- Live Reviews
“ It's not really sunk in yet. It's the one that we've wanted to do .. like a Spike Island, Knebworth,.. monumental shows... in our home town.”Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno.
Spike Island, Knebworth, Maine Road, Hyde Park, Glastonbury; there are particular gigs which come to represent a defining or special moment in a band's career.
Before you doubt that tonight could rest easily in such company, let us consider some Kasabian facts : 10 years since the release of their first album; 4th consecutive #1 album ( #1 in the album chart this week); 50,000 tickets to this show sold without any support being announced; biggest gig in the city which all of the band were born and still live in (unless Engelbert Humperdinck and Showaddywaddy are planning a co-headline soon); closing the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury in 8 days time; regular donations of stage costumes to local charity shops and even attendance at Leicester City home games ,this could one of those moments.
Upon entry to the park there's an enormous stage flanked by giant video screens , at the back there's another screen in a shocking pink (you've seen the colour on the '48:13' album cover) showing an excitement-building counter ticking down to zero for the start of the show. At 00:00:00 coloured smoke flares spark up in the crowd and Tom, Serge, Chris and Ian plus associated touring band members walk on accompanied by the instrumental '(shiva)' from '48:13', Serge with giant black foam hands and a white T-shirt with the legend 'les-tah' ( just in case we've forgotten where we are ) and Tom sporting huge Johnny Depp style Willy Wonka shades. The instrumental builds into the opening “ yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” of 'bumblebeee' and the whole place fuelled by sunshine, not so cheap lager and local pride goes MENTAL ,“ cause when we're together I'm in ecstasy … all you pretty things get on board this mothership”.
For the next 80 minutes the pace doesn't stop 'bumblebeee' leads to 'Shoot The Runner', 'Underdog' and 'Fast Fuse' we jump, dance , sing , shout , throw our beer in the air like we just don't care through 3 or 4 tracks from each album, a Kasabian Greatest Hits show treated like it's the best house party Leicester has ever had. Each time Tom asks “ Leicester, Victoria Park , are you ready ?” a beery roar indicates we might be.
The final double punch is 'Empire' and 'Fire' with the massive chorus drop “ I'm on fire ”, the lights ripping holes in the finally darkened skies and hands, feet, empty and not so empty plastic cups in the air.
Encores are 'Switchblade Smiles', 'Vlad The Impaler' then the first verse and chorus of Fat Boy Slim's 'Praise You ' which morphs into 'L.S.F (Lost Souls Forever). At the end of L.S.F Chris addresses the crowd “ Thank you Leicester you made my f*****g year” , Tom starts the chant from L.S.F off again “ laaaah la-la la la la la la la la”; and twenty minutes later in the crowd walking up London Rd back to the car parks it's still going. This says something about this band and this city.
I've seen some write that this was the taster for small matter in a field in Somerset next weekend, but sorry Glastonbury you're the garnish, the main meal was served tonight. It's a combination of a band at a particular point in their career and the location that makes the occasion. Kasabian in Victoria Park Leicester, 21st June 2014 was something special.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
At £27.50 this was an expensive ticket for a Junction show (venue was around two thirds full) but, having never seen Gary Numan live, this show was too close to my doorstep to turn down.
Roman Remains are support on tonight's bill. Made up of two thirds of The Duke Spirit, Toby Butler and Leila Moss, this side project from the mothership, seems to have turned into a full time job with the debut album, 'Zeal' already released.
The Band made up a trio with an added drummer, delivered a lengthy 'Horrors' like, darkness and dry ice set. All established musicians this should be an interesting project, they certainly made an impact on the night.
Being around in the 70's I go back a long way with Garry Numan's music and as an admirer of NIN (Nine Inch Nails) I was impressed when Trent Reznor bought Gary onstage at an O2 show a few years back. NIN definitely have Gary Numan as an influence and you can see that influence flowing back from Trent Reznor to Gary on his latest work, particularly last year's album 'Splinter' (Songs from a Broken Mind)' which features NIN's Robin Finck on guitar.
As soon as the band hit the stage to the almighty opening riffs of 'Resurrection' from 'Dead Son Rising' you can see where 75% of the ticket price has gone; the light show! Big enough and bright enough for Wembley Arena, the effect is mind numbing within the confines of the Cambridge Junction.
'Splinter is an outstanding record and the songs feature heavily in the set. The first 45 minutes which were a fabulous assault on the senses, with the band in intense and heavy mode (as they are throughout). The sound is spot on and Numan is centre stage, a Peter Pan figure (the guy is ageing well), hanging off the mic and moving around the stage like a man many years his junior.
A set stretching across his massive catalogue brings out Down in the Park, Cars and Are 'Friends' Electric? 'Absolution from 2008's 'Exile' album is stunning in its delivery, but, really it is the new 'Splinter' era Numan that remains the most impressive.
This guy has reinvented himself many times but it is testament to his abilities that songs from the 70's and songs from 2013 sound equally as fresh and impressive next to each other.
Pete
- Live Reviews
EELS have visited the Corn Exchange in Cambridge many times in the past so, you would have thought Mark ('E') would have realised by now that he cannot exchange his corn there these days, (his 'corny' joke). Tonight it's the unplugged 5 piece version of EELS, Along with Mark, the long-standing line-up of The Chet, Knuckles (Derek Brown), Honest (Upright) Al (on upright bass) and P-Boo (Mike Sawitzke).
With the whole band suited and booted this was a total opposite to last year's electric and track suit clad version of the band at the End of the Road Festival.
With the excellent acoustic 'The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett' released recently, there was a selection of songs from that record plus a really a good selection from the back catalogue as well a selection of covers.
E. himself shifting between electric guitar and piano pretty much had the audience watching in and listening intently. A solid hour of 18 songs after which a trail of "let's play one more song" brought the set to a close 75 minutes in. I guess the only criticism you could make of such a sublime gig was its length. With the volume of material available to the band another hour would have been great.
Where I'm At
When You Wish Upon a Star
The Morning
Parallels
Mansions of Los Feliz
Daisies of the Galaxy
A Line in the Dirt
Where I'm From
It's a Motherf*cker
Lockdown Hurricane
A Daisy through Concrete
Grace Kelly Blues
Fresh Feeling
I Like Birds
My Beloved Monster
Gentlemen's Choice
Mistakes of My Youth
Where I'm Going
Encore:
I Like the Way This Is Going
Blinking Lights (For Me)
Last Stop: This Town
3 Speed
Can't Help Falling in Love
Turn On Your Radio
- Live Reviews
To be honest, this time last year, I was not consciously aware of Swans, or even that the band even actually existed. How I had missed a bandthat has been going since 1982, is anyone's guess, but I had. My attention was drawn to them by Stuart Maconie on his 6 Music Freakzoneshow when he played Lunacy from The Seer, featuring as it turns out, Mimi Parker from Low.
So having bought ‘The Seer’ and this years follow up ‘To Be Kind’, I couldn't pass up the chance to see them live in Leeds at a packed out Cockpit.
Thor Harris, one of the bands 2 percussionists, took to the stage first without fuss or ceremony and started hammering away on a gong then symbols creating a crashing spiralling wall of sound to which the rest of the band joined him after about 10 minutes. Then the guitars kicked in.....the last time I had been exposed to this volume, I was walking along Heathrow's perimeter road while Concorde was taking off. The Cockpit is squeezed under the arches near Leeds train station and the room is narrow and thin with an arched roof. There was nowhere for the sound to go! This first "song" was a 30 minute epic, seemingly called Frankie M. A new song ? Seemed strange to open the set with something new, so soon after the latest LP was released but, what a start.
Michael Gira then spoke to the crowd for the first time by asking whether we had been to church today....."we are now" shouted someone...
They then launched into A Little God In My Hands from the new album and we were immersed into another brutal hypnotic drone. The assault on the senses was almost euphoric; the bass was vibrating the bones and the vocals were even actually hurting the eardrums at times, but it felt like we were hypnotised and unable to resist.
The lights focused on the stage then decided to give up and they went through the rest of the gig with dim lighting from the sidelights. This didn't matter. It almost added to the atmosphere of some sort of out of body experience.
I've no idea what the next few tracks were but they did end with 35 minute epic Bring The Sun from the new album, ‘To Be Kind’. The first 5 minutes are a repeating crunching chord over crashing drums. Fantastic.
So a nearly 2 hour and (only!) 6 song assault came to an end, band and crowd absolutely spent. I was soaked in sweat, could barely hear a thing and had adrenaline pulsing through my veins that actually made sleeping difficult. What a night. What a gig. Never seen and felt and heard anything quite like it, and even though my ears are still ringing 24 hours on, I'd see them again tomorrow.
Keith @kjsmith4082
- Live Reviews
You know when you're in the presence of a genuine rock star. There's a tour bus the size of a Travelodge parked outside the venue, the (largely female) audience is dressed as the main attraction at various points in their career and as we get closer to the house lights dimming there's a detectable tension in the room.
The intro music is Ravel's 'Bolero' and as we're in Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean's (Torvill and Dean, kids ask your parents) home city I wonder if it's a cheeky musical reference; but later on Courtney names local attractions as Sherwood Forest (correct) and Richard III (close but no cigar, though plenty of e-cigs) it's probably just a lucky co-incidence. Courtney enters from stage left, dramatically drapes her veil over the mic stand and after a false start of the first few lines from 'Pretty On The Inside', “ Slutkiss girl,Won't you promise her smack?Is she pretty on the inside? Is she pretty from the back?” launches into 'Wedding Day', one half of her recently released double A side.
Two things which immediately strike are how tight the band of hired helps (including, as someone next to me spots, Ginger from The Wildhearts) is, and that roar of a voice grown in gravel and matured by Tequila and Malboro; Courtney frequently uses the between song gaps for a suck on an e-cigarette “ To tell the truth .I don't want to quit. If it kills me, it kills me.”
What follows is a blast through a Hole-heavy set list: 'Miss World', 'Reasons to be Beautiful', 'Malibu' “..Time for a hit”, and a particularly brutal 'Violet' the audience screaming the chorus “Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to” back to the band. 'You Know My Name' the other half of the recent single is a fast, punky number addressed to celebrity reporters “Hey!I am the one. The one you blame. I'll bring the shame”.
When the five piece band aren't tearing through Hole's back catalogue, Courtney chats to the audience. During another nicotine break “I just discovered the more you drink the more I get paid. So go and get a drink. I need a new dress”, later on part of another chat with the fanatical front row, some of whom appear to have brought presents.. “It's not the 90's anymore. I don't stage dive and I don't get my tits out”, it takes little imagination to guess what she does next with a broad grin all over her face.
Final track of the main set is 'Celebrity Skin' with its' Godzilla-size guitar riff stomping all over Rock City, making sure the mini mosh-pits and audience shout-a longs keep going until the end of the show.
If you believe Courtney's recent tweets Hole are rehearsing together with a reunion of sorts now highly likely, and the very public kiss and make-up with Dave Grohl at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for Nirvana means that Courtney Love 2014 appears to be a reflective and wiser version ; nonetheless one that's happy to drink, smoke, swear on-stage, play great music and generally age disgracefully, which is surely how we all want our rock stars to behave.
A lesson for others; “Be More Courtney”.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
How to describe Crippled Black Phoenix for those not familiar with their work....?? Prog Rock? Post Rock ? or just Rock? Well, all three really. In their quieter moments, they are reminiscent of the dreaminess of Pink Floyd and in their full on assault mode, more like Mogwai. Which is just fine by me.
On a stinking wet night in Manchester, and competing with an Indie all-dayer (Neds Atomic Dustbin, Cud, Wedding Present) at the larger Academy 1, Crippled Black Phoenix are in town supporting new 2014 album White Light Generator. Although a UK band (apart from Daniel their Swedish vocalist), the play relatively infrequently over here, and seemingly have a larger fanbase over in Europe where they seem to have a bigger appetite for Prog/Post rock or however they are described.
The band is primarily Justin Greaves. His girlfriend was running the merch stand ahead of them being on stage, and Justin came out to pass on a message. "Justin IS Crippled Black Phoenix she proclaimed...! " Justin on stage is just one of the three guitarists creating the wall of sound, accompanied by drums, bass and Daisy on keyboards. I think we even spotted a banjo being used by someone at the side of the stage.
Whilst a relatively small crowd was watching, they (we) were clearly all fans and were fully engaged with the assault on the senses being created over the 2+ hours they were on stage.
The setlist was obviously biased towards the new album but they kicked off with fan favourite Rise Up And Fight....probably the closest thing they have to an anthem. The next 4 songs were from the new album, and bled into each other for the best part of half an hour. They're not really a verse chorus verse 3 minute songs band.
The rest of the night was tracks picked from their previous 7 albums, and from stage front and centre, the musicianship and intensity was amazing. While some gigs can seem to drag, I could have happily listened for another couple of hours. Banter from the band, whilst not frequent, was pleasant and appreciative, and they all seemed to be having a great time too.
At last, I have broken my live CBP virginity, and what a night. It will take something special to shift this from gig of the year. I urge you to check them out.
Keith @kjsmith4082
- Live Reviews
I first started paying attention to `Neutral Milk Hotel’ as the album, ‘In The Aeroplane over The Sea’ began appearing in the bargain bins in most record stores. The cover become second nature every time you went into the store and one day, I just brought it.
So having missed the band the first time around, constant playing of the album sparked by interest, my enthusiasm and my regret at having missed this band live.
Then came the Jeff Mangum solo shows at the Union Chapel in March in 2012 which were just fantastic and A Hawk and a Hacksaw gig in Cambridge with drummer Jeremy Barnes and his wife Heather Trost . At that show I did start to wonder what if? ……, well, everyone else is …. and here we find ourselves at The Roundhouse on a Wednesday in May for the return of Neutral Milk Hotel.
Lætitia Sadier of ‘Sterolab’ and band provide a classy introduction to the evening. A band to see in a smaller venue for sure!
The white light flashes on the sound desk and the lights dim at 9.20pm and the truck driver /Roadie figure (beard, cap, baggy jacket) of Jeff Mangum strolls onto the stage with his acoustic guitar and kicks into a solo ‘Two-Headed Boy’.
Jeff’s voice is in fine form, strong, powerful and clear. The band (4-6 members at various times) enter for ‘The Fool’ and blast away with their songs for the next hour in a frame of mind that can only be described as joyous. The musical armory of the band, tuba, bagpipes, saw and well as more conventional instruments just circle the airwaves of venue all night.
The sound is pretty much perfect and the smiles wide. Two thirds of the way though the band depart again for a Jeff Magnum solo of ‘Oh Comely’ which is actually a marvelous performance of the song that sent the shivers up the back of your neck.
This was an unmitigated triumph for the band, lets hope the smiles are as wide at the end of the tour from the stage.
Pete
Set-List
Two-Headed Boy
The Fool
Holland, 1945
A Baby for Pree / Glow Into You
On Avery Island / April 1st
Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone
Everything Is
The King of Carrot Flowers, Part One
The King of Carrot Flowers, Parts Two & Three
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Naomi
Ferris Wheel on Fire
Oh Comely
Song Against Sex
Ruby Bulbs
Snow Song, Part One
Encore:
Ghost
Two-Headed Boy, Part Two
Engine
- Live Reviews
Tonight was due to be Slowdive's first gig in more than twenty years, but even an unannounced warmup show the night before renders it no less special for the fans packed into the Village Underground venue in Shoreditch to witness the big reunion. As leading figures in the early '90s 'shoegazing' scene the band were as much loved by their devoted fanbase as they were derided by a music press increasingly obsessed by the sordid glamour of US junkie rock.
Slowdive recorded three albums only before the inevitable split, but the reverence with which they are treated amongst a new generation of musicians and fans, and the speed with which the tickets for this sold out show were snapped up suggests the band will have the last laugh.
Despite our queuing outside the Village Underground well before the announced 8pm stage time of support band Young Husband the venue somehow contrive to open the doors late and then take so long to check and process tickets that we miss half of the support set. A subsequent twitter exchange with the venue suggests this was down to the band's management (which band I wonder?), but it's still annoying when you've sacrificed that extra, reasonably priced, pint in the pub to go in.
Anyway, I can hear the influence of Slowdive, and even more of the spikier Ride in Young Husband's effect driven guitar sound. There are a lot of bands ploughing the particular furrow right now, but there's enough in their driving live sound and the songwriting to suggest these guys can stand out from the crowd.
Slowdive take to the stage to the strains of some Brian Eno elevator muzak (Deep Blue Day) and, after a bit of FX pedal fiddling launch into 'Slowdive' from their first EP. I'm immediately struck by how good the sound is. The band's sound is so dependent on the washes of guitar sliding over the ethereal vocals, it has to be spot on, and tonight it is. The third song in, the beautiful 'Catch the Breeze' from debut album 'Just For a Day', sounds stunning, all chiming guitars and hazy vocals; everything that was good about this band encapsulated in one song, it really hasn't dated at all.
Despite it being more than two decades the band don't seem rusty. Neil Halstead may have replaced the cherubic choirboy look I can recall from early '90s gigs with more of a mountainman beard and shaggy hair combo, but the guitar sound seems to come back naturally and the vocal harmonies with lead singer Rachel Goswell work a treat. The fact the pair continued working together in Mojave 3 doubtless paying dividends.
Second album 'Souvlaki' is well represented tonight, 'Souvlaki Space Station' and the closing 'Alison' showcasing the poppier angle the band pursued on that record nicely. It's a sensible choice as these songs work so well live, but I can't be the only one left wishing that they'd played more than one thing off their sublime debut album. They've a world tour ahead of them though, so doubtless the opportunity to work through the back catalogue will present, and there's even talk of recording a new album.
Welcome back Slowdive! It's been too long, and you have been missed.
Now for that long awaited Ride reunion?
Matt
Set:
Deep Blue Day
(Brian Eno song)
Slowdive
Avalyn
Catch the Breeze
Crazy for You
Machine Gun
40 Days
Blue Skied an' Clear
Souvlaki Space Station
When the Sun Hits
Morningrise
She Calls
Golden Hair
Encore:
Rutti
Alison
An Ending (Ascent)
(Brian Eno song)
- Live Reviews
Approaching forty years of gigs and this was my Tori Amos show. I really went more out of interest than a burning love of her back catalogue but, the end result was 'I was Converted'.
First off we had the charming and magical Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou. From London and three albums down the road, it was nice to catch up with the pair. Vocally superb they harmonise together around one mic with two acoustic guitars. 'Cheap Wine' is still the classic. Headline tour is planned for September, dates are HERE.
Sitting in the middle of the 'Toriartti' there was a lot of speculation around the set list going on and a will she, won't she play Metallica's 'Nothing Else Matters' or, not? (She did). On stage at 9.10pm and running late because of problems with her leather trousers (apparently), Tori Amos plonked herself down legs astride the piano stool with a keyboard one side and piano the other. The keyboard gets replaced for an organ towards the end of the set.
The first segment of the concert was quite outstanding. Just the solo voice and piano, 'Parasol' opened the set followed by 'China' which had only been play once on the tour before. Songs came forth from various albums but sung solo (She can even play the piano with one handed behind her back) they had an heartfelt intensity.
The 'Lizzard Lounge' section is the 'covers' part of the show which starts tonight with a rather tasty version of the aforementioned Metallica's, 'Nothing Else Matters'. Only the second time she seems to have played this song live (Italy 2008 being the first), this brought a standing ovation amongst her most ardent followers in the audience. Cat Steven's 'Moonshadow' was the second cover (last performed in 2011).
Back to her own material, ' Forest Of Glass' (the additional song on the deluxe CD/DVD version of Unrepentant Geraldines) was performed for the first time, leaving me wonder why the song did not make the standard album as well.
The songs continued through to the encore where a look back even further over the shoulder brought 'Cornflake Girl' (would have been better acoustic without the drum machine), 'Baker, Baker' and 'Pretty Good Year'.
It was certainly more than a 'petty good' gig indeed much of it was spellbinding but, not being a Tori expert I have no previous concerts to compare it too. There were however, many smiling faces exiting the venue at the end of the gig.
Pete
Set List
Parasol
China
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Little Earthquakes
Cooling
Jamaica Inn
Black-Dove (January)
Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
Moonshadow (Cat Stevens cover)
Forest of Glass
Mother
Tear in Your Hand
Scarlet's Walk
Take to the Sky
Encore:
Cornflake Girl
Baker Baker
Pretty Good Year
- Live Reviews
Nestled in-between the endless Manchester University buildings along Oxford Road sits The Deaf Institute, renamed from its original purpose as an institute of learning for the local deaf and dumb. It is a 3 storey building comprising of a couple of bars, one serving food, and a relatively small music venue at the top, holding around 400 punters.
First up tonight is London outfit My Sad Captains who have their third album ‘Best of Times’ to promote. The band quietly takes their place on the stage and launch into new track ‘All Times Into One’ from Best of Times. Only about half the capacity is in front of the stage for their 6 song set, with 4 of them coming from the new album, however each song brings a growing intensity to the atmosphere and the crowd were appreciative at the end. MSC have this quietly melodic melancholy to their music and are improving with each album, and they certainly deserve a larger audience than this.
Shearwater take the stage just before 9.30, but without iconic drummer Thor (busy touring with Swans at the moment) and the atmosphere ramps up a significant notch. Focus is all on the extraordinary voice of Jonathan Meiburg (still my favourite rock star ornithologist) as they kick off with ‘Hidden Lakes’ from The Golden Archipelago album of 2010.
As a genuine nature lover, the next couple of songs are from last original studio album ‘Animal Joy’ before following with ‘Rooks’ from the album ‘Rook’. JM takes time out now to adjust his overdrive setting on his amp as he was threatening to "reduce the building to rubble". With guitar suitably adjusted and turned down, they now head into ‘Home Life’, inspired by his upbringing in suburban Baltimore. The song allows JMs tremulous voice to take centre stage and what a voice it is. Easy to admire on record, it almost seems impossible witnessed live.
The rest of the set is a mix of old songs and tracks from their recent covers album ‘Fellow Travellers’, where they decided to record one of their favourite songs from a band who they have toured with over the years. Nice idea and a pleasant enough album, but didn’t satisfy my desire for new material. (That's coming by the end of the year apparently, with a sound unlike anything they have put out to date)
Wrapping up with a 3 set encore, ending on a Clinic cover, they leave the stage and the crowd leave the venue satisfied with their fix of Shearwater, however can't help feeling its just a taster for new album to come.
Keith @kjsmith4082
- Live Reviews
Deep in the Calderdale Valley, somewhere between Halifax and Burnley is the lovely little town of Hebden Bridge, known for its artists, canal and alternate lifestyles. It also has the fabulous little venue of The Trades Club which is a not for profit organisation, run by its members, and max capacity of approx 200.
On an awful monsoon like night, newcomer and fellow Loose Music artist Vikesh Kapoor takes the stage with acoustic guitar and mouth organ for company.
Supporting his recently released debut album ‘The Ballad of Willy Robbins’, Vikesh announces that it's his first venture into Europe and expresses his appreciation to The Handsome Family for the support slot.
Vikesh's voice is somewhere between an early Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, and he almost resembles that early fresh faced Dylan look. With thumb pick on, he strums away through debut album, the central theme inspired by the sad story of a construction worker who suffers a serious accident then watches his life slowly fall apart.
The songs are engaging and story like, and Vikesh himself is an accomplished finger picker. His chat with the crowd also engages him, especially when he tells the crowd he bought his shirt from a charity shop in the town!
Despite the inclement weather, the temperature inside the venue is almost tropical, and even Brett Sparks, on stage with a couple of fans helping out is struggling and the only thing he has got to mop his brow is a bandana.
Accompanied by wife Rennie and a virtually invisible drummer, they begin the night with ‘My Sisters Tiny Hands’. The 3 minute or so songs zip along with their banter with the crowd which is after virtually every song and sometimes hilarious.....Rennie at one point suggesting how much Brett's family drink at Xmas. This did get me thinking about perceptions we have about bands...I have been buying The Handsome Family releases since Twilight and have read and heard lots of opinions about them, including how odd they were and that they are the Morticia and Gomez Addams of country music. I expected this in their performance, but it couldn't have been further from the truth.
The night slipped past so quickly until Brett's sonorous baritone said its last goodbye and we left to get some fresh air. My only disappointment was that they only played one song, Frogs, from latest album Wilderness however they did get in Far From Every Road, now used as title track to US series True Detective.
All in all, an excellent night at an excellent venue. Both artists vowed to return to Hebden Bridge so fingers crossed its sooner rather than later.
Keith @kjsmith4082
- Live Reviews
It is an achievement to get eight people onto the Portland Arms stage in Cambridge let alone pull off a captivating gig with plenty of on stage jumping around.
The main man behind San Fermin and their sweet collection of songs is Ellis Ludwig-Leone who is tucked stage left in the corner behind his keyboard and snare drum. The remaining seven members of the band Allen Tate, Charlene Kaye, Rebekah Durham (Violin), John Brandon (Trumpet), Stephen Chen (Sax), Tyler McDiarmid (Guitar) and Michael Hanf (Drums) light up the stage.
Singers, Charlene Kaye and Allen Tate with his Tom Berninger like baritone hold centre stage harmonising or solo on vocals. There is solid musicianship throughout the band and a genuine humbleness, that the audience had taken the time out to see them.
Falling somewhere between The National, Arcade Fire and Dirty Projectors, the songs are well paced to keep the crowd engaged even the three new ones introduced tonight (and yes they will be on the new album).
A thoroughly entertaining night. This band should go far.
Pete
Charlene Kaye