The Charlatans
Leeds O2 - 15th May 22
Words & Photos - Levi Tubman
Looking out across the packed Leeds O2 I can see a few dozen bucket hats bobbing throughout, The Charlatans are in town tonight and they’ve brought the 90’s with them!
After a short instrumental intro, founder member and vocalist Tim Burgess comes bounding onto the stage full of life, and an infectious grin peeking out from underneath his peroxide bowl haircut.
This is their covid delayed 30th now 31st Anniversary best of tour, and this is a best of tour. They’re not a band trying out new material or treating people to some rarities and B sides, it’s their finest tracks from over a dozen studio albums, and from start to finish their adoring crowd loved every minute of it.
There are a lot of bands out there who are part of the Madchester indie scene but these guys were there at the start, formed in Manchester in the late 80’s they really took the sound and made it their own. With wailing organs filling the room with thick chords and lead sections usually handled by guitars underpinned by solid rhythmic bass and drums with Mark Collins cheeky solos and riffs betrayed by his calm still demeanour, and there in the middle is Burgess.
Halfway through the first song he takes his phone out, filming the crowd and selfies of himself with the audience behind him singing full belt, all through the gig sneaking snaps during organ solos and intros or filming himself singing grinning all the way.
He’s a proper front man, not just a singer, he leads the band and pours energy into his performance giving his all from start to finish, moving all over the stage so he’s singing to all parts of the audience, waving and stopping so people can take a photo, waving and talking to people up in the balcony.
The band do want something in return, they want the audience shouting back they want them to be loving it as much as they do, with Tim often walking to the front of the stage and raising his arms as if addressing his congregation bringing cheers mixed with enthusiastic singing.
They’ve been doing this for over 3 decades, they know the songs, they know how to play every chord so all the bands energy goes into just having fun. When you see a band enjoying it as much as the crowd the energy feeds back, and it felt like gigs I went to as a teen, a thousand people jumping in time, a frontman giving everything until exhaustion kicks in at the end.
For anyone going to see them on the tour you’re in for a treat, a band 30 years on seemingly playing at their peak with a lively catchy back catalogue getting to play all the hits you really couldn’t ask for more!
Setlist:
1. Forever
2. Weirdo
3. Can’t Get Out Of Bed
4. Then
5. So OH
6. Youre So Pretty – We’re So Pretty
7. Sleepy Little Sunshine Boy
8. Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over
9. One To Another
10. Different Days
11. Future tense – (With Ian Rankin Spoken Word)
12. Plastic Machinery
13. I Never Want An Easy Life If Me And He Where Ever To Get There
14. A Man Needs To Be Told
15. The Blind Stagger
16. The Only One I Know
17. North Country Boy
18. How High
Encore:
19. Blackened Blue Eyes
20. Trouble Understanding
21. Sproston Green
Links:
Photo Gallery
Miles Kane
Leeds O2 - 29th May 22
Review and photos - John McEvoy
Miles Kane has always been for me least a curious phenomenon in that he is without doubt a consummate performer both in his live and recorded performances, and yet he always seems to be an artist on the cusp of hitting the big time.
Let me make it clear though that this is not intended as any form of slight. The truth is far from it. It’s always a joy to see someone close like Miles Kane play the smaller venues such as the O2 and deliver a set list of covering material from his 4 albums starting from ‘Colour Of The Trap’ released in 2011, right through to the most recent and critically acclaimed album ‘Change The Show’ which was released earlier this year.
Firstly, though a mention should be given to the two support bands tonight. First up was Tom A Smith, who at the princely age of 17 is surely a name to keep an eye out for in the future. Think of a slightly more blues-based Sam Fender with bags of confidence and you’ve got the idea. I was very impressed and fully expect to hear a lot more from him.
Unusually there was a second support tonight and this was in the shape of Brooke Combe. Her unique vocal style along with a strange fusion of indi/soul/motown sound was a genuine highlight of the evening and this is someone else who I think could very well be destined for great things. Opening track ‘A-Game’ immediately got the crowds attention with her soaring soulful vocals, and her unique take on the Arctics ‘Why’d you Always Call Me When You’re High’ gave a classic tune a new and unusual twist that went down a treat with the audience.
Two bands down, one to go, and just after 9pm on came Miles Kane to rapturous applause, and it was straight into ‘Don’t Let It Get You Down’ from his new album and the 60’s style mod sound set the tone for the rest of the night. Then it was straight into ‘Rearrange’ with its Motown feel, all ably delivered by a band who were as tight as a drum.
Having had four albums out he now has a decent back catalogue, and tonight we were also treated to a couple of tunes from his side project The Last Shadow Puppets with Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys including ‘Aviation’.
As we reviewers like to do, we’re always trying to categorise gigs in terms of musical styles, but the curious thing with Miles Kane is that it’s quite a difficult thing to do and this is to his credit. One moment he’s a guitar thrashing rock god throwing all the shapes, the next it’s soulful harmonies.
I always thinks it can be a bit of a risk trying out new material on a live audience, but the 3 tracks he played from ‘Change The Show’ were well received by the appreciative audience.
He went right back to his first album ‘Colour Of The Trap’ for set closers ‘Inhaler’ and ‘Come Closer’ and brought to a close a gig that the crowd loved, and frankly you can’t really ask for more than that can you…
Set List:
• Don’t Let It Get Ya Down
• Re- Arrange
• Cry On My Guitar
• Coup De Grace
• Loaded
• Change The Show
• Aviation
• Don’t Forget Who You Are
• Don’t Let Me Down
• Never Get Tired
• See Ya When I See Ya
• Colour Of The Trap
• Standing Next To Me
• Inhaler
• Come Closer
Links:
alice cooper + The cult + creeper
Leeds Arena - 1st June 22
Review & photos by John McEvoy
Being the first band on stage in an Arena can I imaging be slightly daunting as generally people are wandering in trying to find seats/mates etc, but I tip my hat to Creeper, who weren’t distracted by any of this nonsense. From the start vocalist Will Gould prowled the stage dressed head to toe in black leather demanding that the crowd listened to them.
I would respectfully suggest that the vast majority of the crowd in the arena may not have even heard of Creeper, but based on this performance containing all the key elements of rock, guitar solos and catchy call and response moments, they may well have added a few more followers to their club.
Next up it was The Cult, (Previously Southern Death Cult then Death Cult). Originally formed in Bradford (yes really!) way back in the early 80’s there are now only 2 original members left in the shape of Ian Astbury and the guitar rock god Billy Duffy.
Curiously they were billed as joint headliners, but let’s be honest, the crowd were mainly there for Alice Cooper. This however didn’t deter them from delivering a blistering set which the crowd loved. Of course the fact that that was almost a home fixture for them and playing all their big tunes helped endear them to an appreciative audience.
Then next on stage it was the man who in the 70’s caused the British establishment to almost have a meltdown with his onstage antics involving guillotines, snakes and baby dolls. However welcome to 2022 and it’s a different world now.
Antics that may have shocked society in the early 70’s are now viewed as a slightly dark panto if I’m honest. But you what…. It’s still great fun, and at 74, Alice Cooper (Vincent Furnier) is still in remarkably good shape, and the capacity audience at the Arena loved every minute of it.
Yes the cynic in you could say it’s a cliched, predictable rock spectacular, but to me that would be missing the point. It’s a bit like watching a movie…
Turn off your phone, forget about everything for a couple of hours, just sit back and enjoy all the rock excesses on show which included an army of guitarists including Nita Strauss, generally regarded as one of the finest rock guitarists on the planet, and based on this performance I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that!
Special mention has to be given to the stage which was a vision in itself, straight out of a hammer horror set. I was fortunate enough to be in the photo pit for this, but this was one occasion where I think the further back you were, the better the view would be.
Of course opening track ‘Feed My Frankenstein’ was the perfect way to kick start the evening, and this was quickly followed up with ‘No More Mister Nice Guy’ which had over 10,000 people bellowing along with the chorus.
From then on it was a journey through Coopers vast back catalogue which currently stands at 7 band albums and a staggering 21 solo albums, so needless to say there’s an awful lot of material to choose from.
From time to time Cooper remained at the back of the stage and let his band go front and centre and this in itself was great entertainment. They’ve all clearly read the ‘Best rock poses with a guitar’ best seller but at the same time there was no doubt that these are all extremely talented musicians in their own right, and I liked the fact that they were clearly having a great time themselves. Even the drummer got in the act with the rarely seen drum solo after ‘Black Widow Jam’!
Neatly tying the set together was closing track ‘Teenage Frankenstein’ from his album ‘Constrictor’, but of course now one was going anywhere until that track!! Naturally it had to be ‘Schools Out’ which even though this is now 50 years old, still sounds as good as ever and ensured that the Leeds crowd had witnessed a spectacle but visually and musically that would be remembered for a long time to come.
Seriously, if you ever get chance to see the Alice Cooper show, I would recommend you go, it is genuinely great fun and is definitely not something you see every day!!
live at leeds in the park
Temple Newsam - 4th June 22
Review & photos - John McEvoy
We all love a festival don’t we?
Of course we do…
But there is a downside, thankfully not the weather in this case, but festivals always present everyone with that eternal dilemma, you’ve got two bands on different stages at the same time, so what do you do? Miss one and see a complete set, or run between the two and catch a bit of both.
Well in the case of this years Live at Leeds in the glorious setting of Temple Newsam, that wasn’t a major problem as literally each stage couldn’t have been more than a 5 minute walk away from each other.
It has to said that the organisers of this event should be congratulated on the way this whole day was set up, and unlike the gigantic Leeds festival that takes place in late Aug, this was the type where there was lots of space for everyone to walk around, sit down and not have to queue for hours on end for the toilets and or food. To be honest it all made for a refreshing change.
This years line up delivered a wide musical choice with an indie leaning but there was certainly enough here to entertain all no matter what you musical tastes happen to be.
Over on the main MTV stage (ironic really as MTV these days seems to be about anything but music!) headliners Bombay Bicycle Club ensured that there was going to a be decent crowd for that one.
Of course it’s always worth a wander around the site to catch the lesser know bands as this is often where you find the hidden gems, and the first one for us was Cassia who lit up the tent with their set at the DIY Bit Top and then it was down to the MTV stage to catch Alfie Templeman and it was easy to see what all the fuss is about, with a remarkably self-assured performance from a 19 year old on the back his just released solo album. He is definitely a name to watch out for in the future.
We decided to stick with the main stage to catch the set from Holly Humberstone who clearly knows how to write catchy pop tunes and her simple set up with herself on vocals, keyboards/guitar and drums to accompany was a genuine highlight and it was easy to see why she won the 2022 Rising Star Brit Award. As previous winners include Adele, Rag ‘n’ Bone and Sam Fender she is in very good company.
Then back up at the DIY Big Top we caught the back end of the set from Aussies Confidence Man, who it has to be said I thought were rather good with their slightly quirky electro dance vibe.
One band I really wanted to see was Honne who are made up of James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck. This is a band really going places as their recent global tour confirms and three albums in, they shown no sign of slowing down in terms of quality low vibe electronic/soul/dance tunes. Their rework of the utterly brilliant Warm On A Cold night was mesmerising and their interaction with the crowd was worth the price of admission alone!!
Before Arlo Parks it was a brisk walk over to catch The Snuts who as always were in fine form. Exhorting the crowd to liven up as it was a Saturday night did the trick and their set was warmly received by the audience.
Back across the field a packed tent welcomed Arlo Parks on stage. If you’ve listened to her debut album ‘Collapsed In Sunbeams’ you will know that this is a girl who is supremely talented and her R&B, Indie style was quite rightly given headline status.
From the very start of the set, the crowd loved every minute of her set, and Arlo Parks seemed genuinely taken aback at the reception she was getting.
At this point of proceedings circumstances conspired against us, and we had to leave the festival before catching Bombay Bicycle Club on the main stage at the end of the day. Although given the number of people who would be trying to get out of Temple Newsam, maybe having to leave early was in retrospect a wise move!
It has to be said that credit must be given to all the people involved in getting this event on. It was extremely well organised, and didn’t feel overly oppressive in terms of the numbers of people being there.
Musically the only word I could use to describe it would be ‘eclectic’ and we enjoyed every minute of the day.
We’re already looking forward to Live at Leeds 2023!
Don’t forget though that on the 15th Oct this year, Live at Leeds In The City will be taking place around many venues within the city centre and this is already shaping up to be a good one with Pale Waves announced as headliners!
shalamar
Leeds O2 - 11th June 22
Review & photos - John McEvoy
A warm summers night, and one of the finest soul funk bands of the last 40 years was the perfect fit on Saturday night and it would be fair to say that Shalamar delivered the goods in style.
Those of a us who are a certain ‘vintage’ will recall just how huge Shalamar were back in the early 80’s and their epic performance of ‘Night To Remember’ on those Top Of The Pops reruns is still regarded as one of the many highlights of that programme. Of course, the cherry on top of the cake was seeing Jeffrey Daniel first do the Moonwalk which resulted in a nations jaws collectively dropping.
Original vocalist Jody Watley parted ways with the band in the late 80’s, but original members Jeffrey Daniels and Howard Hewett are still very much front and centre and are now joined by Carolyn Griffey who has been with the band since 2001.
Ably supported by the tightest of bands Shalamar took the stage a little after 9:00pm and the crowd were immediately on their feet to the opening refrains to ‘Talk To Me’ from the ‘Friends’ album originally released in ’82.
I have to mention to just how good the vocals were tonight from all three of them, and with a band that were on top of their game, it was like 1982 all over again!
Needless to say, the audience really wanted to hear the big tunes and and Shalamar didn’t disappoint. ‘Make That Move’, ‘I Owe You One’ and ‘Take That To The Bank’ were rapturously received, and throughout the evening Jeffrey Daniels showed that he still has all the moves, body popping and gliding around the stage.
Of course, the big one was saved for the encore with their timeless classic ‘Night To Remember’ which of course included the famous moon walk move. (For those of you out there who haven’t a clue what I’m talking about, check out this link!!).
I am fortunate in that I get to see a lot of new bands, for Wall of Sound, but just occasionally it’s nice to see that great tunes are still great tunes no matter how long ago they came out and Shalamar were, and most certainly still are, a great band to catch live if you ever get the chance.
Set list:
• Talk To Me
• Make That Move
• Friends
• Sweeter As The Days Go By
• I Owe You One
• Dead Giveaway
• Somewhere There’s A Love
• I Don’t Wanne Be The Last To Know
• Help Me
• Take That To The Bank
• The Real Thing
• Full Of Fire
• The Second Time Around
• There It Is
• I Can Make You Feel Good
Encore:
• A Night To Remember
Paloma Faith
Piece Hall, Halifax - 2nd July 22
Review & Photos - John McEvoy
In the idyllic settings of Piece Hall, Halifax, Paloma Faith delivered a powerhouse of a set as part of her ‘Age Of Optimism’ UK tour, and based on this performance it’s easy to see why she’s currently regarded as a genuinely unique talent and one of the best female UK artists around at the moment.
Bang on 9:00pm Paloma Faith took to the stage and went straight into ‘Gold’ from her most recent album ‘Infinite Things’ which came out in 2020. Ably supported by a 4-piece band and 2 backing vocalists, this was a high octane start and was clear that both she and the band were loving every minute of this on a glorious July evening.
Powering through the first part of the set, it was only after the excellent ‘Cry Baby’ that she then had one of several chats throughout her set with the audience, and her charming self-deprecatory sense of humour instantly endeared her to the crowd.
As she pointed out, for many people, Covid had made everything a bit shit, but just maybe things are starting to get a little better. Hence the tour is called ‘Age Of Optimism’ I assume!
Proceedings slowed down a little with a mini acoustic set using the ‘old Joanna’ for ‘Stone Cold’, ‘New York’ and ‘Upside Down’ which the crowd were only too willing to join in with on backing vocals.
Dance bangers ‘Mistakes’ and ‘Lullaby” had the whole of Piece Hall throwing shapes and possibly hips out as well as she brought her main set to a close.
It would be fair to say that it’s really on the ballads where she excels and set closer ‘Only Love’ with its Motown swing delivery and her soaring vocals brought a spectacular evening to close and sent thousands of people off into the warm summers night feeling very happy and thinking that jus maybe things might not be quite so ‘shit’ in the future!!
At the time of writing this review, Paloma Faiths tour continues throughout the UK concluding on the 7th Aug in Brighton.
If you get chance to see her, do it…..
You won’t regret it!!
Set list:
• Gold
• Last Night On Earth
• Picking Up The Pieces
• Cry Baby
• Me Time
• Stone Cold AC
• New York AC
• Upside Down AC
• Beautiful & Damned
• Infinite Things
• Piece Of My Heart
• Living With A Stranger
• Mistakes
• Lullaby
Encore:
• Can’t Rely On You
• Changing
• Only Love
Links:
guns 'N' roses
Tottenham Hotspur Staium - 2nd July 22
Review by Chris Morley
It could be argued that Guns N Roses were among both the most frustratingly inconsistent & yet most edgily thrilling bands of the late Eighties/ early Nineties- & depending on point of view both ends of the spectrum were on show once they took to the pitch, as it were, following several Mexican waves born of sheer boredom from the stands at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night, almost a full hour later than their scheduled 6.45pm kick- off- a big tick for the more infuriating side!
Could Axl Rose really once more have given in to a diva- like craving for a roast dinner, as he had before going on at Wembley in 2006 ( if it all sounds a bit too close to Never Mind The Buzzcocks, just Google it & prepare to be amazed), & what were we to do if he hadn't been able find a Toby Carvery nearby? Was he passed out backstage after trying to find a vein into which to inject some pure strain of Bisto, Slash & Duff McKagan desperately trying to wipe the evidence from round his chops & sober him up?
The official reason given for the delay, a possible swerve away from his relapse into the arms of Aunt Bessie, being that a now curiously Mike Myers- like Axl had either suffered some sort of anxiety attack moments before he was due to appear or was struggling with his vocals, neither of which appeared to show once the reunited core trio of he, Slash & McKagan once more proved themselves the fundamental engine room of the band ( a tick for the undoubtedly proven talent side of proceedings) as they belatedly started as they meant to go on with an opening blast through It's So Easy, their opening statement & indeed proof if any were needed that underneath the early pseudo-Aerosmith swagger there was always a bit more substance- on the surface a celebration of just how easy fame seemed to come to them following their signing by Geffen in 1986, but look a little deeper & you begin to see even then how it was almost too easy, the thrill of it all seemingly all too quickly dissipating....
A case of the appetite for destruction going unsatisfied even that early on, we could say. Yet both live & on record it serves its purpose, perhaps the best of the short, sharp shocks that make up Appetite For Destruction itself- drawn from liberally throughout the evening alongside a few of the later ballads & some choice covers. But its those early choice cuts which rightly drew the biggest cheers, the sense deep down that this was what we'd all really come for.
And so it was that Mr Brownstone followed, the sordid tale of Slash & early G'N'R drummer Steven Adler's heroin addictions giving way to the title track from Axl's perfectionist quest for Chinese Democracy. While it may have won him few friends in Beijing & blown any chance he might have had of serving as any kind of US cultural attaché in the Far East, surely some credit has to be given for not simply sitting back on former glories- his dabble in the sort of electronic fare usually peddled by the likes of Nine Inch Nails not as bad as he was widely derided for around the time of its original release.
Almost as surprising a left- turn was an airing for Velvet Revolver's Slither, Axl taking the place of the late Scott Weiland on vocals & making it his own, a quite different beast from its original form & sounding as though it wouldn't have been entirely out of place on either of the Use Your Illusion albums or even as a taster of what Guns N Roses may have gone on to do had they lasted beyond the second of those comparative grand opuses, moving beyond the rough & ready into something a little more polished.
Not, of course, that there's anything wrong with a bit of rough & tumble! A point seemingly proven when having got the fancy stuff out of the way for now & given the man born Saul Hudson yet another chance to show off his general guitar heroism with a neat segue from Link Wray's Rumble intro into Welcome To The Jungle, people once more rising from their seats as another clarion call sounded from the stage, still as depressingly ( in places) relevant today as it was then....
There was an argument to be made that they could & perhaps should have just played the whole of Appetite For Destruction then got on to anything else, but to do so might have proven a tad too one- dimensional. So it was once more that it was broken up with Double Talkin' Jive & Estranged as a prelude to what may have been intended as a belated 80th birthday tribute to Sir Paul McCartney with a run- through of Live & Let Die, the latent menace extracted from the Wings original & spat back tenfold , Dizzy Reed on keyboards appearing to particularly enjoy the challenge as all around him shredded it.
Sadly, it would appear the world in which we're living continues to make some want to give in & cry, making the dedication of Civil War to the people of Ukraine all the more poignant & proving yet another jewel in Rose's lyrical crown.
After all the speaker sampled in the song's beginning is quite right, in that what we have here & indeed in all such conflicts is a failure to communicate, a charge which can't possibly be levelled at the man who penned such lines as:
Look at your young men fighting
Look at your women crying
Look at your young men dying
The way they've always done before
Look at the hate we're breeding
Look at the fear we're feeding
Look at the lives we're leading
The way we've always done before......
In light of which a swerve into Wichita Lineman doesn't sound as far-fetched as it might once have done! If anything, it points up how Rose might have got on had he at least pursued a solo career in country at the point where Guns N Roses originally split, Patience his own attempt at doing similar & indeed following in the set-list. This was probably the first of the comparatively more sedate lighters in the air moments, inexplicably broken up with a diversion into Spaghetti Incident territory for a Duff-led I Wanna Be Your Dog ( his take on Raw Power having appeared on what turned out to be their iffily- received final bow alongside stabs at the likes of the UK Subs, Misfits & New York Dolls among others).
Before anyone knew it the lighters, at least metaphorically, phone cameras & indeed people recording the show ( a pet hate of your correspondent) onto the aforementioned mobile devices having replaced them as the order of the day, were back out for an extended take on Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door & the tempo ratcheting up a notch for Nighttrain. Then on a night not chock full of surprises, out came Carrie Underwood to help Axl through the two biggest absentees up to that point by way of an encore- Sweet Child O'Mine showing exactly why its the one Guns N Roses song literally everyone knows, not least capturing everyone who plays on at at the top of their game, & Paradise City ( more of the same but your mum might not like it as much).
And that, at what felt like a ridiculously early 10.20pm, was that, following a final bow from the three stalwarts alongside Dizzy & Melissa Reese ( second keyboardist), guitarist Richard Fortus & remarkably solid drummer Frank Ferrer before another possibly futile attempt to keep Rose away from the roast spuds and/ or gravy boat after at least a seven out of ten of a show.....
Links:
duran duran
Piece Hall, Halifax - 5th July 22
Review & Photos - John McEvoy
The year was 1981, Bob Marley sadly passed away, the musical Cats first appeared in the West End, and album called Duran Duran was released by 5 boys from Birmingham.
Featuring tracks ‘Girls on Film’ and ‘Planet Earth’ this band immediately became the focal point of the ‘New Romantic’ movement along Spandau Ballet, and went on to become one of the biggest bands of the 80’s.
If you weren’t around at that time, just trust me, they were massive……
Their next 5 albums right through to ‘Liberty’ released in 1990 cemented their global stature, and whilst there were a few personnel changes over the years for various reasons, 41 years later, (yes that long!) the Yorkshire town of Halifax and the wonderful Piece Hall, welcomed the original Duran Duran line up (minus Andy Taylor) on stage and to go a little Brucey, didn’t they do well!
From the very start, the capacity crowd were itching to have a party in the summer sunshine, and as soon as Nick Rhodes (Keyboards), John Taylor (Bass), Roger Taylor (Drums) and Simon Le Bon (Lead Vocals) appeared it was full throttle from the start.
Life seems to have been very kind to these boys, whilst they may have a few extra lines (haven’t we all) they all looked remarkably fit and well, and with Le Bon front and centre it was part central.
Of course, what the crowd wanted to really hear were the big tunes, and whilst this can be frustrating from a bands perspective as they always like to try out new, and less well-known tracks, to their credit they wisely included all of their well-loved back catalogue. Although I have to say that tracks from their most recent album ‘Future Past’ were well received throughout the gig.
Second tune into their set and it ‘Wild Boys’ from 84 which did healthy business both in the UK and US lit the blue touch paper and the crowd didn’t disappoint in joining in with a 5,000-capacity vocal response.
Sound wise, they were spot on and it’s clear why Piece Hall is rapidly becoming such a popular place for gigs as the natural layout of the arena really does create a great sound wherever you happen to be standing.
The James Bond theme tune ‘View To A Kill’ unlike the movie, hasn’t dated at all, and sounded as good as ever. And this was quickly followed by ‘Notorious’ (my personal favourite) and ‘Union Of The Snake’.
Time may have moved on, but it’s clear the band still enjoy playing live and Le Bon is still very much the front man prowling the stage along with John Taylor.
My only minor quibble with their set is the inclusion of the Grandmaster Flash Hip Hop classic ‘White Lines’. Even now it still feels like an incongruous fit for this band, however I realise that based on the audience reaction I am probably in the minority with this opinion.
The excellent ‘Careless Memories’ and ‘Girls/Acceptable in the 80’s’ brought the set to a close, but the crowd weren’t going anywhere until ‘Save A Prayer’ and ‘Rio’ brought proceedings to an epic close during the obligatory encore!
Time may have moved on, but 40 years later, it’s easy to see why Duran Duran are still a force to be reckoned with.
Their current tour both here and in the US later in the summer is testament to their longevity, and long may they continue…
Set list:
· Velvet Newton
· Wild Boys
· All Of You
· View To A Kill
· Notorious
· Union Of The Snake
· Come Undone
· Give It All Up
· Hungry Like A Wolf
· Friends Of Mine
· Ordinary World
· Anniversary
· Planet Earth
· Hold Back The Rain
· Reflex
· White Lines
· Careless Memories
· Girls/Acceptable In The 80’s
Encore:
· Save A Prayer
· Rio
Links:
mabel
The Wardrobe, Leeds - 25th July 22
Review and photos - Liam McEvoy
The Brit award winning Mabel called into The Wardrobe in Leeds in order to celebrate the release of her second studio album About Last Night which was released on the 25th July and entered the UK charts at number 2.
Opening with the intro to her new album, Mabel powered into the first single released from her new album ‘Let Them Know’. This got the packed out crown bouncing from the off.
Following this in her own words Mabel threw it back with a number of her older tracks including the massive hit ‘Finders Keepers’ which saw the crowd singing along in fine voice.
Having performed a gig just a few days ago in Liverpool, Mabel informed the crowd that the latest single from About Last Night, ‘Crying On The Dance Floor’ had been added to the set list and she proceeded deliver a fantastic rendition of the track much to the delight of the audience.
Mabel continued the gig in fine form again playing a number of her biggest tracks including ‘Boyfriend and ‘Fine Line’. These were followed by ‘Definition’ that is sure to be a future massive hit.
The show closed with arguably her biggest track ‘Don’t Call Me Up’. This ended the gig in supreme style and clearly left the audience wanting more.
Full set of photos from the show here
Set list:
1. About Last Night…(intro)
2. Let Them Know
3. Mad Love
4. Finders Keepers
5. Overthinking
6. Crying on the Dance Floor
7. Let Love Go
8. Boyfriend
9. Good Luck
10. Fine Line
11. Definition
12. LOL
13. Don’t Call Me Up
Links:
radio ga ga & Fast Love
Millennium Square, Leeds - 29th July 22
Review and photos John McEvoy
Photos here: Radio Ga Ga - Fast Love
The tribute band industry is for many people a curious phenomenon, but there is no doubting that they are hugely popular. It was thought that the first tribute bands started off in the 60’s with a band called The Buggs who attempted to look and sound like The Beatles.
Since then, this form of entertainment has gone from strength to strength to such a degree that there are now even weekend festivals that feature tribute bands exclusively playing to packed houses around the world on a regular basis.
Having seen the extraordinary Bootleg Beatles earlier this year, the opportunity to see Fast Love (George Michael) and Radio Ga Ga (Queen) play on the main stage in Millennium Square Leeds was an opportunity not to be missed.
First up it was Fast Love and from the off I immediately had to do a double take such was the likeness of the front man to George Michael it was uncanny. Supported by an accomplished tight band and 3 backing vocalists the Leeds crowd was instantly transported back to the heady days of the 90’s.
The first part of the set was dedicated to Georges post Wham material and ‘Fast Love’ I’m Your Man’ and ‘Faith’ got the party going. Things slowed down slightly with the impressively delivered ‘A Different Corner’.
One costume change later and the second half of the set was devoted exclusively to Wham and opener ‘Club Tropicana’ upped the anti with the crowd now in full singalong mode. From there it was straight into the timeless ‘Everything She Wants’ ‘Edge Of Heaven’ and set closer ‘Wake Me Up’.
Credit where credits due, this was a mightily impressive set, and I think George would approve!
Next up it was Radio Ga Ga, currently regarded as one the best Queen tribute bands around, and from the very moment they took to the stage it was easy to see why. An obvious question is how do you even to begin to emulate one of THE front men of all time in Freddie Mercury?
Well, I can safely say that Mark Sanders as Freddie does an excellent job and delivered a larger than life performance that delighted the audience in Leeds. There’s no getting away from the fact the Mercury was the centre of everyones attention, but the band themselves were in fine form and delivered uncannily accurate versions of the original tracks.
Such is the strength of the Queen back catalogue the toughest part of a gig like this must surely be deciding what to cover and what to leave out.
Needless to say all the biggies were included such ‘Radio Gaga’, ‘Under Pressure’ and one of my personal favourites ‘Another One Bites The Dust’. There was also some great guitar work on ‘We Will Rock You’ with of course the obligatory audience clap along participation.
Rather bravely (in my opinion) they also took on and deftly delivered a great version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which technically must be testing for any musician! Or at least I think so.
Throughout the evening Sanders as Mercury in various recognisable outfit changes worked the crowd expertly who in turn loved every minute of the almost 2 hour show and as all bands should do, they left the crowd wanting more.
I know it’s easy to be a little sniffy about tribute bands, but having seen Radio Ga Ga and Fast Love, and the reaction of the crowd, there is clearly a demand for them, and at the end of the day, what’s wrong with a little bit of nostalgia from time to time?
Both Radio Ga Ga and Fastlove are touring extensively and if you want to have a bit a blast for a few hours, hear and see some old classics performed by talented musicians then I would urge you to catch them live.
I guarantee you will have an absolute blast…
Links:
st paul & the broken bones
Brudenell Club, Leeds - 26th July 22
Review & photos - John McEvoy
On a steaming summers night and in front of a packed audience at The Brudenell in Leeds, St Paul & The Broken Bones delivered what can only be described as a truly electrifying performance.
This crackling soul r&b band formed over 10 years ago in Birmingham, Alabama have quite rightly received glowing reviews for both their recorded and live performances and 4 albums in, with their most recent release ‘The Alien Coast’ doing very brisk business, they now have a rich backlog to deliver.
‘Atlas’ and ‘3000 AD Mass’ started proceedings off at 100 MPH, and things never really never slowed down throughout the whole performance, front and centre was vocalist Paul Janeaway (more on him shortly) who was backed a 6 piece band complete with horns section, and their thunderous funk/soul/r&b workouts throughout the evening were a sight and sound to behold.
However there really is no getting away from the fact that front man and vocalist Paul Janeaway is very much centre of attention. Put simply there’s no getting away for the fact that as soon as he opens his mouth to sing, everyone in the room, and I do mean everyone was simply transfixed.
His voice is unique in that it’s quite high in the range, and is a curious mix of James Brown, Prince, Jackie Wilson and Al Green to name a few. His delivery is a bluesy, gospel, soul style delivery and is perfectly suited high-octane workout and ballads.
‘Sanctify’ from the ‘Sea Of Noise’ album is the perfect showcase track for what this band is all about, and Paul decided to go on a walkabout and whilst precariously hanging onto the ceiling near the mixing desk brough the house down with its mellow blues delivery all brilliantly underpinned by the band and a horns section that is seriously one of the finest I’ve heard to date.
Janeaway has just become a dad and he announced that he’d written a couple of new tracks that the band wanted to try out. Personally I always think that trying out new material at a gig is often a high-risk strategy, but these went down well with the receptive crowd.
Set closer was of course the epic ‘Call Me’ (47 million streams on Spotify so far!) which had everyone singing at the top of their voices, and I swear I could also hear a little of the old Terence Trent D’Arby in there as well which was no bad way to close out the night as far as I’m concerned.
It was a real treat to see a band of this calibre play a small club, as they could without a doubt easily fill much smaller venues. If you get the opportunity to catch St Paul & The Broken Bones live, DO IT.
You will not regret it!
Set List:
Atlas
3000 AD Mass
The Last Dance
Minotaur
Sanctify
Sad Chicken
Seastar
Magnolia Trees
LiveWithoutU
Like Mighty River
I’m Torn Up
Got It Bad
Apollo
Grass Is Greener
Convex
Call Me
Links:
blue orchid reaction
The Lending Room, Leeds - 18th Aug 22
Review & photos - Levi Tubman
These days the local music scene is thriving, with gigs on most nights, this Thursday we went to see what the Leeds based Indie Rock Blue Orchid Reaction were all about!
Indie rock is quite a wide label and having not seen these guys before, going by other local bands of the genre I was expecting something standard, inoffensive middle of the road indie rock, even a little cookie cutter, but straight away they proved they had bite and werepulling no punches.
Opening with a thick punchy Bass, I was surprised again to see vocal duties taken off to the right by the Bass player, a slightly gritty sound to his vocals, casually playing little runs and riffs between the solid underpinning rumble backup up by the drums, this very catchy surprise proving a fantastic opener for the evening.
Bringing the vocals back to the centre of the stage the singer/guitarist has a smoother tone to his voice, helping bring a catchy more pop tone to the track, with dual backing vocals I couldn't help tapping my foot along, nodding my head, but the crowd were a few notches above me. Jumping, dancing and cheering wildly they really couldn’t get enough!
Rounding off the night is a drum and bass intro, slow catchy groove, showing off a quieter vocal talent, before angry drums wash over the stage building energy in waves through the song. Gone are the happy pop tones that have come through in sections, it’s all business for the next few minutes leaving the crowd with a harder hitting “this is how it’s done” vibe.
The set had a nice mix of faster high energy pieces slotting in a few subdued moments. With varying but complimentary guitar tones they really filled the stage, playing a lot more lead work that you’d normally expect, with solos giving way to catchy riffs, passing the role of lead between the two guitarists at times paired with punchy bass. Mixing rhythmic underpinning notes and riffs and drums being worked hard, driving the pace along with fills that wouldn’t sound out of place in a grunge band with the snare snapping through with every hit.
Add into this the bands energy and catchy song writing, Matt’s got A Job is packed with melodies that get into your head from start to finish, and you’re onto a winner!
Bands like this show that you can go out even on a weekday and see great local music, if you see these guys playing around near you,
I highly recommend you go check them out you won’t be disappointed!
Set List:
1. Matts Got A Job
2. Sunset Claims
3. Mountains
4. Atmosphere
5. Under These Skies
6. Animal
7. Walking In Their Heaven
8. Personal Revolution.
Links:
Leeds Festival @ temple Newsam
26th, 27th & 28th Aug 22
Review and photos - Liam McEvoy
August 26th to August 28th at Bramham Park saw beautifully sunny skies, thousands of excited fans and some of the biggest bands and artists on the planet performing some incredible music.
Leeds Festival 2022 had a stellar line up and Wall of Sound were in Leeds to catch it all.
Whilst there are some incredible acts on Thursday, Friday 26th August is when things really get started. After arriving bright and early Friday morning and setting up camp (because camping is an essential part of the festival experience), it was time to take in some music. First up it was Run The Jewels. Hailing from the other side of the Atlantic, the American Hip-Hop duo delivered a storming set on the Main Stage East and had the crowd bouncing from start to finish.
Following this it was a short trip over to the Main Stage West to catch Bastille perform a typically energetic set playing some of their biggest tracks to the delight of the sizable audience. With a line up as strong as the one for Leeds Festival 2022 it was a jam packed schedule and so it was time to head back over to the Main Stage East to catch the pop powerhouse Charlie XCX. Delivering a set full of her biggest tracks including “Boom Clap” and “Yuck”, this was a feel good pop party that had the delighted crowd dancing throughout.
After a short respite it was then time to head up to the BBC Radio 1 Xtra Stage in order to catch A1 x J1. Aged just 16 and 18 respectively A1 x J1 were perhaps some of the youngest artists on the bill for Leeds Festival. However, with their tight flows and fantastic bass lines A1 x J1 stormed the stage like seasoned professionals and had a packed out tent bouncing.
It was then time for the Friday night headliners. Having been asked to fill in at short notice after Rage Against The Machine pulled out, The 1975 took to the stage to deliver a set full of the funk and indi-pop they are known for.
Part way through the set front man Matty Healy informed the crowd that the band’s new album is finished and ready to go and that the band will be touring in 2023 but would not divulge the dates for this. It has since been confirmed that The 1975 will complete a UK tour in January 2023. This set rounded off the first full day of Leeds Festival in style and left the crowd eager for the remaining days.
The Saturday dawned and once again it was gloriously sunny. Perfect conditions for a music festival. First up were the punk rock kings Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes. This was a great way to blow off the cobwebs and get Saturday started. They delivered a spectacular set seeing Frank Carter perform literal headstands on top of the crowd. Following this it was time for a trip up to the Main Stage West to catch Wallows. The LA based three piece who are very much on the rise performed a fantastic set to a raucous crowd who clearly enjoyed every moment.
Then it was time to catch the winner of the 2021 rising star award at the Brits, Griff, who took to the stage and performed a set that made it very clear as to why she won her award. A brilliant set full of energy saw the crowd dancing start to finish.
Next up it was Joy Crookes’s turn to take to the stage. Crookes’s soulful style came as a beautiful calm in the storm of a festival, and it was clear why she has been making waves in the music world. Immediately following Joy Crookes were All Time Low.
Storming the stage and much to the delight of the of the fans All Time Low played a set full of their biggest and best tracks including “Weightless” and “Dear Maria, Count Me In.”
Following All Time Low it was time for another trip up to the BBC Radio 1 Xtra Stage to catch Pa Salieu. The British rapper had the crowd bouncing from the off and gave a set full of incredible flows and bass lines that were rapturously received by the crowd.
Then it was time for the Saturday night headliner….
A man who is at the absolute top of his game and is arguably one of the UK’s biggest current artists. Dave took to the main stage and performed a phenomenal set to a raucous crowd. The multitalented artist owned the stage and as seems to be his thing now, he pulled a member of the crowd on stage with him to perform his iconic track “Thiago Silva”. Dave closed the second day of Leeds Festival in supreme style and left fans excited for the final day and final headliners, The Arctic Monkeys.
The weather gods were once again on our side for day 3 and first up it was The Lathums. The indi-rock band delivered a great set that had the crowd dancing and singing along from the off.
As the day progressed it was clear that Sunday was the busiest day of the weekend with crowds swelling to capacity. It was time however to take a trip up to the Festival Republic x IHG Stage to catch Kid Brunswick storm the stage and deliver a set that rocked the entire tent. It was then time to head down to the Main Stage East to catch AJ Tracey perform to a massive crowd. Heading back to the Festival Republic x IHG Stage Carolesdaughter gave a great set that delighted the rock fans in the packed out tent.
It was then time for what the capacity crowds had been waiting for.
With their appearances at Leeds and Reading, this was the band’s first UK gigs in almost four years,
The Arctic Monkeys took to the stage to close a festival they have not headlined since 2014 and proceeded to deliver a career spanning set with tracks taken from each of their six studio albums. The crowd were also treated to a rendition of ‘I Ain’t Quite Where I think I Am’ the single from the bands forthcoming album The Car.
In terms of a closing act, it does not come much better that The Arctic Monkeys. The swagger and confidence of Alex Turner and Co. closed Leeds Festival 2022 with a remarkable set that reminded everyone of just how good this band, were and indeed still are.
All in all this was once again a truly excellent weekend, with a huge range of bands of all genres playing and the sun shone throughout!
What more could you ask for!!
Here’s to 2023….
gilbert o'sullivan
St Georges Hall, Bradford - 5th Oct 22
Review and photos - John McEvoy
Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards, Difford/Tilbrook…
All great songwriters I think you would agree!!
I’d like to add one more name to that list, Gilbert O’Sullivan
Many of you may not have even heard of him, but in the early 70’s this man was one of THE biggest selling artists on the planet. So much so that in 72 he managed to retain the top spot in the US single charts for 6 (yes 6!) consecutive weeks with ‘Alone Again (Naturally)’
Back in the day it was tough enough to just get a single into the top 100 of the US charts, so to reach the top spot for that long gives you a flavour of the how massive this person was.
Since the 70’s he’s had his fair share of issues with management, royalties and sampling issues, but it would be fair to say that his light since then has never shone quite as bright.
That’s not to say the quality of his song writing has diminished in any way, and indeed his most recent album release “Driven’ was released in Aug of this year to some serious critical acclaim and with good reason.
Indeed, Uncut Magazine said and I quote, “OSullivan is long overdue a major reappraisal, a songwriting masterclass from an undersung craftsman”
And so it was that on a cold autumn night we caught him on the current tour to promote the new album. From the outset it was clear to see that this was man still very much blessed with the ability to craft clever catchy songs, all delivered with a voice that years have been very kind to. Indeed he looked in great shape for a man of his ‘maturity.
This was very much a pared back performance with just himself on piano and accompanied on various guitars by the supremely talented Bill Shanley.
For those who wanted to wallow in nostalgia they weren’t to be disappointed as his set was sprinkled throughout with the big tunes such as ‘Clair’ and ‘Nothing Rhymed’
His easy going intersong banter quicky endeared himself to the crowd, especially as he talked about his love for strong tea, and the ‘Yorkshire Tea’ mug he’d just been given as a gift before going straight into “Where Would We Be Without Tea’.
He even addressed the calamitous events going in the Ukraine and the audience were only too willing to sing along with “Where Peaceful Waters Flow’ from his ‘I’m A Writer, Not A Fighter’ album from 73.
New material from the ‘Driven’ album was also well received and ‘Let Bygones Be Bygones’ and Take Love’ featuring Mick Hucknall and KT Tunstall respectively were perfect examples of his ongoing writing prowess.
Set closer of course had to be the timeless ‘Alone Again’ which all in attendance were only too happy to sing along with.
Of course, the evening wouldn’t be complete without encore closers ‘Matrimony’ and ‘Get Down’ bringing the crowd to their feet and sending everyone out into the night feeling that they have witnessed an artist who is still at the top of his game.
Uncut Magazine were right. O’Sullivan is certainly due a reappraisal, he possesses a unique talent that should be quite rightly lauded.
Get him on the Jools Holland show, that’ll do the trick.
anthrax
O2 Academy Leeds - 3rd Oct 22
Review and photos - Levi Tubman
Of course we all know the big 4… Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax!
While never quite getting the same level of commercial success as the other 3 Anthrax stand out amongst the 4 and on the slightly delayed 40th anniversary tour they’re out to show that they’ve not slowed down in the slightest and have spent the past 4 decades loudly kicking ass.
This isn’t as bad I expected to be seeing again, the last time I saw them it was their “Last ever tour” and after cancelling all mainland Europe gigs due to logistics issues and expense it was starting to look like you could keep a good thing down.
Coupled with multiple warnings from the head of security that due to violent crowds the night before they might just pull us from the pit, so being in the venue still wasn’t a guarantee!
But then the lights go down and were treated to a video on a sheet covering the stage, with names such as Kerry King, Keanu Reeves, Corey Taylor, Henry Rollins and Gene Simmons talking about their love of the band to help boost their egos while riling up the audience to a backing track of Anthrax classics.
While only seen by us in the pit is the ever grinning Scott Ian playing along to the video on the side of the stage, we’ve not had the first song yet and he’s already going at it jumping around with is signature flying-V
The first notes of Among the Living Anthrax silhouetted on the stage, moments later the sheet drops and the crowd erupts, 2,000 fans surge forwards with Joey Belladonna stood on the edge of the stage arms spread wide beckoning them forwards.
The first few songs out of the way, Scott informs us this track is Madhouse and he wants to see a circle pit! All night he keeps making circle motions with his hands, while trying to play, they’ve come to make noise and the crowd WILL reciprocate, even down to fake sulking sitting backs to the crowd, pretending to chat and tune up until the balcony all stood up. You WILL have a good time tonight, the band have decided!
Unlike some of the other shows there was no over the top eager fans trying to climb on the stage or rushing the barrier. They were wild but restrained, until the band started talking about playing Manchester!! Quickly soothing the crowd with talks of hating the south and again Joey roaring with laughter to the O2 trademark chant of Yorkshire! Yorkshire! Yorkshire!
Before launching into Bring The Noise and the epic Indians! No traditional encore tonight instead, of leaving the stage they have a little jam, we almost get Iron Man and a few other tracks before closing the night with a cover of Got The Time and Efilnikufesin.
Over 40 years of playing they show no sign of slowing down, with a line-up that, except for Jon Donais, consists of members who where there through the 80’s heyday. They’ve kept their style and energy and looking at the crowd have managed to keep making new fans.
There is no reason at all to not see these guys playing for at least another decade!
Setlist
1. Among The Living
2. Caught In A Mosh
3. Madhouse
4. Metal Thrashing Mad
5. Keep It In The Family
6. Antisocial
7. I Am The Law
8. In The End
9. Medusa
10.Only
11.Bring The Noise
12.Indians
Encore
13.Got The Time
Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
amazons
Leeds Beckett - 13th Oct 22
Review and photos - Liam McEvoy
Photos of Ava In The Dark here
On the same night that saw Light Night illuminate the city of Leeds, The Amazons called in to a packed out Leeds Becket Student Union. Following the release of their third studio album ‘How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?’
They delivered a blistering set full of the stadium filling; festival staple tracks the band have become known for.
Before the main event began however it was local Leeds band Ava in The Dark that took to the stage. They did an admirable job of warming the crowd up and demonstrated why they are a band on the rise.
It was now time for the main event and The Amazons took to the stage to raucous applause and opened with the first track from their newest album ‘How Will I Know’, this saw the crowd dancing and moving from the off. This was followed up with ‘Ready for Something’.
This track is an incredible example of what The Amazons are about. A massive stadium filling track with incredible guitar hooks and thundering drums it had the crowd bouncing.
The band continued the set at a blistering pace playing tracks from across their three albums. Things were slowed down slightly with ‘Norther Star’ and saw the room lit by the torches of the audience. Following this brief respite, The Amazons once again kicked into top gear with ‘Wait For Me’ which again saw the crowd bouncing.
The band then powered through a number of tracks from their back catalogue including fan favourites ‘Mother’ and ‘Stay With Me’, and closed the show with ‘Junk Food Forever’.
After a short interval the band returned to the stage performing the first single released from their newest album ‘Bloodrush’. This was followed by bands biggest track ‘Black Magic’, and this closed the show in supreme style.
Tonight The Amazons delivered a quality set and this performance showed exactly why they are currently one of the most exciting bands in the UK, and with a handful of dates left on the UK tour this is a band not to be missed.
Set List:
How Will I Know
Ready For Something
Ultraviolet
25
In The Morning
There’s a Light
In My Mind
One By One
Say It Again
Northern Star
Wait For Me
Doubt It
Mother
Night Driving
Stay With Me
Junk Food Forever
Encore:
Bloodrush
Black Magic
Links:
soul asylum & Everclear
The Old Woollen, Farsley - 9th Nov 22
Review & photos Levi Tubman
Tonight, the runaway train brought the Everclear and Soul Asylum double headline tour to The Old Woollen in Farsley, and with it the Alt-Rock heavyweights huge back catalogue, so we went along for the ride.
Everclear come onto the stage to the choral intro to So Much For The Afterglow just in time to kick in with the song proper. This was a big hit for the band that I expected towards the back of the set, but they’re not messing around tonight.
Get something big out and up front, and the audience loved it, with nothing between them and the stage the big number seemed to remove any barriers between band and audience, it’s clear that this is going to be an intimate gig.
Grinning from ear to ear, singer guitarist and founding member Art Alexakis warmly greets the crowd, with a slight hoarseness to his voice, although it has no effect on his distinctive singing voice, which only helps in putting that instantly recognisable stamp on their songs.
You can tell it’s an Everclear song, but part of that is down to the fact that every song they play is a hit, there’s no filler here, its easier to put a popular song up first because they have so many others to choose from.
A nice dollop of interaction with the crowd, asking for requests, laughing and saying they wouldn’t play them but asking all the same. This only helps to warm the crowd, with dialogue passing back and forth, and bass player Freddy Herrera, toes hanging off the edge of the stage posing for photos mid riff. Even dedicating a song to everyone in the crowd who’s gotten clean and Heroin Girl, about the death by overdose of his girlfriend and brother doesn’t dull the evening with applause and cheers throughout.
Finishing off with the crowd singing most of their last song and even getting to strum their guitars for them it was an energetic and inclusive performance and left the crowd hungry for more.
Soul Asylum, despite the roar from the crowd, take the stage in quite an unassuming manner, with Dave Pirner dressed like a stereotypical American dad, white trainers’ blue jeans and shirt, he could have blended in easily with the crowd, until they launch into Hurry Up and Wait, off their most recent album. His voice cuts easily through the music with his wide vocal range, they are a band that never quite took to the heavier side of the scene, and their music really suits his clean vocals, which at times can be almost vulnerable and gentle fitting easily with their musical style, it’s great to hear he can still perform the same 40 years on.
Everclear warned the crowd before they left the stage what would be coming, but there’s very little that can prepare you for Dave’s love of truly terrible dad jokes, laughing to himself often before the joke even finished, trying his mock English accent engaging the crowd that would groan more than laugh, the personal touch still went down well and as soon as they kicked into another song he was soon forgiven.
With a slower style and acoustic guitars they still managed to perform with the same energy as the heavier band before them, years of experience performing really shows that they’re a tight professional unit, and you can see how much they love playing. With every member of the band performing with more energy than some front men, and this just feeds the crowd, with guitarist Ryan Smith often unable to keep his feet on the ground.
They have so many fan favourite’s, with over 150 songs to choose from, but like all bands they have that one song the crowd is desperate for and with the first chord of runaway train the room erupts and gets the biggest cheer of the night, and sadly the worst joke so far.
But its not the end, they have another 8 songs still to go, proving that they’re more than the big commercial hit but with tonight’s crowd they have nothing to prove.
These 2 bands have that perfect mix of experience coming from a combined 72 years performing, and 22 albums mixed with the energy and excitement of a teenager.
With a wide crossover between their fan bases it makes perfect sense to put on a dual headliner tour, and they put on a full, loud and exciting show, the only downside is they’re not playing enough dates.
modern love
Leeds Hyde Park Book Club - 11th Nov 22
Review by Dave Flerin
So, the merch guy tells me Modernlove played Camden last night and just drove 200 miles north to do it all again for us on the no-frills cellar stage at the Hyde Park Book Club tonight. He says “They’re knackered but well up for it!” After a 200 mile drive? We’ll see, I thought…
It’s a young and mainly female crowd in tonight, with a smattering of guys who look slightly like they’re here under duress.
Tonight’s support act is Liz Mann, a three piece with a short but genius set of pop gems. Playing over a backing track, Liz and her bass player and keyboardist do their best to win over and energise a foot-shuffling audience into action with a spirited performance, where Liz doesn’t hold much back. “Too Many Goodbyes” feels so Gallic-chic that it’s crying out to be sung in French; “Love Like This” sees her effortlessly master full-on eighties pop (think Holiday-period Madonna), before proceedings are brought to a close with the gorgeous “Chocolate”. On the strength of tonight,
Liz Mann should really be bothering the charts, so make sure you catch her live soon before she hits the big time.
After a short changeover it’s modernlove’s turn to take to the stage, and they proceed to power flawlessly through their set with insane professionalism.
Their quiet and affable way immediately wins everyone over, and although the crowd never go quite as wild as you think they might, they are still held firmly in Barry, Cian, Danny and Graham’s collective palm.
Having heard them unfairly described as a boy band who do indie, tonight they showed they’re a band that really can play. The real star of the show is Barry’s voice, which goes perfectly hand in hand with modernlove’s young brand of indie. They can’t help being pin-ups, but they make a pretty convincing sound for a boy band with instruments; putting a lot of other, far more famous bands to shame with their live showing.
The music’s a little bit wall of noise, where you can't particularly make any of it out, and that comes at the expense of some genuine musical excitement and surprise. Although it has to be said that the drummer does have some kickass coolness to his drumming at times, and they still surprise me with their ability to play brilliantly through an entire set, which covers practically everything they’ve released so far.
An amusing moment happens when I'm tapping away notes in my phone, only to notice the music's gone all mellow and EVERYONE has squatted down apart from me, then... BOOM!
The music kicks back in and everyone leaps into the air. Sometimes we should all look up from our phones, eh!? Last song now ("We don't HAVE any more!
We need to write some more and come back!"). I wish more were dancing for them, but everyone still leaves happy.
They came, they entertained, and they left. Another act who you feel are right on the verge of “making it”. modernlove? Surprisingly good.
Modern Love links:
Photo Gallery
