My introduction to the band of musicians that form the Texas Gentlemen was via Paul Cauthen’s excellent ‘My Gospel’ album. Browsing the credits, which is pretty refreshing to be able to do in this digital age, and the names of Beau Patrick Bedford, for his terrific production work, and guitarist Nik Lee stood out. Bedford is effectively the leader of The Texas Gentlemen a band of session musicians who’ve become go-to players for a host of artists including Joe Ely and Kris Kristofferson, which really tells you all you need to know about how good these guys are. With so many great players on tap, eleven Texas Gentlemen worked on ‘TX Jelly’ their debut album; you’re never quite sure who’ll turn up which is bound to keep things interesting

The Texas Gentlemen rocked up to Bush Hall in London as a quintet for the final night of a short UK jaunt, on which they've been making friends every step of the way, and proceeded to mix up pretty much every musical genre imaginable, while still sounded wonderfully cohesive. This isn’t an easy thing to do but these guys have chops to spare which helps. Opening with ‘Shape I’m In’ a nod to fellow studio rats The Band before slipping into a long instrumental that showcased serious 70’s jazzy guitar rock stylings, that wouldn’t be out of place on a Steely Dan or Santana record, Nik Lee found plenty of room to impress with his fluent tremolo guitar work. ‘Dream Along’ captured the more delicate and gentle side of the band which should have pleased the audience member who, good-naturedly, urged the band to “Play some country”. He must have been ecstatic when Nik Lee led the band through the Willie Nelson penned, and still totally classic, ‘Crazy’ later in the set.

The guys dipped into the ‘TX Jelly’ album for a run through of a crowd-pleasing ‘Habbie Doobie’ and Daniel Creamer led the band through ‘Pain’ and ‘Superstition’ which was jokingly referred to as “Not the Stevie Wonder tune” but did include the most bizarre lyric I’ve heard recently “ Do you believe ghosts can give you blowjobs”…Moving along quickly. ‘Superstition’ and new song ‘Skyway Streetcar’ highlighted Nik, Beau and Daniel’s quite superb CSN/Eagles style three-part harmonies while The Meters ‘Sissy Strut’ once again gave the guys room to stretch out. The interplay here between Creamer and Bedford’s keys and Lee’s guitar proved a real highlight of the set. The keyboard duo would strap on guitars, while hard-hitting drummer Aaron Haynes started to hit even harder, as the band launched a triple guitar assault on a jam based around ‘Shakin’ All Over’ that would’ve had the likes of Molly Hatchet and Lynyrd Skynyrd, in their prime, looking over their shoulders. An hour had just flown by and while ‘TX Jelly’ captures a moment in time it’ll be really interesting to see where The Texas Gentlemen go next. If I was Quentin Tarantino and needed a band for my next soundtrack I know who I’d call.

It would be remiss of me not to mention opening act Howard Rose who was a really pleasant surprise. Talent show TV watchers would be hard pushed to recognise Rose from 2015’s ‘The Voice’ where he was mentored by the legend that is Sir Tom Jones. Rose, thick of beard and with his long hair flying, impressed with his wide-ranging vocal ability, passionate delivery and a cool tune or three. Performing in a trio, Rose also handled electric guitar duties while his rhythm section adding some well-placed harmony vocals. The likes of ‘Movin’ On’ coupled with the tougher sound of this live performance seems, to me at least, to be the way to go for Howard Rose.

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Nov 5, 2024

Kamelot - O2 Forum Kentish Town, London 02/11/24

Nov 5, 2024

I don’t get to many metal shows these days, so I jumped at the opportunity to visit North London for a rare UK visit from Kamelot. The Florida-born but now multi-national act are deep into their ‘Awaken The World’ tour with impressive looking support from Ad Infinitum, Blackbriar and Frozen Crown. I’m, unusually for me, bright and early for the start of tonight’s proceedings and expecting good things.

Nov 5, 2024

Oct 27, 2024

Steve Hackett - Royal Albert Hall, London 23/10/2024

Oct 27, 2024

The prestigious Royal Albert Hall is the perfect venue for an evening with Steve Hackett. Opened in 1871, by Queen Victoria no less, and with a capacity of over 5000, the hall seems to rise to the heavens, its multiple levels inducing vertigo even from my vantage point in the stalls – the building is actually 135ft tall trivia fans. There is something about the majesty of progressive rock that perfectly fits a venue that has hosted many great nights of classical music, and Steve has a long list of songs stretching back fifty years that are much loved by many to this day.

Oct 27, 2024

Sep 28, 2024

Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets - London Palladium 24/09/2024 (Live Review)

Sep 28, 2024

Nick Lowe seemed genuinely surprised that so many folks had come out on a Tuesday night for the first show of his UK tour at the London Palladium. It was standing room only at the 2200+ capacity venue. This says much about the high esteem in which Nick Lowe is held as an artist and songwriter. From his early days in Brinsley Schwartz and late 70s solo chart success, Rockpile with Dave Edmunds and on through the critically acclaimed Brentford Trilogy of albums to his latest work with Los Straightjackets, Lowe has been a mainstay of British music for fifty years. Lowe is also well known for his production work in the 80s with the Stiff record label that included ‘New Rose’ for The Damned and a run of classic albums for Elvis Costello. I’m pleased to report that, even at 75, Lowe shows no signs of slowing down, and he looks to be enjoying keeping things fresh with Los Straitjackets.

Sep 28, 2024

Aug 1, 2024

Kelsey Michael + The Happy Couple - Green Note, London 29/07/2024

Aug 1, 2024

The unpredictable UK weather has taken a turn for the better, and it’s positively steamy in the Green Note basement. For those yet to sample the charms of this most intimate of venues, imagine your living room with a bar at one end, but probably smaller. A sold-out venue makes for a cosy experience, so we grab a beer and a spot by the bar in preparation for this evening's entertainment brought to us by Brian and the good folks at Dimple Discs.

Aug 1, 2024

Feb 13, 2024

Matti Klein Soul Trio - Bulls Head, Barnes, London 31.01.24

Feb 13, 2024

Firstly, I’d like to get the elephant in the room out of the way. I would never claim to be an expert on jazz. There, I’ve said it. I thought I’d start with this sweeping statement to enable lovers of the genre and those who consider themselves experts in the field to look away now (I won’t take it personally). So please don’t expect in-depth examinations of structure or time signatures as I ramble on about who knows what. Although Matti did mention at one point, in that relaxed way of his, that the trio had played a tune, complete with extended solo breaks in 11/4 time, so there you go. I’m a casual fan of the genre, by which I mean I’ve some Miles, Kenny Burrell and a few other odd things in my collection and plenty of stuff that’s jazz adjacent in Joni, Steely Dan etc. There won’t be too many mentions of the technical abilities of the players here just an appreciation of great music, in a location integral to the UK jazz scene for decades.

Feb 13, 2024

Dec 6, 2023

Cassidy Paris + Wicked Smile – Cart and Horses, Stratford London 03/12/23

Dec 6, 2023

Located a mere stone’s throw from Maryland or a brisk ten-minute walk from Stratford International Station, the Cart & Horses in East London calls itself “The Birthplace of Iron Maiden” and isn’t shy about it. Iron Maiden played the venue on numerous occasions in 1976 before embarking on their ascent to the very top of the Heavy Metal tree, and the pub is a shrine to the UK legends (it’s also home to plenty of West Ham United fans). Every available surface is covered with art, records and memorabilia, so if you’re a fan of the boys, then the Cart & Horses is well worth a visit. The area around the pub remains untouched by post-Olympic Games regeneration and remains very much “old” London, aka dark, dreary and pretty bleak on a rainy night in December. Tonight’s music wouldn’t be all that far removed from Iron Maiden as it turned out, but more about that later as I was in town to catch up with up-and-coming Antipodean songstress Cassidy Paris, a recent signing to the Italian melodic rock label Frontiers.

Dec 6, 2023

Dec 1, 2023

Sophie B. Hawkins - The Forge, Camden 26/11/23

Dec 1, 2023

It’s a cold, wet November evening in Camden Town, but I’m happy to ignore the inclement weather as The Forge is hosting the first London show in almost two decades by Sophie B. Hawkins. The singer is in town promoting her ‘Free Myself’ album, released earlier this year after another lengthy gap - in this case, a mere eleven years. Time sure does fly. It’s my first time at The Forge, just a few yards off the main drag, an unassuming entrance opening out into a decent-sized space with a balcony for the VIP experience. I’m running a little late, but I’ve just enough time to grab a beer and a spot by the mixing desk as Sophie’s three-piece band (drums, bass, keys) takes to the stage.

Dec 1, 2023

Nov 22, 2023

Joby Fox - Green Note, Camden 20/11/23

Nov 22, 2023

For me, Green Note in Camden Town remains one of the best venues in London. I have seen some great shows there in recent years, but it was my first time down in the Basement Bar, which makes the intimate confines of the main room upstairs seem positively palatial by comparison. If we were to talk about interesting characters with a story to tell, Joby Fox would certainly qualify, so Green Note was the ideal venue to get to know Joby Fox a little better.

Nov 22, 2023

Jun 28, 2023

Tara MacLean + Edwina Hayes – Camden Club, London 30/05/2023

Jun 28, 2023

There’s something about the Camden area of London that has defiantly resisted gentrification and the seemingly inevitable advance of big corporate names. You’ll see the odd famous name coffee shop, but generally, the corporate giants feel like temporary intruders just passing through. The short walk from Camden station, over the canal and up to Chalk Farm for this evening’s entertainment feels bohemian and otherworldly. The area is home to the outsider and those rooted in the arts, with a hint of danger, amongst other things, hanging in the early evening air as you walk past the various chancers, reprobates and not one, but two charity organisations trying to make a difference by offering hot meals from temporary street stalls. For an artist such as Tara MacLean, who had an unconventional (to put it mildly) upbringing in the wilds of Canada fraught with danger and uncertainty - that would most certainly be considered outside the norm - it seems strangely fitting that she should find herself telling stories and singing songs in the Camden Club, an intimate venue with a blink you will miss it, black entrance staircase leading to a large door, complete with a ridiculously oversized door handle, that looks like it should have its own portcullis and a moat.

Jun 28, 2023

May 27, 2023

The Milk Carton Kids + Jesca Hoop - Union Chapel 20/05/23

May 27, 2023

As the audience settle themselves among the pews in the Union Chapel, the vacant stage is as uncluttered as it gets: a solitary central mic and two empty guitar stands. That’s it. I would wager that the sleep of the tour manager is long and undisturbed on this one. Also onstage, dwarfing all else, is a massive stone pulpit, lest we forget we are in a place of worship. Those guitar stands, of course, belong to Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, the titular Milk Carton Kids who have sold out tonight’s show, timed to coincide with the release of their new album, I Only See The Moon.

May 27, 2023

May 25, 2023

Walter Trout + Alastair Greene – Islington Assembly Hall 21/05/2023

May 25, 2023

After an evening of acoustic loveliness with Milk Carton Kids at Union Chapel on Saturday, It was only a short walk down Islington’s Upper Street for Sunday's entertainment as legendary blues singer and guitarist Walter Trout is in town. For those unfamiliar, the Assembly Hall is part of the Islington Town Hall complex built in 1930, but only reopened as a venue in 2010 after languishing as storage space for many years and retains many impressive art deco features. The hall has a capacity of approximately 900, but it always feels more intimate, the staff are friendly, and most importantly, the sound is excellent. But enough of the architectural/history lesson, it's time we get to the music, and as we arrive, opening act Alastair Greene is doing his thing.

May 25, 2023

Apr 24, 2023

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Shepherd's Bush Empire, April 23rd 2023

Apr 24, 2023

It's a Sunday night, and I'm at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, undaunted by the typically miserable weather, for the final night of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band UK tour. The Empire is a long way from Shreveport, Louisiana, but it's also been twenty-five long years since the original release of ‘Trouble Is’ elevated the guitarist to the top of the blues tree. The platinum-selling record would spawn four crossover rock hits, building on the success of his debut album, ‘Ledbetter Heights’, and catapulted the young guitarist to headline status while still in his early twenties.

Apr 24, 2023