Tag Archives: Gig Review

Marseille, Gig Review. The Cavern, Liverpool.

Photograph by Ian D.Hall

Originally published by L.S.Media. September 11th 2009.

Twenty five years after Marseille last played the Cavern, the band made a triumphant return and rolled away the void that had been created when they decided to call it a day. A band that in all honesty should never have been allowed to fade away.

Some people might find it hard to believe that this was a band that was at the forefront of the start of the genre of The New Wave of British Heavy Metal and enjoyed much success, touring with some of the biggest names around and winning the first coveted battle of the bands competition.

Amsterdam, The Liverpool Working Class Festival. Gig Review. The Picket, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 15th 2009.

Self confessed Liverpool boy Ian Prowse, and his band Amsterdam took to the stage at the Picket to great applause from an audience made up of local people and the odd delegate from the T.U.C Conference.

The great thing about Ian is that you know before he even opens his mouth to belt out much loved scorn or words that will make you think for a while, that he will give it all he has got and then dig deep in his reserves and give you another blast of his own version of fire and brimstone.

Corinne West, Gig Review. Mello Mello, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 25th 2009.

Corinne West arrived in Liverpool towards the end of her short tour of Britain, which started at the Cornish Bluegrass festival and which will end on the 29th at the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline. Such is the popularity of this artist that she could stay here for a couple of months and possibly sell out everywhere. Unfortunately the people of Liverpool only had the one night at Mello Mello to catch this Californian songstress.

Backbeats, Gig Review. Circo Bar, Albert Dock.

Originally published by L.S. Media. October 2nd 2009.

Sometimes you get invited to come along and see a band, you don’t know anything about them. You go along out of curiosity. It could go either way. You could be overawed by the superb singing, the guitarist could be the next David Gilmour or Steve Rothery, the lyrics could be amazing and heartfelt and you leave with a smile on your face and talking about the band for weeks to come.

Stephen Langstaff, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. October 1st 2009.

Arriving on stage, on the second night of the tour and back in his home town, Stephen Langstaff thrilled an extra large crowd with a headliners performance. Stephen was at the Academy as part of the Academy live tour and even though he had only forty five minutes to show once more why he is being touted as a huge talent that will surely rise to the top of the music tree one day, he rose to the occasion perfectly.

Joe Brown, Gig Review. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.

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 And Wild Willy Barrett, Gig Review. Baby Blue, Liverpool.

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.

Muse, Gig Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool.

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.

The Small Fakers, Gig Review. The Cavern, Liverpool.

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.