Last week, our glocal music columnist Kapuczino was very sweet and made sure I got tickets to see the US band Alabama Shakes, which he wrote about here, perform in Leipzig during their European tour. I just found out they’ll be performing with Paolo Nutini, one of my favorite musicians, in Italy and Switzerland this week, and I think it will be a musically fascinating combination and really wish I could go. It’s likely to be a big success, judging by the show in Leipzig: The audience at Conne Island last Tuesday, June 30, went wild over the Shakes, with the frontwoman’s impressive pipes (really, how can they take so much – in tune – shouting?) and charisma making sure all eyes and ears and applause were on them. Earlier in the evening, a Hamburg band named Rhonda performed as the opening act; I must say I liked them quite a lot and want to follow them now, and would’ve wished they performed a bit longer if the concert hadn’t taken so long to start. At times they reminded me of the styles of both Johnny Cash and Amy Winehouse, also two of my all-time favorites. Despite the thick crowd, I managed to get close to the stage and shoot a video of two full songs by the Alabama Shakes (“Always Alright” and “Heartbreaker”) and part of “Here We Go Again” by Rhonda. Check it out:
