Can you have too much of a good thing? Yes, but it depends on the nature of the thing.
When it comes to good music, it’s hard to reach saturation point, particularly when that music is performed live.
No two gigs are the same. Different artists attract different crowds. Even a single artist will draw a different crowd from one country to the next, with further subtle variations across different cities and even different venues within a single city.
Zooming in further, there are even differences in performances by the same artist on two consecutive nights in the same venue. For a start, the band will take to the stage in a slightly different mood each night. There is a symbiosis between performer and audience, further informed by the ambience of the venue. This melting pot of influences creates the atmosphere for the gig ahead.
Then, during the performance, there are variations in what is played. Some bands vary what they play from gig to gig. One of the best examples of this was New Order, who basically played a different set at every gig.
Even the same set will show subtle variations from one gig to the next. Part of a song may be sung or played slightly differently, particularly a new song, which may be evolving on the road. The sound mix will be slightly different from night to night if the venue changes, as will the overall sound of the PA system. Banter with the crowd will be different; even the mistakes will be different.
The foregoing is just to pre-empt anyone who might want to ask, ‘Why the fuck do you go to so many Brendan Perry gigs?’
The short answer is, ‘Because the music is fantastic’. You’ve already had the longer answer if you’ve read this far.
Yes, I’m hitting the road again to see the big man play. Ireland was entirely too much fun and more than whetted my appetite for more.
My understanding wife, whilst not a fan as such, gets it and has given the green light to further musical pilgrimages on my part. Praise be to the missus!
I’ll be flying into Liverpool on Wednesday and getting straight on a coach bound for Manchester, where Brendan will be performing that night.
The next day, I’ll take the train down to London for what promises to be an even better gig, given a particularly atmospheric venue and the filling of the support slot by none other than Piano Magic.
The next morning, I’ll be sparing myself the hassle of getting to one of London’s airports and instead taking the Eurostar train back to Amsterdam. It’ll take me until dinner time to get home, but at least I won’t be in a rush. I’ll be able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then walk from my hotel to St. Pancras, rather than having to get up at sparrow’s fart to take the tube and then a train down to Gatwick. The train’s actually a tad cheaper than the plane that day, too, so it works out well all round.
Being out of the country on the 9th also means I’ll miss the Dutch election and all of the associated media coverage. Since I feel absolutely no compunction to vote for any of the snivelling, talentless bastards, this is no loss. As Crass once wrote so pithily, “Whoever you vote for, government wins”. Too bloody right.