Archive for the ‘Gig Review’ Category
The Choir’s on Fire
This is a one off sort of show, Doves are marking the end of a successful year by playing their largest ever gig in Manchester, technically their home town – They actually hail from nearby Wilmslow in Cheshire. The chosen venue is the excellent Manchester Central (formerly GMEX), the old mainline railway station closed in 1969 and now revamped after a decade in dereliction. Read the rest of this entry »
Oh we do like to be beside the Seaside.
Bridlington. Once upon a time a bustling resort, packed out all summer with good folk from West and South Yorkshire, huge trains bringing trippers into the town for sea, sand, and John Bull rock. Nowadays the tourist trade has declined somewhat, though the place in nowhere as grim as some people would make out. Even in December the bay can regain a bit of splendour, when viewed across the great sandy expanse of the superb South Beach, with the morning sun shimmering over the water. Read the rest of this entry »
A Band Reborn
“In your darkest hour you strike gold”
It has been said before, but Rock City is a superb venue in which to watch a band, definitely in the top five in the UK. Dark, dingy and an expensive bar it may have, but its a pretty good view from wherever you choose to go, and the band must feel the audience is right on top of them. Its a wide and short place so even at the back you are pretty close to the action. Read the rest of this entry »
A marathon effort
You know that when a band comes on at eight o clock that its going to be a long show. Most of the punters seemed to know this and there was no milling about outside, everyone seemed to be in their place when the familiar roadie in a rabbit suit came on and treated us to a run through of YMCA, warming us up for the main event. When the lights dipped the stage set sprang into life, and what had looked like a pretty dull layout was transformed by a huge video backdrop of a city skyline. And there suddenly standing amongst it were the band. Read the rest of this entry »
You have been warned
Lemmy – 63 and still doing it
This was one of those shows when you wonder just how many folk would turn up. One of the great rock bands of all time, one of the great punk bands of all time and the original all girl metal band all under one roof, but in truth all rather trading on past glories. We need not have worried, the Apollo is packed, its a raucous Saturday night and we await entertainment of the heaviest kind.
It is to their credit that Girlschool are still performing Read the rest of this entry »
On the laser's edge
Not of this world
The return of Muse promised to be memorable for a couple of reasons. Firstly the stage show was rumoured to be one of the most costly and spectacular this side of a U2 concert, and secondly we have missed the little buggers. There is a real lack of acts who have no shame in going for the epic overblown rock performance nowadays, in fact you have to go back to Queen (for the music), and perhaps ELO (for the light show) in their pomp to witness such overblown theatrics. Its safe to say this wouldn’t be a Bob Dylan style show. Read the rest of this entry »
Short but still astonishing.
I must admit to being in a bit of a dilemma. You see I had got myself all geared up to writing a long detailed review of this gig. In the end the band were onstage for barely 45 minutes, using this series of shows as a kind of showcase and warm up for their summer festival shows and thus are honing the set to fit around their allotted and anticipated time slots. And to be fair tickets were a bargain basement £8. Singer James explained that the songs are designed to flow into each other, creating an almost continuous wall of sonic delights. So did this bold claim bear fruit and did the band rise up to justify recent hype? We will see, but first off a wee bit about the band. Read the rest of this entry »
Older, wiser, fatter, love Gazza, still good.
The Sex Pistols are just one of those bands I thought I’d never get to see so when, a few months ago, it was announced they were playing the Birmingham Academy as a warm up for their Isle of Wight Festival appearance, I was straight on that mouse and felt very lucky that I’d been able to secure a couple of (very expensive) tickets. Read the rest of this entry »
Song, Solo, Song, Solo, Song, Solo….
June means its stadium gig time in Manchester. I calculated that I have been doing this ritual now for at least the last six years, so to keep the run going I strode majestically across the Pennines once more and descended on the City of Manchester Stadium on a muggy evening to see three bands in various stages of their careers. Early on its quiet save for quite a lot of the now commonplace lager throwing down the front. Given the amount that was selling and the price of the foul brew it is clear that the credit crunch hasn’t really taken a foothold in gig going society yet. I look forward to it taking effect soon and a bout of water throwing to replace it (though to be fair this commodity was almost as expensive as the beer). A decent crowd is in nonetheless to welcome our first drop of entertainment for the evening. Read the rest of this entry »
Music between the lager showers.
Cheer up, its a Bank Holiday
This is the users guide to throwing lager at a gig. First queue for six hours for said product. Then, and this is quite important, drink approximately two thirds of said foul brew. This should result in the remaining amount being warm, flat and pretty much undrinkable. It is vital to empty the glass this far as any attempt to throw a fuller one will result in some or all of the contents emptying on both yourself and your immediate neighbours making you quite unpopular at best and getting the shit kicked out of you by a big hairy biker at worst. (Its usually somewhere in the middle). Read the rest of this entry »
It’s not all doom and gloom.
Strange things seem to be going on in Nottingham tonight. Rock City is actually quite warm and welcoming. Usually it is so cold inside for winter gigs (and believe me, it was still winter outside), the bar staff don’t bother using ice, they just let the drinks stand for a while. By the looks of things they have had some air conditioning work and hopefully this will work the other way and keep us cool during the sweaty summer shows. Read the rest of this entry »
Short but sweet from the Sister Act.
Oi, there's a smoking ban you know!
We must confess to getting caught out a bit for this gig. Normally headline bands at the excellent Met Uni venue come on at half nine or so and play through to eleven. You know the usual gig times. So it came as a surprise on walking up to the venue to hear the dulcet tones of the Deal twins booming out from inside. Yes we were late – no hold on, sod it, we were not, they were early, as it was only 8.50. Christ, at some Leeds venues the support band is only just coming on at this time. Read the rest of this entry »
Did the former punk princess leave us all spellbound?
Siouxsie Sioux is 50 years old and has no cellulite. I know the former because I looked it up on Wikepedia. I know the latter because last night she was wearing a silver and gold leotard. She obviously looks after herself well and looks good – a little bundle of energy on the stage of the Wulfren Hall. Read the rest of this entry »
Some surprises on showcase night.
Firstly for those of you who know your venues, I can report that the main Academy venue has had a makeover. Or to be more accurate is in the process of having one. At the moment this consists of draping large black curtains over the walls and refurbing the toilets, at least that’s the reason for us all having to trek outside to use portakabins I hope. One thing they might consider is putting in a second bar as the one existing one is hopelessly oversubscribed. Still the bar staff did their best and respect is due to them, I’m sure they were far too busy to watch the bands. Read the rest of this entry »
First good album of 2008, but live?
California Tuba Alles
First off a little bit about our venue for tonight’s entertainment. Leeds Irish Centre has been around putting on bands for as long as I can remember. It is first and foremost a social club and try as I might I can’t get Phoenix Nights out of my mind everytime i go in. The venue consist of a large room with a standing area close to the stage and a raised area at the back with pub lounge type seating and decor. There are 2 bars one on each side, both busy (well it is an Irish club).
