Tag Archives: live

Andy Bell, Corn Exchange, Cambridge, 19 May 2025

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Andy Bell completed the initial UK leg of his solo tour with an electrifying set featuring material from his new solo album ‘Ten Crowns’ as well as many Erasure hits from their extensive back catalogue. First on stage was the golden voice of David McAlmont accompanied by collaborator Hifi Sean, with a good combination of electropop, atmospheric beats and emotive vocals.

Opening with ‘Breaking Thru the Interstellar’, Andy Bell immediately showed that he continues to strongly connect with his appreciative audience. The backing band with live drummer added extra heft to the Erasure songs, especially to a pulsing, strident version of ‘Drama!’, ‘Chains of Love’ and one of their best, ‘Love to Hate You’. They also contributed their own empathetic version of ‘Breathe’.

‘Always’ and ‘Dance for Mercy’ were more highlights as was new track ‘Heart’s a Liar’; the recorded version is performed with the legendary Debbie Harry and tonight backing singer Hailey Steele stylishly re-created the bittersweet exchanges of this fine song.

With the final encore of ‘A Little Respect’, this was a great show…

The Magpies, Stapleford Granary, Cambridge, 3 May 2025

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Folk trio The Magpies played to a sold-out audience in a spectacularly converted building that is relaxing visually and perfect acoustically.

Opening with the busy ‘Now And Then’, the trio immediately pulled the listeners into their musical world; the line-up of violin, banjo and guitar along with various vocal combinations bringing the stories and emotions in the songs to shimmering life.

Most of the tracks were drawn from their last album, a follow up to their debut ‘Tidings’ (see review below). There is also an EP due soon. The set is balanced between their own compositions, with rich ballads like the title song ‘Undertow’ and ‘Galileo’ alongside sprightly instrumentals ‘Solstice’ and ‘Colin’s Set’.

The featured traditional tunes are highlights too, especially the singalong of ‘Fall On My Knees’ and the gorgeous ‘Hares On The Mountain’, the beauty of this performance seeming to make time stand still in the auditorium.

A cover of ‘Sweet Dreams(Are Made Of This)’ was a lively finale to a superb show.

https://www.themagpiesmusic.com/

The Magpies : Tidings, LP released June 2020

Morganway, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, 10 April 2025

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The Hare and Hounds has featured many, many acts over the years and with the characterful interior and musical history it is a venue of choice for performers wanting fine acoustics and immediate atmosphere.

First on stage was Savannah Gardner, showcasing her striking country voice, adept guitar playing and cleverly structured songs, many drawn from recent album ‘Recovering Good Girl’. With her confident stage presence and warm personality she was a strong opener for the show.

Halfway through an extensive tour Morganway were ready to raise the roof; as first song ‘Hurricane’ nearly did. The band have many strengths, able to create a full country rock sound driven by guitar and violin or down in the audience sharing the campfire singalong of ‘Halfway Tonight’. Through it all the power vocals of SJ Mortimer and the band harmonies take the songs to another level. An outstanding song tonight was the storming ‘Devil’s Canyon’, a relentless dark groove from their new album ‘Kill The Silence’. Full of sparkling highlights, this was a brilliant set.

https://www.morganway.co.uk/

https://savannahgardner.com/home

Indie-pop weekender Day 2, Firebug, Leicester, 2 March 2025

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Day 2 of ‘Leicesterval’, the newly expanded version of city institution the indie-pop alldayer. Beginning the proceedings were ACHB, with their cinematic catchy rock, laced with timeless anthemic folk, especially on songs like ‘Carry Your Good Name’. Locally based Dayflower were more introspective with an attractive sound drifting through the spacious downstairs area of the venue. Four-piece Sassyhiya played a set of catchy happy pop, full of musical twists and turns with smart lyrical invitations to puppet museums, Kristen Stewart and to meet their cat (‘Crayon Potato‘). It was an excellent set to end the first part of the show.

Fightmilk continue their ascendancy with a fine new album (‘No Souvenirs’) and storming live performances; tonight they seemed to have stepped up their shouty and rockier side and as always singer Lily and the rest of the band engage amiably with the enthusiastic audience.

Keeping the energy level up were the final act cheerbleederz, a powerpop trio from London. The opening salvo of ‘break ur arm’ and ‘nail biters’ set the tone for many more zesty vignettes of relationship discontent and disruption, with sharp and sparse instrumentation.

A great show, hopefully the new two day version of this very special event will become an annual fixture….

https://achband.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dayflowermusic/

https://www.facebook.com/sassyhiya

https://fightmilkisaband.bandcamp.com/album/no-souvenirs

https://cheerbleederz.bandcamp.com/

Morganway, Relevant Records, Cambridge, 31 January 2025

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Morganway celebrated the release of their third studio album with some in-store preview shows, kicking off in the hallowed basement of Cambridge vinyl shop and cafe, Relevant Records.

The band created a mellow, engaging sound with the space created by the acoustic line-up allowing each instrument to shine through. Starting with the punchy ‘Devil’s Canyon’ the six-piece showcased a variety of styles, from the smooth country-rock of ‘Boy On The Train’, the heartfelt ‘Don’t Turn The Lights On Yet’ to the environmental call to action of the album title track ‘Kill The Silence’ and the gentle anthem ‘We Sing’. The strong lead vocals of SJ Mortimer, subtle band harmonies and soaring violin are a key part of the sound but the individual contributions of all the members combined make this band a considerable force.

https://www.morganway.co.uk/

https://www.relevantrecordcafe.co.uk/

Indiepop All-Dayer, Blue Moon, Cambridge, 16 November 2024

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Cambridge band Model Village opened the show, pulling in a decent crowd for the early afternoon start. The Village never disappoint; today their set was sharp and unpredictable with an emphasis on their uptempo songs. As well as manning the sound desk, Jethro Steel is a hyper-talented musician and performed a solo set under the name Deer/Dear, well received by the audience. One of the best surprises of the day for me; Trust Fund were a folk duo who created a gentle acoustic oasis in the afternoon, an ambience then picked up by the mellow pop of Beckon, featuring the fine voice and guitar of Faith Taylor. Indie supergroup Swansea Sound brought their wry comment and preoccupations to the stage accompanied by punchy instrumental backing.

After the break, Mumbles delivered a set of informal structures and haphazard brilliance; this Manchester based rocky trio were in a class of their own. Knitting Circle played sparse, spiky pop with plenty of social comment and protest including the timely ‘Dance for Peace’. Local legends Mammoth Penguins were augmented by a keyboard/percussionist and played some lesser known tracks from their substantial back catalogue, also featuring an unexpected cover of ‘River Deep-Mountain High’.

It has taken a while for headliners Fightmilk to appear in Cambridge, they are a powerhouse punk/rock quartet tempered by the vocal drive and indomitable personality of singer Lily. With new album ‘No Souvenirs’ released the previous day, they are a band that delivered a stunning finale to a brilliant day, featuring one of the strongest line-ups I have seen for a while.

https://www.facebook.com/modelvillagers

https://trustfund.bandcamp.com/

https://thebandbeckon.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/swanseasound/

https://mumblesmuzak.bandcamp.com/

https://knittingcircle.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MammothPenguins/

https://www.facebook.com/fightmilkisaband/

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/

Public Service Broadcasting, Corn Exchange, Cambridge, 25 October 2024

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Halo Maud opened the show, singing in English and French with a three piece instrumental line-up that rapidly changed from pulsing energy to dreamlike atmosphere. A fine, dynamic set featuring many tracks from 2024 album ‘Celebrate’.

Public Service Broadcasting returned to the Corn Exchange with a set drawing on what is now a substantial back catalogue, but of course with an emphasis on recently released ‘The Last Flight’; movingly describing and commemorating the achievements and disappearance of pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart. The stage was like a giant plane control panel, with screens to show the archive clips. The four regular members of the band were stunningly augmented by the vocals and keyboards of EERA and a sound quality and volume that balanced the voice samples and music perfectly.

There were tracks from all their full-length albums – ‘Sputnik’, ‘Spitfire’, ‘Go!’, ‘Progress’ all featured strongly with the rarer ‘Korolev’ as a bonus too. The encore of the glorious ‘Night Mail’, the electropop of ‘People, Let’s Dance’, the dancing astronauts of ‘Gagarin’ and the thought-provoking history lesson of ‘Everest’ were a great distillation of the band’s depth and endeavour at the end of this brilliant show.

https://www.publicservicebroadcasting.net/
https://halomaud.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/

Esther Rose, Prince Albert, Brighton, 8 September 2024

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Woody Green opened the show with his experimental, ethereal folk, blending thoughtful lyrics with gentle, empathetic guitar instrumentation from the two musicians on the stage of this intimate venue.

Esther Rose has stories to tell and many melodic songs including a fine medley from her 2017 album ‘This Time Last Night’. She holds the audience with her compact country-folk tales and adds variety with classy duets with guests Dylan Earl and Jude Brothers.

https://www.estherrose.net/

https://www.facebook.com/WoodyGreenMusic/