Live From Abbey Road (Show 3, Series 2 - 11/07/2008)

A very interesting and much better Live From Abbey Road show this week featuring Welsh indie-rock stalwarts Stereophonics, pop songstress Colbie Caillat and the legend that is Joan Armatrading. So I was expecting great things from everyone involved.

The set:

Stereophonics

• Dakota
• It Means Nothing
• My Friends

Colbie Caillat

• Bubbly
• Realize
• Battle

Joan Amatrading

• Tall In The Saddle
• A Woman In Love
• Love And Affection

A slight departure from the norm this week as all three artists got three songs.

I used to be a huge Stereophonics fan, back when Kelly Jones and the boys made genuine heartfelt post-Britpop indie rock. Now that Jones has gone from wide-eyed indie kid to hardened rock superstar, things have changed. The Stereophonics set was very modern which is a great shame as a new version of 'Local Boy In A Photograph' would have been a great tribute and acknowledgement of where the band were and what they are doing. But they kicked off with the rocky Dakota, with Jones in top form and the band clearly enjoying the live set up, before one of the best current songs from Pull The Pin, It Means Nothing, written in response of the 7/7 London attacks while the band were in the US. As Jones says, it is not so much a political song as it is a social 'people' song. They closed with a fairly ordinary version of My Friends.

Colbie Caillat is a bit of an enigma. She talked about her fame and stardom (even though most people have never heard of her) and influences including Lauren Hill and Bob Marley, but also predictably John Mayer (quoted by every up and coming singer anywhere). Then about having to learn the guitar to write songs and changing her attitude to make things happen instead of just waiting for fame to find her. She looked very uneasy and nervous during the guitar led Bubbly, a great pop tune, before losing the guitar for Realize. It did nothing for her fragile credibility to hold her headphones on with both hands as if she was crooning a verse for We Are The World. That aside, the whimsical ballad was pleasant enough. Her very good band looked far more at ease than she did. The guitar solo at the end of Battle was the best thing about it.

The best was saved for last with the mighty Joan Armatrading. I was expecting a set of new songs from a new album (you can't blame me after last week - thanks Crow) but she started with the dramatic blues fuelled Tall In The Saddle. Her voice is amazing and as she says in her interview, she also considers herself a fine guitarist. This was highly evident here. As the song turned into a frantic jam session, there was a bizarre moment of voice over and interview right in the middle of the song, focusing on her guitar! It spoiled the song somewhat but broke the formula nicely. A Woman In Love sounded more conventional but was the most modern song, from 2007, before an incredible semi-acoustic Love And Affection complete with sax break. It's a shame there wasn't enough time for Drop The Pilot but this was a rare treat. Armatrading says she still loves singing the song and wouldn't deny fans in a gig. Highlight of the series so far.

So a great show. Next week is Suzanne Vega. Yay!