Arctic Monkeys - As Cool As Ever In Fine Northern Return
If you had to book the perfect band to get your party started, then The Hives would be a good choice. The Swedish rockers ignited the crowd with an energetic and fast paced set as they opened up for Arctic Monkeys at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. If their mission was to warm up the enthusiastic audience, they more than succeeded.
Poem Of The Week: At The Navigation By Ian Pople
At The Navigation The sun was tucked behind the visor as I was driving back from work; the road reached round from house to house. A horse was grazing an out-of-season cricket pitch. They were leading sheep down to the reservoir; hooves slipped from bank to crumpled sky; fleecy heads bobbed out towards the middle.
Classical Music: Stanford Requiem
Stanford was an Irish-born composer whose liturgical choral works are still lovingly performed in cathedrals, chapels, and churches today, but this is the setting of a ceremony that’s so central to the Catholic faith. He was prompted to compose the Requiem by the death of the Catholic, neo-classicist Lord Frederic Leighton; as David Kettle points out in his incisive notes, it perhaps provides a touchingly simple answer to why Stanford turned to the Catholic liturgy.
Albums: Sophie Ellis-Bextor HANA
Covid-19 was a strange period in most of our lives. However, there were some individuals who impacted the wider world in numerous ways throughout the lockdowns. While we all came out to applaud the NHS workers for their tireless efforts, many of us lost weight thanks to Joe Wicks and found connective pleasure in the Kitchen Disco of national treasure Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Discovering New Bands
During my first year in Leeds, I had the opportunity to explore what the city had to offer. Leeds prides itself on being a place of culture and diversity, as well as having a predominant music scene and some brilliant pubs and clubs. I have witnessed some incredible bands and groups, ranging from folk to heavy metal to even spoken word.
Albums: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Named after a book released by acclaimed artist Pete McKee, Council Skies marks the return of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Although there have been EP releases in the interim, it is 6 years since the release of the still impressive Who Built The Moon?
TV - Succession Finale Review – “The Poison Drips Through”
The TV series that the entire world has been watching came to an official close on Monday. Over its last four seasons, Succession has expertly toed the line between telling their audience just enough to advance the plot, but ultimately not giving much away about the fate of the characters.
Albums: Simply Red - Time
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Releasing their thirteenth studio album with Time, Simply Red has thankfully decided to go straight fo…
Silver Screen Weekly - What's Coming Up At The Cinema From Friday 2 June 2023
Our film critic and media correspondent has been looking and trawling the new releases. Here's what you can see on the big screen this week
But What Can I Do? - Chatting With Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell, once the official spokesman and Director of Communications for Tony Blair’s government from 1994 to 2003, is now far better known as a writer, journalist, broadcaster, strategist and heavyweight political pundit.
'But Where Are You Really From?' - Tongues and Bellies by The Whole Kahani
Writers’ collectives can all too easily descend into little more than mutual support groups, not conjoined by ‘being a friend a Bill’, but the understandable imperative to be amongst fellow wanderers on the lonely path travailed by many a published, or aspirant author.
York Textile Artist Is Perfectly Suited To Sunny Bank Mills
York-based textile artist Ealish Wilson is currently exhibiting her work at the Sunny Bank Mills Gallery in Farsley, near Leeds. Ealish is a member of the renowned textile artist collective, the 62 Group, whose new exhibition Tailored runs at Sunny Bank Mills until July 2.
Coldplay – Still Playing To Win
Coldplay has been on its Music of the Spheres tour for over a year now, though you would not know as the band arrived at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester for a concert that was full of vibrancy, vitality, and joie de vivre, along with plenty of spontaneity.
Meet Semi-Finalist Jack Holton The Northern Aldborough Festival's New Voices Competition
Jack Holton is the last of the semi-finalists to feature in our spotlight on The Northern Aldborough Festival's New Voices Competition. Jack is from Bermondsey and studied at the National Opera Studio.
Film: The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry
That The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’s counter-intuitive odyssey has attracted critical opprobrium on grounds of testing the audience’s credulity seems slight and myopic.
Meet Rachel Barnard Semi-Finalist The Northern Aldborough Festival's New Voices Competition
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With only three semi-finalists left to meet and today it is the turn of 24-year-old, Rachel Barnard from London who studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Lynne Arnison – Uphill Struggle
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For obvious reasons, Scarborough Art Gallery has not held an East Coast Open since 2019. However, the current exhibition has attracted over one hundred artists. The works submitted include textiles, painting, prints, mixed media and photography. While this is not a competition, there will be a public vote to identify the most popular work. This is a profile of just one of the artists.
Classical Music: Pierre Sancan A Musical Tribute
Wow! I am reminded of Miranda Hart in her eponymous sitcom, "Such Fun." This CD kicks off with Ouverture Joyeuse pour Orchestre, and it is everything that the title suggests: like a spring that has suddenly uncoiled and is going round and round, it is raucous and amusing. One could be at the circus with all the commotion and rowdiness.
Leeds Lieder Striking The Right Note
In a landmark year for Leeds Lieder, Group Editor Andrew Palmer finds out what lies behind its success when he chats with Festival Director Joseph Middleton.
Beethoven Missa Solemnis - Huddersfield Choral Society & Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
The Missa Solemnis was, as conductor Gregory Batsleer reminded us in a g…
Blur Still Euphoric
Back in the day the big battle was between Blur and Oasis. You couldn't (openly) be a fan of both the bands. While Oasis had the swagger, Blur were the artsy alternative who still knew how to give it a little bit of feisty attitude.
Meet Camilla Seale Semi-Finalist The Northern Aldborough Festival's New Voices Competition
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Camilla Seale is the latest featured semi-finalist in the Northern Aldborough Festival's New Voices Competition. The 28-year-old from London studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. Q.1 What or who inspired you to become a professional musician? I always liked being onstage, from my first starring role as Bloody Mary in the year 6 play, Henry the Tudor Dude.
Classical Music: Piers Lane Goes to Town Again
One thing is for certain: going out on the town with Piers Lane is a satisfying experience. It’s a mixture of fun, relaxation, reflection, and, dare I say it, sensuality, plus lots more besides. On this trip, the Australian pianist is taking us dancing, whether courtly, folk, ballroom, novel, or even barbarous. The pieces are a potpourri of encores and the perfect balance of musical bonbons and less well-known compositions.
Harry Styles Arrives In The North In Style
The street buskers were playing Watermelon Sugar, most people were wearing pink boa feathers, and if you did not also don a matching coloured cowboy hat, you might have looked out of place. There can only be one reason behind all of this - Harry Styles has arrived in Edinburgh.
Albums: The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte
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After a career that has lasted nearly fifty years Sparks return with their 26th album - and it is yet another musical masterpiece from the esteemed duo.
Swaledale Festival 27 May - 10 June 2023
Over the next fortnight 50+ music, arts and walking events will ripple across Swaledale, Wensleydale and Arkengarthdale.
Coming up in week one: a classical 'collective', rousing brass, top-notch puppetry, free astronomy, poetry walks, music inspired by climate change, a world-class cellist, meltingly beautiful jazz and a 23-stringed harped guitar...
Under 25s tickets are available to nearly all events for just £3!
The Vinyl Resurgence: Why The 'Dinosaur' Of Music Is Leading The Pack
I grew up in a house filled with music blaring from my dad’s turntable, where he would play his rather extensive record collection. Although he now reaps the benefits of on-the-go streaming services like Spotify, I don’t think it would be a reach to say that he would always rather put a record on than connect to a Bluetooth speaker.
Silver Screen Weekly - What's Coming Up At The Cinema From Friday 26 May 2023
Our film critic and media correspondent has been looking and trawling the new releases.
Shoes Maketh The Woman: Someone Else’s Shoes By Jojo Moyes
There is no doubt in my mind that shoes are an essential fashion accessory and that they say much about the wearer.
Big Ideas By The Sea Festival
Internationally acclaimed Magnum photographer Martin Parr, Photo London’s Master of Photography for 2023, is showing four of his iconic English resort bank holiday photographs at the Princess Café, Sandside, Scarborough, during the Big Ideas by the Sea festival.