New Music Reviews
The Struts, O2 Forum Kentish Town review - a masterclass in pleasing an audienceThursday, 17 October 2019
Having exploded on to the scene like a cross between Queen and My Chemical Romance, Derby’s young glam-rock upstarts the Struts are on top of the world. They've cracked America, supported the Rolling Stones, the Who, Mötley Crüe, Foo Fighters and Guns N’Roses and delighted a home crowd at 2018's Download festival, and are currently thrilling audiences on their own ludicrously entertaining headline tour. Read more... |
Richard Hawley, Barrowland, Glasgow - black clad crooner's songs remain full of atmosphere and heartThursday, 17 October 2019
When Richard Hawley arrived onstage, he had a confession to make. “I like to talk”, he declared, before adding “and play rock n’ roll”. Both were delivered in ample supply during the ensuing performance, the black clad quiff wearing troubadour a natural fit for one of Scotland’s most famed rock n’ roll locations. Read more... |
Bill Frisell's Harmony, Cadogan Hall review – superb AmericanaWednesday, 16 October 2019
“Bill Frisell is all about sound and melody and enhancing whatever context he is in.” That quote, which defines both the American guitarist’s gentle and benign nature and his huge level of musicianship, is from Emma Franz, who recently directed and produced a film portrait of him. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Dip - Ḣ-Camp Meets Lo-FiSunday, 13 October 2019
The temptation with the 20th anniversary reissue of Ḣ-Camp Meets Lo-Fi (Explosion Picture Score) is to look for traces of what came earlier and pointers towards what would come in Iceland’s music. The album was credited to Dip, a collaboration between former Sugarcubes drummer Sigtryggur Baldursson and the on-the-up Jóhann Jóhannsson. Read more... |
PP Arnold, Islington Assembly Hall review - joy in a consummate musical settingSaturday, 12 October 2019
“I had my first inter-racial relationship.” Moments after walking on stage and before the first song, PP Arnold is reminiscing about when she first arrived in Britain in 1966. Read more... |
Black Flag, The Mill, Birmingham review – hardcore punk originators come up trumpsThursday, 10 October 2019
Prior to this week, it had been 35 years since hardcore punk firestarters Black Flag had set foot in the UK. That said, it was not without some trepidation that I made my way to one of Birmingham’s more compact venues to see a band who had once been genre-defining, get on stage and do their stuff. Read more... |
Alice Cooper, The Stranglers, MC50, Brighton Centre review - a triple-headed blast of vintage rockWednesday, 09 October 2019
The Ol’ Black Eyes is Back Tour celebrates Alice Cooper’s 50 years using his stage name. He’d been around under other names before 1969 but Alice Cooper – originally the title of the band rather than the man – achieved success as the Seventies began by combining trash-glam drag with stompin’ riffy music. Read more... |
Kano, Brighton Dome review - simply joyousMonday, 07 October 2019
Kano’s lyrics often sound like a wake, mixing mournfulness and anger as they raise a toast to fallen friends on abandoned estates, casualties of crushing pressures alien to the authorities who pronounce on them in the tabloids and parliament. Read more... |
Two Door Cinema Club, O2 Academy, Glasgow - lively but risk averse party songs for the weekendMonday, 07 October 2019
The onstage arrival of Two Door Cinema Club was heralded by a tongue-in-cheek video countdown that reached zero and then flashed up an error message, before asking the crowd to “try again”. In truth, the band’s own performance was never likely to hit any hitches, being the sort of well-honed and slick display that you would expect from a group who have been touring steadily for the past several months. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: The Hollywood Stars - Sound CitySunday, 06 October 2019
The Hollywood Stars were not shy. Read more... |
Pages
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 10,000 pieces, we're asking for £3.95 per month or £30 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take an annual subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
latest in today
Giri/Haji, BBC Two review - inspired Anglo-Japanese thriller...
Well here’s an interesting one. We’ve been up to our eyebrows in Eurocops for the past few years, but this Anglo-Japanese fusion from...
[Blank], Donmar Warehouse review - strong but dispiriting
Clean Break, the theatre company that specialises in working with women in the criminal justice system, is doing a lot of celebrating. It's the...
Non-Fiction - adultery spices up digitisation drama
It isn’t provable whether adultery is more accepted in French ...
Ehnes, Hallé, Gabel, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester review - h...
Changes from the artists originally advertised can bring some happy discoveries....
CD: Allah-Las - LAHS
It’s unfortunate that LAHS’s opening track is titled “Holding Pattern” as the album only achieves lift off with its ninth cut “Light...
Zombieland: Double Tap review - dead dull redo
Another unnecessary sequel: we’re used to this sort of thing. The film knows it, too, as lead dork Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) meekly thanks the...
The Struts, O2 Forum Kentish Town review - a masterclass in...
Having exploded on to the scene like a cross between Queen and My Chemical Romance, Derby’s young glam-...
Dariescu, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Simonov, Symphony H...
It remains some of the most terrifying music ever written....
Richard Hawley, Barrowland, Glasgow - black clad crooner...
When Richard Hawley arrived onstage, he had a confession to make. “I like to talk”, he declared, before adding “and play rock n’ roll”. Both were...