Collaborative Music Blogging Project
Midway through his set, Evan Dando mumbles something about liking Bristol and having played at Thekla, and then announces ‘this is a song from 1987’, before bursting into ‘Clang Bang Clang‘ (or ‘Left for Dead‘, depending on whether you read and believe the sleeve to 1988’s Creator or 1990 major label debut Lovey), and it…
Continue reading [Live Review] The Lemonheads, SWX, Bristol 18th February 2019
There’s an awkward point where Air Waves‘s first visit to Bristol looks to be inauspicious. A venue that was packed for support act Katy J Pearson has emptied out to the bar beyond, and as Nicole Schneit takes the stage, there are perhaps seven of us here. Undeterred, she begins, and it isn’t long before…
Continue reading Air Waves, The Crofter’s Rights, Bristol, February 1st 2019
Alone on stage, and bathed in green light, Chicago rapper Serengeti drinks red wine and steps up to the mike. In an engaging and witty set, we are treated to a number of tracks from 2011’s Family & Friends, including The Whip, an ode to a failed UFC fighter, and California, about the post-career reinvention…
Continue reading Serengeti, Hy-Brasil Music Club, Bristol 20/11/16
The front room of the Stag & Hounds is well known as a punk venue in Bristol, but apparently they sometimes run gigs concurrently in a tiny upstairs room. So it was that we walked in to a punk show raging, with a sign informing us our gig was upstairs. We passed the sound man…
Continue reading Robocobra Quartet/ Steve Strong, The Stag & Hounds, Bristol 13/11/2016
It’s a Melbourne rock ‘n’ roll residency as Courtney Barnett brings her local pals Big Scary with her. Kicking off the first of two nights at London’s Forum. Definitely worth arriving early for, Big Scary are fitting opener for this sell out show. Officially they’re a duo comprised of Tom Isanek and singing-drummer Jo Symes,…
Continue reading [Live Review] Courtney Barnett + Big Scary @ The Forum, London 25.11.15
Tonight’s double-header kicks off a month long celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Nonesuch Records at the Barbican. This is a fitting place for a label with such a rich and varied cultural history – it has been home to the likes of John Zorn, Caetano Veloso, The Black Keys and of course tonight’s performers. Devendra…
Continue reading [Live Review] Devendra Banhart / Rokia Traoré , Barbican, London, 2nd May 2014
Warhol-haired, Kiwi musician and singer Connan Mockasin may be a slight figure, but he’s quite a formidable presence. Opening song It’s Your Body envelopes the place with a sound that is a heady cocktail of Pink Floyd and Prince (if the latter were singing inside a fishtank), replete with woozy, whirly guitar effects. This segues…
Continue reading [Live Review] Connan Mockasin, Shepherd’s Bush Empire 28th January 2014
It’s a full house tonight at the Fleece, with a few people adopting a thirties/ forties retro look to match that of Pokey LaFarge (and few more, almost but not quite getting it right, with a fifties greaser look). Opener Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, touring as an acoustic trio in support of their self-titled…
Continue reading [Live Review] Pokey LaFarge and Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, the Fleece, Bristol, 10th November
The stage is awash with dreamy blue hues, and powerful laser beam lights as the artist known as Ghostpoet (better known to his Mum, who is in tonight apparently, as Obaro Ejimiwe) takes to the stage with a heavy rendition of Gaasp. He’s an artist that it isn’t always easy to attach a pesky…
Continue reading [Live Review ] Ghost Poet @ Hackney Empire 24/10/2013
There a few greater privileges in a music fan’s life than getting to review one of their favourite ever bands. That does however mean objectivity is a little more tricky, and by gosh do I love Yo La Tengo. Truthfully, I haven’t been as big a fan of their last few records as I am…
Continue reading [Live review] Yo La Tengo @ Barbican, London, 20/03/13
