Troy Von Balthazar @ Oliver Peel session Nov 2009

Updated Jan 2nd 2010 with new video HERE

Troy Von Balthazar @ Oliver Peel session # 13, 21 Nov 2009

Christmas gift from Stéphane Douillard :

TROY VON BALTHAZAR @ Oliver Peel Session from stephane DOUILLARD on Vimeo.

Check our review from this private gig HERE ( with Pics & Video )

Best gigs of 2009 Ze Pictures

contact: irockinparis ( @ ) yahoo(.)fr

Best gigs of 2009 in Pictures
For much more Pics clicks on links on the previous entry below

Babyshambles @ Neo club and Last show in Paris by Oasis @ Bercy (LOL)

Deep Purple & Them Crooked Vultures

Prince @ Grand Palais ( NOT) Cigale was much better

Peter in a bus & Metallica

Blue Oyster Cult & Ben Harper

AC/DC & Neil Young

Best gigs of 2009 and worst...

ROCKERPARIS has been to more than 200 gigs this year.
We've selected the best and the worsts we've been to this year
( NOT in order).

CLICK ON LINKS FOR REVIEW , LOTS OF PICTURES & VIDEOS
We have some TOP Pics for Metallica , AC/DC, Neil Young ,
Paul McCartney, Blue Oyster Cult & TCV

Once again the best gigs were done by the old geezers:

• AC/DC @ Bercy for 2 gigs in February Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3
• AC/DC @ Stade de France in June
• Metallica @ for 2 shows @ Bercy Ist gig Part 1 , Part 2
• 2nd gig Part 1 , Part 2
• Neil Young @ Zenith ( Part 1, Part 2 )
• Deep Purple @ fete de L' Humanité in Sept
• BOC @ Olympia in Sept.
• Paul McCartney @ Bercy in Dec (Part 1 , Part 2)

Middle aged and younger artists have done great gigs too:

• Ben Harper @ Cigale & Studio SFR private gig in April ( he's back with a great band after playing shit for the last ten years)
  
• Them Crooked Vultures @ Rock en Seine & Canal+ Private gig in Dec.
• Franz Ferdinand @ Canal+ & Studio SFR private gig on the same day in Feb.
• Peter Doherty for 2 shows @ Bataclan in April Part 1 , Part 2 + Private gig for 20 people in a double decker bus on the same day
• Babyshambles @ Neo Club secret gig in April
• and of course Prince @ Cigale ( one of the highlight of the year unfortunately his management team are a bunch of cunts)
  

We also had shitty gigs :

• Artic Monkeys @ Zénith in Nov, was really average.
• Peter Doherty @ Zenith, not on top form
• Seal @ Bercy in July ( easy-listening shit )
• Devendra Banhart @ Cigale is -the worst gig of the year- with
• Chris Cornell @ Cigale in Feb.
• Eagles of death Metal are also very bad but at least they are funny

Some disappointements :
Dead Weather album is average ( Gigs @ Cigale & Canal+ were good)
Them Crooked Vultures ' album is a good album , no more but LIVE they're Killing anybody.

A great record By AC/DC ( Black Ice ) at last.

& "Mention Spéciale" ( In French Please ! ) to the Oliver Peel sessions all along this year. 2009

Slash's solo record out in April in Europe

Slash's debut solo record featuring many guests musicians will be release in April in Europe via Roadrunner records.

"Slash" will see Roadrunner Records enter into a unique and innovative association with a U.K. media partner — the special-interest media group Future. In a brand new concept in record distribution, the standard album release will be preceded by a "Fan Pack," in which the Roadrunner Records album will be bundled together with a highly collectable, 132-page special issue of Future Publishing's Classic Rock magazine dedicated to Slash's career. This will be the first format of the album available anywhere in the world.

In other news:

• Heaven & Hell will be back for shows in Europe this summer with a festival already planned (High Voltage Fest) in London @ Victoria Park on July 24th (or 25th) , ZZ TOP and ELP are headlining the Festival.
• Radiohead will start recording in January
• The Kinks about to reform
• Jimmy Page will be performing in China next spring.The celebrated Led Zeppelin guitarist is to be on the bill for a globally televised event called Show Of Peace. This happens on April 17 at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing. There is also an autobiography out next year ( Pics by Ross Halfin) and a new tour feat. new music by Jimmy
  
• The Big Four bands of thrash metal are to play on the same bill! Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax will all share the same stage for the first time EVER!“Look for the four of us at the Sonisphere shows in Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic on June 16 and 19, 2010, with a few more of the festival dates still in the works. You can be sure these shows won’t be the only ones.”

Vic Chestnutt dead at 45 RIP

2009 is ending as bad as it started.
Vic Chestnutt died yesterday after beeing in a coma for a few days following a suicide attempt.
He probably overdosed on muscle relaxants

Merry Christmas Everybody

Merry Vintage Christmas evrybody:

Mick Cocks of Rose Tattoo has died RIP

Mick Cocks original founding member of Rose Tattoo has died on December 22nd of liver cancer.

Sadly, Cocks is the fourth member of Rose Tattoo to die of cancer in the past three years. Pete Wells lost his battle with prostate cancer in March 2006, bassist Ian Rilen died of bladder cancer in October 2006 and guitarist Lobby Loyde died from lung cancer in 2007.

Stooges feat James Williamson Live in Brazil Nov 2009

We forget to tell you about the "reformed" STOOGES featuring " new" guitar player James Williamson.

They've played @ Planeta terre in Sao Paulo on Nov 7th 2009

Here's the setlist( courtesy of http://www.iggy-pop.com/):

1.Raw Power 2.Kill City 3.Search And Destroy 4.Gimme Danger 5.Cock In My pocket 6.Shake Appeal 7.Loose 8.1970 9.Funhouse 10.Night Theme 11.Skull Ring 12.Johanna 13.I Got A Right 14.Dog 15. Five Foot One 16.Passenger 17.Death Trip 18.Lust for life

The WHOLE gig can be watched HERE ( click on link ).

Here the European dates so far...

• April 16th 2010 @ Festival des Artefacts / Strasbourg - France
• April 17th 2010 @ Le Zénith / Lille - France
• May 02nd 2010 @ Hammersmith Appollo / London - UK
• May 03rd 2010 @ Hammersmith Appollo / London - UK
• August 2010 @ Sonisphere Festival / Knebworth - UK
• August 2010 @ Sonisphere Festival / Sweden
• August 2010 @ Sonisphere Festival / Finland

"RAW POWER"

Paul McCartney playing "Mull Of Kintyre" @ O2 London Dec 22nd 2009

Here's the full setlist (Courtesy of yellow-sub)for the O2 concert in London Dec 22nd 2009:

Sound Check

01. Jam-Welcome to the O2
02. Matchbox
03. Honey don't
04. Coming Up
05. All my Loving
06. Celebration
07. C-Moon
08. Let it Be
09. Let em' in
10. San Francisco Bay Blues
11. Midnight Special
12. Calico Skies
13. Dance Tonight
14. something
15. Bach Party Piece
16, Yesterday
17. Mull of Kintyre with accordian
18. Mull of Kintyre with the Scottish Highland Pipe Band
19. more work with band
20. partial run throughs of Mull of Kintyre
21. Final version of Mull of Kintyre

Set List London Show

CLICK on link for videos

01. Magical Mystery Tour
02. Drive my Car
03. Jet
04. Only Mama Knows
05. Flaming Pie
06. Got to Get you Into My Life
07. Let me roll it/ Foxy Lady
08. Highway
09. Long and Winding Road
10. (I Want to) Come Home
11. My Love
12. Blackbird
13. Here Today
14. Dance Tonight
15. And I Love Her
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Leaning on a Lampost/ Something
18. Mrs Vandebilt
19. Sing the Changes
20. Wonderful Christmastime
21. Band on the Run
22. Ob-la-di , Ob-la-da
23. Back in the USSR
24. I've Got a Feeling
25. Paperback Writer
26. A Day in a life/ Give Peace a Chance
27. Let It Be
28. Live and Let Die
29. Hey Jude

Encore 1
30. Day Tripper
31. Lady Madonna
32. Get Back

Encore 2
33. Yesterday
34. Helter Skelter
35. Mull of Kintyre feat Scottish Highland Bagpipe Band
36. Sgt Pepper Reprise/ The End
" Mull of Kintyre" :

Aerosmith 's Steven Tyler entering Rehab and NOT quitting Aero

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler has entered a rehab facility to treat an addiction to prescription painkillers.
“With the help of my family and team of medical professionals I am taking responsibility for the management of my pain and am eager to be back on the stage and in the recording studio with my bandmates Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford,” the singer said in an exclusive statement to Rolling Stone.
He added : “I wish to set the record straight and say that I have read reports of a rumored two-year hiatus and want to be clear that this is completely false and I will enthusiastically be writing, recording and performing with Aerosmith as soon as things are handled.”

To be continued on ...

PIL @ Brixton Academy Dec 21st 2009

John here in 2008 with the Pistols in Belgium

As there's nothing happening right now in Paris ( Didn't go to Marilyn Manson yesterday) I thought I could update the site with some shit comin' in from other countries everyday.
Here it is from my mate Ray's gigs from old London town:

John Lydon's Public Image Lted reformed to play a 2 shows including yesterday night's Brixton Academy show + Electric ballroom show tomorrow (Dec 23rd).

Only 3500 people out of 5000.
People with unused tickets for Brixton will gain entrance to the Electric Ballroom gigs which shows that this gig is far from being sold-out.

Line up :
John Lydon: Vocals, Lu Edmonds: guitars, Bruce Smith: Drums , Scott Firth: Bass.

Setlist :
Public Image / Careering / This Is Not a Love Song / Poptones / Albatross / Tie Me To The Length Of That / The Suit / Death Disco / Four Enclosed Walls / Flowers of Romance / Psychopath / Disappointed / Warrior / USLS 1 / Banging The Door / Chant / Bags / Memories / Annalisa / Religion / Encore : Sun / Rise /Open up.

Band onstage for 2h10 min

Here's a video from the show: "RISE":


In other news : Peter Doherty has been arrested for Heroin possession a couple of days ago in England.

Brittany Murphy 1977 - 2009 RIP

Sad to hear that young American actress Brittany Murphy was found dead (apparently of a heart attack ) this morning.
She played among many other movies in 8 Mile in 2002.

Marie Flore @ L' International Paris dec 20th 2009

Marie Flore @ L' International
Paris dec 20th 2009

The lovely Marie Flore

It's freezing outside ; only Marie Flore could get me out of my Home Sweet Home on this quiet sunday night.
I've seen her a few times in Paris opening for other artists ( Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell) or on her own @ La Fleche d' Or at the time when this club was beautifully decorated before the new land lord turned it into a black painted shit hole.
Still playing her quiet folk-rock heavyly influenced by Cat Power circa " You are free".
I'm sure she hates when people are saying this.
Her quiet and soft voice fitting perfectly with songs played on the semi-acoustic guitar and live homemade loops.
She played one new song , she has a new EP out now had a girl called Owlle as a guest on vocals for 3 songs and ended her 35 min+ set with a cover of the Pussycat Dolls (?!?) making this song her own.
Just hope that , one day , she wil play an Oliver Peel session in 2010.

& guest on vocals

And a few Pics from Paris before the gig

colonne Vendome & close up

different angles

Shop window Place Vendome

Them Crooked Vultures @ L' Album de la semaine Canal+ Paris Ze video

Here's a video from this private gig for canal+ in Paris ( dec 4th 2009):

http://www.canalplus.fr/c-musique/pid3301-c-concert-prive.html?vid=301066

Check our Pictures from the Rock en Seine festival of TCV ( click on link ).

John Frusciante no longer a Red Hot Chilli Pepper

There has been rumour for a couple of weeks but it's now official :

John Frusciante has confirmed his departure from Red Hot Chilli Peppers, revealing he quit the band over a year ago.

Here's John Frusciante official statement :

" When I quit the band, over a year ago, we were on an indefinite hiatus. There was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways.

To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction. Upon rejoining, and throughout my time in the band, I was very excited about exploring the musical possibilities inherent in a rock band, and doing so with those people in particular. A couple of years ago, I began to feel that same excitement again, but this time it was about making a different kind of music, alone, and being my own engineer.

I really love the band and what we did. I understand and value that my work with them means a lot to many people, but I have to follow my interests. For me, art has never been something done out of a sense of duty. It is something I do because it is really fun, exciting, and interesting. Over the last 12 years, I have changed, as a person and artist, to such a degree that to do further work along the lines I did with the band would be to go against my own nature. There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do.

Sending love and gratitude to you all."

Eric Clapton Steve Winwood European Tour 2010

CLAPTON/WINWOOD EUROPE 2010

Here in Bercy in May 2006

May 18 - Birmingham, UK - NEC
May 20 - London - Wembley Arena
May 23 - Antwerp, Belgium - SportPaleis

May 25 - Paris, France - Bercy

May 28 - Dusseldrof, Germany - Phillips Halle
May 29 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome Stadium
May 31 - Malmo, Sweden - Malmo Arena
June 2 - Berlin, Germany - 02 World
June 3 - Hamburg, Germany - Colorline Arena
June 5 - Munich, Germany- Konigsplatz
June 7 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
June 9 - Belgrade, Serbia - Arena
June 11 - Bucharest, Romania - Rugby Park
June 13 - Istanbul, Turkey - Santral Istanbul.

AC/DC Black Ice European summer Tour 2010

Here it is :
( To be Confirmed apart from French shows which are OFFICIAL )

Wels, Austria (Flugplatz Wels) May 22nd
Hannover, Germany (Hannover Messe) May 25th
Stuttgart, Germany (Cannstatter Wasen) Festival June 15th

Nice Parc des Sports June 15th 2010
Paris Stade de france June 18th 2010

Dresden, Germany (Festwiese Ostragehege) Festival June 20th ???

Berlin, Germany (Olympiastadion) June 22nd

Editors @ Bataclan Paris Dec 14th 2009

Editors @ Bataclan Paris
Dec 14th 2009

Sold out show for Editors , they will be back next @ The Olympia theatre.
We had a dinner with friends before the show so we get there pretty late , in fact we missed support bands Wintersleep , The Maccabees & the first 3 songs of Editors.
Yeah I know shame on us.
I hate to get at a gig when it's already started !!!

I've seen Editors several times in Paris , they've always been very good even though i'm not much of a fan of the style of music they're playing ( 80's English indie rock ).
I don't know why I like them a lot on stage and once again, shame on me, I never took the time to listen to ANY of their records.

The new record seems to be much more keyboard orientated 80's style ( which is something that I really hate ) but once again with Editors I like it.
I like the deep voice of the singer they don't do too much but in a very nice way.
Great to end 2009 with such a nice gig.

Well maybe Marilyn Manson on Dec 21st @ Zénith, don't know yet.
Or the acoustic show of the Kooks @ Scopitone on Dec 17th

Setlist & Lucky ( & beautiful ;-) winner

Reza & Laura Gibson @ Oliver Peel session # 14 Paris Dec 12th 2009

Reza & Laura Gibson @ Oliver Peel session # 14
Paris Dec 12th 2009

The audience

Oliver Peel session #14 and last session for 2009.
Lots of new faces in the audience this time with lots of American here to see Laura Gibson.
First on stage is french Folkman Reza , cool set, check his website to listen to his music , unfortunately I had to leave after a few songs to Canal+ to see the first ever show of Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Reza

I have also missed Laura Gibson's set, people told me she was great , her record has been in the top poll in lots of magazines.
Check Oliver Peel 's website and Flickr for more on this session.

The beautiful people part 1 feat Reza & Laura Gibson on the couch

Once again not everybody could fit in.
We also had the pleasure of seeing American folk lady Erica Buettner in the audience.

The beautiful people part 2 ( Erica is first row second from right )& Venus in Fur

Charlotte Gainsbourg @ L' Album de la Semaine Dec 12th 2009

Charlotte Gainsbourg @ L' Album de la Semaine
Paris Dec 12th 2009

Couldn't miss this one as it's the last Album de la Semaine for 2009 and it's the first ever show performed by Charlotte Gainsbourg.
I arrived there late as I was at an Oliver Peel session and I missed the first song of this gig (It was ok as she played it again at the end ).
Charlotte Gainsbourg released a couple of years ago a very good first album , the new single IRM from the new album sounds good but I'm not too sure if having Beck doing the music is a good idea, I'm not a fan of Beck's music.
Her ( very) soft voice suited the music perfectly for the first record but not really for the kind of music she's doing now.
Her voice is very weak and she doesn't seem to enjoy beeing on a stage.

It is not bad and I quite enjoy this gig but let's be honest and we are always honest here at ROCKERPARIS.
Without the name Gainsbourg she would have never been signed by a record Cie.
Let's also be fair that was her FIRST concert and she was probably scared to death.

Broadcasted on Dec 23rd on Canal+
Unfortunately Beck couldn't make it , he called sick ; they were supposed to play 2 songs together.
Next time ? ( Dec 14th @ Grand Journal ? )

setlist

Ps : Thanks to the Misterious man who provided us with the Pics as Patrice, our photographer forgot his camera at Oliver's.