Franz Ferdinand @ L' Album de la Semaine Feb 3rd 2009

Franz Ferdinand @ "L' album de la semaine" to promote their newly released album " Tonight "
In Fact this show was recorded for the tv show " Concert Privé " for Canal+ , it's the same setting ( a small studio for 200 people sitting in stalls in front of the stage ) but the band instead of playing 5 new songs + a couple of their hits is playing a proper gig with 12 songs.
So that's really cool.
The gig starts a bit late as the band is doing an interview ...
And here we go for almost an hour of a neat performance , not that much communication with the audience , i guess they focus on their instruments as it's recorded.
Not that much to say :Great show but Franz Ferdinand is always very good live.
Half of the set ( see setlist )consists of new songs and they sound really good live even though i'm not too fan of their new-wave sound with keyboard.
Great performance i'm looking forward to see them tonight ... again
Sorry no live pictures as it's forbidden

Alex , the man with the hat / Shinny happy Nick

Bob' a happy man / Paul plays the tough guy

signing stuff / Setlist

The band came to sign and posed for all the fans waiting after the show.
Nick told me that they will change the setlist for the Studio SFR gig .
See ya tonight !

Previous review from the Inrockuptibles festival with pictures and a video here:
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/11/franz-ferdinand-yo-majesty-get-well.html

The Pierces @ L' Album de la Semaine Canal+ Feb 2nd 2009

American Pop-folk duet The Pierces are in Paris to promote their latest record.
Principal members are two lovely sisters one blonde and one brunette on vocals, plus a beautiful Violin player and two guys playing drums and acoustic guitars.
I was a bit afraid when they played their first song , a kind of Pop-folk with some tiny traditional Irish influences ( for the violin ) that could remind you of The Corrs.
The stage moves between the two singers are ( too ) perfectly executed, very american. After a couple of songs you start getting into it slowly and then you like it.
Even if you don't know if it's because of the music of the perfect plastic of both sisters-singers.
The only problem is that everything is too perfect , something's missing : a spark
7 songs are on the setlist , they had to redo one because of some sound interferences on the violin, then the show went smoothly. They came back for an encore , did one song unfortunately during the second one the voice of the blonde singer gave up so they had to put an end to the performance.
Enjoyable evening.
Sorry no pictures for this one
Check their myspace for a bite : http://www.myspace.com/thepierces

See ya tomorrow for both FRANZ FERDINAND private shows ( 4 pm & 8 pm )

Saxon & Iced Earth @ Bataclan Paris Feb 1st 2009

Can't remember last time i went to a Heavy Metal gig , can't consider Motorhead a heavy Metal band well anyway ...
Not that many people tonight the balcony is closed and so are the aisles on both sides of the pit downstairs.
So there are far less than a 1000 heavy metal "kids" who are more, in fact , in their 40's .

Iced Earth "opened" for this co-headlining show , after just a minute now i remember why i don't listen to Heavy Metal anymore : it is sooo boring and full of clichés.
The look is ridiculous , the attitude is ridiculous , the title songs are ridiculous and so on ...
Completely indigest music and absolutely ridiculous band .
Please give me my shot of Judas Priest !

Then we have SAXON , with Iron Maiden and Def Leppard they are the only survivors of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal ( which started around 1979 ) and the least succesfull. Their glory days are far behind them.
It's hard for old bands to keep up with new bands ; so Saxon , for the last few years , is trying to be more heavy than younger bands and unfortunately it doesn't work at all , they're as boring as those younger bands .
I mean who wants to hear any new songs by Saxon ( valid with Iron Maiden too ) ?
But there's one territory where they can't be beaten up is when they play the Classics and they have lot's of 'em . And i'm 15 again : " Dallas 1 pm " " Princess of the dawn " " Crusader " ...
Too bad they only played for a little more than an hour ( first encore after 45 min !!! ) when we had to endure Bored Earth for almost 90 min.
Great lightshow too

One of the Classics :

MORRISSEY naked for cover of new single "I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris"

Here's the cover

"I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris"

Franz Ferdinand @ studio SFR

Franz ferdinand will play:

Feb 2nd @ Le Grand Journal for Canal+

Feb 3rd L' Album de la semaine @ 4 pm
and @ Studio SFR @ 8pm

Here's the invitation for the Studio SFR

Thomas Dutronc @ trabendo Sessions Paris Jan 30th 2009

Thomas Dutronc is the son of french singer Françoise Hardy and actor-singer Jacques Dutronc
He's a great acoustic gypsy-style guitar player, amazing how sometimes he looks like his father , the voice is even very similar.
His music is a mix of Gypsy jazz à la Stéphane Grapelli and french " variété" .
The show was mostly boring to me.
His first record is selling like hot cakes in France , but it's not my cup of tea.

U2 @ Stade de France July 2009

Strong rumours are suggesting that U2 wil play the Stade de France on July 10th ( or 11th ).
A show at the Nikaia stadium in Nice ( south of France ) is confirmed for July 15th.

Cocoon @ Trabendo sessions Paris Jan 29th 2009

Cocoon @ "Trabendo sessions" , private gig for french tv Virgin 17.
After playing a sold-out Olympia , not so long ago , french indie-pop-folk duet Cocoon ( singing in English , please ) is playing in front of a selected audience of 200 people .

They have a huge hit here : " on my way ", they've only done one record and tonight we have the Primeur of a couple of new songs.
First time i'm seeing them so it's nice to be in such an intimate place.
Lots of talking between songs , to tune the guitar and to relax as the singer is telling us that he's so nervous about the recording. But they're doing fine so this chap shouldn't panic.
The atmosphere is very relax and everything is going very smoothly.
The music is really cool lots of slow songs , their fastest his their hit single " on my way ".
Funny how they're working like an old couple ( which they are not, so he says ) , they're quite young, talking to each other, telling a few jokes and even embarrassing each other to our delight.
It seems that a few naked pictures of both of them are circulating in private circles !!!
Anyway that's none of our bizness , even tought the girl is soooo cute we'd like to see this.
They don't take it too seriously so they 're playing a Tokyo hotel cover ( see video ).

Check their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/listentococoon

setlist

Very good 90 min concert.
Don't miss them on their next shows at Paris' Cigale on May 19th and 20th
and special gig @ Maroquinerie on May 22nd

AC/DC 's Exhibition @ Proud Galleries in London

Pictures from the exhibition @ Proud Galleries in Camden London
from Feb 5th - May 31th

http://www.proud.co.uk/
http://www.rockphotograph.com/index.shtml

ALL PICTURES © PHILIP MORRIS

the early daze

Billy Powell Keyboardist for Lynyrd Skynyrd dead at 56

After the death of Stooges' Ron Ashton it's with great sadness that we've heard that Billy Powell , keyboard player in Lynyrd Skynyrd died of a suspected heart attack at his home in Prange Park , Florida.
Powell, who has a history of heart problems, called 911 emergency at about 12:55 am because he was having trouble breathing. When rescue crews arrived they tried to perform CPR but were unsuccessful in reviving the 56-year-old, reports the Associated Press.
He 's the fifth member of Lynyrd Skynyrd to die after Ronnie Van Zant , Steve Gaines , Allen Collins & Leon Wilkeson.

contact : irockinparis ( @ ) yahoo.fr

Kaiser Chiefs + Danananaykroyd @ Olympia Jan 27th 2009

Kaiser Chiefs and Dananananaykroyd @ Olympia Paris Jan 27th 2009

First band on stage in a SOLD-OUT Olympia is Dananananykroyd , they were already playing when i get into the venue. They sound a bit like Los campesinos with 2 singers, as you can see on the pictures they went down in the pit to sing and ask for " free hugs ".
Entertaining. - click on pictures for the full monthy -

Da-Nananana-ykroyd in the pit

and on stage

right in the nuts ... ergh sorry ! ...eye !!!

Then we have Kaiser Chiefs , they've always been very good live .
I'm a bit disappointed by the new cd, but sometimes you rediscover a record by having the songs played live. They opened the show with the first song from the new cd , good.
Then things started getting really hot 'til the last song.
The lightning is great and Ricky is , as usual , doing the show ; running from one side to the other,Jumping up and down ( see pictures ), having the audience sing every word . Even the people on the balcony are standing up and dancing. Ricky even had a girl on stage ( see video )
I'm glad they changed the venue to this theatre , the Zénith was too big for them , you fully appreciate Kaiser Chiefs in a club face to face.
This gig is probably not my favorite from the boys, i've seen them many times in clubs before, but everyone went home with a big smile on their face including me.

Bluesy / Greeny

Yellowy / ready

yeah YOuuuuuuuuu

Beeeezzzzzzzzz

Flying high

Flying high ...again

Vintage T shirt & setlist ( may be inaccurate i'll check tomorrow )

" Modern Way " :

Franz Ferdinand @ Studio SFR & " L' Album de la semaine" for Canal+ on February 3rd & more ...

Franz Ferdinand will be very busy next week in Paris , On tuesday 3rd February they will play 2 shows :

AND IT'S AN EXCLUSIVE NEWS TO THIS SITE:

1) Canal+ TV Show " L' Album de la semaine " at 4 pm. ( time confirmed )

2) Studio SFR for a private showcase at 8 pm ( announced a week ago in the press )

Franz Ferdinand will also play one song live @ " Le Grand Journal " for Canal+ on Feb 2nd.

Pete Doherty will be in Paris on Feb 2nd to play @ Taratata tv recording

OASIS will be in Paris too on Feb 3rd to play live on the same tv show " Le Grand journal" .

The britishs are taking over Paris

Eagles of death Metal @ L ' album de la semaine Canal+ Jan 26th 2009

Original setlist incomplete

The Eagles of Death Metal are in Paris tonight to play famous tv show " L 'Album de la semaine "
They also have a gig @ Nouveau Casino ( sold out ) on tuesday 27th.

Kaiser Chiefs are playing on the same day at the Olympia.

i'm just back from The Eagles of death metal ( AKA Pigeons of Shit Metal ).
Decent show from the boys. The singer is really a character looking cool and funny... allright he's limited on the guitar but it's ok for the Classic rock they're playing. I though they would be much more heavy ( so i was disappointed ).
They took it all , well most of it from the Rolling Stones , on a couple of songs The Glimmer Twins could sue their asses for plagiarism.
They have borrow the drummer from the Queens of the Stone Age , this guy is a monster and the music is so cool & relax( compare to QOTSA ) that he gives the impression that he could do the ironing while playing drums .
They've played their set and came back on stage to play 2 songs another time ( including " wanna be in LA" ) and added 2 others at the end of their set.

Bruce Springsteen @ Festival des vieilles charrues July 16th 2009

That's official :

Bruce Springsteen & the E street band will play in Britanny at the Festival des vieilles charrues in Carhaix on july 16th.
Other bands confirmed on the same day are Fiction Plane , The Killers + another still unknown band.
Capacity for this festival is only 43 000 .
For the moment that's his only show in France, and might the only one.

Bruce Springsteen European tour 2009 so far :

May 30	Pinkpop Festival	Landgraaf, NED	3/7
June 2	Ratinan Stadion	Tampere, FIN	1/26 9 a.m.
June 4	Stockholm Stadion	Stockholm, SWE	1/26, 10 a.m.
June 5	Stockholm Stadion	Stockholm, SWE	1/26 10 a.m.
June 9	Bergenhus Festning - Koengen	Bergen, NOR	1/26, 9a.m.
June 10	Bergenhus Festning - Koengen	Bergen, NOR	1/26, 9 a.m.
July 2	Olympiastadion	Munich, GER	check here
July 3	Commerzbank-Arena	Frankfurt, GER	check here
	Despite a public onsale for Munich and Frankfurt listed as 1/26, we're told that "Tickets are on sale NOW at eventim.de. If you can't go directly to buy them, get yourself registered under Ticketalarm. You will than get an email allowing you to register for the tickets. This registration is binding and you will get a confirmation by email."
July 5	Ernst Happel Stadion	Vienna, AUS	1/26
July 8	MHC Messecenter	Herning, DEN	1/26, 10 a.m.
July 11	RDS Arena	Dublin, IRE	1/30, 9 a.m.
July 19	Stadio Olimpico	Roma, ITA	TBA
July 21	Stadio Olimpico	Torino, ITA	TBA
July 23	Stadio Friuli	Udine, ITA	TBA
July 31	Estadio Municipal de Foietes	Benidorm, SPA	TBA

Pete Doherty @ Taratata Feb 2nd 2009

Pete Doherty will be in Paris to promote his first solo record "Grace/Wastelands" on Feb 2nd @ french tv show Taratata ( other artists including Keane , friendly fire + others...). Sold out.

Reminder : Pete will be @ the Bataclan for 2 shows on March 9th and 10th ( the first one is already sold-out ) Adam Ficek 's Roses Kings Castles will be the opening band.
Adam Ficek will also play a free show @ the Gibert Joseph store on March 11th.

I've heard a few things about David Bowie recording a new album in Berlin , how can the NME relate such a stupid thing just because someone who calls himself David Bowie posted on Twitter : "Cheers from a snowy Berlin! Working on some new material!" ?
NME where's your credibily gone on this ???

Also have mixed emotions on news about The Faces reforming or not reforming , the management denied it but some news coming from London are telling me that it's on for 2009.

Keziah Jones @ Trabendo Paris Jan 22nd 2009 RATP "Destination Musique "

Keziah Jones ' private show @Trabendo for the RATP ( Parisian transportation ) Destination Musique.
Invit' only for VIPs and competition winners.
The Trabendo is a 500 capacity club, so it is now a real privilege to see him playing in such a small place as he's filling up the Olympia Theatre ( 2500 Capacity ) for several nights.
His last album was a success thanks to a very good promotion ( and his talent ) Keziah Jones played 4 secret shows in the Parisian Underground,where he was supposed to have been discovered many years ago, I was at 3 of them.
The press coverage was massive.

see past reviews here: ( all with videos )
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/09/keziah-jones-le-pont-des-artistes.html
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/09/keziah-jones-metro-auber-paris-sept-6th.html
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/09/keziah-jones-beaubourg-center-paris.html
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/09/keziah-jones-metro-montparnasse.html
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/09/keziah-jones-rene-miller-metro.html

Invitation front side

He gave a catastrophic concert @ the Olympia in November , tonight he seems much more relax as usual he sometimes plays out of key, but that's allright .
He's in a good mood and he's talking with the audience. Interacting should I say .
He played a couple of songs on his own and has the audience sing.
Short set , just an hour including the encore with a very good version of his hit record " Rythm is love "
Nice gig but he could do better ( and certainly worse )

Invitation back side

Keziah Jones Blue-Funkin'

Here's a B-side:


There was an aftershow party afterwards for a 100 VIPs with champagne ans canopes, Keziah stayed there less than 2 minutes when he saw the crowd and made a quick exit , too bad.

The Faces are rolling for 2009

The Faces with Rod Stewart and Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood are planning shows for 2009.
LA's Hollywood Bowl is confirmed and a big announcement will be made soon for some London shows...
So stay tuned to Rockerparis for more info ...

Check my english friend's website for what's going on in London:
http://www.raysgigs.com/raynews.php

More News coming from the NME 's website :
1) They've wrote ( which doesn't mean they recorded it ) a new album in 3 days .
2) Flea will be their bass player ( replacing the late Ronnie Lane ).

Well , i hope they will spend more time writing new material , 3 days is a little bit short to write a whole new cd and i don't know if Flea ( From the Red Hot Chili Peppers ) is the right choice for The Faces ( what about Glenn Matlock ??? )

Bruce Springsteen news : a few European stadium shows have been confirmed in Finland and Sweden beginning of June. and talks for a show in Nice ( south of France ) in July .

AC / DC news : Boxoffice for the Marseilles' show on June 9th will open Jan 27th.