Paul Weller At The 02 - A Few Videos!

Courtesy Of Gary Davies!

Paul Weller At The O2 Arena! Set List, Pics, Reviews!

Paul Weller Has The Dads On Their Feet
By Rick Pearson, Evening Standard 23.03.09

Whoever said rock ’n’ roll was a young man’s game forgot to tell Paul Weller. At 50, The Modfather is enjoying one of the most successful spells of his career.

He recently won the Best British Male award at the BRITS on the back of 22 Dreams, an audacious 21-song album in which he tackled everything from Krautrock to the spoken word.

While a cursory glance at the O2 crowd revealed a demographic that still remembers him best as the frontman in Seventies punk band The Jam, this was more than an exercise in dusting off the old classics.

Indeed, the new material provided many of the night’s highlights. The spiky Wake Up The Nation saw Weller in political mood, while All I Want To Do (Is Be With You) was romantic, blue-eyed soul. Elsewhere, One Bright Star was introduced as “a kind of psychedelic tango number” — a shot in the arm to those who claim his music is merely “dadrock”.

There was plenty for the dads, too, though. Shout To The Top, the joyous hit from Weller’s days in The Style Council, made use of the 10-piece string section; Eton Rifles, from his time in The Jam, was as ferocious as ever.

Moving to the piano, Weller dedicated You Do Something To Me “to lovers everywhere”. The soulful ballad, from Weller’s classic 1995 album Stanley Road, was augmented by the guitar work of the outstanding Steve Craddock, who played everything from mandolins to keyboards.

Weller saved the best for the encore: a triumphant version of Broken Stones, which had the crowd on their feet. On another night, the omission of Going Underground would have seemed folly; on Saturday, when closures to the Jubilee line forced many to get boats, buses and cars to the venue, it was probably for the best.

From This Is London

Paul Weller At The O2 Arena
Paul Weller looks delighted to be back on stage, and his band belts out a mighty sound!
By Andrew Perry

OR his latest album, 22 Dreams, Paul Weller recently bagged a Brit award, finessing another renaissance in a career that now runs into its fourth decade. Weller is nothing if not durable – a quality that infuriates his many critics, who see him as the epitome of dour, unbending "dadrock".

He has rarely been flavour of the month, ever since he split up his first band, the Jam, and terminated his engagement as the punk generation's spokesman. After a resurgence on the back of Britpop, he assumed an updated version of that role, without the political baggage.

22 Dreams found Weller, now 51, casting off all those shackles as he struck upon a liberated, vaguely psychedelic new sound, occasionally straying into jazz, tango, spoken word, and even techno.

Further changes were apparent when Weller took to the stage at the O2, minus his drummer of twenty-plus years, Steve White, who had been replaced by an eager, powerful youngster, Steve Pilgrim.

Pinstriped and feathercut, Weller himself was near-incandescent, all a-tremble with his fierce, defiant energy. He made no concessions to arena showmanship, delivered no one-liners. The game plan was simply to blast his way through with music. When he spoke between songs, his few words tumbled out so quickly as to be indecipherable.

His lean four-piece backing combo were augmented by a young, female 10-piece string orchestra and a horn quartet. These often served to bring bonus noise, rather than sophistication, but what a terrific, mighty, galvanising noise it was.

Early on, a new song called Wake Up the Nation set a brisk, stomping pace. Sea Spray, a mellow-rocking gem from 22 Dreams, was vamped up with a Northern soul beat. Half an hour in, it only got more intense. A brassy take on Shout to the Top (from Weller's middle period in the Style Council) was followed by Eton Rifles, delivered with all the ferocity of the Jam's original. It felt as if, with an extra nudge from the audience, the O2 would be relieved of its domed covering.

However, as Weller rolled out some of his more esoteric recent material, including the tango, and the freaky techno piece, the euphoria dissipated somewhat. Upbeat tunes such as Push It Along, and even a shuffling, funky reworking of Wild Wood, went by undanced-to, which really was a crime.

Weller seemed happy just to be bringing his rejuvenated self to the live stage. On returning for an encore, he babbled enthusiastically ("Lovely jubbly top night bandit country, innit?" were the audible highlights) and goofed around the stage waving a tambourine, like a young Liam Gallagher. If only his fans were as "mad for it" as he.

From The Telegraph

Courtesy Of Glenn Daniels

Photos Courtesy Of John Rawsthorne

Set List:
Peacock Suit
Out Of The Sinking
22 Dreams
The Changingman
Wake Up The Nation
All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You)
From The Floorboards Up
Sea Spray
Shout To The Top
Eton Rifles
Porcelain Gods
Invisible
One Bright Star
Empty Ring
You Do Something To Me
7 And 3
Have You Made Up Your Mind
Push It Along
111
All On A Misty Morning/Magic Bus
The Butterfly Collector
Brand New Start
Wild Wood
Echoes Round The Sun
Broken Stones
Whirlpool's End
Town Called Malice

Set List Courtesy Of Brokenstonedagain

Support The Moons And Their Quest To Play The V Festival!

Paul Weller's band mate Andy Crofts, and his ACE group The Moons need your support to get on the bill for the next V Festival. Please drop by the Road To V site and register to be a fan of The Moons!!

Hello Moonies and Moonettes...

We have recently been added to the V Festival website as there is a chance to play if we get enough fan votes on their website.

All you need to do is go to this website

http://roadtov.com/artists/the-moons

and register as a fan. (it will ask you to register as a band or a fan)

Once you have registered please become a fan of The Moons. This could result in us playing at the festival which would be amazing!!

This will take a few seconds of your time

P.S. We will be playing another show very soon after I return from Japan and America with Paul Weller.

Thanks everyone
Andy
The Moons xx

The Moons @ MySpace

Purchase The Moons Debut Single @ iTunes

Paul Weller To Release "Just A Dream/22 Dreams Live"

Paul Weller will release a CD/DVD Deluxe combo on 8th June titled, "Just A Dream/22 Dreams Live." The CD consists of 13 tracks recorded at the Brixton Academy, London in November 2008.

The DVD has a 90min/21 track live session recorded for the BBC, first televised in December 2008, a 5-track session recorded for Channel 4, the videos for 'Have You Made Up Your Mind' and 'Echoes Round The Sun', end-of-2008 interview with Paul and his band. Both will be housed in a hardback bookcase packaging with a 32 page booklet of previously unseen photographs.

A few more details and pre-order info can be found at Play.com

Paul Weller Talks Up New Material!

Paul Weller has spoken out about the quality of his as-yet unreleased new material.

The Brit Award winner told London Lite that he and his backing band will showcase some new songs at their upcoming gig at the O2.

Weller said: "We play at least half the album. On the last tour, we played '111'. It wasn't like people were booing and walking out.

"We've got strings and a brass section, plus we've got some brand new tunes. There's this great one called 'Wake Up The Nation'.

"It won't be coming out 'till next year, but I wish it was f***ing coming out next week, man, 'cos it's right on the button."

He added that it was nice to get "feedback" about his music from younger groups like The Enemy.

Paul Weller In Swindon - Review & Pics!

Weller Wonderland For Modfather Fans!

Thursday 19th March 2009
A JAM-packed Oasis audience were given an offer they couldn’t refuse by the Modfather, Paul Weller.

The veteran singer-song-writer and former frontman of The Jam and The Style Council attracted a sell-out crowd for the gig last night.

In a mixture of well-hummed anthems and material from his latest album, 22 Dreams, Weller belted out an energetic set that was well-received by his fans in Swindon.

Thanking his audience, as the strains of his opening crowd-pleaser, Peacock Suit, faded out, Weller expressed his admiration for the venue, quipping: “Nice sports hall”.

But for the most part Weller let the music do the talking as he and his band rattled through tracks covering his 30-odd year career.

Weller, supported by Northampton-based rockers, The Ladders, is clearly a draw, attracting fans from as far away as Cardiff and Worcester.

“This will be the fifth time I’ve seen him,” said Gemma Thomas, 28, from Cardiff.

“This is probably the smallest place I’ve seen him play but there was a good atmosphere.

“Everyone was singing along and waving their arms. He’s been brilliant every time I’ve seen him. It was well worth the trip.”

Adam Harris, 42, from Abbey Meads, said: “I’ve been a fan for years and I’ve got to say I prefer the older stuff to his new songs but he’s even better than I imagined live. He’s just a legend really and I think it’s great that he’s come to Swindon.”

Tara Gould, 25, from Old Town, agreed, saying: “I think it’s great that we can get big names like him to Swindon, but it seems to happen more and more now. I came to see the Ting Tings the other week and I’m really excited about who will be coming to the Radio One show.

“I thought the concert was great – he’s got so many classic songs and I like his new stuff as well.”

John Stanning, 51, from Pinehurst, said: “I was surprised by how many young people were here – it was a really mixed bag.

“I’ve always been into Paul Weller, right from the days of The Jam, but it’s great to see that he’s got so many younger fans as well.”

By James Wallin
Swindon Advertiser

Photos Courtesy John Rawsthorne

Photos Courtesy Of Darren Larner

Paul Weller In Wolverhampton - Review & Set List!

All’s Weller For Modfather Paul!

Paul Weller at The Civic, Wolverhampton,It was only 8.45pm but Paul Weller couldn’t wait to get started.

Strutting out to old favourite Peacock Suit, he attacked the opening numbers with a ferocious glint in his eyes and beaming great smile. And why not? Here he was in a venue he loves, playing to a sell-out crowd who hang on his every chord and with his best album in 17 years to cherrypick his choice of songs from.

The epic 22 Dreams is the Modfather’s most consistent work since going solo – and its experimental edge has been carried through to breathe new life into older material on tour.

Hence Wildwood got a bass-heavy reworking last night and Broken Stones had all sorts of whistles and bells attached during the encore.

But, for once, it was newer material that lifted the Civic in Wolverhampton from the floorboards up.

Sea Spray and Have You Made Up Your Mind were highlights, sitting comfortably alongside old favourites like Shout to the Top.

Greatest reverence, as ever, was reserved for Jam songs and Eton Rifles has clearly lost none of its rabble-rousing lustre down the years, while an acoustic Butterfly Collector left hairs standing up on 2,000 necks. This was the old master on form alright – and loving it. But there was a time when he seemed almost frustrated that his more modern work was always overshadowed by past glories.

Not any more.

And maybe it’s that proud realisation which has finally put a smile on the face of Brit-rock’s most-fabled angry young man.

By Keith Harrison.
expressandstar.com

Set List:
Peacock Suit
Out Of The Sinking
22 Dreams
The Changingman
Wake The Nation (new song)
All I Wanna Do
From The Floorboards Up
Sea Spray
Shout To The Top
Eaton Rifles
Porcelain Gods
Invisible
One Bright Star
Empty Ring
YDSTM
7 & 3 (new song)
Have You Made Up Your Mind
Push It Along
111
All On A Misty Morning
Butterfly Collector
Brand New Start (not played)
Why Walk (not played)
Wild Wood
Echoes Round The Sun
Come On, Let's Go

Encore:
Wild Blue Yonder
Broken Stones
Whirlpool's End
Malice (not played)
That's Entertainment (not played)

Set List Courtesy Of Wimpers

Paul Weller Is Scheduled To Play The Cactus Festival In Belgium!

Paul Weller is scheduled to play the Cactus Festival on July 11. The festival will be held at Minnewaterpark in Brugge, Belgium.

For More Information Visit The Festival Site!

Paul Weller Appears On Noel Gallagher Charity CD!

Noel Gallagher has released a charity CD of his appearance for the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007. Noel is joined on two songs by Paul Weller. The duet includes The Jam's The Butterfly Collector and The Beatles' All You Need Is Love. An 11 track version was given away in the Sunday Times and the full version has been released and available for download today.

The Butterfly Collector

Support TCT And Download from iTunes!

A Short Interview With Paul Weller From The Ben Sherman Blog!

In the early part of last year, Paul Weller designed a collection for Ben Sherman. With his trademark style which has influenced generations of music and fashion lovers, we thought it only right to gain an insight into Weller's thoughts on style, his inspirations and of course, Ben Sherman...

This was the exclusive Q & A which followed;

When did you first come into contact with the Ben Sherman brand / what memories do you have of Ben Sherman in the 60s and 70s?

I remember not being able to afford a Ben Sherman when I was a kid, they were too expensive. Me and my friends wore the cheaper Brutus copies. I saved for months to buy an original Ben Sherman. When I got it home it was too big. It didn't occur to me to take it back. I've no idea what happened to that shirt.

I've still got an original Ben Sherman though; it was given to me by Steve Ellis from the Love Affair. It's the shirt that the Candy range is based on.

What makes your shirt with Ben Sherman special?

Nothing is made in Britain anymore. The limited edition Candy is special because I wanted the shirts to be made in Britain. Ben Sherman is a British brand, originating in Brighton I wanted the shirt to have some connection with the place; the first 100 shirts were made in England and hand finished in Brighton. That makes them pretty special.

How important is style?

I choose to put a lot of thought into what I wear. I think a lot about clothes and what I am going to buy or wear. Its part of what makes me tick but whether or not that makes it important or not I don't know. Depends on what time of day it is. If it's first thing in the morning and I'm getting dressed then yes it's incredibly important. Less so at other times of the day!

What were the design elements that were important to you when creating this shirt?

The shirt had to be faithful to my original design; the buttons, the stitching; the colours all had to be spot on. And all made in 100% Oxford Cotton like the originals. It's based on an original 60s Ben Sherman design and I didn't want any of the original look of the shirt to be lost.

So is the Candy shirt a permanent addition to your wardrobe?

Yeah, I've worn the shirt lots of times, I have every colour. My band wears the shirt. My mates will wear it. Pretty sure others will wear it as well.

The Candy shirt sold out in stores almost instantly, and within weeks of hitting the shelves was up on ebay with many button-downs selling in excess of £240. Paul Weller is and continues to be, one of the scenes most influential fashion front-runners.

Article From The Ben Sherman Button Down Blog.

Paul Weller To Participate In Island Records 50th Anniversary Festivities!

Island Records, the legendary label founded by Chris Blackwell in Kingston, Jamaica in 1959 and a home to such heavyweight artists as Bob Marley, Tom Waits, U2, Nick Drake, PJ Harvey and Amy Winehouse, will mark its 50th anniversary with the Island 50 Festival next month.

The cornerstone of the celebrations is Island Life, a week of live shows at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire featuring Island artists past and present. The confirmed line up for Island Life is, so far, as follows:
26 May – Sly & Robbie And The Compass Point All Stars featuring special guests; Kid Creole & The Coconuts
27 May – The Fratellis, Bombay Bicycle Club and Special Guest
28 May – Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam) and Friends, Baaba Maal
29 May – Paul Weller, Ernest Ranglin, Spooky Tooth
30 May – Keane, Tom Tom Club, Spooky Tooth
31 May – Amy Winehouse, Toots & The Maytals, I Blame Coco

In tandem with the shows, The Island Life Exhibition Of Photos, Artwork And Memorabilia will run from 22 May to 17 June at The Vinyl Factory on London’s Poland Street. A book, Keep On Running – The Story Of Island Records, will be published on 21 May. Edited by Chris Salewicz, it will feature contributions from such noted wordsmiths as Paul Morley, Jon Savage and Q’s own Sylvia Patterson.

Q itself will mark Island’s anniversary with its own series of specials. In the June issue of Q magazine, on sale 28 April, Q tells Island’s story in the words of the people who made it happen. Online at Qthemusic.com throughout the month Q will present an exclusive gallery of rare and previously unseen photographs from the Island archives, including the shot of the great Bob Marley pictured here and taken by Adrian Boot.

And in May, none other than Paul Weller will host and present an extra special show on Q Radio, playing his own selection of the best of Island’s music.

For further information on the Island celebrations go to www.islandrecords.co.uk

Article From Q.

More Photos From Paul Weller's Abbey Road Charity Gig To Benefit Cancer Research!

Photos kindly provided by Gina Giraffe!
Thanks Gina!!

Set List For Paul Weller's Abbey Road Charity Gig!

(Courtesy Of Woodcutters Son)

A gallery of images from the performance can be found HERE!

www.cancerresearchuk.org

Paul Weller Releases Limited Edition Marshall Amp!

Paul Weller has released a limited-edition amp, the 1987X-PW. There will only be 50 of these amps available worldwide. Estimated prices are around 1000 GBP.

The amps, a reissue of the 2100 Lead and Bass 50, come packaged with a certificate signed by Dr. Jim Marshall and Paul Weller. Portions of the profits will go to the ChildLine Charity.

For more information visit Marshall Amps HERE!