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“Lily, Lily, Lily F***ing Allen” was the chant which went up a little after 9 to the obvious rapture of the excitable crowd. Donning a beautiful sparkly green dress and sporting flowing golden locks, the singer reciprocated the excitement, with opener from her latest long play offering ‘Come on Then’. It was gonna be a party. |
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Mercury Rev are currently on a short UK tour and this is the first of two sold-out nights at Leeds Brudenell Social Club. It’s a rather special tour celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their brilliant breakthrough album, ‘Deserter’s Songs’. What’s more they’ve dispensed with their trademark big band presentation and the tour promises a stripped-down and very personal performance of the album. There have been some great reviews of the tour and it’s a gig I’m really looking forward to. |
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The War On Drugs’ latest album, ‘A Deeper Understanding’, was released in the summer of 2017. Since then, we’ve welcomed the band to London on three occasions: first at Ally Pally last November, then a mammoth show with The National for All Points East this summer, and now at the o2 Arena. |
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It’s a freezing cold night out in Birmingham but outside the O2 Institute there’s a crowd drawing to see Bury Tomorrow and I personally couldn’t think of a better way to end my gigging year, as these boys always bring the fire. The Lights go down and a purple haze of light is cast across the stage as the lads take their places creating a series of silhouettes but within moments chaos erupts with a frenzy of lights resulting in the crowd going mental from the get go, fuelling the band’s energies to go higher and this was just the first track of their set. |
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As 2018 draws to a close, I usually create a list of the best gigs, albums and songs of the year. This was one of the toughest decisions to make, but a night at Brixton with Young Fathers made that decision a whole lot easier. |
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Nightwish arrived onstage to the large UK crowd cheering loudly in anticipation. Opening with ‘Dark Chest of Wonders’ from the massive album Once (2004), they hit the fans with some piercing guitar riffs early on in true Nightwish style; epic backing tracks and some fiery pyro really giving a larger than life feel to their entrance. Floor Jansen gave it her all by delivering some on point vocals and beckoning the crowd wherever possible. |
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“Has everyone got the Monday night blues?” beams Luke Sital-Singh as he greets his audience, “Because you’ve come to the right place.” Tonight, the Bristol-based folk singer-songwriter celebrates a homecoming gig in the semi-intimate space of Rough Trade, where a large local crowd of devotees wait with bated breath. His words certainly set the tone as the whole night unfurls with a showcase of solemn, lovelorn music. |
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A sold out crowd caught a double-encore from indie rockers Razorlight in Bristol on Saturday, as they put on a show at SWX Bristol to promote their new album Olympus Sleeping. |
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One part Bowie, one part Bolan, one part Lennon, one part Holden, Miles Kane embodies all that is great about British rock ’n’ roll. It’s true the guy is as cool as they come! |
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And so to Madness... I say and so to Madness as I managed to miss The Fratellis and so I will, dear reader, have to leave it at that. I was however in good time for the headliner and so managed something I have never achieved before, namely to see the Nutty Boys in all their glory! And what glory, but more of that later perhaps. |
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The past 18 months can only be described as a whirlwind for songstress Mabel. Her phenomenal rise through the UK charts has seen her perform on some of the hottest dance tracks over the past two years winning fans all over the globe, as well as supporting Harry Styles on his tour. |
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A rainy Wednesday night saw the Ocean Colour Scene and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas provide Christmas cheer on their tour which is covering all points of the UK. A few people had wondered why a Motown legend was on the same bill as a band that were in the vanguard of the Britpop era of the late 90’s. But I have to say that it was a glorious clash of musical styles that worked a treat, and was well received by the large crowd in Leeds. |
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The Magpie Salute bring some Americana, Earthy Blues and Southern Rock to Manchester. Showcasing new songs from album ‘High Water I’, they were so much more than former members of The Black Crowes. |
