The Besnard Lakes closed the UK leg of their tour with a triumphant, beautiful and emotional performance at The Assembly Hall, Islington. The space was perfect for The Besnard Lakes. It’s a medium-sized venue with a grand feel, and that Besnard sound swirled around and filled the space, the mirrorball on the ceiling looking like an escapee from their last album cover,…
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There’s a real buzz, a sense of anticipation in the lead-up to the Broken Witt Rebels heading on stage at The Water Rats. The audience are crowding to the front and there’s a bank of photographers jostling for position. It’s great to observe this young band making such headway. I spend more time than I should watching bands perform their socks off – musicians who so…
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In order to eat at the former site of Pitt Cue restaurant just off Carnaby Street, diners had to queue in the street, sometimes for hours. The reward was a coveted place downstairs in the 5‑table poky cellar space, or perched at the cosy bar upstairs. The reason people were prepared to wait was due…
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James showcased their new album Girl at the End of the World at Scala, Kings Cross. We’re hoping we’ll hear one or two old favourites scattered here and there, but this show is really the launch of the new album and the first time they’ll be playing the material in front of an audience. Tim Booth comes on…
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Seamus Fogarty, Meilyr Jones, Field Music Friday’s lineup at The Trades Hebden Bridge consists of three acts who one might not initially think, ‘Well, these three are going to work well together’. What actually transpired was an evening of thoughtful and challenging music, each act complementing the other in such a way to create a satisfying…
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Time Out continued their Rising Stars series with a bumper Xmas special ‘Best of Rising Stars’ – six acts with a foothold in the music industry who are being rewarded by seeing their talent and persistence start to pay off. Holding the Rising Stars series is a good move for The Jazz Cafe too, as it helps spread the word about the…
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There are two Django Djangos. There’s what you hear on their albums, a fat slam of addictive, uptempo, feel-good melody, laced with distinctive harmonies with a sweet-sour balance. Then there’s live Django, which is an altogether more dance-driven, stripped, souped up version of the above, with a rocket up its arse. Art house rockers Django Django are one of the bands…
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This Saturday 5th December is time to party 80s style. Blue Zoo are playing at Nambucca, near Archway at 8pm, with a set list which includes those hits Cry Boy Cry, Ivory Towers, I Shoot Sheep and more. Support acts are: Matt Backer who has played with bands including Rumer, ABC, Julian Lennon, Sister Sledge, Jamelia, Mark King,…
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A review of the final day of folk music in Crouch End’s Earl Haig Hall. Part of The End festival
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Not content with presenting us with a mere weekend of music, this year promoter Howard Monk and the team behind The End Festival, set in Crouch End, extended the event over 11 days. Heady and ambitious stuff. There’s no point pretending it’s all gone like clockwork but that’s not what The End is all about.…
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