Thursday, 28 March 2013
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Luka Bloom @ Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow - 25 October 2008
- Scottish launch of ELEVEN SONGS -
SET LIST:
- on the Martin classical guitar -
Diamond Mountain
There Is A Time
Tribe
I Love The World I'm In
Primavera
Make You Feel My Love
City of Chicago
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
I Am Not At War
Peace On Earth
Eastbound Train
- on 'Rudy' -
Dreams In America
Gone To Pablo / Te Adoro
Everyman
Monsoon
Ciara
Acoustic Motorbike
Sunny Sailor Boy
I'm On Your Side
The Man Is Alive / Hill Of Allen
- encore -
Perfect Groove
You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
See You Soon
Thank You For Bringing Me Here
Martyn Joseph @ Bush Hall - 30 November 2008
When I went to see Luka at the Komedia in Brighton, I sat at the same table with a local couple who had come along that night purely on the back of hearing Luka chatting on local radio that very morning. They thought he sounded like someone they'd like... so they got tickets and came along. They were won over and as we were chatting after the show, they said "If you like Luka, then you'd also like Martyn Joseph". Never heard of him. Never mind, went home and looked him up. And booked tickets for his next show in London, that coming November. In the meantime though I didn't find the time to listen to his music or watch YouTube videos or anything, so I arrived at Bush Hall with really no idea what to expect. Well. If you can judge an artist by his fans, then I figured out pretty quickly that he was going to be good - perfect strangers in the queue outside were chatting and laughing with one another. Inside, I got a seat right up front centre. The guy next to me struck up a conversation and we had a grand time recommending other artists to each other.
Then Martyn leapt on stage already playing a plugged-in acoustic guitar and singing into a wireless mic...
And I was blown away by that rare artist who is equally engaging as a singer and a musician, with songs with equally strong lyrics and melodies. The lyrics perhaps are Martyn's particular strength: he's Welsh and a natural storyteller with an incredible facility for putting words together in ways that are vivid, evocative and with remarkable rhythm.
Highly recommend you have a listen to this overlooked talent: www.martynjoseph.net.
In the absence of videos, I offer a potted set list and a few photos. Where I'm unsure of 'official' song titles, I've noted partial song lines.
Strange Way
Beautiful [Things That We Have Carried Here]
~someday they'll disappear
skin and bone - death and stone
things that we have carried here
freedom needs a volunteer
to be beautiful
can be beautiful
Arizona Dreams
Help Me Find That Man
All This Time [The Sum Of All These Parts Are We]
Dic Penderyn
Free Fallin' (by Tom Petty)
The Good In Me Is Dead
Weight Of The World [Now here are lyrics worthy of serious study!]
Sing To My Soul [If I wasn't won over by this point, this song did it.]
Kiss The World Beautiful [reminded of John Gorka]
This Being Woman
We Are Men [introduced by reading of a Dylan Thomas poem and a reference to Glen Hansard that went straight over my head at the time!]
I Have Come To Sing [Hope Love Peace Mercy]
Lonely Like America (new song)
Can't Breathe
Proud Valley Boy
Whoever It Was That Brought Me Here Will Have To Take Me Home
Change Your World [which segued into what I believe was some sort of medley]
Encore
Vegas [with a remarkable story and an even more remarkable Elvis impersonation]
Turn Me Tender
Went straight home and bought his latest album 'Evolved'.
And I was blown away by that rare artist who is equally engaging as a singer and a musician, with songs with equally strong lyrics and melodies. The lyrics perhaps are Martyn's particular strength: he's Welsh and a natural storyteller with an incredible facility for putting words together in ways that are vivid, evocative and with remarkable rhythm.
Highly recommend you have a listen to this overlooked talent: www.martynjoseph.net.
In the absence of videos, I offer a potted set list and a few photos. Where I'm unsure of 'official' song titles, I've noted partial song lines.
Strange Way
Beautiful [Things That We Have Carried Here]
~someday they'll disappear
skin and bone - death and stone
things that we have carried here
freedom needs a volunteer
to be beautiful
can be beautiful
Arizona Dreams
Help Me Find That Man
All This Time [The Sum Of All These Parts Are We]
Dic Penderyn
Free Fallin' (by Tom Petty)
The Good In Me Is Dead
Weight Of The World [Now here are lyrics worthy of serious study!]
Sing To My Soul [If I wasn't won over by this point, this song did it.]
Kiss The World Beautiful [reminded of John Gorka]
This Being Woman
We Are Men [introduced by reading of a Dylan Thomas poem and a reference to Glen Hansard that went straight over my head at the time!]
I Have Come To Sing [Hope Love Peace Mercy]
Lonely Like America (new song)
Can't Breathe
Proud Valley Boy
Whoever It Was That Brought Me Here Will Have To Take Me Home
Change Your World [which segued into what I believe was some sort of medley]
Encore
Vegas [with a remarkable story and an even more remarkable Elvis impersonation]
Turn Me Tender
Went straight home and bought his latest album 'Evolved'.
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Luka Bloom @ Bush Hall, Shepherds Bush - 23 October 2008
23 October 2008
- English launch of ELEVEN SONGS -
SUPPORT BY CLAIRE TCHAIKOWSKI
SET LIST:
- on a classical guitar -
There Is A Time
I Hear Her, Like Lorelei
Tribe
Primavera
Make You Feel My Love
I Love The World I'm In
City of Chicago
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
See You Soon
Peace On Earth
Eastbound Train
- on Rudy -
Exploring The Blue
Gone To Pablo / Te Adoro
Dreams In America
Everyman
Monsoon
Fire
Sunny Sailor Boy
- encore -
Acoustic Motorbike
Perfect Groove
You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
Joy Of Living
Luka Bloom @ Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul - May 2009
Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul
Saturday, 2 May 2009Support by Michelle Ann Kelly accom. by Ciara Brown
Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre - "old" looking building with a thatched roof but there's something about it that makes me wonder if it's actually all quite new. The venue hall itself is a "barn-like" structure behind the SE centre with a courtyard between the two. The hall is long and narrow with stage at one end. Stage door at the back opens straight out into an alley, with a drop of about two feet. Michelle Ann and Ciara (support) climbed in bravely in their heeled sandals. Luka was better prepared - he bounded up and in, tea mug in hand and nary a drop spilled.
Lovely summer evening when we started - what a shock it must have been when he left the stage the first time, to open that door straight into a downpour! He said afterward that it seems every time he plays MONSOON, it begins to rain before the show has ended. Happened in Australia on a couple of occasions. Wishes he'd sung it in Melbourne, though it's more than just rain they need there.
The stage lights were really dim and apparently couldn't be turned up - so Luka asked if we minded having the lights kept on over us as well. Because of course "it's more fun with the lights on"(!)
SETLIST:
1. I Am Not At War
2. Tribe
3. I Love The World I'm In
4. Primavera
5. Make You Feel My Love
6. June
7. City Of Chicago
8. No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
9. See You Soon
10. Eastbound Train
11. Love Is A Monsoon
12. Rainbow Day
13. Everyman
14. Lord Franklin
15. Acoustic Motorbike
16. Sunny Sailor Boy
17. You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
- Encore -
18. I'm On Your Side
19. Diamond Mountain
20. I Need Love
21. Black Is The Colour
Luka told a few stories from the Australian tour - though not the one about nearly drowning!
There was the time he persuaded Conor and the roadies to give him a few minutes to say goodbye to a particular beach before moving on to the next town/gig.... He stood just barely into the water, waves lapping his ankles, with his head tilted back and his eyes closed.... only to get splashed to his waist by a rogue wave! So in the next town he spies a sign saying "SALE" in a clothes shop window, goes in and is flicking through the rack of shorts, when a young sales woman steps up beside him, puts her hand on his shoulder and says: "awww, had a little accident, granddad?"
Straight-talkin' Australian women. Even more so than Irish women - apparently (!)
No Rudy tonight - but the Lakewood stepped in quite ably!! Great to finally hear it after being teased by its silent presence several times.
No EXPLORING THE BLUE / TE ADORO / GONE TO PABLO or FIRE. The Lakewood sounded great though for all the Rudy songs he did play e.g. EVERYMAN, I'M ON YOUR SIDE, MONSOON, ACOUSTIC MOTORBIKE, SUNNY SAILOR BOY, YOU COULDN'T HAVE COME...
And we had RAINBOW DAY and BLACK IS THE COLOUR.
Plus LORD FRANKLIN (signature tune of Micheal O Domhnaill, guitarist with the Bothy Band) -- which Luka said he learned recently out of love and respect for Micheal but has never played in public before.
Oh, and JUNE - first time I've heard this live - it's never been a particular favourite but this was gorgeous.
Then I NEED LOVE - so many cat calls, wolf whistles, ribald comments! About two-thirds through, Luka just bust up laughing! I wasn't sure if he would (or could) continue but he bravely pulled it together - and then used the long "make-yourself-seen" space, not to give long searching stares, but to give back as good as he'd been getting!!
Altogether the evening was a bit more saucy (!!) than usual...
Although, as always, a totally Class Act. Great songs, great spirit, great show.
(Originally published 2009 at http://www.rbergholz.net/lukabloom/review/fanreviews9.htm#020509a)
Saturday, 2 May 2009Support by Michelle Ann Kelly accom. by Ciara Brown
Lovely summer evening when we started - what a shock it must have been when he left the stage the first time, to open that door straight into a downpour! He said afterward that it seems every time he plays MONSOON, it begins to rain before the show has ended. Happened in Australia on a couple of occasions. Wishes he'd sung it in Melbourne, though it's more than just rain they need there.
The stage lights were really dim and apparently couldn't be turned up - so Luka asked if we minded having the lights kept on over us as well. Because of course "it's more fun with the lights on"(!)
1. I Am Not At War
2. Tribe
3. I Love The World I'm In
4. Primavera
5. Make You Feel My Love
6. June
7. City Of Chicago
8. No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
9. See You Soon
10. Eastbound Train
11. Love Is A Monsoon
12. Rainbow Day
13. Everyman
14. Lord Franklin
15. Acoustic Motorbike
16. Sunny Sailor Boy
17. You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
- Encore -
18. I'm On Your Side
19. Diamond Mountain
20. I Need Love
21. Black Is The Colour
Luka told a few stories from the Australian tour - though not the one about nearly drowning!
There was the time he persuaded Conor and the roadies to give him a few minutes to say goodbye to a particular beach before moving on to the next town/gig.... He stood just barely into the water, waves lapping his ankles, with his head tilted back and his eyes closed.... only to get splashed to his waist by a rogue wave! So in the next town he spies a sign saying "SALE" in a clothes shop window, goes in and is flicking through the rack of shorts, when a young sales woman steps up beside him, puts her hand on his shoulder and says: "awww, had a little accident, granddad?"
No Rudy tonight - but the Lakewood stepped in quite ably!! Great to finally hear it after being teased by its silent presence several times.
No EXPLORING THE BLUE / TE ADORO / GONE TO PABLO or FIRE. The Lakewood sounded great though for all the Rudy songs he did play e.g. EVERYMAN, I'M ON YOUR SIDE, MONSOON, ACOUSTIC MOTORBIKE, SUNNY SAILOR BOY, YOU COULDN'T HAVE COME...
And we had RAINBOW DAY and BLACK IS THE COLOUR.
Plus LORD FRANKLIN (signature tune of Micheal O Domhnaill, guitarist with the Bothy Band) -- which Luka said he learned recently out of love and respect for Micheal but has never played in public before.
Then I NEED LOVE - so many cat calls, wolf whistles, ribald comments! About two-thirds through, Luka just bust up laughing! I wasn't sure if he would (or could) continue but he bravely pulled it together - and then used the long "make-yourself-seen" space, not to give long searching stares, but to give back as good as he'd been getting!!
Altogether the evening was a bit more saucy (!!) than usual...
Although, as always, a totally Class Act. Great songs, great spirit, great show.
Luka Bloom @ Royal Spa Hotel, Lisdoonvarna - 31 July 2008
Royal Spa Hotel, Lisdoonvarna
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Following the informality and irreverence of the Malone's gig, the Royal Spa Hotel was a much more civilised setting for this, the last concert of the 'Summer Nights' Tour. The attendance was not much higher than in Malone's (about 130, I understand), but the Hotel venue is at least 4-5 times the size of the room in Malone's, with the chairs here set out in sedate rows with ample legroom, and a good-sized stage - which Luka had all to himself!
The mood was friendly and relaxed, with the audience giving Luka a warm, affectionate reception and their undivided attention and respect the whole evening – no interruptions or heckling tonight! Luka himself seemed in a mellow mood and chose to feature songs with connections to the local area: songs about places in Clare, especially the Burren, which reflect his attachment to the area, and songs he has written while visiting or staying in Clare over the years.
The introductions and stories were more or less the same ones he has been telling for these songs over some time, with possibly one notable addition: he related a funny anecdote about Mohamed (which had nothing at all to do with the song inspired by Mohamed's journey from Algeria to Galway, No Matter Where You Go, There You Are), about how he got to know Mohamed in Amsterdam and noticed that he didn't abstain from alcohol and the 'wacky baccy', so he asked him how that fit in with being Muslim. Mohamed's reply: "I'm an easy Muslim." Luka understood that immediately, having known a fair few 'easy Catholics' in his time – and perhaps counting himself amongst them!
SET LIST:
Water Ballerina
Thank You For Bringing Me Here
Tribe
Eastbound Train
I Love The World I'm In
Make You Feel My Love
Diamond Mountain
City Of Chicago
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
Peace On Earth
Lorelei
Te Adoro / Exploring The Blue / Te Adoro
I'm On Your Side
Monsoon
Every Man
When Your Love Comes
Ciara
Acoustic Motorbike
ENCORE:
Islands In The Stream
You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
Sunny Sailor Boy
I was especially moved by Lorelei, both tonight and the night before. The tenderness and subtlety of Luka's singing raised goosebumps on my arms. I wish I had asked him if this song is on the new album - it is such a beauty.
Likewise, When Your Love Comes sounds better every time I hear it, if that's possible. Or maybe my love for it just keeps growing. Tonight it was sung with lots of contrast in power and pitch, running the gamut from whisper to full cry. I confess that I wasn’t too keen on the humming accompaniment when he first started that as an experiment during the UK tour last spring, but I am completely won over now! When it works, as tonight it so definitely did, the song somehow conveys both the earthy and the sublime. Outstanding.
Another memorable rendition tonight was Te Adoro, used as bookends for Exploring The Blue: when he picked up Rudy, he started with a few bars of Te Adoro, then went into Exploring The Blue, and then segued smoothly back into Te Adoro to play it in its entirety. And tonight he played it especially well. For a man who 'still has no clue what he's doing', Luka is quite a virtuoso on guitar. At one point towards the end of Te Adoro, I thought fleetingly "now he's just showing off" (!) and just at that moment an odd inward smile appeared on Luka's face and stayed there as he played out the song. Was that a sort of 7-year-old boy "look Ma, no hands" moment? Or was it all in my head? :)
A moment's forgetfulness during Tribe nonetheless showcased Luka's professionalism. If he forgets a word or a line, he seamlessly throws in a kind of Irish scat singing, inventing sounds to replace missing words so quickly and smoothly that, unless you are paying strict attention, you might not even notice he's done it. And it sounds charmingly Irish and makes the rendition unique to the night, converting his memory lapse from mistake to unexpected bonus!
As ever, the audience was willing yet shy about singing along to Islands In The Stream. On about the third or fourth chorus, Luka stopped singing to let us take over and here, as at the Cobh gig, I got caught out. Everyone sang out the first note, then, realising Luka had stopped, nobody sang the second one – except for that not-very-alert American in the front row (blush) who was left "high, wide and lonesome"! Thankfully everyone else recovered quickly! Within a short time we were all at full throttle again.
Peace On Earth – more goosebumps.
We all loved Diamond Mountain, introduced as the "only good song" to come out of a week-long stay in a cottage in Clare in the early 1990s, just after Luka's first visit to Australia. Personally I think this song is one of his all-time best, which makes me wonder if the others he came up with that week were really all that bad...
Since this was the last night of the tour, I tried to savour every song and how he played and sang them tonight, but still found myself a bit sad and nostalgic when it was over. As was the case during the UK tour, it was very easy to make friends with others who love Luka's work, most of whom have seen him perform many times and hope to again soon. Tonight I met some Americans who were having dinner in Doolins Cafe three years ago when quite to their surprise a Dutch television crew locked the doors and turned on the cameras...! They bought the DVD set tonight.
So, another wonderful concert, more great memories. And a fitting end to Luka's little tour round Ireland. So nice of him to invite us to join him on his summer holidays! :)
(Originally published 2008 at http://www.rbergholz.net/lukabloom/review/fanreviews8.htm#310708)
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Following the informality and irreverence of the Malone's gig, the Royal Spa Hotel was a much more civilised setting for this, the last concert of the 'Summer Nights' Tour. The attendance was not much higher than in Malone's (about 130, I understand), but the Hotel venue is at least 4-5 times the size of the room in Malone's, with the chairs here set out in sedate rows with ample legroom, and a good-sized stage - which Luka had all to himself!
The mood was friendly and relaxed, with the audience giving Luka a warm, affectionate reception and their undivided attention and respect the whole evening – no interruptions or heckling tonight! Luka himself seemed in a mellow mood and chose to feature songs with connections to the local area: songs about places in Clare, especially the Burren, which reflect his attachment to the area, and songs he has written while visiting or staying in Clare over the years.
The introductions and stories were more or less the same ones he has been telling for these songs over some time, with possibly one notable addition: he related a funny anecdote about Mohamed (which had nothing at all to do with the song inspired by Mohamed's journey from Algeria to Galway, No Matter Where You Go, There You Are), about how he got to know Mohamed in Amsterdam and noticed that he didn't abstain from alcohol and the 'wacky baccy', so he asked him how that fit in with being Muslim. Mohamed's reply: "I'm an easy Muslim." Luka understood that immediately, having known a fair few 'easy Catholics' in his time – and perhaps counting himself amongst them!
SET LIST:Water Ballerina
Thank You For Bringing Me Here
Tribe
Eastbound Train
I Love The World I'm In
Make You Feel My Love
Diamond Mountain
City Of Chicago
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
Peace On Earth
Lorelei
Te Adoro / Exploring The Blue / Te Adoro
I'm On Your Side
Monsoon
Every Man
When Your Love Comes
Ciara
Acoustic Motorbike
ENCORE:
Islands In The Stream
You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
Sunny Sailor Boy
I was especially moved by Lorelei, both tonight and the night before. The tenderness and subtlety of Luka's singing raised goosebumps on my arms. I wish I had asked him if this song is on the new album - it is such a beauty.
Likewise, When Your Love Comes sounds better every time I hear it, if that's possible. Or maybe my love for it just keeps growing. Tonight it was sung with lots of contrast in power and pitch, running the gamut from whisper to full cry. I confess that I wasn’t too keen on the humming accompaniment when he first started that as an experiment during the UK tour last spring, but I am completely won over now! When it works, as tonight it so definitely did, the song somehow conveys both the earthy and the sublime. Outstanding.
Another memorable rendition tonight was Te Adoro, used as bookends for Exploring The Blue: when he picked up Rudy, he started with a few bars of Te Adoro, then went into Exploring The Blue, and then segued smoothly back into Te Adoro to play it in its entirety. And tonight he played it especially well. For a man who 'still has no clue what he's doing', Luka is quite a virtuoso on guitar. At one point towards the end of Te Adoro, I thought fleetingly "now he's just showing off" (!) and just at that moment an odd inward smile appeared on Luka's face and stayed there as he played out the song. Was that a sort of 7-year-old boy "look Ma, no hands" moment? Or was it all in my head? :)
A moment's forgetfulness during Tribe nonetheless showcased Luka's professionalism. If he forgets a word or a line, he seamlessly throws in a kind of Irish scat singing, inventing sounds to replace missing words so quickly and smoothly that, unless you are paying strict attention, you might not even notice he's done it. And it sounds charmingly Irish and makes the rendition unique to the night, converting his memory lapse from mistake to unexpected bonus!
As ever, the audience was willing yet shy about singing along to Islands In The Stream. On about the third or fourth chorus, Luka stopped singing to let us take over and here, as at the Cobh gig, I got caught out. Everyone sang out the first note, then, realising Luka had stopped, nobody sang the second one – except for that not-very-alert American in the front row (blush) who was left "high, wide and lonesome"! Thankfully everyone else recovered quickly! Within a short time we were all at full throttle again.
Peace On Earth – more goosebumps.
We all loved Diamond Mountain, introduced as the "only good song" to come out of a week-long stay in a cottage in Clare in the early 1990s, just after Luka's first visit to Australia. Personally I think this song is one of his all-time best, which makes me wonder if the others he came up with that week were really all that bad...
Since this was the last night of the tour, I tried to savour every song and how he played and sang them tonight, but still found myself a bit sad and nostalgic when it was over. As was the case during the UK tour, it was very easy to make friends with others who love Luka's work, most of whom have seen him perform many times and hope to again soon. Tonight I met some Americans who were having dinner in Doolins Cafe three years ago when quite to their surprise a Dutch television crew locked the doors and turned on the cameras...! They bought the DVD set tonight.
So, another wonderful concert, more great memories. And a fitting end to Luka's little tour round Ireland. So nice of him to invite us to join him on his summer holidays! :)
(Originally published 2008 at http://www.rbergholz.net/lukabloom/review/fanreviews8.htm#310708)
Luka Bloom @ Tom Malone's Pub, Miltown Malbay - 30 July 2008
Tom Malone's Pub - Market House Theatre, Miltown Malbay
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
What a night! The most unusual gig I've ever been to, of any kind of music by any artist. Why? How often does a "paying gig" feel as pure and simple as a night with your mates, all packed into someone's living room (or, in this case, sauna) having a great party?! But if strangers are simply friends you haven't met yet, then that's exactly what Wednesday night in Malone's was: a night with 100 friends, brought together by a love for the songs, singing together, laughing together, drinking together and, yes, sweating together! It takes a very special artist to make (or let) that kind of evening happen -- and that artist is Luka Bloom.
The venue was, how shall I put it... chairs for 60 people but about 100 tickets sold. 'Small' doesn't quite convey how truly close together we were... or how in-Luka's-face we were... or he in ours! 'Intimate' implies quietness... we were anything but that! 'Friendly' better pulls the concepts of 'small' and 'intimate' together but sounds far too tame... The bottom line? The room was a mosh pit. Without the dancing.
I was in the front row, centre, my feet ON the stage. If I straightened a leg, my foot was on the base of the mic stand. When Luka stepped to his left to listen to the audience, the guitar swung round at face level. Meself and the guy to my right kept ducking.
The toilets were behind the stage. To get to them, you had to cross the stage. In front of Luka. Some did it while he was singing. He didn't bat an eyelid. If someone approached just as he was ready to start the next song, he'd step back, wave them through, THEN start. He dubbed the stage 'Grand Central Station'.
And of course we had all the usual banter, but this night it wasn't Luka doing all the talking. Good-natured heckling flew to and from both sides of that small stage. Our chief spokeswoman was Angela from Belfast, up front and two chairs to my left. When Luka gave his usual intro to Lorelei "...lots of songs have been written about that rock -- this one's the best of them", she retorted "We'll be the judge of that!" It was exquisitely sung -- a stand out that night -- and at the end she said "Okay, Luka, yours is the best" and he saluted her. Fair play.
Likewise his intro to Miracle Cure: "Forgiveness can be the hardest thing... especially when you know you're right!" We hooted with laughter but he insisted "It's true! You know it's true!"
And Luka's astonishment to find, when recounting the first time he sang Eastbound Train, that we had a couple amongst us who were there, yes, in Heiligenhaus that night, part of that now legendary audience who sang along the first time they heard it.
It was just so bloody HOT... About half way through, Luka said he was reminded of a gig he did in New Orleans, opening for The Pogues in about 1988. The night was heavy with heat and humidity. He sat resting, sweating, after his own set, when, just as The Pogues took the stage, the storm broke, with the first crash of thunder chiming with the first clash of guitar. Said he hadn't thought of that night for 20 years. Until tonight.
He does like it hot though and no doubt would have happily played straight through the set without a break, but he could see we were suffering so at the point when he changed guitars, he suggested a short time-out and just sat down on stage while people headed for the bar. But once he'd stopped moving, he must have felt chilled in his soaked-through shirt, because he then decided a proper 10-minute interval was a great idea -- and went off to put a dry shirt on.
SET LIST
Thank You For Bringing Me Here
There Is A Time
Tribe
Eastbound Train
Innocence
Miracle Cure
Blackwater Side
Lorelei
Make You Feel My Love
City Of Chicago
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
Peace On Earth
Water Ballerina
- interval -
Exploring The Blue / Te Adoro
Monsoon
Every Man
When Your Love Comes
I'm On Your Side
Sunny Sailor Boy
Ciara
Fertile Rock
Acoustic Motorbike
Islands In The Stream
You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
As it was, he came on stage at 9:15, played til 11:45. Whew!
I said to him afterwards 'I don't know how you do this'.
He said 'Neither do I!'
The next day he was heard to describe the night as hilarious -- and he wasn't being sarcastic. Many singers would have felt distracted, annoyed and/or insulted -- by the heat, the closeness, the heckling, the to-and-froing across the stage, the complete anarchy. But I think Luka was laughing inside, all night! Because the whole scene was absolutely mad -- a truly unforgettable, special, once in a lifetime kind of night.
(Originally published 2008 at http://www.rbergholz.net/lukabloom/review/fanreviews8.htm#300708)
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
What a night! The most unusual gig I've ever been to, of any kind of music by any artist. Why? How often does a "paying gig" feel as pure and simple as a night with your mates, all packed into someone's living room (or, in this case, sauna) having a great party?! But if strangers are simply friends you haven't met yet, then that's exactly what Wednesday night in Malone's was: a night with 100 friends, brought together by a love for the songs, singing together, laughing together, drinking together and, yes, sweating together! It takes a very special artist to make (or let) that kind of evening happen -- and that artist is Luka Bloom.
The venue was, how shall I put it... chairs for 60 people but about 100 tickets sold. 'Small' doesn't quite convey how truly close together we were... or how in-Luka's-face we were... or he in ours! 'Intimate' implies quietness... we were anything but that! 'Friendly' better pulls the concepts of 'small' and 'intimate' together but sounds far too tame... The bottom line? The room was a mosh pit. Without the dancing.
I was in the front row, centre, my feet ON the stage. If I straightened a leg, my foot was on the base of the mic stand. When Luka stepped to his left to listen to the audience, the guitar swung round at face level. Meself and the guy to my right kept ducking.
The toilets were behind the stage. To get to them, you had to cross the stage. In front of Luka. Some did it while he was singing. He didn't bat an eyelid. If someone approached just as he was ready to start the next song, he'd step back, wave them through, THEN start. He dubbed the stage 'Grand Central Station'.
And of course we had all the usual banter, but this night it wasn't Luka doing all the talking. Good-natured heckling flew to and from both sides of that small stage. Our chief spokeswoman was Angela from Belfast, up front and two chairs to my left. When Luka gave his usual intro to Lorelei "...lots of songs have been written about that rock -- this one's the best of them", she retorted "We'll be the judge of that!" It was exquisitely sung -- a stand out that night -- and at the end she said "Okay, Luka, yours is the best" and he saluted her. Fair play.
Likewise his intro to Miracle Cure: "Forgiveness can be the hardest thing... especially when you know you're right!" We hooted with laughter but he insisted "It's true! You know it's true!"
And Luka's astonishment to find, when recounting the first time he sang Eastbound Train, that we had a couple amongst us who were there, yes, in Heiligenhaus that night, part of that now legendary audience who sang along the first time they heard it.
It was just so bloody HOT... About half way through, Luka said he was reminded of a gig he did in New Orleans, opening for The Pogues in about 1988. The night was heavy with heat and humidity. He sat resting, sweating, after his own set, when, just as The Pogues took the stage, the storm broke, with the first crash of thunder chiming with the first clash of guitar. Said he hadn't thought of that night for 20 years. Until tonight.
He does like it hot though and no doubt would have happily played straight through the set without a break, but he could see we were suffering so at the point when he changed guitars, he suggested a short time-out and just sat down on stage while people headed for the bar. But once he'd stopped moving, he must have felt chilled in his soaked-through shirt, because he then decided a proper 10-minute interval was a great idea -- and went off to put a dry shirt on.
SET LIST
Thank You For Bringing Me Here
There Is A Time
Tribe
Eastbound Train
Innocence
Miracle Cure
Blackwater Side
Lorelei
Make You Feel My Love
City Of Chicago
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
Peace On Earth
Water Ballerina
- interval -
Exploring The Blue / Te Adoro
Monsoon
Every Man
When Your Love Comes
I'm On Your Side
Sunny Sailor Boy
Ciara
Fertile Rock
Acoustic Motorbike
Islands In The Stream
You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time
As it was, he came on stage at 9:15, played til 11:45. Whew!
I said to him afterwards 'I don't know how you do this'.
He said 'Neither do I!'
The next day he was heard to describe the night as hilarious -- and he wasn't being sarcastic. Many singers would have felt distracted, annoyed and/or insulted -- by the heat, the closeness, the heckling, the to-and-froing across the stage, the complete anarchy. But I think Luka was laughing inside, all night! Because the whole scene was absolutely mad -- a truly unforgettable, special, once in a lifetime kind of night.
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