...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...

16 minutes ago, Chalky said:

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. 

Remember seeing Ruby Andrews at Cala Gran Holiday Park, Fleetwood, sang 'Just Loving You' pretty much word perfect at rehearsal, but not at the nite-time performance ☹️. 

However, every cloud has a silver lining (so they say) and Marvin Smith on same bill was brilliant. 🙂

Ruby Andrews terrible 😢

36 minutes ago, Chalky said:

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. 

Totally agree with Martha and Ruby not seen Mary Wells, Was a little disappointed with Isley brothers concert  at the Apollo Manchester1994 but that could’ve been down to the material they chose that evening to perform it just didn’t do it for me

Still Stay Safe

ML

On 30/01/2008 at 20:36, AlanB said:

[ 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

Agree with that. We saw her there and we'd also seen her elsewhere a year or two earlier when she was dynamite! Think she was on some kind of downer at Blackpool and insisted on singing material which wasn't suited to the audience.

On 29/01/2008 at 18:20, Kev Cane said:

 

 I saw Aretha at the Victoria Apollo in 1978 and she stank the joint out. She didn,t want to "get down" at all. She never got out of 1st gear, instead singing M.O.R. like Streets Of London. I must admit though I had been warned that she was very temperamental. .

Kev - I recall her performance that night rather too well. She was awful displaying an arrogance that belittled her status as an icon.  It may well have been an off night but really ''The Streets of London''!!! Trouble was she wasn't singing for a 'soul / R&B' crowd but for a cabaret audience.

It was a lesson to me not to bother seeing live  mainstream soul stars - Al Green wasn't great either.  When Aretha passed I really couldn't agree with the general view that she was the greatest and I'm sure it stemmed from the disappointment of that night. I'd always choose Etta James over Aretha as the greatest I've seen.

 

2 hours ago, Dukeburgundy said:

 

It was a lesson to me not to bother seeing live  mainstream soul stars - Al Green wasn't great either.  When Aretha passed I really couldn't agree with the general view that she was the greatest and I'm sure it stemmed from the disappointment of that night. I'd always choose Etta James over Aretha as the greatest I've seen.

 

she was never the queen of soul.(wailing banshee)... Gladys Knight , anyone ?

Betty Wright at Wigan stands out and any Edwin Starr never disappoint s

6 hours ago, Ian Parker said:

she was never the queen of soul.(wailing banshee)... Gladys Knight , anyone ?

Gladys Knight for me every time.

Womack and Womack ,,, Warwick Uni Was told to sit down  , brilliant 

Martha Reeves , great and very charitable , so many kids to feed (in Detroit)

And best of all Rod Stewart Blackpool Winter Gardens ,72ish in his prime , 

And then possibly better than Sir Rod , Betty Wright , Wigan Casino Why Wigan , They didn't play her tunes there ah well lol

 

 

most disappointing for me was Geno Washington at Ryde theatre many years ago.

I've frequently been pleasantly surprised by acts who I've chanced upon doing a great live act and who I expected to be crap, but I had high hopes and received what was basically a mediocre pub singer on stage, it wasn't a cheap gig either.

I've heard far better karaoke, and I'm not kidding.

Only artist I have seen repeatedly (RIP) and who never, ever disappointed (even in godawful venues like Ryde ice rink or tiny nightclubs, or even in our local park!) was Edwin Starr.

 

They have had there day ,

Edited July 26, 20213 yr by Stephen Houghton