Going to see Aynsley Lister tomorrow

BRISTOL86

Anyone seen him? 

Part of my new year’s resolution to get out and see more music. As a relative latecomer to all things music I’ve actually not been to very many concerts in my life.

Really looking forward to this one. Tiny little venue (Winchester Discovey Centre), one man show. Should be good!

I’m not familiar with tons of his material but I think he does occasional covers too in his solo incarnation. 

DrCornelius

Saw him a couple of years back with a trio if I remember rightly, although i remember him doing a solo section too.  Absolutely incredible and I can't believe he's not more well known. You'll have a great time I reckon 

BRISTOL86

DrCornelius said:

Saw him a couple of years back with a trio if I remember rightly, although i remember him doing a solo section too.  Absolutely incredible and I can't believe he's not more well known. You'll have a great time I reckon 

Yeah it seems some shows he does with a band and some solo. Initially I thought it was a shame that it wasn’t in a band setting but the fact that it’s solo in such a small place should mean I can keep a close eye on what he’s actually doing! 

Then maybe one day I can be 1% as proficient!!

DrCornelius

I think I preferred the solo section, like you it was a small hall with a lovely echo and you could hear a pin drop in between his playing , I think he may have been using some sort of semi into a tweed amp but there was a bar there so things are a bit hazy 

Guitar_Slinger

His cover of Purple Rain is probably my favourite cover ever. I've been on a few of his guitar weekends and managed to play Balls Of Steel with his band while he sung it. He's got a great groove playing solo.

BRISTOL86

Guitar_Slinger said:

His cover of Purple Rain is probably my favourite cover ever. I've been on a few of his guitar weekends and managed to play Balls Of Steel with his band while he sung it. He's got a great groove playing solo.

Sounds great! 

mudslide73

He's great. I can't believe he's not more well known either.

ArchtopDave

Guitar_Slinger said:

His cover of Purple Rain is probably my favourite cover ever. I've been on a few of his guitar weekends and managed to play Balls Of Steel with his band while he sung it. He's got a great groove playing solo.

I love his version of Purple Rain too. Seen him number of times, when he's got a band with him, and always enjoyed the gigs. Never seen him solo. I do like his demo's on the Rift Amp website - no affiliation, apart from hoping my third Rift Amp arrives this coming week.

goldtop

Not seen him for years - about 10 or more. He must have played all of these tiny blues clubs a squillion times by now. I wonder how it's possible to earn a living and stay sane doing it?

Liked his version of Little Wing. It was on a Guitarist cover CD and got my attention. Great player.

proggy

I don't know him. I'll have to check him out.

boogieman

Seen him a few times and had a chat with him once, he’s a really nice guy and happy to talk nerdy about gear. He’s a very good player and songwriter, his voice is his weak point really. 

BRISTOL86

goldtop said:

Not seen him for years - about 10 or more. He must have played all of these tiny blues clubs a squillion times by now. I wonder how it's possible to earn a living and stay sane doing it?

Liked his version of Little Wing. It was on a Guitarist cover CD and got my attention. Great player.

I was looking earlier and he’s sold 120 tickets for this show tomorrow. At £15 a pop that’s £1,800 before you’ve even rented the venue. He can’t be making much from shows like this. Then again when you’re doing something you love I guess it doesn’t really feel like work. 

BRISTOL86

boogieman said:

Seen him a few times and had a chat with him once, he’s a really nice guy and happy to talk nerdy about gear. He’s a very good player and songwriter, his voice is his weak point really. 

Agree, from his stuff that I’m familiar with I would say his voice is lagging behind his guitar chops. But I’m excited for the show, I haven’t seen anywhere near enough live music for a guy of my age, looking forward to starting to rectify that! 

ThorpyFX

Met him a few weeks ago @RiftAmps place. I have to say one of the best guitarists I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Super nice guy, incredible musician and just all round talent, you are going to love the show I reckon. 

Moominpapa

I've seen him solo several times, each one in a very small venue with him only about four feet from me. Total pro, always plays his heart out, very good rapport with the crowd. Knows his guitar like the back of his hand, too - plays it like it's a part of him. I think you're going to have a good time.

BRISTOL86

Sounds very promising! And a little day trip to Winchester too, what’s not to likw

BRISTOL86

Well, that was absolutely superb.

A simply incredible demonstration of absolute mastery of the instrument. I see what you mean @Moominpapa when you say how his guitar just seems to be part of him! Managed to bag a seat in the front row too!

Had a chat with him at the interval and he couldn't have been nicer. I commented on his cover of Slow Dancing in a Burning Room which I enjoyed as a massive Mayer fan. Turns out Robbie McIntosh played bass on one of his albums as he happened to live nearby where it was recorded and they needed someone in a fix!

He was even happy for me to nab his little handwritten setlist as a little souvenir (I explained that I was trying to start a little collection of memorabilia from shows I've been to for my guitar practice room!) - total gent.

He was playing two semis, mainly a thinline Gibson as seen in the first photo and occasionally something that looked much much older (I know nothing about these guitars!) as seen in the second. Amp wise he was using a Rift amp and a Fender 65(?) Princeton Reverb







Hope it's ok to post YouTube videos here....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4bD4ncHo4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP7VEtyzycs

EDIT - found info on the guitars from his site:

telestratjazz

I watched Aynsley twice recently,once with Tommy Castro on 3-4 songs,and month or so later it was his concert at same place 100Club London.Loved his playing and singing as well(not bad at all) and his band, they are very good.Not big fan of his cover Purple Rain,but he finished with that.I think his songwriting is good and love his songs.He played mostly Fender Stratocaster and on few songs that 335.

Moominpapa

We told you so! :-)  
Very happy to hear you had a great time. There's something daunting and humbling about Aynsley Lister's work ethic. He's been playing these small venue one-man sets all over the country (and across the Channel) for well over a decade now, never mind shows with his band. You could either find it depressing that someone is that talented and works that hard and never gets a top ten hit or moves into 'the big time' (what ever that is these days), or  you could be happy that there is at least enough of a live music scene left to allow someone like him to keep doing what he clearly loves doing. With a son of my own hoping to make it as a professional musician I obviously try to take the latter, more positive view - but it shows you the level of commitment that it takes, and that makes it all the more impressive to me that every time people see Aynsley they comment on what a friendly, down-to-earth, cheerful guy he is.  

BRISTOL86

Moominpapa said:

We told you so! :-)  
Very happy to hear you had a great time. There's something daunting and humbling about Aynsley Lister's work ethic. He's been playing these small venue one-man sets all over the country (and across the Channel) for well over a decade now, never mind shows with his band. You could either find it depressing that someone is that talented and works that hard and never gets a top ten hit or moves into 'the big time' (what ever that is these days), or  you could be happy that there is at least enough of a live music scene left to allow someone like him to keep doing what he clearly loves doing. With a son of my own hoping to make it as a professional musician I obviously try to take the latter, more positive view - but it shows you the level of commitment that it takes, and that makes it all the more impressive to me that every time people see Aynsley they comment on what a friendly, down-to-earth, cheerful guy he is.  

He seems like the happiest guy in the world doing what he does. Maybe he’d like to be bigger but I got the impression that he genuinely loves doing what he’s doing. Obviously a very hard working chap. 

boogieman

Glad you enjoyed the gig.

There are no end of talented guitarists and singers who will frankly never get any farther than they are now, just regularly playing small pub and club gigs. Ainsley, Papa George, Chantelle McGregor etc etc. George has an incredible voice, is a really good player, does a regular (free!) pub gig with Micky Moody but has never really got the credit he deserved. Still does it just because he loves it though.