Venue:

St. Peter and St. James Church, Norton St. Philip, near Bath.

Date: 29/04/2023

A double-whammy episcopal weekend for me this Bank Holiday; Friday night in the mighty nave of Bristol Cathedral, and then last night in the delighful, reassuring and quintessentially C of E confines of the Grade 2* listed 14th century parish church of Norton St. Philip in Zummerzet.

We’d driven a fair way to reach the village. It’s famous amongst my peers for the real-ale-tastic delights of The George pub, originally a 14th century wool store for the local priory, happily repurposed as a less industrial and mightily more appetising coaching inn in the 17th century, when folk like Samuel Pepys dropped by for a swift half from time to time while traipsing between Bath and Salisbury. The whole village, situated where it is on a major route to and from the Georgian city, and surrounded by wealth and agricultural fecundity, is stacked with historical architecture from Roman times onwards.

Enough of the Griff Rhys Jones waffle; the real reason we’d made the trip was to see and hear Sarah McQuaid play at the start of another of her brilliant small-venue tours. I’ve sung her praises » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Bristol Cathedral

Date: 28/04/2023

Lady Maisery in dub?

Not really, but Lady Maisery deep in a glorious well of bottomless, mile-wide reverb?

Splendid!

Last night we drove into Bristol for the opening gig of the Bristol Folk Festival, which is happening across the weekend of the 29th and 30th of April. We are not necessarily what you’d call folkies, though all of the local folk venues occasionally tempt us with their invariably uncomfortable chairs. Last night we ventured out after the working week simply because the band was Lady Maisery; we’ve seen them three times now, and once in their guise as ‘Awake! Arise!’ with Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith, and the three women who make up this wonderful assembly are all spectacularly talented musicians who always manage to conjure magic for us.

After opening the Folk Festival yesterday they are embarking upon a tour – you can see the rest of the dates here: https://ladymaisery.com/tour-dates.

For the uninitiated, the band consists of Hazel Askew, Hannah James and Rowan Rheingans, three of the most accomplished and adventurous artists in modern folk. They are very much on the progressive edge of modern folk. There’s no » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Ramblin’ Roots Revue, New Bucks University

Date: 16/04/2023

The return of Bennett Wilson Poole to the live stage, as the headline act on the last night of this year’s brilliant Ramblin’ Roots Revue, was eagerly awaited by Americana fans. Their new record is already many people’s Album of the Year and the chance to see them close High Wycombe’s greatest contribution to the culture of this country with an evening of harmonies, jangly guitars and sunny pop songs was too good to miss. So, when it was announced on Saturday that Starry Eyed & Laughing would not be able to appear, due to Tony Poole testing positive for Covid, BWP fans feared the worst. To be honest, I was as disappointed about SE&L’s non-appearance as I was about any chance that BWP might pull out. Tony Poole is the reason I love this music-genre, after a Damascene moment in the hot sunshine of a 1974 Saturday, watching Starry Eyed & Laughing light up my life at Surrey University.

I managed to catch a few moments with Danny George Wilson before the gig, when he thanked me, (us,) for the reviews on our little corner of the music-internet and » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Melbourne- the Palais and the Forum

Date: 06/04/2023

Every Easter the East Coast Blues festival is held outside Byron Bay. This means heaps of roots artists tour the country at the same time. Sideshows are on offer for most of the acts.This year I saw Jason Isbell supported by Allison Russell on Thursday and the other 2 acts on Monday.

I wouldn’t have seen Isbell but for the support. Allison Russell has been reviewed on here previously. Very tough childhood before a vocal career including Birds Of Tokyo. Her only solo album “Outside Child” released in 2021 is excellent. For this show she had an all-female band of guitar, keyboards, percussion and Allison on vocals and errr….clarinet and banjo. Wonderful sonorous voice – reminded me of an animated Joan Armatrading. She could be a star but with this band I don’t think so. Apart from thnking they just weren’t very good there is the composition. Why not a bass? Why not a drum kit, given all the percussive efforts seemed to mimic drums anyway? A full band maybe, a brass section -it would be really something. But then again it would be pretty conventional and I don’t think » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Institute Birmingham

Date: 21/03/2023

DCFC have kind of crept up on me over the last twenty years – as a band who are massive in the States but with a much lower profile in the UK can. After liking a few tracks, then acknowledging the fact that Transatlanticism is a great album, struggling with the ‘are they just the American Coldplay?’ thesis, here I am at the Institute on a Tuesday night. Their songs likewise, are unlikely to blow you away on first listen, but over time they creep into your subconscious.

Stage right is stocky bearded bassist Nick Harmer, stage left recent arrival guitarist Dave Depper and Jason McGerr on second beard and drums. Touring keyboardist Zac Rae is set well back. Because this is really the Ben Gibbard show. He writes the songs (mostly), he sings the songs and he plays the frontman in a passionate and engaging manner.

They have a new album to tour and there’s a healthy slug of songs from Asphalt Meadows – Rand McNally, Roman Candles, here to Forever (probably the best track and simply stunning live) and I Miss Strangers – scattered over the first half of the set. » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Grace, Islington

Date: 25/03/2023

The return of Texan singer, Jarrod Dickenson, with an album of new songs, has taken far too long. The pandemic, a seismic falling-out with his record company, and the subsequent, lengthy court-case, means that it is six years since Ready The Horses. Finally, however, there is a new album, Big Talk, to get stuck into – and it is bloody terrific.

This tour was going to be a ‘full band’ outing but, due to a series of health issues, they are without a drummer. No matter, they have the wonderful David Ford in the band, (who had volunteered to play bass and sing bv’s,) so he is sat at the back of the stage, a bass guitar on his lap, his foot operating a kick-drum, and a microphone strategically placed so that he can add those sweet vocals. The man is a marvel!

J.P Ruggieri fills the support-slot, (doubling-up as the band’s guitar-player,) and fills the small room with his brilliant songs, ably helped by Ford on keyboards, (I know, right?) Jarrod’s band is completed by his wife, the lovely Claire Dickenson, Norn Ireland’s finest, on vocals and anything you can shake. » Continue Reading.

Venue:

St. Georges, Bristol

Date: 16/03/2023

Never mind the arithmetic.

Twice three gets you three times the fun.

Two complete sets from two very different trios in our favourite Bristol venue, with its extraordinarily clean acoustic, perfect for the instruments they play. Two trios composed of absolutely top flight musicians, both trios at the top of their respective games, one well enough established to already have several CDs out there under their own name, the other a brand new trio whose debut CD would be my first target at the merch table at half-time.

Both trios are composed of musicians whose careers to date have spanned umpteen previous bands, multiple solo releases and all sorts of interesting collaborations. A veritable sextet of serious serial sessioneers, collaborating in threes to beguile us.

I’d bought the tickets when the gig was first announced, so we had our favourite seats booked, and we’d even ordered and paid for interval drinks – a luxury we rarely dare. How excellent, to have the whole evening ahead and the promise of top flight music.

First we had to get there; it’s only about 15 miles to the middle of Bristol » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Lexington, Islington

Date: 11/03/2023

I don’t listen much rock these days but the favourites of my youth still get the occasional play. Having seen Iron Maiden a couple of times at the Manchester Apollo when they were a big band and I was a huge teenage fan in the 80s I have no interest in seeing them in an enormodome now they’re an even bigger live act and my liking for them is more of a fond memory than an ongoing enthusiasm. So maybe this is they way forward for me and loud gigs? A bunch of old rockers playing some classic songs in small venues for the love of it.

So far as I can tell the Lust for Life tour which concludes tonight is the brainchild of Clem Burke, drummer for Blondie. He has recruited Sex Pistol (and current Blondie member) Glen Matlock on bass, ‘90s heartthrob Katie Puckrik on vocals and non-stop enthusiastic dancing, along with a couple of guitarists who have recorded with Iggy Pop and Heaven 17’s keyboard player. The setlist (I’ll post a photo in the comments) starts with Lust for Life played in order, and why not? It’s a superb » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Half Moon, Putney

Date: 05/03/2023

How can I have been ‘gigging’ for 52 years and not been to this famous old pub before? No, me either.

So, Lifesigns. Let’s get the easy descriptions out of the way, shall we? Prog-lite; Pop-prog; Entry-level prog – all fine but all lazy. Lifesigns write hugely melodic songs with singable choruses which deal with a wide variety of subjects. They are all superb musicians, sing great harmonies and have a great time on stage.

John Young has been around ‘the biz’ for a long time and is a musician who has had the most varied career, playing with Bonnie Tyler, Strawbs, The Law and Greenslade, amongst others, but has also dipped his toe into the world of Prog, for the past ten years, with Lifesigns. He has a lovely description of their three albums during tonight’s set – the first album, they were a prog band – the second album, they were a prog and pop band – the third album they are a prog and pop and jazz-fusion band, (the jazz-fusion addition he blames on drummer Zoltan Csorsz who has simply made songs more difficult for John to play.) The » Continue Reading.

Venue:

St. George’s, Bristol

Date: 01/03/2023

On March 1st 1973 I was a first-year sixth former, enjoying the minor privileges afforded to those of us who had endured and survived the rigours of O Level pursuit and had stayed on board for another 2 years looking for A Levels and probably, hopefully, University beyond that. Privileges that extended to being able, finally, to venture beyond the school grounds at lunch time without risking dire punishment.

My friends and I, being of a great-coated, patchouli-smelling persuasion, usually headed into town at lunchtimes, whether to pilfer books from the Polytechnic Bookshop or to drool over the LPs available from the recently opened Virgin Records store, staffed by long-hairs, that was festooned with bean bags and old leather armchairs in which we could lounge while listening to the latest LPs we couldn’t afford.

On days when we didn’t feel like schlepping all the way over the hill into town, we’d slum at the local shopping centre, maybe in W.H. Smith, who also sold some records, in Goodbodies Cafe where a milky coffee could be had and we might smoke the odd rollie if we dared, but most commonly we’d descend » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Institute Birmingham

Date: 19/02/2023

Can we say that Mogwai are now entering their Elder Statesmen of Rock period? Ten albums and nearly as many soundtracks in they have a vast catalogue to choose from on a tour that feels like a victory lap for twenty years of brilliant music. The Institute is packed on a Sunday night with people singing along with every word…no not really, but it’s testament to the connection they make that virtually every song receives a cheer of recognition within a couple of seconds of the unfolding riff.

In terms of stage antics there is not much going on. Guitar, keyboards, bass, drums and guitar from left to right. Occasionally the keyboard player adds a third guitar, and Stuart, the nearest they have to a frontman, adds a ‘thanks’. What they do have to look at is a beautiful light show, with eleven all-singing all-dancing lights on tall towers providing visual equivalents to the sonic cathedrals of sound being thrown around the venue.

A set of two halves for me, the first part dominated by the more melodic and synth-driven tracks from the last few albums: Jim Morrison, Dry Fantasy and Boltfor being » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Deaf Institute, Manchester

Date: 10/02/2023

Can there be a less unalloyed pleasure then finally seeing live a band who you’re listened to for many years but, partly because they’re from another country, partly because they’re not that big, you never thought they’d tour over here again. So it is with Stars, the Canadian indie poppers now well into their third decade as a band. No Birmingham date on their short current tour, so a quick train and an Ibis Styles later I’m at the Deaf Institute. It’s tiny! There are probably sixty souls when I arrive, and by the time Stars are on that number has doubled. But even so, 120 tickets at €20 a pop does not leave much to go between six band members, two roadies, sound engineer and so on. Other dates I hope are in bigger venues, otherwise I am guessing someone is losing their shirt on this. Support is an eccentric but endearing solo act from Murray Lightburn, frontman for fellow Montealers The Dears, Stars are on just after eight – just about fitting bass, guitar, drums, keyboards and two singers onto the tiny stage. But before Stars start, a brief digression. As » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Thekla, Bristol

Date: 09/02/2023

Haven’t logged in here for a while because I haven’t done much for a few years (for obvious reasons) but finally getting back on (off?) the wagon…..and what a great way to start. I think a @Rigid_Digit mention here got me onto HH, and it was love at first listen (thanks Ridge!) A new album and tour just launched and last night he was playing the Thekla – like many acts he seemed surprised it was actually a vessel. Anyway. Back on the boat for the first time since 2018 for me….and great to be back. Brilliant show – characterful, clever indie pop (you can find the songs online if you are interested), and much rockier live than I was expecting. Left feeling hot, sweaty and excited … in a good way. More please!

The audience:

Usual Thekla crowd, 6 Music types, couples.

It made me think..

This, whatever it is, is improving.

Venue:

Bush Hall, London

Date: 22/01/2023

A freezing Sunday night, in the dark side of town, and a queue outside Bush Hall wind’s it’s way around the corner. Five Swedish guys, all nine foot tall, are behind me – they have made the trip specifically for this gig. It Bites were that kind of band.

A stellar bunch of musicians shuffle onto the stage, (Peter Jones, the blind keyboard player from Camel and who is also Tiger Moth Tales, is helped to his seat by the bass player, Paul Brown, to a huge roar. Pete is a Prog legend,) including guitar prodigy Luke Machin, from Maschine & Tangent and drummer Bjorn Fryklund. Finally, the 6’ 4” Dunnery comes out, with that white Squier Strat still around his neck, beams out at the audience, and counts in All In Red. And I’m at Guildford Civic Hall, in 1988, in awe at Frankie’s sheer charisma, and singing my lungs out.

It is clear from the off that Dunnery is amongst friends, with the audience singing every chorus, every backing vocal and every vocal tick that we loved from the albums, which Frankie still sings too.

The setlist mines all three » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall

Date: 21/01/2023

On a freezing January night we travelled to deepest Essex, to Castle Hedingham, home of a Norman castle, rows of skewwhiff half-timbered cottages and Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall. I’ve been to village hall gigs before, but none I think which began and finished with the audience being told how helpful it would be if we stacked up our chairs before leaving.

We were there to see American/British/Irish singer songwriter Sarah McQuaid, who has been tirelessly championed on these pages by @Colin-H , playing one a few dates in England before heading to Ireland then the continent (she’s in Twickenham tonight if you’re quick). Unlikely though the venue seems, the barrel-roofed hall turned out to have lovely acoustics, helped by excellent work from Sarah’s sound man.

I don’t why it took me so long to heed Colin’s recommendation, but when I finally did I found Sarah’s music right up my street. She plays solo on acoustic and electric guitar, and on keyboard, with the sound sometimes filled out by loops and on one occasion the local church clock bells. The arrangements are interesting, the songs intriguing and her voice » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Pryzm, Kingston

Date: 13/01/2023

Friday 13th happens to be the day that Gaz Coombes new album “Turn the car around” comes out, and he has a warm up show in Kingston.

Listened to the new album earlier before the concert and enjoyed it. Not sure what he’s been through last few years but seems a bit more lyrically deep, lots of references to love and loss. Maybe a break up or death somewhere

Played mainly the new album, he’s as ever an excellent live performer. The band were good but lack a bit of fire, like his proper band. The newer material sounded much better than his earlier solo stuff. Changed his guitar pretty much every song. Played no Supergrass stuff despite a few optimistic shout outs for Sun hits the sky from the crowd.

I wonder if on a longer set he plays any of his older hits. I like the new album but I think a lot of his solo work sounds a bit samey over a whole set.

The audience:

Full of 40 something people myself included.

It made me think..

Gaz is same age as me in his mid 40’s but looks 20 » Continue Reading.

Venue:

The Place, Bedford

Date: 24/11/2022

I approached this gig with slight reluctance after a superb evening watching Jeffrey Foucault at the Water Rats the previous night and Jason Isbell the previous week. It was cold and miserable and I had a distinct “why did I book this” vibe, especially after Mrs. T lit the fire. Nonetheless I sallied out to Bedford, surely the town Google Maps was invented for – does anyone know how to get around the concentric one way systems?

The Place is clearly an old industrial unit with pitted carpark and depthless puddles into which to plunge your desert boot. However things picked up immediately on entry, with the entirely volunteer staffed team providing a warm welcome and the bright, well stocked bar a restorative glass. The room is clearly a generic live space which can accommodate the local Cubs, a Christmas panto or, it turns out, a sterling evening of acoustic music.

Support is provided by Samantha Whates singing lovely songs from her “Waiting Rooms” CD which was recorded in a series of venues where people are in transit to somewhere else – station, prisons…and they are lovely. Old pal » Continue Reading.

Venue:

St. Leonard’s Church, Sheepstor, Dartmoor

Date: 27/11/2022

Once again, I journeyed on your behalf to report upon a fabulous musical event taking place in a wondrous venue: Sarah McQuaid’s lovely performance in an exquisite 15th Century Grade 1 listed granite church up on Dartmoor in the tiny (pop: 45) village of Sheepstor, that took place last night.

I didn’t really, I obviously did for my own benefit, and for the benefit of my younger brother, who hadn’t previously had the opportunity to see and hear Sarah play. But now that I’ve made my way back home to this computer, I feel it only fair to share with you how such a simple musical performance, beautifully played and sung, exquisitely mixed for sound, delivered in a church with a lovely acoustic in an idyllic Dartmoor village (wait for the snow to arrive!) can be a mightily life-affirming way to spend an evening. Thus giving you the chance to attend one of Sarah’s forthcoming gigs and avail yourself of the same gentle pleasures.

Sarah’s forthright singing, careful and playful DADGAD playing, great choice of covers and deep well of personal compositions are a tonic for the mind and soul. » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Ovo Hydro, Glasgow

Date: 25/11/2022

There aren’t many tribute bands that can fill the mighty Hydro, but the Australian Pink Floyd are a class above your average tribute band. Note perfect, they sound EXACTLY like the Floyd in their prime, and their armoury of personnel and equipment is probably more extensive.

It’s an indication of the breadth of Dave Gilmour’s talent that it takes four separate guys to handle his parts: two for the vocals (one bluesy, one mellow), two for the various guitar parts. The other guys fill in just fine on the Roger/Nick/Rick parts.

The setlist leans heavily on the A-list stuff, as you would expect: mainly all the big songs from the big three albums (Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, The Wall). I could have done with a few more deep cuts (when the sound effect of a bee buzzing filled the arena, I thought for a glorious moment they were going to play Grantchester Meadows, but it wasn’t to be) and a few less of the 80s/90s stadium tunes (you don’t realise how yawnsome a song like On The Turning Away is until you are waiting for the six minute guitar solo to » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Esplanade Annexe Studio, Singapore

Date: 24/11/2022

Pilgrimage Of The Soul by Japanese “post-rock” band MONO, was one of my albums of the year in 2021 and so when I saw they were appearing as part of the Mosaic music series here in Singapore, tickets were quickly bought. My first time seeing them live.

The Esplanade is the major arts centre here in Singapore and the Annexe Studio is only an ~400 capacity performance space, so a fairly intimate gig.

The band (two guitarists, bass and drums) came on more or less bang on time at 8pm (I guess they are Japanese!) to a simple stage set up with minimal lighting and great sound (with a minor technical issue with the drums at the end of the first song). They started with a couple of numbers from the recent Pilgrimage of the Soul album, “Riptide” and “Imperfect Things”, which showcased their style and ability – beautiful simple guitar lines and restrained drums that suddenly burst into huge crescendos of noise. They are very very dynamic in their sound.

Purely instrumental with zero on-stage banter (aside from a brief thank you from the guitarist just before the encore) throughout » Continue Reading.

Venue:

Hare and Hounds Birmingham

Date: 23/11/2022

It seems bonkers that a group who have been going thirty years could be classified as challenging new music. But Plaid, part of that brilliant Warp Records roster of the early 90s, are still putting their grindy textures and jumpy time signatures out there. Having heard both Squarepusher and Plaid at this venue recently, Plaid have mellowed rather beautifully. Their tracks, many I am guessing from new album Feorm Falorx, blend into one another live to create a continuous soundscape. Chief elements are the classic Warp sub-bass frequencies and the klassic metallic klang keyboard sound of early techno. Live guitar over the top provides extra texture and if you’re in any way interested by beats and electronica (most stuff a chugging mid-tempo) it’s all pleasant rather than challeinging. Stage left two blokes pecking away on laptops. They may be Plaid. Stage right two blokes pecking away on keyboard and guitar. They may also be Plaid. probably them really. Not much visually going on is there? Well actually they give us something to occupy the eyes in the form of a continuous evolving set of trippy visuals. Not quite a feature film, but » Continue Reading.