Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. July 30th 2011.
Two years ago as part of the Summer Pops, Deacon Blue stormed the Liverpool Echo Arena. The audience from start to finish were beside themselves in joy having heard an expansive and top notch set from one of the great bands of mid 80’s. Two years on, they were back in Liverpool to perform for their legion of fans and yet again simply blew the cobwebs out of Liverpool’s lungs.
Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. August 2nd 2011.
It’s been a long time coming, but Iron Maiden finally made it Great Britain at the end of the Final Frontier tour and leaving some people with mixed reactions to their gigs in cities such as Manchester and Newcastle. Some have loved that the Irons, the kings of British heavy Metal seem back on form, giving the type of show that was a pleasure to attend in the late 80’s and full of theatre and grit. Others have complained that there was an over reliance on worn out clichés, a glimpse back to a time that needs to be locked away in the dim and distant past.
Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. August 2nd 2011.
The weather outside was somewhat frightful, with Blondie’s fans finding every possible hiding place from the torrential August rain that had decided to fall well before the doors opening at the Academy. Inside it was a sauna, the gig having being sold out long before the night arrived, such is the pulling power of one of New Yorks finest ambassadors to music, they could have head lined for a week at the Liverpool o2 Academy and still have people clambering for tickets.
Originally published by L.S. Media. August 2nd 2011.
Jon Fratelli has spent the last few years watching his band The Fratellis come from seemingly nowhere to become terrace sing-a-long heroes with their catchy music and Vaudeville-like lyrics. Although they divided critical opinion with their two studios albums, their popularity has remained high with tracks such as the infectious Chelsea Dagger and the sleazy Cuntry Boys and City Girls turning up in clubs and its heavy rotation at football and N.H.L. matches.
Since 2009, Jon Fratelli has been working on new material which has culminated in his debut solo album Psycho Jukebox.
Originally published by L.S. Media. July 30th 2011.
In 2010, the Liverpool Summer Pops was treated to a display by an all female group called Angels in White that was as stunning as it was gracious. By no means can it be considered easy to open for the then headliners Jools Holland, nor can it be straightforward to have comparisons drawn against you with other female bands that have dominated the charts for the last 20 years.
The clanking of tea cups and sandwich plates being scurried around to the patrons of Lucy in the Sky restaurant is somehow a comforting wall of sound as I wait for Liverpool singer songwriter Alan O’ Hare. Like the restaurant, Alan O’ Hare has been busy beyond belief. A new album to launch which was warmly received by all, various gigs to perform at with one of Liverpool’s finest bands, The Trestles and which Bido Lito magazine call “Purveyors of heart-on-your-sleeve pop rock” and now the upcoming launch of another new song in the form of the quirkily titled Oscar Wilde (Stole My Morning).
I don’t have to wait long, Alan is caught up in traffic but I don’t have time to even take a sip of my tea from the overworked waitress as Al bounds over to me, trademark grin upon his face and looking for all intense purposes as if he received the best news in the world ever but had been told to keep it too himself.
photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. August 23rd 2011.
As one of the members of the multi-selling Irish band The Corrs, Sharon Corr has thrilled her fans with her fantastic ability of playing the violin and writing some of the bands memorable songs and hits and with Sharon having released her debut solo album, Dream of You last autumn, her loyal audiences in Britain finally got the chance to catch this incredible musician in a live environment perform some of the tracks and some old favourites.
Originally published by L.S. Media. September 1st 2011.
Cast: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Andy Serkis, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo,
Rise of the Planet of the Planet of the Apes will surely go down as one of the finest films from the summer of 2011. It was certainly up against some good opposition from the Marvel comic- franchise with their surprisingly good Captain America and the last in the series of films involving everybody’s favourite teenage wizard, however with a story line that had fans of the original Charlton Heston movie salivating over their popcorn there can be only be only one true winner.
Originally published by L.S. Media. September 1st 2011.
The longer the Red Hot Chili Peppers left it, the harder it could have been to get back to the stage the group were at when they announced they were taking time out after their gargantuan and gut busting double album Stadium Arcadium. The length of time to record the album, the subsequent drawn out success of the tour and the departure of guitarist John Frusciante from the fold would have all taken their toll and broken lesser bands.
Originally published by L.S. Media. September 4th 2011.
For Doctor Who fans the last six years have been a cornucopia of story-telling, three Doctors, enemies by the bundle, including the welcome return of the Master, The Cybermen and of course the Doctor’s greatest enemy and the universes greatest threat The Daleks. These 21st Century episodes have become some of the most highly rated stories created for the long running B.B.C. T.V. series and it seems the programme has never been more popular.