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)

Morecambe, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse Theatre.

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

Cast: Bob Goulding.

It takes a brave actor to take on the mantle of one of Britain’s best loved comedians on stage. It takes a man with nerves of steel to do the whole show on his own for a mind boggling 80 odd minutes and who won’t be sure of how the audience will react to the telling of his life until the final curtain.

Morecambe, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse Theatre. full post

(442 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Chumbawamba, A B C D E F G. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 10th 2010.

After the critical success of 2008’s The Boy Bands Have Won, Chumbawamba have released their 15th studio album entitled A B C D E F G. The album reflects neatly the bands love of folk and the quirkiness that can be found in any social context or mistreatment of the oppressed and the injustice of life and society.

Chumbawamba, A B C D E F G. Album Review. full post

(287 words, 1 image, estimated 1:09 mins reading time)

The Automatic, Tear The Signs Down. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 13th 2010.

The Automatic this week released their third studio album, titled Tear the Signs Down, and the second one to showcase Paul Mullen after the departure of Alex Pennie before the critically acclaimed album This is a Fix.

The album marks a huge sea change in the way that the band sound. Gone are the pop generation friendly lyrics and instead what the band have produced is an album that will surely generate debate not only amongst their die-hard fans but possibly to a wider audience also.

The Automatic, Tear The Signs Down. Album Review. full post

(289 words, 1 image, estimated 1:09 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)

Hansel And Gretel, Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

Occasionally, a production comes along and shakes your preconceived ideas about staging and writing a play right down to the very foundations. One such play currently in Liverpool is Kneehigh Theatre’s re-working of the children’s classic Hansel and Gretel.

The stage was set for a magical night of theatre and the cast and support did not let the excited audience down. From the very young whose innocent laughter filled every part of the theatre to the parents and older patrons who were just as enthralled by the use of the set and the characterization of the family, (this time without the evil step mother figure).

Hansel And Gretel, Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(353 words, estimated 1:25 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)

Porridge, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 23rd 2010.

Cast: Shaun Williamson, Daniel West, Nicholas Lumley, John Conroy, Peter Alexander, Richard Syms, Claire Andreadis, Andrew Scott Butler, Jon De Ville, Jolana Lee, Mark Pearce, Barrett Robertson, Alex Tanner, Matt Weyland, Ryan Winston.

Not that long ago, a sitcom took the country by storm, not for its high brow wit, not for snappy one-liners but for the place and its subject matter. There are not that many writers who could make a comedy gold out of the idea of sending a man to prison and the prospect of dealing with the establishment (both in the form of the Prison Officers and the man who actually ran the prison, in this case, the genial Harry Grout).

Porridge, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(555 words, estimated 2:13 mins reading time)

The Canterbury Tales, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 24th 2010.

Cast: Isia Bennison, Emily Butterfield, Matt Connor, Phil Corbitt, Laura Cox, Andy Cryer, Michael Hugo, Rosie Jenkins, Alan McMahon, David Newman, Rob Pickavance, Matthew Rixon, Richard Standing, Andrew Whitehead.

After the success of Medea earlier in the year, Northern Broadsides have come back once more to Liverpool with the intention of staging a difficult piece of work for the delight of the Playhouse audience. This time they tackled one of English literature’s defining moments, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.

The Canterbury Tales, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(383 words, estimated 1:32 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)