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RIP Wilko Johnson

A bit excited tbh. My problem makes gigging difficult, but I'm getting support:)
Very long term friend who has found me after ??? years and the terrific bonus of Maggot who is going to going to join us and who was the initial motivation for our OAP outing.
Bring. It. On.
 
Wilco Johnson at KoKo
A performance to die for.

For many reasons this gig was important for me and it more than fulfilled its promise.
Wilco used to play for me at Dingwalls in the eighties and was always good value and packed the place well beyond our legal limit - on a percentage so everyone benefited :)
I was a bit concerned that everything might be too much for me but Maggot and my friends from over 50 years ago, Pete and Paula sorted everything for me. Pete picked me up at home in Sussex and back to his place in Bromley then we met Maggot in Weatherspoons (were else) and made our way to my old stomping ground Camden.
I have felt uneasy in crowds since I don't know where my feet are if I can't look and check due to the MS thing. No need to worry, with mates and constantly being offered seats on the tube by fellow travelers. Don't tell me that folk aren't polite and caring.
We arrived and were pulled out of the queue by a KoKo staff member who led us in, taking us to an excellent disabled area. It should be noted that all this happened without any asking, seems to be KoKo policy.
Support act EightRoundRapid were dressed by Lee Brileaux's tailor, or so it looked and the guitarist strutted around like Wilco. Unremarkable.
None of that lengthy gear change-over, pretty much the same gear.
Then Wilco to much joyous noise - in fact there was much joy in KoKo.
Wilco Tele in hand, the magnificent Norman Watt-Roy on bass and drummer (sorry, no name).
And so we go.
And how.
You want a set list? Forget it.
This was just Wilco at his best, most fun, most teasing.
No lump in the throat, no pity, no wondering how. None of that, I and a full KoKo crowd just enjoyed, as did the band. Norman was let lose with a blistering solo - blistering, man! Also a class drum break.
Wilco didn't throw himself around like he used to, but other than that you just wouldn't know that he was walking up the front path toward death's door.
He was enjoying himself. We were enjoying. Then in no time the final band introductions. Finish. Off and back, encore. Off and the crowd took the fucking roof man. I tell you. OFF.
Wilco someone started.
Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.Wilco.WILCO.WILCO.
WILCO!
Three sets of encores. Wilco got choked up and was clearly feeling the love.
He was giving the love and he was Ace!
Then over and I'll never see him play again, this man who's charm I'd never appreciated when I paid him up the road.
What a human, human being.
Love him.

This was a review I guess, just hope you got the vibes.
Many thanks to Maggot, Pete & Paula and the KoKo staff, in particular the lovely girl- for she was lovely - who looked after us crips soo well.
A night to remember.

Oh, he said things about Mick Farren who died recently.
Mick was the singer in The Pink Fairies, a journalist and author.
RIP Mick, you would have enjoyed.
 
Mr. Wilkinson just interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire on Radio 5.
Still on good form. Podcast will be available after midday.
 
Here's the first and second parts of an hour-long interview/reminisce/free-form chat-and-strum thing with Wilko from earlier this year, broadcast on 6Music earlier this week.
 
andysays said:
Yeah, that's it. Apparently it's a series with some other people as well.

Wilko's got to be the most down-to-earth "rock star" ever. Example:

Interviewer: So, you're your own archivist then?

Wilko: Well, I've still got my old notebooks...​

:D
Click to expand...
I'd heard of Dr Feelgood, but was just a bit young for the 1970s pub rock scene, so never really knew who Wilko was. But I've been listening to those Mastertapes sessions on podcast, and that was one of the standout ones for me.
 
"The thing is with tours they need to be arranged months in advance, really six months in advance, which I cannot do… I mean I was supposed to be dead last year!

"So in this sort of position where I don't know how long I've got, I don't really like to book anything in advance, so what we do now is just things we can do at short notice.

"We'll just see.

"I'm not looking forward to getting sick…" he says laughing.
Click to expand...

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/audience-Wilko/story-20452111-detail/story.html#axzz2qdswS1Am
 
Wilko/Daltrey gig was ace.

Shepherd Bush Empire is a rubbish venue though....stage is too low. Impossibe to see anything there if you under 6ft tall. That is really annoying, especially as the bulk of Wilko fans were massive fat blokes with weak bladders back and bloody forth like Elephants on a packed tube train.

It's odd seeing Daltrey without Pete by his side.....but he seemed to be enjoying himself, forgot the odd lyric, got knackered by Wilko's pace...had a bit of banter with the crowd 'Why don't you get up her and give it a fucking go..'

Wilko and band were on great form, Wilko so good I was convinced there must have been two guitar players to do some of that playing, but no, just him and Norman on bass and a drummer who was ace.

When Datrey came on, Mick Talbot joined on Keyboards and a great harp player was there too.
 
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