...A sister thread to "Most memorable" going on elsewhere....

I've walked out on a few soul shows down the years. Some I mentioned on the other thread, others include Donna Summer at the Rainbow c. 1978 (front row circle seats, and I still couldn't hear her), and Stanley Clarke/George Duke at the Hammy Odeon c. 1982/3 (went to see Jeffrey Osborne, who was billed as "Special Guest" and who sang just two songs, in the middle of the most interminally boring twiddle-twaddle I've ever heard).

I've also been underwhelmed by a few singers who've been brought over here to perform, when they patently can't sing anymore - the late Hoagy Lands and Barbara Acklin at the 100 Club, and the equally late Otis Leavill at Trentham Gardens, for instance.

I've been disappointed by those who've come over an treated their shows as an excuse to jam on a few tunes with recently-acquired rock pals, who were nowhere to be found half a decade earlier - the aforementioned B. Womack at the Hammy Odeon being the biggest case in point.

But I'd have to say that the most disappointed I've ever been by one of my heroes - indeed, quite possibly my greatest soul hero - was when I saw the late Curtis Mayfield for the first time, at the Rainbow in 1972. I appreciate now that he was then trying to distance himself from his work with the Impressions, but back then I was horrified that he'd favour lengthy, low key versions of stuff from his recent albums over things like "This Is My Country", "I've Been Trying" and what have you. What he did wasn't actually bad (how could it be) but to this day I can remember more about Bloodstone's opening set - and I think that the Chi-Lites were on that bill, too - than I can about what Curtis and his musicians brought to the table, so little impact did it make.

Mind you, the great man atoned for his 'sins' some 10 or so years later when, at the Hacienda in Manchester, I saw him give what would rank among the ten best shows I've ever seen, or will ever see...

Archie Bell at Wigan, 1978 I think, what a downer!! (or was that the Duramin) Only livened up when the guy from Leeds (Robin Hood?) got up on stage and danced with them.

Nottingham, surely.

[ Mine was BETTY LAVETTE at Blackpool...Jeez she was AWFUL! ]

I was at the Blackpool event and was very disappointed too, but having seen her at a small venue in Glasgow a years or so ago, where she was fantastic, I think the Blackpool venue was largely to blame.

Alan

Let's start by saying that any live act is better than listening to records IMO, but the last time I saw Santana I don't think his fingers were working, Chester Thompson played most of the solos that night, and the only time I ever saw Curtis Mayfield he seemed to have forgotten how to play the guitar. Really lacklustre.

But I'd still pay more to see them do it again than I would to go into a Disco. There's something about watching people hitting things, and blowing things, and even scraping things, that no record can ever replicate.

[ Mine was BETTY LAVETTE at Blackpool...Jeez she was AWFUL! ]

I was at the Blackpool event and was very disappointed too, but having seen her at a small venue in Glasgow a years or so ago, where she was fantastic, I think the Blackpool venue was largely to blame.

Alan

That and the fact that Bettye has dedided she's got a chance at being the next Tina Turner in the rock market, now that the previous one has retired, perhaps?

Archie Bell at Wigan, 1978 I think, what a downer!! (or was that the Duramin) Only livened up when the guy from Leeds [/color](Robin Hood?) got up on stage and danced with them.

No - Robin Hood was from Nottingham .....

Malc Burton

I fell asleep listening to Anita Baker at Wembley.

Hi Colin

I saw Anita Baker's UK debut at Hammersmith Odeon and she was absolutely fantastic. Miles removed from her later coffee-table incarnation. Often with live acts arriving from the US to the UK it can be a case of familiarity breeding contempt, from both sides of the stage. Just goes to show what a minefield this whole area can be. The mercurial artistic temperament coupled with the fickle nature of fan worship can be an unstable mix.

Very few live performers are capable of hitting the spot every time they take the stage, and maybe it's unrealistic to expect them to be able to do this. One live performer who has never underwhelmed me personally is Al Green, but perhaps I've just been lucky in choosing when to see him. Has anyone on here seen him turn in a disappointing show?

Hi Colin

I saw Anita Baker's UK debut at Hammersmith Odeon and she was absolutely fantastic. Miles removed from her later coffee-table incarnation. Often with live acts arriving from the US to the UK it can be a case of familiarity breeding contempt, from both sides of the stage. Just goes to show what a minefield this whole area can be. The mercurial artistic temperament coupled with the fickle nature of fan worship can be an unstable mix.

Very few live performers are capable of hitting the spot every time they take the stage, and maybe it's unrealistic to expect them to be able to do this. One live performer who has never underwhelmed me personally is Al Green, but perhaps I've just been lucky in choosing when to see him. Has anyone on here seen him turn in a disappointing show?

Maybe the problem was with me & not Anita Baker. To be fair everybody else seemed to appreciate her.

Look fwd to catching up sometime soon Gareth.

Stevie Wonder, Birmingham Odeon 1972.

Bloody dreadful. Fairly new to live concerts, we made the mistake of going to the first show and he spent the entire set showing off with his (recently adopted) moog synthesiser etc. He treated the entire show like a rehearsal, constantly messing around and never finishing a song. Folk were walking out in droves and demanding their money back. (I never quite forgave him for it!)

Stevie Wonder, Birmingham Odeon 1972.

Bloody dreadful. Fairly new to live concerts, we made the mistake of going to the first show and he spent the entire set showing off with his (recently adopted) moog synthesiser etc. He treated the entire show like a rehearsal, constantly messing around and never finishing a song. Folk were walking out in droves and demanding their money back. (I never quite forgave him for it!)

Wonder if Stevie knew everyone was walking out?

Brian

The Velvelettes when i saw them live for some reason it didn't do anything for me. I have heard many of there songs that are great but seeing them live i thought they wasn't that good maybe they were better years ago

All concerts with a bad sound system. I´ve been to soul concerts where I can hear the band, but not the singer(s)!

When it comes to the modern end of the soul spectrum:

Alexander O´Neal created a scandal over in Stockholm. He was under the influence of drugs, and actually fell asleep on stage.

Bilal, when performing in Malmo, close to where I live, was such an introvert, unable to communicate with the audience.

BTW, it´s been stated so many times that Marvin Gaye hated performing live. How many of you have experienced him live and what did you think?

Best,

Mel from Sweden

I suppose we all have attended artiste performances that could be read as 'not exactly outstanding' but don't you think that the main reason you attend any live gig is to actually be in the presence of whoever it may be.

The buzz is in actually being with them, in the main.

It'll be a rare night that any artist/band can create a performance live that could stand up to the nights and moments you have spent playing or dancing to, their stand out tracks.

I'd agree with this thread, as negative as it is, in one respect.

And that one respect is - I can honestly say that every night/venue/theatre that I have attended to see an artist live, has not lived up to the world that their productions created in my mind but I still see the fact that I spent time in their presence as a positive.

Artists on tour have a wide spectrum of people to please and they tend to be rigorous affairs.

They have agents, managers, long-standing fans as well as new members to their cause to accomodate.

Just be happy you got to spend a moment, as poor as that moment may be for you, with them.

Me and the missus have just read through this whole thread again and I must say that we have found it to be a truly informative and enlightening read.

Yet another cracking example of a 'Stealth Post'!

Meaning it was a belting avenue for certain 'soul lovers' to turn their apparent negative excursions into a positive - if only for the fact that they were able to show the board and its readers their 'soulfulness' by being able to quote the fact that they supported their soul 'heroes' at the time (every cloud ...ay? )

What we did find funny was how easy certain posters found it to (ruthlessly) demean major players in this World...at the same time exposing how little respect they obviously have for them and their work.

This thread got me in a mentally similar mode as when our Rex got Distempa!

RUBY ANDREWS (COULD HAVE BEEN JULIE ANDREWS) AT A MORCAMBE ALLDAYER POSSIBLY AFTER A KEELE POSSIBLY ABOUT 17 YEARS AGO WITH (BLANKED THIS OUT FROM MEMEORY) ANOTHER FEMALE ARTIST (WHO WAS PISSED)- WIH YAMAHA ORGAN BACKING.

TRULY AWFUL

Wonder if Stevie knew everyone was walking out?

Brian

Maybe... when it went very, very quiet!?

Edited February 13, 200817 yr by mel brat

...BTW, it´s been stated so many times that Marvin Gaye hated performing live. How many of you have experienced him live and what did you think?

Best,

Mel from Sweden

I saw Marvin Gaye live three times, and I thought he was electrifying - and if you've heard the live album, yes, "Distant Lover" always stole the show! Even more exciting was that I got to meet Marvin backstage and finally thank him for providing such a soulful musical soundtrack to my life!

Edited February 13, 200817 yr by mel brat

On 29/01/2008 at 12:44, TONY ROUNCE said:

 

 

Am I right in thinking that the Chi-Lites were the 'middle' act on the bill? I certainly saw them live around this time, and 'on a bill' rather than on their own at a Baileys or whatever. I just can't place where...

 

 

I do remeber that they were much, much better when I saw them - complete with a post-solo career Eugene Record - in the early 80s, in Dingwall's.

Just found this thread whilst chilling on a Sunday.  1st concert I ever went to was Chi-Lites/Detroit Emeralds & Delfonics at Reading Top Rank either 73 or 74. Chi-Lites were excellent, Delfonics good dancers, poor singers Detroit Emeralds average at best.

On 31/01/2008 at 10:31, Garethx said:

 

 

Hi Colin

 

I saw Anita Baker's UK debut at Hammersmith Odeon and she was absolutely fantastic. Miles removed from her later coffee-table incarnation. Often with live acts arriving from the US to the UK it can be a case of familiarity breeding contempt, from both sides of the stage. Just goes to show what a minefield this whole area can be. The mercurial artistic temperament coupled with the fickle nature of fan worship can be an unstable mix.

 

Very few live performers are capable of hitting the spot every time they take the stage, and maybe it's unrealistic to expect them to be able to do this. One live performer who has never underwhelmed me personally is Al Green, but perhaps I've just been lucky in choosing when to see him. Has anyone on here seen him turn in a disappointing show?

I agree the Hammersmith gig would be in my top 5.  Saw Al Green there, late on very mixed bag, too much gospel, but still signs of inner brilliance.

On 29/01/2008 at 11:41, Soul Shrews said:

Detroit Emeralds @ Wigan Casino, people sitting on the dance floor rabbiting wishing the band would finish so they could get back to dancing. Think they did drawn out versions of 'Feel The Need", "Float On"(yep The Floaters tune) and "Feel The Need" again can't remember them doing anymore, maybe I sloped off to Mr Ms

 

Cheers Paul

True I was there went to the record bar they were absolutely rubbish 

On 29/01/2008 at 11:14, Roger Williams said:

Chaka Khan at the Manchester Apollo in 1987, she was a complete mess. Very disappointing to see.

Mine to. I think I saw her in London on the same tour. Her voice was shot up and she seemed confused. It was a downer.

On 06/02/2008 at 03:20, WPaulVanDyk said:

The Velvelettes when i saw them live for some reason it didn't do anything for me. I have heard many of there songs that are great but seeing them live i thought they wasn't that good maybe they were better years ago

I saw the Velvelettes last year.   4 of the original line up.      loved every minute,   they were fantastic !      Cal was a Pro,  she even led the band. 

Womack & Womack,   Royal concert hall,  Nottm  .    absolute rubbish !

P.P. Arnold,    Maximes, Wigan.     equally rubbish 

 

Flirtations @ a Wigan shopping centre,      waste of a good hour's dancing,   i went home 

Ann peebles at Wigan circa 79/80 was dire, and as mentioned Detroit emeralds too,punters could,nt wait to get back dancing to the vinyl,..dont think i,m alone in prefering the records to live acts, they seldom sound the same.

Nolan Porter in Blackpool a couple of years ago, but the absolute worst has too be Parliament/Funkadelic at Belle Vue Manchester, late 70s- oh dear, so bad.

Tim.

I think the Nolan Porter review above was when Patti Austin etc were on. The PA was dreadful as it was for Bobby Womack at Blackburn some years ago. Perhaps that’s down to the promoters me thinks being skinters and spoiling what could have been great experiences. Hey ho won’t be going to these organiser/s events again twice bitten and all that. Best couple of shows for me were Stevie Wonder in Manchester a couple of times a few years back - brilliant

Linda & The Funky Boys at The Casino. I promise you this cannot be beaten as the worst act ever to grace a stage. Same song sung at least 6 times

Womack & Womack at Cardiff St.Davids hall  some years back....I could still be waiting for something to happen now, what a bore fest!

david ruffin in the 80's in stockport he was stoned

Geno Washington at the IOW ryde theatre about 15 years back. Awful, like a semi coherent pub singer on the karaoke. Even the most amateur of tribute acts did their performance with more gusto & talent.

Gloria Jones at this years Skegness weekender ,the ladies she pulled out the audience were better than her

i saw many acts in the late 80s and early 90s,mainly the northern and motown weekenders,they were all pretty good,but the few i saw that werent so good were singing to a backing tape,the best ones were with a full on band to bounce off.

 

I'd rather talk about great concerts...so... Gladys Knight and extended family LV 2004 bloody awful...and we'd driven 5 hours from LA to see her....but a few years later without all the hangers on .... in Nottingham.....Superb.

She is my favourite female vocalist based on females who could put 20 brilliant tracks together....Linda Jones based on just a few tracks.

Ed

Martha Reeves a couple of years ago in Manchester. She was awful and worse still, she kept trying to sing Jackie Wilson tunes. Terrible 

Edited April 5, 20205 yr by Julianb

Eddie Holman at The Roundhouse northampton about 12 years ago.He couldn;t even mime in tune!!!  Alan C

Parliament/Funkadelic at Belle Vue Manchester late 70s- oh dear. Turned out to be an 'anti tour' whatever that is.They were in army fatigues, jamming rock riffs. We were expecting the fancy stage show that was supposed to rival EW&F.

Don't really know why we went, I never bought any of their records!!

Tim.

Julianb ....... saw Martha Reeves at the Opera House in Manchester a few years ago, was that the same one and yeah, she was awful. Why don’t these ‘oldies’ realise the good times/voices have succumbed to the aging process.

Gloria Jones at Prestatyn, she was trying to get the crowd singing because she couldn't, I thought your getting paid for this, im not you sing it 

On 05/04/2020 at 12:23, Pat said:

Eddie Holman at The Roundhouse northampton about 12 years ago.He couldn;t even mime in tune!!!  Alan C

Eddie Holman,s legendary show at Lowton in about 1999 was and still is the best live artist I have ever had the pleasure and privilege to see and I have seen The Dells, Chuck Jackson, Four Tops,  Terry Callier,  Trammps, Temptations,  Supremes,  Marvelettes,  Jerry Williams,  numerous artists at the Prestatyn soul weekenders, Gala Gran weekenders, among others so that's really sad to hear about Eddie Holmam

Edwin Starr at Wigan just got in the way of dancing, like dancing comps .and jonny boy boring 😴

And a lot of the acts at Blackpool, they have had there day (retire)

Saw Bobby Womack mid 90's, the Apollo, Manchester, spent ages talking, couldn't sing, a real disappointment, just about pulled off Harry hippie, which made it still worthwhile.

Gill Scot heron, similar era, first time didn't show, Crack I'll do that.😳,his band played for free and we're sensational, the midnight express ? I think they were called. Month later he did show the reshedueled gig, but was very dry and said nothing between the songs. Not what I expected, his sung perfectly but zero interaction with the crowd. 

Al Green, Margie Joseph & Oscar Toney at the Hardrock Manchester 71/2ish I think!  All stunning!  
Oscar Toney at the Torch & the Marvelettes(orig) line up at a gay dance bar in Leeds mid 80's!! amazing!  worst?  Martha Reeves by a mile  kept going to see her and just got worse. She played Leeds a couple of year back, didnt bother

On 15/11/2019 at 09:59, Ian Parker said:

I saw the Velvelettes last year.   4 of the original line up.      loved every minute,   they were fantastic !      Cal was a Pro,  she even led the band. 

...and me  , they were very very good 

On 15/11/2019 at 09:59, Ian Parker said:

I saw the Velvelettes last year.   4 of the original line up.      loved every minute,   they were fantastic !      Cal was a Pro,  she even led the band. 

...and me  , they were very very good 

Chairman of the Board (without the General of course ) at Whitby were also very impressive.  

On 16/11/2019 at 22:22, Wilxy said:

Womack & Womack at Cardiff St.Davids hall  some years back....I could still be waiting for something to happen now, what a bore fest!

i saw them at Royal concert hall..    shockingly bad

On 05/04/2020 at 12:34, Tim Richmond said:

Parliament/Funkadelic at Belle Vue Manchester late 70s- oh dear. Turned out to be an 'anti tour' whatever that is.They were in army fatigues, jamming rock riffs. We were expecting the fancy stage show that was supposed to rival EW&F.

Don't really know why we went, I never bought any of their records!!

Tim.

I came on here to say the same ... Hammersmith Odeon , We got the Mothership ..and giant Flashlight , but also got loads of pompous rock solo's and drugged up rubbish. Heatwave or Hi Tension would have put them to shame. ! 

... oh and Gloria Jones at Prestatyn .. her voice long gone . Quite tragic really. 

On 29/01/2008 at 13:03, Maark said:

 

 

 

Martha Reeves and the Vandella's in the mid 90's in Swindon. She sounded like a croaky old woman I'm afraid.

She hasn't improved.I saw her a good few years ago at Rhyl and she couldn't hit any notes.She did sign autographs at the venue  but wasn't the most jovial of people,not a woman you would want to get on the wrong side of!

Coolnotes mentioned Heatwave & Hi Tension, we saw then both on the same night at St Georges Hall in Bradford, what a night, the whole place dancing and going crazy!!

 

Tim.

Martha Reeves (a few times 🙄). Mary Wells, Ruby Andrews who couldn’t remember or didn’t know the words, both times I’ve seen her.