The last time I saw them here in June 2009 the experience was, at best, poor. The band played well enough but the audience were awful, noisy and seemingly not wanting to listen. As a result I couldn’t persuade the GLW, who is an enormous Fleet Foxes fan, to accompany me this time.  Of course I constantly expect hope to triumph over experience. I’m not disappointed. I think I’ve learned a key lesson in going to the Leeds Academy – stand well clear of the bars.

Tonight the band is excellent, performing a well-judged mix of songs from their début album and the (relatively) new Helplessness Blues, with 11 of its 12 tracks getting an airing. There are also 2 songs from the Giant Sun EP. Robin Pecknold performs the first two songs of the encore solo and this may well be a sign of what’s coming next.

They do need to see a stylist about that facial hair though.

Setlist: The Plains / Bitter Dancer; Mykonos; English House; Battery Kinzie; Bedouin Dress; Sim Sala Bim; Your Protector; White Winter Hymnal; Ragged Wood; Montezuma; He Doesn’t Know Why; Lorelai; The Shrine / An Argument; Blue Spotted Tail; Grown Ocean

Encore: Someone You’d Admire; Tiger Mountain Peasant Song; Sun It Rises; Blue Ridge Mountains; Helplessness Blues

1 November sees a first trip to The Sage in Gateshead. The attraction is the chance to see Alison Krauss and Union Station. What the GLW and I got was top-class musicianship because they put on a quietly accomplished performance based primarily on the unerringly elegant voice of Krauss, who is also an exceptional fiddle player. Beautiful versions of Ghost In This House and Richard Thompson’s Dimming Of The Day were particular highlights. Band members also get their chance to feature and Dan Tyminski sang half a dozen songs including a moving version of Woody Guthrie’s Pastures Of Plenty. Jerry Douglas, Ron Block and Barry Bales all played a full part in a two-hour show with no slack.

There was a memorable encore as they gathered around a single microphone for an acoustic five-song finale. You could hear a pin drop as Krauss sang Ronan Keating’s When You Say Nothing At All and Whiskey Lullaby, followed by a gospel trilogy of Down To The River To Pray, Your Long Journey and There Is A Reason. Mesmerising.

11 November – And it’s to Manchester to see Fountains Of Wayne at the Club Academy. I love PowerPop when it’s done well and currently no one does it better than FOW. The problem tonight though is the venue. It’s small and the sound for the first three or four songs is appalling. Thankfully they get it sorted and the entertainment really begins. They play songs from across their career as well as a generous selection from their new CD, Sky Full Of Holes. At the risk of sounding churlish I wished they’d played Red Dragon Tattoo, a favourite of mine. They did play a long version of Radiation Vibe that included excerpts for Tears For Fears Mad World, Wings Jet as well as three or four other covers. I also enjoyed the way they undermined expectations by playing a slowed down version of Stacey’s Mom. If you’re not familiar with FOW check them out as soon as possible!

14 November – The Low Anthem are not a band I’m particularly familiar with but I’d liked what I’d heard so I thought I’d check them out at The Irish Centre.

They’re excellent live and performed a fantastic version of To Ohio from Oh My God Charlie Darwin, which you should own if you don’t already. My only complaint was that they didn’t go on until 9.45 and finished at 11.45, which I think is a bit late for a school night. Still, I’d go see them again without a doubt.

21 November – Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings at the Manchester Apollo. What’s to say about Gill and Dave that’s not already been said and said better? I’ll restrict this to saying that they were outstanding tonight. They played lots of material from their new CD, The Harrow & the Harvest,as well as at least one song from each of their earlier albums.  David’s spot tonight was To Be Young from Ryan Adams’ Heartbreaker CD, which he co-wrote. They also perform covers of Snowin’ On Raton, written by Townes Van Zandt,  and Jackson, popularised by Johnny Cash and June Carter.

They played for about 2 hours and could have played for another two.

Set 1: Scarlet Town, Make Me Down A Pallet On Your Floor,  Rock Of Ages, The Way It Will Be, The Way It Goes, I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll, Dark Turn Of Mind, Annabelle, Tennessee, Red Clay Halo.

Set 2: Hard Times, Down Along The Dixie Line, Acony Bell, Revelator, Six White Horses, To Be Young, Snowin’ On Raton, Caleb Meyer.

Encores: Look At Miss Ohio, I’ll Fly Away, Jackson.

Opening with The Crying Scene he proceeds to mine his rich seam of material, from Aztec Camera classics like Killermont Street, We Could Send Letters, Oblivious, Walk Out To Winter and Pillar To Post to later solo songs like Western Skies and Sun. If there is a consistently better Scottish songwriter I’ve yet to hear him or her. He plays one new song, White Pony, which stands comparison with anything else he plays tonight and admits that he should write more.

He starts the encore acoustically. Taking a request from the audience for On The Avenue he promptly forgets the words but, unfazed, he soldiers on to the end. Then he plays Down The Dip, How Men Are and closes with a band version of Somewhere In My Heart and the sold out crowd go home happy!

11 October - The following night I’m at Sheffield City Hall to see two more classic songwriters, Crosby & Nash. Seasoned campaigners – both have been doing this since the early 60s – they know how to give an audience what they want. Tonight’s song list is primarily material one or both of them wrote or co-wrote whilst in The Byrds, Crosby Stills Nash (& Young) or for their solo or duo albums. Many of them are classics. Generally Nash writes the pop songs –  Marrakesh Express, Our House and Teach Your Children – and Crosby the “weird shit” - Almost Cut My Hair and Deja Vu. They don’t play a bad song and even the one new song they play, Slice Of Time, meets their high standard. The real highlights for me are What Are Their Names? and Orleans, both from Crosby’s first solo album If I Could only Remember My Name, and possibly my all time favourite song, Guinnevere.

First Set: Eight Miles High, I Used to Be a King, Marrakesh Express, Lay Me Down, Old Soldier, Just A Song Before I Go, Slice Of Time, Don’t Dig Here, Critical Mass, Wind On The Water, Long Time Gone.
Second Set: Simple Man, Guinnevere, Almost Cut My Hair, Our House, In Your Name, They Want It All, What Are Their Names?, Blackbird, Orleans, Cathedral, Broken Bird, Deja Vu, Military Madness, Wooden Ships.
Encore: Teach Your Children.

15 October – I first saw Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes in 1977 when they supported Graham Parker & The Rumour at St George’s Hall in Bradford and then again not long after when they headlined at Leeds University. A nine piece band including a four player horn section, they had been signed by Epic on the coat tails of the success of fellow New Jerseyite Bruce Springsteen. That made sense as they were pals and Springsteen wrote songs for them, as did Miami Steve who also produced their first three albums. Those albums, particularly the third Hearts Of Stone, were fantastic. Unlike Springsteen they were much more of a R&B/soul band and although live they were fantastic that, as with so many other bands, didn’t translate into record sales.

So with memories of those two shows I persuaded the GLW to accompany me to Holmfirth to see them again. I really wish I hadn’t bothered! The sound was awful, far too loud and muddy. Unusually for me I left after 40 minutes so it must have been bad. I still think they were great in the 70s so I’ll stick to playing those first three albums in future.

28 October – Bluegrass is a type of country music I love so I’m not going to miss the chance to see one its finest exponents Chatham Co. Line at The Brudenell. I saw them for the first time at the same venue in September 2010 with the GLW and she needs no persuading to accompany me again. Luckily, given the disappointment of Southside Johnny, they’re on top form and she has a great time. They’re not promoting a particular album this time around so they play some songs from earlier in their career that I hadn’t heard live before: Route 23, Gunfight in Durango, Parlour Light. They don’t neglect their more recent songs and play my particular favourite, The Carolinian, which was my introduction to them when I saw their appearance on Later. Here‘s a clip of them playing it. Great songs, performances and funny between song chat – what’s not to like? I can’t recommend them highly enough.

8 September – My mate Dave keeps going on about Caitlin Rose so when she announces a date at The Brudenell Social Club I decide to go test his judgement, and embarrass him in to coming along. Twenty-four year old Ms Rose is the daughter of two movers and shakers in the Nashville music scene. Luckily for her and us she has the talent as a singer and songwriter to justify the critical acclaim she’s receiving. On this tour she has a four piece band who provide a fine support for her songs. These are written in a classic country style and she sings in the tradition of Country greats such as Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells and Emmylou Harris. After the show I buy a copy of her EP, Dead Flowers, and I recommend it wholeheartedly, I can’t get the title track, a cover of The Rolling Stones song, out of my head for days and this causes my one regret about the show – that she didn’t play it.

13 September – brings a trip to the O2 Academy in Sheffield to see The Bluetones farewell tour. They’re playing Leeds later in the week but I’m not able to go and I refuse to miss a last chance to see them. The Bluetones are, in my view, the great underrated  band of the Britpop era. Every movement in rock has its greats, its underrated and its  bandwagon jumpers. For example, Mersey beat had The Beatles, The Searchers and Freddie & The Dreamers. So Britpop had Oasis, The Bluetones and Menswe@r.  It’s a shame that somewhere in the shuffle The Bluetones got lost after their outstanding debut, Expecting To Fly.

Tonight they play songs from across their career and five albums. Standouts are Bluetonic, Slight Return, Cut Some Rug, Sleazy Bed Track and Never Going Nowhere. They return for their first encore and play a cover of KC and the Sunshine Band’s Give It Up. The audience had a great night and, while Mark Morriss continue to pursue his solo career, I for one hope they change their minds and play an annual tour but, if not, they leave me with some great memories.

21 September – Richmond Fontaine have taken the brave step of releasing a ‘concept’ album, The High Country, that links songs, spoken pieces and snippets of sound to create a musical novel. It succeeds admirably. Augmented by singer and keyboardist Amy Boone, from Austin band The Damnations, they start by playing the new album in its entirety. Boone’s vocal provides a welcome contrast to Willy Vlautin’s throaty delivery. After a short break they return with a selection from their earlier albums, including Post To Wire a particular favourite of mine. Afterwards I buy Willy’s latest book Lean On Pete. Another excellent night at The Brudenell.

27 September – sees me back at The Brudenell to see Danny & the Champions Of The World finally headline a show. They’re touring in support of their new album Hearts & Arrows and play pretty much all of it. The album is more of a straight ahead rock album, with Danny showing probably more than ever his Springsteen influence, and this show reflects that. This new version of the Champs has some great players in it, none more so than guitarist Tony Poole, formerly of Starry Eyed and Laughing. Stand out songs tonight are Brothers In The Night, Too Tough To Cry, Every Beat Of My Heart and Can’t Hold Back.

The chances are that in six months or so they’ll be the best live band in England so it’s a pity there weren’t more here to see them tonight.

4 August – The Jayhawks, playing at Manchester’s Academy 2, represent another tradition of American music. They have a chiming, tuneful, yearning sound that seems to descend directly from Gram Parsons’ Cosmic American Music. They play a set based, unsurprisingly, on their two classic albums Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow The Green Grass, but including songs from their new album Mockingbird Time, their first with both Mark Olson and Gary Louris since 1995. For a band that had no commercial success in the UK it is amazing to see such a large audience that know every nuance of every song. An excellent evening out.

Set List: Wichita; Two Angels; Real Light; Red’s Song; Nothing Left to Borrow; Closer to Your Side; Two Hearts; Settled Down Like Rain; Take Me With You (When You Go); She Walks In So Many Ways; Blue; Pray For Me; I’d Run Away; Miss Williams’ Guitar; Black Eyed Susan; Bad Time; Waiting for the Sun; Up Above My Head.
Encore: Over My Shoulder; Tampa To Tulsa; Sister Cry; High Water Blues.

3 June – The first time I saw Nils Lofgren someone in the audience was stabbed and we all had to wait until the Police had made their enquiries before we could leave.

This show at St Georges Hall, Bradford is less eventful but no less enjoyable.

Nils, a great guitarist, is probably best known as a sideman for Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen but he’s a talented singer and songwriter in his own right. Accompanied by Greg Varlotta on keyboards and percussion he performs a selection of songs from his solo albums as well as selections he recorded with his band Grin. There’s also a smattering of covers: Springsteen’s If I Should Fall Behind and Because The Night, as well as the Carole King & Gerry Goffin classic Going Back. Sadly he performs nothing from The Loner, Nils Sings Neil, his recent album of Neil Young covers.

22 June - It’s 15 years since I first saw Ron Sexsmith, supporting Difford & Tilbrook at Halifax, and every time I see him I wonder why he isn’t more popular. Great songs, fantastic tunes and a unique performing style don’t seem to be enough.

But perhaps things are about to change. He is at the centre of a media squall; a documentary on his career and the recording  of his latest album; Long Player, Late Bloomer has been acclaimed and was shown on BBC4 and his songs have finally attracted the interest of BBC Radio 2. That might explain why Holmfirth Picturedrome is sold out for tonight’s performance.

Ron plays a career spanning set with excellent support from his band, including stalwarts Tim Bovaconti on guitar and Jason Mercer on bass. Particular standouts were current radio favourite Believe It When I See It, Just My Heart Talking and Hard Bargain, chosen as the title for Emmylou Harris’ latest album, along with older material like Gold In Them Hills, Snow Angel and Strawberry Blonde.

The trick now will be to maintain this momentum. If the quality of song writing is what matters then Ron should be O.K.

The opening act was a female singer/songwriter from Liverpool trading under the name Delta Maid. Her country blues went down well and she seems to be picking up some media coverage so she’s one to watch out for.

24 June – My album of 2010, without doubt, was Queen Of Denmark by John Grant. I saw him playing with a band in Sheffield in May 2010, supporting Midlake, and he was excellent. Tonight I’m seeing him at a ‘new to me’ venue, Holy Trinity Church in Leeds. It’s been used as an arts centre and doesn’t have a stage so if you arrive late and can’t get a seat in the central pews then the view is awful. Luckily a friend had saved me a decent spot.

I was unsure how the show would be when I saw just two keyboards at the front but I needn’t have worried. Grant played one keyboard and someone, who was never introduced, played the second resulting in a really full sound and his voice was as magnificent as ever. He played most of his 2010 solo debut, Queen of Denmark, a couple of new tracks and one song from his days in The Czars.

27 June – Back to the Saint Georges Hall to see Morrissey, one of those people who everyone seems to have an opinion about and it’s always one of two extremes: love or hate. I think Morrissey is a great songwriter and a decent singer and he always seems to have excellent bands. What I’m not so keen on is some of the folk who come to see him: not the fey wallflowers of legend but beer monsters. I’ve said it before, and no doubt will again, why do people pay good money to go out and talk through whatever music is being performed.

It’s hard to believe that Mozzer can’t get a record deal when he has no difficulty selling out concerts in minutes. And record companies wonder why they’re making no money!

There are six Smiths songs in this set as well a s a cover of Lou Reed’s Satellite Of Love and two new songs Action Is My Middle Name and People Are The Same Everywhere. Irish Blood, English Heart is cut off after the first verse, after the power to the stage fails. Morrissey and the band walk off stage, whilst technicians arrive to sort out the problem. A short time later Morrissey and the band return to the stage and playing the last two songs of the set

Set list: I Want The One I Can’t Have; You’re The One For Me, Fatty; You Have Killed Me; Shoplifters Of The World Unite; I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris; Ouija Board, Ouija Board; One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell; There Is A Light That Never Goes Out; Everyday Is Like Sunday; Action Is My Middle Name; People Are The Same Everywhere; Alma Matters; Satellite of Love; Speedway; I Know It’s Over; Meat Is Murder; Irish Blood, English Heart (First Verse only).

Encore: First Of The Gang To Die; This Charming Man.

Now she’s touring to support her new album, Kitty Wells’ Dresses, The Songs of The Queen Of Country Music, so I persuade the GLW to make the short trip to Sheffield’s Memorial Hall to see her.

Laura knows how to pick a cover version and, not surprisingly as her new album features nine songs (of ten) made famous by Kitty Wells,  she plays several amongst her own compositions. She opens with Trains & Boats & Planes, the song that first attracted the GLW’s attention. Among the other cover songs she plays are It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels and I Gave My Wedding Dress Away as well as some of her own compositions, such as Not The Trembling Kind, from across her career.

I hope it’s not another 11 years before I see her again.

26 May - Wilko Johnson is a force of nature. I’ve had no desire to see him since he left Dr Feelgood in 1977  as I always felt that somehow I would be disappointed. So I was a little surprised when my mate Stephen told me he’d bought me a ticket to see Wilko at the Leeds Irish Centre with him but I bit the bullet and went along.

Playing as a trio with Norman Watt-Roy on bass and Dylan Howe on drums I have to ask myself why have I denied myself this fantastic entertainment for so long? A mix of classic Wilko penned Feelgood songs: Sneaking Suspicion; Roxette; Back In The Night and She Does It Right, as well as solo tracks such as Dr Dupree and classics like Chuck Berry’s Bye Bye Johnny.

I won’t be depriving myself of this kind of entertainment in the future!

The set list is drawn from the four albums this line up recorded, with the exception of Rush which appeared in the encore. The audience go nuts, Mick Jones, as cool as ever, is still my guitar hero.

Set List: Medicine Show; Beyond The Pale; A Party; V Thirteen; BAD; Just Play Music; C’Mon Every Beatbox; Sightsee M.C!; The Battle of All Saints Road; Rewind

Encore: The Bottom Line; E=MC2; Rush

20 April – The GLW is a big fan of Simone Felice so needs no persuading to join me on a trip to The Brudenell Social Club to see him. I can’t remember the full set list but I recall he played Shine On;  Summer Morning Rain; The Morning I Get To Hell; Union Street; If You Ever Get Famous and One More American Song. All evidence of his classic songwriting skills.

Tonight’s Neil Young cover is Long May You Run.

As ever a rewarding evening out.

27 April – I’ve never heard Doug Paisley but The Hee Haw Sessions tell me they’re promoting him so I pop along to MySpace to have a listen.

Liking what I hear I decide to go along to Upstairs@Santiago to see him. Good decision. I find that,with one or two exceptions, someone singing and playing an acoustic guitar can only hold my attention for 20 – 30 minutes. The Toronto based singer/songwriter becomes one of the exceptions. My favourite songs tonight are What About Us, from his CD Doug Paisley, and a superb version of the Merle Travis song Dark As  A Dungeon.

Both his albums, Doug Paisley and Constant Companion, are highly recommended.

First up in March it’s The Charlatans, one of my favourite bands at my favourite Leeds venue, the Brudenell Social Club. Now, the thing I really like about The Charlatans is their driving Hammond organ sound so what am I going to make of them when they’re stripped down to just the voice of Tim Burgess and guitar of Mark Collins. Of course there was no need to worry because the songs were imaginatively rearranged to sort this format. They were also joined on drums on some tracks by Finnigan Kidd.
What came across, to me at least, was their debt to Dylan. Highlights:  One to Another, North Country Boy, Sproston Green and Blackened Blue Eyes.

Next it’s a trip out with the GLW and Stephen & Kathy L to see Elbow at Sheffield Motorpoint Arena. Now I’m not a fan of Arena shows but sometimes if you want to see a band then you have to bite the bullet.

When Elbow arrive on stage any doubts about the venue disappear as the sound of the band adjusts seamlessly to the size of the place.

What I love about Elbow is how easily they mix intimate tunes with huge anthems.

The set list is composed almost entirely of songs from the last two albums, with  nothing from Asleep in the Back or Cast of Thousands and only a handful of songs from Leaders of the Free World.

Highlights: Grounds For Divorce, One Day Like This and The Fix which sees a cameo from ‘Mayor of Sheffield’, Richard Hawley.

Decent support too from Villagers, who I’ll try and see again.

A great night out!

Setlist: The Birds; The Bones of You; Lippy Kids; Mirrorball; With Love; Neat Little Rows; The Night Will Always Win; Great Expectations; The Fix; Grounds for Divorce; The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver; Puncture Repair; Some Riot; Weather to Fly; Open Arms; Starlings; Station Approach; One Day Like This.

Also managed to fit in seeing Ed Byrne at the St George’s Hall in Bradford. A very funny comedian but not quite as good as the Different Class tour. Still this was early in the tour so perhaps it will improve as it develops.