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Ripper Street, Am I Not Monstrous? Series Two. Television Review. B.B.C. Television.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, MyAnna Buring, Joseph Mawle, Clive Russell, David Wilmot, Anton Lesser, Damien Molony Gillian Saker, Nicholas Woodeson, Tom Brook, Elva Trill, Paul Ready, David Dawson.

The past certainly is another country, not only do they do things differently there, but when it comes to Victorian society and the way they treated the more unfortunate members of society it may as well be on a land mass on a another planet in a far off galaxy.

Ripper Street, Am I Not Monstrous? Series Two. Television Review. B.B.C. Television. full post

(476 words, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

Bryan Ferry, Gig Review. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.

Bryan Ferry at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in 2013. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

From the moment Bryan Ferry purposefully steps foot onto the Philharmonic Hall stage, there didn’t seem to be a single female fan in the audience who has remained seated for the former Roxy Music icon. Such is the sheer magnetism, the undiluted animal appeal of Bryan Ferry that despite the fact that it has been an incredibly long time without him coming to Liverpool, his music, the way he makes his fans, of either gender, feel, you can only applaud his stature as he performs the music that made him one of the great stars of his generation.

Bryan Ferry, Gig Review. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. full post

(579 words, 1 image, estimated 2:19 mins reading time)

All’s Well That Ends Well, Theatre Review. Theatre Royal, Newcastle.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Charlotte Cornwell, Alex Waldman, Joanna Horton, Jonathan Slinger, Nicolas Tennant, Cliff Burnett, Kiza Deen, Greg Hicks, David Fielder, Mark Holgate, Chris Jared, John Stahl, David Fishley, Karen Archer, Natalie Klamar, Rosie Hilal, Michael Grady-Hall.

All’s Well That Ends Well, Theatre Review. Theatre Royal, Newcastle. full post

(442 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Paul Simon, Hearts And Bones. 30th Anniversary Retrospective.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * *

Paul Simon, whilst quite rightly regarded as one of the most important and influential American musicians and songwriters of the 20^th Century, has had moments in which, no matter how much you love him, you have to take a long hard look at his creative output and suggest that some albums really should have been left locked away in the vault and only ever released as a set of curiosities long after the gifted musician hangs up his guitar for the final time. Such is the fate that should have befallen the 1983 Hearts and Bones release.

Paul Simon, Hearts And Bones. 30th Anniversary Retrospective. full post

(606 words, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)

The Boomtown Rats, Gig Review. 02 Academy, Newcastle.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

For those that found themselves in the company of Simon Crowe and Garry Roberts in the Bilston Robin 2 as they thrilled discerning audiences as part of From The Rats in August 2008 the thought that 4/5ths of The Boomtown Rats line-up would tour together during 2013 would have seemed like a dream that could never come true in a million years, an impossible fantasy you would have bet against from the start but slowly and surely the superb Garry Roberts and Simon Crowe have been joined by Bob Geldof and Pete Briquette and with the very talented Darren Beale adding a touch of youthful exuberance to the cause on guitar, The Boomtown Rats took the packed Newcastle 02 Academy and with just a couple of songs performed from a top notch set list, you could see that they had gone down a storm.

The Boomtown Rats, Gig Review. 02 Academy, Newcastle. full post

(598 words, estimated 2:24 mins reading time)

The Memory Of Running Water.

Birmingham, damp, soaking wet

And I feel the

Rain

Teem and rinsing at

My every pore

But welcoming me back with open arms

In greeting to a prodigal son

As I leave the bright modern station

Of New Street.

The autumn darkness shields me

Like an roughly made cloak and I remain invisible

To all who once played like I

In the Costermonger’s basement. The sound of an air guitar

Straining at the leash as the crash of a new beat

Hit our 14 year old minds.

The Memory Of Running Water. full post

(621 words, estimated 2:29 mins reading time)

Francis Dunnery, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

There is an aura of the prolific, of almost inexhaustible abundance when it comes to Francis Dunnery’s career. Certainly when a listener takes in his output of solo recordings and then weighs them up in time honoured fashion against his fantastic live sets, it is enough to leave you dizzy and overwhelmingly impressed with his work ethic.

Francis Dunnery, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(433 words, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

Steve Harley, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Whether you are a dedicated music fan or someone who goes once a month in search of something to listen to to avoid the endless repetition of uninspiring music talents shows that television produces in the name of making money, occasionally you can’t help but feel that you may just have witnessed the finest gig by the artist you are ever likely to see them do. It doesn’t matter if it is the second, third or tenth time you have seen them perform on stage, something whispers to you at the back of your mind, “Wow, you will never beat that for a superb night.” Your instincts maybe correct but there is always hope that the artist may surprise you.

Steve Harley, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

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

The Shadow Theatre, Voices. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Good things come to those who wait…so it is said. Like a punishment handed down from your parents or school teachers as they try to impress upon you the art in queuing, a particular skill that is required to be British it seems, waiting is a virtue.

The Shadow Theatre, Voices. Album Review. full post

(453 words, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

Brothers Groove, Play The Game. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There can be no arguing that the city of Birmingham and its suburbs have contributed much to the fabric of Britain, from poetry to industry, Trevor Francis to Dennis Mortimer, Heavy Metal to the works of W.H. Auden and Tolkien, Birmingham has hand in it, even if it imports most of these from other places and like Liverpool cherishes it enough to claim it as their own. Like Heavy Metal though, which is as Midlands as the River Rea or The Sports Argus, a current band of Blues players, the very likeable Brothers Groove, are very much entrenched in the Birmingham ideal and their album Play The Game has that essence of Midland mindful music winding through it.

Brothers Groove, Play The Game. Album Review. full post

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