KILBURNFLYER

Have been badly neglecting the Fleyer - it is the only way I can keep track of gig activity.

Since the summer festivals have seen:

Echo and the Bunneymey at the Palladium - absolutely first class gig - the whole of Ocean rain with an orchestra and a greatest hits set. What's not to love.

Pop Will Eat Itself at O2 Academy Islington - great fun as usual but with Clint poppy no longer with them felt a bit odd.

Volbeat at the Forum - absolutely magnificent - really got the bug for them over the summer and bought their entire back catalogue. First time I have seen them when I knew all the songs they played - Evelyn was a particular highlight - not one ofmy favourite songs but what I didn't know was that the 2nd vocalist is Mark "Barney" Greenaway from Napalm Death - he came on for that song - brilliant.

Motorhead, UK Subs and Anti Nowhere League at Hammersmith - Subs were great - indeed much better than back in the day - basically Charlie Harper and a half decent young metal band supporting him. ANL - all good but a bit going through the motions. Motorhead were back on form - they were poor at Sonisphere - and did a great set.

Hard Rock Hell V at Prestatyn - the greatest weekend of the year as usual but that down to the people not the bands - most of whom were a bit average except Girlschool, Reckless Love, Ginger Wildheart and the magnificent SSS.

Def Leppard, Motley Crue at Wembley Arena - sadly got there late and missed Steel Panther but great sets from both as usual.

GingerWildheart at the Garage Islington - exactly the same as Prestatyn - good but not great.

Saxon at Koko - fucking brilliant show. Full of energy, great setlist - well done chaps you really try hard and it shows.

KILBURNFLYER

Last two gigs this year.

Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Disturbed at Wembley Arena - 2/3 full for 3 decent bands. Sound was terrible for Disturbed but a decent show nonetheless. Buckcherry were excellent - think the singer would be a great replacement for Brian Johnson if he ever gave up the AC/DC gig. Papa Roach always leave me a bit underwhelmed but they try very hard - best I have seen them.

Echo and the Bunnymen at Brixton Academy - absolutely fantastic. The whole of Crocodiles and Heaven up Here plus a few faves for an encore. Superb sound, great backlit set and great memories of past glories. Always gotta love the Bunnyment

KILBURNFLYER

Echo and the Bunnymen at the Roundhouse last night. A fabulous gig where apart from two new songs I knew every word of every song. They played beautifully and were clearly enjoying themselves - even managing a decent version of people are strange in homage to the venue where the Doors played their only UK gig. They were even better last night than they were last year at the Royal Albert Hall for the Ocean Rain special. Bunnymen please "Never Stop" - sadly oine of the few classics that they didn't play last night.

KILBURNFLYER

A splendid two set show by the Bunnymen at the Royal Albert Hall. The first set opened with Rescue and followed up with Villiers Terrace before bouncing back and forth throughout their back catalogue and a new song thropwn in for good measure. Never Stop and Back of Love were particular highlights. McCulloch's voice was superb and Will Sergeant's guitar work was as effortless and precise as it always is. That set ended and off we trooped for a beer - note to RAH: you need more bar staff. The second set was Ocean Rain played in order with an orchestra. The sound was great and the Bunnymen were clearly having a good time - black and white stills from that period showing McCulloch and sadly deceased former members as beautiful young men full of life and energy were quite moving. The pictures from that time of Pete deFreitas and Les Pattinson were quite haunting. Last time is saw the Bunnyment at the RAH was about 1983 - a storming concert and a lot of damaged chairs. The crowd were much more sedate last night - probably cos most of them were also there the last time. We're all getting on a bit I suppose.