Wow! A live gig!?!?
First off, a big thanks to Guy Snape for coming out to see the gig. I’d have gone on my own (again!). But it’s so much nicer to share an experience like this. We drove down, and parked for free not far from the venue. Poifeck!
After a bag o’ chips and ages queuing, we checked our coats, I bought an older Louis Cole CD, and we promptly got in another queue, for some beers.
With unaccustomed brass neck I jumped the queue when the opportunity presented itself. And then it was just a matter of standing around, right up front, by the stage, awaiting the performers.
First up was Genevieve Artadi. She performed with two other ladies; all three sang, one of the others playing a little keys. The bulk of the music was played off a laptop. GA is a real babe, but her music, especially in this karaoke format, does absolutely nothing for me (I’m not really much of a fan of knower, either, tbh).
I feel bad even saying that! And I suspect Louis would probably deliver a quick and very hard n’ sharp kick in the jaffas, if he heard me or anyone else say such a thing! But it just didn’t connect with me at all.
There was another long wait – about 30 minutes or more – before Cole and co appeared. Billed as a big band, there was a seven-strong horn-section, two female backing vocalists (GA being one of them), keys, bass, and Louis, on vocals, keys and drums.
GA’s set was delivered in front of a video screen, the three ladies dressed in skimpy tight spangly gear, bouncing about a lot. Nice! Cole’s set dispensed with the screen, but found the entire group in ‘skellington’ onesies. So both sets had aspects of stagecraft in addition to the music.
As a drummer, and lover of live music, I find DJ or karaoke type music culture strangely flat; lacking that spark of energy that comes from the live in the moment interpersonal interactions of real musicians. And usually it also sounds (as well feeling) very different.
Last time I saw Louis Cole it was a one man show, at Heaven, under Charing Cross. It was excellent (and I bought Time whilst there). But I preferred tonight by immeasurable orders of magnetite!
The set was superb, mostly intense and high energy, but with occasional very moody ballad moments. I was particularly overjoyed to hear full on live large band versions of Thinking About You, Things, Drive and When You’re Ugly, etc. His ‘viral sensation Bank Account was in there, as was a high-energy rabble-rousing F*ck It Up, which was the only tune they did twice, the second time as a show-closing encore.
Weird Part Of The Night, Blimp and one or two other YouTube faves (Drum Solo, for example) were notable by their absence,. There were several other tunes off of Time, whose names escape me now. But all told it was a terrific set. Just a pity they didn’t have a spare tune in the tank for an encore.
I grooved my ass off, in my own peculiar way, as did a great deal of the audience. The vibe in the room for Louis was fantastic. And I was pleased and gratified to see Guy apparently enjoying it all a great deal as well.
The venue is great; the size of the room was perfect (in the Goldilocks zone, neither too large nor too small), the sound was great – at least it was where we were (I’ve noticed some folk saying the sound where they were was lousy, in comments in my YouTube vid) – the staff were friendly and efficient. Although that said queuing for the bars was purgatory!
Driving to and from London and parking for free very near the venue all worked out just peachy. What a great night out!