Skip to main content

Alabama 3 send off an era

The Coal Exchange is one of Cardiff's most historic buildings and has long been an important live music venue, full of character and with much better acoustics than similar venues in the city. The building is now closed for refurbishment. I hope that the main hall will return to its popular function, but there is a slight question mark about this aspect of the redevelopment (see BBC News article). The closing party was held 26th Sept but Friday 28th September was the official last show, and what a show! Alabama 3 came to end an era in style.

Whilst the main event certainly had panache, the support bands are more accurately described as interesting. First on stage were post nu rave/electro/punk ensemble Sicknote. I'd only heard one of their songs before, Taxi For Mr Blair, but their set was very innovative and well received by the incoming audience. In particular, they had highly amusing videos up on the screens either side of the stage and one band member (band names, songs and videos are all available on myspace) wearing a kilt, was entertaining the crowd in a dancing manner very reminiscent of The Erotic Volo from Mistys Big Adventure.

The second support band were negligible, mainly because they didn't annouce their name, or at least it wasn't clear from the general mumbling and griping of the lead singer. The songs were ok and with a better band may even have been good, but generally this band should have been nowhere near a stage.

After an extended pause, Alabama 3 took to the stage and played for about 2 hours. The set started with new songs Fly and Monday Don't Mean Anything, and the last encore was Peace In The Valley. The rest of the set comprised of songs from new album M.O.R., Exile on Coldharbour Lane and Power In The Blood; only Hello I'm Johnny Cash made the cut from Outlaw and Too Sick To Pray from La Peste. Highlights were Amos Moses, Are You a Souljah, REHAB, Speed of The Sound of Loneliness, Hypo Full of Love.



Once again the audience was of the most eclectic mix, far more varied than for any other band I could mention! The atmosphere was brilliant, especially on such a night to remember.

Comments

flapsandwich said…
nice review!! spot on. i'm the hairy one from sicknote... Alabama 3 were amazing, great night to see off an amazing venue. i for one, am gutted it's going... Where else comes close to that in Cardiff??? nice1 xx

Popular posts from this blog

Music, Poetry and Cake (Gateshead and Lanchester)

Piano at the ready! (by M) After a good few months prep, the concert Piano Music and Poetry (organised through the Gateshead Piano Workshop folks) came around pretty quickly. As one of the participants, I was excited and also a little nervous about the prospect of a Paying Audience. The work paid off, as all the performers were excellent! Well appreciated by the compact audience. The format was in relation to National Poetry Day which was on 2nd October. Each performer chose a poem either in direct or indirect relation to their piece. A summary of the programme: Alan - Liszt Consolation No 4 and Mozart Adagio in B minor Graeme - Chopin Nocturne Op. 62 No. 2 with 'Uncertainty' by Adam Mickiewicz me - Clara Schumann, andante con sentimento with 'Clara Wieck und Beethoven' by Franz Grillparzer Jim - R Schumann Kinderszenen 1 and 7 with 'My child, we were just children' by Heinrich Heine Ernie - Debussy Clair de lune with excerpt from 'Fêtes g...

From Black Rose to Buena Vista

Two very different but equally impressive live experiences this last weekend. First up, our long overdue homage to the late, great Phil Lynott as Limehouse Lizzy returned to the Point on Friday 2nd March. Certainly on form (and not just lead singer Wayne Ellis, mmmm!) After a late doors, the band came on for a 2 hour set. They started off with Jailbreak (with added pyro), the rest of the main set comprising known songs like Dancing In The Moonlight, Warrior, Emerald, Johnny the Fox, Are You Ready, Killer On The Loose, Cold Sweat, Do Anything You Want To, Out In The Fields, Cowboy Song, Rosalie, The Boys Are Back In Town plus at least 1 early track. The encore included 1 verse/1 chorus from Sarah, Black Rose, Whisky In The Jar and another track. Excellent atmosphere, the place was sold out. The boys are back at the Point in December. Next on to crowd pleasers of a very different sort. M and I managed to get tickets for the sold-out Buena Vista Social Club show at Wales Millennium Centr...

Love, chaos and hope: Gabriela Montero and Scottish Ensemble in Kendal

After a sublime Friday lunchtime concert, Saturday (16th February) got even better. The day started with the February edition of Clitheroe Piano Group, and even more than normal we had an excellent afternoon's music. Quick smart up the M6 to Kendal and a quick meal courtesy of Farmhouse Kitchen (very nice) before we headed to Kendal Leisure Centre. Lakeland Sinfonia seem to have a good set of concerts this season - I tried to book for Jess Gillham in January but sold out - and the February concert, Gabriela Montero and Scottish Ensemble, was definitely a treat. There seem to be a lot of season ticket holders as quite a lot of the audience seemed to know each other; and with a few single ticket holders like us, the hall was pretty full!  Scottish Ensemble are a 12-piece string group, and a quick look at their website shows they are interested in anything strings! Gabriela Montero is renowned for her pianism, improvisations and compositions - certainly one of the draws f...