What does it sound like?: HOW SWEET TO BE AN IDIOT was Neil’s debut solo album, first issued on United Artists in 1973, its title and cover design reflecting Neil’s eccentric … [Read More...]
The Afterword
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Nights In
Marillion – Script For A Jester’s Tear – Deluxe Edition
What does it sound like?: Marillion return to their debut album for the next in their series of deluxe reissues, which follows the now established ‘Tull format’ with a book sized … [Read More...]
Shabaka Hutchings And The Ancestors – We Are Sent Here By History
What does it sound like?: Conceived as a dire warning for mankind in the face of a climate change catastrophe, We Are Sent Here By History resonates even more powerfully as … [Read More...]
The Unthanks, Diversions Vol 5: Live and Unaccompanied
What does it sound like?: I do love The Unthanks. I saw them on many occasions with the ten piece band, various times with smaller outfits, once with a full orchestra for backing … [Read More...]
Nights Out
Womad NZ -was this the last music festival of the year?
Venue: New Plymouth Botanical Gardens, North Island, New Zealand Date: 13/03/2020 New Zealand is the first country of size to herald in the new year.This year it may have been … [Read More...]
Pat Metheny , Auckland Town Hall
Venue: Auckland Town Hall, New Zealand Date: 10/03/2020 I've never been a fan of Pat Metheny. In fact, I have never been a fan of jazz guitar though there are notable exceptions. … [Read More...]
Stewart Lee on tour 2020
Venue: Oxford Playhouse Date: 24/02/2020 This was the first time I have seen Stewart Lee live despite being a long time fan of his previous work on TV and on stage. The show … [Read More...]
Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green and Early Fleetwood Mac
Venue: The London Palladium Date: 25/02/2020 I have not been so excited going to a gig for years. Peter Green was my first musical hero but I never saw him in his pomp (I was 12 … [Read More...]
Features
Positive vibes in a pub
Colin H on The Warehouse Remembered #2 charity gig at the Pavilion, Belfast
In these days of misery, doom and toilet-roll shortages, I thought I’d share some a positive tale. It happened last Friday…
America has its ‘Woodstock generation’, Belfast has its ‘Warehouse generation’. I found myself spontaneously arriving at that phrase during compering duties on Friday night, and it feels good. The Warehouse was a one of those magical venues that only lasts for a moment. In this case, 18 months spanning 1994–96. It felt a bit longer at the time, because I went there two or three times a week, to see touring troubadours and local (mostly original-music) bands of every kind – blues, rock, jazz, grunge, folk, Irish trad, soul, reggae… In hindsight, it was a golden age for local music: the possibilities offered by self-funded CDs had just arrived, which gave an impetus to everyone to work towards something. Local radio was still ‘local’, not playlisted by an algorithm in Milton Keynes – a local act could still get their music on air, and could still cause a sensation among listeners. Talent could ‘out’, as it were.
Chris Roddy and Ernie Magennis were the publicans at » Continue Reading.
Films
A beautiful day in the neighbourhood
Year: 2019 Director: Mariel Weller I was thinking about seeing the film 1917 then I read a tweet where the poster said they felt like they had had the shit kicked out of them by … [Read More...]
Uncut Gems
Year: 2019 Director: The Safdie Brothers This is latest film from the Safdie Brothers about whom I have to say I knew nothing before this. It’s in the cinemas but also … [Read More...]
1917
Year: 2019 Director: Sam Mendes “From the director of Skyfall” yells the poster and the trailer, which is true but not the point. The story is simple enough, though I won’t go … [Read More...]
Parasite
Year: 2019 Director: Bong Joon-Ho Well now. Is it a black comedy? Is it a thriller? Is it a modern parable? All of these, and none of these. If there is one criticism - and it's … [Read More...]
Reads
Jon Anderson & The Warriors:The Road To Yes
Author:David Watkinson I recall reading a book by ex England and Lancashire cricketer David Lloyd a few years ago, where he recalls growing up in Accrington and hanging around … [Read More...]
On Track….Hawkwind/Fairport Convention
Author:Duncan Harris/Kevan Furbank The next two artists covered in this ongoing series make strange bedfellows indeed, coming from opposite ends of the musical spectrum, although … [Read More...]
Broken Greek
Author:Pete Paphides I’m sure many on here are familiar with the work of music journalist and radio broadcaster Pete Paphides. This delightful book tells the story of his … [Read More...]
Bobby March Will Live Forever
Author:Alan Parks This is the third novel in this crime thriller series set in 1970s Glasgow, and featuring Detective Harry McCoy and his childhood friend and now sometime nemesis … [Read More...]
Games
Game help!
Platform:XBox, PC/Mac Age Rating:3+ Year of Release:2019 Review:I'm in need of a new game or two. This year I have played - 1 PUBG - I like it generally but I feel that I'm up … [Read More...]
Nier 2: Automata
Platform:Playstation Age Rating:16+ Year of Release:1949 Review:This batshit crazy Japanese manga-esque RPG explore-and-destroyer has been a game that’s broken through into the … [Read More...]
Noticeboard
Message from Jeffrey Foucault – Billy Conway.
https://youtu.be/c1Yo7sXdyok BILLY CONWAY If you’ve come out to a show or bought a record of mine in the last decade, there’s a good chance you've heard Billy Conway Music on the … [Read More...]
Stuart Maconie on Diamond Dogs!
While away an hour with the latest albumtoalbum episode - Stuart Maconie and I ramble at length about Diamond Dogs, taking in 1970s Wigan, glam rock, the welfare state, The … [Read More...]
Ben Watt tickets available!
I can't go to the Queen Elizabeth Hall Ben Watt gig tomorrow night. I have two really good seats - front stalls, second row in the middle - B16 & 17. £25 each, will let them … [Read More...]
Lindisfarne: 50th Anniversary Tour – hooowaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay yaboogaman!
Whyaye, canny lads, whyaye - thon Geeoooordie boys a' gan oot on thaaa reeeud... Meet Me On The Corner, Lady Eleanor, Run For Home, Fog On The Tyne: songs that continue to resonate … [Read More...]
Come All Ye presents The Folk Cabaret
12/03/2020 Come All Ye presents The Folk Cabaret. Every second Thursday of the month at The Blue Moon, Norfolk Street, Cambridge. A folk-roots night with a house band, guest … [Read More...]
My 50th birthday
29/02/2020 I'm having a gig on Saturday, in a small Cambridge club, to celebrate/commiserate turning 50 on Monday. Three bands: Pink Lemonade (all-girl pop-punk trio), The Pony … [Read More...]
