Found: the festival that feels like coming home
Oct 5
Review: Aidan Connell, Grio album launch
For blues guitarist Aidan Connell, the launch of his debut album Grio may be an important occasion, but his music career hasn’t exactly been short on seminal moments. Seasick Steve hailed him as “the only rock ’n’ roller in town”; he’s played with venerated California band Mazzy Star after Dave Roback took note of the talented youngster, and praise…
Read More
Sep 21
The Fallen Woman exhibition at The Foundling Museum
A multi-media exhibition which examines a painful part of history, with a soundscape by Steve Lewinson. I talk to the show’s curator, Professor Lynda Nead, about the symbiotic relationship between art and sound.
Read More
Sep 16
Ramsbottom festival 2015
There has been an emergence of a Northern Powerhouse of festivals over the past few years, with Kendal Calling, a host of Yorkshire events – and one which has quietly made its way onto the circuit – Ramsbottom Festival. Being a Lancashire lass, I’m glad to see an event which gives a platform to so many established…
Read More
Sep 9
Review: Festival Number 6 2015
Festival Number 6 feels as if it has fully got into its stride. It offers a dizzying array of intelligently-curated events, from bands and DJs to comedy, nighttime processions, workshops and talks, plus something this festival has come to excel in – interviews and intimate performances by a handful of the main-stage artists.
Read More
Aug 26
Running a festival business – four traders tell their stories
Do you have a business that you think would go down well at festivals? I asked four such entrepreneurial types, with ventures in T‑shirts, vintage tents, gourmet coffee and holistic massage – about their experiences as festival traders. Is it a combination of fun and profit, and are you guaranteed enough time out to catch a favourite band? One…
Read More
Aug 4
Review: O’Connell & Love at the 100 Club, album launch
Minesweeping is Larry Love’s new album, co-written with Brendan O’Connell. How unusual of Love to dedicate an album to the practice of mine removal, I thought (and the album does contain many seafaring references). Inevitably Google led me to the more commonplace use of the word (not sure how I got to my age without knowing this). Ah, now we’re on…
Read More
Jul 31
Review: Ealing Blues Festival 2015
With a rare glimpse of sun in a gloomy July, we headed to Ealing Blues Festival held in Walpole Park, it’s one of a series of summer festivals run every year put on by Ealing Council. The event always resembles a ‘proper’ festival in miniature, with a choice of two big music tents – the Main Stage,…
Read More
Jul 20
The Felice Brothers play The Garage in Highbury
“I saw The Felice Brothers at the 100 Club, back in the day, with Simone Felice. They were amazing. Lots of us got up and danced on stage with the band, it was a bit of a party.” If that was a top Felice Brothers moment – experienced not by me sadly, but by my companion for tonight’s gig – this one at The…
Read More
Jul 2
Good news just in: James and more artists for Festival No 6
One of my favourite festivals has just got even more exciting. A new headliner has been revealed for Festival No 6 – it’s the legendary Mancunian indie-rockers James as the surprise co-headline act on Sunday night. Said Jim Glennie from James: ‘I love Portmeirion and I can’t believe we are going to play a gig there.…
Read More
Jun 23
The Photographers’ Gallery, images of Manchester by Shirley Baker
Shirley Baker is only now being recognised as one of the most important female photographers and social documenters of the last century. The haunting and compelling 2007 documentary of Joy Division, directed by Grant Gee, opens with a montage of images of Manchester in the 70s. It depicts a time of sweeping changes after the post-war streets were systematically cleared…
Read More