Black Kids "C'est Lenoir" Black Session Paris Sept 8th 2008

I' m just back from the first Black Session on France Inter since the end of June.
Tonight it's the up and coming Black Kids from Florida.
Rolling Stone called them one of ten "Artists to Watch" in 2008.
Well let's see...
I listen to their music this afternoon and they sound a bit like the Brasilians' CSS , a pop dance band with a Robert Smith-like singer.
As always at the Black Sessions conditions are perfect , bands are playing live in a studio and the audience is sitting in stalls like in a movie theatre and the seats are very confortable.
Not the best way to headbang or dance but hey , i' m getting old ...
The Black kids are 5 ( drums , bass , singer-guitarist and 2 girls playing keyboards ) and are playing a mix of pop-rock-dance, which is normally not my cup of tea ( One of my worst concerts was The Rapture who are playing the same shit )
Well live they're ok but their songs are too similar to me. It's like CSS without the fun even though the 2 girls on keys add a little something.
Black Kids will be back in November for the Inrockuptibles Festival .
Check by yourself :
http://www.myspace.com/blackkidsrock

and here's a video from the Black session :

What's next ... Black Kids, Coldplay, Metallica ...

Next shows in Paris ( some promotional ) :
08 Sept : Black kids "C'est Lenoir" 's Black session Radio show. ( 50 min showcase ) *
09 sept : Black Kids "Album de la semaine" for french TV Canal+ ( 50 min showcase )
09 Sept : Coldplay @ Bercy *
10 Sept : Coldplay @ Bercy
10 Sept : METALLICA ( 3 songs live ) + the Infadels + others . Recording for Taratata. *
11 Sept : Jamie Lidell, Shirleen Spiteri, estelle + others . recording for Taratata , a french Jools Holland Tv show.
12 Sept : Roger Hodgson + Carla Bruni + Katty Perry+ others . Taratata recording
ALL THESE SHOWS ABOVE ARE SOLD OUT
12 Sept : NERD + others Fete de L' Humanité
13 sept : Babyshambles + Roger Hodgson ( ex- Supertramp )+ others Fete de l' Humanité *
20 & 21 Sept : Madonna @ Stade de France *
22 Sept :Bryan Adams @ Zénith *
22 & 23 Sept Divine Comedy Cité de la musique Paris *
24 Sept : QUEEN + Paul Rodgers @ Bercy *
26 & 27 Sept : Killing Joke @ Trabendo
26 Sept : Elliott Murphy @ Paris' 6th district Town Hall ( free show )*
28 Sept : STEVIE WONDER @ Bercy ( sold out )*
I will go to all shows with a * ( maybe more )
So come back for reviews ...

KEZIAH JONES Metro Auber Paris Sept 6th 2008

Metro Auber

Last show for Keziah Jones @ station Auber.
Complete success for this parisian tour of the tube stations .
4 shows ( Metro Miromesnil , Olympiades , Montparnasse and Auber ) each time many journalists , cameramen and photographers for maximum publicity .
The record company did a good job ( for once ) it was all over the news and open to general public which doesn't happen very often when an artist is doing a showcase to promote a new record . Well... it was a limited access , " for security reasons"; 15000 people registered and less than a 100 people were contacted to be revealed the secret location of each gig. But ,Hey everybody has a cellphone now .
Nice week for me as i've been to 3 out of 4 shows ( didn't go at the first one but he only played for 20 min ), plus a radio recording yesterday ( he played 4 songs plus interview )

This afternoon it's party @ Auber , Keziah is playing with his band ( one bass plus Drums ) and its the biggest of all 4 shows ( around 400 people ) and it's a ( almost ) center stage with people all around.
Instead of the acoustic gig it's a more Hendrix-like gig , the guitar is screaming with a couple of technical problems but anyway that's Rock'n Roll , it can't be perfect .
Very lively atmosphere with fans , small kids and family and people who just happened to be at the right place at the right moment.
He played 9 songs , 40 min .
the best of all 4 shows .

Here's a video :

The Rascals Fleche d' Or Paris Sept 5th 2008

Hi there
Free concert tonight @ Fleche d' Or in Paris.
With all the buzz around the Last Shadow Puppets, i could guarantee a packed house and so it was.
Many people here including lots of record companies employees . Everyone wants to see Miles Kane band .
Two openings bands before the main attraction , they were Ok .
The Rascals are a bit different from the LSP but the 60's remain in their music and they are more rock which suits me fine.
Even tough the band is quit young they're very tight , Miles is very cool on stage talking to people , drinking some red wine ( so english ! ) and basically just having fun .
The gig was short but intense
i can see a bright future for The Rascals , hope the cd will match their gigs .

Some of the songs played : Rascalize, Out of dreams , Bond girl , wicked ways (new song ), Fear invicted to the ... , freakbeat phantom ...

Including one new song they have never played before, well that's what he said ...

Keziah Jones "Beaubourg Center" Paris Sept 05 2008

Keziah Jones is very, very busy man this week with his 4 concerts in the parisian tube ( he's playing one tomorrow afternoon in a secret location ) plus the press and radios to promote his new cd .
This evening he's playing @ Beaubourg ( or Centre George Pompidou ) well , that's what 's been advertised , many people expected a real concert , in fact he's just playing 3 songs plus interview for radio France Culture .
After enduring an hour of political talks about the so called contracts for the next 20 years between Italy and Libya.
Keziah Jones is finally showing up his hat and his guitar for a ( very ) short set of 3 songs live on air sandwiched between interviews, plus one extra for the crowd his hit song " rythm is love ".
Enjoyable evening . even tough it was short.

Both sides ...

Video from his performance for France Culture :

More here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Now i've got to rush to the Flèche d' Or to see The Rascals.