New Music Reviews
The Strypes, Concorde 2, BrightonThursday, 13 February 2014
The Strypes broke through initially with an amped-up version of the blues, akin to the sounds of the early Sixties London blues rock explosion that gave us the Rolling Stones. Tonight proved that they’ve since taken a Tardis through the decades - although no further than 1992 or so - but have kept fast hold of their smash’n’grab garage band ethos. Read more... |
Prince, Shepherds Bush EmpireMonday, 10 February 2014
If you're looking for good vibes, you could do worse than watch people who've queued up for a surprise show by a megastar finally getting through the doors, having paid only a tenner. The buzz on the way into the Shepherds Bush Empire last night, in fact, was a real tonic – people whooping, spontaneously singing, grinning inanely. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Mike BloomfieldSunday, 09 February 2014
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Loop Collective Club Night, The VortexSunday, 09 February 2014
The emergence of artists’ collectives, bristling with idealism and wacky manifestoes, is usually a sign of a vigorous cultural scene. London’s new improvised music scene enjoys several successful examples, of which Loop is perhaps the most prominent. Last night’s Loop club night at the Vortex showed the idea at its best, combining new and established acts across a range of genres. Read more... |
Alexander Hawkins' One Tree Found, Cafe OTOTuesday, 04 February 2014
Bach, Duke Ellington and free jazz improvisation met at Cafe OTO last night, and joyously warped some minds. Composer Alexander Hawkins’ BBC Radio 3 commission, the nonet piece "One Tree Found", was part of last year’s Baroque Spring season. Read more... |
Suzanne Vega, Town Hall, BirminghamTuesday, 04 February 2014
Suzanne Vega clearly likes her new album, Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles. Either that or she’s got this promotional lark down to a fine art. Tonight we were treated to seven of its ten tracks, which is not something you might expect of someone who began their recording career in 1985 and has since released seven other albums and a fair few hit singles Read more... |
Taylor Swift, O2 ArenaMonday, 03 February 2014
When the red curtain opens - or drops with delicious melodrama - on the second night of Taylor Swift’s residency at the O2 Arena, the first thing you notice is her eyes. We’re a crowd of thousands, packed into the second largest stadium in the UK, and with our monumental collective gaze directed at one person you wouldn’t expect such intimate details to translate. But Swift need move only her eyes to elicit screams like you’ve never heard in your life. Read more... |
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Assembly Hall, WorthingSunday, 02 February 2014
Kitty Lux is one of the founders of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Her performance of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love" sums up their wonderful act. Sat strumming stonily stationary, clad in black with a red scarf around her short dark hair and an expression of seen-it-all hangdog boredom on her face, she delivers the song beautifully, her compadres adding the sweetest harmonies. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: The Seeds, The Dream SyndicateSunday, 02 February 2014
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Lloyd Cole and the Leopards, Shepherd's Bush EmpireSaturday, 01 February 2014
Last night Lloyd Cole arrived on stage with a similar suede-and-corduroy air to that of his Eighties college-rock hits. Yet something was different. Over the last few years he has developed a real gravitas. It showed in the lines on his face and gunmetal hair; and it's this depth that critics have perceived on his recent album, Standards. Yet despite the critical acclaim the old troubadour is still not happy with how he’s “ disappearing into a niche”. Read more... |
Michael Bloomfield: From his Head to his Heart to his Hands
The Seeds: Raw & Alive / The Dream Syndicate: The Day Before Wine and RosesPages
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