Gig at Red Creek Inn, Rochester, NY, 24 Feb 1993

KEVIN AYERS IS COMING! This was written in red across a tour schedule sent to me by Why Are We Sleeping. Scanning the list I saw Rochester, NY. This being just a couple of hours away I decided to go. Also decided to call a couple of friends in Rochester to come along. Thus it was that Chaz and Mitch ( both from Minor Characters, a band I had a few years back ) and myself going to see Kevin Ayers.

After paying our $10 at the door, we found a table in front, ordered some beer and awaited Kevin. The Red Creek could hold 150 crowded (as attested to by Chaz and Mitch; Allan Holdsworth had played there the prvious month and the place was packed). Tonight though, there were about 30 - 40 people actively awaiting Kevin. The opening band was 1/2 Chicken, a local band. Comprising six people (2 guitars, bass, singer, drums and piano/trumpet) they took the stage and started making their own brand of noise. Imagine equal parts earl;y Soft Machine, early Mothers of Invention, early Velvet Underground and Syd's Pink Floyd and you get an idea of 1/2 Chicken. Primarily playing originals (and 1 Syd song) they were an appropriate opening for Kevin Ayers. More on them later. Talking to them after the show, they said they were in the studio recording a demo to shop around the various labels. Should you see a recording by 1/2 Chicken show up in your local shop, pick it up. Why Are We Sleeping readers will definitely enjoy it.

After a thirty minute wait, Kevin Ayers shambled on to the stage. Looking rather thin, he searched for his guitar, which was pointed out by one of the members of 1/2 Chicken (who also tuned it during the intermission). At this point I wondered if I would be witnessing a 'Syd-type' appearance or whether Kevin was just jet-lagged from all the travelling. Not to worry though as his performance was together and just chaotic enough to be enjoyable. Another friend, Pat Thomas (also from Minor Characters) saw the San Francisco show a few days before and called to say he thought it a cross between Kevin Coyne and Syd Barrett.

Playing songs from throughout his career, Kevin came across as a wonderful songwriter and engaging performer. Some songs - Shouting In A Bucket Blues, Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes - I enjoyed more than others due to being more familiar with those albums. Others - I Don't Depend On You - were quite enjoyable due to their unfamiliarity and good writing. Toward the end of the set, 1/2 Chicken joined Kevin on stage for two songs. The first reached back to Soft Machine days....'Why Are We Sleeping'. Unrehearsed to be sure, but with a raw quality that made up for the raggedness. Then one of my all time favourite Kevin songs...'Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes'. Here the band really rocked, coming close to equalling some of the great bands of Kevin's past. The night closed with 'Two Goes Into Four'... Again, one of my favourites from Mr Ayers. Short and sweet with a melody that kept playing in my head the next day.

Next came the fun bit for the fans, getting autographs and talking to Kevin. Waiting patiently in line, my turn finally came and I had a UK copy of 'Whatevershebringswesing' along with two posters for the night's show for Kevin to sign. He looked at the LP cover with joy as thought seeing a long lost friend. Commenting on the cover (it's from a series of postcards) to the inside (the girl was Dutch and very beautiful; Mike Oldfield played his best solo on that song 'There Is Loving...')...also on Mike Oldfield (I let him play guitar because I could see even then that he was a better player...). Thus was the evening over. Still, I finally got to see Kevin Ayers after hearing his music for 20 years. One of those evenings that will stay in the memory forever.

Bill Groome

first published in WAWS #3, July 93