COLDPLAY + Albert Hammond Jr Paris Bercy Sept 9th 2008

NEW:
The Virgins will play " L'album de la semaine" Canal+ on Sept 15th
James Hunter same tv show on Sept 16th
http://www.myspace.com/jameshuntermusic
--For bookings call Bertrand on 01 55 93 40 48--
Metallica will do a interview live on Virgin radio today at 6pm ( they are recording Taratata tonight )

With its new record Coldplay is probably the biggest band of 2008, they've been N° 1 in more than 30 countries and they're playing in Paris for 2 Sold out nights @ Bercy ( 17 000 capacity ).
Albert Hammond Jr is opening , he's the guitar player of The Strokes .
The concert was very late as Albert hammond Jr started his set at 8:40 pm
He should go back with them as soon as he can as his gig was plain boring , his singing is monotonous and the songs are just average. I already saw him and it wasn't as boring as tonight.
What happened Albert ?

I'll upload a couple videos of Albert Hammond Jr tomorrow on Youtube ( link below ).

Then at 9:50 pm Coldplay came on stage , Live they 're much more exciting than on cd , they may only have 4 records but they have lots of hit songs. The singer is still funny to watch and the musicians could be easily replaced no one will noticed it. The stage is very simple with the cd cover as backdrop and then a big screen in the back . They've played a couple of songs on a small stage.
They've also played at the back of the venue and this time it wasn't on a proper stage but directly in the aisle in Bercy , first time i'm seeing this happen. Chris made an effort to speak an almost perfect french. Good point.
Funny how some songs are sounding like U2 , they even did like U2 when their drummer came up front to play some drums. Lots of confettis at the end ...
Enjoyable night.

SETLIST
Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Speed Of Sound
Cemeteries Of London
Chinese Sleep Chant
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (partial - techno version)
Talk (partial - techno version)
The Hardest Part (piano - Chris)
Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)
Viva La Vida
Lost!
The Scientist (acoustic)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will singing)
Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
-------
Politik
Reign Of Love
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends
-------
Yellow
The Escapist

( Sorry no pictures for this gig as Patrice Guino, our photographer, didn't take any, he just didn't care at all. )
See our review of the small show they've done in Paris for W9 TV in June here :
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/06/coldplay-w9-tv-show-jun-19th.html

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.

Bruce's bootleg from the Parc des Princes

A friend of mine just send me this :
this is the cover of Bruce Springsteen's bootleg @ Parc des Princes
they took Patrice Guino 's photos for their cover .
"Bastards" was his only answer .
But i know that deep down inside he's very proud. ;-)))
Just check his pictures from the very same gig on this site :
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/06/bruce-springsteen-e-street-band-paris.html

STRAY CATS Paris Zénith Sept 4th 2008

Stray Cats are playing the Zénith for their farewell tour ( so they say ) . Once again prices are silly , up to 65 euros . It's 80 % full up but it's a " small zénith " so there are around 3500 rockers tonight .
The evening started badly as i had trouble getting my tix so i've missed the first 2 songs as the band started at 9 pm sharp .
As always with rockers , they are trying to play the tough guys maybe to impress their ugly girlfriend, so don't push any of them or they would give you their meanest look.
On stage things are getting ok even if it seems that the band is playing in slow motion .
Where's their anger they're on auto-pilot.

Slim Jim Phantom is on the left with his traditionnal drum kit , Lee Rocker on the right and Brian Setzer dead center. They alternate their Hits with more obscure songs ( " sweet Gene Vincent" a cover of Ian Dury ). The audience is relax, maybe too much ( but not for long ) and on stage things are going smoothly, way too smoothly...
Should it be like this at a Stray Cats gig ?
What's missing on stage the audience will give it but not the right way ...
Unfortunately 75 min into the gig after playing the first encore ( already ? ) " I fought the law" some stupid fucker threw what appears to be a knife on stage ,Brian has warned people not to throw any shit on stage earlier, the whole band decided to leave the stage for good .
What a shame that their last show in Paris ended up like this.
They fought the law and the law won , tonight they fought Paris and Paris won

Here's the official statement on Brian setzer's website :

"A regrettable note from the road:
During last night's Stray Cats performance in Paris, France, what
appeared to be a switchblade knife was thrown onstage late in the show. Brian was struck in the hand by the object. Although he was quite shaken but not seriously injured by this act of complete stupidity, he tried to carry on and complete all of the songs that the Cats had intended to perform. This incident and the fear that the next item thrown may have seriously injured himself, Slim Jim Phantom or Lee Rocker made continuing the show impossible.

Because of the dangerous actions of 1 spectator, the sold-out crowd was robbed of a full program. 5999 people came out to have fun and celebrate the last Stray Cats show in Paris and 1 nutter tarnished what could have been an incredible memory for all who filled the Zenith. Thankfully, Brian's hand was only bruised and at last report, he will be fine. Had that blade taken another path, we may have been reporting a much different situation. Thankfully we are not."

Go Cat Go !!!

SETLIST: ( Courtesy of http://www.straycats.com/ )
RUMBLE IN BRIGHTON
7 NIGHTS TO ROCK
DOUBLE TALKIN’ BABY
SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH MY RADIO
CRY BABY
LUST N’ LOVE
STRAY CAT STRUT
RUNAWAY BOYS
SEXY + 17
GENE & EDDIE
GINA
SWEET GENE VINCENT
BLAST OFF
BRING IT BACK AGAIN
FISHNET STOCKINGS
ROCK THIS TOWN
-------------------------
I FOUGHT THE LAW

Check Patrice Guino 's picture to illustrate Paris' gig on the official brian setzer's website : http://www.briansetzer.com/CATSEURO2008/paris.html

On Sept 5th Keziah Jones is playing a show ( before the one tomorow in the tube ) @ The Centre Pompidou in Paris for a radio show . Free entrance first come first serve . Show start 7:15 pm .

Keziah Jones Metro Montparnasse- Bienvenue Sept 4th 2008

In a corridor metro Montparnasse-Bienvenue

Another show from Keziah Jones in the parisian tube , the third one this week , this time in Montparnasse .
I though he would change of style for every gig, that was advertised like this : one concert blues , one nusoul , one afrobeat and one funk .
In fact he's playing his trademark blue-funk each time on his own and acoustic .
So quite the same gig as yesterday , he played 9 songs for a good 30 min including his hit " rythm is love"; He ended the set with " Beautiful Emily ".
So good set but seen yesterday.

But this time , as opposed to yesterday where the gig took place in a hall for 200 or 300 people , he played in a fucking corridor , which means that if you were not in the firsts rows you couldn't see anything. Which is a real shame as it was packed and many people didn't see anything at all.
Of course our photographer ( Guino Patrice )managed to get , once more , down the front for you to enjoy his pictures and videos
Rock on Baby ...

Video " rythm is love "


For anyone interested The Stooges will play tonight around 9:30 pm at the Showcase.

KEZIAH JONES ( + Rene Miller ) Metro Olympiades Paris Sept 3rd 2008

Keziah Jones

Keziah Jones is back in the tube ( where he was discovered a few years ago ) for a second private show this week .
He already played on Sept 1st at the station Miromesnil for a mere 20 min. Very good marketing to promote his new cd as it was all over the news in France .
He will play two other gigs in the tube this week in other secret tube stations that will be revealed on the day to only a happy few.
For this second gig we have a very nice blues band opening RENE MILLER . They started around 3:00 pm as the station was getting more and more crowdy; They've played for a good forty min.

Rene Miller

Acoustic blues with a steel guitar and a very good harmonica player ( David Chalumeau ).
Videos here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
Check them here :
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=133097989
Very nice introduction To Keziah Jones .
Now it's packed . For each of his 4 concerts he will play a different style of music , for this one it's his trademark bluefunk .

A solo acoustic set of his new songs with a couple of oldies thrown in including his smash hit song and last one for this afternoon "Rythm is love" .
With his shiny smile , his incredible way of playing the guitar and his songs, of course, he just played to an already conquered audience .
Very good 30 min plus afternoon show .

Here is one song :

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

Tomorrow , There will be a private listening party ( only open to journalists ) to have a taste of
THE NEW AC/DC : " Black ice ".

Hope i'll be able to get there as it's gonna be busy tomorrow , The Fuckin' STOOGES are playing a private show in a club and The Stray Cats are playing the Zénith.
Hard to choose i'll try both ;-)))

Next KEZIAH JONES SECRET GIGS ON SEPT 4th and SEPT 6th ( all 3 PM ) in the tube.

If you wanna contact us , it's here :
irockinparis@yahoo.fr

Metallica will be in Paris on Sept 10th to play 3 songs at french tv show "Taratata" ( a french Jools Holland ). They should do another tv show " Le grand Journal " for Canal+ for a interview .
Speaking of Metallica the album has been sold by mistake in Paris' record shop Gibert Jeune in Saint Michel on Sept 2nd ( instead of Sept 12th ) . You should know about it if you're a Metallica fan , it's been all over the news . Only 50 copies have been sold.

Black Kids will do a private gig for french tv show " L' album de la semaine " on Canal+ on sept 9th

Here's a link for more pictures of Keziah Jones @ Olympiades :
http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/portfolio/2008/09/03/keziah-jones-de-retour-dans-le-metro-parisien_1091194_3246.html#ens_id=1091209

Ravi Shankar ( a lesson with ... ) Salle Pleyel Paris Sept 2nd 2008

Ravi Shankar is in Paris for what is supposed to be his last ever european shows. He's with his daughter Anoushka .
He played a "normal" concert @ la salle Pleyel yesterday which i couldn't go to .
But tonight is different , this is a Master Class with the Master of indian music in the very same theatre.
Of course, both shows are Sold Out because it's probably the last time ever that a french audience will have the pleasure to hear such a gifted musician.
For the people who don't know him , he's a sitar player from India , as a kid he was a dancer ( he first came in Paris in 1933 ) and then turn to the sitar .
He's wellknown in western countries for playing the Monterey & Woodstock festivals and for co-organising "the concert for Bangladesh" in 1971 with Beatles' George Harrison.
He's also the father of Norah Jones( yes , the one ).
I really did not know what to expect tonight. First he started talking about his life then about indian music ( what it is, where it comes from , how you play it , the different rhythms and so on ... ) I thought he would never stop . You can't imagine how complicated this music is .
After a good hour , we still haven't listen to a single note of music. He started introducing each instrument ( tabla , flute ... ) with a demonstration of each instrument by each musician ... at last.
The end was more interesting with a real song played while Ravi was leading on vocals.
Sad he didn't play at all sitar . As you can guess you really have to be into Indian music to fully appreciate this Master Class ( which is not my case ).
Nevertheless on our way home we felt that we have lived a very special event in the company of such a great player who popularized Indian music in western countries , the kind of event that only happens once in your life.
I only wish i was there yesterday to hear him play.
Olivia Harrison widow from Beatles' George Harrison was there Backstage .
Last song from the Master Class :

ROCK EN SEINE 2 : The Raconteurs, Kate Nash , The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Scars on Broadway, Jamie Lidell , Brooklyn & Amy Winehouse ... NOT

Once again i'm late today, i'm on the site and Jamie Lidell is already playing, considering what he's playing i though that he would play with a funk band instead he's playing on his computer some electronic shit and " singing some 'OOh' and 'aaahh' and ' Iiiih' à la Michael jackson .
Complete crap

Jamie Lidell

So we go to the main stage to catch the performance of Scars on Broadway with former System of a Down musicians.As the festival is running late i don't miss anything. Nice introduction as the first world he is saying is "Motherfucker".
They're a light version of System of a Down. Good but after 45 min that's enough and i don't want to miss ...

Scars on Broadway

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion , well the name says it all it's a BLUES EXPLOSION. Jon Spencer is a real showman, the music is kicking ass . And it's chaos in the pit.
Great set

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Small detour to the third stage to see French band Brooklyn , they sound OK but Kate Nash is about to start her gig on the second stage :

Brooklyn

I've heard a lot about Kate Nash but it's the first time i see her live, her music is not really my cup of tea even if the single is quit funny. She seems a bit tired, she probably has a cold , her roadie is bringing her a inhaler. Nice set but nothing special.
Once again our photographer Patrice Guino manage to go on stage.
Live video here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
I have to leave before the end to see the Raconteurs on the main stage , they already played the Rock en seine and they were terrific.

Kate Nash on piano (left) and levitating to her music ( right)

Kate Nash on Guitars

Everybody seems to be here, it's really crowdy or maybe is everyone turning up soon to secure a good "seat" for Amy Whinehouse.
No need to waste some time , paper , saliva what-the-fuck-you-want.
THEY WERE FUCKING BRILLIANT , AWESOME , TERRIFIC .

They're blues country rock is kicking ass. The wildness of Jack White and the coolness of Brendan Benson works perfectly on stage. It's so sad that they can't match it on record.
The Raconteurs is a band to see LIVE , just forget about the cd on which they're so disappointing.
Jack is dedicating a song to Amy Winehouse " who can't be here tonight " of course we take it as a joke. Nobody knows for the moment that Amy won't play.
The encore (3 songs) is smashing .
Best performance of the whole Festival.

Brandon Benson & Jack white

The Raconteurs ...

...in action !

Goodbye Miss Flower

Setlist : ( courtesy of www.whitestripes.fr )
consolers of the lonely
hold up
level
hands
you don't understand me
top yourself
old enough
Keep It Clean (Charley Jordan Cover)
steady as she goes
rich kids blues
together
Many shades of black
the swith and the spur
(encore)
salute your solution
broken boy soldier
carolina drama

It's 9:30 PM and Salomon the promoter is making an announcement :
" We're very sorry but Amy Winehouse can't perform tonight just go to the festival website for some compensation" No explanations given
That BITCH she did it once again, last year she cancelled her show a week before.
Can someone slap that Bitch !!!

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion :

Check also Kate Nash live here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

ROCK EN SEINE 1 : REM, Dirty Pretty Things,Kaiser Chiefs , Serj Tankian

Review and videos below:

Serj Tankian

Back from the Rock en Seine near Paris , the weather's perfect : cloudy and not to hot. We arrive in this beautiful parc quite late , not too many bands that i dig this year.
We're getting close to the main stage to see Serj Takian , the leader from System of a Down, easy to get down the front as he's far from attracting people not their cup of tea. it's sad because his pop-heavy metal is quite interesting and he has a sense of humour covering ABBA .
Live video here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis
We're leaving before the end to go to the secong stage for Dirty Pretty Things.

Dirty Pretty Things

They have a new cd to promote and Carl's band is very popular in france. Things are getting serious here and it's very crowdy. Lots of young girls praying the Libertines down here. Of course Patrice Guino, our photographer, with all his contacts could manage to get on the stage for their performance ( hope you like the pictures and see his exclusive live recordings here or on our Youtube account , link below ). Well i saw them many times live and i'm not a fan , their rock on stage but they're missing some really good tunes. they're not very tight but they're giving it all on a stage. Enjoyable anyway but it could be better.
Live videos here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Kaiser Chiefs

Kaiser Chiefs is already playing as we're getting back to the main stage, twice more people here than for Serj Takian. Hard to find our way down the front as it's impossible to move. They play all their hits plus a few new numbers, the new cd should be good. The singer knows how to treat an audience.They're tight and their songs are fantastic .
Absolutely Great set. This band is getting better and better and they fuckin' deserve it.
Next is Tricky on the second stage, we had a quick look but as we're not fans we prefer to have a walk instead and go to the main stage for REM.

REM

Last time i saw them a few months ago was at Canal+ for a tv show in front of 200 people. They did a great set for 90 min ( longer than the gig they played the day after at the RAH in London ). I've always found them a bit boring apart from a couple of songs, not rock enough for me until their last cd which really rocks.
For this tour they are back to the basics, They ROCK and that's what we like. Michael is still funny to watch. REM alternates some rock tunes with pop songs ( they're biggest hits ). Like Kaiser Chiefs they're getting better and better .
The highlight of the Festival so far.
See our video of Michael Stipe shakings hands with the audience on Youtube for " losing my religion"( link below ).
Live video here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis

Setlist REM:
Bad Day
Living Well Is The Best Revenge
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Drive
Man-Sized Wreath
The Great Beyond
Ignoreland
Hollow Man
Electrolite
Imitation Of Life
I’m Gonna DJ
The One I Love
Fall On Me
Let Me In
Horse To Water
Orange Crush
It's The End Of The World As We Know It
-------------------------------------
Supernatural Superserious
Losing My Religion
Man On The Moon

Exclusive live recording ON the stage by Patrice Guino ( you did it mate ! )

The Dirty Pretty Things live @ Rock en Seine :

More videos from the Rock en Seine here :
http://fr.youtube.com/user/rockingparis