Showaddywaddy 50th Anniversary Tour
With the iconic Teddy-boy style dating back to 1973, Showaddywaddy is back and as brilliant as ever! With an endless jukebox of songs, vivacious choreography and dazzling outfits - what isn’t there to love?
Showaddywaddy certainly rocked Bradford last night, showering us with sweet music. With incredible showmanship from Andy Pelos and Billy Shannon, it was a marvel to watch them play. Without a doubt they had the crowd hopping and bobbing along to classic songs such as Under The…
Classical Music: Brodsky Quartet Golden Oldies - More Favourite Encores
Golden Oldies - More Favourite Encores
Bach Prelude X; Beethoven Moonlight Sonata (first movement); Debussy Préludes VI and IX / Deux Arabesques; Fauré Après un rêve; Saint-Saëns Les Cygnes; Elgar Adieu; Joplin Solace (Habanera); Shostakovich Elegy and Polka; Bazzini La Ronde des lutins; Satie Gnossiennes Nos 1, 2, and 6; Khachaturian Sabre Dance; Poulenc Prélude (from Sonata for Piano Duet) Isidora Žebeljan: An Intimate Letter from the Judean Desert; Pablo Casals El cant dels ocells (Song of the Birds)…
Albums: Fall Out Boy So Much (For) Stardust
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After releasing four studio albums in the space of five years to capitalise on their huge global success, Fall…
Virtuosic Black Dyke Band Delights Bradford
For over 165 years the Black Dyke Band has enriched the world with its unrivalled skill and professionalism. With elegance and pomp, it is the pinnacle of brass band playing. It has been 13 years since the Black Dyke Band has graced us with its presence in Bradford, and the wait was definitely worth it!
With the grandiose backdrop of Victorian architecture, St George’s Hall, Bradford, was our scene. At its forefront, thirty immaculately dressed musicians poised with shimmering…
Classical Music: Morales
Between the death of Josquin in 1521 and the rise of Palestrina and Lassus taking over the mantle in the 1550s, Cristóbal de Morales was the most famous composer of sacred music in all western Europe. But according to Kenneth Kreitner, Morales remains a mysterious…
Albums: Hack-Poets Guild - Blackletter Garland
Folk music has been undergoing a massive overhaul in the recent years. While there are still many artists who loyally reinterpret classics or faithfully compose new material to emulate those classics, there are also those…
Classical Music: Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra & Debussy Jeux
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Strauss’s nine part (actually eight and two halves) tone poem is largely known for its opening three notes. Its use by Stanley Kubrick in 2001 A Space Odyssey, and subsequent deployment as a signifier of a new dawn as a family opens a box of breakfast cereal, might have weakened its power.
Aaron Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man has suffered a similar undignified…
Albums: Mark De Clive-Lowe, Melanie Charles, Shigeto - Hotel San Claudio
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This intoxicating new album mixes jazz, dance and hip-hop resulting in one of the most interesting album releases of the year.
If you can imagine Massive Attack mixed with Sade set against some soulful house beats you will be much the wiser…
Rock Music’s Underdogs Show Prove Their Mettle With Powerful Live Return
“I have not travelled all the way from California and missed my son’s birthday for you all to just sit or stand there – get up!” exclaimed Papa Roach’s lead singer Jacoby Shaddix when the American rock band played Leeds Arena. With an order like that you definitely have to conform.
Although the band has been performing and recording for thirty years, beyond their core fan base they are not widely known. If you wanted the consummate frontman, Shaddix…
Tom Grennan Shines On His First Arena Tour
The one thing that propelled Tom Grennan to chart success and BRIT award nominations was the quality of his songs. When he released his album Evering Road in 2021 it signalled the start of a bigger picture.
The next logical step was to play an arena tour though some questioned whether Grennan would have the personality, charisma and allure to fill a 20,000 seater arena, however the likeable singer packed out the Manchester arena with ease.
There is a new album on…
The Slow Readers Club Open A New Chapter With Live Return
The Slow Readers Club are one of the best self-made stories in British rock music and one of the biggest cult bands to emerge in the last few years.
Their recently released album Knowledge Freedom Power saw the Manchester band turn over a new page with a sound not too dissimilar from early eighties synth rock; imagine OMD mixed with a touch of Inspiral Carpets you might get an idea of how the band sounds in 2023.
As “Aaron, Aaron” rang…
Albums: Tristan Seven
Tristan is a jazz, soul and funk band which has just released its seventh album, aptly named Seven. If you are a fan of Incognito, The Brand New Heavies, Shakatak and to a lesser extent Matt Bianco and Basia this…
Classical Music: Shostakovich Symphonies 12 And 15
Under the baton of John Storgård, who took up the post of the BBC Philharmonic’s Chief Conductor last year, the orchestra delve into Shostakovich’s mind in two exciting symphonies.
From the outset of Symphony 12 (‘The Year 1917’) it is thrilling all the textural colouration shining through. It was a project…
Albums: Esbe - Blow The Wind Southerly
I am not sure where the fan base is for an album that is beautifully arranged and sung a capella, but features nursery rhymes and traditional folk songs. Additionally, given that the average length of a CD is seventy-four minutes, the ten tracks…
Euan Shields Wins The Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition 2023
Euan Shields has been announced as the winner of the Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition 2023.
The second Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition took place in March 2023 over three days in Manchester.
More than 200 conductors from six continents had applied to take part, and eight semifinalists were selected for the competition days. Of these eight, three candidates made it into the final on 14 March.
In The Bridgewater Hall, they guided the Hallé through four works…
Cian Ducrot Tour
The queue for Nottingham's Rescue Rooms said it all. While Cian Ducrot is still relatively fresh in the charts following the success of his truly likeable TikTok presence, the audience turned out in their masses and waited in the rain to experience Ducrot in person. Having enjoyed a #2 charting collaboration with Ella Henderson (All For You) and with his latest single, I'll Be Waiting, climbing higher in the charts by the week, there is little doubt that his…
Lizzo - A Special Treat With A Strong Support
Joy Crookes had the daunting task of opening for Lizzo at the Manchester Arena; the London-based singer, songwriter, producer and performer came into the limelight a few years ago with the gorgeous Don’t Let Me Down, a tender ballad in the mould of Ella Fitzgerald.
Crookes’ brand of sophisticated soul with a dash of jazz is better suited to smaller, more intimate venues than a sprawling arena. That Crookes pulled the feat off with total ease says something of her talent.…
Albums: Miley Cyrus Endless Summer Vacation
For a rather long time it was difficult for Miley Cyrus to shake off Hannah Montana. While her first three solo albums all showcased her distinctive vocal and pop potential, it wasn't until 2013's Bangerz that she really became a global obsession in her own right. That being said, every move she…
Classical Music: The Jade Mountain – Songs By Edmund Rubbra
The Jade Mountain – Songs by Edmund Rubbra
Rosa mundi, Op. 2 No. 2;Cradle Song, Op. 8 No. 1; Nod; Orpheus with his lute, Op. 8 No. 2; Who is Silvia?, Op. 8 No. 3; Out in the dark, Op. 13 No. 1; It was a lover, Op. 13 No. 3; The Night, Op. 14 No. 1; Rune of Hospitality, Op. 15; A Duan of Barra, Op. 20; A widow bird sate mourning, Op. 28 A Prayer, Op. 17 No.…
Solence - Hope Is A Cult
Swedish rock group Solence, mix rock, pop, electronic and alternative on this diverse third album.
No two tracks remain the same. The listener not knowing what is coming next which is half the fun of enjoying this eclectic album.
The album kicks off with Rain Down with some…
Mae Muller For Eurovision
The speculation is finally over! With rumours swirling that Rina Sawayama, Freya Ridings or Mimi Webb would be representing the UK at Eurovision, BBC Radio 2 revealed this morning that Mae Muller will be heading to Liverpool to try steal the crown.
Following an extensive search headed by 2023 partners the global music management and publishing company TaP Music, the BBC can confirm that singer-songwriter Mae Muller will be representing the United Kingdom at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, set…
Moovin Festival Announces 2023 Lineup
Manchester's much loved and boutique celebration of eclectic music and quirkiness is back for another of its cosy and personal gatherings August Bank Holiday Weekend 25th-27th.
Lining up at Compstall's udderly unique Whitebottom Farm for Moovin this year is another mouthwatering mix of returning favourites with some highly sought after big name debut bookings, throw in some of Moovin’s friends family with some musical pioneers, and you have an eye popping line up featuring the legendary…
Caught In The Web – Mimi Webb Live
British singer/songwriter Mimi Webb rose to fame via the TikTok social media platform and has recently released her debut album – Amelia. Performing an intimate show at the Manchester Academy with only a keyboard player and guitarist gave her an opportunity to discover a delicate and crisp side to her songs.
Whilst there might not anything too remarkable about Webb the power of social media cannot be denied making you wonder if she still would have risen to fame without…
Panic! At The Disco
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18 years after debuting with the emo-drive of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, Brendan Urie announced that Panic! At The Disco were hanging up their spangly blazers permanently. While he moves on to enjoy the early stages of parenthood, he is treating his fans worldwide to one last hurrah with the Viva Las Vengeance tour. Celebrating Panic!'s 7th studio album (Urie's third solo under the alias of his former band) and their heralded back catalogue, the show pulls in…
Classical Music: Vaughan Williams Sinfonia Antarctica & Symphony 9
From the opening of Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antarctica one feels the heaviness and brooding grief of landscape.
The large forces needed in the orchestration superbly capture the darkness in the struggle of human endeavour against the overwhelming forces of nature. Its effectiveness as a film score is powerful as is the playing of the BBC Symphony…
Albums: Yves Paquet - A Decent Man
Brazil born Yves Paquet has taken a scenic route to arrive at his folk sound. Having dabbled with indie, he became a featured artist on an array of pop and dance tracks. After achieving a #1 single in the Belgian Dance tracks, his vocal strengths caught the attention…
Classical Music: Schubert Piano Sonatas
Two Schubert Sonatas that have been brilliantly paired. The A minor D537 Schubert’s first completed piano sonata with its wonderful themes and the A major D959 one of the sublimely expansive masterpieces from his final year.
From the outset, Garrick Ohlsson injects momentum into his playing whilst maintaining gravitas and supremely observing the dynamics. His melodic phrasing, the subtle accents, the bar rests, the left hand accompaniment at the…
Steel Panther -On The Prowl
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For the past fifteen years Steel Panther has made a career out of being a comedy rock metal band whose songs have risqué lyrics that reflect the stereotypical lifestyle of rock groups, most notably the American metal acts…
Albums: Mimi Webb Amelia
Mimi Webb is balancing two identities. To the wider world she is Mimi, a TikTok sensation who has used her platform to transform herself into a bona fide pop icon. To her family and friends, she is Amelia. An individual with as many…
Full Steam Ahead For Pop’s New Talent
You might not have heard of Self Esteem but I am sure after tonight’s rousing performance at Manchester’s Albert Hall, she is destined to become a household name.
As Self Esteem, Rotherham born Rebecca Taylor, has shaken off her indie band past to become a mainstream pop star. Her debut album Compliments Please gave her the chance to voice her feelings of insecurity and frustration that many of us experience every day as regards family relationships and break-ups.
It…