22.11.09
Reviewed by Louise Morris
There was a sense that we were awaiting a true musical presence and an icon for modern Jazz; comparisons to Billie Holiday have imbued Madeleine Peyroux with reverence and respect, which she managed to maintain and deserve rather than shrinking under such an auspicious reputation. Support was provided by Lesley Roley whose pretty folk songs were given energy with soaring vocals, but Madeleine was eagerly anticipated. She strode on stage with a full backing band, the acoustics were perfect and with every old favourite the audience rippled with appreciative applause. Madeleine’s velvety vocals and distinctive intonation transformed covers of Bob Dylan’s “You’re Gonna To Make Me Lonesome When You Go”, Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose” and Leonard Cohen’s “Dance Me To The End Of Love”. “Between The Bars” was rendered beautifully haunting, and although Madeleine has a stronger voice than Elliott Smith, she managed to recreate and enhance the intense fragility that characterises the song. I have to say I prefer the album version of the track which is pared back and simple; I felt that Peyroux who is usually so intuitive added a few too many vocal embellishments. Still, a wonderful rendition, and her successful performance of a range of covers proves her impeccable taste and talent for making the songs her own. Madeleine Peyroux’s latest album “Bare Bones” is remarkable for being her first with all original songs, a strong decision marking her development as a writer. Peyroux was charmingly understated and gently witty, achieving the perfect balance between songs and chatter, confessing at the start that the first part of the show would be about the “holy trinity: booze, blues and ballads”. She was clearly very conscious not to depress her audience with too many sad songs, constantly commenting that wanted to “cheer us up” as she interspersed the set with more upbeat tracks.
Madeleine’s amazing backing band accentuated the whole performance with their talent for improvisation and excellent musicianship, swapping between instruments. The most astounding improvisation was definitely the skilled drummer, who maintained such control and used the brush sticks innovatively, gradually crescendoing to a roll where he even used his foot and elbow to vary the pitch of the drum!
Madeleine was gracious, explaining certain songs and displaying a commanding presence which belies her general withdrawal from public attention, for about seven years she eschewed fame, returning to her roots busking in Paris. The encore comprised of one sole but perfectly chosen cover of “I’ll Be Seeing You” and the band exited after a formal, theatrical stage bow. Peyroux’s endearing personage and captivating voice promises to enchant future fans and provide ample success in her emergence as a skilled songwriter as well as the talented performer she has already proved herself to be.
4/5
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Saturday, 21 November 2009
La Roux at Newcastle Student Union
Reviewed by Mike Worthington
Admist a flurry of excited cheer and awe, a confident La Roux, brimming with swagger, strides onto the stage. A radiation of quiet confidence and straightfoward concentration seems to echo about her stage presence. She seems perfectly aware she’s not just like any other artist around at the moment. Tonight, she’s going for gold, or rather more adptly, going for the kill. It’s easy to see from the night’s opening song, ‘Tigerlily’, La Roux leaves other acts dead in the water. There’s an edge of brilliance, a subtle undercurrent of class that characterises tonight’s performance. La Roux reels the audience in, using a salvo of powerful, driven vocals accompanied by meaningful delivery, perhaps best demonstrated in ‘I’m Not Your Toy’. La Roux’s bold, striking hair in itself seems to scream “i’m not just like any other artist.” La Roux’s principle success has been affronted to ‘In For The Kill’ and ‘Bulletproof’, the latter being left till the very end of tonights set – and with incredible effect. The response from the crowd was raptoruous, mesmerising, and above all, satisfied. The limiting factor about La Roux is the fact she only has one album to her name, albeit a very successful one. Various interviews has confirmed that La Roux is in no hurry to write a new one, and it’s easy to see how this “i’ll do it my way” attitude is exuberated on stage. La Roux really stands out from the crowd, and not just because of her hair. La Roux takes the crowd wherever she wants, conveying the mood with her electro-pop magic. With a performance like tonight’s, few would deny La Roux is more than ‘Bulletproof’ on stage. She’s invincible.
Admist a flurry of excited cheer and awe, a confident La Roux, brimming with swagger, strides onto the stage. A radiation of quiet confidence and straightfoward concentration seems to echo about her stage presence. She seems perfectly aware she’s not just like any other artist around at the moment. Tonight, she’s going for gold, or rather more adptly, going for the kill. It’s easy to see from the night’s opening song, ‘Tigerlily’, La Roux leaves other acts dead in the water. There’s an edge of brilliance, a subtle undercurrent of class that characterises tonight’s performance. La Roux reels the audience in, using a salvo of powerful, driven vocals accompanied by meaningful delivery, perhaps best demonstrated in ‘I’m Not Your Toy’. La Roux’s bold, striking hair in itself seems to scream “i’m not just like any other artist.” La Roux’s principle success has been affronted to ‘In For The Kill’ and ‘Bulletproof’, the latter being left till the very end of tonights set – and with incredible effect. The response from the crowd was raptoruous, mesmerising, and above all, satisfied. The limiting factor about La Roux is the fact she only has one album to her name, albeit a very successful one. Various interviews has confirmed that La Roux is in no hurry to write a new one, and it’s easy to see how this “i’ll do it my way” attitude is exuberated on stage. La Roux really stands out from the crowd, and not just because of her hair. La Roux takes the crowd wherever she wants, conveying the mood with her electro-pop magic. With a performance like tonight’s, few would deny La Roux is more than ‘Bulletproof’ on stage. She’s invincible.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Passion Pit with Max Tundra / The Joy Formidable at Northumbria University
Reviewed by Scott McLoughlin
I could talk about Passion Pit for hours. Oh wait, no I can’t; that was definitely a lie. Musically Passion Pit were impeccable, bar the technical failure resulting in no music for 20 minutes mid set. Oh, and the fact they were dependent on a backing track on a laptop. Oh yeah! I nearly forgot how intensely boring they were on stage. That aside they were very very good. It might appear a contradiction, but I would definitely watch them again, given the opportunity. The singer, what’s his face? I can’t say his name let alone spell it. Anyway, he was very good also, in a high pitched sort of way. In fact they were so good it was like watching a rehearsal; one in which the crowd was still a hypothetical situation yet to be encountered. In the mean time, the crowd still being a fiction, the Passion Pit boys concentrated on getting the music as close to a complete note perfect recital of their album as possible. It is fair to say they lacked stage presence and a quality that would let me believe their performance was all live and happening, and that I was one of the lucky few in Northumbria getting to witness it all! Like poetry read in a monotone voice, passion pit came, played, and left with no personal investment beyond that put into writing the music in the first place. A direct contradiction to ‘the Joy Formidable’: who delivered yet another powerful performance. They also further reaffirmed their position as a live act to be watched out for; hopefully they will figure out how to capture their live quality on record. I know! Let us as a society with a vested interest in getting the most out of bands (and pushing the boundaries of new music), lock Passion Pit and the Joy Formidable in the same room until they take for themselves respectively the best traits of the other i.e. the ability to record and perform! Hmmm…
Now! MAX TUNDRA! I could literally try and describe him forever. The coolest performer I’ve seen in yonks. He may in fact be the least cool person in the world, but the fact he doesn’t care and does his own thing makes him pretty darn cool in my humble opinion. He’s like your Dad dancing to happy hardcore whilst absolutely off his face on acid (or something equally hallucinogenic) but on a stage! In front of all your friends, and he’s embarrassing you, but somehow you conclude you still love him, and then you realise that everybody else in the crowd thinks that watching the mad man dance it is nothing short of the best thing ever! Finally, you realise he’s actually quite good at playing music, all be it weird, and not linear or simple music. His songs are predominantly electro and synth based. He sort of sounds like a bad scat singer’s impression of music, but twisted so you’d expect to hear at cabaret night on a cruise linear; but played on a synthesiser, to dance beats. That is actually as close as I can get to describing him without sounding like a nut job. He simply is crazy, hard to listen to, but somehow brilliant. You know you are in for a good show if one man is playing dance remixes of the sound of music with a variety of crazy instruments that look like they’ve come from a 1960’s toyshop. Youtube this guy’s live performances, for laughs if you want, but you might like myself discover something you like.
3.5 / 5
I could talk about Passion Pit for hours. Oh wait, no I can’t; that was definitely a lie. Musically Passion Pit were impeccable, bar the technical failure resulting in no music for 20 minutes mid set. Oh, and the fact they were dependent on a backing track on a laptop. Oh yeah! I nearly forgot how intensely boring they were on stage. That aside they were very very good. It might appear a contradiction, but I would definitely watch them again, given the opportunity. The singer, what’s his face? I can’t say his name let alone spell it. Anyway, he was very good also, in a high pitched sort of way. In fact they were so good it was like watching a rehearsal; one in which the crowd was still a hypothetical situation yet to be encountered. In the mean time, the crowd still being a fiction, the Passion Pit boys concentrated on getting the music as close to a complete note perfect recital of their album as possible. It is fair to say they lacked stage presence and a quality that would let me believe their performance was all live and happening, and that I was one of the lucky few in Northumbria getting to witness it all! Like poetry read in a monotone voice, passion pit came, played, and left with no personal investment beyond that put into writing the music in the first place. A direct contradiction to ‘the Joy Formidable’: who delivered yet another powerful performance. They also further reaffirmed their position as a live act to be watched out for; hopefully they will figure out how to capture their live quality on record. I know! Let us as a society with a vested interest in getting the most out of bands (and pushing the boundaries of new music), lock Passion Pit and the Joy Formidable in the same room until they take for themselves respectively the best traits of the other i.e. the ability to record and perform! Hmmm…
Now! MAX TUNDRA! I could literally try and describe him forever. The coolest performer I’ve seen in yonks. He may in fact be the least cool person in the world, but the fact he doesn’t care and does his own thing makes him pretty darn cool in my humble opinion. He’s like your Dad dancing to happy hardcore whilst absolutely off his face on acid (or something equally hallucinogenic) but on a stage! In front of all your friends, and he’s embarrassing you, but somehow you conclude you still love him, and then you realise that everybody else in the crowd thinks that watching the mad man dance it is nothing short of the best thing ever! Finally, you realise he’s actually quite good at playing music, all be it weird, and not linear or simple music. His songs are predominantly electro and synth based. He sort of sounds like a bad scat singer’s impression of music, but twisted so you’d expect to hear at cabaret night on a cruise linear; but played on a synthesiser, to dance beats. That is actually as close as I can get to describing him without sounding like a nut job. He simply is crazy, hard to listen to, but somehow brilliant. You know you are in for a good show if one man is playing dance remixes of the sound of music with a variety of crazy instruments that look like they’ve come from a 1960’s toyshop. Youtube this guy’s live performances, for laughs if you want, but you might like myself discover something you like.
3.5 / 5
Absent Elk (w/ Hold Fire) at the 02 Academy 2
5.11.09
Reviewed by Scott McLoughlin
I’d like to start with a small disclaimer. I’m not sure my review of this gig is from a representative opinion. I’m a 20 year old bloke. Now imagine the scene. I get to 02 Academy, and enter it to find a crowd which I then assess: the crowd has an average age of 14, and I can see three men. I say men, I mean prepubescent teenagers. As any 20 year old student would I begin to feel a little odd that I’m amongst the oldest in the room, thankfully I had a friend with me, and there were a few older people scattered amongst the disappointing turnout of 40. It was Bonfire night, but even so, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the bands. Throughout the night they would prove themselves to be much better than the disappointments Newcastle extended unto them. Hold Fire (no ‘the’) took to the stage. They are a Pop Rock band, full of hooks, melodies, and at some points four-part harmonies. All this is mixed with good lyrics, some of which aren’t words. Their tracks are easy on the ear but with musical integrity often missing in pop; I’d place them somewhere between Bob Dylan and nursery rhymes. In short, if you like songs you’ll like these guys. They also performed ‘Call the Shots’ originally by Girls Aloud amongst their own material. Furthermore they made ‘Call the shots’ a better song, giving it a rockier vibe. They have a debut album (Keys to the City) out now for digital download, and a free track on their MySpace page.
Finally the time came for Absent Elk to perform. And Perform they did! However, if they hadn’t performed as energetically and compellingly as they did to the 40 attendants they would have been excused. It was as intimate and personal a gig as you could hope for. Nevertheless, they truly looked to be giving it their all. So much so the dance floor still bounced! I went to the gig expecting a Pop band. Elk however are so much more. Their album is full of variety and their live performances even more so. The lucky 40 of Newcastle were treated to one of the first acoustic performances of Elk’s interpretation of Lady Gaga’s Pokerface. A version that has become an internet hit and a version I personally much prefer to the original. Their stage craft was first rate; their interaction with the crowd too should be commended. Personally their incredibly catchy song’s ‘Cannibals’ and ‘First Guitar’ stood out, as well as their next single ‘Change My World’ which offered contrasted to the largely up tempo set. Needless to explain their first single ‘Sun and Water’ also went down well due to crowd familiarity. The band’s musicianship could be over looked, though it definitely should not, every member can really play. They create a pop sound, somewhere between indie-rock and Norwegian Folk music. The element of their performance that really surprised me was the drumming. It was interesting, varied, and impassioned. The beats where complemented by acoustic guitar, occasionally synth, thumping bass and most distinguishably an indie toned screaming guitar. This screaming droning dynamic guitar tone, though difficult to describe, but somewhat characteristic of this band; gentle yet piercing.
All these layers of enjoyable noise and I have neglected to mention the lead vocals of Kjetil Morland. Unique, perhaps because of the Anglo-Norwegian accent he sings in. He doesn’t have a powerful voice, the kind x-factor makes you believe everyone should have. It’s delicate, agreeable, and refreshing; sort of like jumping into a fiord in winter. Throughout their set it felt like the audience performer distinction blurred, and you realised they were just thoroughly nice people you wanted to go have a chat with. The best bit was if you felt so inclined you could. They were very friendly and amicable people with loads of time for their fans. Download their next single Change my World from November 30th or alternately buy or download their album ‘caught in the headlights’ now. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
3.5/5
www.absentelk.com
www.myspace.com/absentelk
Reviewed by Scott McLoughlin
I’d like to start with a small disclaimer. I’m not sure my review of this gig is from a representative opinion. I’m a 20 year old bloke. Now imagine the scene. I get to 02 Academy, and enter it to find a crowd which I then assess: the crowd has an average age of 14, and I can see three men. I say men, I mean prepubescent teenagers. As any 20 year old student would I begin to feel a little odd that I’m amongst the oldest in the room, thankfully I had a friend with me, and there were a few older people scattered amongst the disappointing turnout of 40. It was Bonfire night, but even so, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the bands. Throughout the night they would prove themselves to be much better than the disappointments Newcastle extended unto them. Hold Fire (no ‘the’) took to the stage. They are a Pop Rock band, full of hooks, melodies, and at some points four-part harmonies. All this is mixed with good lyrics, some of which aren’t words. Their tracks are easy on the ear but with musical integrity often missing in pop; I’d place them somewhere between Bob Dylan and nursery rhymes. In short, if you like songs you’ll like these guys. They also performed ‘Call the Shots’ originally by Girls Aloud amongst their own material. Furthermore they made ‘Call the shots’ a better song, giving it a rockier vibe. They have a debut album (Keys to the City) out now for digital download, and a free track on their MySpace page.
Finally the time came for Absent Elk to perform. And Perform they did! However, if they hadn’t performed as energetically and compellingly as they did to the 40 attendants they would have been excused. It was as intimate and personal a gig as you could hope for. Nevertheless, they truly looked to be giving it their all. So much so the dance floor still bounced! I went to the gig expecting a Pop band. Elk however are so much more. Their album is full of variety and their live performances even more so. The lucky 40 of Newcastle were treated to one of the first acoustic performances of Elk’s interpretation of Lady Gaga’s Pokerface. A version that has become an internet hit and a version I personally much prefer to the original. Their stage craft was first rate; their interaction with the crowd too should be commended. Personally their incredibly catchy song’s ‘Cannibals’ and ‘First Guitar’ stood out, as well as their next single ‘Change My World’ which offered contrasted to the largely up tempo set. Needless to explain their first single ‘Sun and Water’ also went down well due to crowd familiarity. The band’s musicianship could be over looked, though it definitely should not, every member can really play. They create a pop sound, somewhere between indie-rock and Norwegian Folk music. The element of their performance that really surprised me was the drumming. It was interesting, varied, and impassioned. The beats where complemented by acoustic guitar, occasionally synth, thumping bass and most distinguishably an indie toned screaming guitar. This screaming droning dynamic guitar tone, though difficult to describe, but somewhat characteristic of this band; gentle yet piercing.
All these layers of enjoyable noise and I have neglected to mention the lead vocals of Kjetil Morland. Unique, perhaps because of the Anglo-Norwegian accent he sings in. He doesn’t have a powerful voice, the kind x-factor makes you believe everyone should have. It’s delicate, agreeable, and refreshing; sort of like jumping into a fiord in winter. Throughout their set it felt like the audience performer distinction blurred, and you realised they were just thoroughly nice people you wanted to go have a chat with. The best bit was if you felt so inclined you could. They were very friendly and amicable people with loads of time for their fans. Download their next single Change my World from November 30th or alternately buy or download their album ‘caught in the headlights’ now. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
3.5/5
www.absentelk.com
www.myspace.com/absentelk
Simon Thacker and the Nava Rasa Ensemble – Inner Octaves @ Hall Two, The Sage Gateshead
Indian-Western Classical Fusion
3.11.09
Reviewed by Hedd Thomas
As a showcase of how Indian and Western music can influence each other, this night was a resounding success. It also, however, showed that when musicians from different backgrounds and disciplines come together their respective styles of performing can be somewhat conflicting.
Led by the acclaimed Scottish guitarist Simon Thacker, the Nava Rasa Ensemble is an exciting new international group consisting of Carnatic violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, tabla master Sarvar Sabri, Brazilian bassist Mario Caribé, multi-percussionist Iain Sandilands and The Edinburgh Quartet. The concert would be a test of the musicians' ability to sound and look good whilst 'fusing' their approaches as the genre demands.
They succeeded in the first part of the challenge: the sound they created was very good. There was a beautiful tone coming from The Edinburgh Quartet's principal violinist, Tristan Gurney, in the first piece of the concert, a duet for violin and guitar by the farther of minimalism Terry Riley. The quality of Srikanth's and Sabri's playing in their following raga was “captivating and virtuosic,” as one member of the audience put it. When playing together they managed to create an array of moods to suit the music, from dark and eerie drones to bright and playful melodies, sounding, for the most part, as one unit. The Edinburgh Quartet managed the complicated rhythms well, ones which would be alien to their usual classical repertoire.
With regards to looking good, however, the Nava Rasa leave much to be desired. With most buried in their copies there seemed to be little interaction between any of the performers. Even when there was comic play in the music there was little of it on stage. Srikanth's encouraging smile implied she was the only musician enjoying herself. This was sadly reflected in the audience whose responses were apprehensive: there were no wild claps after virtuosic solo sections, there was no call for an encore.
But Inner Octaves is about how composers, rather than performers, approach their own music. Two brand new commissions were performed, the first by the British composer Nigel Osborne titled The Birth of Nacitekas for guitar concertante. Based on an ancient Indian myth that demonstrates the 10 basic skills for life, it is an impressive display of instrumentation and phrasing. With harmonics on cello and Tirlok Gurtu-esque percussion, the gradual build from a haunting, dormant rest to a lively awakening made the first half of this concerto a definite highlight of the night. The other highlight was the second movement of Shirish Korde's NADA-ANANDA (the joy of sound), which brought the ensemble together in an upbeat mood but which allowed space for the qualities of the different musicians to shine through.
Inner Octave's aim was to explore the confluences between Indian and Western music. This they did well while also inadvertently exposing the areas where they do not meet, which left the listener with the lasting impression that a studio recording would have been more rewarding than a concert. Yet the young Nava Rasa Ensemble have made their own unique sound and with experience on the world music circuit they will surely become an established crowd-pleaser.
Rating: 3/5
Simon Thacker and the Nava Rasa Ensemble will be concluding their tour this week with appearances in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London. For tour details, see http://www.simonthacker.com/navarasa7.htm
3.11.09
Reviewed by Hedd Thomas
As a showcase of how Indian and Western music can influence each other, this night was a resounding success. It also, however, showed that when musicians from different backgrounds and disciplines come together their respective styles of performing can be somewhat conflicting.
Led by the acclaimed Scottish guitarist Simon Thacker, the Nava Rasa Ensemble is an exciting new international group consisting of Carnatic violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, tabla master Sarvar Sabri, Brazilian bassist Mario Caribé, multi-percussionist Iain Sandilands and The Edinburgh Quartet. The concert would be a test of the musicians' ability to sound and look good whilst 'fusing' their approaches as the genre demands.
They succeeded in the first part of the challenge: the sound they created was very good. There was a beautiful tone coming from The Edinburgh Quartet's principal violinist, Tristan Gurney, in the first piece of the concert, a duet for violin and guitar by the farther of minimalism Terry Riley. The quality of Srikanth's and Sabri's playing in their following raga was “captivating and virtuosic,” as one member of the audience put it. When playing together they managed to create an array of moods to suit the music, from dark and eerie drones to bright and playful melodies, sounding, for the most part, as one unit. The Edinburgh Quartet managed the complicated rhythms well, ones which would be alien to their usual classical repertoire.
With regards to looking good, however, the Nava Rasa leave much to be desired. With most buried in their copies there seemed to be little interaction between any of the performers. Even when there was comic play in the music there was little of it on stage. Srikanth's encouraging smile implied she was the only musician enjoying herself. This was sadly reflected in the audience whose responses were apprehensive: there were no wild claps after virtuosic solo sections, there was no call for an encore.
But Inner Octaves is about how composers, rather than performers, approach their own music. Two brand new commissions were performed, the first by the British composer Nigel Osborne titled The Birth of Nacitekas for guitar concertante. Based on an ancient Indian myth that demonstrates the 10 basic skills for life, it is an impressive display of instrumentation and phrasing. With harmonics on cello and Tirlok Gurtu-esque percussion, the gradual build from a haunting, dormant rest to a lively awakening made the first half of this concerto a definite highlight of the night. The other highlight was the second movement of Shirish Korde's NADA-ANANDA (the joy of sound), which brought the ensemble together in an upbeat mood but which allowed space for the qualities of the different musicians to shine through.
Inner Octave's aim was to explore the confluences between Indian and Western music. This they did well while also inadvertently exposing the areas where they do not meet, which left the listener with the lasting impression that a studio recording would have been more rewarding than a concert. Yet the young Nava Rasa Ensemble have made their own unique sound and with experience on the world music circuit they will surely become an established crowd-pleaser.
Rating: 3/5
Simon Thacker and the Nava Rasa Ensemble will be concluding their tour this week with appearances in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London. For tour details, see http://www.simonthacker.com/navarasa7.htm
ZZ Top and Steel Panther @ Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Reviewed by DJ Ash
That little old band from Texas proved on Tuesday night that they ain’t too old to put on a kick ass rock show! Yes America’s very own ZZ Top provided a top night of blues at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall with support from L.A rock band Steel Panther. NSR’s very own rock show “SMASH IT UP!” was luck enough to be invited along to the show. Steel Panther who recently featured on NSR said how thrilled they were to be supporting a band they grew up listening too and hold great respect for. They also said we should all show respect for the amount of chicks ZZ Top have had, that deserves recognition as much as the music! If you’re unfamiliar with Steel Panther their debut album Feel the Steel came out in June and is a combination of bands like Van Halen and Motley Crue with elements of The Darkness and Tenacious D mixed in. Their live shows are filled with hilarious banter and outrageous lyrics. If you’re easily offended then we recommend you stay away. Steel Panther make no excuses about their image and why they want to be in a rock band. They don’t seem to take themselves too seriously; they love what they do and are thrilled that so many people are picking up on the band and this style of music.
Hitting the stage at 8pm Steel Panther open with “Turn out the Lights” before jumping into songs like “Hells on Fire”, “Fat Girl” and their recent single “Community Property”. With the majority of the audience tonight being over 40 and many not having heard of Steel Panther it takes a little while for the crowd to loosen up. However they soon come around especially the ladies. Dressed in their signature spandex and cowboy boots the band provides a great opening to the show. Running around the stage their stage presence can be felt even right at the back of the hall. It’s not long since Steel Panther came off their first sold out headlining UK tour and playing in front of a ZZ Top crowd allows them to connect with some of the older rock fans.
ZZ Top take to the stage just after 9 appearing from the shadows they burst into “Got Me Under Pressure” from the classic “Eliminator” album. Complete with their signature hats, cheap sunglasses and beards intact, the band look and sound on top form! The great thing about having such long beards is that they don’t even look as if they’ve aged. The band are blown up on stage through three huge drop down video screens projecting each band member on each screen. The screen’s also feature shots of the band in the early days as well as silhouettes of dancing girls, cars and the bands logo.
The band take us on a trip threw some of their old classics from as early as the “Tres Hombres” album whilst fitting in songs like “Cheap Sunglasses” , “My Head’s In Mississippi” and “La Grange”. Musically the bands sound awesome proving that it really is amazing what you can do with two guitars and a drummer. Billy Gibbons shows his guitar playing is still on top form as is his singing. Dusty Hill still also proves he still has what it takes as he lends his hand to lead vocals throughout the night as well as providing some great backing vocals. The band gets a huge cheer from the crowd when they ask for some technicians to bring out Billy’s blues hat. These turn out to be two hot girls waiting in the wings who present him with his hat wearing bunny rabbit ears and hot pants. Even after nearly 40 years together the band haven’t lost their charm with the ladies.
The closing part of the show is what really gets the crowd excited. The band plays classics from Afterburner and Eliminator before finishing up with their old classic “Tush”. “Gimme All Your Lovin” and “Sharp Dressed Man” the two biggest hits feature clips on the big screen from the videos and vintage photos of the band in their early days. For “Legs” the band brings out their signature furry guitars whilst projecting women on the screens behind them. A great way to end the show and great to see a band like ZZ Top can still put on a great show. They may not have any fancy edges but what makes ZZ Top so appealing is that they stick to their guns, do what they do best and are real honest about it. They truly are that little old band from Texas, the one and only ZZ Top!
For more information on ZZ Top visit the bands official site at www.zztop.com
ZZ Top live from Texas is out now on Blu Ray and DVD from HMV, Amazon.co.uk and Play.com
Steel Panther Feel the Steel is out now from ITunes, HMV, Amazon.co.uk and Play.com
www.smashitupshow.co.uk
That little old band from Texas proved on Tuesday night that they ain’t too old to put on a kick ass rock show! Yes America’s very own ZZ Top provided a top night of blues at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall with support from L.A rock band Steel Panther. NSR’s very own rock show “SMASH IT UP!” was luck enough to be invited along to the show. Steel Panther who recently featured on NSR said how thrilled they were to be supporting a band they grew up listening too and hold great respect for. They also said we should all show respect for the amount of chicks ZZ Top have had, that deserves recognition as much as the music! If you’re unfamiliar with Steel Panther their debut album Feel the Steel came out in June and is a combination of bands like Van Halen and Motley Crue with elements of The Darkness and Tenacious D mixed in. Their live shows are filled with hilarious banter and outrageous lyrics. If you’re easily offended then we recommend you stay away. Steel Panther make no excuses about their image and why they want to be in a rock band. They don’t seem to take themselves too seriously; they love what they do and are thrilled that so many people are picking up on the band and this style of music.
Hitting the stage at 8pm Steel Panther open with “Turn out the Lights” before jumping into songs like “Hells on Fire”, “Fat Girl” and their recent single “Community Property”. With the majority of the audience tonight being over 40 and many not having heard of Steel Panther it takes a little while for the crowd to loosen up. However they soon come around especially the ladies. Dressed in their signature spandex and cowboy boots the band provides a great opening to the show. Running around the stage their stage presence can be felt even right at the back of the hall. It’s not long since Steel Panther came off their first sold out headlining UK tour and playing in front of a ZZ Top crowd allows them to connect with some of the older rock fans.
ZZ Top take to the stage just after 9 appearing from the shadows they burst into “Got Me Under Pressure” from the classic “Eliminator” album. Complete with their signature hats, cheap sunglasses and beards intact, the band look and sound on top form! The great thing about having such long beards is that they don’t even look as if they’ve aged. The band are blown up on stage through three huge drop down video screens projecting each band member on each screen. The screen’s also feature shots of the band in the early days as well as silhouettes of dancing girls, cars and the bands logo.
The band take us on a trip threw some of their old classics from as early as the “Tres Hombres” album whilst fitting in songs like “Cheap Sunglasses” , “My Head’s In Mississippi” and “La Grange”. Musically the bands sound awesome proving that it really is amazing what you can do with two guitars and a drummer. Billy Gibbons shows his guitar playing is still on top form as is his singing. Dusty Hill still also proves he still has what it takes as he lends his hand to lead vocals throughout the night as well as providing some great backing vocals. The band gets a huge cheer from the crowd when they ask for some technicians to bring out Billy’s blues hat. These turn out to be two hot girls waiting in the wings who present him with his hat wearing bunny rabbit ears and hot pants. Even after nearly 40 years together the band haven’t lost their charm with the ladies.
The closing part of the show is what really gets the crowd excited. The band plays classics from Afterburner and Eliminator before finishing up with their old classic “Tush”. “Gimme All Your Lovin” and “Sharp Dressed Man” the two biggest hits feature clips on the big screen from the videos and vintage photos of the band in their early days. For “Legs” the band brings out their signature furry guitars whilst projecting women on the screens behind them. A great way to end the show and great to see a band like ZZ Top can still put on a great show. They may not have any fancy edges but what makes ZZ Top so appealing is that they stick to their guns, do what they do best and are real honest about it. They truly are that little old band from Texas, the one and only ZZ Top!
For more information on ZZ Top visit the bands official site at www.zztop.com
ZZ Top live from Texas is out now on Blu Ray and DVD from HMV, Amazon.co.uk and Play.com
Steel Panther Feel the Steel is out now from ITunes, HMV, Amazon.co.uk and Play.com
www.smashitupshow.co.uk
Monday, 2 November 2009
The Chapman Family @ The Cluny 15/10/09
The Chapman Family
The Cluny 15/10/09
There is always a certain charm to seeing a local band coming good inside the hallowed walls of The Cluny. To see them stepping up from the conveyor belt of standard Northern lad-rock and hopeless bohemian types to take the first rung on the ladder to national recognition, and an assault against the standard Manchester-London axis that dominates the British musical landscape. The Chapman Family hail from Stockton on Tees (nearer Middlesbrough than Newcastle I’ll admit but the North East it remains…) and tonight they did indeed come good. Meeting the boys before hand and ending up embroiled in a discussion about which member of Take That has the most edge about him and the best period of Bowie’s career, reassured me about their musical ethics, with Kingsley, vocalist of the band, claiming that they started a band due to boredom and frustration with everything else they were hearing. Thus they had erected a significant platform from which they would have to prove that they were indeed something different, something aside from the generic that sparked them into life. And that they were, playing an hour long set that bristled with raw and energetic passion, often bordering on all out fury, but always reigning it in before their musical intent was compromised. Kingsley’s vocals switched in an ear-shattering second from quiet contemplation to raging outbursts, highlighted in their best known single ‘Kids’, which was received well by a decent sized crowd, considering that they are still unsigned and with only two major release singles. New single ‘Virgins’, which the tour is promoting, sounded like a pissed of Futureheads or Glasvegas if they stopped moping and just let it all out, and highlighted a further potential which bodes well for The Chapman Family to step up and take this country by storm.
The Cluny 15/10/09
There is always a certain charm to seeing a local band coming good inside the hallowed walls of The Cluny. To see them stepping up from the conveyor belt of standard Northern lad-rock and hopeless bohemian types to take the first rung on the ladder to national recognition, and an assault against the standard Manchester-London axis that dominates the British musical landscape. The Chapman Family hail from Stockton on Tees (nearer Middlesbrough than Newcastle I’ll admit but the North East it remains…) and tonight they did indeed come good. Meeting the boys before hand and ending up embroiled in a discussion about which member of Take That has the most edge about him and the best period of Bowie’s career, reassured me about their musical ethics, with Kingsley, vocalist of the band, claiming that they started a band due to boredom and frustration with everything else they were hearing. Thus they had erected a significant platform from which they would have to prove that they were indeed something different, something aside from the generic that sparked them into life. And that they were, playing an hour long set that bristled with raw and energetic passion, often bordering on all out fury, but always reigning it in before their musical intent was compromised. Kingsley’s vocals switched in an ear-shattering second from quiet contemplation to raging outbursts, highlighted in their best known single ‘Kids’, which was received well by a decent sized crowd, considering that they are still unsigned and with only two major release singles. New single ‘Virgins’, which the tour is promoting, sounded like a pissed of Futureheads or Glasvegas if they stopped moping and just let it all out, and highlighted a further potential which bodes well for The Chapman Family to step up and take this country by storm.
Simon Thacker and the Nava Rasa Ensemble – Inner Octaves
Simon Thacker and the Nava Rasa Ensemble – Inner Octaves
Indian-Western Classical Fusion
Previewed by Hedd Thomas
Concert date: Tuesday 3rd November
Venue: Hall Two, The Sage Gateshead
Tickets: Student price £7.50, Full price £15
Acclaimed Scottish guitarist Simon Thacker leads an exciting new ensemble to explore the meeting of Asian and Western cultures in Inner Octaves at The Sage Gateshead this Tuesday. With two specially commissioned concerti by India's Shirish Korde and Edinburgh based Nigel Osborne as well as music by the minimalist composer Terry Riley, the programme promises to be both powerful and innovative.
Accomplished Carnatic (south Indian) violinist Jyotsna Srikanth and tabla master Sarvar Sabri are but two of the musicians that make up the Nava Rasa Ensemble which, together with Simon Thacker, includes Brazilian bassist Mario Caribé, multi-percussionist Iain Sandilands and The Edinburgh Quartet who's principal violinist, Tristan Gurney, may be familiar to some as he is also Head of Strings at Newcastle University.
Influenced by his Jazz, Indian and Western classical training, Shirish Korde also takes inspiration from other world music and computer technology. He has “created a poweful and communicative compositional language” (Computer Music Journal). Nigel Osborne has embraced music from non Western traditions, particularly Indian, and has made a name for himself as being able to effortlessly assimilate incorporate their tones and rhythms into large scale works, having recently collaborated with sarod player Wakahat Khan for Scottish Opera. He has pioneered the use of music in therapy and rehabilitation for children who are victims of conflict, particularly in the Balkans and Middle East.
This should be an entrancing concert with exciting new music performed by an international ensemble of some of the finest musicians in their field.
Indian-Western Classical Fusion
Previewed by Hedd Thomas
Concert date: Tuesday 3rd November
Venue: Hall Two, The Sage Gateshead
Tickets: Student price £7.50, Full price £15
Acclaimed Scottish guitarist Simon Thacker leads an exciting new ensemble to explore the meeting of Asian and Western cultures in Inner Octaves at The Sage Gateshead this Tuesday. With two specially commissioned concerti by India's Shirish Korde and Edinburgh based Nigel Osborne as well as music by the minimalist composer Terry Riley, the programme promises to be both powerful and innovative.
Accomplished Carnatic (south Indian) violinist Jyotsna Srikanth and tabla master Sarvar Sabri are but two of the musicians that make up the Nava Rasa Ensemble which, together with Simon Thacker, includes Brazilian bassist Mario Caribé, multi-percussionist Iain Sandilands and The Edinburgh Quartet who's principal violinist, Tristan Gurney, may be familiar to some as he is also Head of Strings at Newcastle University.
Influenced by his Jazz, Indian and Western classical training, Shirish Korde also takes inspiration from other world music and computer technology. He has “created a poweful and communicative compositional language” (Computer Music Journal). Nigel Osborne has embraced music from non Western traditions, particularly Indian, and has made a name for himself as being able to effortlessly assimilate incorporate their tones and rhythms into large scale works, having recently collaborated with sarod player Wakahat Khan for Scottish Opera. He has pioneered the use of music in therapy and rehabilitation for children who are victims of conflict, particularly in the Balkans and Middle East.
This should be an entrancing concert with exciting new music performed by an international ensemble of some of the finest musicians in their field.
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