Last night I dreamt of the potato fields again.
The early Sunday mornings, the damp mist creeping over long grass
from the River Rea and finding breathing
space in the surrounding mud of the neglected bank and glistening dew filled
spider webs that criss-cross and weave
through the rusty ailing railings in which many a leather football found its
untimely end.
The Sunday mornings in which my dad would don his early 1970’s style
Aston Villa top, the era of undisguised dejection for many a fan
Birmingham, damp, soaking wet
And I feel the
Rain
Teem and rinsing at
My every pore
But welcoming me back with open arms
In greeting to a prodigal son
As I leave the bright modern station
Of New Street.
The autumn darkness shields me
Like an roughly made cloak and I remain invisible
To all who once played like I
In the Costermonger’s basement. The sound of an air guitar
Straining at the leash as the crash of a new beat
Hit our 14 year old minds.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum, Olly Alexander, Brice Beaugier, Xavier De Guillebon, Marie-France Alvarez, Denis Sebbah, Charlotte Léo, Lee Breton Michelsen, Sébastien Siroux
In a city dominated by musicians who were either born within reach of the lifeblood that feeds the city, The River Mersey, or those that came to Liverpool to study at L.I.P.A. or any other of the institutions that makes Liverpool the cultural hub of the country, too come across a man from Stechford in Birmingham who has become part of the music scene is a thrill.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. November 2009.
An altercation with a fan over a camera flash left a packed house briefly in fear that Hugh Cornwell would not return for the second of a set of two halves featuring songs from his latest offering Hooverdam and re-visiting The Stranglers’ 1977 debut album Rattus Norvegicus.
However, Hugh returned to bring the house down with the old favourites, kicking off with Sometimes, followed by the entire album including Goodbye Toulouse, Peaches, Hanging Around and Down in the Sewer.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. November 2009.
New Model Army have gone through so many different genres they could almost appeal to every live music lover,
Whether it is the rock/folk era that the fans like or the early punk days, during which they enjoyed critical success, every taste was appeared to be catered for.
Touring on the back of their new studio album, Today is a Good Day, NMA mainstay and frontman Justin Sullivan wasted no time getting down to the business of making as much noise and good music as possible.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2009.
It is easy to see why Bowling For Soup remain firm fan favourites on the punk-pop circuit.
At Birmingham’s o2 Academy they tore up the rule book and played outstanding music with little or no pretensions and seemingly took a bucketload of pleasure from seeing the capaicity crowd enjoy what was on offer.
By opening the set with I’m Gay from the Great Burrito Experiment album and Almost from a Hangover You Don’t Deserve the Texas foursome set the standard for the evening.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. June 2009.
The Wall Street Shuffle was a hit for 10cc in 1974 but the current financial situation made it an apt opener to their Birmingham show.
Even though Graham Gouldman is now the original member in the group, he was ably assisted by Rickk Fenn on guitar, Paul Burgess on drums, Keith Hayman on bass and keyboards and MIck Wilson on guitars, vocals, keyboards and percussion.
These five men blended together so well on stage that it left a near capacity audience anticipating each song with relish.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2008.
Twenty two fantastic songs played at breakneck speed in a head-turning 90 minutes. If there is any other band which can do this and do it superbly well then I have yet to see them.
The Stranglers are one of the great survivors of the British music scene and even with drummer Jet Black recovering from a heart attack, which has limited his appearances this year, the band still give some of the best live performances to ever appreciative audiences.
Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2008.
Opening a stunning set with Fashion Fever and Forever Now, Level 42 treated a near sold out Symphony Hall to an array of outstanding music and a spectacular light show that showed off perfectly the songs’ emotions.
With a catalogue of music going back to 1981, there was something for everybody in the set list which included the wonderful but unfortunately rarely heard Romance and the classic number Leaving Me Now.
The biggest cheer of the night however was reserved for the hit single Something About You from the 1985 album World Machine.