King’s X, a three piece band from Texas, are hugely influential, have a large and loyal fan base, and last night played a show in London for the first time in six years. They are, perhaps the archetypical Cult Band. … Read More ›
London
Depeche Mode: Live in London – Review
Their biggest ever show. 80,000 fans. It’s a far cry from their humble origins. Leaving school in 1979, Martin Gore worked as a bank clerk for Nat West in Fenchurch Street, saving the money he earned to buy a Yamaha… Read More ›
Kasabian Return With New Album and Rip-Roaring Live Show
Tonight is a Tuesday. Kasabian’s beloved Leicester City are being knocked out of the Champion’s League. It’s surely no coincidence that the band don’t take the stage of Kentish Town’s Forum until seconds after the final whistle… They might be… Read More ›
Band of Horses: Live at The Troxy
In the midst of Storm Doris last night, Band of Horses braved the wild winds of East London and The Troxy in support of their latest album “Why Are You OK”. Band of Horses are five albums in to their… Read More ›
Neil Young Live at The O2 Arena: A Journey Through The Past
There are two kinds of live artists: those who play the hits, and those who don’t. One of my favourite Neil Young stories is about the time Young played a set of completely new, unheard songs to an audience,… Read More ›
AC/DC Live at The Olympic Stadium, London: Axl/DC On Song
It was rather an unpopular choice of replacement, and there was much muttering about how things wouldn’t be the same. The longer you do a job, the harder you are to replace. But that’s enough about Top Gear. For a… Read More ›
Picture This: A Blondie Photographic Exhibition at Somerset House
As someone who thinks that Art is someone who sang with Paul Simon, it is nevertheless enjoyable to walk around the galleries of London and allow some of the good stuff to soak in to the brain, hopefully adding something… Read More ›
Jack White: Live at the O2 Arena
“Ten years ago I was in a band called The White Stripes and we were going to play the O2 Arena, but we had to cancel the tour, so that’s one reason we’re playing here tonight.” The world most important… Read More ›
The Black Crowes’ First London Show: The Marquee, 1990
The Marquee Club, London. June 1990. I was there to see a band I had only ever read about, who were on the tiny stage just three feet in front of me, lean as rakes, hungrily playing up a storm… Read More ›
Michael Katon, a UK Tour, Two Letters and a Special Cat
Have you ever written to a musician? What happened? Unless you are currently enjoying supper with Bono, I suspect the answer is “not very much”. Not that I would generally blame the musicians. I’m sure at least sixty percent of… Read More ›
Paul McCartney Plays Covent Garden. Best. Busker. Ever.
Friday lunchtimes don’t get much better than today’s. If it wasn’t enough stopping the traffic on Hollywood Boulevard and Times Square, Paul McCartney decided to add the woes of London’s traffic wardens by parking his great big lorry outside the… Read More ›
The Day I Appeared In An AC/DC Video
Ask a teenager now if they would stay up all night to watch TV on the off chance of seeing one of their favourite bands’ music videos and you’ll probably get as baffled a look as the one that Wayne… Read More ›
London Grammar – Strong First Impressions
I had an hour to kill before taking a train and a friend called to say he was going to see a band instore at Rough Trade East and did I want to join him? I said I’ll see what… Read More ›
The Clash Pop Up in Berwick St, London
What has London ever done for us? Well, obviously there’s the literature, theatre, drainage system, architecture, trade and transport. That goes without saying… There’s the shopping, the parks, the restaurants, museums, the multi-cultural mix, the vibrant night life – I’ll… Read More ›
Drenge – Live at the St Moritz Club, Soho
The St Moritz club is named after a part of the world more normally associated with Swiss efficiency. I don’t approve. To paraphrase Orson Welles, what did 500 years of peace get Switzerland? The cuckoo clock? I can only assume… Read More ›
