Tag Archives: Junction

The Ocelots, Junction J2, Cambridge, 11 May 2026

Jessica Grace opened the show with tracks from her recently released EP ‘Unfolding’; her voice weaving around gentle guitar with a calm and captivating effect.

With their relaxing demeanour and musical chemistry The Ocelots were a winning combination. The fine vocal harmonies and subtle instrumentation brought the songs to life; aided by the various blending of guitars, harmonica, banjo, flute and piano. Anecdotes and introductions framed many songs from their latest album ‘Everything When Said Slowly‘, as well as a brilliant cover of Neil Young’s ‘Harvest Moon’ to end the show.

The Ocelots – Everything, When Said Slowly

unfolding | jessica grace (bandcamp.com)

Kula Shaker, Junction J1, Cambridge, 8 February 2026

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This long sold-out show started with the high-energy raucous psychedelia of Norwich-based Floral Image. With their intoxicating look and powerful instrumental sound they made the most of the opportunity and fed off the positivity radiating from the enthusiastic audience.

As musical trends have fluctuated Kula Shaker have continued to co-exist in their alternative universe, building an appreciative following and renowned for their top quality live shows. Tonight they delivered in full, opening with ancient hit ‘Tattva’ and never letting up as the music and back oil-wheel projected images flowed. With a strong new album to feature there was a great depth and richness to the choice of songs especially the new title track ‘Wormslayer’. The encore featured crowd-pleasers ‘Hush’ and ‘Govinda’ leaving the devoted crowd completely satisfied.

https://kulashaker.co.uk/

https://floralimageband.com/

Heaven 17, Junction J1, Cambridge, 22 May 2025

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Opening with the powerful punch of ‘Crushed by the Wheels of Industry’, Heaven 17 showed that their back catalogue of electropop still resonates lyrically and musically. The original trio is now down to keyboard player Martyn Ware and vocalist Glenn Gregory, performing with extra keyboards and two backing singers tonight.

The show motored along at frenetic pace; ‘(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang’ and ‘We Live So Fast’ countered by the slower ‘Come Live With Me’ and the majestic ‘Let Me Go’. With plenty of crowd connection and onstage banter it was a great concert atmosphere. The frequently played ‘Temptation’ was a grand finale to the densely packed main set, but to many the use of the original synthesiser that was featured in the recording of ‘Being Boiled’ was a special gem of the evening…

https://www.heaven17.com/

Altered Images, Junction J1, Cambridge, 28 October 2024

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Vanity Fairy warmed up the audience with a set of ballads and uptempo tracks, including her catchy new single ‘Top of the Pops’, all echoing the heyday of disco in the late 70s and after.

After two hit jangly indiepop albums in the 80s Altered Images developed their recorded sound into the glossy sheen and lusher instrumentation of long-player ‘Bite’, performed in its entirety as the first half of this set. Singer Clare Grogan was on fine form, with plenty of reminiscence and chat with the crowd as the performance showed the nuances and strong song writing of the collection, including the big hit ‘Don’t Talk to Me About Love’ and ending with the dreampop of ‘Thinking About You’

After a short break the band returned with a hits set featuring signature track ‘I Could Be Happy’, the more recent ‘Mascara Streakz’ and the towering edgy brilliance of ‘Dead Pop Stars’. The finale to this excellent show was of course the chartbusting ‘Happy Birthday’, a song destined to be played forever…

http://www.alteredimagesband.com/

https://vanityfairy.bandcamp.com/

Megan Moroney, Junction J1, Cambridge, 12 September 2024

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Weston Loney kicked off the show in a packed Cambridge Junction; he was full of zest and energy raised to the highest level, especially for ‘Cappuccino’ and the anthemic ‘Red Diesel’. Radiating warmth and confidence, he set up the audience nicely for what was to come.

The Cambridge music scene does not feature many country-pop stars so we were fortunate to welcome a performer of the calibre of fast-rising phenomenon Megan Moroney to the friendly-sized J1 venue as part of her European tour. The opening salvo of ‘Lucky’ showed that the guitar driven four-piece band meant business, but it was second track ‘I’m Not Pretty’ and the melancholy beauty of ‘No Caller ID’ which really carry the lyrical elegance of Megan’s songwriting and vocal delivery.

‘Man on the Moon’ and ‘Miss Universe’ were good-time rockers, ‘Hope You’re Happy’ and ’28th of June’ are fine melodic ballads and ‘Indifferent’ is a glorious stealthy verse and power chorus. Throughout Megan involved the audience by putting the songs in context, particularly for the poignant ‘Girl in the Mirror’.

With Megan’s strong and fun stage presence, sparkly guitar playing and songs of the strength of her award-winning ‘Tennessee Orange’ and finale ‘Am I Okay?’ it was a fantastic show.

https://www.meganmoroney.com/

https://www.instagram.com/westonloney/

Hejira, Junction J2, Cambridge, 22 July 2024

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A full Junction J2 was treated to an evening of relaxed sound from the seven piece band Hejira, formed by guitarist Pete Oxley to play their own tunes but mainly as a showcase for the mid-career albums of Joni Mitchell. These collections were infused with jazz style and top-rate session players, especially on the live double LP ‘Shadows and Light’. At the time the compositions were given their emotional range and depth by Joni’s vocals and for the show tonight singer Hattie Whitehead delivered the empathetic and nuanced performances that did the songs full justice. The many highlights included ‘Coyote’, ‘Free Man in Paris’, ‘Woodstock’ and as an encore, the brilliant ‘A Case of You’.

https://www.facebook.com/hejiracelebratingjoni/

http://www.hattiewhitehead.com

Half Man Half Biscuit, Junction J1, Cambridge, 15 April 2023

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Cambridge indie-stalwarts Model Village have supported HMHB before and tonight they warm up the sold out crowd with tales of getting older, social comment and wry observations over some jangly guitar and keys. With bass and drums setting a jazzy-folk pace for Lily’s vocals, the Village feature tracks from their three albums; most recently the critically acclaimed ‘World of Carp’.

Half Man Half Biscuit return to the Junction for a near two hour set including many tracks from early on in their long career. Good sound quality meant we heard nearly every lyrical twist and cultural reference as well as the dynamic instrumental power that intermeshes so effectively. Full of highlights, a brilliant show much appreciated by the packed audience.

https://www.hmhb.co.uk/

https://modelvillage.bandcamp.com/album/world-of-carp

The Staves, Junction J1, Cambridge, 24 September 2021

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Live music at last!

First onstage was US singer/songwriter Samantha Crain, a performer with a quiet authority evident from the first track ‘Joey’; a languid leisurely waltz with the gentle instrumentation as a perfect platform for her rich vocals. The tempo was increased for ‘Pastime’ and through her short set her accompanying musician played pedal steel, second guitar and keys to add extra colour to the involving narrative strengths of the songs. A highlight was the emotive tale told in ‘Elk City’, sung to a solo guitar as her overall performance effortlessly won over the audience.

The Staves create an intimate and welcoming musical atmosphere; opening song ‘Failure’ features the harmonies and indie folk rock ambience that instantly draws the listener in. Sisters Camilla and Jessica (Emily is currently not touring) are joined by an empathetic band that knows how much to push the sound forward or keep in the background more for a track like ‘Good Woman’; the title song from the 2021 album that makes up most of the set.

The songs can move into moody territory like the walk through a dark forest of ‘Blood I Bled’ or luxuriate in the deceptively simple beauty of ‘Make It Holy’. It all flew by in a delicious haze of ethereal melody and musical textures, a triumphant performance after too long away..

https://www.thestaves.com/

https://www.samanthacrain.com/

Billy Bragg, Junction J1, Cambridge, 28 November 2019

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Billy Bragg returned to Cambridge Junction J1 for three sold-out and different shows; featuring his current set, only songs from his first three albums and for tonight songs from the next three: Workers Playtime (1988), Don’t Try This at Home (1991) and William Bloke (1996).

Opening with his most well-known track ‘Sexuality’ the long set (with no support) was punctuated with musings, reminiscences, and of course specific political campaigning given the proximity of the general election. The three featured LPs contain plenty of ballads of break-up, make-up, disappointment and contentment but always laced with dry wit and a smart turn of phrase.

Although this was the umpteenth time I have seen him live there had not been enough room in his sets for many of these songs – so definitely a treat to hear the wordplay of ‘The Short Answer’ (‘…between Marx and marzipan in the dictionary there was Mary….’), the resignation of ‘She’s Got A New Spell’ (‘….she’s gone to get the cat in The next thing I know she’s mumbling in Latin….’) and the gentle melody and sentiment of ‘Brickbat’ (‘…I steal a kiss from you in the supermarket I walk you down the aisle, you fill my basket…’).

‘Valentine’s Day’ and ‘The Space Race’ are both ‘over’ in two of his most affecting and thoughtful songs. The politico-folk of ‘Thatcherites’ and an unaccompanied ‘Tender Comrade’ make their message clear and you cannot fail to be uplifted by his performance of ‘There is Power in a Union’ and the topically adapted ‘Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards’.

After two emotionally-involving hours there was a real surprise bonus – the ultimate UK road-movie soundtrack and one of my favourites ‘A13, Trunk Road to the Sea’ was the final song…

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Half Man Half Biscuit, Junction J1, Cambridge, 6 September 2019

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The much-loved Half Man Half Biscuit returned to the Junction J1 for another sell-out show, once again supported by Cambridge stalwarts Model Village, whose early set time caught out many of the audience (including me!).

Half Man Half Biscuit arrived on stage to the Portsmouth Sinfonia’s dissonant version of the 2001 theme. When the band opened with anti-tribute ‘Bob Wilson – Anchorman’ quickly followed by new bat-themed audience favourite ‘Renfield’s Afoot’ and death-ode ‘When The Evening Sun Goes Down’ it was clear this could be a vintage show with leader Nigel Blackwell full of dry asides and an excellent sound mix at the Junction.

They have a huge back catalogue, virtually any of the tracks can make a surprise reappearance in their lengthy sets but tonight there were plenty from their newest LP, including the bittersweet poetry of ‘Terminus’ ‘…time creeps up unseen, and it puts me back at the front of the bus…. hands I once held no longer there….grey falls on the green..as I try and get used to ‘me’ and not ‘us’….’

As always the superfans in the audience know every word, but the band continues to draw in new converts to the cause as they play infrequent shows across the UK.
The surreal imagery of the lyrics is much documented and bizarre juxtapositions give life to the low-level celebrities and imaginary characters that populate the songs ‘….sour-faced she picked out the gherkins, saw Christ in Dorothy Perkins…’. The Cambridge audience is attentive to every nuance but let go for the sheer celebration of ‘Joy Division Oven Gloves’ and ‘The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Upcoming Train)’, as well as uplifting gems like ‘Swerving The Checktrade’.
The traditional cover version encore tonight was Pink Floyd’s ‘Bike’, given the closeness of the venue to composer Syd Barrett’s house. Another local reference and one of their best ‘For What Is Chatteris’ followed and finally the brooding semi-spoken ‘Every Time a Bell Rings’ was a strong finale.

The more you listen to this band the more the lyrics lodge in the consciousness and as many fans will say they begin to overlay your view of some of the obscurities and references of life and culture…

All together now, ‘…Is this your sanderling?…’

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