Sometimes talking to someone who has been on the other side of the music business for many years can be a little daunting. Someone whose pedigree of listening to music professionally for the best part of two decades stands before him and the knowledge that not only is he an entertainer but he is a man who adores music completely, in every shape and form.
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Joe Bonamassa: An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House, Album Review.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
To capture someone in all their glory live can be a laborious and sometimes self sacrificing work, an effort of near epic proportions is needed by a lot of people to make sure that the magic that is heard is portrayed correctly and doesn’t become a fuzzy after thought in the listener’s minds. In Joe Bonamassa, there really is no need to ever question what the end result will sound like as his unique personality and guitar playing are always top quality and when the music is within the confines of the Vienna Opera House then it’s an experience to savour.
Amaranthe, The Nexus. Album Review.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
They may be the best kept Metal secret that Sweden and Denmark has been able to keep under cover, especially from U.K. fans, in many years. The time though has come for Amaranthe to come of age and claim the crown of Nordic Metal Gods one and for all with their brand new arse kicking, Metal munching/pop infused release The Nexus.
Me And Deboe, E.P. Review.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There is something tantalising about the way a musical duo can be in so in tune with each other, that when it’s done well it’s as close to perfection as you can expect it to be. American Folk act Simon and Garfunkel showed this from the very beginning of their career, Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke of Yazoo perfected in the 80s Electronic era as did the Eurythmics and the sensational Everything But The Girl. Even when the music is not coming from a natural duo such as Liverpool’s Ian McNabb and Ian Prowse or Mersey Wylie and Dave O’Grady, the music they generate, the feeling they inspire is nothing short of impressive.
Borges And I, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Grace Chapman, Sophie Cullen, Nicholas Pitt, Ellie Simpson, Joel Gatehouse, Kate Stanley.
Who controls the words you see? Who do the words that each and every human on the planet fortunate enough to read and enjoy, belong to each and every day? For those that lose the ability to see the words that have meant so much to them, the psychological damage can be devastating.
The History Boys, Theatre Review. Stanley Theatre, University of Liverpool.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Cast: Alex Pardey, James Boys, James Telfer, Martin Poile, Harry Parker, Jonny Campbell, Jack Conway, Liam Middleton, Akthar, Gertaint Williams, Barney Elliot, Alun Simpson, Georgina Rose.
There are moments in a young actor’s life, whether or not they take it any further in years to come or are content with having been a part of just one show, where they will look back and relish in the memory of what they achieved in two hours on stage.
Cafe Chaos, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Cast: Joanna Croll, Jamie Matthewman, Sam Parks, Sian Williams.
The humble cafe is the place where you get to meet the finest array of characters, all with their own peculiar stories of loves and their lives. It is the place where people meet and confess their deepest thoughts and fears and those that really run the establishments, the waiters and the chefs act as father or mother confessors to anyone who may pop in for a routine cup of tea and to tell someone their news. Such is Cafe Chaos; such is the scale of life.
Shetland, Television Review. B.B.C. Television.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Douglas Henshall, Gemma Chan, Steve Robinson, Alison O’ Donnell, Alexander Morton, Lewis Howden, Mark Bonnar, Martin Wenner, Claire Rafferty, Sophie Rundle, Geraldine Alexander, Finnden Hertog, Alison Peebles, Erin Armstrong, Jim Stugeon, Lindy Whiteford, James Greene.
Based upon the books by Ann Cleeves, the new drama vehicle for Douglas Henshall, Shetland, premiered over the last two nights and whilst it was up against I.T.V.’s superb Broadchurch, it had a lot going for it and provided another outlet for viewers starved in recent years with decent crime drama and who have been having to get their fix from either second rate thrillers from America that rely far too much on the application of science over genuine detective work, or intensely psychological brilliance from the Nordic Noir genre such as The Killing.
Broadchurch, Episode Two, Television Review. I.T.V.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Cast: David Tennant, Olivia Coleman, Andrew Buchan, Jodie Whittaker, Tracy Childs, Will Mellor, Arthur Darvill, David Bradley, Jonathon Bailey, Vicky McClure, Charlotte Beaumont, Joe Simms, Carolyn Pickles, Pauline Quirke.
With the premise having been set in episode one, the attention of the police and in particular D.I. Hardy, start to focus their attentions on the people of Broadchurch, especially those it seems with secrets, many long held, secrets that may fragment the community they live in.
Ronan Boyle, Gig Review. Elevator, Threshold Festival. Liverpool.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Ronan Boyle stands on the stage at Elevator and time almost stands still, the music he has created gives a huge nod to the acoustic folk/rock scene of the 1970s and the very gentle guitar playing hides a big personality and a very good lyric writer. Not that Ronan needs to hide behind his guitar, if anything it adds an air of mystique to the performance of a man who is so very good at what he does.