May 2, 2004 Review

What can I say, excellent! (or as Jagger would say "Well, alright!!")

I attended both the "Audience with" and also the evening concert. David Mead did a fine job of facilitating the discussions with Mick in the afternoon, there were a couple of the usual guitar player questions (one in particular asking who influenced Mick and copied his licks from - well, anyone who listens will know that he moulded them all into his own - the Mick Taylor vibrato in particular is truly unique and instantly recognisable. I strongly suspect the vibrato comes from a mix of BB, Freddie and Albert King plus perhaps Otis Rush). Most of us have read a lot of the Stones "legends" and Mick intimated that all their recording took place in "Keith Time", i.e. after dark!!, "a bit like night work" was his specific quote. I'm really disappointed I didn't bring something for him to sign, I was on the end of one of the seated rows and could have got it done!.

Aynsley Lister was the support act, good stuff indeed but not in the same class as MT (must be the education he received at the John Mayall "University" as he put it earlier in the day). Mick played the usual Cherry Sunburst Les Paul throughout, through Marshall and Fender Twin combos in standard tuning and alternated between slide and "normal" lead playing. I would have liked to have heard more of the legendary non-slide vibrato though, the sound of this is etched into my brain from my first hearing of "Get yer ya-ya's out" many years ago hearing the stark contrast between Keith & Mick's playing, particularly on "Sympathy for the Devil" where they swapped solos. Some of the audience comments around me were very interesting, one guy behind me said to someone sitting beside him "Aynsley Lister's good but the guy you're about to see next is the guv'nor"

Most of the material was off the "Stone Alone" album, with "You gotta move" and the usual "Can you hear me knocking" bit at the end.

I'd definitely go and see Mick again in the UK or Europe and kick myself for not having done so before, having lots of opportunity, I foolishly turned down the Mayall 70th gig last year!!

Regards,

Pat