Cem and I were very honoured yesterday to be among only twenty or so people who attended an incredibly intimate performance by John Cooper Clarke at Dylan Thomas's Boathouse in Laugharne.
Part of the Laugharne Weekend Literary Festival; this, in my humble opinion, was the gig of the festival; and John didn't (as if he could) disappoint.The gig took place in the master bedroom, and despite there not being a bed, much jollity occurred.
I'm sure the spirit of Dylan looked on with much glee; appreciative that his once humble home, now a museum, rang out with cadenzas that I'm certain would have met with much approval.A glass would have been raised - as many were - to the Salford bard, whose only concern was not living up to such hallowed expectation, but making sure he finished with time enough to get off and catch the footie.
Nice one, John!And I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I share a little of that intimacy with others.
So here's eight minutes worth of a very exclusive gig, captured on my cheap and rather outdated mobile.
But hey, well worth a listen.
John Cooper Clarke - Live at Dylan's Boathouse, Laugharne, Wales, 16/4/11.
Pies
Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman
Christmas at Somebody Else's House
Captured on mobile phone as amr files; converted to mp3s @320kbs.
A little wobbly, but coherent and very listenable to.
Join the bedroom set here
10 comments:
That must have been an incredible gig. Saw Johnny a couple of years ago (with Frank Sidebottom supporting, and he was just brilliant.
Thanks for these extracts, great stuff
Frank Sidebottom!
Now there's someone I'd like to see perform in a tiny space!
Cheers for your comment, roy
Unfortunately, Mr Sidebottom no longer with us passed away in June, the following night in the millenium hall , Laugharne, though Mr Clarke was a blast, full moon and the tide was high, so weremost of the audience, his verbal dexterity shined bright, maintaining for me his living legend status. xx
Not much chance of seeing Frank now, sadly...
That is bad news.
That's another obit I missed. Damn!
Rather sad state of affairs,me thinks, so few people for such a great artist, it's not as if he is over exposed is it. Personally I'm still waiting for JCC to pay us visit down here in the soutth of France, see what the locals make of him! For my own part I have many keen memories of seeing him turn up with his plastic carrier bags and wise words a plenty to ammuse our muse in and arround London in the late 70's.
He played the following night to about two hundred; apparently he went down well.
The gig I attended sold out very quickly: it was a 'special show', but not me thinks representative of his popularity - or lack of.
Sens him a request via his site; you never know.... : ) roy
Thanks a bunch for this, roy! I shall return the favour by upping for you a set from Edinburgh in 2005 - unfortunately, I can't track down where I found it, credit to the unknown taper. 30 min set, good audience recording, mostly stand-up repartee rather than set poems.
http://www.mediafire.com/?we4gthi55v8bwb5
Searches at the sites below will turn up many of JCC's out-of-print singles and Ou Est La Maison De Fromage, the rough but classic debut album:
http://punkfriction.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20Cooper%20Clarke
http://adashingblade.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20Cooper-Clarke
http://skamanchackett.blogspot.com/search?q=John+Cooper+Clarke
Please delete this comment if you do not wants links to other blogs in the comments.
Cheers, Dave Sez.
I think I can make an exception this time around; as you've made such an effort.
'Stand up repartee' is certainly a big part of Johnny's performance nowadays, but you know, once a poet always a poet, and most of what he says is true music to the ears.
Thanks for the links, roy
Ta for this - I followed Dave Sez here from killyourpetpuppy...I tend to stalk monsieur Sez quite a bit.. safe in the knowledge that he'll lead me somewhere groovy..this post bein a case in point..! Cheers, Dave, and thanks again, Roy :)
Post a Comment