Europe @ Cigale Paris Jan 20th 2010

Europe + Black Rain @ Cigale Paris

Jan 20th 2010

Black Rain

Sold-out show @ La Cigale for Swedish rocker Europe, I don't go to Hard-Rock very often now but it's good to meet some old friends.
French Glam rockers Black Rain are opening tonight , well... all the clichés from the LA Glam scene, 20 years I could agree with the music & Look but in 2010 it's so passé.
A couple of my mates like what they saw I did NOT.

First time I was seeing Europe on stage, I've always been told that they were great Live.
They were huge 20 years thanks to a couple of hit singles, they were mainstream, these days are long gone but they still can rock da house.

First thing you notice is that the sound is cristal clear so is Joey tempest 's voice. They haven't changed at all ( almost ) physically in 20 years, the girls love them.

John Norum is back on guitar he may have gain a bit of weight but he's still the Guitar Hero he was.
Europe was wellknown for their ballads and we had a couple of them tonight , well maybe three but they're really ROCKING .

Lots of guitar licks courtesy of John Norum and lots of ( well in fact not too much ) posing from singer & lady's darling Joey Tempest.

The band knows how to alternate rockier songs and ballads, the only low point, and it is very small, is that we had a useless keyboard solo, fortunately not too long, as an introduction to one song, apart from that the gig was really great.
Of Course they ended the set with their N°1 hit " The Final Countdown" (Here on video)

Guitar hero in action !

After seeing Depeche Mode yesterday @ Bercy ( see review below with Pics & video ) I would exchange ten shows of DM for one of Europe.

Keep rocking guys you're doing GREAT !!!

see ya Paris !

Setlist ( we've been cheated ) & Nice...haircut

Next shows in Paris:

Jan 25th:
Marie-Flore album party @ sunset club
Wolfmother @ bataclan
Jan 26th :
Hot Chip @ Black session
Jan 27th:
Exson valdez @ Fnac Champs Elysées 6:00PM
Jan 29th:
Fu Manchu @ trabendo

Depeche Mode @ Paris Bercy Jan 19th 2010

contact : irockinparis(@)yahoo(.)fr

Depeche Mode + Nitzer Ebb @ Paris Bercy
Jan 19th 2010

Depeche Mode is back in Paris for 2 sold-out shows in Paris Bercy ( capacity 17000) after playing the Stade de France in June or July 2009.
Opening band Nitzer Ebb was complete shit.

Then we had Depeche Mode, I Have to say I'm not a fan at all but I've seen them last time in Bercy and I quite enjoyed it.
Tonight is a bit different they started with a very slow song and... most of the show was like this , as if they were playing in slow motion.
One of the best atmosphere i've ever attended was @ Dave Gahan solo gig @ Zénith in Paris, tonight the audience seemed dead compare to this one.
Thankfully they've played a few hits ( The only songs I knew ).
Between good and average.

SETLIST:
▪ In Chains
▪ Wrong
▪ Hole To Feed
▪ Walking In My Shoes
▪ It's No Good
▪ A Question Of Time
▪ Precious
▪ World In My Eyes
▪ Insight
▪ Home
▪ Miles Away / The Truth Is
▪ Policy Of Truth
▪ In Your Room
▪ I Feel You
▪ Enjoy The Silence
▪ Never Let Me Down Again

See Ya tomorrow ( not for me ;-)

Watch Richard Ashcroft 's new video "Are you ready"

Richard @ RTL radio

Brand new video from the next solo album by Richard Ashcroft.

Click HERE to listen and watch

New Peter Doherty video from La Fleche d' Or. 3 songs

Time for heroes / Pipey Magraw / You Talk

Peter Doherty @ Fleche d' Or Paris Jan 18th 2010

Peter Doherty + Alan Corbel
@ Fleche d' Or Paris Jan 18th 2010

Alan Corbel

Get there around 7:30 PM doors were already opened, jeeezzz couldn't believe my eyes the queue is streching all along the block, pretty sure than 3/4 of the people queueing couldn't get in.

Hard to get in the venue as kids were pushing their way in & the security was strict and a bit rough at the door.
Anyway, French artist Alan Corbel opened the show , alone with his acoustic guitar, quite surprising there were lots of spaces at the back and on the sides of the pit , The promoter respected the capacity of the club and didn't crammed it in order to make more money.
Tickets were only 8 Euros ( with a drink ).

Time for a beer

Peter came on stage aroung 10:15 PM starting with " Can't stand me now" (Scroll down for the video).
He seemed a bit waysted as usual but didn't fucked it up at all. Songs were played (almost)one after another for the whole gig.
He didn't stop that much , only to sign a few autographs or smoking a cigarette, in fact several (Hey Man what about the no smoking policy ? )

He took time to take requests, reading a few lines from a book that a girl threw on stage as a present, giving away candies or wine and he gave numerous picks to the girls of the first row.

Lots of singing along from the audience in a cool and relax atmosphere, even though it seemed that it was pushing a bit down the front. Patrice , our photographer, this lucky bastard has found the perfect spot once again as he was seating on the side of the stage. ( see Pics )
No Encore Peter left the stage never to come back, he went afterwards for a drink at the hotel in front of the venue.

Great 90 min set from Pete

SETLIST : click on links for videos, more to come so stay tuned
Can’t Stand Me Now / There She Goes / Delivery / Beg Steal Or Borrow / For Lovers / Arcady / Time For Heroes / Pipey Magraw / You Talk / UnBiloTitled / What A Waster / Baddies Boogie / Music When the Lights Go Out / Bucket Shop / Salome / Sheepskin Tearaway / What Katie Did / Fuck Forever / Albion / You’re My Waterloo / Hooligans on E / Carry On Up the Morning / Last of the English Roses / New Love Grows on Tree / I Love You (But You’re Green)

Thanks to Candice & Madame Mime for the videos

Goodbye Lads !

1st song of the night :

Hear Marion Cotillard performing with Franz Ferdinand on " The Eyes of Mars" for Dior

To launch Dior's new fashion range French actress Marion Cotillard has teamed up with Franz Ferdinand.
The song is called " The Eyes of Mars" and you can listen to it by clicking on the song title.

Peter Doherty to play gig @ Fleche d' Or on monday Jan 18th

Pete @ Maroquinerie (left ) @ Bataclan ( right )

As it's been announced everywhere now:

Peter Doherty @ Fleche d' Or on Monday Jan 18th 2010

Check our previous Peter Doherty reviews with Pics & videos here :

• Zénith Oct 5th 2009,
• Bataclan March 9th ,
• Bataclan march 10th,
• Private double decker bus ride March 10th,
• Babyshambles secret gig @ neo Club March 12th,
• Secret gig @ Maroquinerie Nov 2008
• Babyshambles @ fete de l' humanité Sept 2008
• Secret gig @ Truskel June 2008
  

Emilie Simon + Pacovolume @ Casino de Paris Jan 16th 2010

Emile Simon + Pacovolume
@ Casino de Paris Paris Jan 16th 2010

First of two shows for Emilie Simon @ Casino de Paris , this one is sold-out.
French Support band Pacovolume is opening on the whole tour. They've probably listen to The Cars a lot , nice pop-rock 80's orientated on some songs , they've done a Kim Wylde 's cover " Kids in America".
Maybe the singer should work his English prononciation a bit more.

Pacovolume

After a long wait Emilie Simon greats the Casino de Paris, there's only one drummer on the left and a keyboard-bass player on the right, Emilie is center stage behind her keyboards for all the songs but two..

Her voice is stunning, it's really incredible how she now sounds like Kate Bush.
Lots of electronics on some songs, which is not really my cup of tea but she's so charming you don't notice it too much.
The music sounds a bit 80's even though it's modern and up to date.

You close your eyes and it's like being at a Kate Bush gig , we miss Kate so much, she should be back on a stage.

Setlist

22-20's reform , listen to a new song HERE

One of the best band of these last few years, unfortunately they have split after just releasing one FANTASTIC album full of blues rock in 2004.

22-20's is Back and a new album will be out in 2010.

Listen to a new song on their Myspace page.

Lou Reed's Metal Machine Trio in Paris in April

WHAT ?!?

Yeah baby , after performing his Metal Machine album in its entirety for a few shows last year, Lou Reed is coming to Paris @ La Cigale on April 21st as the Metal Machine Trio ( with Sart Alhoun & Ulrich Krieger).
Tickets between 56 & 78 Euros ?!?!!!
Who's gonna pay to hear that shit ?
Certainly lots of Inrockuptibles & Télérama cunt readers, and they're gonna LOOOVe it .

Metal Machine was done in 1975 to annoy and fullfill his contract with his record Cie but this record which consisted of only larsens and factory noises has become a cult album.
What to expect ?
This ... Hang on baby !

James Ellroy promoting " Underworld USA" @ Librairie page 189 in Paris Jan 15th 2010

James Ellroy signing session for " Underworld USA "
@ Librairie page 189 in Paris, Jan 15th 2010

6:00 PM just in time for the session, lots of people are already queueing outside the store and many more inside.
James Ellroy is on time , he's nice and chatty to everyone , 99% of the people here are buying his new book " Underworld USA".
he's nice to everyone and is always saying something funny.

It is to mention that you don't notice the people from the store or the PR as everything is going very smoothly.
It's a first as there is always in these circumstances a bitch trying to be the new Adolf hitler just to show she's the boss.
Not tonight.
As I'm leaving the store much more people are queueing outside than when I came in 30 min earlier. he's successful.

Jan 17th : James Ellroy @ Librairie Dante , 203 Rue de la convention Paris XV.
Jan 19th: @ Librairie Millepages, rue de Fontenay, Vincennes 6:30 PM

Please check date & time before going.

Here's a short video :