The Poolie Bunker

Anyone going to the Sage ?

Yes, presuming I can find the tickets that were given to me last week. Presuming they're in my sleep-in bag but havent checked. Going with a few friends. To be honest, I dont think a great deal of her recent covers album and am going with no preconceptions whatsoever.
Only been to The Sage once before; Morrissey last year which was awful. Cant do sitting down and not being able to drink either.
After all that moaning I'll probably have a great time

I agree the Sage doesn't always seem the right setting for the concerts it puts on...but the sound system is fantastic. (still haven't got organised catering-wise after all this time, though, - the cafe staff look as if they've wandered in off the street and take 20 minutes to pour coffee and there are massive queues at the bar at interval so that half the people waiting don't get a drink)

Anyway you all sneered at me for going to see Ray Davies the other week but he was excellent and so was his backing. Even our 16 year old liked him and she didn't have the excuse of nostalgia

Thank you, Elvis...am in good company then

Why oh why oh why?
Patti Smith in my opinion was great. The covers were far better live, instruments and voice. She wandered off in some songs, talking about Gateshead and Newcastle, how she got lost etc...great improvisation and great connection to the crowd.
But as for them....the crowd, and the venue. Jesus.
Half way through, this woman behind me and my pretty friend leaned over and tapped us on the shoulders in a pissed off manner before saying:
"If you're going to talk to each other can you do it outside because its spoiling my view"

That sort of sums the place up, and a lot of the people that go there.
In fact, it encapsulated it perfectly
I went to the bog and had to say excuse me theatre/cinema style to about ten people and then had to wait outside until between songs to re-enter. No drinks allowed inside either (learnt that at Morissey when I was told I would definitely be chucked out if I smuggled a third vodka in)
Half the people in there were too embarrassed to stand up for fucks sake. This is not a rock (n roll) venue. Spiritualised yeah, classical stuff yeah, not this. Its going to take something really special to get me back there (in hall one) for guitars
If she played The Carling Academy it would have been a great event.
As it was, it was a great performance
(well, so thought two out of the four of us.
Nice to see me old neighbour from Hartlepool there though

And for the record, I'd have happily gone along to see Ray Davies there. In fact, the only thing that put me off was the friggin venue.

How does this sound Mr B.W.H

That reads well Mr Crimes. I'd love to see her in the Academy next time though

she was the long-time girlfriend of Allen Lanier, keyboard player from Blue Oyster Cult, and wrote a lot of that band's lyrics for over ten years on and off.