New Music Reviews
Spring Quartet, BarbicanTuesday, 08 April 2014
In the 1960s and early 70s drummer Jack DeJohnette, now 71, was learning his craft with nearly everyone who was anyone, including Coltrane, Monk, Keith Jarrett and Miles Davis. Read more... |
Evan Parker: 70th-Birthday Celebration, Kings PlaceSunday, 06 April 2014
John Coltrane’s extravagant, trance-like saxophone-playing is often considered the pinnacle of jazz technique, but for Evan Parker, who celebrated his 70th birthday with a concert at Kings Place last night, it was only the starting point. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Gram ParsonsSunday, 06 April 2014
|
Celebrating Jon Lord, Royal Albert HallSaturday, 05 April 2014
Jon Lord may have tickled his last ivory in 2012, but last night his spirit lived defiantly on. The great and the good from both heavy and contemporary music gathered in his memory. It was for a serious purpose - to raise funds for pancreatic cancer care. But, boy, what a time we had doing it. A revolving door of stars brought us wild solos, screaming vocals and thundering rhythms. Read more... |
Polar Bear, XOYOThursday, 03 April 2014
“The most influential band of the last ten years. Period,” said Jez Nelson, of BBC Radio 3’s Jazz On 3, announcing Polar Bear to the XOYO audience last night. It’s difficult to live up to an introduction like that, especially when the band wanted the audience to focus on their new album, which was launched that night. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Elton JohnSunday, 30 March 2014
|
Rebecca Ferguson, Symphony Hall, BirminghamFriday, 28 March 2014
As anyone who has a television will know, Rebecca Ferguson is a graduate of The X Factor – having come runner-up in the 2010 competition. Read more... |
Goldfrapp, Symphony Hall, BirminghamThursday, 27 March 2014
Goldfrapp have already toured new album, Tales of Us, having hit the road in the UK and Europe last autumn. Read more... |
Drake, O2 ArenaTuesday, 25 March 2014
There was something of a Canadian invasion at the O2 last night, but this is about as far from lumberjacks and mounties as it comes. Abel Tesfaye, better known as the Weeknd, is getting straight to the point. “I want to get on top, London!” This may of course simply be a metaphor for his and mentor Drake’s meteoric rise to fame, but Tesfaye does seem to like saying naughty things. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Lou AdlerSunday, 23 March 2014
|
Gram Parsons: The Early Years Vol 1 & 2
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road box set
Various Artists: Lou Adler – A Musical HistoryPages
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 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a 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
Help to give theartsdesk a future!
It all started on 09/09/09. That memorable date, September 9 2009, marked the debut of theartsdesk.com.
It followed some...
This is My Family, Southwark Playhouse - London debut of 201...
MOR. Twee. Unashamedly crowdpleasing. Are such descriptors indicative of a tedious night in the stalls? For your reviewer, who has...
Alan Sparhawk, EartH Theatre review - an absorbing game of t...
For the first half-hour of this show – on the day before the release of his new album Alan Sparhawk With Trampled by Turtles – Alan...
10 Questions for musician Michael Gira
Michael Gira (born 19/2/54) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, author and artist. He founded Swans, a band in which he sings and plays...
Album: Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful
A couple of months ago, I wrote here that Lady Gaga was the godmother of the new generation of ostentatiously “theatre kid” pop stars – but...
The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone, BBC Two - boom and bust...
As this two-part documentary vividly illustrates, it...
Album: Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Garbage’s eighth album, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, arrives with weighty intentions and a strong sense of purpose, but the end...
The Salt Path review - the transformative power of nature
“I can’t move my arms or legs but apart from that I’m good to go.” Moth (Jason Isaacs) has to be pulled out of the tent in his sleeping bag by his...
The Flying Dutchman, Opera Holland Park review - into the st...
Thankfully, Julia Burbach’s version of The Flying Dutchman for Opera Holland Park doesn’t try to be one of those concept-laden...
The Frogs, Southwark Playhouse review - great songs save upd...
As a regular theatregoer, you learn pretty quickly that there’s no story too bizarre to work as a...