Author Archives: admin

Wicked Whispers, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.

photo by chester rocks.com

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 16th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

It must be one of the hardest things to do in the music business; it’s up there with deciding whether or not a young up-coming band is going to break through and be the success that you hope they can be. To open up for a long established band with incredible pedigree and a lot of love constantly being showered their way from fans up and down the country could decimate and partially destroy some fledgling groups.

Wicked Whispers, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. full post

(418 words, 1 image, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Steve Hackett, Gig Review. The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

Steve Hackett at The Queen’s Hall. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 20th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

The title says it all, Steve Hackett at the Queen’s Hall. In a word, sensational!

Steve Hackett’s career is long, his output prestigious and he remains one of the finest guitarists to have ever come from these shores and even 41 years after Genesis released the eponymous album Nursery Cryme, he still has the power to pull in an audience some newer, more young and fresh faced bands will only ever dream of attaining. Fans may come and go but talent and dedication are binding.

Steve Hackett, Gig Review. The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh. full post

(538 words, 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

Midge Ure, Gig Review. The Jam House, Edinburgh.

Midge Ure at The Jam House. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 20th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

Ignore those who say with a surprised conviction in their voice, “Really, Midge Ure? Why hasn’t he retired yet?”  For what’s the point in retirement from something you enjoy doing and the love you feel in return from fans that not only have followed your long and satisfying career from the start but also the amount of new, younger fans that were in abundance at The Jam House in Edinburgh.

Midge Ure, Gig Review. The Jam House, Edinburgh. full post

(462 words, 1 image, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls. Gig Review. Rodewold Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Erica Nockalls and Miles Hunt. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media.February 23rd 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls never seem to stand still and rest on their impressive laurels. These two imposing musical stars have been on a journey, plying their trade up and down the country and to far flung corners for longer than some can remember.

Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls. Gig Review. Rodewold Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

(423 words, 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Altered Images, Gig Review. Eric’s, Mathew Street. Liverpool

Clare Grogan at Eric’s Liverpool. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 26th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Don’t let the years that have passed since Clare Grogan first burst onto the scene as a happy and vivacious girl fool you. With the new version of Altered Images on stage awaiting Clare’s arrival, the patient and certainly excited crowd were greeted by the vision of Ms. Grogan dressed immaculately in a Greek style flowing dress weaving between members of the audience, saying hello and making certain hearts flutter as she passed by.

Altered Images, Gig Review. Eric’s, Mathew Street. Liverpool full post

(551 words, 1 image, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

Doctor Who, The Fourth Wall. Big Finish 157 Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 6th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating * * * *

Cast: Colin Baker, Lisa Greenwood, Julian Wadham, Yasmin Bannerman, Hywel Morgan, Martin Hutson, Tilly Gaunt, Kim Wall, Henry Devas.

There is always talk of when an actor breaks the “fourth wall”, that twilight line between perceived reality of the stage and the moment when the audience is drawn in and spoken to in such a way that they are no longer interested voyeurs taking in the action, they are part and parcel of the storyline. They are the 12th man on the pitch, the Banquo at the Banquet and they are involved, sometimes up to their necks.

Doctor Who, The Fourth Wall. Big Finish 157 Review. full post

(629 words, estimated 2:31 mins reading time)

Pink Floyd, The Wall. Immersion Release. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 27th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

In the world of musical clichés, one of the most often bandied about and repeated with startling regularity is that Pink Floyd’s 1979 album, The Wall, is the greatest moment of Rock music captured for posterity forever.

Pink Floyd, The Wall. Immersion Release. Album Review. full post

(1130 words, 1 image, estimated 4:31 mins reading time)

Meat Loaf, Hell in a Handbasket. Album Review.

L.S. Media Rating **

When Meat Loaf released Hang Cool Teddy Bear in 2010, there was an element of joy that the man had released his greatest piece of work since 1993’s Bat out of Hell II. There were some real high’s to be found within the tracks and the posturing and good will extended with the addition of Patti Russo and Cher adding the class of feminine perspective to Meat’s tireless and overtly male mannerisms.

Meat Loaf, Hell in a Handbasket. Album Review. full post

(412 words, 1 image, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

Napalm Death, Utilitarian. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media March 29th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

There’s a reason why some areas of the U.K. seem to be able to become entrenched with producing one genre of music with more frequency than others. Sometimes it’s just the nature of the area, the background and social history to the city that produces the music. Liverpool is defined in parts by the Beatles and the sailors who bought the music from America with them after World War Two. The dreaming spires and University colleges of Cambridge will have Pink Floyd forever stamped upon the roads and parks and be considered as one of the natural homes of Progressive Rock.

Napalm Death, Utilitarian. Album Review. full post

(519 words, 1 image, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)

Interview with Baz Warne, The Stranglers.

Originally published by L.S. Media and Liverpool Live. March 1st 2012.

March 5th sees the highly anticipated return of The Stranglers to the o2 Academy, Liverpool. In recent years the band have had nights on stage in the city that have been talked about for weeks afterwards. This though will see the punk rock legends do a national tour on the back of a new album release for the first time in six years. Not since Suite XVIwas released in 2006 have the band come out on the road armed to the teeth with a trunk full of new songs.

Interview with Baz Warne, The Stranglers. full post

(1294 words, 1 image, estimated 5:11 mins reading time)