{"id":309,"date":"2018-01-03T14:52:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T14:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/2018\/01\/03\/looking-back-on-2017\/"},"modified":"2018-01-03T14:52:00","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T14:52:00","slug":"looking-back-on-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/2018\/01\/03\/looking-back-on-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking back on 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/a>Looking back on 2017<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\nBy Pete Clemons<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
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If anything, the local music scene in Coventry, and surrounding area, appears to be getting stronger. Of course a lot more was bound to have happened than ever crossed my path. But the memories for what I personally witnessed at first hand were plentiful. Some of which will remain with me for a long time to come. <\/p>\n

Trying to keep the events in some sort of chronological order who; that attended, will ever forget the reunion gig by Barnabus<\/a><\/b> in February. With little rehearsal, they rested on their collective experience and turned out a blistering set that included \u2018Apocalypse\u2019 which recently featured on a Cherry Red records compilation. <\/span>
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\nI remember purchasing a couple of fine CD releases that I never tired of listening to throughout the year. The first by the re-modelled Barb\u2019d Wire. Their time certainly came as Cherelle Harding took centre stage and owned it. Along with a fine rhythm section, she shone for this Ska\/Reggae influence band. The other CD that springs to mind from the first half of the year was Street Rituals by Stone Foundation. Always having had the potential, this was the album you sensed they had in them. Yes, it took collaboration with Paul Weller to get them to a greater level, but they would have got there in their own time. That, I have no doubt about. <\/span><\/div>\n
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The Delia Derbyshire evening at the Coventry Cathedral was a memorable yet surreal event. Hearing DJ Jerry Dammer\u2019s playing tracks like \u2018Love Without Sound\u2019 and \u2018My Game of Loving\u2019 reverberate in such dynamic surroundings was a quite extraordinary experience. <\/p>\n

The Godiva Festival was, as ever, a triumph. So diverse an event meant that so many people will have their own favourite memories and recollections. For me personally, I don\u2019t think I will ever forget the Sunday afternoon when both, Joe O\u2019Donnell\u2019s Shkayla, and Bob Jackson\u2019s Badfinger, took to the stage. Both the weather and the music just set the scene for an unforgettable afternoon. <\/span>
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Another gig within unusual surroundings was that by Callum Pickard and the Third Look. At the wonderful Inspires Caf\u00e9 Bar venue they turned in another attention grabbing performance. It can\u2019t be long now, surly, till Callum\u2019s talent are revealed to the wider world. <\/p>\n

I have always had a passion for the Blues scene of the 1960s. Canned Heat, Fleetwood Mac, The Blues breaker\u2019s and Chicken Shack are just some of my favourites. So to hear this kind of music live is just so thrilling. As such I remember being quite excited at the prospect of seeing the debut gig by the Dirt Road Blues Band. And that excitement did not diminish as my expectations were truly met. They got me instantly as they rattled through tunes like \u2018World in a Jug\u2019 and \u2018I\u2019d Rather Go Blind\u2019. <\/p>\n

Continuing with the blues, how can you not love The Broomfield Tavern. I don\u2019t get there anywhere near as much as I should, but seeing bands there like the Travelling Riverside Blues Band and Blues 2 Go in quick succession only enforces what a special venue that back room is. <\/span>
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It should have been a monster, and for some, maybe it was. But a slight disappointment for me was the Godiva Rocks play. The music played on the night was exceptional but I found the storyline a bit long winded and somewhat complicated. I came away with the felling that an opportunity had been missed. But if a soundtrack was ever made available, particularly of the 60s tunes, then I really think that the theatre would have a sure fire winner on its hands. <\/p>\n

Finally, the long awaited CD\/DVD release of Joe O\u2019Donnell\u2019s 1977 concept album \u2018Gaels Vision\u2019, at last saw day of light late on in the year. And I must say it has been worth the wait. I quote: \u2018We were particularly fortunate in having the particularly fortunate in having the patient guidance and assistance of Ben Haines, Russell Whitehead and Ben Skirth who between them helped us across the yawning crevasse of ignorance, as we recklessly attempted the almost impossible and probably inadvisable!! <\/p>\n

With new music being worked on by Moonbears, Cliff Hands, Kristy Gallacher, Stylusboy and the final part of a trilogy of albums by Freedom to Glide all to look forward to, I really don\u2019t want to grow any older. <\/p>\n

Away from Coventry and I bought some splendid new releases that were listened to long and hard. They also remind me of various \u2018where I was\u2019 moments throughout the year. <\/p>\n

These included \u2018Lost in the Ghostlight\u2019 by Tim Bowness. A gripping tale about a musician who, comes to the realisation that the best days are long behind him. Steven Wilson\u2019s chart topping and very wonderful \u2018To the Bone\u2019 album, the hugely successful live album by The Pineapple Thief titled \u2018Where We Stood\u2019 Anatema\u2019s \u2018The Optimist\u2019 which is at last starting to grow on me and the simple charm of Judy Dyble whose collaboration with Andy Lewis \u2018Summer Dancing\u2019 was just sublime. <\/p>\n

Finally, and back to Coventry, you may remember that just over a year ago there was a reunion of most of the musicians who were associated with Indian Summer. They got together to celebrate that Record Collector magazine had released an album of demo\u2019s and out takes. Well it appears that a Japanese company has reproduced that album, along with the bands eponymous studio album in those speciality CD releases in the form of a mini LP that the Japanese do so well. At long last, this band appear to be getting the recognition they so richly deserve.<\/span>
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Looking back on 2017 By Pete Clemons If anything, the local music scene in Coventry, and surrounding area, appears to be getting stronger. Of course a lot more was bound to have happened than ever crossed my path. But the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsrainbow.com\/coventrygigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}