average on cd and live.
So i'm doubtful .
From what i've heard ( a couple of songs ) i'm even more doubtful.
Tonight is the last gig on their European tour before touring England in October ( not really the last one as they're playing a show tomorrow afternoon for french tv Canal+ )
The stage is beautifully set with a 12( ? ) piece orchestra in the back + the LSP ( 5 lads ).
Lots of young girls in the audience so the atmosphere is quite hot straight from the beginning.
They opened with " Calm like you " before playing their single "The age of the understatement" to an already conquered audience. The sound is clear and the addition of the orchestra adds a little something that makes the difference. The orchestration is perfect and enhanced perfectly their songs giving them a 60's OST feel.
Miles Kane is handling most of the vocals and it's hard to believe but he just looks like John Lennon meets Richard Ashcroft, the way he plays his acoustic guitar and the way he speaks is totally Lennonesque even tough he had a take on LOVE 's " Little red book" .
Sometimes it's hard when you're hearing songs for the first time to fully appreciate a gig but tonight i was into it from the beginning ... to the end .
17 songs , they played all of their album plus a few others.
Special treat for Paris as Alison " VV" Mosshart from The Kills came to sing "Paris summer".
Show ended with David Bowie's " In the heat of the morning" and "in my room" .
They're so tight it's hard to believe that they've played their first ever concert 6 months ago.
Great Gig !
Former CSS's female Brasilian bass player and Nicolas Godin ( half of AIR ) went to the gig together.

Miles Kane & Alex Turner

setlist

Video The Last Shadow Puppets playing "Paris summer" with "VV" from The Kills:


More to come here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Next shows... in Paris

A few promo TV shows for these artists :
Keziah Jones August 25th
Santogold August 26th
Last Shadow Puppets August 27th
Tricky August 29th
They're all playing the " Album de la Semaine " for Canal + ( all Sold out but Tricky ) in Paris
Live shows in front of a selected audience of 120 people. Usually they're playing for 50 min .
Check Canal+ website for more infos :
http://www.canalplus.fr/tous-les-programmes/les-emissions/pid2245-c-p-album-de-la-semaine.html

Metallica will be in Paris mid-september to promote their new cd with 2 tv shows planned.
ROCK EN SEINE Festival August 28th and 29th , see ya there
BYE

HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN

I' m back August 25th ...
Nice Holidays to all of ya !!!

SEX PISTOLS Pictures from Belgium

Review below ...

We have a winner !

" Anarchy in the UK" here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

SEX PISTOLS + NEW YORK DOLLS & BUZZCOCKS Belgium 2008

SEX PISTOLS + NEW YORK DOLLS & BUZZCOCKS
Live at the Lokerse Festival in Belgium.
Festival site is in the town center's main square which is unusual for a rock fest next to a funfair and a second stage with local bands. Price admission for the main stage is only 30 euros which is very cheap to see 4 bands.
First to play ( around 8 PM ) are local punk band THE KIDS we don't really see them as we are hanging around in the streets but they finish their set with Sham 69s " If the kids are united".
Next to play are THE BUZZCOCKS, Steve Giggle is in good spirit ( he was drinking a lot before the gig backstage ) They're rocking fast and the audience is really enjoying the songs ( "boredom", "fast cars", "autonomy", "breakdown", "what do i get","promises", "harmony in my head" , "orgasm addict", and " ever fallen in love" ). Good 45 min of pure rock ' n roll. At the end of the show Steve wrecked the drum kit à la WHO .
Backstage we had a chat with Glen Matlock ( Sex Pistol ) who invited us to the show courtesy of our english mate Ray Morrissey. He was the only one to come backstage the others prefer to stay in the dressing rooms.
Then we have The NEW YORK DOLLS, i really love them, their last record " one day it will please us to remember even this " released two years ago when they reformed is probably one of the best rock record done these last few years by any rock band. Live they're very enjoyable.
Lots of great tunes (" Rainbow store", "dance like a monkey", "private world", " dance on a lip of a volcano" and " we're all in love " from their last cd ) + some classics ( "Pills" , "looking for a kiss" , " babylon" ) some covers ( Janis Joplin's " piece of my heart" and Johnny thunder's " you can't put your arm around a memory " sing by Sylvain Sylvain ) .
They finish their 60 min show with "Trash" and "Jetboy" . they were brilliant and David Johansen is still funny to watch in his skinny baby t-shirt.
They were supposed to play an encore but the organisers almost kicked them out of the stage as they were afraid to run late. There was a funny thing when Sylvain Sylvain spoke french , the thing he doesn't know is that Lokeren is in Flemish country and they really HATE French speaking people.Ah Ah Ah !!! "Flemish Bastards" ( dixit our photographer Patrice Guino ) You could really feel their hate as we were in Ghent sightseeing in the afternoon.
Anyway, We are here for the SEX PISTOLS so let's forget about those suckers.
They come on at midnight , as we are the Sex Pistols' guests we stay in the photographers pit for the first 3 songs and than down the front pogoing with the audience for the rest of the gig.
Johnny is dressed with a very strange outfit ( see pictures ) Glen is sun tan and has a fresh "new romantic" haircut. Steve is steve ( fat) and Cookie is hidden behind is drum kit , the stage is so high that we can't see him at all.
Of course they play the same set over and over again for the last twelve years ( since they reformed in 1996 ) , remember they only have only ONE record .
The main square is full ( 15000 people ) and it's chaos in the first rows.
They open with " pretty vacant" and play all their classics ( " holidays in the sun", " no fun", " stepping stone", "seventeen" , " problems", "god save the queen" ) Last song is " EMI" before the encores " bodies" and "anarchy in the UK" .
As usual Johnny sometimes cannot remember the lyrics and as to rely on his lyrics book or the band is stretching a song when Johnny doesn't sing at the right moment. But that's part of the trip with them. Second encore is Hawkwind 's " silver machine " and " roadrunner".
Great gig !!!
After the show we hang around backstage and have a chat with Glen and Cookie just before they leave the venue back to Bruxelles. They have an early flight in the morning to Glasgow, where they're playing the day after.

The Buzzcocks

The NEW YORK DOLLS

The Sex Pistols

Not my best videos as i am down the front with the audience:
More here:
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
"God save the Queen " :