Concert #398 - Jon Langford at McCabe's Guitar Shop (April 8, 2006)

 

This was my first-ever encounter with Jon Langford, the supremely talented Brit who first impressed me in the mid-eighties, when he was with the Mekons. I went to the show with my friends Michael and Nicole.

To our surprise, Jon came out with a band that included not one, but two alumni of his former band: Sally Timms, the outstanding female voice of the Mekons and Rico Bell, an accomplished singer and multi-instrumentalist in his own right. 

BAND

Jon Langford - guitar, vocals
Sally Timms - vocals, ukulele
Jean Cook - violin, vocals
Rico Bell - accordion, vocals
Dan Massey - cardboard box
Tony Maimone - bass

SETLIST

Anything Can Happen

Tom Jones Levitation

I Picked Up The Pieces

Hell's Roof

Buy It Now

Broken Bottle

Gold Brick

All Roads Lead Back To Me

Drunk By Noon & Dreams Of Leaving

The Rose From Your Garden

Pill Sailor

It's Not Enough

Mersey Song

Nashville Radio

Sentimental Marching Song

Homburg

Wild And Blue

Memphis, Egypt 

The evening's best songs were "Nashville Radio" and "Pill Sailor". Jean Cook's contribution must also be mentioned.

 

Concert #569 - Jon Langford at McCabe's Guitar Shop (September 25, 2010)

Jon Langford is one of the music industry's hidden treasures. Now an American citizen living in Chicago, ex-Welshman Langford's music is hard to classify, as it mixes folk, country, rock and punk rock, all blended into something new and different, something powerful and edgy.

This was my second time to see him. I went to the concert by myself and sat in the front row. Jon came out with violinist Jean Cook, then later they were joined by long-time partner Rico Bell. Together, they put on a great show that included both old and new songs, plus plenty of humor, delivered with Jon's wonderful accent. The highlight of the show was "Nashville Radio", a song I can't get enough of.

Here's a live version of "Nashville Radio", featuring Jon and Jean:

After the show, Jon signed autographs and chatted with his fans. When he signed my newly bought CD, I thanked him for having facilitated my introduction to the wonderful artists of the Bloodshot Records label.