just a heads up on Smoke Room a new signing to the hip Mostar Records label who deliver on their new single "Sadly It's Forever" a nice slice of down-tempo, atmospheric electronica which wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack to Yolande Zauberman's Clubbed To Death movie. Fans of Massive Attack and Nightmares on Wax will instantly warm to this moody, cinematic number. Pour yourself a nice chilled glass of sauvignon blanc and put the headphones on...
http://www.mostarrecords.com/releases/
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
CAITLIN ROSE @ EXETER PHOENIX - 09/03/2011
Nashville honey Caitlin Rose checks into a very "un-Americana" Exeter and plays a pretty much sold out gig at the Phoenix venue which laps up Caitlin's latest "Own Side Now" album which showcases her as (new) country's leading lady with beautiful torch songs steeped in pedal steel and electric guitars and even throws in a cover of the classic Rolling Stones number "Dead Flowers" and Patsy Cline's "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray"
Caitlin is also a delight to watch and the whole evening passes by way too quickly. I catch up with Caitlin post-show and find out to my great delight that Jimmy Webb is a "favourite" of hers and with that the clink of beer bottles toasts a fantastic Americana evening despite the very reserved Exeter audience in tow.
with Caitlin Rose
Caitlin is also a delight to watch and the whole evening passes by way too quickly. I catch up with Caitlin post-show and find out to my great delight that Jimmy Webb is a "favourite" of hers and with that the clink of beer bottles toasts a fantastic Americana evening despite the very reserved Exeter audience in tow.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
THUNDER TO REFORM @ HIGH VOLTAGE FESTIVAL 2011
Great news to hear Thunder are reforming for a one-date at this summer's High Voltage Festival. This may somewhat surprise Thunder fans as the once EMI signed rockmeisters only ended a 'farewell' tour in the summer of 2009. Nevertheless, Thunder's return is most welcome. I last met guitarist Luke Morley a few years back at the Childline Rocks concert at the O2 Arena prior to Luke forming his current band The Union.
with Luke Morley
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
JIMMY WEBB @ QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL, Monday February 7 2011
I jumped off the Waterloo tube into the cold night air of the Southbank and strolled to the beautiful, stunning Queen Elizabeth Hall, the London Eye lit up in blue neon mesmerizing.
My reason this evening for my visit to the Southbank Centre is to see Jimmy Webb tour his current album "Just Across The River" and now chalking up my seventh Jimmy Webb gig this show did not disappoint and in the beautiful acoustics of the QEH amplify the classic, timeless Webb back catalogue which included tonight such gems as "The Highwayman", "Macarthur Park", "Galveston", "Up, Up and Away" and "Witchita Lineman".
To see Jimmy Webb alone at the piano and perform these songs is utterly a wonderful thing and with Mark Knopfler in the audience I am on cloud nine.
Unfortunately, Jimmy was not doing an official signing session after the gig as he was still recovering from a flu bug which had cancelled the Brighton and Cambridge gigs over the weekend but I did manage to meet Jimmy briefly outside the Artist's Entrance at the QEH and did manage to get my Letters album signed before Jimmy sped away in his chauffeur driven car so I attach below a photograph from a previous Jimmy Webb outing taken @ Ronnie Scott's in September 2007 where I attended Jimmy's 3 night residency.
with Jimmy Webb @ Ronnie Scott's
My reason this evening for my visit to the Southbank Centre is to see Jimmy Webb tour his current album "Just Across The River" and now chalking up my seventh Jimmy Webb gig this show did not disappoint and in the beautiful acoustics of the QEH amplify the classic, timeless Webb back catalogue which included tonight such gems as "The Highwayman", "Macarthur Park", "Galveston", "Up, Up and Away" and "Witchita Lineman".
To see Jimmy Webb alone at the piano and perform these songs is utterly a wonderful thing and with Mark Knopfler in the audience I am on cloud nine.
Unfortunately, Jimmy was not doing an official signing session after the gig as he was still recovering from a flu bug which had cancelled the Brighton and Cambridge gigs over the weekend but I did manage to meet Jimmy briefly outside the Artist's Entrance at the QEH and did manage to get my Letters album signed before Jimmy sped away in his chauffeur driven car so I attach below a photograph from a previous Jimmy Webb outing taken @ Ronnie Scott's in September 2007 where I attended Jimmy's 3 night residency.
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Smoke Fairies @ Exeter Phoenix - Monday January 31 2011
the two beautiful sirens in the shape of Jessica Davies and Katherine Blamire who make up Smoke Fairies are gracing the stage at the Exeter Phoenix this cold January evening and having caught them at the Acoustica Festival last year I know I am in for a treat. The girls from Chichester play a moody, swampy guitar drenched set playing all the songs from their debut album "Through Low Light And Trees" and also an excellent cover of Killing Joke's "Requiem"
I had the great pleasure of meeting Katherine and Jessica after the show and I congratulated them both on a fantastic gig. Highly recommended.
with Katherine and Jessica
I had the great pleasure of meeting Katherine and Jessica after the show and I congratulated them both on a fantastic gig. Highly recommended.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
FISH @ TAVISTOCK WHARF 4/12/10
Fish played the Tavistock Wharf on Saturday which was the opening night of the December Fishheads tour which sees Fish in "acoustic" mode accompanied by journeyman guitarist extraordinaire Frank Usher and keyboard maestro Foss Patterson.
I caught the Fishheads tour back in August this year at The Orange Box in Yeovil and was knocked out by the Fish back catalogue reworked in an acoustic setting and Tavistock raised the game further with classic Marillion numbers being aired in the shape of "Punch and Judy", "Incubus" and encore "Fugazi" which brought the house down !!
It was also great to hear the brilliant probably underrated "Suits" album getting some songs injected into the set by way of "Somebody Special" and "Jumpsuit City"
Overall this was a stunning gig and quite rightly Fish announced at the end of the show to the audience "Tell them I'm back!"
Post show found me back at my hotel where a certain fellow resident happened to be the Fishmeister himself and a wee few drinks were subsequently consumed ;-))
with Fish @ Tavistock
I caught the Fishheads tour back in August this year at The Orange Box in Yeovil and was knocked out by the Fish back catalogue reworked in an acoustic setting and Tavistock raised the game further with classic Marillion numbers being aired in the shape of "Punch and Judy", "Incubus" and encore "Fugazi" which brought the house down !!
It was also great to hear the brilliant probably underrated "Suits" album getting some songs injected into the set by way of "Somebody Special" and "Jumpsuit City"
Overall this was a stunning gig and quite rightly Fish announced at the end of the show to the audience "Tell them I'm back!"
Post show found me back at my hotel where a certain fellow resident happened to be the Fishmeister himself and a wee few drinks were subsequently consumed ;-))
Thursday, 2 December 2010
THE FALL, EXETER PHOENIX 29/11/2010
A very chilly Monday November 29th found me at the bar in the Exeter Phoenix drinking chilly pints of Carlsberg in anticipation of another Fall gig. I arrived at 7pm only to discover Mark E Smith and co wouldn't be on until 10pm !!
10pm arrived and as is the norm these days before a Fall gig, a Video DJ ponces about with archive footage of "iconic" rock stars filmed in concert against a giant projection screen - tonight was Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne! This went on for about 20 minutes and was very boring. The Fall came on about 10:20 and were finished by 11pm - short gig and the bass was far too loud in the mix.
Last year's Fall gig was far better and I had the great pleasure of meeting Mark who was a true gentleman and whose hospitality that evening threw some free cans of lager my way ;-)))
Set List for 29/11/2010
Change
YFOC
Cowboy George
Bury
Chino
Strichniyne
Greenway
Muzoweri's Daughter
Hot Cake
Sparta FC
What About Us
10pm arrived and as is the norm these days before a Fall gig, a Video DJ ponces about with archive footage of "iconic" rock stars filmed in concert against a giant projection screen - tonight was Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne! This went on for about 20 minutes and was very boring. The Fall came on about 10:20 and were finished by 11pm - short gig and the bass was far too loud in the mix.
Last year's Fall gig was far better and I had the great pleasure of meeting Mark who was a true gentleman and whose hospitality that evening threw some free cans of lager my way ;-)))
Set List for 29/11/2010
YFOC
Cowboy George
Bury
Chino
Strichniyne
Greenway
Muzoweri's Daughter
Hot Cake
Sparta FC
What About Us
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)