Live Review
Live Review: SWANS at The Reflektor, Liège 19.05.2015
I’ll admit, my only knowledge of SWANS is that of a friend playing them back in the eighties; an album with a dollar sign on the sleeve (‘Greed’ 1986). My frazzled memory lumped them in with that ‘Butthole Surfers’/’Big Black’ school of American nut-job noise, with a side-serving of Psychick TV cultism. Now, almost thirty …
Live Review: Glastonbury Festival – Sunday 28th June 2015
After Saturday’s packed line up, there was no let up on the third and final day of live music. The Pyramid Stage has a reputation to open each day with a random selection of music. Sunday was to be no different, as we started our day off with The Burtle Silver Band. They attended to …
Live Review: Glastonbury Festival – Saturday 27th June 2015
The sun was out again. There were several more bleary-eyed faces from the previous night, but still everyone was on the beers straight after breakfast. The Pyramid was our stage of choice for the opining act. We were brought gently around by The Unthanks, backed by Charles Hazelwood & His Orchestra. ‘Are you all up …
Live Review: Evil Blizzard. Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 04-07-2015
Saturday night, the place is packed and it’s as hot as Hell. Not only is it hot as Hell, but as the stage becomes bathed in blood red lights five figures enter and at a glance you could quite easily believe that someone had spiked your drink and you were tripping in Hell. All around …
Live Review: Glastonbury Festival – Friday 26th June 2015
Glastonbury is unlike any other festival in the UK or abroad. It isn’t just a music festival. It is a festival of performing arts. Whilst the music is go the broadest spectrum imaginable, you can also come across some great poets, circus acts, speakers and comedians. You can spend one moment rocking out to your …
Live: The Membranes, Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 04-07-2015
It’s a very hot summers night in Leeds, and as The Membranes take the stage, it’s clear from the off that the temperature is set to carry on rising. Opening number, “The Universe Explodes Into a Billion Photons of Pure White Light”, initially takes a few of the crowd by surprise. Taken from the bands …
Live Review: Gengahr – Rough Trade East, London 2.7.15, plus gallery
We were in the middle of a heat wave but, judging by the large crowd that formed in Rough Trade East on a balmy July evening, Gengahr were going to get a warm reception whatever the weather. I’m pleased to say that Gengahr’s teenage fans showed up en masse for this in store show, waving …
Live Review: Lisbon, Bayonet, The Rocking Chair, Sheffield, 18.06.2015
Lisbon first came onto my radar last year when I accidentally caught them supporting Saint Motel at Plug in Sheffield. They were enthusiastic, exciting and totally deserving of a bigger crowd than their support slot offered them. In the months since this visit to Sheffield, they’ve been working on their material and should see an …
Live Review: Long Division 2015 – Wakefield 12th – 14th June
Long Division, a three day urban festival, spread over eight venues all within spitting distance of each other. Over 60 bands on offer and with the added bonus of it been just down the road in the city where I grew up, and still live. What started out five years ago as a full on …
Live Review: Eindhoven Psych Lab – Day 2
Day 2, (see Day 1 here), of Eindhoven Psych Lab commenced with a leisurely breakfast, fit for a king, courtesy of the Hampshire Hotel – Crown Eindhoven. Offered as part of a combined early booking event ticket, it epitomises the organisers’ flawless attention to detail. This is the second year I have had the pleasure of staying in this …