Great Gigs in London...wished I lived closer...

I got an email today from someone who had been reading my blog and thought I might be interested in these gigs celebrating the life and works of Moondog happening in London... I don't usually do promotion on this blog but these gigs look really interesting... I'd love to see Britten Sinfonia and many of the artists espescially Max De Wardener...his album "Where I am Today" I would site as a big influence on me.... unfortunately "where I am" is a long way from these gigs!

Here's a link to the barbican site

But here's the details/lineup anyway

Saturday 30 May 7.30pm
The Viking of 6th Ave - The Music of Moondog

Tickets: £15 / 20 / 25
Barbican Hall

Saturday 30 May 11.30pm
Moondog Around Midnight

Tickets: £5 (50% discount for main concert ticket holders)

St Giles Cripplegate

Presented by the Barbican and Eat Your Own Ears; part of Only Connect

A glimpse into the world of iconic American composer Moondog (1916-1999), whose music has influenced generations of artists, from Philip Glass and Steve Reich to Charlie Parker, and later devotees like Mouse On Mars, Anthony Hegarty, Damon Albarn and Elvis Costello.

This unique concert event features a number of guest artists who reflect the extraordinary range of the composer. Before the show, a Freestage set from composer Max de Wardener and percussionist Tom Skinner will explore the canonical music from the 1970 Moondog 2 album.

The first half will feature the specially–assembled Moondog Choir featuring the idiosyncratic vocals of Lightspeed Champion, Pictish Trail and Adem; they will perform with London Saxophonic, joined by pianist Liam Noble, percussionist Paul Clarvis and others. Domino Records stalwarts Clinic will also perform two Moondog compositions in the Hall before their own set on the post-show Clubstage. In the interval, Moondog-inspired DJ set from Caribou.


In the second half the Britten Sinfonia will perform under the baton of André de Ridder of the Viva Orchestra, along with Andi Toma (of Mouse On Mars), who collaborated with Moondog on the music for Elpmas while the composer was living in Germany. The Britten Sinfonia will perform some gems from Moondog’s classic CBS repertoire as well as previously unheard works.


Alongside Clinic on the post-show Clubstage will be a DJ set from Kieran ‘Four Tet’ Hebden, mixing sounds from all kinds of genres and crosses any musical borders he can find.


In a companion event, Moondog Around Midnight takes place in the beautiful setting of the church of St Giles Cripplegate at 11.30pm on the same evening. US organist Paul Jordan, a veteran Moondog collaborator, will play a concert of the composer’s organ music; tickets are at a 50% discount for main concert ticket holders.

‘Moondog was as recognisable in the New York City landscape as the Empire State Building ’ - New York Times

‘Wonderful music: strange, jaunty, sad, eerie, virtuosic, maddeningly catchy’ - The Independent