PARASTATIC 4
Apr 3

Review: Parastatic at The Sebright Arms

ParastaĀ­tĀ­ic played at The Sebright Arms, an East LonĀ­don venue which is one of my top ā€˜most welĀ­comĀ­ingā€™ pubs in LonĀ­don. The TyneĀ­side outĀ­fit ParastaĀ­tĀ­ic came to my attenĀ­tion via Radio 6 Music, when I just hapĀ­pened to catch the tail-end of a track which delivĀ­ered an utterĀ­ly euphorĀ­ic guiĀ­tar riff. I felt a ā€˜hereā€™s a new addicĀ­tionā€™ moment comĀ­ing on.ā€¦

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Lonelady Rough Trade
Mar 27

Focus on Manchester: LoneLady at Rough Trade mini gig; Shirley Baker photography retrospective

On first hearĀ­ing that jagged, fracĀ­tured guiĀ­tar intro to IntuĀ­ition, I was transĀ­portĀ­ed back to the days of the late 70s band Gang of Four, my forĀ­mer uniĀ­verĀ­siĀ­ty colĀ­leagues. Indeed Julie Ann CampĀ­bell, aka LoneLaĀ­dy, is a bit of a fanĀ­girl for the group, and for that era of spiky, spare post-punk. More recentĀ­ly her perĀ­forĀ­mance at Oslo, HackĀ­ney, saw her supportingā€¦

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The Bedroom Hour at Proud
Mar 18

Goodbye Bedroom Hour: when bands split up

Iā€™m still shiftĀ­ing from one emoĀ­tion to anothĀ­er as time passĀ­es and the realĀ­iĀ­ty of their disĀ­bandĀ­ing sinks in. DisĀ­beĀ­lief at first, and sorĀ­row over a band who seemed on the face of it to be makĀ­ing strides musically

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war on drugs brixton
Mar 3

Review: War On Drugs in Brixton, haunting and dreamy

Itā€™s The War on Drugsā€™ secĀ­ond and final perĀ­forĀ­mance at 02 AcadĀ­eĀ­my BrixĀ­ton. The venue is freezĀ­ing cold and audiĀ­ence memĀ­bers are swathed in coats and gloves. After an impresĀ­sive set by New York trio Amen Dunes, The War on Drugs take their place on the stage, Adam GranĀ­ducielā€™s perĀ­sonĀ­al front-of-stage terĀ­riĀ­toĀ­ry delinĀ­eatĀ­ed by a TurkĀ­ish rug. Under the PresĀ­sure from Lostā€¦

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Fest No 6
Feb 20

Festivals for 2015: lovely lineups, but donā€™t dally as tickets are selling fast

FesĀ­tiĀ­val planĀ­ners are busy putting togethĀ­er their lineĀ­ups for 2015 ā€“ and these are just a few of my perĀ­sonĀ­alĀ­ly tried-and-testĀ­ed events. When it comes to fesĀ­tiĀ­val size, Iā€™m not one for marathon walks from tent to stage (nothĀ­ing like a trip back to baseĀ­camp for an afterĀ­noon snooze and a cup of tea) so thereā€™s no menĀ­tion ofā€¦

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Shh quiet music festival
Feb 1

Review: SHHH quiet music festival in Hampstead

As far as fesĀ­tiĀ­vals are conĀ­cerned, winĀ­ter is the new sumĀ­mer.  Take SHHH QuiĀ­et music fesĀ­tiĀ­val organĀ­ised by The Local.TV and visuĀ­al artist Luke Drozd ā€“ a musiĀ­cal feast lastĀ­ing from noon to nearĀ­ly midĀ­night, in a cosy church in north LonĀ­don. SHHH is now in itā€™s 8th year, with much involveĀ­ment from music proĀ­motĀ­er andā€¦

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Mark Lanegan at 02 Shepherds Bush
Jan 29

Mark Lanegan at 02 Shepherdā€™s Bush Empire: invisible in the gloom

With each album and with each colĀ­labĀ­oĀ­raĀ­tion, Mark LaneĀ­ganā€™s star ascends anothĀ­er notch into the firĀ­maĀ­ment. Heā€™s a man with an impecĀ­caĀ­ble rock backĀ­stoĀ­ry, AmerĀ­iĀ­can bad boy incarĀ­nate, equalĀ­ly at home as a charĀ­acĀ­ter from Butcherā€™s CrossĀ­ing to Twin Peaks; his is a world seen from the wrong side of the tracks. His voice is raspy, capaĀ­ble of wistfulnessā€¦

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Jimi Goodwin at The Trades
Jan 25

Heavenly celebrate at The Trades Club: Jimi Goodwin; Kid Wave

REPOSTING FROM 2015! HeavĀ­enĀ­ly Records are celĀ­eĀ­bratĀ­ing their 25th anniverĀ­sary by takĀ­ing over the Trades Club for the weekĀ­end with a packed proĀ­gramme of shows. In order to cram it all in, theyā€™re adding matiĀ­nee perĀ­forĀ­mances as well as the usuĀ­al evening ones. It feels slightĀ­ly odd and indulĀ­gent to leave the snow, busy shops and cafesā€¦

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