Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Any band that can survive the pre-Christmas atmosphere of The Rainbow in the area of Birmingham called Digbeth, a place in which poets have trembled and the packets of pork scratchings come with their own serving suggestion, will always surely go down well in Liverpool. The Twang exemplify the bridge, the mutual love in that does exist between the cities of Liverpool and Birmingham, especially when it comes to decent, well performed music.
Mike Peters in Liverpool 2014. Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Almost 30 years to the day since the album Declaration was released, Mike Peters found himself once more inside the 02 Academy and was greeted by all who wouldn’t let a rainstorm get in the way of listening to one of the greats of British Rock. Not greeted, lauded perhaps would be a better word, even praised and rightly so.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
When the world of music lost Buddy Holly in a plane crash that took three of the brightest stars in American culture, he was only 22. Given good health he probably would have still been with us today and no doubt enjoying a little stage time or at least sitting in a corner and being a true inspiration and mentor to a whole generation of musicians to whom the 1950s is as alien and remote as playing outside all day and not coming home till it gets dark.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The very nature of a seated gig, the chance for the music lover to sit and take in a set of musicians in a relaxed manner is one that doesn’t always suggest that an audience is going to do anything for most of the night but smile, perhaps take a picture or two as keep sakes of hopefully a good night out and generally let the stress of the day wash off them as if being hosed down by the makers of any soap bar. They might get up off their chairs towards the end of the evening when the big hits come rolling out, the provocative spellbinding finish in which audience and artist can be as one in mutual adoration of a well-played out gig, rarely does an audience stand throughout, the worries of age and tiredness forgotten for a couple of hours as they revel from first note to last teasing goodbye.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
For anybody growing up in Birmingham in the 1960s, 70s and 80s and who moved away, coming back to the city only on the odd occasion is almost like visiting an alien world, a world that has changed beyond recognition in the days when the old Bull Ring Market dominated the skyline, when records were bought in handy shaped brown bags containing 10 singles for a pound, even if you didn’t know what you were getting till you unwrapped them like some weird and sometimes fruitful version of Pass The Parcel, and where walking down Digbeth High Street and up towards Deritend only meant that you were running the gauntlet of watching Trevor Francis or Alan Curbishly play at St. Andrews or you were on your way to take in some music at the Old Institute or The Dubliner.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Just knowing that somewhere in the darkened hall of Zanzibar, the two women who make up the superb ME and Deboe, Mercy Elise and Sarah Deboe, are mentally going through the notes of the songs that are going to perform is enough to send the shiver of musical anticipation rushing through the veins and capillaries, the sense of the thrill to come running up and down your spine and the sliver of expectation to go into meltdown.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
In a night of music that the was refreshingly made up of a majority of female artists, the early part of the evening at Zanzibar did have one male act that was able by sheer force of will and overflowing talent stand at least on a level par with the acts that bookended them. With the likes of ME and Deboe performing in the venue, the very cool Arms and Hearts couldn’t have had a tougher competition if the superb Norwegian contingent of female artists that have made Liverpool their home had also got up onstage and blended their Nordic magic in a tribute to all things Northern Europe.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10
Shannen Bamford’s E.P., Paper Planes, was one of the surprise wonders of 2013. The intensity in which she put together a cracking set of songs was gently effective and musically comfortable, a real find.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There is nothing better than a good first impression, especially live as opposed to the world of recorded music. Studio time, whilst being very precious and expensive also affords the slight luxury of being able to go over a slight mistake, a small error in delivery, the pause where there shouldn’t be any and to make sure that the next take is vastly superior. Live and in the raw, the full glare of house lights piercing through otherwise darkness and fixated upon the artist is enough to give anyone the wobbles, however there are no second chances upon the stage. For Kate Hazeldine, the only reason why second chances don’t exist in that environment is because she doesn’t need them.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There can be no doubting the musical aptitude and flair that resides in the body of Paul Carrack. A man whose talent is legendary and which stretches across so many decades and through so many groups and solo albums that if there was any fairness in the world, the iconic musician would have in another realm the moniker ‘National Treasure’ attached to his name after it is mentioned. However Paul Carrack is far too humble for that, you only have to watch him perform on stage around the country that is this a proud man, not frightened to send himself up when the occasion calls for it but who above all you cannot help but feel that no matter what, his family comes first and then his music.