2017 has been more than a ‘best albums’ type of year. Not that there has been a dearth of great new releases, with Jane Weaver and The BJM amongst several faves, but this has been a diverse year with single releases and emerging artists. There’s a noticeable Northern flavour to the list too. Best new artists:…
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Things have been a bit quiet at Gourmet Gigs while I’ve been visiting southern Spain. But as chance would have it, we were invited to a local music festival called Deltirón in the breezy, friendly coastal city of Cádiz. I swapped a lifetime of damp festivals on home turf for one with palm trees, enviably…
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I posted this in 2017 but its message sadly rings truer than ever. “This is a place for music lovers. If you want to talk to your friends when the bands are on, please use the other bar.” The above sign is plastered prominently on the venue door at The Trades in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, one of…
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This year was the 15th anniversary of Green Man, the bucolic festival set in the Brecon Beacons. It is – since the demise of Big Chill – my favourite festival venue, with its lush mountainous setting and main stage framed dramatically by the Black Mountains. For those short of stature (like myself), you’ll always have…
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Review of Leftfield ‘Leftism’ at Bluedot festival, by Nicholas Mai “Come on Tom, let’s go and see some proper music”. And so the uncertain eight-year(ish) old boy dutifully follows his father into the tent where Leftfield are warming up the crowd nicely as the first of the big name opening Friday acts at this year’s Bluedot…
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Bluedot festival at Jodrell Bank is a perfect mix of music (spacey electronica mostly) with science, space and techie workshops and talks.
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Announcing a whole day of music on two stages – Crouch End Festival’s Music Day on the 11th June on the green outside Hornsey Town Hall. And there’s an extra Music Night on Thursday 15th in the Supper Room in Hornsey Town Hall. The event is organised by Crouch End Festival and Gourmet Gigs and…
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Waiting to Exhale: a creative exploration in response to Brexit A suburban house turned into an experimental and beautiful space for the creation of project-based art, this is the essence of Space 36, in Finsbury Park, north London. In 2016, the owners of the house, Ahmed Farooqui and Alan Swann, held an exhibition which they chose…
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Bearded Theory Spring Gathering or “festival” as it is usually called, has reached an important milestone – its tenth birthday. The hairy-faced contributor to the festival world has grown and blossomed, from bum fluff through designer stubble to full beard. The celebrations opened on a perfect sunny Thursday afternoon with a surprisingly large crowd, perhaps due to the lineup being stuffed…
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Festival season is approaching fast – only five weeks till some of us will be sleeping, or at least trying to, in our tents. Here are a few more events to whet your appetite, and some festival news too. Some festivals are getting low on tickets, so don’t ponder for too long. And if you’re a foodie,…
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