Richmond Fontaine – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 24th April 2016

Richmond Fontaine are calling it a day. This is very bad news! They are one of my favourite bands so I’m grateful that at least they’re playing Leeds on their final tour.

Willy Vlautin is a singer who doesn’t have what is considered by many as a classic voice but it works wonderfully well with the lyrics he writes – stories of ordinary people facing ordinary problems.

Tonight they play songs from across their lifespan (I’m reluctant to call it a career) and it all goes down well with an almost full Brudenell. Willy’s voice is a little below par and he spends a little time apologising for it. The band play as well as ever and the bass player, Freddy Trujillo, who has joined just in time to pay on their last album, You Can’t Go Back If There’s Nothing To Go Back To, and tour, adds something different to the sound.

Through eleven studio albums Richmond Fontaine have maintained a remarkably high standard and I’m going to miss seeing them live.

Here’s Willy and Dan Eccles performing Wake Up Ray

Flamin Groovies – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 20th April 2016

I’ve been waiting been waiting 40 years to see the Flamin Groovies so the potential for disappointment is huge. From the start though it’s clear to see that the band are enjoying playing and and are glad to see a reasonable, but not sold out, crowd has come to see them on a Wednesday night.
The set list is drawn largely from their three Sire albums,released between 1976 and 1979 together with a smattering of songs from earlier in their long career.
The line up of three long standing members Cyril Jordan, George Alexander and Chris Wilson, and relative newcomer Victor Penalosa, and their enthusiasm prevents them becoming a tribute to themselves.
They say it’s good to be back in Leeds, although I don’t remember them ever playing here before. I hope they do again.

Decent support from Nervous Twitch and, particularly, The Breakdowns.