Tag Archives: live

Robyn Hitchcock, Junction, Cambridge, 6 Oct 2014

Robyn Hitchcock returned to his Cambridge musical roots with a performance at Junction J2.

The show was opened by C Joynes, a creative solo guitarist from nearby Histon. It was the pure sound of electric guitar, uncluttered by loops and excessive effects but there was still plenty going on, the elaborate instrumentals drawing on many influences from English folk to African music for some of the themes. A broken string was mended expertly by a member of the audience while CJ persevered with his spare guitar after some tuning problems but despite this interruption he completed his set with style. I was fascinated by the final piece, using the idea of ‘prepared guitar’, an experimental technique where a simple rod placed under the strings changes the tuning as you play on various parts of the fretboard.

Robyn Hitchcock describes his songs as “paintings you can listen to.” And as paintings they would of course be mostly surrealistic miniatures, colourful and intricately crafted. His expressive vocals and perfectly judged sparse guitar is hypnotic. The often quoted influences of Dylan, Lennon and of course Syd Barrett can be heard but he has a voice and viewpoint all his own. Take a listen to the special delight that is ‘My Wife and My Dead Wife’, or ‘I Often Dream of Trains’ and ‘The Cheese Alarm’ and be impressed. Tonight there are also some eccentric meanderings between songs, musing abstractly on the delights or otherwise of Cambridge and his extensive musical career.

He has continued to record and perform since his beginnings in the late 70s with psychedelic/pop band ‘The Soft Boys’, working as a solo artist and also collaborating extensively. His most recent album is ‘The Man Upstairs’, featuring original songs and covers including a brilliant version of ‘The Ghost in You’ by The Psychedelic Furs (remember them?). Unfortunately that wasn’t played tonight but as a bonus instead the show ended with guest appearances from Cambridge musicians Nick Barraclough on mandolin and banjo and Kimberley Rew on guitar. This included an encore of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’, the famous experimental Beatles track, fitting seamlessly into the show.

http://cjoynes.bandcamp.com/
http://www.robynhitchcock.com/

Honeyblood, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 24 Sept 2014

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Following on from a support slot for Courtney Barnett back in May, a triumphant Honeyblood returned to the Portland to headline.
Opening the show were the Cambridge based four piece Beverley Kills, with their pure punk pop, fronted by singer Georgie Guns. Juliette on drums plays some of the fastest rolls I have ever heard, underpinning Kate on guitar and The Colonel Kills..(Elisa)(Good punk name!?) on bass. They play their original tunes, featuring many clever touches, chiming guitar notes building up to an onslaught in ‘Under Our Sleeves’, a bit of acapella vocals and the two contrasting sections of closing song ‘Sticks and Stones’. They are loud and brash, bringing a party vibe early on to the venue, clearly enjoying themselves and with a great rapport with the home crowd.

It was a homecoming gig for Bloody Knees, fresh from their performance at the Reading and Leeds Festival and raising their profile by supporting Honeyblood on all their national dates. Opening with ‘Luckless’ the sound needed sorting out but then was soon resolved and from second song ‘Bury Me’ onwards there was no stopping them. It is fast indie punk rock, presided over by the loud gravel voice of Bradley Griffiths, never giving up its intensity, even over the slower epic ‘Garbage Brain’. They are catchy tunes, you have to like the idea of a song called ‘Stitches’, based on ‘busting my head open when on tour with Wolf Alice’ and the short fast burst of energy that is ‘Ears, Eyes, Ohs and Yous’ has a cryptic title but great drum/guitar lines. It was a good performance, they will soon be headlining more often than supporting I think…

The venue had been quite full all evening, but a few extra squeezed in as Glaswegian duo Honeyblood took to the stage. Opening with the delicious ‘Fall Forever’ the minimal line-up of electric guitar and drums produced a big sound, as is heard on the current self-titled album. Singer Stina Tweeddale has a clear distinctive voice to deliver the songs of relationship making and breaking, at times very dark lyrically. Drummer Cat is new to the band, having only been a member for six days! She handled the pounding rhythms confidently, and also the complex wide open spaces of the challenging ‘Braid Burn Valley’. The normally reserved Cambridge audience generated a bit of crowd surfing for ‘Super Rat’ towards the end, then a persistent fan finally got their wish with a bonus encore of older song ‘Kissing On You’…and then they were gone, they had totally won us over.

https://www.facebook.com/BeverleyKills
http://www.bloody-knees.com/
http://honeyblood.co.uk/

Ringo Deathstarr, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 1 Sept 2014

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I was pleased to see Horse Party from Bury St Edmunds opening this show and as I have said in a previous review they are a trio of confident performers of strong songs, many from their debut album ‘Cover Your Eyes’ (highly recommended…). The mix tonight allowed drummer Shannon Hope to particularly shine, the changing dynamics of the music unleashing the thunder and lightning of her constantly changing percussive power, blending with the two guitars. From a band with no bass, next we had a band with a strong bass presence, high and loud in the mix playing counterpoint lines to the two guitars. This was Cambridge band My Estranged, drawing on the influence of the punk pop sounds of Talking Heads, Wire and Television for their original and interesting songs.
The audience had built up to see the main attraction Ringo Deathstarr, all the way from Austin, Texas and from the outset it was clear there was more to this trio than a clever band name. No fragile indie pop here, it was a mighty wall of sound from the guitar effects of songwriter Elliott Frazer which was underpinned by the bass and the ethereal vocals of Alex Gehring and a great drum performance from Daniel Coborn. I heard echoes of The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Wedding Present in their short tracks, sometimes catchy hooks (‘So High’,’Slack’), sometimes impenetrable hypnotic instrumental passages. The songs kept coming, it was an hour of demanding but rewarding and immersive listening….

http://ringodeathstarr.org/

https://www.facebook.com/myestranged

https://www.facebook.com/horsepartyparty

St Vincent, Junction, Cambridge, 19 August 2014

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There was a clear sense of anticipation tonight in The Junction, sold out a while ago for the first Cambridge appearance of St Vincent. To set the tone, the support act Arc Iris were also not following the standard rock or indie template. Composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Jocie Adams was accompanied on multiple keyboards by Zach Tenorio-Miller, one of her many collaborators. The musical styles kept changing, country-folk to jazz to florid prog-rock piano, at times within the same song. It was enjoyable, interesting and engaging listening.

I first listened to St Vincent when she recorded and toured the critically acclaimed joint album ‘Love This Giant’ with David Byrne. She is a formidable talent and stage presence, from her opening song ‘Rattlesnakes’ her two keyboard players and drummer laid down slabs of pounding electronica beats while her voice sailed above, punctuated by slick guitar runs.
As the show progressed her range and variation of stagecraft and music was evident, climbing onto the stepped platform for ‘I Prefer Your Love’, the later songs breaking out in guitar driven energetic weirdness. There were moments of bonding with the audience with random spoken observations but she retained the air of mystery and other-worldliness which added to the overall interest. A generous encore featured enigmatic introductions to her band, some crowd surfing on the security staff then she was gone…to charm and win over the next audience….

http://www.arcirismusic.com/
http://www.ilovestvincent.com/

Boo Hewerdine, Junction, Cambridge, 31 May 2014

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Hafdis Huld is a singer-songwriter from Iceland, she charmed the Junction J2 audience with her pure, soothing voice and ukulele, backed by her multi layered acoustic guitar playing partner, in many songs laying down initial loops then playing over them with skill. Her universal tales of love and longing could be described as a bit playful and quirky, but there is a darker side, for example the sinister ‘Wolf’, co-written with Boo. She was popular with the audience and returned later to provide some brief backing vocals.

Returning to his home town Boo Hewerdine has been described as “one of Britain’s most consistently accomplished songwriters” and he is a highly regarded performer too, consistently writing and touring since the mid eighties. The set tonight was a chronological tour of his career, from the thoughtful pop singles of his band The Bible (‘Honey be Good’) through his many collaborations, productions and directions(too many to list here…). His sound is rooted in folk/pop balladeering, the songs wistful and lovelorn. Between each song his anecdotes, usually about his encounters with other musicians ( k.d. lang, Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson etc) are self-deprecating and actually very funny.

Standout song ‘Patience of Angels’, the subject of a half hour programme on BBC radio last year, featured early on in the set, showcasing his mellow voice and full acoustic guitar sound. There were also new songs, part of current collaborations and from an album due in the autumn. There was an encore of ‘I Started a Joke’, written by Robin Gibb in 1967 and fitting perfectly into the emotional range of the evening. I have seen him many times and will see him again…

http://www.boohewerdine.net/

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Tom Williams and the Boat, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 29 May 2014

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Joe Bell and The Broadway Danny Rose, named after the minor masterpiece Woody Allen film from 1984, took to the stage with gently plucked and strummed acoustic guitar. His warm and affecting performance connected with the small audience. The songs are brimming with creative ideas, from the titles (‘Hang my Gallows High’, ‘Beating Hearts of Birds’), to the ambiguous emotions of the lyrics (the poignant ‘I Can’t Belong to You’), to the wide vocal range and tones he uses. If you listen to his soundcloud page or sample CD the varied instrumentation used creates mini movie soundscapes, (a bit difficult to play solo on stage!) showing the potential directions in which his sound could be developed.

Tom Williams and the Boat have three albums of folk-driven indie rock to their names, many festival appearances and a devoted following. Opening song ‘Little Bit in Me’ showcased interesting dark lyrics, complemented by acoustic guitar and electric piano blending with fuzzy guitar lines. A strong bass and some fiery drums added to the light and shade through the set. There was even a (too brief) bit of harmonica later too..

Tom Williams is a relaxed and accomplished frontman, his easy exchanges with the audience worked well. They are justly proud of their new album ‘Easy Fantastic’ and its rockier sound featured on the later songs this evening, when Tom replaced his acoustic with electric. The sound was varied, the sprawling epic ’25’ begins with brooding guitar and voice, building up to guitar fireworks and feedback fade ending. This was a bit of a change, but the sound of the closing song ‘Get Older’ brought us back to the pounding folk rock where we started. It was a good show, the small but appreciative audience will be there next time too I think…

https://www.facebook.com/tomwilliamsandtheboat
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joe-Bell-and-The-Broadway-Danny-Rose/147966985248037

The Pictish Trail, Junction, Cambridge, 19 May 2014

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The Pictish Trail is the performing name of Johnny Lynch, curator of the ‘Lost Map’ records label based in the Isle of Eigg. He tours with bands from his roster and anyone else who fits into the ethos. Tonight in a very empty J2 (about 20 people) it was difficult to generate energy and establish a rapport but he managed it, with his random ramblings and engrossing songs. Starting with a single line organ accompaniment his plaintive voices summoned up the sleepy shores of the Isle of Eigg (home to 87 people). He switched to gently plucked acoustic folk guitar for more low key songs, including one from his album of fifty songs all lasting 30 seconds and another one about a Lighthouse Keeper, who switched off the light…

He then introduced Tuff Love, a power indie trio, playing some noisy and short bursts of social comment and well-honed grunge. They would have been better off in a crowded pub room, but that could not be helped and it was a good performance.

Pictish returned after the interval, amplification problems treating us to a delicate unplugged song down in the audience while heavily booted technicians ran around trying to solve the problem. When volume was restored there were more interesting songs and ideas, I was beginning to think of similarities to the singer Babybird (remember ‘You’re Gorgeous’? Of course you do, it is a great song and the album ‘Ugly Beautiful’ is worth a listen too).

Finally he introduced Monoganon, a four piece band from Glasgow with some unusual sounds, using the properties of two guitars, some keyboard and the bass player from Tuff Love. The music ranged from folk, retro psychedelia, some good melody, all thrown in together but not quite gelling or connecting with the audience on this occasion. Listen to the album ‘Songs To Swim To’, a lo-fi alternative to the live show…

http://www.thepictishtrail.com/
http://www.facebook.com/ReallyTuffLove
http://lostmap.com/
http://lostmap.com/monoganon

Teleman, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 18 May 2014

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Teleman and Gentlemen at the Portland Arms, the perfect way to end the warmest day of the year so far?

Opening the show, Gentlemen had a full, engrossing, retro sound. The six members of the band clearly love their music, from the rocking openers to when they are immersed in the depths of psychedelia and the instrumental explorations of Pink Floyd’s early albums on ‘Late Nacht’ and ‘Gentle Duke’, the songs that ended their short set.

Teleman were formed from the ashes of Pete and the Pirates, a guitar based indie pop outfit. I saw them perform at the Leicester Summer Sundae Festival in 2011 (I do occasionally venture further than Cambridge…) and they played a great festival show to an appreciative audience.

I had realised Teleman were a change in direction, into more keyboard based songs. They did not disappoint, poignant lyrics were delivered clearly by singer and guitarist Thomas Sanders, his plaintive tones cutting through the interesting mix of varied keyboard sounds from Jonny Sanders along with a firm foundation of drums and bass. They played many tracks from the new album, being released at the start of June.

‘…Thanks for appreciating our quiet songs Cambridge…’. We did. And the rockier moments, and especially the haunting atmosphere of harmonium and voice on the first single ‘Christina’ and the catchy familiarity of later tracks ’23 Floors Up’ and ‘Steam Train Girl’. I like the way that the songs speak for themselves, no need to overdose the volume or artificially build up the track to a big finish. There was waltz time, a vocoder robot voice, a swirling fairground organ controlled but threatening to overwhelm the song, the twists and turns kept on coming.

It was an excellent performance, perhaps the release of the album will lead to a deserved bigger audience….

http://telemanmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/gentlementheband

Wolf Alice, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 14 May 2014

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There was a strong sense of anticipation evident at a sold out Portland Arms, Wolf Alice were in town.

First on were Gengahr, a four piece band from London. The opening ‘Dizzy Ghosts’ set the tone for the short set, each song featuring the almost falsetto lead vocal twisting around the swooping guitar effects. There are comparisons with Wild Beasts but that is no bad thing. The strongest song was ‘Fill My Gums With Blood’ (great title!) and an appreciative audience listened intently to a confident performance.

On the way in I had been given a packet of popping candy, a promotion for the next act Superfood, another four piece but this time more of an energetic sound, with sharp guitar lines punctuating the unpredictable changes and developments in each song. Someone near me said ‘they sound like Blur’, which at first I could not get out of my head but I think they have an impressive sound of their own. The set really took off half way through with ‘Bubbles’ all the way to the final song ‘Superfood’. They were an ideal act to prepare us for the headliners..

Then finally they were on, described as ‘fuzzy indie rock’, Wolf Alice are impressive on recordings, but live they are something very special. Excellent sound quality, a subtle echo effect on the microphone for the stunning lead vocals from Ellie Rowsell, powerful guitars and drums, driving bass lines and a collection of strong songs. From the start the fans were singing along and any newcomers in the audience were soon won over. An outbreak of crowd surfing kept the security staff busy from ‘You’re a Germ’ onward, adding to the heady atmosphere. The set included a brilliant ‘Blush’ blending into ‘Wicked Game’, a cover of the Chris Isaak song from 1989. ‘Bros’ finished the show, then back on for an encore of ‘Fluffy’. A triumphant show, come back soon, probably to a bigger venue next time…

http://www.facebook.com/wolfalicemusic
http://www.superfoodjunk.com/
http://www.facebook.com/gengahrband

Martin Stephenson, Junction, Cambridge, 10 May 2014

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Laurie Levine opened the show and immediately her haunting tales of love lost and found hit the right mood. She is a singer and songwriter from South Africa, with strong but vulnerable, emotive vocals and her own effective acoustic guitar, backed up with subtle keyboards and on the up tempo ‘Not Gonna Cry’ accompanied by excellent harmonica from Jessica Lauren. The short set of five songs were varied country and folk blues, featuring an American traditional roots sound but with something extra special added. Many of her recorded songs feature a full band and that would be very good to see live, but for this show she made a big impact with just the sparse instrumentation, her warm personality and that great expressive voice.

The intimate and thoughtfully designed J2 venue was well suited to the evening, it is a good sized space, excellent acoustics and atmosphere. Next on was Helen McCookerybook, she first found fame in the early eighties as bass player and singer of The Chefs, a fun punk rock band from Brighton. Martin Stephenson and his band arrived on stage as her backing band and together they played an infectious blend of skiffle and indie pop, her pure and attractive voice blending well with the music. It was all a pleasure to listen to and the onstage enjoyment communicated well to the audience.

As is the current trend, the main part of the set for Martin Stephenson was the performance of a whole album, in this case ‘Gladsome, Humour and Blue’ from 1988, the excellent follow up to the highly acclaimed debut album ‘Boat to Bolivia’. Martin is a talented guitarist and singer and he and the band adapted to the wide range of folk, roots, blues and rock of the varied set of songs. He engages constantly with the audience, between and during songs, and also bringing himself and the band out amongst us, still playing.

I have been a fan for many years (the last time I saw MS I stood behind John Peel in the crowd, but didn’t talk to him unfortunately…) and I enjoy the live performances, although it is a different atmosphere from the albums, where some of the recorded versions of the quieter songs are immaculate examples of heartbreaking words and musical crafting. He is a likeable, friendly personality and I think that his deconstruction of some of the lyrics and eccentric random musings make an entertaining evening, but did not leave much time for much more than the album, so I missed hearing some of his other brilliant songs…

http://www.laurielevine.co.za/
http://www.mccookerybook.com/
https://www.facebook.com/martin.stephenson.984