Venue:

South Street Arts Centre, Reading

Date: 04/07/2015

This was an eclectic and life affirming evening, taking us from the Appalachian Mountains in the USA, via 17th century East Anglian witch trials and ending out in the land of the rising sun. Owing to my tardiness and a detour via the local Ethiopian Restaurant, we missed the first three artists of this mini-festival entitled “Quiet At The Back”; however, the heat and stickiness of the venue meant I wasn’t too bothered by this.

Marisa Anderson, who hails from Portland in the US, played a set of haunting instrumentals on slide and lap steel guitars. Her playing style draws from the best of American blues, country and bluegrass, together with splashes of West African influences. In her youth Anderson led a nomadic life style wandering across the States supporting a variety of political causes. This was reflected in her choice of songs. The 19th century anti-war song “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye” (aka “The Animals Went In Two By Two”) segued into “Bella Ciao”. We were also treated to the “House Carpenter’s Daughter”, (sometimes known as the “The Demon Lover”), a salutary ballad from the 1680s for those of » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Wembley Stadium

Date: 04/07/2015

I joined the AC/DC faithful at Wembley last night for a healthy dose of genuine heavy rock’n ‘roll and pyrotechnics, the likes of which is as rare as rocking horse sh**t these days. This band do not waste time flaunting their egos or advocating half baked views about our civilisation’s tribulations in order to sound relevant. No sir, Angus and the boys just get on with giving their paying customers a product that’s now a byword for predictability and consistency in an uncertain world. Opening with new anthem “Rock or Bust”, they screeched, riffed and thumped their way through the best tracks from “Back in Black” (“Hells Bells”, “Shoot to Thrill”, “Have a Drink on Me”), classic Bon Scott anthems (“High Voltage”, “Whole Lotta Rosie”, “Sin City” and “Highway to Hell”) and the odd favourite from less acclaimed albums, notably perennial crowd pleaser “Thunderstruck”. Brian Johnson always sounds better live than on record, though probably because when that blackboard chalk voice is pumped through AC/DC’s ear splitting PA system it doesn’t much matter whether he’s in B Flat or C sharp, tenor or mezzo soprano. Unsurprisingly, Angus Young and the band didn’t put a » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Lantern, Bristol

Date: 04/07/2015

Japan’s Soil & “Pimp” Sessions are self proclaimed purveyors of “death jazz”. While that may conjure up visions of John Zorn skronking nightmares, there’s nothing here to frighten the horses. The musical lineup of drums, double bass, piano, sax and trumpet is not unusual, but S&P have a secret weapon in their frontman Shacho. He’s not a singer (apart from some spoken word on one number) – his description in the line up is “Agitator”, but really he’s an old-fashioned hypeman, like Flava Flav getting onstage on a cooking night at Birdland. He drives the band and the crowd all night and it’s impossible not to be bowled over by him. The music is high octane jazz played with energy, verve and tons of enthusiasm, as well as no little virtuosity. The brass section barely stop moving over the stage all night, and the whole thing is relentless, exhilarating and uplifting.

The audience:

About 200 people in a 400 capacity room, but there was no hanging around the edges – everybody was down the front, and making enough noise for 2000 people. It’s always magic when you’re part of crowd that is getting » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Mass MOCA. North Adams, MA

Date: 26/06/2015

Same weekend as Glastonbury. The 4th Solid Sound Festival in beautiful North Adams in the berkshires of Massachusetts. It is a Wilco curated thing (every second year) containing plenty of live music, comedy, “events”, wonderful specially brewed beer etc. Venue is Mass MOCA, an art gallery set in a number of former warehouses (a bit like Saltaire), with stages inside, in courtyards and in “Joe’s Field” for the big capacity stuff.

As a longstanding Wilco fan it seemed to be unmissable, the best live band on the planet over 3 days in a beautiful setting for $120? A no brainer.

We drove down from Ottawa on the Friday, a long and eventful drive. First my friend forgot his passport, but was still amazingly let into the USA by showing his driving licence and giving his name and place of birth, secondly we passed a large number of police with big weapons drawn (later learned an escaped convict had been shot dead in the area), and then we encountered an overturned car on the highway, we stopped to help and thankfully a woman with two very small children had made it out » Continue Reading.

Venue:

First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY

Date: 02/07/2015

It would be too obvious for me to slate this concert, after all I’m nowhere near the demographic for this kind of thing. But I like pop music, can be entertained by spectacle and it was in this spirit that I accompanied my wife to this show (plus Fraser Lewry went to see Justin Timberlake didn’t he!?) Unfortunately, there was no real spectacle to be had. My preconception going in was that NKOTB are an act with no real tunes. Even by boy-band standards their contemporaries (Backstreet Boys, Take That) had the better songs up their sleeves. So how would they entertain me? Well, they didn’t much. The setlist was a mix of indistinguishable uptempo dance numbers, forgettable sloppy ballads and well-worn covers (‘Lean On Me’ – I mean FFS!). Aside from the two or three big hits nothing stood out particularly. The stage was in the round and minimal with just a few platforms that moved up and down a bit. This meant that for over 90 minutes it was just five blokes in dark suits stood at microphones and singing with a backing band (that sounded good) tucked away » Continue Reading.

Venue:

British Summer Time Hyde Park

Date: 26/06/2015

I had high expectations for my first ever time of seeing The Who. Reviews had seen were almost all enthusiastic and not at all critical. One thing I have learned from this is that reviewers left their critical ability at home or saw a completely different show to me. All the hits were there, great light show and amazing backdrops but really I would have been better served watching a tribute band. Pete Townsend’s guitar playing still excellent but Roger Daltrey’s voice? Awful. Townsend has said this will be their last tour – reality is this might not be out of choice as not sure Daltrey can go on in this vein. It was frankly embarrassing. Most noticeable on the earlier hits like I can see for miles and Pictures of Lily where he was nowhere near the high notes. My favourite all time Who song Baba O’Reilly was okay and Daltrey at least played the harp solo well but the rest was pretty dire. Also Zak Starkey on drums? Just no. The rest of the day was okay – Sleaford Mods were very good indeed but highlight for me was » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Lowdham Village Hall, Nottinghamshire

Date: 19/06/2015

A true event this one. How had little Lowdham Village Hall with a capacity of just 200 people attracted a re-booted Fotheringay to play one of its first comeback gigs of a very short tour? The place was packed, including two very lucky people who got the call from Mike the promoter mid afternoon to replace my usual gig going friends who had to attend a relatives birthday party. There had been some debate on facebook about how this gig shouldn’t really be happening what with Sandy Denny and Trevor Lucas no longer being with us. However the rest of the band is still in place, Jerry Donohue on guitar, Pat Donaldson on Bass and Gerry Conway on drums (thats more than most sixties outfits still treading the boards, yes i’m looking at you The Animals). The songs naturally deserved to be played to a live audience and who else is going to play them? Its clear from the off that a lot of work has gone into getting this right and for it to not be a tribute act. The ‘guests’ are inspired choices. PJ Wright on guitar and singing the » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Welly Club, Hull

Date: 22/06/2015

For band and audience alike, this always promised to be a particularly significant stop on the current extensive nationwide tour of this extraordinary venture. The band in question, of course, features original Spider From Mars ‘Woody’ Woodmansey on drums, ‘the Brooklyn boy’ friend-of-David and absolute musical icon Tony Visconti on bass, and Heaven 17 stalwart Glenn Gregory with the best fan-boy job in the world, singing his way through the fantastic setlist to the manner born. The location, of course, signified a spiritual homecoming for Woody, back in the birthplace of fellow, much-missed Spiders Mick Ronson and Trevor Bolder. The emotional charge of listening to the music co-created by these absent friends was augmented further by the presence of Ronson’s daughter and niece (along with Visconti’s children) in the band, particularly when Lisa Ronson sang lead vocal on an affecting ‘Lady Stardust’. The purpose of the tour, following last year’s initial handful of dates, is to perform ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ in its entirety, something which Bowie and the band were never able to do at the time. From the first feedback-drenched rumblings of ‘The Width Of A Circle’, it » Continue Reading.

Venue:

93 Feet East, Brick Lane, London

Date: 18/06/2015

Formed in 1997, on hiatus for the better part of a decade, Mandala have finally produced a debut album – Midnight Twilight, very warmly recommended and good enough to get me to travel 150 miles for this gig – and played a showcase in London to celebrate.

While the album itself is impressive enough, live you get a different angle on the band, which is how it should be with any proper rock act. This is power trio stuff with a nicely psychedelic edge, featuring excellent musicians who used their chops in the service of songs rather than noodling.

Much of the energy comes from Will Spurling, a whirling dervish of a drummer, propelling the band along with a performance that is a show in itself. Holding things down alongside him is Francis Booth, a bass player with a melodic edge straight from the McCartney school. Out front is singer and guitarist Rhys Marsh, the man behind the increasingly impressive Autumnsongs Records label and a likely usurper of Steven Wilson’s crown as the busiest, and most trustworthy man in contemporary music.

Robbed of the textures they had on » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Glasgow Hydro

Date: 16/06/2015

A dear ticket but I couldn’t miss the chance – possibly the last one – to see the ‘classic’ Fleetwood Mac line-up (white-boy blues pedants form an orderly queue). And I’m glad I went. Two and a half hours or so of concentrated marvellousity. A parade of one timeless gem after another. Really, how many bands can do that?

There is a sense, of course, in which Fleetwood Mac are their own tribute band. However the evening was all the better due to the absence of “and here’s another new one”. We had paid to see them do the hits – and they did. All of them.

The band were in much better form – excellent form – than I might have expected Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie were in lovely voice (Ms McVie looking downright foxy). Lindsey Buckingham is a heck of a guitarist and Mick Fleetwood looked like he was having a ball. John Mc Vie probably was too – as much as he ever has any way. They looked like they were actually glad to be on stage with each other, which was lovely.

The audience:

Less middle-aged than you might » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Carriageworks, Sydney

Date: 06/06/2015

Wasn’t sure what to expect of Bill Drummond. I really only know of him as the man behind Zoo Records and some of the Bunnymen’s more interesting ventures (having been a Liverpool resident at the rime). Was vaguely aware of his KLF and burning-a-million-quid activities – and his more recent efforts at baking cakes and giving out soup. So I was a bit wary when I walked into the small theatre to take the last available seat on the front row, and see a half-made bed on the stage. And I don’t mean unmade sheets – an actual wooden frame bed, surrounded by bits of timber cut offs. Was Bill going to burn it or get the audience to help him finish it off? Fortunately, the evening proved to be an interest journey through his theories on art, without any serious audience humiliation – although there were plenty of willing volunteers to have their shoes shined, pull raffle tickets out of hats etc. It was all quite low key. Bill Drummond strode on stage looking like he’d just stepped out of the garage after doing a bit of DIY – which is what he’d » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Umberslade Farm, Tanworth in Arden

Date: 05/06/2015

What a delight! 15 years on from when I were a local, here I was driving round the lanes that were the backdrop to an earlier life, taking my kids to the Children’s Farm based here, which is what it is the rest of the year. Arriving 3.30 on the friday, it took little time to build my tent and acclimatise. I had read it described as bijou, and it is: 1 main stage, at the bottom of the field, with a smaller stage in the delightful solar powered Bimble Inn, a marquee at the top. The usual falafel and vegan curry concessions, a massive bar run by local brewers Purity, and a craft events area, you know, make your own charcoal and rustle up a fuzzy felt pagan, that sort of stuff. Very much a “wyrd folk” vibe to it, with one wondering where all these people are the rest of the year. Very friendly, all ages from babes in arms to grey locked oldies. Friday’s music for me was kicked off by the Allah-Las, who seemed a little bemused by the scene in front of them, as if they » Continue Reading.

Venue:

TheLouisiana, Bristol

Date: 06/06/2015

I quite liked the Beth Jeans Houghton & the Hooves of Destiny album of a few years ago “Yours Truly, Cellophane Noise” which was as quirky as its name suggests. It seems BJH was less keen and she now appears before of us reinvented as Du Blonde (pun on double? double entendre?). The album “Welcome Back to Milk” has some slightly perturbing packaging(see my signed copy) so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Shouldn’t have worried. The show was great. The Louisiana is a small, friendly venue (upstairs in a good looking pub) – don’t think it fits more than a 120 so quite intimate. Support Lionface put on a good show and look worth watching out for. DB was really good – less confrontational than the build up suggested. Perhaps it was the presence of family in the audience – or maybe the press have overdone the angry bit. DB may actually be a bit more musically conventional than BJ&HoD – a bit rockier (more drums and guitar) maybe angrier lyrics- still strong melodies and a good voice. Short set – less than an hour including encore (Auntie Lesley joined her on » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Harpenden Public Halls

Date: 04/06/2015

This was an unusual gig simply because it was in Harpenden – not exactly a mecca for seeing good music. I had no great expectations but eft with a big smile on my face – probably one of the most enjoyable gigs Ive been to in long while. If you get the chance to see her on the current tour I urge you to take it. Protest songs , love songs, funny songs, sing-a-long songs and 17th century madrigals it’s all here. Also a big shout out for her new album ‘Everything Changes’. Backed by her sons Neil and Callum Maccoll – the standard of musicianship on stage was just fabulous – Peggy is a monster banjo player and the three of them together produce that wonderful intuitive sound that family members seem to be able create when singing and playing together. Of course she did some Pete Seeger songs and a version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (written about her by Ewan Maccoll). The Maccoll brothers did an old Liberty Horses song (remember that band – an offshoot of the Bible ?) and Neil did a lovely finger » Continue Reading.