Almost a review

[caddyman]

Last night we went to see Hugh Laurie and the Copperbottom Band at the HMV Apollo in Hammersmith.

I don’t really know much about the 20s-30s blues/jazz/gospel they were playing, other than the fact that the temperatures were prefect for it. Laurie is clearly not used to performing in front of a band and was propelled largely by enthusiasm for the music and borne along by the goodwill of the audience. He fell into the trap (and acknowledged it) of trying to explain more than we needed to know about each tune before they played it.

Nonetheless, the musicianship and music was excellent and my only real complaint is with the fact I had nowhere to stretch my legs out (they don’t react well these days to being kept in a right angled position for too long), but that’s hardly the band’s fault.

I think that the most recent number played was “Yeah, yeah”, made famous, but probably not written, by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames back in the sixties.

Highly recommended, but as ever, try not to buy refreshments on site. A can of Red Stripe for Furtle and a can of Magners for me: £9.20. A small bottle of water (cap removed), £2.50. What nonsense, by the way, requires that the caps have to come off plastic water bottles at gigs these days, making them useless for transporting any remaining water home?

My particular favourite was the band’s rendition of Jericho, Furtle particularly enjoyed a number where Laurie, the guitarist and the Double Bass player played as a trio while the rest of the band went off for a short break. A couple of piano/saxophone/clarinet numbers provided a splendid film noire feel to the evening, too.

Who knew, buy the way, that there are TWO Hammersmith Underground Stations, both called Hammersmith Underground Station, but at marginally different locations. I don’t know how many Hammersmith and City trains we missed hanging around on the District/Piccadilly platforms looking for the Hammersmith and City Line. Is it just me, or would it be more logical to give them different names, rather than treat them as a single entity?

Comments

[romney.livejournal.com]

I think the idea is that without the cap you cannot throw a full bottle at the stage. Solution? bring your own half-brick.

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

I think it's probably so you have to buy more water.

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I knew. :o)

[bibliogirl.livejournal.com]

The explanation I've heard for the water-bottle stuff is that, without a cap on, if you stand on an empty bottle it will just crush flat rather than being more of a trip hazard.

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

But if you knock over an open water bottle, it's a slip hazard.

[bibliogirl.livejournal.com]

(a) people tend not to put them down at standing gigs, in my experience;

(b) it would take more than a bottle of water to make the floor of Hammersmith Odeon (or whatever it's called this week) a slip hazard. You'd need a couple of gallons of industrial solvent to make that floor anything other than "sticky" *shudder*

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

These things are true, however I still come down on the "money grabbing bastard" side of the argument :o)

[bluesman.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased for him, when I think that his estimable manservant resigned when he first took up the banjolele. And now look.

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

Years ago (early 90's) in Edinburgh I saw an after hours performance by a hastily put together band called 'Po' White Trash'. It was Hugh Laurie on keyboard, Lenny Henry singing and a bunch of other comedians performing at the festival. They were very good, it was all covers of bulletproof motown and James Brown soul but was hugely enjoyable.