B 52 ' S PARIS BATACLAN JULY 18th 2008

Time for some nice electronic pop-rock with the B52s just after the Funky stuff from Bootsy Collins and the JBs.
The B52s haven't been in Paris for many years so the Hot & Sweaty Bataclan is SOLD-OUT.
Their music is not really my cup of tea, even if i liked a couple of their hit songs, but i 've been told that they were entertaining on stage.
And YES they were ENTERTAINING, their pop-rock sounds really good on stage , the feminine harmonies of both female singers Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson are working perfectly in live conditions. The singer Fred Schneider ( you know the one with the weird voice ) is quiet funny to watch .
OK the music is not fantastic ( i mean not all of it ) but the 3 leaders down the front know how to put on a show , they're having fun and we're having fun .
Note : Monster drummer Sterling Campbell was behind the drum kit ( He's David Bowie's ).

So a very enjoyable night after all ...

Videos online, their single" Funplex " here : http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
and " Planet Claire" :

BOOTSY COLLINS Tribute to James Brown Paris Bataclan July 16th

Bootsy Collins & The Hardest Working Band Featuring, The Original JB Rhythm Section & Tony Wilson.

With Vicki Anderson , Martha High & Tomi Rae Brown

NEW ONLINE VIDEO (updated July 18th ) "Maybe the last time" here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

All pictures are from our mate PATRICE GUINO. He's da man...

Show started with House Band playing some JB covers.

Vicki Anderson

Soul Sister Vicki Anderson ( among all the girls James Brown had as backing vocalists she was his favorite singer ) sang " message to the soul sisters" .

Mr Brown' s in Da House / MC Danny Ray at work

Then MC Danny Ray introduced Tony Wilson. He's a fantastic singer and dancer , it's like having a young James Brown in front of you , pretty amazing ...

Tony" Young James "wilson & The Funky Divas United

Tomi Rae Brown ( James Brown former wife and Backing Vocalist ) sang a couple of tunes too.

Tomi Rae Brown

Tony Wilson came back for more funky stuff ... before Bootsy Collins left his bass guitar to introduced every musicians and the Funky Divas.

Bootsy Da MC...

...introducing everyone ( Clyde & Jabo )

Da Collins Bros French kissin' ( right )

Funky Divas Martha High and Vicki Anderson

Things are gettin' hot between Tony Wilson & Patti ( left )

Nice Hat Bootsy ! Sorry Honey ;-)

Tony Wilson gave us some more ... ( see video " please please please " )

Bootsy Collins ended the show on vocals with "get up, get into, get involved " and with a 15 min long fantastic rendition of " We want the Funk " , he walked out in the audience which went nuts.
That was it, once again A FUNKY GOOD NIGHT !!!

Bootsy on his way home ...

"Please please please " :


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

contact : irockinparis@yahoo.fr

EUMIR DEODATO Paris New Morning July 15th 2008

Bootsy 's getting ready for James Brown's tribute show tomorrow @ Bataclan

Percussionist extraordinaire Gerardo Velez

Hi there .
A few pics from Eumir Deodato ( © Guino Patrice ) yesterday at the New Morning plus
BOOTSY COLLINS arriving at the Studio Bleu nextdoor for the rehearsals for tonight's gig at the Bataclan .
Danny Ray , James Brown's MC was there too, i didn't the others but they were there ( He was in Paris with Tony Cook for a concert in June , see review on this site ).

EUMIR DEODATO if you don't know him , is a pianist from Brasil who produced and arranged albums from people as diverse as Franck Sinatra , Kool & the Gang , KD Lang , Bjork...
He released many movie soundtracks and his own Jazz /pop - crossover records .
Eumir was here, in the very same club, last year and it's with great pleasure that we welcome him back. Tonight he has a expanded band, mostly all italians, including 2 brass players and a fantastic american percussionist ( making the show ) who played with Jimy Hendrix at woodstock.
The music, a combination of Jazz rock fusion is lively and the atmosphere is hot. Some of his best songs are performed (" Superstrut" , "Rhapsody in Blue " , "Skyscrapers " and the super "Also Sprach Zarathustra" ). Someone from the audience even exchanged his shirt with Eumir who's very communicative with the frenchies ; he speaks fluent french .
Most of the songs are extended to the max ( from 10 to 15 min )with soli from the musicians .
The show ended with a cool rendition of Steely Dan's " Do it again" .
Very good night indeed

.
Deodato here with a fan

Here's a video " do it again " ( first part ):

New Iron Maiden video from Bercy

UPDATED JULY 14 th NEW VIDEO ONLINE
" The Number of the Beast "
Here : http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

PAUL SIMON Paris July 11th 2008

ZZ TOP : UPDATED JULY 13th WITH NEW FANTASTIC PICS

NEW VIDEOS ONLINE (updated July 13th) :

PAUL SIMON ' s "Sound of silence" here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

New Brian Jonestown Massacre video ( same link )

Otherwise Paul Simon was playing the Palais des Sports yesterday and it was ...
sooo boring.
First : tickets were once again ridiculously expensive ( up to a 100 euros ).
Second : it was half empty.
I mean really boring ;-((( even Simon & Garfunkel songs were played sooo slooow i though i was going to sleep.
Paul ' got a guitar but barely plays it at all.
A couple of songs in the middle section were ok and people started rushing to the front to dance and were stopped by security. Once again people can't enjoy a show, they have to remain seated. FUCK THAT. It's a concert for christ's sake .
Both encores were really good and lively ( at last ).

Headbanging forbidden tonight , standing up too !

"Sound of silence" here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Here's a video from the encore : " still crazy after all this years " ( nda ?!? )

ZZ TOP Paris Zénith July 10th 2008

UPDATED JULY 12TH WITH SETLIST & NEW PICTURES :

So many people are playing in Paris this June. after Kiss and Iron Maiden another Classic Rock act is in town : ZZ TOPTickets are once again very expensive ( 55 to 80 euros )but the zénith is quiet full.
Can't remember last time i saw them , They haven't been in Paris for a while , their popularity after a couple of average records went downhill here . They haven't released any cd for a few years but who wants to hear any new material . Tonight they're gonna give what people want : Classic songs. So Rock on Baby !!!

Sharp dressed men

" Got me under pressure " started the gig like some nytro would do to a hot rod engine and then we were treated with classics and only classics . ( setlist to come soon ... )
The sound is clear , the stage is neat and the lightshow is absolutely stunning. some people might argue that they're playing on auto-pilot but even then they're kicking ass .
Of course they've changed their guitars several times ( see pictures ) that's their trademark .
So sad that only after 80 min they're leaving the stage for the first time ( ZZ Top has never played long sets ) ." Tush" had everyone, not convinced yet, on their knees and a rare second encore is played with " Jailhouse rock " the Coup de Grace.

Rock On Baby !!!

SETLIST:

Got Me Under Pressure, Waiting for the Bus, Jesus Left Chicago, Chevrolet, Pincushion, I'm Bad I'm Nationwide, Heard It On The X, Just Got Paid, I Need You Tonight, Cheap Sunglasses, Planet of Women, Gimme All Your Lovin, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, Tube Snake Boogie, La Grange/Sloppy Drunk/Bar-B-Q, Tush, Jailhouse Rock.