Category: Live Reviews
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Leonard Cohen – Live at the O2 Arena – Review
Warning: The following Leonard Cohen In Concert review may contain lazy, clichéd references to attributes associated with Leonard Cohen which may upset some more sensitive fans of Cohen including words and phrases such as: a) Depressing b) Old age pensioner (Spoiler: keep reading – it all turns out okay in the end). I was very…
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Elvis Costello and The Imposters – Live at Southend
What a show! Go-Go dancers, angry anti-establishment songs and a ton of energy coming from the stage. No, it’s not The Beastie Boys‘ first tour again, it’s…Elvis Costello and The Imposters. Believe it: Elvis Costello brought his Spectacular Spinning Songbook tour to Southend last night, and rattled off a hugely entertaining and enjoyable – positively…
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Masters of Reality – Live at O2 Islington Academy – Review
Masters of Reality played the O2 Islington Academy last night and gave the performance I had been waiting twenty five years to see, with a powerful, career spanning set. I have seen Masters of Reality twice before. The first time was in 2001. Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri were in the band, but the only…
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The Flaming Lips Play “The Most Important Show Ever” – Live at Camden Roundhouse
The most important show ever? Well – actually that’s just a “sacred obligation” between Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne and last night’s audience at The Camden Roundhouse, where the Lips played last night. Let me explain… It had been a tough couple of days for The Flaming Lips. First, they postponed Monday’s Roundhouse…
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British Sea Power Panda To The Shepherd’s Bush Empire – Live Review
On the day that the last Orchestrator of British Sea Power (via the Falklands conflict) was buried, it was fitting that British Sea Power (the band) marked the occasion by laying unnecessary waste to a Shepherd’s Bush Empire that was minding its own business and retreating into an exclusion zone with a stunning live show…
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Jake Bugg Live!
With a number one debut album to his name, Jake Bugg‘s success has been quite something to behold, especially as it has come at a time in his life when a boy of his age should be outside kicking a ball around: he’s still only nineteen years old. His Dylan-and-Simon-and-Garfunkel-tinged debut album earned him plaudits and support…
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Suede: New Album “Bloodsports” Live At Rough Trade East
It’s great when an innovative and much loved British artist comes out of hibernation after ten years of silence with a great new album. But that’s enough about David Bowie, let’s talk about Suede… Suede have quietly managed their own comeback this year – and, like Bowie, have produced a great new comeback album with…
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Inspiral Carpets Secret Gig at Pretty Green, Covent Garden
Secret gigs are great fun, even in the days of Facebook and Twitter. There’s the uncertainty – is it genuine? Or will I stand in line for an hour for no discernible reason until I am forced to skulk off before anyone notices? Will it really be the band I think it will be? The…
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Wilko Johnson Farewell Tour – Live At Koko
Wilko Johnson – the former Dr Feelgood guitarist – announced in January this year that he had terminal cancer, and that he wouldn’t be undergoing chemotherapy to extend his life a little. He said he felt “vividly alive”, and that he would be playing a few “farewell” shows, if his health would allow, and announced…
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The History Of Apple Pie – Live At Rough Trade East
The History of Apple Pie made an in-store appearance at Rough Trade East last night to celebrate the release of their debut album Out Of View. The History of Apple Pie have a quirky name, but a fantastic sound that combines a wall of sound guitar with lush (or should that be Lush?) vocals with…
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2012 In Pictures
As 2012 comes to a close, here are a few concert pictures that I took which best capture the year from my perspective: Just to show that this blog is not just about me making jokes about my favourite musicians, I thought I would share these images. From festivals in The Isle of Wight and…
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Beck’s New Album Song Reader Gets UK Premiere
Have you heard the new Beck album Songreader? If you are taking a stroll through Leigh on Sea this weekend, and you hear the sound of some cats being strangled, don’t call the police straight away. It may just be me playing the new Beck album. Wait: that sounds bad. What I mean is, it’ll…
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Destroyer: Live at The Village Underground
Destroyer played The Village Underground last night to support their Kaputt album. Reason I’m not cool #349 When a friend offered me the chance to see Destroyer, my mind immediately conjured up the cover of the classic Kiss album. Four cartoon clown-faced rock heroes striding boldly out of Detroit Rock City looking for merchandising opportunities.…
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Spiritualized – Live At The Camden Roundhouse
Jason Pierce and his band Spiritualized played The Camden Roundhouse last night. Reason I’m not cool #348: Despite Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space being the NME Album of 1997 (beating Radiohead’s OK Computer no less) I had always avoided Spiritualized like the plague. The reason for this rather odd situation is that…
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Cowbell – Live at the Lexington, N1
Having raved about Stoke Newington garage rockers Cowbell following the release of their single Tallulah, I braved the muesli-and-vegetarian-infested Islington scene and found its finest music venue / boozer The Lexington on Wednesday night to see the band play live. A decent old pub with an upstairs area for bands, The Lexington was a perfect…
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