Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 2nd 2009.
Magnum, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.
Category Archives: Live
Muse, Gig Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool.
Muse at the Liverpool Echo. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 6th 2009.
Remember, remember, Muse in November The unique brand of Devonshire rock I know of no reason Why Muse this season Will ever be forgot.
Who needs to stand in a cold, muddy field after it’s been raining all day watching a damp, half hearted fireworks display when one of the best bands recording in the modern era come to the Echo Arena and blow all the bands that have played there this year clean out of the Mersey. With a laser show that would make Pink Floyd seethe with envy and a strict but simple mantra to give the paying fans one of the best shows they will ever see in their lifetime.
The Small Fakers, Gig Review. The Cavern, Liverpool.
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 8th 2009.
No matter your age, if you love music there will be a band that you listen to on a regular basis that you never will or got to see play live. Sometimes you might be fortunate and only like the current bands that dominate your formative musical years and get to experience them all.
But what do you do if your taste of music straddles a time period before you were born! Ah yes it’s easy to lament the lack of chance of seeing Queen with Freddie or Meatloaf, after all they were touring long after I got into music and it is my own fault for not making more of an effort to see them.
Roy Wood, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.
Roy Wood celebrating Christmas at the Bilston Robin. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. December 2009.
Fresh from his triumphant support slot on Status Quo’s U.K. tour, Roy Wood arrived in Bilston to headline his now annual Christmas show.
He wasted no time in warming up everyone who had braved the sub-zero temperatures by opening the set with the infectious California Man.
Hugh Cornwell, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Birmingham.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. November 2009.
An altercation with a fan over a camera flash left a packed house briefly in fear that Hugh Cornwell would not return for the second of a set of two halves featuring songs from his latest offering Hooverdam and re-visiting The Stranglers’ 1977 debut album Rattus Norvegicus.
However, Hugh returned to bring the house down with the old favourites, kicking off with Sometimes, followed by the entire album including Goodbye Toulouse, Peaches, Hanging Around and Down in the Sewer.
New Model Army, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Birmingham.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. November 2009.
New Model Army have gone through so many different genres they could almost appeal to every live music lover,
Whether it is the rock/folk era that the fans like or the early punk days, during which they enjoyed critical success, every taste was appeared to be catered for.
Touring on the back of their new studio album, Today is a Good Day, NMA mainstay and frontman Justin Sullivan wasted no time getting down to the business of making as much noise and good music as possible.
Steve Hackett, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.
Nick Beggs and Steve Hackett at the Bilston Robin. Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by the Birmingham Mail. November 2009.
Thanks to the popularity of his latest album, Out Of The Tunnel’s Mouth, Steve Hackett is enjoying success once more where it matters, in front of audiences who never stopped believing in the prolific musician/songwriter.
Steve and his band kicked off with the maniacal Mechanical Bride before heading straight into the childlike but message-heavy Fire On The Moon from the new album. An array of other songs from his long solo career followed.
Magnum, Gig Review. Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.
Bob Catley in action. Photgraph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2009.
They opened the show with material from their new album Into The Valley of the Moonking, including the fantastic Cry to Yourself but Magnum soon reminded the audience of their past work with Brand New Morning and the effortless When We Were Younger.
The biggest cheer of the night deservedly went out to the thought provoking Les Morte Dansant,
The Bad Shepherds, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.
Photograph by Ian D. Hall.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2009.
It might be hard to get past the idea of comedian Adrian Edmondson being on stage with musicians playing folk versions of punk classics but after opening with The Clash’s I Fought The Law they had the near-capacity crowd in the palm of their hands.
Other songs getting the Bad Shepherd’s treatment included The Stranglers’ hit No More Heroes, The Jam’s Down In The Tube Station At Midnight and Talking Heads’ Once In A Lifetime.
Bowling For Soup, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Birmingham.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2009.
It is easy to see why Bowling For Soup remain firm fan favourites on the punk-pop circuit.
At Birmingham’s o2 Academy they tore up the rule book and played outstanding music with little or no pretensions and seemingly took a bucketload of pleasure from seeing the capaicity crowd enjoy what was on offer.
By opening the set with I’m Gay from the Great Burrito Experiment album and Almost from a Hangover You Don’t Deserve the Texas foursome set the standard for the evening.