Recently went to the Boardwalk to see Aynsley supporting Robin Trower. I’d just like to put a few thoughts forward having mulled it over for a while. I didn’t particularly enjoy the evening and couldn’t really put my finger on why. Robin Trower is a respected guitarist with a decent following and you would think a perfect way of increasing Aynsley profile, but for me the gig just didn’t ‘work’. The main problem it felt was that Trower’s music felt old, dated, flat, and simply lost in a forgotten time capsule. Whilst the crowd there obviously enjoyed it, I cannot see them wanting to dust down their wrangler jackets too often to go and see Aynsley solo.... wrong target, too old and set in their ways perhaps. I’m sure the odd one or two will like the more contemporary feel that Aynsley offers, but using Robin Trower aint the way!. I recently went to see Joe Bonamassa - similar to Aynsley.. young, aggressive and comfortable playing the old, but also taking on the new.... fantastic guitarist, the perfect vehicle for exposure.
Anyway.... not sure what others think
Hopefully going to Leicester ‘Y’ on Saturday to see the band solo… just them, whole night… really looking forward to it - wash away the disapointment of Sheffield.
Hi Dagorlad, I do agree with you about Robin and his music, which did tend to appeal to a male audience of a certain age. They did seem to love it, although it did not do a lot for me as I’d gone to see Aynsley. I’d seen Joe Bonamassa in the same veneue earlier in the year and also felt that Joe and Aynsley would have been better suited on tour together. However I suppose these decisions are mainly made by men in suits: both Robin and Aynsley are on Ruff Records, Joe B and his support guy (who did not play in Glasgow as he was ill!) are on the Provogue record label.
Incidently did you see the tour posters for Trower’s tour? They made specific mention that the Aynsley Lister band was the support - stating he was one of the greatest young rock guitarists in the UK today, so I’m thinking quite a few tickets were sold on the back of Aynsley’s appearance rather than Trowers (mine certainly was!).
Enjoy Leicester, I’m sure it will be great
The main problem it felt was that Trower’s music felt old, dated, flat, and simply lost in a forgotten time capsule. Whilst the crowd there obviously enjoyed it, I cannot see them wanting to dust down their wrangler jackets too often to go and see Aynsley solo.... wrong target, too old and set in their ways perhaps.
LOL, I suspect I may be one of the ‘wrong target’ group ... I hit 65 next week, but hopefully am not too set in my ways (I found my way here did’t I?) and don’t possess a Wrangler Jacket (nor a Levi one).
I went to see Robin Trower (for the first time) because I enjoy his earlier work. Sadly, his set was formulaic and suffered from a bad sound mix.
The evening was completely saved by the Aynsly Lister Band’s fantastic set ... Aynsley’s playing just blew Robbie off the stage and the band were tight and rocking.
It’s not about old-v-young or new-v-modern ... it’s about great music and they sure served that up in spades.
I won’t be going to any more Robin Trower gigs ... but will be on the lookout for Aynsley in future.
I saw both Aynsley and Robin at the Arches in Glasgow. I am also not in the first flush of youth, but thought that The Aynsley Lister Band were brilliant - tight, exciting, modern blues. I was disappointed, not so much with Robin Trower himself, but I felt his band were all over the place.
I just hope that Aynsley & Co are back in Scotland soon.
Hmmm, it sounds like I benefitted from knowing nothing about Mr Trower other than his name before I saw him, and from the venue which for once got the sound just right. I’m sorry you’ve had disappointing experiences in The Boardwalk, I’ve had issues there myself in the past and decided to give it a miss on this occasion because I thought it would be too loud given the size of the place. I also would love to see a co-headlining tour with Aynsley and Joe B and since a lot of Joe’s fans also like Aynsley, maybe that’s not such a pipedream. Maybe some canvassing from us would help things along?!
Yes Amy, you should see Joe. I think his July Liverpool date is sold out, but he’s back in the UK in November. Aynsley, it would be great to see you appearing at those dates too (with a longer set of course!)
I was at the Boardwalk gig, I’ve been there to see loads of gigs and various bands. I actually only went to see Aynsley, shame it was only 40 mins or so. The Robin Trower stuff, a talent yes, but to me in all honesty went in one ear and out the other and sounded like 1 soundtrack throughout the gig… I spent most of the time at the back, luckily I managed to collar Aynsley in signing my CD!.
Aynsley, come back soon fella, and this time could you play As the Crow flies, I’ve seen you 4 times now and you still haven’t played it yet!
I see the Trower saga continues - on another subject, did any of you go and see Popa Chubby recently - he ain’t as pretty as Aynsley but he sure can play.............stoop down Britbaby, lay your love down low.....
I’m a newbie here who just stumbled upon this forum looking for Aynsley Lister’s tour schedule since I want my 21 year old son to see him when he visits England later this month. My husband took me to see Robin Trower and Aynsley Lister on my 52nd birthday (yeah!) which puts me closer to Trower’s age group than Lister’s. It was my husband’s first time seeing Trower. He’s a Brit, but he’d never heard of Trower until he met me. I’ve been a Trower fan since 1973, and loved his stuff with Procol Harum before that.
Aynsley Lister ROCKED! We were so impressed, we bought his CD, “Upside Down”. (love the band logo, BTW!) Jo is GREAT - what a treat - she’s got the beat! Rich - well, before I looked up your name, I described you as the Wild Man Drummer. Maaaaaaaaaaaan! What a team. I talked about y’all for days! There are a few of the songs y’all did that strongly remind me of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s band. I was lucky enough to see them when Kenny was about 19 years old at the Cherry Blossom Festival near my home town in Macon, GA USA. Look up Macon’s Music Hall of Fame - the history there is amazing - and I was seriously lucky enough to live near Macon during the Allman Brother years.
So ALB has just chalked up two old fogies for fans, and you can bet I’ll be sending “Upside Down” across the pond for Christmas pressies this year.
As for Trower, I am so happy to have seen him during his farewell tour. I saw him twice in Atlanta, GA when James (the voice!) Dewar sang with him, so I count myself as blessed to have seen my teen idol three times in my life, and yeah, I wore the Trower Tour ‘89 T-shirt to show my support. I’ll admit that it appears Trower has an arrogance about him, but hey… he’s got the talent and has put in some amazing mileage. Dated? Yeah, me and him both, but he played just what I wanted to hear, so he knows what his crowd wants. One thing I have to say about Trower besides the fact that his guitar playing has a mystic quality that I’ve always loved, is that his album art on his first several albums by Funky Paul Olsen used to blow my mind since I love to draw and paint. It’s the 3-D möbius on Bridge of Sighs that fueled my imagination for years. I couldn’t separate Robin’s guitar playing from Funky Paul’s art from Dewar’s voice. It was all freakin’ magic.
I won’t downplay or compare the two bands. I’d have never discovered Lister if not for Trower. I loved hearing them both equally. The only thing is that Trower’s moon is waning and Lister’s is waxing. Make room for the next generation. It’s the natural order of things.
Rock on, Aynsley! We were SO impressed. We’re wearing a real vinyl groove into your CD over here in Colchester. We can’t wait to see your band again. I’m disappointed that the ticket stub only says Robin Trower + Support. Make’s y’all sound like a bra or something! I’m protesting that your name wasn’t on the ticket since I always keep my concert stubs - but then again, that made y’all that much more of a very pleasant surprise since I would have certainly looked you up on the net prior to the concert.
yeah Nancy - nice to see a pro Trower post - he’s a legend - you should go along to the Aynsley gig at the Half Moon in Putney on 22nd June and enjoy a full set - you won’t be disappointed!!!
