Sophia Live @ Köln

Photo from Leaky Sparrow – Robin Proper-Sheppard (Sophia) – Kulturkirche Nippes, Köln – October 4, 2009 - More pics here

Robin Proper-Sheppard and band, Sophia, and string section was on tour throughout Europe in September and October. Was in Cologne by chance the day he stopped in the Kulturkirche for one more good show.
Sophia’s There Are No Goodbyes... (2009) is available here: The Flower Shop Recordings (Europe), City Slang (Germany) & Bang! (Belgium)

Links: sophiamusic.net - sophiamusicnet.blogspot.com

Sophia - A Last Dance (To Sad Eyes) .mp3

Gong live @ Herzberg 2009, Germany

Photo from Leaky Sparrow – Gong – Herzberg Music Festival – July 17, 2009 - More pics here

After Crosby, Stills & Nash (with our without Young) who is the best band ever? Gong… yes, Gong! You know this pataphysical freak out band that rose 40 years ago with a magisterial album called Camembert Electric… I hope you had the chance to hear it almost once in your life. I’m not gonna tell you here the story of Daevid Allen and Gong from the beginning to now. Please go on Gong page or on some well informed sites. I just want to say few words about there performance during the Burg Herzberg Music Festival held last week-end in Germany.
It was the first time that I went to Herzberg, believe me it’s the coolest place to go in summer to hear good music and to be amongst wonderful people. This festival is also known to be the biggest “hippie” convention held in Europe each year. Well, Gong fit well there. And it does despite a heavy rain that never stopped during the concert, thousands of fans where there to hear once again the story of the Pot Head Pixies as well as some new song from 2032 (read below) stood in the wet and the cold. Daevid Allen and Gilli Smith were there of course, Miquette Giraudy too but the most important was that Steve Hillage was also on stage. A wonderful show! Those guys are still young and gave to the crowd everything that it was possible to offer in such circumstances. And I was the lucky guy too, I had the chance to talk to the band backstage after the show… but I will keep it secret for the moment… it’s a long story to tell… Ok, what I want to say now is that they are still touring until the end of the year, don’t miss them and run to get 2032 as soon as it is possible.
Gong has already produced a brand new forward-looking album called 2032 - Yes that's the year 2032 - the year that the Planet Gong makes full contact with the Planet Earth - and a major new chapter in the continually evolving Gong mythology. The album is due to be released in September 2009.

Website: planetgong.co.uk

Gong - The Pot Head Pixies .mp3 from Flying Teapot (1972)

And from "Continental Circus (Original Soundtrack)" LP (Philips) 1971 (France) Gong - What Do You Want? .mp3 via Siblingshot.blogspot (nice post by the way…)

Crosby, Stills & Nash Live @ Bonn

Photo from Leaky Sparrow – Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills & Nash) – Museumsplatz, Bonn – July 3, 2009 - More pics here

I have to tell you a secret… for me, Crosby, Stills & Nash (with or without Young) is the best band ever. And a live concert of CSN is something that I wouldn’t miss for nothing. I saw them in 1974, in 1983, in 1992, in 2005 and last week in Bonn. Believe me, each time it was a wonder, each time I left the show with joy in my heart after 2 hours and a half of happiness… It’s something that I quite never experienced with another band or performer. Those guys are magic. Long may they run.

Label: crosbystillsnash.com

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Carry On .mp3
Stephen Stills - Fishes And Scorpions .mp3 via The Rising Storm

Sophia @ Café de la Danse, Paris 2009

Photo from Leaky Sparrow - Robin Proper-Sheppard (Sophia) – Café de la Danse, Paris – May 21, 2009 - More pics here

Three years after his last performance with Vito (read) for the released of his previous album Technology Won’t Save Us, Robin Proper-Sheppard and his Sophia Collective returned to Paris. More than that, Sophia took the stage of Le Café de la Danse as “top of the bill” exactly where he played as “support act” of Chokebore in December 1998, eleven years ago. I was there too, such a long time now…
Sophia is a steady band still delivering his sad-core music despite the changes of musical styles that rose since one decade. Records after records, shows after shows, the same feeling, the same mood, the same quality, Robin Proper-Sheppard has a gift for writing and a voice to interpret his poetry (as a reward, Robin will be invited by Mister Bernard Lenoir himself for one of his famous broadcast White Session in one week).
Meanwhile, last Thursday, Sophia played a solid show in front of fans that came to hear the new songs from his forthcoming album There Are No Goodbyes but also to hear few masterpieces from his back catalogue like The Sea, Ship In The Sand, I Left You and The River Song. Robin didn’t come alone, he was backed by a full band and string quarter, ten people on stage in total, who were perfect even during the acoustic songs than during his fully electrifying ones.
There Are No Goodbyes will be out 27 April 2009 with a bonus CD (more here). I will make a short review in one of my next posts.

MySpace: myspace.com/thesophiacollective
Web: sophiamusic.net
Robin’s Blog: theflowershoprecordings.blogspot.com

Sophia - Lost (The Valentine's Day Session).mp3
Sophia - Call Me On Your Way Back Home.mp3
Sophia - Ship In The Sand.mp3

Jackson Browne – Live @ Cologne

Photo from Leaky Sparrow – Jackson Browne – E-Werk, Cologne – April 17, 2009 – More pics here

Few words about Jackson Browne’s performance last Friday in Köln. I didn’t want to miss his 2009 Time The Conqueror Tour. Why? First, I wanted to spend another good week-end in Cologne with my sweetheart and, because I had a very good memory of his performance five years ago in La Cigale, Paris, I decided to get a couple of tickets for us to see the guy who promoted peace and justice through his music since almost 40 years.
Not much surprises, Jackson Browne was there to introduce as much as possible songs from his last release to his German fans. Together, few good old standards like Doctor My Eyes or The Pretender, but, for me, the highlight of the evening was These Days a song that he dedicated to Nico, of course (Nico was born in Cologne and that was the place to perform it!). Please do listen to both versions, the Jackson Browne’s one on For Everyman (1973) and Nico’s version on her record Chelsea Girl (1967). Browne was only 16 years old when he wrote it.

Web: jacksonbrowne.com

Jackson Browne - I Am A Patriot .mp3 via One Sweet Song
Jackson Browne - For America .mp3

Mogwai Is Howling In The Casino

Mogwai live @ Paris again. Why not? Waited the last day to decide myself, bought a ticket during lunch time - it was not completely sold out –, choose a balcony seat, first row on the right. When I arrived at the Casino de Paris at 8 o'clock, The Twilight Sad was already playing. From outside the room, the music was quite attractive, but the guys from Glasgow left the stage greeted only with polite applause. No encore.
At 9, the Casino de Paris, an old prestigious cabaret like The Moulin Rouge, was totally filled and ready to welcome Mogwai. I guess I saw them each time they came to Paris since 2001. I think they have improved their set; the lights now are an important actor of the scenery and give the songs not only colors but also strengths. But overall, despite few amazing moments – no The Sun Smells Too Loud, the best song from The Hawk Is Howling, too sad… -, Mogwai on stage are now too technical to give me some thrills like seven years ago. At that time, during the encore after a perfect set, Mogwai was fighting with the French venue to be able to play as loud as possible; they had to stop the show and promised to never come back again to that f... country. Yesterday they were less loud, more polite and thanked the crowd several times for coming.

Web: fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artist/the+twilight+sad
MySpace: myspace.com/thetwilightsad

Web: mogwai.co.uk
MySpace: myspace.com/mogwai
Label: matadorrecords.com

Mogwai - Stanley Kubrick .mp3 (2001-05-14 - Café de la Danse)
Mogwai - The Sun Smells Too Loud .mp3
Mogwai - Wake Up And Go Beserk .mp3 via My Old Kentucky
Mogwai - Auto Rock (errors remix) .mp3

Photo: Leaky Sparrow – Mogwai – Casino de Paris, Paris – October 28, 2008 (more pictures here)

Swell & (swell) - Live @ La Maroquinerie

David Freel known for his unique songwriting returned to Paris last Friday at La Maroquinerie for a long awaited performance. I don't know if it was for Emily Jane White or for Swell or for both but the show was sold out since weeks. It was the first Swell show since their Whenever Your Ready tour in May 2004 - I was there too - but I don't recall anything from the show at the Café de la Danse, maybe I was much more concentrate on something else that evening...
What I like on Swell studio records is the “embellishment” around the languorous rhythm proposed by the voice of David Freel and his acoustic guitar. On stage the songs of course are much rawer and direct. Where you lose nuances, you gain strength. The drums are in the middle of the stage, in the light, David Freel stands on the left facing the audience, but in the shade. The show lasted more than an hour. Many songs for me were new coming from the last two releases so sometimes I was a little confused.
I wish to encourage anyone to go to a Swell show with one little advice, listen to them before (just to have a first idea of what you will discover on stage). The band is touring in Europe until mid-November, mainly in Germany. Swell - or (swell) - is great and you won’t have so many opportunities to have the chance to see them live again. So, please do go.

Web: swellsongs.com
MySpace: swellthelostalbum or swelltheoriginalone

Swell - Next To Nothing .mp3

Photo: Leaky Sparrow – Swell – La Maroquinerie, Paris – October 17, 2008 (more pictures on flickr.com)

Emily Jane White - Live @ La Maroquinerie

Six months after her first visit to Paris last April during the LFSM Festival, Emily Jane White came back to the City of Light to promote her debut album Dark Undercoat. Before saying a few words about yesterday’s show, I would like to confirm that Dark Undercoat is still a great record after repeated listening and that I am almost convinced it will be amongst my 10 best albums of 2008.
Once more, a great evening at La Maroquinerie last Friday evening: Jonquil from Oxford, UK, opened with a very tonic set, Emily Jane White followed for an hour or so and (Swell) brought us to almost midnight for a very much expected show (a review will follow on LS).
Let’s talk first about Emily Jane White. Between April and now, she really improved her show. She looks more confident now in front of the audience backed by two more strings musicians on her right that set her much more secure in the middle of the stage. She played most of the best tunes from Dark Undercoat and offered to a very quiet audience few of her new songs like Victorian who makes me think that she will surprise us again with her new CD. Like I said, the audience was so concentrate on every note played by the young lady of San Francisco and her friends that the band was almost scared and wondering were where the usual distracting noises and so on… Emily Jane, the rule in Paris is: listen very very carefully, analyse, and then after – only after – create a “buzz” or not. I guess in your case, if they very carefully listened to you, it means that it was positive.

Web: emilyjanewhite.com
MySpace: myspace.com/emilyjanewhite
Label: Double Negative Records
Read on Leaky Sparrow: Dear Emily Jane White and Emily Jane White - live @ Paris (LFSM Festival)

Emily Jane White - Hole In The Middle .mp3
Emily Jane White - Wild Tigers I Have Known .mp3
Diamond Star Halos - They Were Close To Me - To The Sea.mp3

Extra – Jonquil: myspace.com/jonquiluk

Jonquil - Whistle Low .mp3
Jonquil - Sudden Sun .mp3 via Anyone’s Guess

Photo: Leaky Sparrow - Emily Jane White - La Maroquinerie, Paris - October 17, 2008 (more pictures on flickr.com)

Shearwater Live @ Paris

“It’s the first time that we have two encores!” said to me Kimberly Burke (bass) few minutes after she left the stage with her comrades from Shearwater. She was so excited. As well as Howard Draper (drums) who was wondering why a small town called Paris very far from Austin Texas could enjoy music like the one that Shearwater delivered last Friday at La Maroquinerie. During one hour and two encores, the audience and the band decided that it will stay amongst the finest evenings of 2008. Sure it will. Shearwater confirmed on stage all the best that I thought about Rook few months ago (read here).

Web: shearwatermusic.com
MySpace: myspace.com/shearwater
Label: matadorrecords.com

Shearwater - Leviathan, Bound .mp3
Shearwater - Rooks .mp3
Shearwater - Red Sea, Black Sea .mp3 from Palo Santo

Bonus via Misra Records
Shearwater - St Mary’s Walk .mp3
Shearwater - Whipping Boy .mp3
Shearwater - I Can't Wait .mp3

Photo: Leaky Sparrow – Shearwater – La Maroquinerie, Paris – September 12, 2008. More pictures: flickr.com

Sun Kil Moon Live @ Paris

The Sun Kil Moon Tour webpage quietly advised us “No photos, video cameras or recording devices. Thank you.” Believe me, it's nothing but a very serious warning... I tried to take few pictures to share with you of Mark Kozelek on stage with his mates from Sun Kil Moon and was stopped immediately, without explanation. So much paranoia... Why? No problem, before the show, I took a quick picture of the band in a restaurant where I was having a snack with a friend. Here it is. Enjoy. Sorry Mark, you were not on stage... I guess you all noticed, only “Stillwater” and coffee on the table. Just like the show, the band, very sober!
I was very excited to see Mark Kozelek for the first time. It was maybe his first stop in Paris, as far as I remember. Kozelek is for me one of the major artists alive. I like his music so much, every song is like a mantra, magnetic and it put me in state of comfort and meditation. Ok, you may say that he has found a formula and used it song after song, but it works very well for hundreds of people like me, like those who almost filled the Maroquinerie last Tuesday (great choice, once again). It works so well that Mark Kozelek is able to release year after year high quality records that so many will give anything to do and to sell them as much as he does.
Of course, the band proposed songs from Sun Kil Moon period (7 from April) and I was a little bit sad not to hear some great tunes from the Red House Painters. Ok, we had Mistress and a magical moment with The River live with a full band (one my favorite RHP songs). Two last comments, first, the guys on stage didn't look to have much fun and Mark Kozelek is a little bit cold with the audience. Second, the CD Tour proposed for only 10 euros, shows Mark Kozelek alone on stage, it's called 7 Songs Belfast (Limited Edition).

Web: sunkilmoon.com
MySpace: myspace.com/sunkilmoon
Label: caldoverderecords.com

Red House Painters - Have You Forgotten .mp3
Red House Painters - Grace Cathedral Park .mp3
Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio .mp3
Mark Kozelek - Lazy .mp3
Mark Kozelek - All Mixed Up .mp3 via Pimps of Gore

Photo by Leaky Sparrow: Sun Kil Moon with Mark Kozelek (left) – La Maroquinerie, Paris – September 9, 2008

Tom Waits @ The Grand Rex, Paris

Tom Waits and band played the great Paris venue Le Grand Rex last night (July 24th) and I have to say I’ve mixed feelings about the evening. On the one hand Tom Waits is certainly an American original and has a songbook second to none in the business. The live show we witnessed though showed a different side and, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed.
Certainly the guy takes up a lot space and has almost comic book super hero proportions. Commanding a stage set designed to look somewhat like an old vaudeville show, Waits is a dynamic and energetic performer. With a voice that I’d describe as foghorn mixed with elephant blast mixed with a smokers hack - his singing voice enough to shake the foundations of the earth and that’s the truth. It certainly seemed to overpower the musicians who accompanied him on stage although Waits is a force of nature for sure. They all took the stage 30 minutes late (what’s up with that BTW?) and literally exploded with his patented turn of the 20th century thump and stomp. This band never got far from that groove either and there were just one or 2 transcendent moments of musical band magic for the whole concert. It wasn’t until the band left the stage and he had sat himself down at the baby grand with just his contra-bassist as support that the evening settled down into what was, in fact, the highlight of the night. Friendly, warm and charming, Mr. Waits’s kept us all entranced for this all too short 30-minute musical interlude. I swear that when they returned to the stage they brought not one bit of energy with them and the show drug on in a decidedly lackluster fashion although Waits was working with every once of energy. My feeling from the band was “let Tom carry the show” although perhaps he had everyone on a short leash?
Hey folks, don’t get me wrong. Even after this less then glowing review, I’m still a fan. This guy has a catalogue of wonderful music that I’m very attached too. I mean it could have just been an off night right? Perhaps we expect too much from our star performers. Certainly he gave a good and engaging performance and we paid the ticket price freely. For myself though, I think 100€ is a lot of money for a ticket to 2 hours of music. It’s a shame that it comes down to these kind of critiques but then again, if the concert had been better do you think I would have brought the subjects up? I think not…

Bookerfatz2

Web: tomwaits.com
MySpace: myspace.com/tomwaits

Tom Waits -Tom Traubert's Blues (live) .mp3
Tom Waits - Chocolate Jesus .mp3

Photo: billielolasorcha – Tom Waits – Grand Rex, Paris – July 25th 2008

Ad Vanderveen - Still Now

On the above picture, you have Ad Vanderveen on the left and Iain Matthews on the right. I took it right after a set where they played more or less together for about 2 hours - maybe that why Iain seems a little bit tired - a generous and intense performance held by two artists who are also friends in the daily life helped on vocals and percussions by the talented Kersten de Ligny (Acoustic In Paris, la Pomme d’Eve, Wednesday July 2nd)
You all know Iain Mathews of course (Pyramid, Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong…). He is a legend for me and many people, I was proud to talk to him and believe me he is a very gentle person backstage. Among many things, he told me that he has enough material now to release a jazz oriented record and looking for a label...
But today, let me introduce to you Ad Vanderveen, I mean to those of you who missed the chance to listen to him before now. Although born a Dutchman, half of Ad’s family is Canadian and that may be part of the reason why his music is deeply rooted in a style nowadays known as Americana. At the moment Ad Vanderveen is touring with a band called The O'Neils, on occasion with colleague and friend Iain Matthews, as well as doing his solo shows. He also became known in Folk circles as one third of a singer/songwriter collective called More Than A Song (together with Eliza Gilkyson and Iain Matthews).
Ad Vanderveen just release a studio record called Still Now (2008, Blue Rose Records). While the contents of the songs are mostly about emotions dealing with love, loss, divorce and starting a new life, the form of Still Now is twofold; one disc is an electric band record, with plenty of guitar improvisation (Still Now - The Garage); the other disc is purely acoustic in the way the songs were born (Still Now - The Living). A yin and yang album in a way. I had the chance to see Ad playing live both electric and acoustic sets, believe me he is a tremendous guitar player, Neil Young-like style, and his songwriting is very intimate and evocative. You’ll find those two sides on the record. Still Now is a wholly impressive work (available on his Web).

Ad Vanderveen
Web: advanderveen.com
MySpace: myspace.com/advanderveen

Kersten de Ligny
Web: sk-management.nl
MySpace: myspace.com/kerstendeligny

Iain Matthews
Web: iainmatthews.com

Ad Vanderveen - Late Bloomer .mp3
More Than A Song - All The Way .mp3
Iain Matthews - Cartwheel Avenue .mp3

Bonus: Fairport Convention - Crazy Man Michael .mp3

Photo: Leaky Sparrow – Ad Vanderveen and Iain Matthews – La Pomme d’Eve, Paris – July 2nd, 2008

Neon Neon - Stage Of The Art

Just came back from a very very refreshing show: Neon Neon. Thanks to Stage Of The Art and The Palais de Tokyo who already allowed me to attend last April to an amazing Aidan Moffat performance (LS/2008/03).
In few words, Neon Neon is a neo Disco-Pop-Electro project created by two geniuses Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) and Boom Bip. They just released an album full of hits, Stainless Style (Lex), their first one, which is already one of the most rejoicing albums of the year with MGMT, in that specific style of course. To be convinced, I only had to watch the audience during the show, every face were showing smiles, including me... It was also the first Neon Neon live show in France.
S.C.U.M opened the evening with a very freaky and scary act. But I’m not against once in a while, 25 minutes were just enough to make me satisfied with the sound they proposed, but not more.

MySpace: myspace.com/neonx2
MySpace: myspace.com/scum1968

Neon Neon - I Told Her On Alderaan .mp3 via Music Warship
Trick For Treat (Hot Chip Remix) .mp3
S.C.UM. - The John Barleycorn .mp3 via Antipodean Underground

Bonus: Super Furry Animals - If You Don't Want Me To Destroy You .mp3

Photo: Leaky Sparrow – Neon Neon – Palais de Tokyo, Paris – July 1st, 2008

Vetiver Rising

It was good to be back after a while at the Café de la Danse last Friday evening. It’s one of my favorite venues in town; it’s a place where I saw great performances in the past from a large selection of bands.
It was good also to see Vetiver playing live again two years after their last stop at the Maroquinerie (LS/2006/09) and to have a little chat with Andy Cabic again. Finishing a long European tour the band will be heading home (San Francisco) right after a last stop at the Glastonbury Festival next Sunday. Last Friday, the same night, you had Bruce Springsteen in a stadium close to Paris, but for me, no hesitation, I preferred to be in the Café de la Danse enjoying what Andy Cabic called “a lovely show”.
As usual Vetiver played with a relaxed style, comfortable and easy. The setlist consisted of songs from there previous albums and new ones just wrote during the tour. For the encore, they offered to the audience two covers songs: Michael Hurley’s Blue Driver and I Must Be In A Good Place Now, from Bobby Charles' 1972 self-titled album. Those two songs can be found in an excellent cover record released last may, Thing of the Past (Fat Cat Records), a 12-song collection that features tracks by an odd assortment of characters, both legendary and forgotten. Let me tell you that it’s not just another cover record, the song selection is excellent and the interpretation very much inspired. Highly recommended.

Web: vetiverse.com/blog
MySpace: myspace.com/vetiverse
More info: midheaven.com/artists/vetiver.html

Vetiver - Blue Driver .m3u
Vetiver - I Must Be In A Good Place .m3u

Vetiver - Farther On .mp3
Vetiver - Maureen .mp3 via Girlpants

Bonus: Michael Hurley - The Werewolf .mp3
Bobby Charles - Small Town Talk .mp3 via The Rising Storm (a great blog!)

Photo: Leaky Sparrow – Vetiver – Café de la Danse, Paris – Friday June 27, 2008

More pictures here.

Rodolphe Burger – No Sport @ The Alhambra

Rodolphe Burger (pronounced Burjer with the silent “r” at the end) is one of France’s best and most innovative guitarists and musicians! Why this man remains unknown to most of the general public here is a puzzlement. He has a long and successful gigging and recording history both as solo artist and with his band former band Kat Onoma (deceased in 2004). He is also one of the few modern French artists who have been able to export his music abroad. After seeing him in concert recently with his band, I was again struck by the power of his live performance and the mastery he displays of his material. It’s not easy in this country to find such a combination of simplicity, technique, sonic skill and professionalism that this native Alsatian evinces. I’ve been lucky enough to see him numerous times over the years and he just keeps reaching for new and better sound all the time. Both Julien Perraudeau on electric bass and piano and Alberto Malo on drums make free but tasteful use of modern technologies in presenting a tight, musically complex and ultimately entertaining show.
A slow burner, Rodolphe Burger sat center stage for the first 45 minutes and, flanked on either side by Julien and Alberto touched his sampler and began with the first song Advance from his latest CD No Sport. He is a fascinating guitarist to watch with his crab-claw, fingerpicking style. He very lightly caresses the strings and produces such an amazing avalanche of sound that I was trying to figure out where all the notes were coming from. Make no mistake though and it’s not a trick: this guy is for real and his many years of gigging make it quite clear that his is a very real and deep talent. Burger is not the typical lyricist that one usually associates with guitar players either. In fact I would say he is more of a guitarist and “soundscapist” then singer-songwriter. That’s not to say he is not “lyrical” though. His lyrics (or at least those that I can understand anyway- he sings in both French and English and often combines the 2 in 1 song!) are implicit rather then explicit. He uses words like riffs, dropping them here and there to help shape and color the overall sound. He reminds us (and especially in his newest CD) a bit like Serge Gainsbourg at his best. A deep, resonant and powerful voice of a man at the center of his life. Musically the style is rock and roll that swirls and meanders in dark moods- you might say a sound collage. Experimental yet focused and quite centered.
The CD No Sport (EMI) is a bit more “restrained” then the live show shall I say? I think these days of recording in small studios with digital information it is not all that uncommon to hear this emotional “distance” in a record. The live show I saw the other night had a real feel of looseness and fun about it. Of course making records and performing live are 2 completely different worlds and I don’t want to disparage this record. It’s a very good record- tasteful, interesting and fun to listen to. Some other CD’s of M. Berger’s that I like a lot are Cheval-Mouvement (1993, which was the first French record I bought during my first visit to France) and also Meteor Show (1998) which is a much more esoteric album featuring Berger in collaboration with the great Irish/French sound sorcerer Dr. L.
For those of you that are not familiar with Rodolphe Berger, please do yourself a favor and check his music out! You will find him to be a nice addition to your record collection and of course, please see him live and in concert. Truly great French rock and roll!!
PS - Two words about this newest Parisian venue: it’s cool! I think there were about 600+ people here on this night and there was room for more to fit comfortably inside. A balcony (with seats) for the old folks or faint of heart and a nicely sloping main floor gave most all of us a clear view of the stage. Very good sound system (and operator on this night!) as well. The only downside was the jammed-packed, tiny upstairs coat-check room where they sold overpriced, plastic cups of watery beer. I’d suggest bringing in your own in but don’t quote me on that. Otherwise Alhambra is a nice addition in a city much in need of more quality medium-sized music venues.

Bookerfatz2

Web: rodolpheburger.fr
MySpace: myspace.com/rodolpheburger

Audio: Rodolphe Burger - No Sport

Kat Onoma (Rodolphe Burger) - Sam Song .mp3 Cupid (1987)
Kat Onoma (Rodolphe Burger) - La Chambre .mp3 Far From The Picture (1995)

Photo: Katy for Leaky Sparrow – Rodolphe Burger – Alhambra, Paris – June 12, 2008

Merzhin On Tour

“French Brittany is like Texas (music wise)”, Bookerfatz2 said to me as we arrived last evening at the door of La Boule Noire, Paris. Merzhin’s show was sold out – one more! Just to confirm what he meant: the music from Brittany has followers like Texas music does: everywhere it can be heard, people from those parts of world will come and listen to it.
Merzhin is a Celtic Rock’n’Roll band from Landerneau, in Brittany (France). Merzhin stands for Merlin in Breton (a Celtic language). Merlin was a noble magician in Celtic mythology. The group was originally formed by six college friends in 1996. The six musicians combine traditional Celtic instruments like bombarde, which is a kind of flute from Brittany, along with conventional Rock’n’Roll instruments to produce signature music.
Honestly, I’ve never been introduced to the musical universe of this band before last night (and big thanks to promoter Anne-Cecile who encouraged me to come and hear them) but it didn’t take me long to appreciate the energy of the band on stage who are lead by a charismatic Pierre on lead vocals. Even though they are a bit formulating on many of their songs, they held the attention of the friendly audience until the very end of the evening. Some songs had a political meaning like “Betti”, dedicated to the Tibetan people and the crowd was naturally enough happy to hear some anti-Sarkozy speeches.
Of course, for those of you who live abroad it won’t be easy to see Merzhin live even if they tour quite a lot at the moment, so the band has released a live recording simply called Merzhin Live (June 2nd). If you’re curious enough you can find official samples of Merzhin’s music on their different sites and if they continue to play as well as they did last night in the sold-out Paris show, I’m confident you’ll be able to see them somewhere near you soon enough.

Web: www.merzhin.net
MySpace: www.myspace.com/merzhin
Label: Sony Bmg.fr & RCA Music.fr

Yann Tiersen And Shannon Wright - No Mercy For She .mp3

Photo : Leaky Sparrow – Merzhin, La Boule Noire, Paris – June 5th, 2008

Cat Power @ L'Olympia

Don’t expect a show review. Sorry. The man at the door said to me “Complet !” (sold out!). Cat Power at the Olympia four months after her performance at the Bataclan where she celebrated her birthday and the release of her last record, Jukebox, I thought I could wait the last days to purchase a ticket… Wrong.
I forget one important fact, Cat Power is now a very well-known artist and very popular, thanks to her talent and to the patience and help from her label, Matador. Therefore, a show of Cat Power is not anymore reserved for the long die-hard Indy fans, those who discovered and supported her during her first CDs and shows. Her music reaches now the bourgeois boheme from every big city, those who will fill the Olympia tonight.
There was a Cat Power and now there is a different Cat Power (isn’t it, Lyle?). Jukebox has nothing to be compared to with What Would The Community Think or Myra Lee. The record is ok, specially the bonus cd, very well produce, her voice is still amazing, but it’s far to be her best work. I listened to it at the beginning and quickly listened to someone else.
Leaky Sparrow started more than two years ago. Cat Power was the first post - because it matter to me - but this evening I will not go to her show at the Olympia because I didn’t really wish to see her playing those cover songs again with those too good and unexciting musicians. Time fades away?

MySpace: myspace.com/catpower
Label: Matador Records

Those people played at l’Olympia (among others):
Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine .mp3
Ray Charles - Georgia .mp3
Edith Piaf - Hymne A L'Amour .mp3
Jimi Hendrix - Bold As Love .mp3
Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay .mp3

Photo: Leaky Sparrow - L’Olympia, Paris. June 1st, 2008

Tift Merritt & Will Hoge

Last night I had the good fortune to be able to check out 2 acts previously unknown to me. Grammy nominated artist Tift Merritt, who hails from North Carolina, brought her solo show to Paris. The singing, songwriting, guitar/piano woman playing musician is a gifted musician and a firecracker of a performer. Tift, with heavily accented French interludes, warmed the hearts and totally charmed the crowd of around 80+ folks in the nice La Java venue. She sang a collection of all original material from her past CD’s as well as some new tunes from her new (and written pretty much in Paris according to her web site) American release Another Country. (The song Broken from that record is a great song BTW!).
She’s an energetic and dynamic performer, switching back and forth from electric piano to acoustic guitar and she often stepped away from the microphone to give us intimate “unplugged” sessions (on the guitar) much appreciated by the audience. Overcoming some small technical problems early on with a positive professional attitude (meaning she didn’t let it slow the show down!), she treated us all to a remarkably warm and friendly evening of fine, light acoustic music here in the City of Light.
The show was opened by Nashville living, guitar toting, husky-voiced singing, gum-chomping, innocuous songwriter Will Hoge in a too long (by about 30 minutes) set. Please excuse my harshness here but he “had” the audience for about 20 minutes. 40 minutes later it had gone totally the other direction and folks were yawning, looking at their watches and talking. Better too little then too much for opening acts (until you learn better)!

Bookerfatzs2

Web: tiftmerritt.com
MySpace: myspace.com/tiftmerritt

Tift Merritt - Broken .mp3
Tift Merritt - Morning Is My Destination .mp3
Tift Merritt - Keep You Happy .mp3
Tift Merritt - RTE Radio -Pat Kenny program .mp3

Bonus: (one of Tift big influence) Van Morrison - Bring It On Home To Me (live) ( song removed)

Photo: Bookerfatzs2 – Tift Merritt – La Java, Paris – May 21, 2008

Willard Grant Conspiracy - The Pilgrim Tour

Two chandeliers are hanging from the ceiling of the Nouveau Casino concert hall (Paris); Howe Gelb focused his attention on them while trying to connect in French with the Parisian audience… later on Willard Grant Conspiracy like a chamber orchestra filled the stage.
Leaky Sparrow’s friend Chris Eckman was in town last Monday with Willard Grant Conspiracy and was kind enough to put me on the guest list. Years ago, the Nouveau Casino should have been packed, unfortunately WGC and Howe Gelb, who played a fine and funny support act, didn’t filled the room this time.
I already saw Howe Gelb, also as a support act, during a PJ Harvey tour in 2001 but I have never seen the Boston-based music group Willard Grant Conspiracy. Captain Robert Fisher, lead singer, and his team, eleven on stage, Chris Eckman included on the left, are now meeting European listeners to promote their latest album Pilgrim Road (May 5). Paris was one of their main stops. It was an intimate show where every note from each member of the band could be heard clearly. I was quite surprised by the intimacy of the set, I was expecting for a music lets say more dynamic, my knowledge of the group consists only on one song, Soft Hand, who in my opinion was one of the best songs from 2003. Fortunately, Robert Fisher and his friends came back for an encore with... Soft Hand. A very enjoyable ending for an elegant show. I was sorry for those who stayed home.

Web: willardgrantconspiracy.com
MySpace: myspace.com/willardgrantconspiracy

Willard Grant Conspiracy - Crush .mp3
Willard Grant Conspiracy - Dance With Me .mp3
Willard Grant Conspiracy - Lady Of The Snowline .mp3

Howe Gelb - Nail In The Sky .mp3

Photo: Katy - Willard Grant Conspiracy - Nouveau Casino, Paris - May 19, 2008

MGMT - Spectacular Tour @ Köln

I purchased the MGMT’s debut album, Oracular Spectacular, about two weeks ago and as soon as I listened to it I was wondering if I wished to talk about it or not here on Leaky Sparrow - so many blogs before me reviewed it and made such a big buzz around what will be at the end of 2008 the number 1 of most top tens. The answer came easy, last week I was walking in Cologne (Köln) and imagine my surprise when I saw a poster under a bridge saying that our friends from New York will be in town the next evening. As soon as I could I purchased two tickets.
Imagine The Luxor, a small club with a stage at the bottom enough large to welcome a band of 5 members not more and imagine you’re in the beginning of the sixties in a club somewhere in Hamburg discovering a young band called the Management. Soon after, they changed the history of music… I’m kidding!
MGMT is an amazing young band with lots of ideas and many pretty pop songs very well craft. The record is full of hits and I was curious to see if they could bring live the energy that I heard on the record. The setlist consisted of almost all of Oracular Spectacular’s tunes plus one or two new ones (not especially fancy but…). Time To Pretend and Kids were the highlights of the show and made almost everybody jumping and happy. A very promising performance from a band in the prime of life.

Web: www.whoismgmt.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/mgmt

MGMT - Kids .mp3 “Control yourself take only what you need from it”
MGMT - Time To Pretend .mp3 “I’m in the prime of my life”
MGMT - Destrokk .mp3

Photo by Lucky Lady (MGMT in Köln)