Dust My Broom Stop Breakin' Down Walkin' Blues Love In Vain Sweet Home Chicago Red Hot Kitchen Hellhound Riverside Crossroads
Second Set: Just One Victory
Review by SueW:
It wasn’t 100% clear that Todd would be his own opening act but most people were in their seats by the time they took the stage (about 15 minutes late at around 8.15pm). I hadn’t heard any of this Johnson music so I was hoping that it was good as I’ve already booked for two of the US April gigs. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped but that was partly because I could barely make out any of the words. That may be because of being so near the front as the sound is usually not very good there but I was also disappointed that there were few background vocals. Kasim had a microphone but Jesse and Prairie didn’t. However Kasim only sang one line in one song but in Riverside (I think) he sang almost the whole song. This was my favourite of the set. Partly because it meant that I could make out more of the words (as Kasim always sings very clearly) and partly because it had more of a rocking beat than the others in the set.
All the band and Todd were dressed in all black for this set (a total contrast to the AWATS set) and Kasim kept his glasses on through all the set. With that and his beard, it was hard to see much of his face which I always find disappointing!
During Walkin' Blues I noticed how much intricate bass Kasim played especially during Todd’s guitar solo. Although the spotlight was on Todd, Kasim’s fingers were all over his bass strings which was really impressive!
There was an abortive start to Sweet Home Chicago as Todd was unsure which song he was supposed to be playing! Kasim told him what he should be playing to which Todd responded “Shut up fuzz-face!” and then later it turned out Kasim was correct! Todd’s response was that you don’t rehearse the blues, “you just feel them!”
For some reason Kasim didn’t have a set list for this set so he kept walking behind the drum kit to read Prairie’s and at the end of the set he put the set list in his pocket.
After about a half hour interval the main set started. I have no history personally with Todd’s AWATS album so it really meant nothing to me that he would be playing the whole album (after all he did that for Arena last year) but I did know some of the songs. Unfortunately, even on the songs I knew, from where I was sitting it was difficult to make out many of the words. Despite that it was a really fun show watching which costume Todd would come out in next! I’d seen photos of most of the costumes but they were even more startling in the flesh! During the songs that Todd sang some of the band (e.g. Kasim, Bobby and Jesse) were allowed off their risers to have a little time in the spotlight. I’d seen videos of Kasim’s song (Does Anybody Love You) but it seemed much shorter when he sang it tonight! I know it wasn’t but it just went past in a blur. Thankfully he finally took his glasses off at that point. Bobby Strickland was very impressive and seemed to really enjoy his time at the front of the stage. He and Jesse jammed for quite a while which was fun to watch plus it was Bobby that got all the crowd standing. (Some people near me had stood at the beginning of this set and were told to sit by security.)
Unfortunately Greg Hawkes, Prairie Prince and Ralph Schuckett were left rather out in the cold I felt which was a shame as they are all such talented musicians. It’s a shame that solo spots for them couldn’t have been incorporated into the set too (and a longer one for Kasim please!). Just One Victory was saved for the encore as always. It’s such a great song but it left people wanting more as it was the only song in the encore despite them finishing 15 minutes before the curfew. Michelle Rundgren came out to join Kasim at his microphone for JOV too. As initially I was disappointed when I heard that Todd was only playing one gig in London, I booked to go to the Amsterdam one in two days too but then it became unrealistic for me to make the journey but, after seeing that gig, I’m not overly disappointed that I’m not going. I really enjoyed tonight but I’d rather watch a proper rock concert than a show with music and loads of costume changes.
Comments by fans posted to various messageboards and mailing lists include:
"I could ramble on for ages about how good every member of the band was."
"As we expected, the band was a tight unit and still seemed great friends after all these years. I could go on about the individual virtuosity of each member but it was the whole that was important and it ticked all the boxes. A faithful reproduction of the album which must have been tricky and asked for intense rehearsal but it was well worth it and it was good to see Michelle at the end joining in the vocals with Kasim."
"Performance: great vocals from Todd and tight playing by the band. 10/10"
Other websites:
Bart Versteeg has posted a photo of Kasim at this gig here.
Four national British broadsheets reviewed this gig and gave it good reviews:
The venue (taken from the KasimInfo.com Blog that day):
The gig tonight is at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London. Click here to view the venue website and here to purchase tickets for the gig. A few days ago two seats together were available in the 26th row. Tickets vary in price from £36.78 ($59) to £55.75 ($89).
This will be Kasim's first gig at this venue for at least twenty years (if ever) and his first gig in London since 23rd November 2008. This venue opened on the 28th March 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema and was designed in the Art Deco style. It had 3,487 seats and a 35 foot deep stage, twenty dressing rooms and a café/restaurant located on the balcony/foyer area. For some concerts the stall area is used for standing but it will not be the case tonight. The address of the venue is 45 Queen Caroline Street Hammersmith, London, W6 9QH. This venue has changed its name several times over the years but became the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in January 2009. Although Hammersmith is out of the center of London (it's to the west), it is easily accessible by underground and the station is opposite the venue. This venue is also one of the best known music venues in London.
Tickets for this gig state that the concert starts at 7pm but this venue is known for printing an incorrect time so that people arrive early and purchase alcohol!
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