- Live Reviews
First up, this is a great 'band' which includes guitarist Seye, who seldom stood still. The dynamic Gorillaz Sound System drummer Pauli the PSM, whose performance really has to be seen to be belived, bassist Jeff Wootton and keyboardist Mike Smith. Also, what a lovely intimate venue for a global megastar returning to his East End roots.
It's a wet night in the East End but, after a queue down the Mile End Road and a warming beverage we are all ready for the (no support) start at 8.45 pm.
Damon always keeps things in perspective and this was just like, a pleasant way for him to introduce the new band and songs amongst mates on his home turf (any sign of a gig in Colchester next?). For ninety minutes we are treated to a set, turning the pages of Damon's musical career or, as much as can be fitted into ninety minutes together with, the new songs, that already are pretty much old favourites in our subconscious.
Gorillaz, The Good, the Band and the Queen and his other band, the songs flowed expertly so, by the time Kano hit the stage for Clint Eastwood the place was rocking. Lots of gentle moments too, Heavy Seas of Love", which features Brian Eno on the LP (Damon commented that he really hopes Brian will sing the song with him live sometime) was sublime with a gospel choir joining in, as they did on Mr. Tembo (described by someone in the queue outside as Damon's 'Yellow Submarine')
The billboards for the new record 'Everyday Robots' refer to Damon as one of the most important songwriters of his generation'. He certainly continues to climb an eclectic musical route to greatness.
Blur's 'This is a Low' finished the evening with Damon on piano and the ever present strings section. This actually is a new high! A summer of festival shows ahead, do try and catch one, you won't be disappointed.
- Live Reviews
Saturday night saw a six band bonanza at a venue I'd not experienced yet, the sprawling Hop in Wakefield.
Headliners were the fabulous Nine Black Alps with the other bands on the bill being made up from local label Philophobia Music stable including The Do's, The Spills and The Ainsley Band. Jammed in the middle of this line-up was Tony Wright, ex of And So I Watch You From Afar, and now performing as solo artist VerseChorusVerse.
By his own admission, he was the only acoustic artist on a rock bill, and expressed his sympathies for the 20 or so gathered at the early slot of 7.20. I did fear for him as he started because people were either chatting, getting drinks, or generally waiting around for the headliners, however after urging the meagre gathered to move closer, it started to feel like an intimate personal performance.
Kicking off with songs from his excellent eponymous debut, the lack of backing band didn't seem to matter as he is one talented guitarist. Tony is a tiny Irishman, with a shock of curly red hair, and what a set of lungs!
Considering his previous band were instrumental, he obviously felt the need to break free and get his voice heard. Between songs chat was funny and engaging and the crowd grew and warmed to him as the set rolled by. Halfway through, out came an acoustic Fugazi cover, a deliberate deference to the taste of the audience which went down well.
A couple of my favourites from the album weren't played, I guess not particularly suited to one man and his acoustic guitar, but this didn't matter as the woefully short half an hour sped by. Even a string coming loose mid-way through the closing track didn't matter as he signed off with another cover.
So, a thoroughly nice guy, an excellent debut album and a talent that meant he certainly held his own amongst an electric bill. I just hope he gets chance to play larger crowds sometime soon and get his music more widely heard.
Keith @kjsmith4082
VerseChrousVerse's debut album is available on itunes
- Live Reviews
I was really looking forward to seeing Wolf Alice who are support for selected dates on the current tour. Approximately one minute before curtain up there's a loud bang from the stage and the PA dies. Twenty minutes later Wolf Alice finally appear and put in a stormer. Lead singer Ellie Rowsell has a Chrissie Hynde-like cool about her and the tunes remind you, topically as we're apparently celebrating 20 years since Brit Pop, of a heavier Lush. Everything positive you've read about Wolf Alice is correct so go check them out at your earliest opportunity (on tour in May).
“ I hate purity, I hate goodness, I don't want virtue to exist anywhere” John Hurt as Winston Smith from the film of George Orwell's 1984; the intro to the squealing guitars of 'Faster' from 'The Holy Bible' also celebrating its 20th birthday this year, starts the Manic Street Preachers set tonight. The stage has a giant video screen behind the (5 piece live) band, there's the usual Welsh flags on the bass amps but for the first time I can recall no feather boas on bass player Nicky Wire's mic stand.
After 3 singles 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough', 'Motorcycle Emptiness' and '(It's Not War) Just The End of Love', we get the first of two tracks from upcoming album 'Futurology' called 'Europa Geht Durch Mich' an electronic, industrial Depeche Mode-like track and the album's title track, both indicate that 'Futurology' could be the nasty post punk, disco, rock antithesis to the largely acoustic, tender and reflective 'Rewind the Film' which has been promised.
With the screen showing the videos to early singles 'Motorcycle Emptiness' and 'You Love Us' you are reminded of the lyrical and physical space left by Richey Edwards as stage left has remained unoccupied since his disappearance. Nicky dedicates 'Archives Of Pain' “some of the greatest lyrics ever written” to the absent guitarist and it's good to see his dedication is met with warm applause from those sections of the audience with pre-'Everything Must Go' memories.
The set closes with '30 Year War' the most obviously political song from 'Rewind The Film', “..and the endless parade of old Etonian scum, line the front benches “so what is to be done” ”, the riff from The Skids 'Into The Valley' is used as the intro to a blistering version of 'Motown Junk', and as usual 'A Design For Life',with James and Nicky hopping and scissor-kicking along to footage of Royal Ascot, the Miner's Strike, and The Last Night of The Proms used to illustrate the song's lyrics.
As the years go by there may be less animal print, eye-liner and feather boas in the audience and on stage, but unlike other bands of a similar vintage the Manics happily celebrate and embrace their past, present and future(ology).
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
Restorations / The Smith Street Band / Astpai - Portland Arms in Cambridge Easter Monday 21/4/14
Punk today has less confrontation but the attitude is still there, helped by worldwide social networks…3 bands who knew and admired each other, found they were all playing at the wonderfully-named GroezRock punk festival in Belgium…and decided what the hell, lets hire a van and do a European tour as well!
Astpai – Austrian, the most traditional punk sound, could have been made in 1977. Great t-shirts!
The Smith Street Band – Australian, described as ‘folkpunk’, perhaps because one has a beard. And maybe because amongst their merch they have no less than 3 different-coloured woolly hats with their name on. Sadly neither the band or audience are wearing them. Aligned to Frank Turner, with lots of fans shouting along to inspirational/storytelling lyrics. Most popular band tonight.
Restorations – US headliners, like a cross between the Hold Steady and Explosions in the Sky. Lots of guitar lines, articulate lyrics, serious stuff.
A great turnout despite/because of the weird 6.30-9.30pm timing, a great way to end Easter, and we all went home feeling young and energised again!
Kevin Hand (@Kevinhand3)
- Live Reviews
- Live Reviews
I fear that I may have cursed Paul Smith lead singer of Maximo Park. During a previous tour I witnessed him being ''violently ill'' on stage mid-song, though being the true pro a quick wipe and he carried on to finish the song. Tonight he wears rock star dark shades throughout which he explains are not “too cool for school” but for medical reasons due to a recent eye operation.
Opening tonight's show is Teleman, a 4 piece from London (ex Pete & the Pirates) with Stereolab-style synths and guitar pop tunes sung with falsetto vocals which build into epics as they progress. They have further high profile supports with Franz Ferdinand and Metronomy coming up and their first album is released in May.
“Hello Rock City and we're here to rock”, Paul Smith appears healthy enough tonight. Maximo Park recently released their 5th album 'Too Much Information', which although more electronic-based continues their tradition of angular, wordy songs about relationships with strong melodies and more than a few shout-a-long choruses.
Smith comes on wearing his usual suit and hat combo, tonight's choice being a fedora (not a trilby, please take note reviewer from Nottingham Post); his vocal and the band crashing into the throbbing synth of set opener 'Give,Get Take' from the new album. Crowd favourite ' Our Velocity' from 'Our Earthly Pleasures' is played early on the crowd supplying the “Love is a lie, which means I've been lied to. Love is a lie, which means I've been lying too” end passage.
With Paul Smith leaping on and off the stage monitors, punching the air and throwing rock star shapes they have a genuine front man who's happy to engage the audience ;when the band have to stop and re-start the intro to 'Signal and Sign' he jokes “Did you enjoy that one? Our songs get shorter...”
Whilst the set leans heavily towards the new album, stand-outs being 'Lydia, The Ink Will Never Dry', 'Drinking Martinis' and 'Her Name Was Audre', tracks from all 5 albums are played, and when most Maximo Park songs weigh in at about 3 minutes you get plenty of them for your ticket price.
Closing with the big hitters 'Girls Who Play Guitars', 'Apply Some Pressure' and the epic building 'Midnight on the Hill' from the new album gets the crowd going with mini mosh-pits appearing down the front. Disappointingly they let the mood drop with the first encore choice of mid-tempo 'Where We're Going' but finish triumphantly in a blaze of lights and flailing arms in the crowd with 'Going Missing'.
It's probably the strength of their songs and the energetic live performances which means they've outlasted many of their contemporaries and curses aside expect to see Maximo Park, hats and all for a long while to come.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
I have just received a message from my gig buddy who attended the Cure's first show for Teenage Cancer Trust the previous evening at the Royal Albert Hall, it read; "get ready for an amazing three hour set” so, I am finishing my ravioli and I'm rushing to the train station to get to the same venue literally, 15 minutes before the show which starts, with the sound of celestial bells accompanied by a flow of lights, it is 7.45PM
I see a guy with shining white hair crossing the stage, his name is Reeves Gabrels an American guitarist who has collaborated with David Bowie as part of Tin Machine and indeed with Robert Smith himself on songs such as 'Wrong Number', 'A Sign from God' and 'Yesterdays Gone' which Smith sings on Gabrel's album 'Ulysses'. I then see Robert, Simon Gallup, Roger O’Donnell , Jason Cooper arriving on stage and my heart is about to explode from joy…The Cure!
After an amazing introduction of lights “Plainsong” starts and I realise that I have the most amazing band (for me) of the last 3 decades in front of me. The venue is packed by fans from different age group which tells a lot about how eternal The Cure s sound is.. I try to not to get too excited since there are still many songs to go!
The main set of 29 songs (approx. 1.35minutes) includes ‘2 Late' the B side to 1989 single 'Love Song' followed by Jupiter Crash another song often forgotten at live shows alongside with ‘Mint Car".
It is hard to stay seated with the sound of 'The Walk', 'One Hundred Years' and 'Disintegration' which completes the first set.
Robert seems to be in a great mood but he does not really make much of an effort with his dancing while Roger O’ can’t stop giggling while playing with a paper aeroplane found on the floor by his keyboard.
First Encore of eight songs starts with `'If Only tonight we could sleep' to then moves to a powerful "Shake Dog Shake" , Robert starts playing with his vocals in a very original "shaky way" , by the time last song of the first encore started , "A Forest", there was not a single person left seated!
Encore two follows this time a set of Seven songs and a good mix of ballads such 'Lovecats', 'Lets go to bed' and 'Why can’t I be you' ?"
Nearly 11PM and Robert and friends come back on stage once again for the very last set... Yes its encore three, the grand-finale with 'Killing an Arab' always a controversial song for those not too sure of the lyrical content.
11.10 PM and the show has ended, I hear someone around me complaining about the fact that the show ended ten minutes earlier then the night before!
I would have just been glad to be able to afford two tickets and manage to attend both amazing shows but in response to that comment I could have probably mentioned that I was disappointed that the band did not play 'Charlotte Sometimes' which, takes me back to the old days when at the age of 17 and managed to jump on stage during a show climbing over huge speakers to then hug Robert Smith and kiss him on the cheek. Oh well!
Carla
@QuaglinoMngmnt
- Live Reviews
A Sunday night drive up the A1 to Rock City Nottingham at least meant no clock watching for the last train home this time out and believe me this was not a show to miss.
Well, we did miss Liverpool's Circa Waves unfortunately (navigating Nottingham's one-way-system) so, our first band was the almighty volume of Royal Blood. Only formed last year in Brighton, Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher launch an onslaught of sound, loud enough to match any four or five piece hard rock band. It's awesome. Just an EP out to date and heavy radio play of the single 'Little Monster', let's keep any eye on these guys!
Next up, the excellent Temples. As an aged rocker these young guys hit the psychedelic spot in my heart. Much like historians they seem to intentionally attempt to transport their students back to days past to the likes of the early Floyd, The Pretty Things and Small Faces. You would like to think that the tour bus is drenched with the sound of the Beatles, Hollies, Hendrix, Stones and 13th Floor Elevators.
The effect on the younger generation in the audience was positive even though there was no sweet smell in the air to accompany the trip this time around (only plastic two pint beer glasses of Tuborg). Perhaps before the year is out, the band will play a three hour jam session gig? .. Just a thought. Another band to keep an eye on!
Finally it is Interpol with a very strong fifteen song set including four new tunes and the hits! It is great to see such an established band take the plunge and tour with the Kids around the venues of these isles for a couple of weeks. Knowing that the audience will be generally there to see the hot new bands, Interpol must have won many new fans this evening. Strong, confident, loud, most of the songs so familiar that it was just one big sing-a-long! A brilliant finale to a great evening and a band we have always kept our eyes on!
Pete
Paul Banks - Interpol
- Live Reviews
For those of us who didn't vote for The National, Lisa Knapp's 'Hidden Seam' was the best album of 2013, and the good people of Proper Music in their folk section agree with this opinion. Whilst the album contains lush orchestration and many special guests ('Two Ravens' her duet with Martin Carthy was recently voted Best Original Track at the BBC Radio2 Folk Awards), tonight's show is a duo of Lisa and her multi-instrumentalist husband Gerry Diver.
Starting with traditional track 'Blacksmith' followed by 'Ruler of The Rest' they clearly understand the dynamics of performing as a duo; the simple accompaniment of a banjo, fiddle, guitar or autoharp working with Lisa's vocals, for which if you want an comparison think somewhere around Kate Bush, or an English Bjork.
Varying the feel further a track from The Month of May EP has sounds of cuckoo clocks, and chimes from ice cream vans adding texture to the track. Gerry plays a beautiful Irish fiddle tune which to lighten the tone of the evening he tells us he was asked to play at a funeral via a message left on his answerphone !
There's a haunting version of 'Shipping Song' from 'Hidden Seam' Gerry starting with the now malfunctioning autoharp but switching to a plucked fiddle. The list of the coastal fishing regions Cromarty, Tyne, South and North Utsire et al have never sounded so beautiful (apologies to Radio 4 and Blur's 'This is a Low').
Performing stripped-down versions of the songs without the lush layering of instruments and special guests from the album has ironically let their best instrument Lisa's unique vocal soar free, which results in an evening of pin-drop moments.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
Travelling to Chesterfield's beautiful Winding Wheel theatre feels like visiting old friends as it usually involves Fairport Convention and their annual Win-tour (see what they've done there?) jaunt round Britain during February and March.
Compare for tonight's' performance is Fairport bass player Dave 'Peggy' Pegg who is incapable of fulfilling his regular bass playing duties due to an injury which is unlikely to feature in any Motley Crue or Ozzy autobiography caused by emptying a dishwasher.
Opening the show is Edwina Hayes a solo guitarist with a rich folky-country vocal and easy self-deprecating style which wins over the audience. As tradition dictates Fairport join their support for their final track, on this occasion a cover of John Prine's 'Speed of the sound of Loneliness'
First track of Fairport's set is 'Jewel in the Crown' an ironic comment on the establishment of the British Empire and co-incidental a Banbury curry house appearing on the rear cover of the album of the same name. 'Doctor of Physick' is the first (though surely not last) old boys Richard Thompson/ Dave Swarbrick composition featuring the doctor you wouldn't want providing home visits.
Instrumental 'Dirty Linen' highlights Peggy's able replacement, his son Matt, who covers the bass playing duties tonight; however the vocals are noticeably thinner without Peggy's backing. Fortunately after the interval, or “merchandising opportunity” as it's often known, Peggy is back to help out on 'Farewell, Farewell', 'The Wassail Song' and 'The Happy Man'.
New track 'Myths and Legends' shows that even a band in their 5th decade can still 'rock out', surprising the audience and the band themselves, but no time for oxygen or a rest as Edwina Hayes returns to add vocals to Sandy Denny's 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes?'.
Usual set closer ' Matty Groves' with Chris Leslie's new banjo introduction tells the perennial tale of the bored lady of the manor (read WAG today) having an affair with the younger hired help and the consequences when the rich husband finds out.
The encore is as always the best known Thompson/Swarbrick track ' Meet on the Ledge' with its sing-a- long chorus “If you really means it, it all comes around again”, and with old friends like these we can be sure it will do just that.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
This was an XFM gig in conjunction with the Alcopops label, so three bands from that stable. With this kind of billing you always sense it's going to be good value for money and so it proved. But in addition this turned out to be a very special night, a landmark in Sam Duckworth’s career as he performed for the first time ever his 'solo' material supported by a band.
Emperor Yes
3-piece, guitar/keys/lead singer plus drummer and keyboards/electro (with occasional vocal). A mix up of Darwin Deez, I Was A Cub Scout and Adem producing some highly pleasing sounds.
Radstewart
A 4 piece. 'Languid' is how you would describe the lead singer. He plays bass guitar and has two guitarists either side of him.
This band have some really strong songs and present a good mix of melodic tunes with sharper 'Modern Lovers' -esque punk. Hats off to any band who can get the words 'c**ts' and 'archipelago' in the same verse.
What this band needs is one of the four to take control and lead the unit. Either guitarist or the lead singer is capable of this. Perhaps they should consider expanding to a 5-piece by adding a bass player to allow the lead singer, languid in style, to become the focal point of the band?
Sam Duckworth
A lot of excitement from Sam himself about this gig. The first time he's performed with a band doing just his 'solo' stuff, ie the two albums, Mannequin and Amazing Grace, released under his own name rather than the 'Get Cape Wear Cape Fly' banner.
What came as a most welcome surprise was the nature of 'the band' - it wasn't just the two guitars and drums that joined him for the first 3 numbers. As he announced new brand new song 'Process’ (one to look out for on Record Store Day) a different set of musicians took the stage comprising strings, keyboard, brass and female vocalists. As the set gained further momentum there were at times 11 people on the Barfly stage all the while adding colour and more than a little rock n roll to Sam's beautifully crafted songs. The 11 included Sam's Dad who offered up a seriously good guitar intro to the last song 'Only A Fool'.
Prior to the gig, having got chatting to Sam in the bar, he had excitedly told us the band had the sound of Steely Dan. He wasn't wrong. The mash up of strings, brass and electric guitar definitely took us back to 'Can't Buy A Thrill' Dan era. Sam Duckworth, not a music icon of our times ? - only a fool would say that.
Si & Sally
- Live Reviews
