Coventry day one, part one, cold moments and hot stuff!

After Watching the game in a proper English pub ( BCFC / Wolves), Coventry was pretty cold and a bit sad on that snowy day... Simon survived to a B'Ham/Coventry travel with a french driver who started to drive on the right side of the road but we decided wisely to keep the car but not the driver for the day after. Checked in the hotel, ate in Nando's (Simon, my so good friend, a french needs to eat something every 4 hours, can't be fed by coffee only! lol). Then we walked to the Kasbah Club to be the firsts in that small venue and we were almost the firsts. A cool dude told us Paul Weller was here and if we were really freezing cold, I saw a glimpse of smile on his face! Doors opened and the venue was really strange, looks like and old Northern Soul Club reopen ten years later for a special event! Looks like Dean Parrish will suddenly appear to sing Left, right and centre with great northern soul dancers! And it was absolutely cold, no heating plant at all! We were almost all alone on the very first row and we kept that place till OCS gig's end when a wild and drunk animal try to abuse us in a sexual way... Strange indeed, he wanted to jump over us!

Well Stevie Pilgrim came alone on stage with an acoustic guitar in the cold venue, with a young woman to sing with him... Being on stage with Weller and coming alone on stage in the half-empty venue is not the same thing... He started to sing his pretty good hancrafted songs and it was a bit hard for him and partner... Few applaused, polite claps, no more no less, it was the right time to have a little help from his friend! Modfather new NME godgenius like (what a joke...) appeared and you could hear the roaring crowd, really. He has that power to electrify suddenly a complete audience. Wella' ... Wella' ... Wella' ...They sang together Wildwood and two other songs... Instantly deep in the music, very impressive, asking the sound technician to push the volume on his guitar... He was absolutely sharp dressed, bespoke pants, absolutely elegant... Not so working class at my humble opinion... The night became suddenly another one... And it wasn't finished at all. Another band mate, Andy Crofts came on stage with his own band, The Moons, and honest, they've been really brilliant, it's always a very nice moment when a young band like his wants to fight for any song, like playing their life on stage and Crofty is not only a keys player for Weller, he's an excellent singer/songwriter and the band is very very good. Go to hear them live if you can, you will have the possibility to buy the first Moons' LP and to meet the very kind and nice Andy Crofts, a top gentleman. He was nervous and proud to show his band and songs. Every so called star should remember the blessed days of their beginning, when they opened for other bands, fighting to break a bit the fame wall, music believers... The Moons are very personal, you can think to influences, but it's never boring, it's never a cut and copy thing.

Andy is really gifted and they will be huge if they have a bit luck. They're ready. Andy's voice is very melodic, he knows how to push the melody in the right direction. We were at the first row (better place to breathe than the third one!) and we could see him tuning the guitar again and again, being nervous as a race horse before the start, completely involved in his music. I like to see it, young believers!

To be continued...

Yann and Simon Cooper.