Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) + Mirrors @ Casino de Paris Nov 25 2010

Updated Nov 27 with top quality videos from StéphaneD (click on links to watch)
"Enola gay", "Tesla Girls", "Locomotion", "Souvenir", "Electricity"

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark + Mirrors
@ Casino de Paris, Nov 25 2010

Mirrors

You're probably wondering what the Hell was I doing here, isn't not really Rock, Is it ?
Well I thought It might be funny to attend such a gig , theses guys are legend in their own field: Electronic Music from the 80's.

First we have the quartet Mirrors, all standing up on the same line, 3 keyboards and a drum kit, funny to see them playing with 2 fingers on their keys.
see video HERE & HERE
The music is horrible but it was funny to see ( as they remember me of a French comedy act -Les Inconnus- who was laughing at all those bands in a very funny comedy show) and better than expected.

Then we have 80's legend: O.M.D.

Very nice stage set up with great lightning, the sound is neat: loud and clear.
No guitars ( I miss them), a real drummer , two keyboards and a singer/bass player.
See setlist for details as I only knew 2 songs: "Souvenir" (here on video) & "Enola gay", both of these songs were HUGE hits in France when I was a kid.

Even if I hate that kind of music, it was enjoyable and always interesting to see one of the bands that started it all.
They're part of the music history.

Won't tell you that I enjoyed all the songs but the singer's is giving it all, walking the stage from side to side, shaking hands... and dancing like only they did in the 80's , a bit of a caricature (see video of "So in Love") but he's doing the show.

Much more enjoyable than I thought it would be.
It was their last show on the tour so lots of English down the front.
Funny when the singer told the audience that they won't wait another 15 ( or was it 18 ) years to come back and that the tickets won't be 70 euros.
That was his personal message to the promoter who was there watching, you can guess it was... Gérard Drouot. LOL
At least a band found out that he's charging too much for a ticket.

setlist

"Souvenir " & "Joan of Arc":

Great set !

Teenage Fanclub @ Point Ephemere, Paris Nov 24 2010

For Review, Video, Pictures and complete setlist check Oliver Peel's website.

Gorillaz @ La Musicale, Paris Nov 24 2010

contact: irockinparis((@))yahoo(dot)fr

(C) Canal+ La Musicale (click for more Pics) & SETLIST + Ticket

Just back from Gorillaz performing @ La Musicale, Canal+ Tv show.
The Recording took place @ Plaine St Denis in Studio 207 which is a big one as the production is pretty big, 1000 guests, mostly from the Music Biz plus cameras.
The stage is massive, It's a hube boat and they called it, The HMS La Musicale.
There is a huge machine-guns on each side and even a big Lighthouse on the side where Emma De Caunes is introducing the band before they get on stage.
Gorillaz is written in big coloured capital letters above the stage, there's also a big screen above all this showing cartoons for the whole gig.
Lots of musicians for this project up to 25 for some songs all dressed as sailors or Captains.
This is a real gig on a real stage even though I think it's more a Musical with many guests : Bobby Womack, DeLa Soul & Others.
Hard to miss Mick Jones on guitar & Paul Simonon on bass both from The Clash, they were the only musicians that Damon introduced.
What to think of it ?
Well... overall good show as there's always something going on.
The songs I've heard before were not really my thing, it is way to electro or dance for me.
The band kept the hits for the Encore.
There are a few good tunes but other "songs" are made of a simple beat or rhythm repeated with a vocal melody over it, it's groovy but not really the music I like.
Not my drug of choice but enjoyable.

The National @ Olympia , Paris Nov 23 2010

We were NOT there but our good friend Oliver Peel was , so we nicked his setlist.

Check his website for review & pictures.

SETLIST : (click on link for video)
01: Runaway
02: Anyone's Ghost
03: Mistaken For Strangers
04: Bloodbuzz Ohio
05: Baby We'll Be Fine
06: Slow Show
07: Squalor Victoria
08: Afraid Of Everyone
09: Available
10: Lit Up
11: Cardinal Song
12: Conversation 16
13: Sorrow
14: Apartment Story
15: Abel
16: Daughters Of The Soho Riots
17: England
18: Fake Empire

19: Lucky You
20: Mr. November
21: Terrible Love
22: Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Lloyd Cole & Small Ensemble @ Pop'In Bar, Paris Nov 22 2010

Lloyd Cole @ Pop'In bar
Paris Nov 22 2010

Before the gig & Rehearsals

A day without any gig so I was almost in pyjama when I received a phone call @ 8:00pm from Motley Mime telling me that Lloyd Cole was playing an acoustic gig at the Pop'In bar in Bastille @ 9:00pm.
Couldn't miss that especially that I'm leaving nearby.
I arrived there just in time to see the rehearsals before the show.
After telling all punters at the bar that the show is about to start, the basement room is filling up pretty quickly.
Very cool beginning with "Perfect Skin", as you can see on the Pics and video Lloyd is playing with two (American) guitar players.
The atmosphere is very relax ( Lloyd is in chatty mood and making a few jokes) and religious at the same time (when they're not playing you could hear a pin drop).
The band played a few songs from their back catalogue which I'm not too familiar with I must confess. I barely knew 3 songs, their most famous ones as Lloyd Cole had a few hits in France with his Commotions.
see setlist for details, there might be missing a couple of songs.
Really nice to see Lloyd Cole in such an intimate setting, it was the first time for me.
He's a great songwritter & songs are really catchy.

Red lightning & part of the audience with Lloyd

The show has been decided at the 11h hour as Lloyd Cole wanted to play a club to rehearse for his Tv recording for One Shot Not on Wednesday.

Thanks to the guys involved who made it happened after meeting him in a bar and thanks to Facebook , Twitter and word to mouth , the bar was full of fans who knew all the lyrics as you can hear on the video of the last song played tonight " Forest Fire" ( Courtesy of Uschi).
Great 50 min gig.

Handwritten setlist by Lloyd (in capital letters) / shop display nearby & "Gargouille" in my home... euh Castle.

"Heartbroken" & "Impossible girl":

Cool set !

Unbunny + Superbravo @ Oliver Peel session #32, Paris Nov 20 2010

Unbunny + SuperBravo @ Oliver Peel session #32

Paris Nov 20 2010

The Bill

One of the last Oliver Peel session ... for 2010 ( their should be another one in December) with french female singer from rock band Holden who's going solo under the name of Superbravo & American Psyche-Folk-Indie-Pop band Unbunny, its leader is playing solo tonight on the acoustic guitar.

Kids who wanna rock... euh Folk.(left), "sleeping beauty" (center) Some girls & Unbunny (right)

Lots of new faces for this session with people coming from all over the world: USA, South America, Germany, Austria, England & France.
lots of (very) good food, courtesy of Cécile, before she had a nervous breakdown in the kitchen. Don't worry she's alright now, we gave her a few xanax.
Lots of drinks again.

First on "stage" is Armelle Pioline who's playing with Holden for a short set of acoustic folk-rock songs with the additions of some home made loops to the amazement of some of the kids in the audience who were wondering where the second voice was coming from.

Armelle Pioline aka SuperBravo

After a short break for some more food & drinks Unbunny headlined this session#32.
He's playing solo tonight, very good set of Psyche-indie-folk songs with some funny lyrics for some of them and beautiful high soft voice and nice melodies.

Jarid del Deo aka Unbunny

Live @ Oliver's

Cool

Even Morrissey was with us

The Cast

The Aftershow Party when it turned into a Food (left) & Sex (center) orgy, plus "The Beauty & the beast" (right)

Review from Oliver Here @Oliver Peel website and lots of Pictures Here @ Flickr.

Birthday Party @ A.M.

From the Castle's kitchen of Hell

Thanks to all:
The one & only Miss Motley Depeche Mime... Cécile P. / Uschie A. / MC L. / The "Late" Oliver P & Claudia K. and of course my lovely assistant Miss Julie Kashmir.