Live Review
LIVE REVIEW: Richard Dawson, The Barbican, London
YOU HAVE to take your hat off to everyone at the Barbican – and, as we were told by Erland Cooper in the very first of these sessions – a mystery benefactor, who made a substantial donation, allowing this autumn series of Live at the Barbican shows to take place – there’s a whole variety …
LIVE REVIEW: The Divine Comedy, Barbican, London
TWO GIGS in one calendar week in 2020; this is unprecedented. Both live streams, maybe, but that’s just fine by me in a world which looks to have decided its wearing the garb of a bad Hammer or Amicus dystopia for the whole livelong year, and not just for Hallowe’en. Trick rather than treat, indeed. …
LIVE REVIEW: Erland Cooper, The Barbican, London: bringing the soul of Orkney to the heart of the capital
TO THE Barbican, that beautiful, brutalist residential and cultural hub in London EC2: for a gig. A gig! Livestream or not, it’s a red letter day in 2020. Ah … gigs. Aren’t they wonderful, beauteous things. Okay, it’s a livestream event, but look at it out there; am I in a position to choose? Are …
LIVE: OSees whirl up a sandstorm in the Californian desert for The Levitation Sessions
A FRIDGE full of beers; pizza and chips in the oven, and a spread of crisps laid out: this is the ‘new normal’ for the live show experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. The surreal element of watching a band from halfway across the world from the comfort of the living room will likely never actually …
Live Review: IDLES – Lock-In Sessions, 29/30.08.2020
This live stream performance from Abbey Road studios consisted of three sets; two on Saturday night at 9pm and 11:45pm (BST) and a third on Sunday at 12pm. There’s a palpable sense of anticipation as the minutes count down, amplified by the excited comments in the live chat column. At just after nine, the screen …
Gallery: The Last Gigs Before Lockdown – Phil Roberts
In celebration of the recent government news of a rescue package for the future of Britain’s museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and importantly music venues we have a look at some of the last gigs before the country went into lockdown. First up photographer Phil Roberts shares images from his last gig at …
LIVE: The Clashed at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton (Tribute band)
The Clash tribute band and quite frankly, the only band that matters – The Clashed, managed to pack out the old Theatre in Stockton just prior to the lockdown that disrupted the venues live music plans. The Clashed have been around almost as long as The Clash themselves. They provide all the angst and riot …
Live: EWAH and the Vision of Paradise, Altar, Hobart 14 March 2019
EWAH and the Vision of Paradise were launching their single ‘Play Hard’ (see my review and interview here) in their home town, seemingly on the cusp of the apocalypse, and it was a great performance from a band that is incredibly mature and poised. While undoubtedly the enigmatic EWAH, as the principle songwriter, guitarist and …
Live: Costume
The Peacock Theatre in Salamanca – a historic dockside part of inner city Hobart – is quite unique. It is part of a line of old sandstone warehouses facing the docks and the back wall of the stage is the raw rock cliff face that backs the buildings. It is a small and intimate space, …
LIVE: BAJZEL AND THE LIKKOR MEN. STICKY FINGERS BAR, MIDDLESBROUGH
There was a buzz around this gig and everyone present knew it was going to be a good one. The Likkor men are always raucous, loud and imperfect. Pure rock n roll. They bring the party. Bajzel hails all the way from Poland and playing his second show in Middlesbrough. Described as a “one man …