New Music Reviews
theartsdesk in Orkney: St Magnus Festival 2018 - choral music to the foreSaturday, 30 June 2018
With – unusually – no visiting orchestra at this year’s St Magnus International Festival in far-flung Orkney (the fall-out from delayed funding confirmations, we’re assured), there was a danger that the annual midsummer event might have felt a little – well, quiet. Read more...
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Supersonic Festival 2018 review – Birmingham waves the flag for New Weird BritainWednesday, 27 June 2018
A mere fortnight after the Download Festival, the Midlands was at it again over the weekend, celebrating noisy musical mavericks who have no truck with the mainstream. Read more... |
The Cure, RFH review - sterling close-up show from alt-pop stalwartsTuesday, 26 June 2018
The Robert Smith-curated Meltdown festival in London came to a close on Sunday night with a spectacular, concept-driven headline set by The Cure, or CUREATION 25, as the band was actually billed, presumably because of a previously contracted show at Hyde Park that's due to take place in two weeks’ time. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Contract in Blood / Winds of TimeSunday, 24 June 2018
Although the cover of the 19 May 1979 issue of the music weekly Sounds was dominated by a photo of American rocker Ted Nugent, attention was also grabbed by a trail for a feature on “Heavy Metal…The New British Bands”. The two-page article it related to was headlined If You Want Blood, You’ve Got It... Read more... |
theartsdesk at Glastonbury Festival 2018Friday, 22 June 2018
Daft Punk! Kendrick Lamar! The Kinks! Yes! We blew the lid off! Read more... |
theartsdesk on Vinyl 40: Talking Heads, Ornette Coleman, Crayola Lectern, Brian Eno, Ash and moreThursday, 21 June 2018
Earlier this year, in May, Brighton hosted the Vinyl World Congress where Paul Pacifico, head of the Association of Independent Music, told the assembled that, “People pay for vinyl not because they have to but because they want to - they want a physical representation of their emotional connection with an artist." There was a general agreement that vinyl collectors and fans account for the majority of sales, but... Read more... |
David Byrne, Eventim Apollo review - twice in a lifetime?Thursday, 21 June 2018
Forgive the sports metaphor, but David Byrne knocked this one out of the park. Read more... |
The Rolling Stones, Twickenham Stadium review - until the next goodbye?Wednesday, 20 June 2018
Eel Pie, the tiny eyot in the Thames, is not too a long walk from Twickenham stadium – within hollering distance, almost, if you had that kind of voice. And if anywhere could lay claim to being the nursery that provided the perfect growing conditions for The Rolling Stones, then Eel Pie and The Crawdaddy in Richmond would be it. Read more... |
Scorpions/ Megadeth, O2 Arena review - by turns lavish, silly and exhilaratingMonday, 18 June 2018
Scorpions stepped on stage wearing leather jackets and shades, and launched straight into "Going Out With a Bang". For a band who, only a few short years ago, were tempted by retirement, the song was a statement of intent. "No sign of slowing down," went the words. And boy did they mean it. Read more... |
Paloma Faith, Bedgebury Pinetum review - positive pop in a woodland settingMonday, 18 June 2018
There is a real festival ambience to this quintessentially English field-gig, set amidst the stunning forests of Bedgebury Pinetum as part of the Forestry Commission’s Forest Live concert series. Groups of 40-something chino-clad daahhlings lay out their Joules picnic blankets and luxury camping chairs as visions of the local Waitrose being positively looted for champers and strawbs dance in my mind. Read more... |
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