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...
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: 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: 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: 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,...
Interview: Gary Lucas. Grace, Gods and Golem.
Gary Lucas is back in the UK, more than 30 years after first landing here from the US to tour with Captain Beefheart. He’s travelled the world in the intervening years, writing songs and playing guitar with a plethora of both legendary and obscure artists. This time...
Photography: Simple Minds @ KOKO. Virgin 40th.
Simple Minds played a special show at London's Koko as part of a string of gigs marking the 40th anniversary of Virgin Records. With the band playing the capital's vast O2 Arena at the end of the month, this was a relatively intimate show and a special treat for fans....
Live: Nick Cave @ Hammersmith Apollo
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds kicked off the first of a three night run at west London's Hammersmith Apollo on 26 October 2013. Dressed in an elegant black suit, Cave paced the stage with his familiar intensity of expression. Photographers were only allowed to shoot one...
Live Review: Al Stewart @ Fairfield Halls.
It is always nice to photograph your heroes and Al Stewart is one of mine. The people at Fairfield Halls in Croydon made it all possible with their bend over backwards care, thought and great customer service. Al has been around since the mid 1960's when he got his...
Live Review: Joseph Arthur @ Heath Street Church.
It’s a rainy Friday night in north London and tucked away behind Hampstead tube station there is a church filling up with expectant faces and hushed voices. The congregation are not here to pray, however, but to worship the musical poetry of one Joseph Arthur. Adorned...
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 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...
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: 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...
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...
Live Review: Tomoyasu Hotei @ Shepherds Bush Empire.
Tomoyasu Hotei, who last played London at the Roundhouse in Dec 2012, was back at Shepherds Bush Empire with his Electric Samurai concert on another cold winter's evening. That didn’t stop his Japanese and London fans being there for a night of exciting live music....
Interview: The Selecter – Back On Your Radio.
The Selecter was an integral part of the original 2 Tone scene in the UK with hits such as Too Much Pressure and On My Radio. With a major tour coming up in early 2014 and a new album just out, the band took to the road for a few dates supporting Public Image Limited....
Live Review: Graham Parker & The Rumour
Graham Parker & The Rumour performed in London for the first time since 1979 and had a set list to thrill. With lights bright for the opening numbers of Fools Gold and White Honey the over capacity crowd, I mean it was crammed at the Shepherds Bush Empire, went wild....
Live Review: Public Image Limited @ Shepherds Bush.
Shepherd’s Bush Empire is packed out with fans young and old on this Monday night as Public Image Limited take to the stage. Opening with ‘Deeper Water’, the band stampede through a set that includes the classic ‘This Is Not A Love Song’ (thrown in early), ‘Warrior’...
Interview: Joseph Arthur. The Ballad of Joseph Arthur.
Discovered by Peter Gabriel in the 1990s, Joseph Arthur’s musical pilgrimage since has seen him release ten albums, form ‘supergroups’ with high profile musicians, have his work covered by virtual household names such as Michael Stipe (REM) and Chris Martin (Coldplay)...
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: 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: 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...
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: Alice in Chains @ Ally Pally.
After two promising performances by special guests Walking Papers with former drummer of Screaming Trees, Barrett Martin and bassist Duff McKagan and the eccentric on-stage presence of the Swedish band Ghost, the band that Dave Grohl played the magic wands on their...
Live Review: Kodaline @ Shepherds Bush Empire.
Kodaline at the Shepherds Bush Empire demonstrated a faultless, multitude of musical immensity, from the lyrics, the hooks to the emotion that sits behind their music. Laura Bradley went to the show to photograph and review for Rockshot. Their performance was heart...
Live: Steve Hackett. Genesis Revisted.
The Birmingham Symphony Hall is one of the best venues in the world for listening to live musical acts, it features sound boards purposely positioned and when looking upwards from the stalls the roof structure reflects like an upside down hull of a dream liner ship....
Photography: Marky Ramone & Andrew WK.
Marky Ramone brought his Blitzkrieg to London's Electric Ballroom on 23 October 2013. With Andrew WK taking on vocals, the four piece band exuded lots of energy - and hair - from the start. With a two page setlist, the crowd were in for a packed and sweaty show....
Live Review: The Selecter @ Shepherds Bush.
The Selecter is an interesting choice to support Public Image Limited at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. The obvious link is that John Lydon was first coming to prominence at the forefront of London punk in the 1970s when Coventry’s 2 Tone ska act The Selecter were also...
Photography: Leonard Cohen @ 02 Arena
Leonard Cohen opened his London show at O2 Arena with the heartfelt 'Dance Me To The End Of Love'. As part of his ongoing and extensive world tour, the master of poetic song arrived on stage in an almost spritely manner, with a band all sharply dressed in suits....
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