Live In 2023: Then Jerico at Acapela Studios, Pentyrch on Friday12th May 2023

 

Sometimes, if you're really lucky, someone from up above shines a light on you and bestows some goodness your way. Mark Shaw is one such man, not only did he inherit a beautiful face, he also inherited a more than decent voice. From the moment he nonchalantly ambled onto stage tonight he was every inch the STAR, OK, he may be older (aren't we all) and lost the glow of youth but those cheekbones could still cut silk and that voice is as powerful as ever.

I'd been looking forward to this gig since it was announced as I didn't get a chance to see him live back in 1987 when he really hit it big. but just to hear Sugar Box live - for me one of THE best songs of the 80s - would be enough. But he gave SO much more.

Mark brought a friend for the evening - Ollie Brum played a guitar with a multiple of looped pedals and effects which gave layers to the songs throughout the evening. Acoustic at Acapela is always the perfect choice.

Mark has only released one album following the 2 first Then Jerico albums - and album called Almost back in 1991 and chose his opening song from this album - Love So Bright. It's a splendid album and I really have no idea why it didn't give him the solo career her deserved at that point. The God of Music moves in mysterious ways.

Love So Bright

Throught the night, Mark concentrated on songs from the first two Then Jerico albums and Always. I won't state which album they are from, if you're a fan you'll know, if not just go look it up!

What Does It Take managed to retain it's power with Ollie and his box of tricks and especially Mark's voice which was now warming up nicely. The album track had Belinda Carlisle singing on it, tonight we had the Acapela Audience instead.

What Does It Take

It's hard to imagine, you may have be had to be there back in the day but especially on second album, The Big Area, ANY of those tracks would have made a great single and the quality of the songs on that album in particular sound fabulous tonight. Stripped of their production sheen gives another aspect to these songs which most people haven't heard before, unless they've seen this acoustic show.

Tracks in Part 1 of the show such as Song For The Broken Hearted, A Quiet Place and Helpless really showed the quality those two early albums had. Surely Cherry Red must see some value in doing a decent rerelease as they've done with the Haircut100 album Pelican West - get on it guys!

To the comment of 'now for some decent song writing' Mark embraced his inner Camp and gave a stunning performance of Bowie's Jean Genie which is NOTHING like the original, Thank God. Mick Ronson's riffs would sound shite om an acoustic, trust me.

It's then time for another track from Mark's solo album, Always - so we are treated to Tidal Wave

Tidal Wave

Part 1 closes with the uptempo Reelin'

What the public don't see is the sense of humour Mark has throughout the evening which is the total opposite of his cool Rock Star image but allowed the audience to take him to their heart for the evening and beyond no doubt.

Reelin'

After a short break it was time for Part 2 as Mark came on fully dressed once more and this time donning some shades and gave us a beautiful performance of Let Her Fall

Let Her Fall

In 1998, Mark brought back Then Jerico for one album - Orgasmophobia. Perhaps not the best title but he did perform one song from it tonight - Some People.

Some People

We then turn to some of the better known songs. First up Muscle Drop and then Where You Lie

As I said at the beginning, the next song is one of my All Time Favourites - the gorgeous Sugar Box.

Tonight he had the added help on vocals from Bari Goddard who is an artist, photographer and vocalist of the band Knives. It's a special song and brought back so many happy memories for this aged blogger

Sugar Box

The Motive keeps the audience at boiling point and I must say the Acapela audience was in fine voice tonight.

The song that Mark thought most of the audience were waiting for ended the show - the fabulous Big Area.

Big Area

So there was no way on earth that the boys were going to get out without an encore.

Darkest Hour gave way to Mark's favourite song - Bari was brought back onstage and they launched into an energetic version of The Rolling Stones classic - Sympathy For The Devil complete with the audience Whoo Whooing it right to the very end.

I thought Mark's first visit to The Chapel was a triumph. As my legs have now given up on me and my domestic circumstances mean I cannot leave South Wales for gigs, I may never see Mark again.

I hope he takes the same path as one of my biggest musical heroes, Nick Heyward and continue to work on new material. He definitely still has the voice. Let's hope that this new activity in the Then Jerico or Mark Shaw camp prompts him in that direction again. And hopefully he will play Acapela again. And this time I will shake his hand and thank him, if only for Sugar Box.

All photos copyright ©️ Nick Baker 2023

Twitter - @THENJERICO

Click to enter Then Jerico Official website

Live in 2023: Genesis Visible Touch at The Savoy Theatre, Tonyrefail on Sunday 7th May 2023

This was about the 7th time I've seen Genesis Visible Touch and they get better every time. Now a well oiled machine,

 the band

Chris O'Connell on Vocals & Drums      Martin Gordon - Bass, Guitar,  Pedals & Vocals   Tony Turrell - Keyboards     Stuart Norman - Guitars, Bass & Vocals    Russ Wilson - Drums & Percussion

chose the valleys for their Welsh date of the tour, so we head for The Savoy Theatre in Tonyrefail for the first time. From the outside it seems like it's had better days but this was contrasted by the inside which proved a small, lovely seated venue which could hold about 200, I reckon. The very epitome of these Valleys villages social halls. The welcome was excellent and the people running it worked hard to give a very professional show. They also had a raffle to help renovate the outside of the hall and I gave my support without hesitation. I wish them well, the venue deserves to be supported and renovated.

This tour, the band are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the 'Shapes' album, so we got most of the album throughout the night.

GVT kicked off with Dodo/Lurker from the Abacab album and we were on our way.

The band have now got these songs down to a T and they were technically superb all evening.

I've not seen a better Genesis tribute band out there and I can tell you honestly I've seen quite a few.

The key to their success is their front man - Chris O'Connell is the perfect Phil. But he has his own personality and he shines throughout the show. And if you didn't know, Chris is also part of the Phil Collins tribute show - And Finally Phil Collins.

And Finally.. Phil Collins

so he has quite a bit of experience of Phil's music. But more importantly he is working on his own album which I'm looking forward to hearing - here is his first single from that project

Cornered

We then get treated to a lively version of Abacab and That's All before the band really hit their stride with the spooky epic Home By The Sea parts 1 & 2, which sees Chris take to the second drumkit on the stage and shows what an accomplished drummer he is. The special thing about this band is that they tend to concentrate of post Trick Of The Tail material when most Genesis tribute bands tend to concentrate on the older material. Which was good news for the three energetic young ladies sat next to me who had little idea of the older music. Although I can guarantee you they had a great evening!

What was also great to see is the joy and banter between the band members - very unlike the real Genesis but warmly received in this circumstance. Lots of smiles from band and the audience tonight in this show.

ABACAB

Illegal Alien comes up next followed by a track from 'Shapes' which was neve performed live - Silver Rainbow,

Silver Rainbow

Another rarely heard live song - It's Going To Get Better - was up next and we were almost at the end of Part 1, which had just flown by.

The end of Part 1 came which a fabulous version of the big hit from the 'Shapes' album - MAMA which saw Chris giving it the full Phil!

MAMA

After a short break it was Part 2 and this kicked off with two Trick Of The Tail songs- Squonk and the fabulous Ripples which saw Martin strap on his double neck a la Mr Rutherford. A couple for us oldies - not the three young ladies.

Ripples

By now the audience were ready for a standing song and the band give them a beauty with Turn it On Again and Invisible Touch - the audience now up on their feet.

Invisible Touch

Throwing It All Away gave the audience a breather before the equally lovely Follow You Follow Me got the audience singing in fine voice as only the Welsh can. Another fabulous moment in a fabulous night.

Throwing It All Away

Follow You Follow Me

Almost there. We return again to A Trick Of The Tail for an explosive Squonk and then Chris takes to the drumkit for the incredible Los Endos. Which unless you have heard the song that didn't make the TRICK album - It's Yourself - may not make perfect sense,

It's Yourself/Los Endos

After a tremendous standing ovation the band come back for one encore. It was 1 O'clock and it was time for lunch as the band say goodbye with I Know What I Like with Chris recreating Phil's acrobatic tambourine routine perfectly.

So, the end to a perfect evening of music. Genesis Visible Touch, the best I've seen them play. Hopefully they'll make Tonyrefail Savoy a regular Welsh stop an any forthcoming tours. The audience had come from all over South Wales to the venue. They had a great night!

All photos copyright ©️ Nick Baker 2023

Twitter - @genesis_vt

click for the Official Genesis Visible Touch Website

Live In 2023: Ian McNabb at Acapela Studios, Pentyrch on 30th April 2023

Ian McNabb returned to Acapela to give us a full evening of Icicle Works and solo songs on a Sunday Bank Holiday weekend. The last time Ian was at The Chapel his mother had just passed away. How he got through that show I'll never know. Anybody who follows Ian on his social media knows exactly how close he was to his mum. He got through I think just through pure professionalism, probably. 

Tonight we had a different Ian, often known for his acerbic between song banter, Ian cut the chat right down and seemed on a mission of include as many songs as he possibly could. And with an immense canon of work to chose from, where do you start?

So, he pulled his beautiful white Gretsch 12 string from the rack and off we go with Great Dreams Of Heaven. I love how prolific Ian is. He reminds me of another 80s Icon, Mr Michael Leslie Peters (aka The World's Greatest Living Welshman) of The Alarm in his non stop creativity. 

The Acapela is perfect for the acoustic treatment of his back catalogue and the 12 string gives the added depth to the more dense of the recorded works on show tonight.

Great Dreams Of Heaven

Next up we have the title track from his Merseybeast album and also the title of the first volume of his very entertaining autobiography. Apparently he's currently working on part 2.

we have the third opening track of an album in a row nest with the mighty Fire Inside My Soul from the excellent Head Like A Rock album which led to the first singalong slice of audience participation,

Ian then slowed the pace down for the first Icicle Works song of the evening - Little Girl Lost. At this point I'd like to thank Ian for posting tonight's set list as these days it looks as if he puts up a list of songs and choses what he likes once he's on stage. Makes it much easier for your friendly neighbourhood music blogger who has to try and juggle camera duties with writing down set lists as they occur.

As Ian's career has progressed it seems as if he's struck a a rich seam of songwriting gold. 2021 gave us the stunning Utopia album and it's here we got to next with the seemingly ever relevant Deserter.

Deserter

On Ian's last visit I really loved the songs he played at the piano and was hoping for a bit more tonight but I was to be disappointed as he kept the keyboard songs to two! 

The first up came next, the lovely Making Silver Sing from the 2019 album Our Future In Space. I do wish he would play more keyboard songs - Ian, next time, just think about it.

Makin' Silver Sing

Out Of Season sees Ian return to his guitars and then we're into the final song of Part 1, another Icicle works song, When it all Comes Down, an epic driving song which should have been a massive hit back in 1985 and now prompts another great audience singalong. A fabulous way to end part 1, even shorn of it's twinkling production. It's great to hear these songs in their acoustic incarnation - exactly how they must have been written.

When It All Comes Down

After a short break it's back to the songs and to the latest album, the cheekily titled Nabby Road and a highlight from that album, Film Noir Star

We head back to 1985 for a stripped back but just as upbeat Icicle Works song, All The Daughters (of our father's house), minus the horns, of course. 

Another slow graceful ballad comes next as Ian turns to his album 2005's before All Of This for the opening track to that album, There Oughta Be A Law.

Then it's time for another uptempo Icicle Works song, 1988's High Time.

High Time

It's solo Ian next with the rocker, you Must Be Prepared To Dream followed quickly by The Icicle Works song Who Do You Want For Your Love another killer chorus made for a bit of audience participation.

With the set coming to a close, Ian decides to turn the volume down and give us Camaraderie for the excellent Merseybeast album from 1996.

Ian has left me waiting until almost the end of the show for another keyboard song, staying with Merseybeast he gives us the beautifully plaintive Little Bit of Magic. A truly beautiful performance. Ian, if you happen to read this, give us more bloody piano songs, especially at Acapela!

We arrive at the last two songs of the evening in what seems like the blink of an eye. And seeing as the tour celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the release of The Icicle Works song, the anthemic Love Is A Wonderful Colour it seems apt we finish with that but not before another crowd singalong to another Icicle Works classic, Evangeline.

Love Is A Wonderful Colour

The obvious standing ovation ensued and thus ended the show. Acapela is the perfect venue for Ian to showcase his songs in an acoustic setting and although it's a tasty drive down from Liverpool to Cardiff, I know, I've done it, I hope Ian feels the love in the room and decides to visit us on a regular basis. There's seemingly no end to his creativity and It's a privilege to hear these songs in their acoustic form. Ian, you'll always be welcome in The Chapel. And I can't wait for New Brighton Rock & the Fleetwood Mac album!!

All photos copyright ©️ Nick Baker 2023

Click for the Ian McNabb Official Website