Watching Marianne Faithfull

 

Friday 31st January 2025 

Watching Marianne Faithfull on BBC 4 . A BBC in session concert in LSO St Luke's in London from 2009.

She's enjoying herself. There's  'Broken English', a Billie Holiday song - 'Solitude', there's a Jackson C Frank song 'Kimbie', 'Dear God Please Help Me' by Morrisey, 'The Crane Wife' from the Decemberists. Sister Morphine and 'As Tears Go By' come from her back pages.

Watching I'm thinking WHAT is it about her? She's unique.

Yeah, yeah she was Mick Jagger's girlfriend, the Stones gave her 'As Time Goes By' her first hit, she took drugs, was a heroin addict. 

I think she was more than than though, so much more than that. From the Broken English album with it's electric European sound onwards she built a body of work that others would struggle to equal and many must envy. 

Watching this concert there it seems clear she listened deeply to music and was attracted to the joy, the darkness and beauty of music. There was no equal to her in English music. She was one of a kind.

She was a captivating performer and she'll be missed. I'm so glad she was here.

    

It's snowing in New Orleans - Beau Gris Gris and the Apocalypse live at the Voodoo Rooms

 Going to see Beau Gris Gris and the Apocalypse at the Voodoo Rooms when it was snowing in New Orleans was always going to be a special night. So I hoped and so it was. 

No support just a four to the floor rock'n'roll band playing to an enthusiastic audience for two and a half hours. 

They opened the night and their tour with the instant crowd pleaser 'What's My Name' audaciously introducing audience participation from song one. It worked and set the scene for the rest of the evening.

Beau Gris Gris are on the face of it the unlikely pairing of a skinny guitarist from Devizes and an ebullient singer from Louisiana have perfected a crowd pleasing sound mixing rock'n'roll, soul, americana and at times crunching glam guitar into the perfect night out. 

Slowing the pace down mid set with a stripped back acoustic guitar a voice and a brace of songs including a soulful cover of 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. 

The band are fronted by Greta Valenti and Robin Davey  and although this was a different backing band  than the last time I saw them  it was clear that these guys all add to the whole. 

After the band return the gig moves up a notch and there are audience invasions by Greta and Robin - there's bound to be film out there go find it. 

Finishing with a curfew pushing rendition of their 'Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down' I can't help but feel that this is probably the best live band I've seen this year! If you get the chance don't miss them.