Live Review: Natalie Merchant @ Milton Court Hall
“Are you making a movie or taking a photo?” Natalie Merchant asks a member of the seated audience. “I hope it’s pretty,” she laughs in response to their answer. “I've never seen a photo taken of someone from five feet below them that wasn't worth deleting!” This light...
Live Review: Ben Harper @ The Palladium
The Palladium is best known for hosting musical theatre and televised variety shows, so catching an acoustic show by Ben Harper at the venue feels a little incongruous. He feels the same way, it transpires. A few songs into the show he apologises for wearing denim in...
Live Review: Sick Puppies @ The Garage.
The LA based Australian band Sick Puppies are used to playing in large arena's and venues such as the House of Blues, in the USA. So coming along to The Garage at Islington, London might be a little surprise. Not so much for the venue but for the noticeable lack of a...
Live Review: Record Store Day
Record Store Day 2014 showed off an exciting range of music talent, a group of respected artists are being brought together to celebrate exclusively on Berwick Street in the heart of Soho, London. The main live stage curated by Sister Ray Records. Presenter and...
Live Review: Mike Watt & The Missingmen.
Mike Watt & The Missingmen ended their 56 date European tour in London at The Lexington. Exhausted? Maybe, but their performance refused to show that this was anything but a tight, energetic and entertaining act. Watt’s influential early 80s band Minutemen may be...
Interview: Dar Williams. A Witness And A Mechanic.
Dar Williams casts her eye over the plush scarlet sofa and mirrored walls of the bar at the back of Bush Hall, where we’re to do our interview and photographs. “It’s kind of Electric Ladyland!” she chuckles, as we sit down to discuss her latest tour of the UK - which...
Live Review: Imelda May @ the Roundhouse.
The Roundhouse in north London proved its astute scheduling skills by hosting Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May for St. Patrick’s Day. Backed by her full band, a gaffiti-strewn brick wall backdrop, a motorcycle to the side of the stage and a glowing neon clover sign...
Live Review: All Time Low @ Brixton Academy.
Somewhere in between growing hair in some very odd places, and many a violent mood swing; I fell in love with a pop punk band from Maryland, Baltimore. I've gone through a lot of changes since then, and so have All Time Low. Admittedly there are some mixed emotions...
Live Review: Ronnie Spector @ WOW.
Southbank Centre’s ‘WOW - Women of the World Festival’ played host to Ronnie Spector and her ‘Beyond The Beehive’ night of singing, talking, laughing and crying. Like a woman creating the documentary of her life before your very eyes, the show switched between live...
Live Review: Dar Williams @ Bush Hall.
The elegant Bush Hall venue in west London is adorned with red velvet curtains and glistening chandeliers, an ornately carved ceiling overhead and a soft carpet underfoot. So, what would it take to dwarf such grandeur? The answer, it transpires, is the songs and...
Live Review: Me First And The Gimme Gimmes
“This one’s a cover...”, drawls singer Spike Slawson in a serious tone as he looks out across a packed theatre and introduces the next song. This makes me laugh each time he says it - which is often, tonight - since Me First And The Gimme Gimmes is nothing but a...
Interview: Garland Jeffreys. Truth In Between.
Garland Jeffreys is on a UK tour and stopped off at the Hotel California in Bloomsbury to talk to me about life on the road, truth, families and sleeping in. He went to the same school as Lou Reed in Syracuse, they were friends for 50 years. He studied Renaissance art...
Live Review: Brody Dalle @ Hoxton Bar & Kitchen.
The singer from The Distillers and Spinerette, Brody Dalle has started touring to present her debut solo album. She played an intimate show for a few people at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen last night in London. The concert was set to start at 21:30 and with just a few...
Live Review: Family @ Shepherds Bush Empire.
Underestimated by the mainstream but largely adored by those in the know Family caused euphoric joy when they reformed for two special shows last year at this very venue.Initially for a one off experience Family are rightly back doing it again exactly one year on...
Live Review: Kodo @ Lighthouse.
Comprising a breath-taking combination of athletic and electrifying drumming, exquisite musicianship, stunning visuals and pure theatre, Kodo – the legendary taiko drumming ensemble – returned to the UK for the first time since 2010 with their most ambitious...
Interview: Sarah Jarosz – Lone Star in London.
It’s Sarah Jarosz’s last day in London. She doesn’t seem at all tour-weary as she meets me in the cafe of her hotel for a chat. The Texan singer songwriter has just completed a run of concerts as part of the Transatlantic Sessions, alongside established country/folk...
Live Review: Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls @ O2.
Early on in tonight’s show, Frank Turner stops and takes a moment to consider the obstacles that the universe has thrown in our collective path in getting to this, his first headline show at London’s mammoth 02 Arena. He cites the current phenomenal storms lashing and...
Review: 50 Years Of The Who. Colin Jones.
Musical history drips off the walls here in Camden. On my way to Proud Galleries, which is tucked neatly into the famous Stables market, I know that all around me there are any number of struggling artists fervently paying their dues in the basements and bars of the...
Live: Steven Malkmus & The Jicks @ The Forum.
Stephen Malkmus casually saunters on stage at The Forum with his three piece band. Despite the apparently low key entrance, the stage set up has been very specifically and slightly oddly laid out. Stephen is placed way off to the left, his keyboard/guitarist is almost...
Interview: Martin Stephenson. A Wholly Humble Heart.
Martin Stephenson has very much forged his own path - from 1980s major label pop credibility to conceptual musician working with a wide spectrum of artists. His consistent touring and extensive recording history has secured him an avid loyal following. Martin brought...
Live Review: Martin Stephenson @ The Borderline.
Martin Stephenson & The Daintees prove to be an ideal act to see in the run up to Christmas - they exude so much warmth and charm that you walk away wishing good to all mankind and wanting to hug everyone you encounter. Not a particularly common feeling in central...
Interview: Billy Bragg & Frank Turner. Shelter From The Storm.
Two powerful voices in protest music took to the London streets on 17 December for a lunchtime busk in aid of homeless charity Shelter. Billy Bragg and Frank Turner share a few things in common - a punk past, a guitar almost constantly slung over their shoulder and a...
Live Review: Ocean Colour Scene @ Shepherds Bush
Ocean Colour Scene have from time to time been labelled as ‘middle of the road’ but there is utterly no way you could see this band live and still share that view. Laura Bradley writes and photographs. The evening was split into two, one hour sets, the first including...
Live Review: Haim @ The Forum
HAIM, a three piece band of sisters, is reputedly one of those overnight successes that took years of graft. The Californian ladies seemed to be virtually unheard of only a year or so ago. Yet, as 2013 draws to a close they have sold out two nights at north London’s...
Live Review: Don Broco @ The Roundhouse.
Don Broco kicked off their final night on their first headline tour at the Roundhouse in London. Sara Jenkins went along to review and photograph. Stepping out on stage to a loud and enthusiastic London greeting hey opened with You Wanna Know. Jumping straight in at...
Live Review: Billy Bragg @ The Royal Festival Hall.
Billy Bragg has deep ties with the South Bank Centre, London’s sprawling concrete riverside arts complex, which houses the Royal Festival Hall. Imelda Michalczyk photographs and reviews. The ‘Bard of Barking’, as he is sometimes affectionately referred to, organises...
Live Review: No Sinner @ Black Heart.
No Sinner's only performance in London created a buzz among the people who came down for their one night only show. Playing songs from their new album Boo Hoo Hoo as well as covers the venue may have been small but that didn’t stop people flooding to watch this band...
Interview: No Sinner. Canadian Boo.
No Sinner are a blues/rock band from Vancouver making their UK debut at the black heart in Camden tonight.
Live Review: Warped Tour UK @ Alexandra Palace.
In it's second year, the UK Vans Warped Tour has a lot to live up to. In the US, the tour is a mammoth 3 month event, showcasing many genres such as Punk, Metal and Rap in the peak of Summer. Although the UK leg only lasts for 2 days and sits in the middle of a cold,...
Live Review: They Might Be Giants @ Shepherds Bush.
They Might Be Giants are a band whose new work sits comfortably along its established songs and 30 years and 16 studio albums on this is a feat where many others falter. They are seamlessly integrated into the set with comedic explanations that had the audience...
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