Author Archives: admin

Mike Zito & The Wheel. Gone To Texas. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

The concept of confessional poetry isn’t a new one, especially in The United States where it flourished under auspicious talent, weighty hearts and minds that saw the acknowledgment of their craft being greeted as an affirmation of genuine skill and endeavour. As Mike Zito readily admits; his new album with The Wheel, the brutally honest and gorgeous Gone To Texas, is an album in which he pays homage to the Lone Star State, the state that he says saved his life. It might not be in the same vein as poetic luminaries such as Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath or Allen Ginsberg but the sentiment is there, this is a musician shaking his soul loose and willingly, ungrudgingly revealing all.

Mike Zito & The Wheel. Gone To Texas. Album Review. full post

(365 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Grease, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Stage Experiance, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Callum Cavanagh, Bridie Flanagan, Michael Twigg, Grace Galloway, Katie Furlong, Hannah Pitt, Kay Nicholson, Peter Meall, Jonathan Marsh, Annie Howarth, Tom Nolan, Eleanor Cooke, Daniel Greenwood, Sarah Dickson.

When the Liverpool Empire Theatre puts on a show that gives the young blossoming talent of Liverpool and its surrounding areas, it really does put on a show. A kaleidoscope of colour catching the very best that was on stage, whether through dancing, singing or acting in this year’s production, the timeless classic Grease. Every single young actor gave their absolute best and gave the audience who turned out in their droves to catch the performance, a taste of what is to come and to reflect that the future of theatre in the city will be in very good hands for a long time to come.

Grease, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Stage Experiance, Liverpool. full post

(551 words, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

Öström Presents Searching For Jupiter At The Capstone Theatre.

The Capstone continues its programme of high class entertainment with a concert from Magnus Öström on Wednesday 18th September. The former member of E.S.T. – The Esbjörn Svensson Trio will perform tracks from his new album Searching for Jupiter, the follow up to 2010’s Thread of Life.

Swedish drummer Öström had stormed the jazz world with E.S.T. since 1993, until pianist and close friend Esbjörn Svensson was tragically killed in a scuba accident in 2008. After taking two years away from the music industry following the tragedy, he returned in 2010 with his first solo album Thread of Life.

Öström Presents Searching For Jupiter At The Capstone Theatre. full post

(416 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Six New One Act Plays Brought To The Unity Theatre As Part Of Write Now.

New writing one-act play festival Write Now, brings six brand new pieces, one from outside the region and five from Merseyside–based playwrights to Unity Theatre’s stages from Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st September.

“We relocated to the Unity Theatre and have tweaked the structure for this our fourth event,” admits Ian Moore, Festival Founder and Director, “putting the focus firmly upon the playwright and director.”

The variety within the six productions offers an eclectic mix for all tastes.

Desperately seeking a cure for her daughter, Margot Agnew’s Guardian Angel looks at how one woman’s desperation leads her to be drawn into occult practices which have unexpected results.

Six New One Act Plays Brought To The Unity Theatre As Part Of Write Now. full post

(439 words, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

The Royal Court Theatre Announce Cast For Groundbreaking Show.

The Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, has announced the cast for their groundbreaking new Laurel And Hardy show – Sons Of The Desert!

Oliver Hardy will be played by Michael Starke (Bouncers, A Nightmare On Lime Street, Our Day Out) and Stan Laurel will be played by Roy Brandon (Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, The Salon, Council Depot Blues). The two are looking forward to bringing the world’s most famous double act to life.

The Royal Court Theatre Announce Cast For Groundbreaking Show. full post

(534 words, estimated 2:08 mins reading time)

Samantha Fish, Black Wind Howlin’. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

If you want revolution, if the idea of the start of an uprising in the hearts of a specific music genre is something that takes your fancy then Samantha Fish’s latest offering to the mass public is sure to be more wrecking than a person with a 1000 pound metal ball on the end of a crane in a scrap yard could ever hope to achieve. Black Wind Howlin’ cuts through the storms, slices past the obstacles placed in its way and heads over the Atlantic in a flurry of musical fury and the result is utter brilliance.

Samantha Fish, Black Wind Howlin’. Album Review. full post

(421 words, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

Cyril Neville, Magic Honey. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

If music be the food of love, then let Cyril Neville forever play on. Cyril Neville is a music legend, a man who makes music sound as deliciously entertaining as it should be heard and whose latest album, Magic Honey, has all the ingredients of a mix of songs that have been well prepared and seasoned to enjoy in only way that the man can.

Cyril Neville, Magic Honey. Album Review. full post

(396 words, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)

Chester University Graduates Launch New Theatre Company With Performance At Liverpool’s Lantern Theatre.

Two local actors are set to stage a self-penned, family inspired play at Liverpool’s Lantern Theatre. Hayley Riley and Louise Evans of Haylo Theatre Company are both graduates of the University of Chester.  Despite studying at the same university a two – year gap between the girls meant that they only met as post graduates whilst working for a Theatre in Education Company in Chester. Their mutual love of performance forged a strong friendship between the girls and Haylo Theatre was born.

Chester University Graduates Launch New Theatre Company With Performance At Liverpool’s Lantern Theatre. full post

(268 words, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)

New Season At The Capstone Kicks Off With Concert Double Bill.

Liverpool’s Capstone Theatre may be on the physical edge of the city centre but its heart is right at its core and has been proved time and time again it offers the very best in live theatre, music and dance and is now delighted to welcome MANTIS (Manchester Theatre in Sound) on Thursday 12th September; what better way to start the Theatre’s 2013/14 season?

The evening includes not one, but two consecutive concerts of electroacoustic music and features composers based at NOVARS Research Centre (University of Manchester) as well as highly regarded works specially selected from an international call.

New Season At The Capstone Kicks Off With Concert Double Bill. full post

(258 words, estimated 1:02 mins reading time)

The Sunshine Boys, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Andrew Schofield, Alan Stocks, Helen Carter, Michael Fletcher, Stephen Fletcher, Liam Tobin.

Sometimes there are no words that can ever justify the praise or warmth you wish to impart to people or future audiences on how good a play or performance is.  You just have to watch the crowd’s reaction and listening to the cheering of those that had made their way Epstein Theatre to watch The Sunshine Boys too know that the production is just simply amazing.

The Sunshine Boys, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(485 words, estimated 1:56 mins reading time)