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chriseganstar
Well, what a week it's been so far, and we've still got tonight to go! Stayed at Ben's Monday night and up until the early hours watching his band rehearse at home then full rehearsals in Wimborne with Ronnie and Imelda, only just finished in time before the doors were due to be opened. A fantastic privilege to watch Ronnie working at close hand, only 3 of us non-band members in attendance. Sally watched from the balcony, Anna (Ronnie's guitar tech)was so pleasant, as was Ronnie himself, what a gentleman he is. He came over and handed me his guitar pick at the end of rehearsals. Off to the pub with Ben whilst the support was on, then the full rehearsal show. Great to see how everything comes together in the actual performance. Back to Ben's then up to London yesterday for Ronnie Scott's. Chose a table behind Ben with a great view of the stage. Brilliant gig, Imelda and Natasha we're in superb voice, had one heckler in the audience, some bloke called Rod that Ronnie seemed to know. A fantastic show, topped off by Sir Rodney joining the encore. What to do after the show ? Go to the pub with Ben and the band. Resting in the hotel now before we do it all again tonight !
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bv
I have been so busy trying to figure out all the details of the No Filter USA Tour 2019 lately. Still, when Ronnie Wood is moving into Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club wityh Ben Waters, I have to go! I just wanted to see the band, and enjoy London, it is always a pleasure to be in UK. I did not make any notes during the show, I was just absorbing every moment of this truely great rock'n'roll event. Time is short, I will have to be in the tube for show number two in half an hour, so this will be brief. Please excuse any typing errors, may be I will be able to write this in a more proper way later this week. It is hard to spend time on two projects running at the same time - The Ronnie Scott's Chuck Berry tribute featuring Ben Waters with Ronnie Wood, also the upcoming Stones tour, with all the show rumours that needs to be verified and sorted out. Anyway, this is from London this week, first show last night...
I stayed at my favorite "out of London center" hotel Park Plaza at the Park Royal tube station. It is in the middle of nowhere, still, ther is a reason why I return here several times, not just Stones rehearsals... It is cheap, great, quiet, excellent service, and half an hour by tube on Picadilly line, eiter to the Londoin city centre, or to Heathrow. The Park Plaza on Royal Park ask for 100-140 pounds per night, you get excellent service, a large room, great food, and rest, while you have to pay three times that downtown London now.
I was at Ronnie Scott's by 5pm. No need to queue. This is a small club with reserved table seating. We were in by 6pm, orders for drinks and food taken, and the warm-up was on by 7:50pm. Sort of mix between jazz and blues, I was impatiently waiting for the main act, so the half hour warm-up went by fast.
There were quite a few familiar faces at the jazz club. The capacity is 220 and I am sure I know may be 30-40 people out of the 200 or so fans there, as I see them at Stones shows, many personal friends, so this was as much of a "family meeting" as also a great rock'n'roll evening.
Ben Waters took the piano stage left at 7:50. He was introduced by the Ronnie Scott's management as the one calling them, asking if they could do a Chuck Berry nigh. It is hard to say "no" to Ben Waters, such a great guy, also one of the world's best boogie woogie piano players, actually the very best up there with Axel Zwingenberger. So even if Ronnie Scott's is a jazz club, even older than the Stones, founde in the late 50's, they said sure, we can do that.
Ben waters said he always loved Chuck Berry, and also Johnny Johnson, as both being boogie woogie piano players, we would get much ofb that tonight. We got three or so great Chuck Berry songs for a start.
Then a special guest on guitar, Ronnie Wood. As he walked in, there was a comment in the crowd:
"Nice jacket!"
It was shouted out from the crowd, as Ronnie Wood entered the stage. Ronnie had a great classic sivler style jacket, timeless, it could have been from the 60's or present...
"Thanks Rod!"
Ronnie replied to his band mate Rod Stewart, from the Faces times, and we knew this would be a great night.
Ronnie added some fantastic Chuck Berry riffs. It was a great night, and I was so happy to be in the house. Never regret going to see any of these guys! We had guest singers, and they did both pure rock'n'roll and boogie woogie style Chuck Berry songs. After an hour Ronnie left the stage.
Later on, Ronnie was back, of course. For the encore, Rod Stewart sneaked in from the backdoor area, not really on stage, but still with a microphone, part of the show. Rod said "Remember when we shared hotel room, and when the limit of phone calls was three minutes". Ronnie shared the memories from the past with their band, then they rolled into rock'n'roll. One and a half hour of great rock'n'roll.
After the show I moved over to the backstage door. It was great to be right next to the two lengend, as both Rod and Ronnie passed by me shoulder by shounder in tjios tiny little joint.
Time flies, I have to run. Another show now, I have to catch the tube...
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paulywaul
So people ... how was Jeff Beck and did Johnny Depp turn up ? [/quote
Lost for words at the moment. Gig was good, then we got an extra 7 songs as the "after party". I'm still wired from the last few days, red wine at the moment and then reality tomorrow. Privileged to have experienced this. Thank you my friend Ben Waters !!!!
Satisfied since 1976
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crawdaddy
Another great night for you Chris, and everyone else who managed to be there at the gig.
Hope you can get some rest sometime in the next couple of days.
Here's the videos of tonight by Klaus on Shidoobee FB page.
No wonder everyone had such a great time.
Ben Waters Band and Guests.