Amy is fantastic I love her music
she had the best album last year (just in front of the new Nightwish album
) she will never be 100% mainstream, but hey who cares.
Saw her live a few weeks back, best concert I have ever been to, staggering fun!
Amy MacDonald – Live at the Newcastle Union Basement – 4.5 out of 5
Well my fears that she was not a good live performer after seeing her do a few TV performances live were shattered last night. My ears are still ringing now I will add.
She bloody rocks! And was very good at singing live and had one powerful voice when it was needed. She did falter a few times, mainly when trying to do some very low down singing (hard to do I guess when you sing so loud). Apart from that she was on top form musically, very friendly, eager to please and seemed shocked at the response from the Newcastle venue (sold out and totally packed out beyond words, people were fainting even which is a very odd sight to see).
I got their early at around 6.40, Doormen told we could not come in thru the doors until 7.30 on the dot. I did not know I was one of the first people to arrive and by the time we were let in at 7.40ish the crowds behind me were lined up and around the Union space over and over again. The end was out of sight and was like a maze, even the Union people were in shock at the turn out with many puzzled faces and questions from students in the area.
Gladly I got front and centre viewing as I was pretty much first thru the doors and was maybe 8 foot away from the place where people were going to sing, so I could say I had the best spot in the entire building right in front of the microphone. After a fair wait we had two quality warm up bands, sadly hard to remember their names, but I did get a card from the beginning warm up New Yorker Julian Velard (reminded me of Mika, on crack, big hair). He was very impressive for a warm up band and loved the three guys and they performed maybe 5 songs and really did a good job. Then we had the second warm up guy, not sure of him name yet will have to research, but he was also a good singer I will add and it was his first live performance from what I he said.
Amy came on about 9.40 and came out to chants of Amy! Amy! Amy! and then the bagpipes kicked in and the place erupted like a volcano. She stormed instantly into “This is the Life”, strong and on top form and a wonderful gig began for us.
The songs chosen by Amy to perform were all winners for me, and included all my favorites “Youth of Today”, “Poison Prince” “Footballers Wives” and the always enjoyable foot stomper “Lets Star a Band”. She even added in a few new songs she has in store for a new album that she wrote only a few days ago which was a good sign that she has more great songs to come as one of them was a belter of a song, and she even did a B side.
A cover of the Killers song was even thrown in for good measure, took me a while to work out what song it was mind you, not sure of the title but it is well known. Many times the crowd would sing alone with most songs, well when it was ok to do so as many times they would keep quite and respectful and listen along with everyone else.
The band consisting of two guitar guys, keyboard guy and a drummer all did the music justice and it was suitably heavy and rocky, much more so than on the album and it really did echo hard around the Basement. It was great to hear familiar songs bumped up to louder and more rocky levels, really reverberated thru me and others from the look of it.
She chatted about her life and seemed a friendly young lassie, throwing in comment and reasons for songs along the way. She was shocked to see someone carried off after an attack or fainting and commented on that with concern as if it is the first time it has ever happened. A “Cute” young girl right near me (maybe 7, bit young if you ask me, her little ear drums could get damaged) also got some notice from Amy.
She really came off as an honest girl who really has been thrown into the lion’s den of music with her album going to Number 1. She was right in front of me so I could hear most her comments clearly and see her and the band perfectly and maybe while I was at it blew my eardrums out. Some songs went into overdrive and she added some extra loud shouty/screamy singing to many ditties and really did reach levels of ear splitting volume (which is a good thing if you ask me). She just gave the songs we have heard before more spin and umpff so to say, and was not afraid to change them a bit to get a bigger crowd reaction.
The finale of the night was Barrowland Balroom, which is the perfect tune to end the night as its loud and full of energy and really made the people go wild and jump about as you just cannot help but tap you feet to it. Amy’s set lasted just over an hour and a quarter (ended 10.50ish), in the end it was well worth the waiting about (hard on the legs it has to be said).
All I want to know now is when she is back near me as I will be in the line again next time, when I get my hearing back that is.
As you can see from the pics I took someones camera, they all turned out poor
as I had very little time to work out how to use it sadly.
Ohh how I wish I took my own Big camera with the 12 times zoom! I would have had some great images being so close and knowing how to take dark pics. Still at least I got some pics, even if they do suck as trying to learn how to use a camera during a gig aint what you call an easy thing.
I also recorded the entire gig on my MP3 player
which I am doing with all gigs from now on, dodgy maybe, but hey I aint selling the music.
