Originally published by L.S. Media. October 11th 2009.
Joe Brown has been performing for audiences up and down the country for longer than most, but his infectious enthusiasm for entertaining his loyal army of fans has never seemed to desert him. Arriving on stage with a cheery smile and to much applause from one of favourite cities, Joe proceeded to give the audience everything they had come out for. Good music, a little bit of Cockney banter and a few stories of his career.
John Otway at the Baby Blue. Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. October 14th 2009.
Both John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett remain enigmas to the vast majority of the British public, but for those who know they are amongst the top ten of favourite artists to see live. The show is a wonderful eclectic mix of bizarre humour, superb visual effects, fine guitar playing and the best use of a Theremin anywhere.
Picture from spymonkey.co.uk
Originally published by L.S. Media. October 21st 2009.
Cast: Aitor Basauri, Petra Massey, Toby Park, Stephen Kreiss.
If a classic book is worth recreating on stage then it is worth doing absurdly and with much gusto and insanely as possible.
In all honesty, not even straight theatre would tackle Herman Melville’s classic Moby Dick without some trepidation and a crateful of memory loss inducing alcohol to forget the whole idea. It would be too overblown, expensive and almost impossible to re-create but such is the excellence of the four-strong cast that they were able to play nearly every part that was required of them with quickest of costume changes possible and with some of the greatest use of the imagination possible and not a quibble between them.
Originally published by L.S.Media. October 25th 2009.
If there is a band that has been under the music radar for too long then it has to be Birmingham based extreme metal band Esoteric. Having been around since the early days of 1992 it is interesting to hear the last album that was released by the band on the Seasons of Mist label.
Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 2nd 2009.
Muse at the Liverpool Echo. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 6th 2009.
Remember, remember, Muse in November The unique brand of Devonshire rock I know of no reason Why Muse this season Will ever be forgot.
Who needs to stand in a cold, muddy field after it’s been raining all day watching a damp, half hearted fireworks display when one of the best bands recording in the modern era come to the Echo Arena and blow all the bands that have played there this year clean out of the Mersey. With a laser show that would make Pink Floyd seethe with envy and a strict but simple mantra to give the paying fans one of the best shows they will ever see in their lifetime.
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 6th 2009.
I don’t often claim to be fairly ignorant about a band or music, unless it is something I have gone completely out of my way to avoid such genres as opera or ballet or even most of the 90’s pop scene, but to my shame one band that escaped and passed me by was the Saw Doctors. It is with regret that this happened as I find myself really enjoying the brand new album To Win Just Once-The best of The Saw Doctors.
Originally published by L.S. Media. November 8th 2009.
No matter your age, if you love music there will be a band that you listen to on a regular basis that you never will or got to see play live. Sometimes you might be fortunate and only like the current bands that dominate your formative musical years and get to experience them all.
But what do you do if your taste of music straddles a time period before you were born! Ah yes it’s easy to lament the lack of chance of seeing Queen with Freddie or Meatloaf, after all they were touring long after I got into music and it is my own fault for not making more of an effort to see them.
Originally published by L.S. Media. August 31st 2012.
Wheelchair Basketball has been part of the Paralympic Games since Rome in 1960 but as the national anthems of both Great Britain and Germany rang round the North Greenwich Arena, there couldn’t have been a set of prouder players on the court, of either nationality, since those halcyon days of the initial Paralympics.
Originally published by L.S. Media. August 31st 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ***
Say what you like about Alanis Morissete, most people do have an opinion on the Canadian singer/songwriter, however the music world is better for her being in it, even if it with the odd song or quirky look at life in which inhabits. From Jagged Little Pill to the new album Havoc and Bright Lights, she remains someone eminently listenable to and as desired as well made Sunday dinner, even if you can’t stomach it all because there is too much stuffing served alongside it.