Pat McManus with guest Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash @ Trabendo, Paris March 17th 2010

Pat McManus with guest Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash

@ Trabendo, Paris March 17th 2010

Pat McManus

Pat McManus is headlining this blues rock night @ Trabendo, Eric Bell Trio and Taste have just played before ( scroll down for review).
Different style for Pat, the blues is left aside for a moment and the beginning of the set is more Hard-rock, 80's style with lots of guitar demonstration.
Remember his surname is The Professor.
Pat is probably a great fan of Gary Moore , he's doing the same funny faces when he's playing.
Fortunately things calm down a bit ( it was getting annoying after a few songs) when Pat is playing the fiddle or the acoustic guitar.

Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash

It's an Irish night so we had a few covers : Thin Lizzy's "Black Rose", Rory Gallagher's "Out on the western plain" and... NO U2 cover.

Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash is introduced , then things are getting reaaaalllly serious, Wishbone Ash songs were played ( see setlist fro songs) , very cool attitude from Andy Powell with his sunglasses and hat.
Unfortunately as the show was runny very late we couldn't get any encore.
The musicians came straight to the merchandising table to sign stuff for fans.
And once again as Patrice Guino told me after the gig the light engineer should be dismembered alive and the pieces thrown to feed some pigs as Pat McManus played the whole gig almost in complete darkness.

Setlist

Pat & Andy

Eric Bell trio + Taste @ Trabendo, Paris March 17th 2010

Eric Bell trio @ Trabendo, Paris March 17th 2010
St Patrick's day

Today is St Patrick's day, blues-rock extravaganza @ Trabendo in Paris.
Eric Bell ( former Thin Lizzy ), Pat McManus ( ex-Mama's Boys), Taste & Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash) are in town.

Eric Bell the first guitar player of Irish legend rock band Thin Lizzy and one of Patrice's favorite band is opening this festival of blues-rock.
45 Min set of classic blues rock with songs talking about squeezing someone's lemon... you know what I mean !
Lots of bluesy licks like the way we like them, a perfect starter for this long evening.
The show couldn't be complete without the song that made Thin Lizzy famous at the beginning of their career "Whiskey in a jar" here on video

" Whiskey in a Jar":

Irish Band TASTE is next , yes that the Taste in which legendary Irish guitar player Rory Gallagher played in at the beginning of his career in 1967.
I don't know why they call themselves Taste as there's only the drummer left from this trio: Mr John Wilson.

Blues-rock once again with a tribute to the late Rory Gallagher, they're playing original songs by Taste and Rory ( "Messing with the Kid"... )
John Wilson is a great drummer but he's overplaying on all the songs, would be great for Jazz-rock but not the best for a blues rock combo.
The bass player really sounds like Rory on vocals.
Good hour set for this "cover" band.

Next is Pat McManus with guest Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash.
review online now.

Mohna + Jeanne + St Petersburg @ Scopitone, Paris March 16th 2010

Contact : irockinparis(@)yahoo(dot)fr

Mohna + Jeanne + St Petersburg
@ Scopitone , Paris March 16th 2010

St Petersburg

Mohna played an Oliver Peel session a couple of days ago tonight she's headlining @ Scopitone club situated in the heart of Paris between the Opéra and the Louvre.
Lots of known faces from the folk movement.

St Petersburg is opening, between Nick Drake and Neil Young ( That's what THEY say), short set of laid back acoustic songs in front of a very quiet audience , it will be the same for the other artists.
When the lights go out no one is speaking, a good point for this "trendy" club.

Then we have a last minute addition with Jeanne , playing her accordeon over a homemade projection recorded on Super 8mm film.
Very experimental, you could hear a pin drop during her 10 min "performance", here in its entirety:

Last is German girl Mohna.
She has a very soft childish voice, she's on her own playing the piano.
Call it indie, ambient. It's very special.

Johnny Winter @ Bobino, Paris March 15th 2010

Johnny Winter + A L'Ouest Le band @ Bobino
Paris March 15th 2010

A L'Ouest Le Band

Sold-out show for veteran blues man Johnny Winter in this beautiful théatre in the heart of Montparnasse , Bobino ( 900 capacity).
The opening band, French blues rocker A L'Ouest Le Band is a very cool introduction to the main attraction of tonight's blues rock gig.
Lots of guitar licks on a red Gibson SG, too bad they're singing in French.

8:50 PM , famous french guitar players Paul Personne & Louis Bertignac ( From Téléphone) are introduced to the stage (???!!??? ) to say how much they love Johnny Winter and then the band comes on stage to play a song before Johnny Winter takes his seat in front.
First time that I'm seeing him LIVE.
What to expect ? I've read so many VERY bad reviews from all the people who came to see him in concert a few years ago, at this time he wasn't playing (almost) at all and was barely touching his guitar.

From the first song that he's playing, you can see and hear that Johnny Winter is back from the dead , of course he's very fragile and someone is walking him to his seat but he plays the guitar... and very well.

He's is not as fluid and fast as it used to be in the seventies but Johnny Winter proved us tonight that he's still a killer on the guitar considering his age and what he's been going through all these years.

Classic songs are played " Good morning little school girl", "Red House" , "Highway 61" ...
he left the venue straight after the gig to do some interviews in a huge camping car ( no tour bus) parked in front of the venue and he signed cds to everyone inside the bus.
Great night , much more better than we all expected !!!

I 've just found 3 other great videos from the gig HERE.

"RED HOUSE" 7'50"

Pass , promo Pic and cds signed

Last song of the show 7' 56" of guitar:

See ya tomorrow @ Scopitone for Mohna. who played an Oliver Peel session yesterday.

March 17th:

Eric Bell ( Thin Lizzy) Pat McManus ( Mama's boys) & Andy Powell ( Wishbone Ash) are playing the Trabendo.

March 18th:

La Fiancée ( folk )& Lisa Popineau @ Fnac Ternes 5:30 PM free show.

Mohna & Clare Louise @ Oliver Peel session # 19, March 14th 2010

Mohna & Clare Louise @ Oliver Peel session # 19
Private show in Paris, March 14th 2010

French Clare Louise

Two weeks after seeing Rose Melberg & Sophie Ramsay, we're back @ Oliver's and Cecile's for another double act with French folk young lady Clare Louise and German piano player & singer Mohna.

Frenchies are first tonight , well... this afternoon as it's an early Oliver Peel session on this sunday with Clare Louise, folk it is. You could'nt get wrong with this ;-)
Clare is usually playing with a band this time she's on her own on acoustic guitar , nice melodies and a very special way of singing.
30 min set ending with a David Bowie cover.

German Mohna

Then we have German girl Mohna on piano with a little help from her friends on percussion and accordeon.
Very soft & melancolic songs on the piano with a voice reminding me of Bjork.
Just imagine Bjork on a very sad day conforting herself by playing sad songs on piano and you'll guess what it sounded like.
Her songs are a bit deconstructed so you never know they will end which is surprising.

A nice sunny afternoon and evening @ Oliver's with new faces in the audience ( as often ) and (as always) lots of beautiful girls. Food & wine is flowing a along this session
We'll be back here in a couple of weeks artist to be announced soon on Rockerparis.

Mohna & part of the beautiful people
More Pics HERE

We even had some strippers for the aftershow ( left ) sorry no Pics available

Johnny Winter is playing Bobino in Paris on March 15.
John Butler Trio is doing a private show for OUI FM @ Boule Noire on the same day.

Ben Harper has finished recording new studio album with R7

Ben Harper & Relentless 7 have just completed their new studio album in Santa Monica.
It is still unmixed.
We can tell you that there are 2 special guests on the new record, Ringo Starr is playing drums on one song & Jackson Browne is doing backing vocals on another.

And they already have a name for this album to be out in the fall : " Give Till It's Gone".

R7 is also releasing a live album called :Live From the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
Source: HERE

Previous reviews ( with setlist, pics & videos):
Ben & R7 @ Cigale April 20th 2009
Ben & R7 @ Studio SFR April 25th 2009

There is also an interesting article on Suzanne Vega HERE ( in French only , sorry)

French Elections tomorrow, Rock the vote !

Here's from the Hellfest : in French
Elections Regionales 2010 : La Diversité culturelle en danger...

Hier soir se tenait un meeting de l'UMP au parc des expositions de la beaujoire à Nantes. Le Premier ministre François Fillon et le chef de file du MPF Philippe De Villiers sont venus soutenir le jeune candidat UMP aux élections régionales en Pays de la Loire Christophe Béchu.

Devant près de 1500 militants gonflés à bloc, Mr De Villiers à réaffirmé son soutien au candidat et s'est attaqué au festival Hellfest : "Nos valeurs ne sont pas celles qui poussent le Conseil Régional actuel (PS) à financer un festival sataniste !", discours salué et applaudi chaleureusement par Mr Bechu ainsi que par Mr Fillon.

Le festival Hellfest est actuellement soutenu financièrement (à hauteur de 1%) par le Conseil Régional actuel représenté par Mr Jacques Auxiette, Parti Socialiste. Manifestement l'attribution de cette subvention semble déranger certains conservateurs...

Le Hellfest, qui rappelons le est à ce jour le plus important festival de musiques actuelles (toutes musiques confondues) en Pays de la Loire, tient à réagir à ces propos qu'il estime blessants et diffamatoires "Le Festival est ravi de pouvoir compter sur le non soutien de Mr De Villiers, le contraire aurait été surprenant, la diversité culturelle n'est pas le fer de lance de ses hommes politiques bien pensants et conservateurs" et de rajouter "Nous encourageons massivement tous les habitants des régions Pays de la Loire à se rendre aux urnes ce dimanche et de voter pour une politique culturelle respectueuse des gouts de chacun."

Comme chacun le sait, le festival Hellfest sera amené à déménager en 2012, et que sans le soutien affirmé d'une région comme les Pays de la Loire, il lui sera très difficile voire impossible de trouver une terre d'accueil...Amis métalleux des Pays de la Loire, et autres défenseurs de la diversité culturelle, vous savez ce qu'il vous reste à faire !

Basically :A French political man ( close to Sarkozy ) is saying that the Hellfest is a satanical festival and that no subventions should be given from tax payers.

Well FUCK HIM , and ROCK THE VOTE on sunday.

EMI in trouble again... this time with Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd have won a High Court battle with EMI.
Their 1998 contract with the label stipulated that their songs were NOT allowed to be sold individually without prior permission.

These greedy bastards of EMI sold Pink Floyd songs individually through iTunes.

A judge at the High Court in London today ruled in the band's favour, saying the contract contained a clause to "preserve the artistic integrity of Pink Floyd's albums"

EMI has been ordered to pay £40,000 ($60,000) in costs, with a further fine to be decided later.

These bastards from EMI have already been sued by The Beatles for unpayed royalties a few years ago.

Recently EMI France wanted pictures to illustrate the booklet for the new version ( with DVD) of Peter Doherty's solo album, so they've organised a competition among fans to select Pics but REFUSED to pay them.
BASTARDS !!!

Remember they 've just sold The Olympic studios in Barnes and wanted to do the same with Abbey road studios.