Live Review
Live: Maxïmo Park – Rock City, Nottingham – 15-12-15
I first saw Maxïmo Park as a gawky twelve-year-old at Sheffield Octagon with me dad and a mate, on their UK tour for their debut record, A Certain Trigger. The high energy set saw a smartly-dressed Paul Smith with characteristic hat pogo-ing around on stage to the delight of the crowd. Ten years on and nothing …
Live Review: Big Scary – The Lexington, 8 December 2015 plus Gallery
After impressing audiences throughout Europe supporting Courtney Barnett, Big Scary brought their funky indie pop to The Lexington on the last of two debut headline shows in London. The Australian duo of Tom Iansek (vocals, keyboards, guitar) and Jo Syme (drums, vocals) are joined on stage by a bassist/saxophonist to reflect the layers of sound …
Live: The Story So Far, Turnstile, Drug Church – Leeds University Stylus, 12/12/15
Drug Church aren’t the stereotypical choice for The Story So Far support, the crowd seem less than unsure until vocalist Patrick Kindlon says “If you’re unsure whether this is cool or not, I can asure you it is.” If that doesn’t indicate this is a love it or hate it band then what does. While …
Live: Nothing More, SHVPES, In Search Of Sun – Manchester Academy 3, 7.12.15
It’s brisk December and In Search Of Sun hold the task of warming the crowd up for the evening. There’s only about 20 people in the room by the time the band take the stage but if you didn’t turn around to look at the gaping empty floor you wouldn’t know it given the intensity …
Live Review: 3AM & The Dead-End Alley Band, Zwolle
Every now and again, a band comes along that compels you to move heaven and earth to see them play live – 3AM are one such band. “3AM it’s the solo project of Chino Burga (La IrA de Dios, La Garua, Necromongo, Los Entierros, Black Saqras, Espira) based on riffs, loops and a lot of tremolo.” I …
Live: Fish & Lazuli – Sheffield City Hall – 10.12.2015
Way back in the mid-90s, I turned down the opportunity to see Fish live in concert, and opted to go and see another band, who I was more familiar with. The band I saw were distinctly disappointing, and I’ve regretted not choosing to see the former Marillion frontman instead ever since, especially as, a couple …
Live: Ash at The Ritz Manchester 9.12.15, plus gallery
It remains one of rock’s enduring mysteries why Northern Ireland’s finest Ash are only playing decent sized venues like this instead of stadiums and this fun packed greatest hits sets only added to the conundrum. Most bands would settle for a couple of indie pop classic like Girl From Mars or Goldfinger, but this set …
Live Reivew: Courtney Barnett – Kentish Town Forum, London 26.11.2015, plus Gallery
With her award-winning album ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’ appearing in most album of the year lists (including ours), Courtney Barnett’s appearance before a sold out Forum was obviously highly anticipated. For someone with so much momentum behind her, Barnett is refreshingly unassuming. When I first listened to the album …
Live: We Came As Romans – The Key Club Leeds, 4.12.15
This six piece metalcore outfit are well versed in club shows so it’s no surprise how easy they make performing freely look on a stage as small as The Key Club’s. Regenerate is the perfect set opener, being both a fresh lease of life from the new self-titled album and having the combination of their …
Live Review: Bring Me The Horizon, Neck Deep and Pvris, Doncaster Dome, 26.11.15
After the release of 2013’s Sempiternal, Bring Me The Horizon solidified themselves as one of the world’s biggest young rock bands. However, if it’s at all possible, they’ve managed to take yet another step up into rock’s stratosphere with this year’s far more commercial offering, That’s The Spirit, which is a far cry from the …