I went to see Pop Crimes: the Songs of Rowland S. Howard, last week in Rennes.
When the concert was announced, it seemed odd. We get to see huge posters of cover bands, playing big venues (the Australian Pink Floyd...), but seldom less known artists.
Three dates had been arranged in France. The concert in Orléans was canceled (due to a lack of sales), the one in Rennes followed the one in Paris.
So who played?
The core of the band was JP Shilo, Genevieve McGuckin. On lots of songs you could have added Hary Howard and Mick Harvey. Plus, now and then, Chris Hughes and Conrad Standish.
The gig was a curiosity rather than a proper gig. A guest would enter the stage, sing, and leave for someone else to come. It thus lacked fluidity.
So now and then here were some good things, specially songs from his two solo albums. Exit Everything was great.
I got to hear Shivers sung by Jonnine Standish.
I got to hear Mona Soyoc sing, and saw people around me knowing who she was (French 80's duo Kas Product), and she was terrific
I got to hear Edwina Preston (no idea who she was)
I got to see Lydia Lunch... three songs in a row, the first very chaotically so - she had Mick Harvey start all over again 3 times...
In Paris was also Bobby Gillespie. But he couldn't make it here. Or, as someone who acted as if she was in the know said, he wasn't offered enough money to hop to Brittany.
Rennes song :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ81rPjFWRY
London, before that, Gillespie & Lunch :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKosCSFsDhA
What Kas Product (Mona Soyoc) was like :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1H_gdYcRMU