SHOW REVIEW: Hospitality, Brixton Academy, London (24.9.10)

‘Bass To Melt Your Face’
Friday 24th September 2010
Brixton Academy, London


The increasing popularity of Hospital Records and the unexpected closure of Fabric’s sister club Matter means the Hospitality nights are now bound for bigger and better things. I had been to dance parties at Brixton Academy before but Hospitality is less a dance party and more a way of life. In my mind Drum’and’Bass nights should be small, cramped, dirty, heavy, grimy, sweaty and in the end leave you feeling much the same way. Whether this would transgress to a much larger venue was yet to be seen.

Straight away the immense growth in Hospital Records’ following became apparent, as along with all the usual trainer wearing, shit-talking, face-chewing cainers came a new breed of much more sober looking and sophisticated ‘Ministry of Sound’ types. But there was no doubt all were there for one thing – to get down and dirty to some of the best Drum’and’Bass around town.

London Elektricity have never been a favourite of mine and tonight saw them do no better. While they are good they always seem to miss the mark. Their beats are fine but their lead in’s and climax’s leave you hanging mid-peak, never coming back to get you. Their mixes are disjointed and mismatched at times and often sound as if they’re simply changing records on a player. A steady act that would benefit from stepping it up a notch or 10.

Next were High Contrast, with contrast being the operative word. The came, they saw, the tore the place up. With a savvy MC who knows exactly when and where he’s needed and a stretch of epic beats, breaks and classic samples that almost caused a riot High Contrast got the floor moving and left all wanting to see more. But not now… maybe another time… Danny Byrd was on next. So though High Contrast became a fast crowd favourite no one was that sad to see them go.

It’s hard to review Danny Byrd, as it is hard to put truly great Drum’and’Bass into words. Drum’and’Bass is very much a feeling and experience, making you dance into a frenzy and do things you normally wouldn’t do in front of complete strangers. I don’t think anyone spoke during Danny Byrd’s set for fear of missing a beat, catching a breath and dropping dead on the spot. From housey, dancey, disco samples to the heaviest, dirtiest most evil bass lines you’ve heard in an age Danny Byrd delivered it all and was heard right the way through to China. If High Contrast got the floor moving Danny set it on fire. Not a foot touched the ground until he finally had to be forcibly faded out by the sound engineer to make way for Andy C, but no one would have cared if he played all night. Byrd is the word.

And you’ve gotta love Andy C. We all love Andy C! The original and one of the best delivered his standard high quality set that melted your face and kept you going till sun up. But following The Byrd is a hard yard and as most kept on keeping on some went for drinks, some for smokes, and after half a set from Andy C I reluctantly threw in the towel.

Hospitality is an amazing club night. It’s well done, well organised, always delivers quality line up’s, so it’s easy to see why it has taken off in such epic fashion. But I can’t help feeling we lose a small piece of the true down to earth Hospitality the bigger and better it gets. But that’s the way it goes I suppose.

SHOW REVIEW: Alice Cooper, Hammersmith Apollo, London (6.12.09)

No Mister Nice Guy
Sunday 6th October 2009
Hammersmith Apollo, London

Decapitation, zombies, skeletons, stabbings, straight jackets – not many rock shows can boast such an array of violence and creatures of the undead. But if anyone were to serve it so it would be the Devil of rock himself Alice Cooper.

With a band clad in black and his name in 8ft high silver letters Alice took to the stage with a spectacular version of Schools Out, and the remainder of the set did not disappoint. I’m Eighteen, Be My Lover, Muscle Of Love and No More Mister Nice Guy were all featured amidst various heinous acts. These included Alice himself being decapitated, returning to life brandishing his own head, being strapped into a straight jacket, being stabbed, poisoned and generally harassed by an evil nurse who later demonstrated her prowess with a circular saw on an innocent piece of sheet metal – not to mention the zombies, skeletons and poor unfortunate bride of the undead Alice threw and kicked about the place.

Rather confusingly the encore consisted of another rendition of Schools Out, however this time Alice donned a sliver mirrored 2-piece suit complete with top hat and tails. All in all a great night and fun for all the family, should you be of the family Adamms.

SHOW REVIEW: Editors, Hammersmith Apollo, London (21.10.09)

To Synth Or Not To Synth
Wednesday 21st October 2009
Hammersmith Apollo
　

The lesser-known Airship kicked of proceedings tonight but failed to take flight. They were dull, boring and every indie clad pop milais sounded the same as the next.

Novascotian outfit Wintersleep were an excellent main support. Reminiscent of Midlake and Wilco with a little Arcade Fire thrown in they provided us with fine story telling lyrics, hefty and wholesome guitars and a sound rhythm and drum section that made them an instant crowd favourite. A fine set of talented musicians that complement each other well and will be seen around the traps a lot more in the future I predict.

As you may know Editors have taken a liking to the synthesiser/80’s sound on their most recent slab In This Light And On This Evening, which has obviously worked as it went straight to number 1 in the UK. I personally hate both the synthesiser and the 80's, so was going to be a tough nut to crack. As they exploded on stage in a luminous haze of laser lights and an AV screen big enough to dwarf a zeppelin it became clear they hadn’t lost any of their indie-pop talents. The chasm of difference between old and new was clearly visible, with old hits such as An End Has A Start and Racing Rats pumped out to an adoring crowd. Their melodic riffs and walking-beat hard hits perfectly blend over the amazing tone of Tom Smith’s voice. This may be a random comparison but his vocals have a commanding presence not unlike Brian Blessed’s – they hold your attention whether you like it or not.

Synth-based newer hits such as Papillion were received with equal enthusiasm, coupled by audiovisuals that made you feel like you were in a remake of Tron. A great stage presence and stage show to boot, Editors showed us exactly why they went to number 1 and sold out 2 Brixton Academy shows the following week; cause regardless of whether or not you like synthesiser, they’re good. Damn good.

SHOW REVIEW: The Pixies, Brixton Academy, London (6-9.10.09)

The Legacy Lives On
Tuesday 6th-9th October 2009
Brixton Academy, London
　

With an array of supports and a set comprising of the entire ‘Dolittle’ album plus a few more hits thrown in, The Pixies residence at Brixton would have been hard pressed to disappoint.

The Big Pink did a fine job of opening proceedings on the first night with a wall-of-sound rock style that makes them hard to ignore. Bombay Bicycle Club jumped about a lot on the second night but didn’t seem to make that much noise – all show and no substance for me I’m afraid. Art Brut did their usual fine repetoire of socially observant comedy-laden hits, with a few funny-cause-they’re-so-bad jokes thrown in – I’ll never get sick of this band. And Friday’s offering of Dinosaur Pile Up was a mighty fine choice – a tight and rocky little 3 piece that could be set for big things if this set was anything to go by. It was their superb cover of The Beatles’ Please Please Me that won my vote – awesome! A good sound, a good set, a good rock’n’roll edge that should take them far.

It was announced prior to The Pixies shows that they’d be playing their Dolittle album in its entirety so we knew what to expect to an extent. It was so great to see them back on stage once again, and to see they hadn’t lost the pure indie rock feel that made them the legends they are today. Hits such as Debaser, Bleed, Gigantic and Monkeys were met with ecstatic applause, plus they threw in extra gems Hey, Into the White and Isla De Encanta. A mighty pleasant surprise.

There was little to no banter between band members on stage which might have disappointed some, but it only meant there was room for more songs and encores, of which there were 2 each night. They came, they played, they blew us away. Long may The Pixies legacy live on.

SHOW REVIEW: The Maccabees, Brixton Academy, London (3.10.09)

Please Sirs, May I Have Some More?
Saturday 3rd October 2009
Brixton Academy, London

The Lyrebirds. The name of the first support conjured up exciting visions of rock’n’roll perhaps inspired by The Yardbirds, which was perpetuated further by their look as they sauntered on in smart-but-cool collared shirts, jackets and jeans. But the dream ended there as they were yet another softer than necessary indie rock outfit with repetitive cliched riffs and lyrics.

Second on offer, Peggy Sue, came as a pleasant surprise. At first glance they reminded me of a female Mumford & Sons, with catchy country-esque tales of life and love coupled with finely crafted and creatively personable lyrics featuring guitars, drums, banjo and harmonica. Peggy Sue should go far due to their unique style and creative talents.

Next came the band whose rise to fame has been nothing short of a speeding freight train. With 2 EP’s, 2 albums and 10 singles under their belts the boys from Brighton have much to be proud of. Add to that list a sold out Brixton show and you have what lead singer Orlando Weeks touted as being ‘…probably the best night of our lives’. They played a fiery set and had Brixton in the palm of their hands from the get go.

Including Can You Give It?, Love You Better and No Kind Words they played an outstanding set, with Orlando’s musky tones leading a beautiful, melodic, guitar-driven indie rock set that definitely showed you why they stand out from the crowd. The bassists not afraid to show his rhythm, the drummer beats his skins with a fury, and the addition of horns in various tracks made it a perfect showcase of their ability and diversity. An excellent show, an excellent band, an excellent future ahead of them. May we see much more of The Maccabess.

SHOW REVIEW: Mott the Hoople, Hammersmith Apollo, London (2.10.09)

The Rock Returns
Friday 2nd October 2009
Hammersmith Apollo, London

　
Yet another gig that’s been 30 odd years in the making. Yet another room full of ‘mature’ gig-goers happy as Larry and ready to relive their youth. As I’ve said before, it’s hard to capture the excitement in a room full of people who have been waiting to see a band after 35 years. And I feel sorry for any support act that prolongs their return.

Gemma Ray did try their hardest, with their set up nicely ornamented by flowers, and lead singer wearing a Hawaiian style dress and beehive to match. It’s a shame their music failed to hit the spot. The basic surf rock/rockabilly formula was there but they were just too lacklustre and uneventful. That’s the problem with projecting an image – you must be able to back it up.

Mott the Hoople then reminded us why they’re such an influence in so many lives. Ian Hunter’s blues-rock hooks are almost beyond compare, and the overall pure rock feel of the band is one you don’t see much of these days. A gritty rawness exists there that has rarely been replicated, not so much in their signature track All The Young Dudes, but more so in songs such as One Of The Boys, Rock’n’Roll Queen, Downtown and Midnight Lady. And a heartfelt version of I Wish I Was Your Mother bought a tear to even the hardest rockers eye.

These shows were always going to be once in a lifetime rides. And cameos by members of Motley Crue and Mick Hunter’s daughter on back up vocals made them all the more memorable. A well-known Australian photographer – Tony Mott – turned up at one of the shows and confessed the band prompted his name change, showing just how much they mean to people. And I’ve no doubt the 5 show sold out run meant more than money in the bank to the members of Mott the Hoople.

SHOW REVIEW: Paolo Nutini, Hammersmith Apollo, London (30.9.09)

An All Round Sensation
Wednesday 30th September 2009
Hammersmith Apollo, London

It wouldn’t be hard to sound good following the supports on offer tonight. Will & The People: A catchy indie rock band with potential, providing they can learn to write one song that sounds different to the other. One Eskimo: the main support who everyone seemed keen to see. One Eskimo lasted one boring, uninspiring, nothing of note song for me then I was off to the bar.

I remember the first time I saw Paolo Nutini perform. It was on a breakfast show in Australia – Bert Newton I believe – and I was very taken with him. Not only because he was easy on the eye, but because of his hit at the time Jenny Don’t Be Hasty. The lyrics tell the tale of a young boy in love with an older woman and it does not go well. At the time it prompted me to think ‘If this guy can write such an eloquent heart-felt song at such a young age, imagine what he’ll be capable of when he’s older…’

With tunes ranging from blues to rock to country to pop and back again this kid can play. He is unassuming - spending most of his set hunched over clad in a beige corduroy jacket with his eyes closed - entertaining and unmissable. His erratic vocal stylings never seem out of place and his songful storytelling is superb. Couple that with a backing band that don’t fade into the limelight and take the music well up a notch and you have the musical formula that has made Mr Nutini the sensation he is today.

They were young, old, male and female and came for a good night out. What they got was great, and I thank Paolo for exposing a mainstream audience to some very worthy blues and country flavours within his pop lines.

SHOW REVIEW: Arctic Monkeys, Brixton Academy, London (26.8.09)

Full Support
Wednesday 26th August 2009
Brixton Academy, London

With Josh Homme having produced their latest album the Arctic Monkeys have improved on what was already an impressive sound. Their short punchy riffs have now been slowed down a notch and nurtured to become dark and brooding, sexy and scorching, and have been made more effective and mesmerising in doing so. I’ll admit I was a little more interested to see if Josh himself would make an appearance, though I do love Arctic Monkeys.

But low and behold who should be supporting them but Them Crooked Vultures – a new collaboration featuring Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones. There’s nothing quite like the cheer of 5000+ people when they unexpectedly see Dave Grohl walk on stage, let alone with a pair of drum sticks. What followed was a heavy, riff-laden, rock’n’roll wall of sound that could come from no others. Reminiscent of QOTSA the tunes were hard hitting and powerful, matching perfectly with the sultry yet manly tones of Mr Homme. Yet another super group well deserving the ‘super’ title.

Bravely the Arctic Monkey’s then followed and did mighty well. Their new sound is brooding and moody at times but still delivers those catchy riffs and articulate lyrics without losing their edge. They churned out hits of new including Crying Lightening and Pretty Visitors, as well as old trusty’s I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, When The Sun Goes Down, The View From The Afternoon and pleased the crowd no end.

Though it was hard to fathom the amazing line up we’d just seen as a support act The Monkeys held their own and showed they’re not just a few boys from up North banging them out. They’re growing, as is their music, and they’ll be here for many years to come.

SHOW REVIEW: Offspring, Brixton Academy, London (25.8.09)

Return To Your Youth
Tuesday 25th August 2009
Brixton Academy, London

It’s always a dubious affair when old punk bands decide to reform. Whether it be for one final run or a new lease on life there’s always a chance they’re going to miss the mark and come across a lot slower and fatter. I’m happy to say Offspring have not encountered such a fate.

As we’d all listened to them in our teenage years everyone at Brixton was amped for the show. The same was reflected in the sold out crowd as young and old crammed the main room to mosh and circle like they did in the old days. Though looking slightly more ample around the gills the boys were true to form and did not disappoint. They were fast, loud and played all the right tracks. Come Out And Play, Self Esteem, their cover of The Damned’s Smash It Up – the list goes on as they served up a hit-filled set at a super speedy pace, which of course included Bad Habit - every road rager’s favourite song and huge crowd favourite.

There have been various occasions at work where I have wanted to scream ‘Stupid dumb sh*t god damn mother f*cker’ at a customer, but I’m glad to say tonight wasn’t one of them. The crowd were as happy as the band at their decision to tour again, measured by the excitement in their eyes and countless shirtless sweaty men crawling their way back from the front. Reformations may for the most part be moneymaking exercises, but they do bring a lot of happiness to a lot of people. And tonight Brixton was a happy place.

VENUE REVIEW: Matter@O2, Greenwich, London

MATTER

O2, Greenwich, London
PH: 0207 549 6686

http://www.matterlondon.com/

Matter is a slightly smaller venture bought to you by the people at Fabric. While not as grand or well marketed as Fabric, Matter can often offer a better night out due to a better lay out and friendlier atmosphere – as long as you can get there.


LOCATION & ACCESSABILITY

Matter is a complete bitch to get to and from mainly as the Jubilee tube line that goes directly to the O2 complex where it’s situated is usually delayed or closed. That means a bus from London Bridge which has taken me up to 2 hours, or a Thames ferry from any stop from Waterloo onwards along the river costing around 4GBP. If you ask me the ferry is the way to go. However getting home there is only one option – cab. Matter usually closes around 6am so the tube is about an hour away, and a bus at that time can often be the same, not to mention freezing!


VENUE LAYOUT & BARS

Matter is very new as far as venues go, opening in September 2008, and you can tell by its user-friendly design and sleek appearance. For those of you who know it, it’s kind of a boxier version of Home in Sydney. However I feel its fine lines and stony appearance would leave a lot to be desired sans lighting effects. With 2 rooms – one main room downstairs and one smaller room upstairs – each with a large bar, there’s not a lot to Matter, but there’s beauty within it’s simplicity. The Main Room is one big dance floor with full circle balconies looking down upon it giving it a Shakespearean Globe feel, complete with tiered steps to dance on either side of the dance floor. The smaller room is quite the non-feature, with a circular bar and not much else.
The smoking area is a fenced off area out front which is not too pretty to look at. The piece de resistance is the caged walkway running along the centre of the rooftop, which gives you a great view of the main room floor but also allows people to pour their drinks on your head from a great height! There’s also ample dance room and comfy couches on the same floor, and a secret hidden toilet should the downstairs loos be rammed.

The loos are always clean and there are ample which usually means no queues but they lose loads of points for making all the taps hot. Fair enough they want us to buy water but what if I simply want a cool splash to the face after an epic dance floor session? There’s also a lift near the secret glass staircase at the rear of the venue that overlooks the O2 complex, but I’ve never had the stomach to get in it.

Surprisingly enough drinks don’t cost the earth, with a double vodka red bull costing 5GBP and water and softies coming in at 2GBP. But be sure to have some cash in your pocket, as minimum on card is 20GBP.
　

HISTORY & SHOWS

Being Fabrics little brother means you’ll never be short of line up’s. As mentioned before, Matter only opened in 2008 and has played host to some impressive shows for one so young: Fatboy Slim, Stanton Warriors, Funkmaster Flash, Justice, Pendulum, Bookashade, plus the regular drum’n’bass nights Ram and Hospitality which I highly recommend.

All in all Matter is a top night out and is fairly reasonable in price as far as clubs go. However this may be to compensate for what you spend in travel costs. We live in hope that the Jubilee line is eventually bought under control, but home is only ever a cab ride away. And at 6am, depending on what state you’re in, a cab may not be a bad idea.

SHOW REVIEW: 2ManyDJs, Brixton Academy, London (13/6/09)

Hot to Trot
Saturday 13th June 2009
Brixton Academy, London

A ‘fee flow’ dance party at Brixton Academy is a sight to behold. Punters are free to roam wherever they please, whether it be upstairs to the Circle for some seated action, in the main foyer for some slip and slide beats (DJ + spilled drinks + marble floors = smooth dance moves), or into the main room where the stayers are. The only snag with this set up is that normally 1000 or so of the people in attendance would be confined to the upstairs Circle section, where as at a free flow show all 5000+ have the chance to squeeze themselves into the main room.

The above may explain why 2ManyDJs was the HOTTEST SHOW I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. Even donning thongs, a short skirt and mini-singlet top I lost at least 2 dress sizes in sweat that night. People were emptying water bottles on themselves, gasping for air and doing the ‘hand fan’ dance move across the floor (dance vigorously whilst fanning face with hands simultaneously). The sweltering heat was endured by thousands, tossing aside their cares and need for liquids, held up only by the rare and awesome talents of Belgian supermen 2ManyDJs.

It was hard to explain to my Stepdad the next day that I had been ‘clubbing’ – as he phrases with disdain all shows I go to that do not feature a live guitar – and yet I had heard the likes of ACDC, Sepultura, Nirvana, Guns’n’Roses and even Beethoven. Being staunch rock’n’rollers my parents only just endure hip-hop as my brother is an MC and budding DJ. They are nowhere near accepting the fact that people make banging music with little knobs and turntables, let alone the fact that they ‘destroy’ original tracks to do so. I hereby disagree.

2ManyDJs talents to mix anything seamlessly and bring it to the forefront of your rhythmical lobe, coupled with mega-basic cardboard cut out graphics, make them one of the greatest DJ acts of our time. They make anything sound good with a beat, which tonight included an awesome and solid favourite mix of MGMT’s ‘Kids’, The Gossip, Dolly Parton, Dizzee Racal, Justice, Prodigy, and the aforementioned rock and classical tunes.

Their mixes are perfect, their timings spot on and their climax’s orgasmic. As far as I’m concerned there could never be 2ManyDJs, just way 2MuchFun.

SHOW REVIEW: Faith No More, Brixton Academy, London (10/6/09)

And The Circle Of Life Is Complete
Wednesday 10th June 2009
Brixton Academy, London
　

Those of you who know me will know I’ve been waiting for this day for the best part of 15 years. Faith No More are my all time favourite band and have been since my early teenage days, and their Live from Brixton video got an almost constant running in my parents video player. So when they announced their Brixton show for 2009 there were many sleepless nights until the day arrived.

Their support was a band named Selfish C*nt – an interesting phrase to have to impart to any customer who asked the name of the support act. With a name like that I wasn’t expecting a lot but surprise surprise they were excellent. They were a tight driving force with an old school driving rock style, and a lead singer whose make up and wild dance moves would rival those of Iggy and Mick Jagger. Unfortunately the crowd was mostly of the make persuasion and became unnecessarily offended by the singer’s prowess and started booing after every song. Its quite clear this band will find it hard to go far with such a unique name but they certainly didn’t deserve to be ignored or booed.

The Faith No More arrived in a cloud of darkness, but easily spotted in their bright pastel coloured trousers and collared shirts. Though I know it would have been too good to be true I was secretly and slightly disappointed not to see Big Jim saunter on stage with them. Opening with a cover of Peaches’ ‘Reunited’ they slammed into ‘The Real Thing’ and it was on for young and old. The set was no less than perfect for me as they played all my favourites: RV, Epic, Land of Sunshine, Midlife Crisis, Ugly in the Morning, Ricochet, Evidence, Just A Man… All amazing songs, all played by an amazingly tight band with a front man that has never been rivalled in charisma and who’s musical genius has spawned many quality acts including Mr Bungle, Fantomas and Tomahawk.

With all that gushing out of the way I will admit they were a little rough around the edges with timing and out of tunes riffs from time to time. But after leaving such a legacy and being out of action for 11 years I think they can be forgiven, the best part being you could see they were having fun. After a second encore Brixton Academy was left in awe and many stood their ground for a 3rd encore until the house lights finally came up.

So after more than a decade out of action, and 19 years since their original ‘You Fat Bastards: Live from Brixton Academy’ album was released, Faith No More still have it. It’s it. What is it?

SHOW REVIEW: Antony & the Johnsons, Hammersmith Apollo, London (27/5/09)

A Beautiful Person
Hammersmith Apollo, London
Wednesday 27th May 2009

I’ll admit first hand that this gig was purely a review writing exercise. I’d heard of Antony & the Johnsons and all my arty-farty friends had assured me they were absolutely fantastic, but I’m more of a rock riff kinda girl so had never bothered to bother until now.

The support was a performance artist named Joanna that did bizarre and questionably choreographed moves in an even more bizarre and questionable costume. She was dimly hued by a spotlight and looked like a bad guy from Alien or a female version of Predator. I’m not saying I could have done any better, but it looked like a collection of not-so-in-time-with-the-music arm and leg flailings with a few costume changes. The crowd loved it - whatever floats your boat I suppose.

Antony and the Johnsons were a lot less bizarre and much more in time, flowing and beautiful. The band consists of an amazing collection of musicians, all of whom seem to be classically trained or sessions musicians, with the ability to play more than one instrument whether it be oboe, drums, guitar, clarinet, violin or cello – all of which were featured. At the helm of it all is unlikely conductor Antony – a soft spoken angel-voiced prose-laden piano player who starts off shy and reserved, sweeping sweetly from one song to the next until he surveys the crowd and they in turn earn his respect. He finally opens up, sharing jokes and telling tales of how his songs came to fruition and showing you just how heartfelt his lyrics can be.

It was an outstanding performance even though I know none of their work previously. The highlight for me was a tune featuring a take of ‘…being in love with a beautiful boy…’ consisting of mainly piano with a little guitar and his voice bewitching all and the story, being that of loves had and lost and marking the heart. After this song all others seemed to pale in comparison and for the second half of the show I found myself getting slightly restless. Antony and the band are amazing musicians and have put together and outfit that is rivalled by none in their genre, but in the end I did find a lot of the songs sounding too similar.

However so they were entertaining, and after an intimate and humorous explanation of ‘Heaven Mountain’ – the story of a female Jesus being resurrected in the Afghanistan mountains – Antony and the Johnsons showed us there’s no limit to the imagination, what you can do or who you can be.
　

SHOW REVIEW: Maximo Park, Brixton Academy, London (26/5/09)

Apply Some Pressure
Tuesday 26th May 2009
Brixton Academy, London

Maximo Park are England’s answer to Grinspoon: everyone loves them whether it be for their punchy pop-rock style, care free Northern stained lyrics or stylish dress sense and dance moves. They’re an easy band to love and even easier to sing along to, so it’s no surprise they spent 2 sold out nights at Brixton, especially when backed by popular newcomers The Noisettes.

The Noisettes have eclectic musical influences and it shows. Every song tells a different story, with guitar riffs and drum beats bouncing from the synth-pop of the 80’s to the proper R’n’B riffs of the 60’s. Their lyrics tell you to shake your tail feather whilst musing of loves won and lost, all with the soul driven smoky vocals of Shingai Shoniwa.

Maximo Park then explode at us like a firecracker with perfect stepping stone chord progressions and stick cracking beats. They’re a tight outfit with a stylish pop sound and an even more stylish lead singer. Paul Smith looks the part in his usual white collared shirt, black suit, sleeves rolled up and black bowler hat, and this man has the moves. His Northern twang and charm bounce around the stage along with his sexy crutch thrusts and leg kicks that catch every girls eye.

They pull out all their hits including Graffiti, I Want You To Stay, Limassol, Girls Who Play Guitar, and finish off with obvious crowd favourite Apply Some Pressure – a song I hold dear to my heart and live by more often than not in my various world travels. And after such an amazing show I will continue to do so.

SHOW REVIEW: The Specials, Brixton Academy, London (7/5/09)

Come on in, it's been a while...
Thursday 7th May 2009
Brixton Academy, London

Thanks to my folks I’ve been listening to The Specials from a very young age. ‘A Message To You Rudy’ was a favourite of mine as a little girl and I played it so much even my folks got sick of it. So when, after 30 odd years, the boys from Coventry announced 5 – count ‘em 5! – night’s at Brixton Academy I was first to sign up for bar shifts.

Then came the wait – 3 months of barely containable excitement pushed to boiling point until the afternoon of the first show. I ran throughout my day job shouting ‘Happy Specials Day!’ to everyone, listened to their tunes all day and watched old footage of clubs gig’s I wished I’d been alive for. Then I got the call. 5:15pm Wednesday 6th May 2009. 45 minutes until I was due to work at Brixton. ‘It’s Tina’ said my boss ‘They’ve cancelled due to illness’.

My screams echoed throughout the office and snapped everyone out of their Outlook afternoon haze. This was awful! This was horrible! ‘They haven’t cancelled tomorrow though so be on stand by’. We’d been waiting for 30 years I suppose, what’s one more day?

It’s hard to describe the energy that fills a room when 5000+ people arrive to see a band they’ve been waiting to see for 30 years. To say everyone was ‘excited’ would be an understatement (and my tips for the next 5 nights certainly proved this!). Sitting through supports was almost torture, apart from the Dub Pistols who played the first 2 nights and were excellent. But I’ve gotta say, Ska these days just isn’t the same. I’m not sure if it’s the cultural influence, social conscience or music that’s lacking, but it just ain’t the same.

There was also a DJ and MC playing some top notch old ska and dance hall tunes that provided perfect pre-set sing-a-long conditions. Every night the crowd turned into a grand choir delivering drunken versions of ‘A Town Called Malice’ and ‘The Israelites’ at the will of the MC. And his ever present chant of "Ruuudde Boooyyy’ was always met with an enthusiastic response.

Anticipation was at breaking point when The Specials hit the stage. Opening with ‘Do The Dog’ they set Brixton off – beers were thrown, clothes and bags were cast aside as years of bottled up skanking exploded in 2 hours of beats, jams and lyrics that have been blasted in bedrooms for years. They played the perfect set each time: Monkey Man, Little Rich Girl, Rudy, Rat Race, Ghost Town, my very favourite Night Klub, and the perfect finale Enjoy Yourself.

It was so amazing to see The Specials after 30 years off the circuit, and after some tumultuous times they’re still as relevant as ever. Their performances were spot on and they never missed a beat, nor the chance to convey their regret to the crowd for having taken 30 years to return. I am now stylishly equipped with a Specials bag and T-shirt (never to be worn together lest ye risk looking like a stalker). They later announced shows at both Glastonbury and Hammersmith Apollo (my other place of bar tending) which pleased me no end, as they became like a house band no one ever wanted to see the end of at Brixton. Once they were gone I missed them so. And as I recall these skatastic tales I feel butterflies in my stomach as I remember the excitement and happiness they’re shows produced in people.

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.

SHOW REVIEW: Friendly Fires, Kentishtown Forum (31/4/09)

Spark Me Up

Thursday 31st April 2009
The Kentishtown Forum

Friendly Fires are relatively new to the scene so to sell out The Kentishtown Forum is nothing to sneeze at. The album they’ve produced is great, with good dance beats, funky guitars and nice melodies and harmonies in the vocal department. I’d seen them blow everyone off stage earlier in the year at the NME Awards with a Brazilian carnivale and exploding confetti rendition of ‘Jump In The Pool’, so this was their time to shine with a whole set to themselves.

Their stage presence was larger than expected with various risers full of saxophones, trumpets, keyboards, percussion and the 3 main players - Ed Mac, Jack Savidge and Edd Gibson. Essentially they’re a 3 piece so I was excited at the prospect of seeing them with a bit of oomph behind them, but unfortunately the oomph failed to hit the spot. The songs are great and the crowd was pumping but as of yet they only have one full album. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a new band with so much hype behind them so no doubt the lack of material will soon be rectified. Their renditions of ‘Skeleton Boy’, ‘On Board’ and ‘Strobe’ were stand out’s, as well as crowd favourites ‘Jump In The Pool’ and ‘Paris’.

However there’s no denying that this band are young, inexperienced and short of tunes as it showed. The set had no flow, no direction and was at times halting and mood breaking. The lead singers dancing and the bands overall enthusiasm are great factors and with more touring and material they will be one of Britain’s stand out acts in no time at all. But tonight came across as a hurried, unplanned, mismatch of songs that left us all high, dry and wanting more. I have no doubt they’ll be able to deliver it, it’s just a question of when.

SHOW REVIEW: The Prodigy, Brixton Academy (18/4/09)

Survival Of The Fittest
Saturday 18th April 2009
Brixton Academy

Greeted with ‘Dizee Rascal has cancelled due to illness’ notifications we made our way through the doors of Brixton with less than happy faces. The fact he’d played a sold out O2 Arena the previous night and probably just had a hang over made the announcement all the more disappointing. Nevertheless the line up for the night remained stellar – Kissy Sell Out, Chasing Status and of course, The Prodigy – so we carried on through to quench our thirsts and boogie.

As you may know I have worked at Brixton for over 6 months so it may surprise you to hear I’ve never been to the venue as a punter. So with Prodigy being my first ever attended gig it was somewhat of a baptism of fire. Having worked 2 Prodigy Christmas shows last year I was well aware of how hectic a night it can be, but was nowhere near prepared for experiencing it on ‘the other side’ (please refer to ‘Creatures of the Night: Lesson 1 - http://sistersin-creaturesofthenight.blogspot.com/) . Walking into the foyer and through to Ra Bar was almost enough to make me turn around and flee. There were people everywhere – and I mean EVERYWHERE! The lines at all bars were nothing short of monumental and navigating through to each one was akin to being in a human washing machine.

Cutting our losses we grabbed a water from the kiosk and made our way down front to review the situation, and thankfully were pleasantly surprised. Everyone was rushing to get their drinks in before Prodigy leaving the front of stage area relatively roomy, so we decided to stake our claim and stay put. From what we could gather Kissy Sell Out’s set had been lengthened due to Dizee being a Rascal, and I won’t lie, I wasn’t impressed. I love these guys on record – ‘Her’ and ‘Let There Be Blazing Light’ are 2 excellent dance tracks and if I ever heard them live I’d cut a hole in a rug deep enough to hit China. But I’ve seen Kissy twice now – once at Glastonbury and then tonight – and never have either been played. What we were given before Prodigy was a set of mistimed, mismatched, badly cut tracks with a few solid anthems in between. Apologies to Kissy Sell Out if it wasn’t them as no amended line up was posted, but if it was I was sorely disappointed.

And then they came. 10 minutes early and as prolific as ever. They haven’t changed one bit in the 15 years I’ve been listening to them. Everything was loud. Everything was dirty. Everything was Prodigy. It’s hard to put on paper what this act means to many. To me they represent a time when I appreciated dance music without the lifestyle enhancements that come along with it these days. And as a teenager dreaming of England, to see Prodigy at Brixton Academy with 5,000 peaking Brits… awesomely quintessential. One of the finest memories I have of Brixton is working a Prodigy after party in the Ra Bar and watching everyone go crazy, dancing uncontrollably to ‘He’s Ebeneezergood’ (or whatever that song was called), and I hate that song!

‘Their Law’, ‘Smack My Bitch Up’, ‘Voodoo People’, ‘Firestarter’, ‘Out Of Space’ and a fine selection of new tracks – the list goes on and on – I’ve no need to tell you (if you’re on FB check out my awesome videos: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/?id=501673841). Liam is still the mad scientist and master of all blasting basslines, beats and electronic mayhem. Leeroy is still fit, fine and crazy-eyed as ever. And Keith, well we all know Keith – he’s the fire starter. And according to my friend Kelly the only 40+ man who can pull off tight red leather trousers, and I agree. Then there’s the over shadowed drummer and guitarist who can actually keep up with them all. Those two deserve medals, without a doubt.

Keith and Leeroy’s constant shout-out’s to those in the pit goes to show they’ve not forgotten where they came from and know most of these hard cores have been there from the beginning. And after seeing tonight’s efforts I deem being in a Prodigy pit not unlike being in a death metal circle or even heading off to war. They make you lose all sense of control and dance like your life depends on it, driving harder and faster and making you forget there’s anything else. And then they were gone.

It was over. Everyone collapsed on the floor, scrambled for shoes, clothes, brains and any kind of liquid refreshment they could ingest. Chasing Status had the daunting task of following them and playing until 3am but they did a damn fine job. It’s hard to imagine anything could follow mayhem like that but they did it, and they did it well with fine drum and bass, jungle beats and just enough rhymes slapped on top to keep the bulk of the crowd cheering at The Academy until closing (plus they had nowhere else to go as the Victoria Line was down – how unusual). And to be honest a bit of drum and bass and jungle came as sweet relief after what Prodigy put us through.

I hereby surrender. It’s over. I’m done.

Take
Me
To
The
Hospital.

SHOW REVIEW: James Morrison, Hammersmith Apollo (30/3/09)

Where have all the real men gone?
Monday 30th March 2009
Hammersmith Apollo, London

Being greeted by a queue with the average age of 12 on my way into work I knew it was to be a long night. Singer-songwriters must have a special something to be truly enticing as when it comes down to it all entertainment value lies with them. I’d heard a few James Morrison songs back in my HMV days (usually the same song repeated 2000 times in a day) and was never that excited by him. Unfortunately for Mr Morrison this feeling hasn’t changed.

Both supports were in the same vein, and by that I mean they sounded almost exactly the same. First up was Karlma, an extremely talented singer-songwriter who appeared to hail from London and was extremely young. Karlma gets 10 points just for making it this far at such a young age and in time will develop their own style and be a class-A knock out, but at the moment they’re playing the exact same music as Mr Morrison bar a not too shabby cover of Kings Of Leon’s ‘Use Somebody’. Unfortunately Karlma’s debut at the Apollo was marred by the fact that no-one could tell if they were watching a boy or a girl (and nor could I)! Clad in a grey sweat shirt, tight black jeans and sporting a fine looking well-groomed Afro with clip at the back he/she simply confused most of the audience. 1 out of every 2 customers was coming to the bar not for a drink, but for gender clarification.

Next up were English band Vagabon. Not much to say here but music by numbers. Think the voice of Terence Trent D’arby with the slight funky style of Living Colour, then dumb it down by 1000 and you may come close to how average they were, but the youngin’s seemed to like them... the guitarist was cute… not much else to report really…

Mr Morrison then joined us for what was to be a night of complete and utter total boredom. With a sterling group of session musicians and back-up singers behind him the music didn’t sound at all bad, it was just as unimaginative as all hell. He has a good voice, I’ll give him that. Call me an old cynical spinster but I am well wary of any straight man that sings about love so much. Every song was about love – EVERY SONG. Has this boy had nothing else in his life? I’m all for a good love song but every lyric ended with ‘Ooooh baby. I love you baby. I need you baby. Hold me baby’. Please stop before I puke baby.

He played his various hits and a long drawn out cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Uptight’, much to the delight of the 12-18 year old females and varied couples that filled the Apollo, so all in all he provides a good night of wholesome family fun - though he did say shit once, and an older couple in front of my bar definitely should have been done for indecent exposure the way they were carrying on, they very nearly swallowed each other whole. But by no means is this boy ever going to make a long lasting or legendary mark in British musical history. By the end of the night my bar manager and I were devoid of either of our bubbly personages, that’s how truly boring he was – he literally sucked the life out of us. In the end he simply left us thinking he was no more than a chav James Blunt.

Please don’t get me started on James Blunt…

SHOW REVIEW: You Am I, The Electric Ballroom, Camden (27/3/09)

Where do I start, Where do I begin
Friday 27th March 2009

Electric Ballroom, Camden

Until now I hadn’t seen any Australian bands play in London. I’ve often thought paying pounds to see bands I can see at home was slightly pointless and I should be immersing myself in British and European culture. But if ever there was a reason to break tradition it be You Am I. Plus I knew a few people from home were going and I hadn’t seen them for an age, and I love Tim Rogers. A lot.

I hadn’t been to Camden for a while and was glad I opted for black jeans and a black cardigan as apparently black is compulsory when walking the streets of this London borough, along with black hair, metal studs, stripes, piercings and a massive chip (burnt until black) on your shoulder. I’m afraid I let the team down on the latter. Once inside the Electric Ballroom however it could have been any capital city in Australia. I did pick a French accent here; a Polish accent there; but most of the audience were Antipodeans. I admit I missed the support act due to a nice glass of white and a vegetarian pho down the road, but if I hadn’t have done my friend Oli and I wouldn’t have scored free tickets from the lovely lady sitting next to us in the restaurant (thanks so much Mel Crawford, I owe you one!). So instead of forking out our hard earned pounds Oli and I took on the guise of Stephen Pritchard +1 and swanned our way through the door. Gracias Mr Pritchard, whoever and wherever you are.

With drinks in hand we watched You Am I take to the stage looking extremely dapper in various vest, neck scarf and trilby hat ensembles – I’m not sure if this was purely for the UK or their normal attire nowadays as I haven’t seen them for nigh on 2 years, but they looked great and their usual fiery spark was ever present. They filled the first ¼ of the set with a good mix of fast and slower paced newbies – apologies for not providing a proper set list but as I mentioned, being out of Oz for almost 2 years has lead me to neglect the Australian music scene somewhat. One thing I can tell you is that Mr Rogers has been practising his dance moves in the mirror, looking somewhat like a cross between Iggy Pop and Steven Tyler he smashed, shimmied and hip-thrusted his way across the stage like a bawdry burlesque dancer, all the while using his axe as a tool of sexual persuasion. And as always has been and forever will be Davey Lane sang to us through those magical finger formations backed by the ever-solid never-swayed rhythm and beats of the mighty Andy Kent and Rusty. You can tell this band has been together forever as their shows are effortless but still full of fire and passion every time.

They made my night complete by playing Cathy’s Clown, Berlin Chair, Purple Sneakers and Mr Milk – cliché I know but they excite me no end! They also threw me for six when in the encore they returned to sing Thank God I’ve Hit The Bottom, as it was the first time I had ever seen them play it and therefore the first time I had ever seen Tim Rogers without a guitar strapped to him - EVER, let alone singing! It wasn’t at all an unpleasant experience but I must admit it unnerved me somewhat. So after a two hour Australian sing-and-dance-a-long You Am I left us to return home with a four-pronged salute and vivacious waves.

Mid-way through their set I accidentally bumped the girl next to me whilst dancing and turned around to apologise, only to find it was a French girl I work with at the Hammersmith Apollo, which was quite random indeed. When I asked how she knew the band she told me she lived with two Australian boys who insisted that she come and see them. She then asked me how well I knew the band which got me to thinking – You Am I were the very first band I went to see at my very first all ages gig, taking place at The Metro Theatre in Sydney. Little did I know then that I’d go on to book both the venue and band throughout various stages of my venue booking career. Funny how it all begins…

VENUE REVIEW: The Hammersmith Apollo, London

HAMMERSMITH APOLLO

45 QUEEN CAROLINE STREET, LONDON

PH: Venue 02085 633 800 / Tickets 08448 444 748

www.hammersmithapollo.net

It may be far from the sunny shores from Australia, but I also work here. Yes, I'm that lucky!

LOCATION & ACCESSABILITY

Situated under the Hammersmith fly-over and right next to Hammersmith tube The Apollo is very easy to get to and can be reached by various tube lines. It also has an 11pm curfew so you're guaranteed a tube ride home - unless you go for post-show bevvy's at The Duke around the corner, in which case it's a hell of a long night bus ride for you.

VENUE LAYOUT & BARS

I can't begin to explain the beauty and history of this venue! Opening in 1932 it is now heritage listed and has had various names in the past, beginning with the Gaumont Palace, then The Odeon and finally The Apollo. Most of the interior remains from the early days (besides the odd lick of paint here and there). Upon entering the stalls area you feel an amazing sense of grandeur as the magnificent layered roof opens above you and the huge organ pipes line the walls. That's right - an organ! The Compton Pipe Organ was installed in 1932, but due to disrepair was removed in 1992. However it was then reassembled, cleaned and re-installed in 2007 by the English Heritage Society. I haven't had the chance to see it (yet...), but hear it rises on a hydrolic platform out of the centre of the stage and sounds amazing.

Moving up a level to the Dress Circle keep an eye out for the golden faces of evil that protrude from the walls next to the toilets. For 6 months working at The Apollo I didn't notice them, then all of a sudden they were there - very strange... And I have no doubt there are lost souls floating aorund the place as there's a photo in our break room of the original staff ready for work on the opening day, and apparently the floors used to be all marble and the theatre was used as a morgue during the WW1.

The original fixtures unfortunately reach all the way down to the plumbing, so the toilets can leave a little to be desired. But these are the sacrifices you make when branding a buildig as listed as any minor repair can cost a fortune, so this will affect the state of things like plumbing and air conditioning. And do take heed, as that is one thing The Apollo doesn't have so it's bone-numbingly freezing in Winter and suffocatingly hot in Summer.

With 2 stalls bars (rock nights only), 4 foyer bars and one large circle bar there are ample places to get a drink, and you can even get a 'Saucy Hot Dog' should be hungry - and adventurous.

TICKETS & SHOWS

All tickets are sold through Ticketmaster at the number listed above or their website (www.ticketmaster.co.uk). As for entertainment, where do I start?! Historical shows include amazing talent such as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton in The Yardbirds, Johnny Cash, Queen, Neil Young, Springsteen, David Bowie's last ever performance as Ziggy Stardust and so many more! And it is still extremely versatile in it's wealth of entertainment, hosting everything from High School Musical and Spongebob Squarepants to Primal Scream, Mighty Boosh, Scouting For Girls, Mogwai, plus the annual 'No Sleep To Hammersmith' Motorhead show. And let's not forget the famed 'Live At The Apollo' stand up comedy series started by Jack Dee, now featuring hilarious names such as Lenny Henry, Michael McIntyre, Frankie Boyle, Daria O'Brien, Rusell Howard... Phew!

So whether it be a rock show, comedy gig, kids cartoon or musical, The Apollo is a great night out and an amazing piece of London's history. It's been enertaining this city for over 100 years - here's hoping there's many more to come.