Lenny Kravitz Manchester Apollo 19th June Raise The Vibration Tour

Lenny Kravitz

 Manchester Apollo 19th June

 Raise The Vibration Tour

 

 

 

This gig actually came by surprise I was all set to nab a ticket for the 'Foo Fighters' at Etihad up the road, but when I heard 'Lenny' was playing the Apollo Theatre, My head was turned.

 

 

 

I first heard of 'Lenny Kravitz' when he co-written 'Justify My Love' with 'Ingrid Cassares' for 'Madonna' he also sings ad libs on the track,then he released his own album in '1992' with hit single 'It Aint Over Til Its Over' and followed it up with another album 'Circus' with his biggest hit to date 'Are You Gonna Go My Way' those vocals ever recognisible, he played guitar with 'Madonna' again in 1998 at the MTV Awards so to me he has always been an 'Untouchable Rock Icon'.

 

 

 

The doors open and everyone rushes in I grab a good spot and support act 'Curtis Harding' arrives in a Black studded leather jacket with his band, he is actually quite a funky soulful singer and the crowd take to him almost instantly ,he's got a great voice... I'm actually sure I've seen him on Jools Holland.

 

 

 

It's almost time for 'Lenny' to get on stage, and as the stage is cleared and the equipment is set , the stage set revealed the excitement in the room is peaking especially amongst the females in the audience well 'Lenny' is also a sex symbol of the 90's.

 

 

 

The lights go down and there is a high platform built between the drums and keyboards/percussion section of the stage, Purple lighting welcome's 'Lenny' atop the platform, he kicks things off with 'Fly Away' such a great track as he comes down to land onto the stage the audience screams, he's wearing a leather jacket, 70's bootcut style trousers and boots, he's working those mid length dreads again and sunglasses, and wows the crowd as he gives it 100% over on Bass Guitar a woman in a colourful Summer style smock dress, and over on guitar a man he refers to as as 'His Brother' .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then its straight into the new material temporarily which fits in perfectly with those classics, and a long version of 'American Woman' (pinch me am I really here ??) the guitar solo is pure Epic 'Lenny', this changes to a Jamaican segue of "Get Up Stand Up" by 'Bob Marley' the lights turn Red Gold and Green, Be under no illusion current politics in 'America' is high on 'Lenny's' mind, new single 'Its Enough' highlights that, but the single is the theme of 2018 preaching 'Love Not Hate' another, surely another classic in the making.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's too much for one fan as a pair of ladies knickers going flying across the stage,the setlist is very fair in terms of pleasing the crowd 'It Aint Over Til It's Over', 'Can't Get You Out Of My Mind', 'Believe' and 'I Belong To You' whip the crowd up into a frenzy as 'Lenny' says 'I Love you' and blows kisses, he threw a plectrum right at me which I rescued and hid in my top before anyone could snatch it from my grasp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The crowd were very polite there was no shoving or squashing even when he got closer to us on the stage, it's an intimate venue compared to the arenas he's playing both here and in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He wipes his face on a towel and throws it into the front row to my left and a woman screeches with joy and clutches it like its his underwear or something ,he then slows the mood with 'Again' from the '5' album,I love it, as it is such an emotional choice I didn't think he'd play it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He goes off stage as his name is chanted 'Lenny,Lenny,Lenny' and returns to sing 'I'll Be Waiting' and 'What The Fxxk Are We Saying', then Big singalong song 'Let Love Rule' it's a very long rock version with  repeated Chorus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then it happens.... 'Lenny' is down by the barrier singing and greeting us all calmly but in Rock Star fashion, I clutch his hand as he passes by, I'm awestruck !! not only does he go to the front he ascends to the back to reappear on top of the balcony....Hell I just met the New King of Rock we've not got Bowie, Prince,George Michael,Michael Jackson but "Man ...we have 'Lenny Kravitz !!!'.

 

 

 

 

 

 He speaks "I don't know why its taken so long or what I've been doing ,but we gonna make this a regular thing" (Yes Please), Off he goes again and then one last song to play, he walks on with a Jackson Flying V guitar.. you know what it is right ??... "Are You Gonna Go My Way", he make's us all jump up and down throughout the whole song, it's fantastic, one of the Best Male Solo performers I've ever seen since 'Prince' in 2014,I knew he'd put on a great show, but he blew it out of the water in Manchester tonight.

 

 

 

 

 Well I certainly can't wait for the new album to come out he's still a great songwriter and a phenominal performer.

 

 

 Onto other issues sadly my train was long gone , but I had a great time when I offered some 'Foo's fans a lift in my cab they were all 'Musers' too basically anyone getting back from Etihad will have missed the train too bloody early due to more strike action , well I think I made the right decision in seeing 'Lenny' over the 'Foo's it was difficult to decide I had to put it to the vote ......Thanks Those who suggested 'Lenny'.

 

 

 

  Catch him next time in 'London'

 Sept 9th in BBC2 Festival Hyde Park you won't regret it.

 

 

 

 

LMi xo

 

 

Next Time ....We Get Crazy, Heavy yes its a Rock Festival...