Buffy Sainte-Marie - 'Relocation Blues'

You could've heard a pin drop when Buffy sang 'Relocation Blues' by Floyd Westerman at Shepherd's Bush. Here's a video of Buffy singing it and 'Up Where We Belong' at a concert in 2009.

Buffy Sainte-Marie at Shepherds Bush

Another 'WOW' from me! Here's a short video of Buffy singing 'Starwalker' at Shepherd's Bush Empire on 30 January 2010 - the sound is a bit awful in this clip, but great to see her. And I was there, of course!

SLADE - 'Radio Wall of Sound'

All I can say is 'WOW'! I've never seen this before, SLADE performing live for the very last time on Top Of The Pops with their last hit (so far) in 1991. Even though Jim sings lead vocals for a change, Sir Noddy can't help but be noticed. Thanks to the 'SLADE are for life... not just Christmas' Facebook group for posting this.

That video has made me think, though... the effortlessness of their stage presence, the raucous guitars, pounding drums and, of course, Sir Nod's vocals ... wouldn't a reunion gig (or tour) be pretty damn fabulous? Sir Noddy must get fed up with fans telling him to rejoin the band, but if he and Jim got back with Dave and Don, and it was handled right, it would be one of *the* events of the year. A live CD/DVD package of the gig, repackaged 'greatest hits', a DVD of unseen telly footage from around the world (there's loads in the vaults) and maybe, just maybe, an album of new songs .... I can dream...

Suzanne Vega on Tour

The lovely Suzanne Vega is heading out on the road again to promote her new album, 'Suzanne Vega: Close Up, Volume 1: Love Songs' and will visit our fair shores in June. Once again, she's heading to Cadogan Hall in London and I've just booked tickets - they're selling fast so get 'em while you can.

It's always a pleasure and a delight to be in the presence of Miss Vega.

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES

13 June 2010 Isle of Wight Festival, UK (TICKETS

14 June 2010 The Lowry, Salford, UK (TICKETS)

16 June 2010 London Cadogan Hall, UK (TICKETS)

17 June 2010 Anvil, Basingstoke, UK (TICKETS)

19 June 2010 Town Hall, Birmingham, UK(TICKETS)

20 June 2010 Sage, Gateshead, UK (TICKETS)

21 June 2010 City Hall, Glasgow, Scotland (TICKETS)

PiL Cometh!

Rejoice America, PiL cometh!

Public Image Limited hasn't toured the USA for 18 years but has just announced a series of gigs in May. This will be the 30th anniversary of the bands first tour of America. Head over to the website for details.

I loved seeing PiL at The Electric Ballroom just before Christmas and loved the mad cacophany of sound they generated. America, you are *so* lucky - book tickets now!

Sugababes: 'Wear My Kiss'

The new single from the Sugababes is out, 'Wear My Kiss'. It's a return to form after the past couple of singles that didn't quite cut it for me and seemed to just project the 'babes as sextoys rather than sexkittens - you can be sexy without being sexploited, y'know. I think this treads a nice middle ground. There's a bit of Britney in the mix somewhere, but it sounds good to me!

Meggan Mullally

Last night we went to see Meggan Mullally & The Supreme Music Program at the Vaudeville Theatre on The Strand. Far from being a vanity production for a telly star, Meggan has worked with this band for 12 years and appeared in various musical roles on Broadway. Meggan was relaxed, long hair, glasses, black cardy and jeans, a show of two halves, with the first half being made up of songs I'd never heard of but the second half had songs by Jagger/Richards, Randy Newman and the incomparable Bobby Gentry.

I didn't know what to expect or, to be honest, what I was seeing. Meggan's voice worked better with some songs than with others, but I never knew where she was going with the songs, whether they were meant to be serious or jokey, or where she was taking us. The band is clearly very professional, as are her vocals, it was just an oddly constructed show.

She gave good understated anecdotes, about meeting Mick Jagger and him not knowing who she was (before her excellent version of 'Backstreet Girl'), explaining 'Fancy' as being the song all women should sing to their mothers on Mothers Day (the Bobby Gentry song about making your daughter a whore), about a trip to Prague with a hellish guide called Olga, and how her mother thought she was playing to the Queen - to which she *had* to say she was playing to some queens, but not the Queen (which was a bit obvious).

Much as I enjoyed seeing Meggan on stage I have to admit my mind drifted a bit, particularly re-running meeting Amanda Palmer in that very theatre at the Alan Cumming show and wondering whether she should hire the theatre. She received a standing ovation at the end and, cynical old me, I wondered whether people were clapping Meggan or Karen (off 'Will & Grace'). I suspect the latter, and wondered how many of the ovationers even owned one of her albums.

On leaving, Chris pointed out that the group of loud, thin, (obviously gay) men we'd circumvented included Graham Norton going mad for Meggan. Well, good for her. I don't think I'll be paying hard cash to see her again.

Vanessa Richardson, BAFTA Fellow

Congratulations to Vanessa Redgrave on receiving the Fellowship of the BAFTAs at tonight's awards ceremony. It was presented by Prince William and Uma Thurman and she seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the affair. I suppose it's one thing to turn up expecting an award but it's another to see clips on the big screen of your performances from the '60s to the present day and to still be calm and collected. She is still beautiful.

The only question mark from my perspective was the deep curtsy she made to Prince William (who should bow to her - what's he done to warrant her obeisance?). I met his dad once, y'know. He presented me with my degree from the University of Wales many years ago. I didn't bow to him.

Winter Olympics 2010

I've been concentrating on getting my New York blogging finished before mentioning the Olympics, so I must award a belated congratulations to Amy Williams for winning gold in the 'skeleton' (a daft name, otherwise known as going headfirst downhill on a tea-tray). It was a bit mean for the USA to lodge a complaint about her helmet but it was rightly thrown out. That reeks of bad losers.

I've been watching the bobsleigh, skating, the curling, various skiing events and, tonight, ski cross, a fabulous high octane adrenaline rush of a sport that leaves me gasping at the sheer audacity of the gentlemen involved - it must be murder on the knees! Much as I love snow I've never been skiing or taken part in any winter sport (other than skating a few times when I was a young kid) and, to be honest, I don't much want to. But they look very exhilarating, much more so than sports in the summer games that all look like hard work. I'm looking forward to the rest of the Games.

Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'Listen To The Wind Blow'

A very happy birthday to Buffy Sainte-Marie for her birthday yesterday. Still strutting her stuff on stage as I saw a few weeks ago at Shepherd's Bush.

While browsing for Buffy-stuff online I found a new video on YouTube from her Sesame Street days with her singing, 'Listen To The Wind Blow', a song I've never heard before. I noticed another few new videos but here's 'Listen To The Wind Blow' in celebration of Buffy's birthday. Enjoy!