Search This Blog

Friday, 17 October 2025

The Rough And The Smooth

I went to two gigs in successive nights earlier this week and they were quite a contrast in terms of both venue and music.

On Tuesday I was at my regular haunt The Shacklewell Arms in Dalston for one of their free gigs. This one featured three bands: Great Silkie, marcel (no caps please we're belgian) and Bureau de Change.

I'm not sure any of them will live long in the memory to be honest but the pick of the bunch were probably Bureau de Change. They are a bit hackneyed but were shouty, energetic and quite fun. They also kindly make their music available on a 'name your own price' basis - click on the links on each band's name if you wish to explore further.

After a quick scrub up and a wash behind my ears, the next night I went up west to the far famed London Palladium to see the great Al Stewart on his farewell tour of UK and Ireland. 

It was an excellent show. Al was in fine voice for a man of 80, with great backing from The Empty Pockets and special guest Peter White, the man whose nifty guitar licks enhanced "On The Border", "Time Passages" and many more back in the day. Al has written so many fantastic songs that he could never fit them all into one set but I was pleased to hear some favourite 'deep cuts' (or album tracks as we called them then).

Another point of contrast between Al and Bureau de Change - at least in today's selections - is song length. The two tracks together clock in at 20 minutes; Al accounts for 90% of that.

They do have something in common though. Bureau de Change are very sweary. Its not big, its not clever, and its not original either. Respectable Al was doing that way back in 1969 when he traumatised the nation by putting a rude word in "Love Chronicles". It is believed to be the first time this word was committed to vinyl. I won't mention it but its roughly sixteen and a half minutes in, shortly after he says "plucking".
 
"Shaken Not Stirred" - Bureau de Change

"Love Chronicles" - Al Stewart

Posted by at

10 comments:

  1. Walter17 October 2025 at 07:56

    There couldn't be a bigger difference between the two. I like the energy of Bureau de Change.

    ReplyDelete
  2. George17 October 2025 at 09:43

    Like Guided By Voices, Al Stewart is another who has completely passed me by. My brother, though, has recently been to see him with one of his sons (ie my brother's, not Mr Stewart's)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alyson17 October 2025 at 14:20

    I would have liked to see Al Stewart. The Year Of The Cat is a favourite of mine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ernie Goggins17 October 2025 at 14:27

      I think you would have enjoyed it. They did three, possibly four, tracks from the 'Year Of The Cat' album including the hit of course. There were impeccable sax solos on that and 'Time Passages' by a man who bore a disconcerting resemblance to Matt Goss.

      Delete
  4. C17 October 2025 at 18:35

    What contrast, love it!
    Bureau de Change are reminding me of someone but I can't think who - a bit Babes In Toyland-y perhaps, crossed with Huggy Bear? Bears in Toyland?
    And Al - I know some who find his enunciation a bit jarring at times but I rather like it. 'Life And Life Only' is a fave track for me.
    Sounds like you had a plucking good time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Charity Chic18 October 2025 at 08:28

    I saw Al Stewart once
    A pal had been stood up by his date so I went as his plus one.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rol19 October 2025 at 21:50

    I hope he played Swiss Cottage Manoeuvres.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ernie Goggins20 October 2025 at 07:32

      He didn't. Nothing from the debut album, and only one song from the first four albums combined.

      Delete
    2. Rol20 October 2025 at 12:14

      Shame. Though that song has probably been cancelled anyway!

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)