Playing the large concrete and steel boxes where your audience can't see the whites of your eyes presents a problem for musicians, how do you make the show something special for them ? Do you play in the middle of the arena, have a little stage for those close up and personal numbers, fly giant inflatables above the crowd, or turn the whole thing into a piece of choreographed performance art? Guess which option David Byrne has selected?
These two heavyweights appeared on the same bill on Friday 26th October at the O2 Arena in london, as part of the annual BluesFest. Their sets were separate. Van didn't interface with Robert - but, then again, he didn't interface with the audience either!
It is a strange thing, being a music lover from the Netherlands. My country has great appreciation for music: Touring bands find a loyal following; there are nice specialist record shops dotted around the country. But music ‘Made in Holland’?
Much as I like to see bands playing new music I never tire of listening to some classic early Genesis songs. I have no issues with Steve "revisiting" the 1970's Genesis catalogue as those albums that he was actively involved in produced numerous timeless gems.
'Moonmadness' was an album released in March 1976 with the line-up of Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Doug Ferguson and Andy Ward. The guy sitting next to me at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge last night, had first seen the band when he was 13, in Peterborough 42 years ago!
Well this was a special gig. A UK tour by Jim White is a pretty rare thing and it is thanks to Clive Barnes, that Jim is touring our shores. Clive is an Irish guitarist and promoter, who also plays the support slot and plays guitar next to Jim for the main set.
Leopardstown Racecourse put on a series of concerts over the summer under the moniker Bulmer's Live. This brought a motley crew of musical guests – Hothouse Flowers, Hudson Taylor, Paul Young, Smokie and ultimately the mighty Waterboys.
I wasn’t sure whether to write about Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ concert in Dublin. As I was walking out of the Kilmainham Royal Hospital grounds I wanted the people around me to stop talking. The audience had been perfectly quiet and totally into the show while the band were on stage. I wanted that atmosphere to continue, and I wondered if trying to put words down about the night would devalue it somehow.
The second edition of Frank Turner's award-winning 'Lost Evenings' festival took place earlier this month. This was four days of music and side events in the venues, clubs and pubs of Camden Town. Frank played a headline show each night, with supports. There was a second stage, the Nick Alexander stage, named after Frank's roadie friend who was killed at the Bataclan. There was live music at the Monarch, the Hawley Arms and the Lock Tavern; festival-goers could get a tattoo at the Camden Piercing and Tattoo studio; there were late night DJ sets at Dingwalls, young artists' showcases, Q&As and panel discussions at the Roundhouse, and Safe Gigs For Women hosted a hilarious pub quiz.
In these uncertain times things change rapidly but there's a satisfying continuance here tonight in the double Welsh flags on the bass amps, the huge tunes and sky scrapping riffs of opening numbers tonight. Recent single 'International Blue' which in its live version sounds like it will exist long in the set list beyond new album 'Resistance is Futile' promotional tour (or perhaps thanks to digital consumption do new albums exist to promote tours?), and ' You Stole The Sun From My Heart'.
Last time Grant was in Cambridge was a joint headline tour with Howe Gelb, tonight is solo and he brought along Texan, Jarrod Dickensen and his wife Claire as openers.
Finding the music stage at The Cookie feels like gaining admission to a Prohibition-era speakeasy; after entering the bar you head down a set of wooden steps to be met by a door which upon opening reveals a dimly lit room with a low ceiling and a stage at the far end. We're entering the gloom here tonight to see those self-proclaimed purveyors of 'Forlorn English Balladry' Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker touring in support of their new album 'Seedlings All'.