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25th November 2012 Roundhouse London Scottish rock band Deacon Blue shot to fame in 1987 with their hit album Raintown, letting loose their distinctive sound and Gorbals charm on the music world. 25 years later (yes really!) they finish their anniversary tour at London's Roundhouse to a near full house to give a performance that lead singer Ricky Ross says has been '25 years in the making.' The two hour plus set started with the music of a roaring crowd that led into a haunting rendition of London Town with only Ricky and keyboard player James Prime on stage. The song is a very poignant one, especially tonight on the last night of the anniversary tour. It's a song about the past and the hope for the future coming full circle. Tonight it really was as if Deacon Blue had been reborn and the world had indeed begun again and they had risen from the ashes of their painful absence. Tonight they were on fire. After the soft, understated opening the rest of the band joined them on stage, bounding with energy to perform the title song from their top 20 album The Hipsters. From that moment on, their well rehearsed, unrelenting performance had the audience captivated. It was as if they had never been away. The classic songs like Real Gone Kid and Chocolate Girlall featured in tonights set including some of the new ones such as the bittersweet love song Turn and Laura From Memory, a memorial to Ricky's cousin who passed away. And despite the album only being released a month ago, still had the audience singing along. The set finished with another new song, Starswhich is one of the strongest songs from the album. Their sound is still as distinctive as it ever was, even with two new additions to the to the bands live line up in. Featuring Gregor Philip on guitar and the 'too young and too talented' Lewis Gordon on bass. The vocals of Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh (who deserves far more credit for her still simply stunning vocals) still leave you with goosebumps at the wonderful way their voices blend. If anything their vocals have matured and have an even richer tonality to them. The final encore number was a cover of Bob Dylan's Forever Young. This gave all the band members a chance to show off their singing. I was particularly impressed with the bands dark horse, drummer Dougie Vipond, who whilst being an amazing drummer has a pretty good set of pipes too. The band were supported on their tour by London based singer songwriter Azadeh, who showcased her talent to a appreciative audience. Her lyrics are painfully honest and her melodies are harmonious and melodic. An experienced musician with a soulful voice she is an artist to look out for. I can honestly say that performance wise Deacon Blue's concert was simply one of the best live concerts I have ever seen, and I have been to many a gig in my time. No one would have believed that this band has only been playing the occasional gig for the most part of a decade. The cohesion of the band was water tight and the chemistry between them electric. I sincerely hope that they don't retire their microphones again, and we see a lot more of this awesome band up there where they are meant to be.

20TH SEPT 2013 Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw is a classically trained jazz singer of an exceptional standard. Better known as Caro Emerald, she is also a sassy and fun performer who knows how to put on a show! Following her no 1 sophomore album The Shocking Miss Emerald, the Dutch jazz singer has been around the UK on a sell out tour. Her début album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor was a record breaker in Holland and a homage to the music of the Golden Age of Hollywood. This merging of old and new is something Caro does with ease and makes her show totally original. This 40s and 50s retro chic suits her personality and vaudevillian music style. Caro's unique blend of jazzy pop, fused with Latin and Parisian influences with the occasional nod to R & B thanks to DJ Kypski, is the freshest sound to appear in the mainstream for a long time. Songs like That Man,Excuse My French andTangled Up(all on the set list) are gloriously swinging toe tappers and Caro's enthusiasm is infectious. It is clear from her interaction with the audience that she wants them to be part of the show and have a good time. This is indicated in her playful songs like Pack Up The Louie, Dr Wanna-Do, Coming Back As A Man and her latest single, the witty, Liquid Lunch, which she also performs tonight with a slightly different more up-tempo arrangement. This quirky song about the perils of a lunchtime binge is something that could only have come from the World of Caro Emerald. It is perhaps the perfect starting point for any one new to Caro's work as it combines all the elements that make this talented and vibrant singer so popular. Caro demonstrates her formal training in what she calls her 'James Bond film audition piece'; the atmospheric I belong To You.Another nod to the retro, but this time modelled on the classic Bond song. She performs this with every bit as much passion as Shirley Bassey or Adele and really shows her strengths as a vocalist as does her final song of the night If You Go Away (Ne me quitte pas) which she sings in French and English. She has a totally natural stage presence and a great rapport with her musicians. Words cannot begin to describe just how sublime her band are. The brass section, Special Request Horns are out of this world they have a great sound and really let rip with those horns! Ladies favourite and versatile guitarist, Wieger Hoogendorp plays everything from rockabilly to gypsy jazz with lightening precision. Lets not forget the keyboards, drums and bass who are on fire and never falter. It is not surprising that this band are some of the most (in)credible musicians of the Dutch jazz scene. Whilst they sound good on the record it is in a live arena that they really stand out away from the constraints of the studio. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Southend Cliffs Pavilion has one of the best sound and lighting set ups around. It may be a regional theatre but the sound and visuals far surpass some London venues. It is little wonder that this theatre attracts some big names! The shocking Miss Emerald is far from shocking, in fact, she's sensational.

The British audience have always been receptive to Vegas work, her début self titled album from 1985. The album went Platinum in the UK and was a real hit. (With Marlene on The Wall possibly partly responsible for that success) whilst well received in the USA, the album did not attain the same success as it did in the UK. However, when Solitude Standing was released two years later it again achieved Platinum status but also contained two hit singles (Luka and Tom's Diner, the latter became a hit in 1990 when British group DNA remixed the song) Believe it or not but it has been 25 years since Suzanne Vegas break through album Solitude Standing was released. To mark the occasion she has been doing a string of tours State-side and returns to the UK on the 16 October for a one off concert at London’s Barbican Center. Photogroupie were lucky enough to speak to Suzanne about her views on Solitude Standing 25 years after its initial release and her new album. Solitude Standing is indeed a very poetic and well constructed pop/folk album which has influenced countless other artists. It consists of Vegas trademark haunting melodies such as Calypso and Gypsy, but also the titular track which has a punchy rock feel and is eerily catchy. But which song is she most proud of? “I am proud of Luka, and in its own quirky way I'm proud of Tom's Diner, but mostly Luka. I had no idea on the day that I wrote that song that there would be so many people who would respond to it. It's a good song, I feel it's well written in a dramatic sense.” For those of you who don't know Lukas pop feel is somewhat misleading as the narrative of the story is told from the point of view of an abused child - not really what you'd expect from a hit record. But like some of Vegas other work the song and the album tapped into a public consciousness at the time, which is possibly why it has had such longevity. So what does its author think is the key to its success? “I really can't tell why people buy things and why they don't. I'm always surprised. I'd like to think that the themes are still the same. I think people still like the sound of it. I think I hit something at a moment and the themes still speak today.” Her song Left Of Center (1986) from the film Pretty In Pink, tapped perfectly into the 80s feeling of isolation and alienation, a common theme in Vegas work, but is also a theme that has remained constant in our modern world. If you listen to the reprise of Tom's Diner which appears at the end of the album, this is enhanced further. “ I was imagining it to be Brechtian. I wanted it to have an absurd feel, but the song has that too, it's not just a person in a diner drinking coffee. There's an observing ironic distance in it.” With so many references to these themes in her songs does Vega see herself in the same isolated way as the characters from her songs? “Compared to most modern celebrities I do, I'm a private person, but I'm not a lonely person. I have friends, and I have my family. I'm probably more sociable than people would expect. I perform live, which I love. I do like the touring aspect and seeing an audience.” Which is a great relief to hear as certainly a world without this first class poetess performing her songs would indeed be a poorer place. The songs for the series of anniversary concerts will sound a lot like the originals but are reinterpreted mainly by Vegas guitarist the fabulous Mr Gerry Leonard, who is also the musical director for the band. If you who cannot wait until October for the 25th Anniversary Concert at the Barbican the final instalment of the Close Up series is due out in September entitled Songs Of Family. This volume will feature songs and some new songs never before released and is also fittingly titled as her daughter Ruby (herself another very talented musical lady) sings backing vocals once again on several tracks. For Vega the end of this project marks the beginning of a new creative chapter. “I'm very much looking forward to writing new material. I've got a bucketful of half finished songs.” Her new album, like all the Close Up series will be released on her own record label, Amanuensis Productions. Now that Suzanne is without the influence of a major record label, what advice would she give to new artists looking to get signed: Stay independent or go with a label? “I would say its great to go with a company if you can stay aware of your rights. What you want to do is have a manger who will make sure you can own your own masters so that if your droped you can take what you have made with them. These days you can have that kind of record deal 25 years ago that was not the norm. So you can go with a big company but dont give away your stuff.” But she also has plenty of other creative pursuits to follow such as the musical play about the life of American author Carson Mc Cullers, co written with Duncan Shiek which she'd love to get into production with another performed playing Mc Cullers this time round. “I'd like to write a book one day about my life, which I think would be entertaining at the very least. I'd love to continue studying dance and yoga and I'd love to study a bit of martial arts.” Having watched American 'shock jock' Howard Stern interview Susanne back in the 90s, I always felt that he seemed to treat her unfairly and place more regard on her appearance than her music. So when I had the chance to ask her would she have liked to ever get her own back ? Not a bit. “I know he likes me, he's not so bad” she says generously seeing beyond his formidable persona. “I've always felt a certain amount of intelligence and graciousness” she muses “I know he's abrasive, I expect that, but that's not the whole man.” Vega is also a Buddhist and says of her faith that “it's kept me on a good track and keeps me grounded” in accordance with her Buddhist beliefs she is philosophical about absolutes: when I asked jokingly quizzed her about her nine object of loathing (in reference to her fifth studio album Nine Objects Of Desire) she says “ to be honest I don't put a lot of energy into hating things,” but naturally some things she finds unpleasant such as polyester (who'd have thought) because it brings her out in a rash. Also eggplant would fall into that category. “Loud people cursing on the beach I don't like very much. I guess haters, people who find something to hate and make a career out of devoting themselves to hating that thing. That is something that seems like a huge waste of time to me”. Of course she's right it's almost impossible to be creative when your head is always full of negative thoughts. For one as creative as Suzanne Vega I am sure that her fascination with the psychology of the human spirit will continue to provide her with subject matter. With many of her influences coming from classical literature (she has a degree in English Literature and I learnt that she has also really enjoyed listening to Mumford and Sons especially the song Tinshelwhich is based on Steinbeck’s East Of Eden – one of her favourite books!) So what exactly inspires her to write and tell a story in the way she does? “Something speaks to me. I'll read a story, I'll see a name or a face and it will speak to me in a certain way, or it will haunt me. And it will keep coming back to me until I feel I've expressed it. I haven’t really analysed what makes something speak to me but I know when it has. Then I feel I have to wrestle with it until it comes out.” In the past I've heard Suzanne talked about the writing process as if she were a scribe and having the music and lyrics are channeled through her from some place (perhaps this is why her record label is called Amanuensis) “ You really feel at some point that you're taking it all down. Sometimes it takes months of fiddling around and trying different approaches. It really can take a while of crafting it before you get to that moment where it really strikes you and moves through you.” She is not alone in saying this as Albert Hammond, and I am sure many other writers, have also been struck by this ethereal burst of creativity. But what does it feel like to be on the receiving end of such a creative process, Suzanne explains: “It's a great feeling but its also can be very painful. A song like Queen and the Soldier happened that way. I had been fooling around with it for months and months and finally the minute I had the Soldier come to the door of the Queen the whole song seemed to write itself, including the tragic ending they seem to have a life of their own, and the whole thing seems to unfold itself right in front of my eyes. Its inspiring but it can also be cathartic.” Finally, I ask Suzanne why she thinks she has had more mainstream success than her some of her peers from the Greenwich Village Fast Folk movement. Once again Vega in true songwriter fashion is generous of spirit and takes little credit “Some of it is management. I worked with Ron Fierstein for many years. He had a vision for me, and he had a vision especially for the song Luka that was bigger than what I had for myself. He worked really hard, he sort of engineered the production of Luka. So in many ways the kind of success I had was due to his hard work. But it's not all management, some of it is the time that we live in, who responds to the songs, luck, destiny all of that.” I would agree that what has given Suzanne Vega her dedicated fan base is indeed, “all of that.”Like all the best story-tellers the audience is still responding well to her work 25 years later not only because her songs are universal and therefore timeless; but also due to the fact that she, like Kate Bush remains an enigma. Not an easy thing to do to do in our fame obsessed world. It all comes down to the story and the music which is perhaps the biggest key to her longevity. #folk

Hammersmith Apollo 9th May 2013 Emmylou Harris is one of a kind, with a voice to die for that remains virtually unchanged since her 70's heyday. Her once auburn hair is a now a stunning steel grey and for a woman of 66 she is remarkably handsome. Collaboration has been a big part of her career from Gram Parsons and Dolly Parton to Linda Ronstadt and more recently Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller and of course another legend of the county scene, the great singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell. The pair go way back to Emmylou's Hot Band days (that also featured amongst other fine musicians the amazing guitarist Albert Lee). Rodney wrote one of the first songs they collaborated on, Bluebird Wire - which they performed tonight. The song also features on their new album Old Yellow Moon which could well be one of the best country albums of the year. Their voices blend beautifully and the album features some spine-tingling harmonies. A fine example of this is the hauntingly moving and vocally exposing Back When We Were Beautiful, which was amazing to hear performed live – you could have heard a pin drop at the Hammersmith Apollo. It certainly showed Emmylou's prowess as a vocalist. Emmylou said how she has 500 songs in her head and jokingly suggested that she has little room to remember much else. The appreciative audience would have spent the whole night listening to everyone, if there hadn’t been an 11pm curfew. The nearly 3 hour long show was a example of what stellar musicians these veterans are. The varied set featured something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue to mark this musical marriage made in perfect harmony! Hanging Up My Heart is a punchy country toe-tapper, the bluesy Black Caffeine was a pleasant break in the mostly country set, and very reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt. The Patti Scialfa penned (borrowed) Spanish Dancer in the hands of Harris and Crowell becomes a powerful ballad and Darling Kate written about the late Kate Mcgarrigle, was a beautiful heartfelt tribute to a friend. It was also great to hear some tracks from the classic Luxury Liner Album. The fast and furious title track gave Jedd Hughes the opportunity to show off his guitar skills. This young guy hails from down under, but you'd never believe it to hear him play. It sounds as if he was born and bred in Nashville! I'll Be Your San Antone Rose, Tulsa Queen and the Townes Van Zandt classic Pancho and Lefty had the crowd cheering, but I feel that being a classic of Emmylou's it could have featured later on in the set. Being a collaborative concert, it wouldn’t be complete without hearing some songs by Grammy award winning Rodney Crowell, such as Till I Gain Control Again. A highlight of the evening was Long Time Girl Gone By, a song recorded by Emmylou on Rodney's 2012 album Kin which she had never performed live. (If you don't know it I urge you to download this rarity from Itunes immediately, you won't even find it on You Tube!) There were a few grumbles from the audience about poor sound quality as some for the vocals sadly got lost in the mix. Whilst Crowell graciously allowed his leading lady her place in the limelight, although I am sure it wasn’t his intention to be left in the dark when the uneven lighting meant that he spent the majority of the evening in shadow. Despite this the audience gave the concert a standing ovation and were left screaming for more. The new Queen and King of country? Quite possibly.

Union chapel 17th Feb 2013 Elizabeth McGoven is a dark horse. Not only is she an amazingly gifted actor with pathos and subtly to her performances, she is also a musician, writer and singer to boot! She has been playing guitar for many years and has turned up on many a film set with her guitar in hand. Anyone who's ever been on a set will tell you that there is plenty of sitting around to be done and McGovern has used her time to strum away and play some music. Song writing has become a hobby of hers over the years, but really took on a new level when she met virtuoso guitarist, Steve Nelson. Their weekly guitar practice soon turned into song writing sessions, and as the title of one of McGovern's song says, one thing lead to another, and Sadie and The Hotheads was formed. The Hotheads took to the stage first playing a raunchy Cajun reprise of One Thing, before Elizabeth made her sultry entrance onto the Union Chapel stage and picked up her guitar. She has as much poise and presence on stage as she does on screen and is able to hold an audience. She appears totally at ease within that environment. If she was nervous it didn’t show. For Elizabeth, her song writing and music are a labour of love rather than a deliberate move towards forging a second career. This comes across in her song writing and performance. She is clearly enjoying her work as much as the audience is responding to it. Her songs are fun (How Not to Lose Things has the audience cracking a smile), honest, witty and refreshingly different. They are ethereal and dreamlike as if she is turning her musical stories into something cinematic (the wacky audience favourite The Cow Song is very suggestive of this.) Highly appropriate for somebody who has spent their career in front of a camera! She even looks back at her home town in the song LA Days which has a Neil Diamond feel to it. Her singing voice is not strong, but soft, beguiling and natural. As with all great screen actors, McGovern can impart meaning and humour with a simple raised eyebrow or wry smile. This injects the evening with a cabaret feel; especially when she puts down her guitar for the jazzy My Debt Collector, which should have had Elizabeth swooning over a piano, were it not for lack of space at the Chapel. Her voice is at its best when she is being raspy, sexy and low; Singing songs like the bluesy Superficial and the catchy and gloating song Old Boyfriends, which is reminiscent of the jazz standard Fever. Having written a song about former beaus, she sang about her love for her husband, director Simon Curtis (who was in the audience) with the tender and heartfelt All The Time. The Hotheads are comprised of the Nelson Brothers, Simon – on electric guitar and dobro and Steve on acoustic guitar, bauzouki and banjo, Ron Knights on bass, Nick Lacey on keyboards, Teri Bryant on drums and Philly Lopez, a very talented backing singer who has also played with Stevie Wonder. They are a great band and exceptional musicians who bring McGovern’s lyrics and music to life with everything from the Country to folk and jazz, with a spice of Americana and Cajun and even a sprinkling of Pink Floyd in the guitar solo of Use It Up, which is a great atmospheric song to bring the evening to a close. Despite their current tour sadly being cut short due to McGovern’s filming commitments on Downton Abbey, Sadie and the Hotheads are an entertaining, fun and very tight band. With the captivating Elizabeth McGovern as their front-lady, hopefully we will see more of them in the future.

Cambridge Corn Exchange 17th November 2013 Those with a passing acquaintance of Frank Zappa's music tend to think of him as an avant garde musician, who is perhaps, too clever for his own good. But Frank Zappa is probably the finest composer of the modern age. He would have been 73 this year, but by the time he died in 1993, he had created 80 albums and a body of work such monumental proportions that it was enough for several lifetimes. He still stands alone as a one off musical genius, far beyond his time. If he had lived long enough to embrace the current digital age, one can only imagine and marvel at what else he would have done. The music Frank composed was highly complex, constructed with the utmost precision and notoriously difficult to interpret and play. In fact the handful of musicians who are able to tackle this music are as rare as Frank Zappa himself. Fortunately, there are those who are skilled enough to be able to bring his compositions to a live arena and not leave them confined to a studio recording. Enter Zappa Plays Zappa, the talented musicians who have been assembled to execute the mastery of Frank Zappa's music under the watchful eye of his guitarist son, Dweezil. The current concert is part of the 40th anniversary of one of Franks most popular albumsRoxy and Elsewhere, which they play in full during the first half. The audially mesmerising set kicks off with the 16 minute Gumbo Variations. This lengthy track shows that Zappa Plays Zappa really mean business and is one helluva way to warm the audience up before launching into Roxy. This really is music like nothing else and is difficult to categorise - which is precisely what makes it so remarkable. Within the space of one track you can get jazz, rock, funk and anything else you care to mention. Even more remarkable is that the musicians were not reading the music, but playing from memory. Given its complexity, this is something approaching miraculous considering orchestras had difficulty playing the music from the notation! To learn such intricate time signatures and sophisticated melodies requires such jaw dropping musicianship you are left astounded at its technical brilliance. I have rarely seen such quality of musicianship. Dweezil although placed centre stage, does not play the showman and seems very reverential to his fathers music. He plays with sublime accuracy and is one of the most fluid guitarists I have ever seen. Shelia Gonzalez, a Grammy award winning saxophonist and pianist is sheer gold. Her work on The Blank Page along with virtuoso drummer Ryan Brown is one of the highlights of the evening and one of Zappa's most involved and complex pieces. Certain songs such as Penguin In Bondage require a theatrical approach to make the song come. Although a little contrived it was necessary to make the songs work. One surprise of the night comes is I Come From Nowhere from the album Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch; a track which originally used SFX to make the vocals out of tune on purpose. Shelia Gonzalez rises to the challenge of trying to replicate the track in a live setting without the assistance of technology and does a seller job.Teenage Prostitute , The Torture Never Stops, Broken Hearts are for Assholes all feature in the heavier second set. Followed by the lengthy encore of an instrumental Duke Of Prunes, Cosmik Debris and Muffin Man. Zappa plays Zappa is a stunning presentation of Frank Zappa's music. A real treat for audiophiles and music lovers everywhere to appreciate the timeless work of a musical master.

Alban Arena, St Albans, 10th August 2013 Patti Smith is a true artist; Far from being circumspect she has continually thrown aside all expectations and conventions in favour of letting her work speak for itself. In the 70s she emerged at the vanguard of popular music culture after being dubbed the 'poet laureate of punk.' Hugely influential, she has inspired the likes of REM and Morrissey and her songs have been re-recorded by the likes of U2 and Marilyn Manson.But she has always seemed to ride alongside the likes of Cohen and Dylan never quite achieving the same kind of commercial success. However, the fact that she has remained outside mainstream music whilst simultaneously influencing it, is possibly the key to her success as an artist. She is an outsider, a rebel, a pioneer and a poet. It is perhaps little wonder when she took to the stage she was once again sporting a 'Mockinjay' pin badge on her jacket. For those unfamiliar with the image taken from the futuristic novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins it signifies hope, rebellion, inspiration and the power of the people, even (People have the Power?) In fact many of the things that encompass Patti Smith. Words and Music is another performance piece from Patti featuring fellow writer and musician Tony Shanahan. The show is a collection of Smiths Music, set against readings from her book Just Kids: A funny and heartbreaking memoir of her early years in New York with fellow artist Robert Mapplethorne. She appears comfortable on stage, unfazed by forgetting words or false starts, taking whatever happens in her stride. It is as if we were watching her perform at an intimate recital in CBGB or a café in Greenwich Village. For a few numbers she strums an old guitar on which she said her late husband Fred 'Sonic' Smith (of the MC5) taught her “just enough chords to write a song, just not in public” she jokes. Shanahan and Smith work impeccably well together whether they are performing Dancing Barefoot or a cover version of Eddie Cochran'sSumertime Blues; so good it could almost have been a Patti Smith original. Their paired down set with just guitar and occasionally piano really does focus the evening on the words and music. A masterful storyteller, she moves with ease between the characters in her songs be they male or female, giving them life and drawing the audience in. Although Gloria is missing from the set she does offer us some other favourites: great stripped down versions of Redondo Beach, Pissing In The River and Beneath The Southern Cross, the latter features some haunting harmonies from Shanahan.There are also somenew gems This Is The Girl, a tribute to Amy Winehouse and a welcome into the world Patti Smith style for Prince George with a cover of John Lennon's Beautiful Boy. Of course the set ends with her most widely known song Because The Night. A great live version and a perfect way to end the evening. I have never seen such a lively audience at the Alban Arena. In anticipation of an encore many of the audience rush the stage to get close to this legend and get firmly caught up in her exuberance and spirit. She rouses the usually sedate St Albans audience to start their own rebellion (which they do with fervency) during Banga and People have the Power, once again proving that only Patti Smith has the co jones to do what she does - and that is to be the inimitable Patti Smith.

Watford Colosseum 31st March 2014 Blood Brothers was one of the West Ends longest running shows when it closed its doors after 10,000 performances in 2012. The shows producer, Bill Kenwright was confident that the Blood Brothers story would not end there. The show is a phenomenon, capturing the hearts of audiences wherever it plays. When the show opened on Broadway to reviews that would have usually ensured its closure within a week, the audience defied the critics and made it an outstanding success. Known as the 'Miracle of Broadway,' this demonstrates the overwhelming power this show has. Willy Russell's musical is a sheer masterpiece. Set in over a 20 year period in Liverpool, Blood Brothers tells the story of two twins separated at birth and raised apart in very different families. As the story unfolds the two boys become childhood friends unaware of their connection. It's universal themes of love, inequality, poverty, unemployment, blood ties and loss have ensured its popularity worldwide. It is little wonder that these timeless topic have evoked such a profound and emotional response with audiences. Despite it's setting over a twenty year period it's message still holds so much resonance in today's world. Over its history the show has attracted some big names Helen Reddy, Carole King, Barbara Dickson, Kiki Dee, Petula Clarke, Melanie Chisholm, Lyn Paul, David Sole, Russell Crowe, Carl Wayne and Marti Pellow. Having seen the show a couple of times, it never loses it's power and always brings the audience to their feet at it's shocking and hugely emotional climax. It is a musical for all time. Even if you hate musicals this one has no dancing ( almost) no jazz hands or epic musical theatre belters. It is a show that holds truth at its heart. Part of its success is its simplicity: the story is accessible and the music is understated and relies on various leitmotifs to help tell the story. This production was equal to the west end show although with slightly less scenery as it's a touring production. The Narrator is a character who appears to get more and more sinister each time I see the show. Lurking in the darkness, he is the sooth sayer foreshadowing the events as they unfold and interacting with the characters like some Faustian creation. Played perfectly by Kristofer Harding he captures the right amount of compassion and intimidation and it is easy to see in this production where his sympathies lie. The supporting cast are as stella as always, playing multiple roles with skill and ease. Even though this is very much show that relies heavily on team effort it is always Mrs Johnstone the linchpin of the show and Maureen Nolan continues a family tradition of playing a role, doing a sublime job.Seeing the show again, I am reminded of the physical and emotional demands that the show places on its central characters. Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson as twins Micky and Eddie hold your attention when they are on stage, whether they are playing 7 year olds or 18 year olds you immerse yourself totally in their performances never questioning the fact that the roles are played by two grown men: that alone is part of the charm and genius that the musical has - you really get drawn into the story and swallow it hook line and sinker. Tracy Spencer plays Mrs Lyons, the adoptive mother of Eddie and does a great job with such a detestable character with whom we have little sympathy. A real character driven show, Blood Brothers does not rely on complex scenery and special effects. In the early days before it was a fully fledged musical, it was performed in schools with no set and was hugely successful. Today nothing has changed, you could perform it anywhere and it would still have the unique power to reel you in, make you laugh and then break your heart but still have you talking about it for days. Very few shows have the ability to provoke such a profound response in the audience time and time again and have a standing ovation every night. It is a show that will be around for a very long time to come due to its humanity, simplicity and the fact that, as Willy Russell says "it is a musical that's loved by people who hate musicals!"

13th June 2012 Suzanne Vega is one of those rare introspective, observational, singer songwriters in the vain of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. She comes from the strong neo folk tradition that continued in Greenwich Village through the 70s and 80s where the likes of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan left off. She was part of the Fast Folk cooperative alumni that included Tracy Chapman and Shawn Colvin (who incidentally recorded backing vocals on Luka and also performed at the Union Chapel 6 years ago proving that the Union Chapel is well established as a great music venue for showcasing some of the best musical talent around and quite rightly was voted London’s best music venue in Time Out recently.) Tonight at the Union Chapel that talent was evident. There was a real buzz surrounding her performance at this sold out concert. Vega took to the stage dressed in black and a multicoloured scarf looking every inch the boho 'Village' artist. The terrific Irish born musician, Gerry Leonard joined her on-stage playing electric guitar. Her first song of the night was also her first hit, a fantastic rendition of Marlene On The Wall. She even donned a black top hat as a nod to her muse for the song, Marlene Dietrich. There is a real theatrical element to her performance, nothing showed this more than a a selection of songs based on the life and work American author Carson McCullers including the witty Harper Lee (as featured in her off Broadway musical play Carson McCullers Talks About Loveco-written with Duncan Sheik) and even a bit of pulpit dancing during Tom's Diner (hats off to Mr Leonard for managing to create a live version that closely resembled the DNA remix!) The set also included a gutsy performance of Left of Center and Luka. Some twenty six years after she cut her first self titled album as a young hopeful. Suzanne still has that wonderfully understated soft voice which conveys her heart wrenching and powerful lyrics. Her legacy as a songwriter is highly influential, including the likes of Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos and Christina Perri. Her influence is such that I would like to think that a new breed of folk/pop songwriters are sat in a New York cafe right now following in her footsteps.

THE HORN ST ALBANS 10TH APRIL 2014 The Horn in St Albans has been host to many names over the years, but I've seldom seen it packed out on a Thursday night. The reason?: A special performance from Chrissie Hynde who was road testing some new material from her début solo album,Stockholm, out on June 9. Chrissie has defined the album as “power pop...Abba meets John Lennon.” Having heard the songs tonight they sound pretty awesome; They are well constructed, catchy and lyrically witty, so I'd say her description of the album is pretty accurate. The 11 track set at The Horn was made up of entirely new tracks from the album and although it didn't feature any old faves, (I'm sure we can expect them to be added if she announces any official tour dates) the songs certainly got a great response from the crowd. Her latest singleDark Sunglasses (out on 21 April), has been receiving a fair amount of airplay on Radio 2 and is one of those songs that you can't get out of your head. It's fun and punchy, a great pop rock song. The girl can still write a great tune that's for sure, as this showcase of her new music demonstrates. Plan Too Far, In The Movies and Tourniquet are all tracks to look out for when the album is released. The Pretenders lead singer is still looking sassy and sexy and her voice as distinctive as ever. One of the original rock chicks is back with a vengeance and we can't wait for the album!

The Hop Farm Music Festival is a comparatively new comer on the festival scene. Now in its 5th year, it is already on its way to establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. This is a well organized, family friendly event with a selection of high end artists. It has an ethical post-woodstock vibe to it, no branding no sponsorship and plenty of vegan food! Perhaps this is one of the reasons it is able to attract the world conscious musician such as Bob Dylan, Damian Rice and Patti Smith. Fridays line up for the festival was a great way to fire up the audience for the next few days. There were some great sets from James Levy and The Blood Red Rose and Dog is Dead in their pre Reading festival gig. Also from the post-punk band The Futureheads. Dr John helped the crowd ease into the afternoon festival feel with his New Orleans brand of blues. Nitin Sawhney also offered the audience a taste of his east/west fusion to end the evening. In anticipation of her new album singer songwriter Lianne La Havas wowed the Big Tent with her set. Her voice is pure and melodic and sings with heartfelt emotion. She is definitely an act to watch over the next year. Billy Ocean gave an amazingly energetic performance of his hits and even brought some sunshine along to his set. Red Light Spells Danger and When The Going Gets Tough were particularly popular with the crowd. He was accompanied by a fantastic band and accomplished backing singers. Ray Davies who has a reputation for giving great performances made his Hop Farm appearance no exception. The audience flocked to see his set and were all singing and rocking along. It was really nice to see his music touching people of all ages. His set included classics such as Waterloo Sunset, Lola and Come Dancing. The sun even raised his head for a moment during a sing along of Sunny Afternoon. He really engaged with the audience and his set was one it was a really great moments of the weekend. Headlining on Friday was Peter Gabriel and The New Blood Orchestra. Gabriels three year project, which is now drawing to a close, is a rearranging of his earlier works which he has been building on since his 2010 album Scratch My Back saw the reworking of other artists songs. There were murmurs among the crowd that Ray Davies should have headlined and whilst I am inclined to agree somewhat with them, Gabriel and his orchestra did put on a great show. His set started with a wonderfully orchestrated and rousing version of David Bowies Heroes. The lighting and video effects were simply stunning in the open air and made for a great visual spectacle. Although some of the audience may have been unfamiliar with these new orchestrations, by the end of the evening with performances of universally known tracks Solsbury hill and Don't Give Up the audience were inspired. Saturday afternoon on the main stage was a brave choice for a festival but veteran performer and national treasure Sir Bruce Forsyth (making his first festival and outdoor appearance) had the audience firmly on his side and showed his prowess as a natural and gifted performer. One of the touching moments of the festival was a wonderful duet of Charlie Chaplin's Smile between him and his granddaughter, Sophie. Randy Crawford and The Joe Sample Trio gave a astonishing set and have been playing together for over 30 years. The ease at which Randy sings is magical and her voice is still young. She's a generous performer in more ways than one, she threw one of her favourite scarf’s into the crowd and even added an extra song to her set list (a sublime rendition of Almaz) because a member of the audience requested it. She stated that her songs are 'old music that stays new', and how true that is! Her classic songs Rainy night in Georgia and One Day I'll Fly Away were just a fresh and new as they ever were. Gary Numan had the Big Tent rocking and chanting his name. The electronic feel of his music had become much more heavy and metal influenced over the years giving him longevity. A high spot was when he grabbed his guitar and gave a tempestuous version of the titular track from the 2000 album Pure. Of course he also played his more established songs from his Tubeway Army days. Primal Scream also played at the Big Tent on Saturday and drew in quite a large crowd (mostly drifting over from Bob Dylans set) Lead singer Bobby Gillespie gave a punchy performance and the band were still on form after 21 years. The Big tent has he great feel of an underground club which is fitting for some the acts on stage there, but sadly over the course of the weekend it became progressively louder to an intolerable level, which was a shame considering the great acts that appeared there. Seminal English singer/ songwriter Joan Armatrading gave us a taster of her new album Starlight along with more well know hits. Another pioneer of the female singer/songwriter club was Patti Smith who the crowd adored. Patti was returning to hop farm, but this time with new material from her new albumBanga. For many the appearance of Irish songstress Mary Coughlan was also a highlight of Saturdays line up. Bob Dylan was the head liner on Saturday with many people coming to the Hop Farm for the day to see his only UK concert. Baby Blue started the set and got off to a good start.As did Tangled Up In Blue. Sadly there seemed to be a disconnect with the audience at this performance partly due to the lack of his more well known songs which he is reluctant to play and his refusal to allow his image to be projected on the video screens meaning the performance is only filmed from a fixed camera. Many people left early and there seemed to be the feeling that some were just there to 'tick him off their bucket list'. His voice has deteriorated over the years making many of his lyrics unintelligible and his rearranging of Like A Rolling Stone took some of the audience a while to realise what song was playing but eventually they found their way to singing along. Despite this, it was an honour to at least hear the genius of the man who changed and influenced a generation of music, even if you couldn’t see him. Sunday had a much more relaxed feel to it after the frenetic variety of music on Saturday. Indie rock band Athlete and 80's punk rockers Psychedelic Furs help liven up the afternoon before The Levellers and Kool and The Gang stormed the stage both giving equally watchable performances. Back in the Big Tent, things are not looking good. Poor Gilbert O' Sullivan's set was marred by technical problems which meant that his set started late and when it did his mic wasn’t working for the first three songs. But he carried on with true professionalism and when the sound finally got fixed it was met with cheers from the loyal crowd who had gathered to see him. Richard Ashcroft, former singer of the Verve and gifted songwriter gave a measured performance but was great to watch. The crowd loved him and were really letting go and releasing their inner hippy. His music spoke to the audience and is a relevant to the current world climate as Dylans songs were to the 60s. Sunday head liners were 90's indie rockers Suede. Their initial warm welcome by the crowd increased to stratospheric heat as their set progressed. In part helped by sulty lead singer Brett Anderson strutting like a peacock around the stage working the crowd. Their hits We Are The Pigs, and Film Star were well received. They also showcased a new song For the Strangers, from their forthcoming album. A rapturous encore of Still Life brings the festival to a satisfactory close. I highly recommend this festival to old and new festival goers alike. If camping isn’t for you it's location just outside London makes it a great place to spend a day. There are great facilities on site and a free shuttle bus that runs regularly from the station throughout the weekend. For those with children there is a play area for the kids along with a toy stall, face painting (not just for kids) and funfair rides. And of course a variety of stalls selling unusual and wonderful things from vintage clothing to an oxygen bar. Also the festival has a great choice of food everything from a fantastic veggie and vegan selection to Argentinian steaks, Indian, spit roasts and even a few cocktail bars. I must take a moment to plug the Wide Awake Café with its awesome chick pea curry, which we really recommend it's, a total taste bud frenzy. The security and festival stewards maintained a comfortable presence throughout the weekend. A really great atmosphere and a thoroughly enjoyable weekend!

Alban Arena 9th March 2012 Led Zeppelin are perhaps the greatest rock group of all time and therefore a hard act to follow. It has to be said that Hats off to Led Zeppelin are an equally amazing tribute band, and managed to follow in the originals footsteps. I have to agree with the comments of another reviewer that it really is true that if you close your eyes you could almost be listening to THE Led Zeppelin. The complexity of light and shade in the music, the haunting and sometimes erotic emotion of Robert Plants immediately recognisable vocal, the brilliance of John Bonham’s exuberant drumming, the bluesy feel and mastery of the guitar by Jimmy Page together with the driving and solid bass of John Paul Jones were all captured there when Hats off took to the stage, without which the Marshall stacks, Gibson EDS-1275 and 70's jumpsuits would have been mere window dressing. The set started with a energetic version of Rock and Roll Celebration. Peter Eldridge as Robert Plant was quite simply amazing. His vocal is so close to that of Plant it is uncanny. Peter is an absolute pro through and through and has been around as a professional singer for years. Having initially performed in Rent in the West End End (I've still got the programme, thought I recognised him from somewhere...) and later We Will Rock You, he is no stranger to the rock ballad and boy did his musical training show. He was able to capture every nuance in Whole Lotta Love (an amazing feat in itself) and the soulful raw feeling of Since I've Been Loving You, a song which Peter felt was 'Plants most heartfelt lyric' and he conveyed this emotion perfectly. Without his training and talent a lesser singer's voice would have probably cracked by the third song. His vocal dexterity and power was second to none and he had total mastery of the vocal. The ease with which Jack Tanker interpreted the oh so distinctive playing of Page was uncanny. It also added to the experience that he looked a bit like him too. His awesome playing was upbeat and energetic and his driving force on Kashmir surely added to the standing ovation they received at the end of the song for this remarkable version. Kevin Oliver Jones was solid and gutsy as the bass player John Paul Jones, but also demonstrating other talents as a mandolin and keyboard player. Simon Wicker as John Bonham was phenomenal. He recreated the complicated drum rhythms effortlessly and was always right on the money. The band displayed equal precision and attention to detail in their performance. From getting the same Zeppelin sound by using identical instruments, to capturing the 'look' of the band. But lets not forget these guys although these guys are emulating Led Zepplin it takes a certain calibre of musicianship to bring to life the wonderful back catalogue of Led Zeppelin. They are all very talented musicians in their own right. I have the added advantage of being able to say that I saw the Led Zeppelin the first time round. But for those who either don't have a time machine were too young or who missed out first time round. They will be touring across the UK this year don't miss them, whole lotta talent!