Category Archives: Live

Madness, Gig Review. Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Madness in Wolverhampton. Photgraph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. December 18th 2009.

To a certain generation the evening felt like a school disco from their childhood in the early eighties. Not only did the audience have the pleasure of seeing the band on a short film but then there was the musical interlude before the main act. A superb D.J playing all the tracks the late thirty and early forty something’s would remember with fondness such as Tenpole Tudor’s Swords of a Thousand Men and The Undertones’ My Perfect Cousin.

Madness, Gig Review. Wolverhampton Civic Hall. full post

(392 words, 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

Nazareth, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 5th 2010.

One of the finest bands to come out of Scotland have dusted down their back catalogue and have hit the road in earnest, with what seems a mission to remind the British public, that there is more to the current bands who dominate people’s thoughts and also, once in a while look back to the bands of the past and listen to their music, which should always be heard.

Nazareth, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(265 words, 1 image, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)

The Stranglers, Gig Review. Liverpool Academy.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 7th 2010.

One of the early tracks released by The Stranglers sums up completely the lack of good post punk bands with any sort of longevity. A band who have been at the business end of rock music and who have let trends pass them by without kowtowing to anybody else’s rules. That song finished a set filled with classic hits, firm fan favourites and nods to every decade that the band has been active. After over thirty five years, The Men in Black prove time and time again, that they alone are the exception to the rule that there are “No More Heroes“.

The Stranglers, Gig Review. Liverpool Academy. full post

(392 words, 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

Face Value, Gig Review. Netherton Hotel, Litherland.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 8th 2010.

In the last few years, the music of Genesis and Phil Collins has undergone resurgence in popularity. Thanks in part to the welcome return of the band touring once more in 2007 and the seemingly bizarre sight of a gorilla drumming along to In the Air Tonight whilst advertising a certain popular chocolate bar.

Thanks to this recognition, the groups that have kept the music alive for many years are now reaping the rewards of keeping the faith. Some Genesis cover bands are happy to play the songs that the older fan will love but they don’t do too much from the later years when the band become the behemoth hit machine.

Face Value, Gig Review. Netherton Hotel, Litherland. full post

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

It Bites, Gig Review. Islington Academy, London.

John Mitchell of It Bites. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 15th 2010.

One of the best progressive rock bands to come out of the 80’s made a welcome return to touring this month. It Bites only got back together a few years ago but on the back of the superb album The Tall Ships they have not kept still.

With a brand new live album out now, titled Live in Japan, the band came on stage at the Islington Academy to huge applause and genuine warmth from a very loyal following.

It Bites, Gig Review. Islington Academy, London. full post

(357 words, 1 image, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

Amsterdam, Gig Review. Liverpool Academy.

Johnny Barlow, part of the Amsterdam line up. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 22nd 2010.

They have been missing off the local scene for a while but Saturday night marked the glorious return of local boy Ian Prowse and the magnificent Amsterdam. One of the last times they came “home” was for the wonderful night of music at the Picket last year. Now, armed with a few new tracks ready to play and some old favourites to thrill the audience with, Ian, Johnny Barlow, violinist Anna Jenkins and the rest of this exceptional band set their agenda early with Joe’s Kiss and Hey Hilary before going into the wonderful Coming up for Air/ Nothing’s Goin’ Right.

Amsterdam, Gig Review. Liverpool Academy. full post

(409 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

Peter Gabriel And The New Blood Orchestra, Gig Review. o2 Arena. London.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 28th 2010.

When Peter Gabriel released his latest offering Scratch My Back, there were some rumblings from older, self confessed Genesis fans that what Peter was releasing was not in the vein they had been used to.

The album was a covers delight, but with a twist, relying on the concept of using an orchestra to get the music across, rather than the usual tired instruments. Judging by the near capacity audience who had made the journey to the o2 Arena in London, there was a healthy dose of intrigue and curiosity on how the album would play out live.

Peter Gabriel And The New Blood Orchestra, Gig Review. o2 Arena. London. full post

(577 words, 1 image, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)

The Automatic, Gig Review. Birmingham Academy.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 27th 2010.

The band that became a phenomenon at the start of the summer of 2006 came back to Birmingham for the first time in a while and turned a damp British evening into a night of high energy and hot, steamy excellence.

The Automatic opened the night with the single Interstate from the recently released album Tear the Signs Down before giving the energetic crowd their first taste of the superb lyrics and frenzied guitar playing that would dominate the evening’s set list with the superb Recover and internaly angst ridden and certain journalistic bashing Magazines.

The Automatic, Gig Review. Birmingham Academy. full post

(310 words, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

Jethro Tull, Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. April 1st 2010.

One of most prodigious bands to have made the long trek from the late sixties as jobbing musicians to international superstars made a welcome return to the Liverpool Philharmonic this week and wowed old and new fans alike with a set list full of tracks from an extensive and much loved back catalogue.

Jethro Tull, Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

(382 words, 1 image, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

Shakespears Sister, Gig Review. o2 Academy Liverpool.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. April 17th 2010.

Although Siobhan Fahey has been around the music scene since the early eighties, (originally with the pop friendly girl group Bananarama and then with the critically successful Shakespears Sister), the opening night of the tour seemed like the start of new career for this artistically creative woman.

Coming on stage, dressed in a silver, futuristic sci-fi outfit, she wowed everybody present by producing one hell of a gig. Opening the set with the vocally strong Heroine and Goodbye Cruel World Siobhan banished any fears of how she would come across on stage by being enigmatic and a true performer in every sense of the word.

Shakespears Sister, Gig Review. o2 Academy Liverpool. full post

(370 words, 1 image, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)