The Brian Jonestown Massacre @ L'Album de la Semaine, Paris June 03 2014

The Brian Jonestown Massacre @ L'Album de la Semaine, Paris June 03 2014

Promoting new album

It's been a long time since we last saw the Brian Jonestown massacre, in 2008 @ Bataclan and by reading our review, we were less than impressed by their concert.

Anton was in Paris a few weeks ago to play a radio show but it was acoustic with just one additional guitar player.

The band has a new album out and as we couldn't see them at their sold-out concert @ Bataclan on May 21st, Jimmy Page was in town, we're glad to finally see them on a stage.

Lots of musicians, the usual drummer and bass player, two guitar players plus Anton (making it three), a keyboard player and legendary Joel Gion (Picture above) on tambourine and occasionally  backing vocals.

First thing we notice , the sound is crystal clear and we can hear each musician very distinctly, far from the fuzzy sound they used to have, for the better... Songs have a  very 60's psychedelic sound, we all know that, but from time to time it makes me think of The Cure...but for one song that is very Arthur Lee's-"Lovised".

Only 7 songs but one of the best gigs I've seen this year.

Archives:

BJM @ "Live Me Do" radio show for France Inter on April 09 2014
@ Bataclan in 2008

Prince @ Zénith, Paris, show n° 2 , June 01 2014

Prince @ Zénith, Paris, show n° 2 , June 01 2014

SORRY: no pictures FOR THIS ONE WE'VE BEEN TOLD TO ERASE ALL PICTURES FROM THIS SHOW !!!

Here's our review of the first show:

 Prince never do the same as other musicians, he's the only who can announce playing two shows the same day into a 6000 seats concert hall less than two weeks before the D Day.
Everybody was expecting a nightmare to get tickets with prices ranging from 70 euros for the pit to 140 euros for the best seats in the house.
Standing tickets were quickly sold-out but you could still buy the, supposed,  best seats "Cat 1" on the day.
Some many people were selling tickets outside the Zénith that you could easily get one, whatever the category, for a mere 30 euros.
Inside you can feel the excitation of the audience when the house light is off with Prince appearing behind his mike-Love Symbol-stand and guitar in hand for a rock rendition of "Let's go crazy".
His afro gives him a funny look surrounded by his all girl band 3RDEYEGIRL, probably not the best band he has played with but the girls are sexy.
Tonight is a best of concert with all the Hits, I guess he's promoting the newly remastered back catalogue albums to be out soon. I haven't seen Prince so many times on stage but it's the first time that I see him playing so many of his Hit songs in one show. For me that's all right even though hard-core fans would prefer more obscure songs. Sometimes it's nice to hear the Hits.
The show is divided in several parts: He's Rock with lots of guitars and Prince is kicking ass when he's on the 6-strings. Dance: with a sampler-medley part, that is less interesting... Lover when he's playing the piano but whatever he's doing it's always Funky.
We're all a bit disappointed when he's leaving the stage for the first Encore after just 60 min. He's back for 25 min more ending his set with "Purple rain".
85 min in all, even though the show was kicking ass, many felt cheated..

2nd show mainly the same (see setlist for details) but after the first Encore no one in the audience wants to leave the premises and the audience is asking for more, it's electric...
And the Prince is back... several times: 3 encores in all. We have an extra hour, the audience is wild and a bit sorry for the one who only could attend the first show.

SETLIST: (from Prince Vault)

Let's Go Crazy (incl. Frankenstein interpolation )
Take Me With U    
Raspberry Beret    
U Got The Look     (incl. I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me) (instrumental )    
Cool    ( incl. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough interpolation  )  

 
[Sampler Set]          
When Doves Cry     .       
Sign O' The Times     .    .
Housequake     .   
I Would Die 4 U     .   
Hot Thing     .    
Controversy (incl. Love Rollercoaster (instrumental) interpolation)        
1999     .   
Little Red Corvette      
Nothing Compares 2 U   
Kiss

    .   
[Piano set]        
Diamonds And Pearls    

The Beautiful Ones    

How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore     

Empty Room       
Purple Rain
    .   
She's Always In My Hair     .   
Funknroll     .   
Play That Funky Music    
.   
Stratus     (incl. The Sailor's Hornpipe intro  )  
What's My Name    ( incl. The Sacrifice Of Victor lyrics )    

Sometimes It Snows In April

Great night out with Prince for Rockerparis with two shows.

I guess we're lucky bastards as we were a few years ago @ La Cigale & @ New Morning club show

Prince, concert n°1 @ Zénith, Paris June 01st 2014

Prince, concert n°1, 6:00 pm @ Zénith, Paris June 01st 2014

Sorry no Pictures for this one we've been told to erase all pictures

Prince never do the same as other musicians, he's the only who can announce playing two shows the same day into a 6000 seats concert hall less than two weeks before the D Day.
Everybody was expecting a nightmare to get tickets with prices ranging from 70 euros for the pit to 140 euros for the best seats in the house.
Standing tickets were quickly sold-out but you could still buy the, supposed,  best seats "Cat 1" on the day.
Some many people were selling tickets outside the Zénith that you could easily get one, whatever the category, for a mere 30 euros.
Inside you can feel the excitation of the audience when the house light is off with Prince appearing behind his mike-Love Symbol-stand and guitar in hand for a rock rendition of "Let's go crazy".
His afro gives him a funny look surrounded by his all girl band 3RDEYEGIRL, probably not the best band he has played with but the girls are sexy.
Tonight is a best of concert with all the Hits, I guess he's promoting the newly remastered back catalogue albums to be out soon. I haven't seen Prince so many times on stage but it's the first time that I see him playing so many of his Hit songs in one show. For me that's all right even though hard-core fans would prefer more obscure songs. Sometimes it's nice to hear the Hits.
The show is divided in several parts: He's Rock with lots of guitars and Prince is kicking ass when he's on the 6-strings. Dance: with a sampler-medley part, that is less interesting... Lover when he's playing the piano but whatever he's doing it's always Funky.
We're all a bit disappointed when he's leaving the stage for the first Encore after just 60 min. He's back for 25 min more ending his set with "Purple rain".
85 min in all, even though the show was kicking ass, many felt cheated...

SETLIST:

Let's Go Crazy
Take Me With U
Raspberry Beret
U Got the Look
Musicology
Kiss
When Doves Cry
Sign “O” the Times
Hot Thing
Controversy
1999
Little Red Corvette
Nothing Compares 2 U
Encore:
Guitar
Plectrum Electrum
FixUrLifeUp
Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)
Purple Rain

We Love Green Festival with CAT POWER @ Parc de Bagatelle, Paris May 31

We Love Green Festival with CAT POWER @ Parc de Bagatelle, Paris May 31

 

Saturday is sold-out for the very bourgeois festival in the Bois de Boulogne, It's even more posh than the Rock en Seine Festival with lots of beautiful girls in their late teens dressed up for the occasion.
We arrived on the site around 5:30 pm, Chan was playing @ 6:10pm.
Never seen so many people at this Festival, it used to be relaxed but not that much anymore, hard to believe it's sold-out considering the bill, apart from Cat Power there's nothing really interesting evn though London Grammar is allright and the singer's cute.

Cat Power solo on guitar or piano

Was a bit scared for Chan Marshall before the show,  alone on this huge stage in daylight at a Festival, It could have been a nightmare for her. In fact it wasn't.

You could hear a pin drop while she was playing.
Everybody, I Mean EVERYBODY listened to the music religiously...
As usual she seemed a bit freil and on the edge but she did a very nice show mainly on the guitar then she played a few songs on the pianon and then back on the guitar for a couple of songs before saying  goodbye and throwing flowers into the audience.

The audience welcomed her with opened arms. 

 

Coldplay @ Casino de Paris, May 28 2014

Coldplay @ Casino de Paris, May 28 2014

The gig of the year for many as COLDPLAY is filling up stadiums even in France and is playing a "club " show tonight in Paris.
 Prices were silly, up to 90 Euros and even 180 Euros for a special pack (priority entry).
Can you believe this ?  Those bastards  are charging twice the price to get into the venue first, there were 150 people in Paris. Of course French security fucked it up...anyway !
Coldplay knows how to squeeze the lemon of their dedicated fans !!!

Lots of guests and the theater is packed downstairs and upstairs and it's hot as hell and the band is not even on stage.
Stage is beautiful with a huge screen in the back , one tree on each side of the stage and lots of stars hanging from the ceilings for a nice effect.
First song is a very slow one (see video below) than the band is getting heavier to get the audience dancing and jumping up and down with their arms up in the air,  yes,  Coldplay fans can do all this at the same time.
Lots of songs sounding like U2 with lots of ooohhs and Aaahs to sing along, only 4 guys on stage but it sounds like there are 12.
Lots of effects and beautiful lightshow, though a bit dark and lasers, the kind of things you'd expect in a stadium.

Of course Chris Martin is getting all the lights and is doing the show , speaking in French to the delight of his fans, you can't take it away from him, the guy is a showman.
Hard to believe that so many people are attracted to this very average band, you could get rid of the three guys and keep the singer nobody will noticed anything.
A bit like the Bay City Rollers who were filling up stadiums in their time, nobody will remember Coldplay, 10 years after they're done.
Perfect concert to invite a young girl you want to go out with, who's listening to crap on the radio and thinks she's cool.
Music-wise it's void !

setlist:
Always in My Head
Charlie Brown
Paradise
Magic
Clocks
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
Green Eyes
Ink
True Love
Viva La Vida
Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall
Midnight
Encore:
Oceans
A Sky Full of Stars
Fix You 

 Merchandising and goodies we get on our way out