Ed Harcourt, Lustre. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 29th 2010.

L.S. Media Rating * * * *

Sometimes you approach an album by an artist that you respect and adore with a certain amount of trepidation and concern. Questions flutter round your brain like lost piano notes floating in the ether. Will it be as good as the last album? Have they lost their touch? What has influenced them this time? In the case of Ed Harcourt’s latest album Lustre these questions are answered and a few well worn reservations thrown out.

Ed Harcourt, Lustre. Album Review. full post

(346 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Cast: Darren Bennett, Tony Jackson, Edward peel, Kim Ismay, Nigel Garton, Richard Ashton, Rachel Stanley, Dean Maynard, John Griffiths, Lucy Buckingham, Moray Treadwell, Alex France, Andrew Waldron.

If ever there was a film that was ripe for the theatre then surely it is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This 1968 cinema graphic smash had all the ingredients of a fine story (much of this down to the original book by James Bond creator Ian Fleming and subsequent script adaptation by Roald Dahl and Liverpool born Ken Hughes), a slightly eccentric inventor with a fantastic name, Caractacus Potts, a sweet factory owned by the Scrumptious family, foreign enemies and of course the most fantasmagorical (sic) car!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

The Robert Cray Band. Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 4th 2010.

With a career spanning over 4 decades, Robert Cray has carved himself a position as one of the best blues guitarist to come from America, his gentle on stage demeanour and apparent genuine love of making an audience happy comes across from the moment he picks up his guitar and plays his first note.

Robert was making only his second visit to Liverpool at the invitation of the Liverpool Summer Pops organisers and there are not many artists who could be a perfect choice to be one of the opening acts for this celebration of live music.

The Robert Cray Band. Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

(354 words, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Gig Review. Liverpool Echo Arena.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 4th 2010.

The Liverpool Summer Pops continued from where it had left off last year with the superb Australian Pink Floyd Show. After the success of last years The Wall show, which was one of the major highlights of last year’s massive undertaking of performances, the musicians that make up (possibly one of the finest cover bands of all time) Australia’s finest export outside of Fosters and the ever youthful Rolf Harris, have come to Liverpool to show why there is still much demand for the work of the original band.

The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Gig Review. Liverpool Echo Arena. full post

(478 words, estimated 1:55 mins reading time)

Feeder, Renegades. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 6th 2010.

Welsh rock music is very much on a high right now, what with the Stereophonics having released their best album in years, The Manic Street Preachers on the verge of yet another sell out tour and even older stalwarts like The Alarm enjoying a huge renaissance with new audiences, add to this the rollercoaster band that is Feeder and you have got the making of one hell of a line up at Millennium Stadium.

Feeder themselves have released their seventh studio album and it is bar far the best album that the band have released since the untimely death of drummer Jon Lee in 2002.

Feeder, Renegades. Album Review. full post

(365 words, 1 image, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

An Interview With Stephen Langstaff. (2010)

Stephen Langstaff at the o2 Academy in 2009. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

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

I last caught up with Stephen Langstaff just under a year ago when he was about to go on his eagerly awaited Academy tour at four different venues. This tour opened up more doors to the young Liverpool singer/songwriter and in the following year he has had the distinct pleasure of opening for the Lightning Seeds on their latest tour, culminating in a fantastic critically received gig at the Cadogan Hall, London.

An Interview With Stephen Langstaff. (2010) full post

(811 words, 1 image, estimated 3:15 mins reading time)

Crosby, Stills And Nash Gig Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

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

The very names of Crosby, Stills and Nash are ones that are spoken in almost hushed tones amongst the music fraternity and with a touch of reverence when it comes to their fans. Softly spoken when they want to be, exuberant with their guitars…certainly, beautiful voices…most positively, but never once irrelevant!

There are certainly not many bands that receive a standing ovation from an audience just by going off stage during a break!

Crosby, Stills And Nash Gig Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool. full post

(433 words, 1 image, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

The Floe, Gig Review. Liverpool One.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

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

One of the bands who were showcased during Liverpool Sound City week was The Floe. Led by the silky vocals of Sarah Springett they, along with many others provided the public of Liverpool with some new bands to take in and admire.

Now, as part of the Cafe Nero artist of the month, three of the band were back to seek an audience in the ambient atmosphere of Liverpool One. Joining Sarah were guitarist David Booth and keyboard player Liz Townsend, and although slightly cramped in the setting they were in, they still managed to thrill those who maybe just popped in for a coffee on their way home or took time out to go along and see them after their excellent night in Hannah’s Bar.

The Floe, Gig Review. Liverpool One. full post

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

Ozzy Osbourne, Scream. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 11th 2010.

After the sad news that heavy metal lost one of its shining lights earlier this year, with the death of Ronnie James Dio it is perhaps fitting that one of the best metal albums to have come out in years is by the man who Ronnie replaced as lead singer with the band that started it all.

Love him or loath him, genial brummie or cartoon caricature, devoted family man or establishment loose cannon, it is hard to pin down exactly what Ozzy Osbourne is. What there can be no doubt over is the man’s capability to pull a great album out of the fire and introduce himself to a brand new set of fans.

Ozzy Osbourne, Scream. Album Review. full post

(339 words, 1 image, estimated 1:21 mins reading time)

Sepultra, Gig Review. Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 18th 2010.

To some, the world of Heavy Metal from the Americas and all its musical siblings only consist of the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer, but there is a band that has been thrilling audiences world- wide for a quarter of century and armed to the teeth with attitude, crunching, booming guitars and vocals that send shivers down the spine.

Sepultra may have gone through many changes over the years, with only the bass player Paulo Jnr. lasting the course from their early days in Brazil as a constant reminder of how the band (in whatever incarnation) can claim to be amongst the foremost bands in their genre.

Sepultra, Gig Review. Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton. full post

(367 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)