Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Liverpool will always welcome back those who make the point, who express the truth of their love for the city; it can only ever hoped that such sentiment is always given and not neglected like other cities that turn their back on you. It is a sentiment that it is articulated with musical brilliance by Paul Carrack, a genuine man, a special musician, and one who understands just how much the city relishes in seeing its heroes on the stage.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
The orange and bright white lights of the Academy Two capture the essence of many musicians who pass underneath the black curtain and stand in front of what can be a tightly packed crowd, the thin veil of sweat mixing heavily with the heady perfume and the rippling veins of muscles working a guitar or taking the drums on at full speed adding to the drama of the night; Academy Two offers much in the way of music fulfilment.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
The Queen of British Blues, the undoubted reigning monarch playing the guitar as if it was permanently attached to her, never letting go, never surrendering the pinnacle in which she has rightly attained; this is the realm of Joanne Shaw Taylor, a woman of creative Blues and the Queen of the Birmingham Town Hall.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There has always been so much to take in with pleasure when in the company of John Hall, (Herringbone John), an acoustic night here, a full band session there, this is what John Hall brings to the area, the sound of the Blues, much neglected in some quarters but one delivered with appreciation and enjoyment in Liverpool by the man who makes the guitar ache with beauty. This is not a man who shows off or lets the occasion spoil him, this is no grand master to whom people will part with extortionate amounts of money for, this is a man of honour and his music respectfully shows that.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There is a moment, a long and lengthy process in which it might take a music lover to fall for somebody, not the normal instant attraction in which club land offers with its steady rhythmic beat and fuelled by cheap alcohol, the smell of testosterone hanging in the air and mixing freely with the pungency of liberally dosed perfume, not in the circles of Folk or the acoustic nights offered throughout the city do those rules apply; here is the normality not energised by desire but by aural sensibility, to fall for one person and their guitar is to know love and in Christy Myers, it is one that gave with passion and joy immediately.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Life is too short, even if you take the care to go out as much as possible, to see the world, to throw yourself into the arena everyday and take Life out to spank every so often to show that it cannot dominate you, that it must not try to subject to its whim, you will still won’t be able to do all the things you believe are worthy of your time and effort. Time is cruel, there is so much to see, so much to listen too; however if you do one thing this year, of Time fights back and you can only make certain of doing one thing, then being in attendance at a gig involving Chris Callander is surely one to hang on.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Liverpool Acoustics’ new home of the Courtroom Café not only suits the requirements of the musicians who pass through the heavy wooden door and up past the six once grand steps befitting the buildings former occupants and Liverpool’s heritage, it sounds great as well, the fabric of the building, the history of the area in and around the older parts of the city somehow adding a weight of mystery and enthusiasm to the proceedings.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
It is a sense of achievement that flows through the veins when you finally realise that the butterfly of hope and musical aspiration lands perfectly on your outstretched hand and you can sit in amazed wonder at just how fragile life can be but how also beautiful and exquisite it can appear when you truly see the wings beat in time with your own breath.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Sometimes you sit upon the shoulders of giants and the view is awe-inspiring, occasionally you get to watch a second generation musician come along and, whilst understanding they have their own belief in giants to contend with, you see the view they offer, from ground level, and it is one that shakes mountains.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Let the fates and the gods of irony roll as much dice as they wish, let Liam Neeson or Sir Laurence Olivier roam their fingers through their long, luxuriant beards as if contemplating humanity’s destiny and the fortune of one hero; for when you have talent and musical dogmatic authority on your side, the fates can roll the dice all they want, they can hamper your speech but they will never take away the power of the words or what they mean to the listener.