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For those of you haven’t been living in a anti-mainstream cave for the last few years, Peter Andre needs little introduction. I want to clear one thing up from the start, nobody went to this gig to be in awe of Mr Andre’s musical wizardry, despite the desire to be regarded as a respected R&B artist. |
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Jazz is not my usual cup of tea. I’m more of a rock and metal fan, but having been introduced to Courtney Pine in the mid-90s, it would have been rude not to see him in the amazing setting of Birmingham Town Hall. |
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For the final time this year, the Vivid warehouse in Digbeth housed another chapter in the celebrations of local promoters Capsule's tenth birthday. Tonights extravaganza was coupled with the renowned Capsule Christmas party which over the years has seen everything from West Brom math-rockers Solway Fifth setting the scene for years to come, to Pelican and Mistress laying waste to the Medicine Bar, to Jesus Lizard Icon David Yow wanting to take Beestung Lips’ Thom home with him. |
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It’s their seventh year Christmas tour itch to, yet again, stitch themselves into the tapestry of Q’s one of the top fifty live bands of all time (and who are the others, pray?) The Pogues thump the boards and enchant the hoards of giddy up-for-it punters whose stage barrier rib-crunching jiggery Pogueries are bathed in a phosphorescent blue. Scanning the age range reveals an ever-growing youthful fan-base who could only have been but twinkles in their parents’ illicitly shared Rum, Sodomy and Lash fueled heavy petting 1980’s eyes. |
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John Lydon is an acquired taste. He is happy to alienate and aggravate both friend and fiend alike. He will endeavor to do what is least expected. He is confrontational with a touch of paranoia. He is the eternal anarchist. But like or loath him, you cannot deny his honesty and passion when it comes to Public Image Ltd. Born out of the train wreck that was the Sex Pistols, PiL eclipsed the pub rock of Steve Jones and Glen Matlock and immediately influenced the music world from their conception in 1978. |
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Placebo have been a band I’ve been into since ‘Nancy Boy’ was first released, but somehow a band I’ve never seen live. I must admit when I bought my ticket back in the summer I was puzzled why they were at the LG Arena, but it was screened off and made really quite cosy. |
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I didn't go into this gig with much expectation from the recordings I had heard. From her presentation and image I got the impression of Paloma Faith as just another melodramatic pop artist like Florence and the Machine. She came across more as a graduate of performance school than a musician with heart and soul. Musically, her voice seemed to jump too eagerly on the neo Soul/Jazz bandwagon along with Winehouse, Duffy. It just goes to show; when you don't hold out much hope for a gig, it can surprise you in a big way. |
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The fifth night of the Sharpen Up The Knives UK tour proved to be a taxing one for Puressence in more ways than one. |
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So tonight, for me should have been a night of some of the best dark metal that is currently on offer from two of the largest bands of the genre Sweden’s Katatonia and Yorkshire’s finest Paradise Lost. |
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This was a night of the somewhat unexpected, from the pitifully poor turn out to the surprising turn of events during the encores. |
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So it’s midweek, Friday’s not quite here but thankfully Monday is a memory, What do you do? Buy a lottery ticket and dream of all the things you’ll spend your millions on or go to The Hare & Hounds so see South Africa’s finest export? |
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Opening tonight's gig is South Africa's finest export, and probably the best dressed band around, The Parlotones. For those of you who have never heard of the them they are one of the biggest selling artists ever in their homeland, but thankfully they spend most of their time in England or on tour. As the band kick into the opening track it becomes evident that something's technically not quite right. 'Only Human' then 'Giant Mistake' are all radio friendly tracks. |
