Las Vegas - where do you start.
If you are going to dedicate your time to seeing as many live acts as you can then surely you have to go to the very home of live acts, Las Vegas. Vegas is just as you would expect it to be, brash and loud, overtly encouraging you to party both day and night. In fact, these terms become meaningless as most services are available 24/7. The only thing is the heat. It reaches in excess of 40 degrees during the day which makes it difficult to move away from either air-conditioned bars or the pool. Tough!
The first act His Grumpiness and I, along with my WA brother and my sister-in-law, nephew and niece, went to see in Vegas was James Blunt at the enormous T-Mobile Arena. I don't usually like big arenas but there is something magical about that many people singing the same song all at once. James Blunt is probably my first choice in terms of music but my brother promised to keep the beers coming. It turns out that James Blunt is a great performer. He is hilariously funny (check out his twitter feed) and professional as they come. His best know song 'Your Beautiful' which I didn't think I wanted to hear was sweet and funny and I found a new appreciation for it.
If you are going to dedicate your time to seeing as many live acts as you can then surely you have to go to the very home of live acts, Las Vegas. Vegas is just as you would expect it to be, brash and loud, overtly encouraging you to party both day and night. In fact, these terms become meaningless as most services are available 24/7. The only thing is the heat. It reaches in excess of 40 degrees during the day which makes it difficult to move away from either air-conditioned bars or the pool. Tough!
The first act His Grumpiness and I, along with my WA brother and my sister-in-law, nephew and niece, went to see in Vegas was James Blunt at the enormous T-Mobile Arena. I don't usually like big arenas but there is something magical about that many people singing the same song all at once. James Blunt is probably my first choice in terms of music but my brother promised to keep the beers coming. It turns out that James Blunt is a great performer. He is hilariously funny (check out his twitter feed) and professional as they come. His best know song 'Your Beautiful' which I didn't think I wanted to hear was sweet and funny and I found a new appreciation for it.
However, James was just the warmup act. The galactically popular Ed Sheeran was the main man. I am not a huge fan but I figured that I should go to at least one big arena show in my quest to become a Patron of the Arts. It doesn't get any bigger tha Ed in Vegas. Besides the beers were still rolling in, thanks Bro. Ed started with 'Castle on the Hill' which really had the crowd up and about. During his act James Blunt wondered why did he spends so much on a band when he could used a loop machine.like Ed. Ed really does use it to it's best advantage - no backup musicians for him. The beers kept rolling and the performance went one and I found myself enjoying the show. The highlight for me (other the the tweeny screaming) was Ed's version of Nina Simones's 'Feeling Good'.
Nina Simone cover feeling good
During this massive show it occurred to me that I was a long way from watching the "Fox and Firkin" at The Homestead in Hobart. I think I probably preferred F 'n' F. Is a trip to Vegas really worth it when I can stay at home and enjoy myself just as much. That was until His Grumpiness and I went to see our next live act. We were scheduled to see The Chainsmokers in a Vegas nightclub to celebrate my sister's birthday. I was expecting this to be unlike anything I had ever experienced but the beers from the James & Ed show culminated in an almighty hangover which meant I had to forgo that pleasure - or possibly it was all the gin and tonics after the show. As my sister says Vegas bit me. What act could possibly top the massive Ed Sheeran at T-Mobile Arena - The Who at Caesars Palace. Does it get any bigger than Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend?
The show started off a little slow i guess it takes a little while to warm up when you're in your seventies. Then they played 'You Better, You Bet', 'Who are you' and songs from 'Quadraphenia' and the show really started moving. Pete Townshend brought out his famous windmill guitar moves and the crowd went off.
Roger Daltrey's scream in 'Won't Get Fooled Again", mostly known from CSI Miami, was spine-tingling. Despite his age his vocal range is still fabulous. However, the highlight was the musicianship of Peter Townshend possibly best guitarist I have ever seen. Ian Moss is a pretty impressive guitarist but this was something different. The songs seem to come from somewhere within, somewhere other worldly. The riffs and melodies go in unexpected directions that after they are played seems obvious but unimaginable before. They finished with 'Pinball Wizard' and 'Baba O'Riley' which was soul consuming and life-changing. I shall never see this like again.
Needless to say this was the highlight of my journey so far I don't think that The Who in Las Vegas can be topped but there is more to patronage than world famous bands in world famous venues. It is the discovery of the little guy in a dark corner of the world that no-one else knows exists. I continue my search. Next stop New York, New York - so good they named it twice.
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