A Tale Of Two Cities - Lust For Life/London Calling - Review

Images Copyright Tony Woolway

Lust For Life - Bristol Exchange, London Calling - The Globe, Cardiff

A Tale Of Two Cities. Two gigs, one week, the first over the bridge at Bristol’s Exchange for Lust For Life, a group put together by Iggy Pop and Bowie guitarist Kevin Armstrong to celebrate Iggy Pop’s iconic Lust For Life album released in 1977 and produced by David Bowie.

What was intriguing about the gig, the first night of their short U.K. was the line-up that featured such rock luminaries as former Sex Pistol and Iggy sideman Glen Matlock on bass and Blondie’s powerhouse of a drummer Clem Burke alongside the aforementioned Armstrong. On keyboards was Florence Sabeva, who tours with Heaven 17 and Luis Correia on guitar with vocals by broadcaster and occasional Pet Shop Boys collaborator Katie Puckrik.

Opening with the title track Lust For Life the band punched their way through the entire album at blistering pace halted only for Clem Burke to holler for the stage lights to be turned up as “I haven’t travelled 7,000 miles to play in the fucking dark,”.

The evening provided some real ‘pinch me’ moments with “The Passenger” in particular causing goosebumps whilst the choice of songs that followed the full album featured songs that some of the band had played on like Blondie’s “Rip Her To Shreds” plus other classics from the Iggy Pop collection with “Night Clubbing” and Stooges “ I Wanna Be Your Dog”.

Focal point of the evening, was Puckrik who was quite superb in the Iggy role bounding around and bursting with enthusiasm that proved contagious.

As if all the above wasn’t enough the encore provided a true moment of pleasure as Matlock took over the vocals as the band powered through their version of the Sex Pistols “Pretty Vacant” followed by The Stooges “Search And Destroy,” a quite stunning finish for a exceptional evening at a great venue.

Next up…. London Calling at. The Globe, Cardiff

Another great venue and another nostalgic evening with Bristol band, London Calling, the premier Clash tribute band playing the group’s debut album, also released in 1977, and rightly considered a classic, in its entirety.

The opening drum intro to “Janie Jones” set the tone for a quite brilliant set as the band, resplendently dressed in their punk era attire recreated the early days of Punk with lead singer and Strummer doppelgänger Reg Shaw spitting out vocals to a very enthusiastic crowd who were soon bouncing in unison.

There was certainly no let up in the pace with the only breath being taken was during the bands version of the reggae classic “Police and Thieves.” whilst Dave Devonaid aka Mick Jones stepped up to provide able vocal support and a real Mick Jones sound alike.

Other Clash classics “Tommy Gun” “Safe European Home and “White Man In Hammersmith Palais” sent fans home happy but exhausted such was the pace and the power.

Tony Woolway

Dry Cleaning/DEHD – Tramshed Cardiff - 28/02/2023

Dry Cleaning are a post-punk band from South London made of four, vocalist (Florence Shaw), guitarist (Tom Dowse), bassist (Lewis Maynard), and drummer (Nick Buxton). Their first album ‘NewLong Leg’ was released in 2021 amidst one of the many lockdowns as a result of COVID-19.

The group were quick to gain popularity as they soared to the top of the UK charts and were named Rough Trade’s album of the year. Roughly two years later the four-piece have celebrated the release of their second album ‘Stumpwork’ by embarking on a worldwide tour.

For the first time since Green Man Festival 2022, they have returned to Wales to bring those with a love of art-rock and experimental lyricism together once again, this time at Tramshed, a music and arts venue in Cardiff.

As the doors opened at 7pm, fans gradually started to fill the venue. Prior to their set, there were two opening acts. The first to take the stage was Thus Love, an alternative trio made up of lead singer and guitarist (Echo Marshall), drummer (Lu Racine), and bassist (Nathaniel Van Osdol).

They played multiple songs from their album ‘Memorial’ as well as their new single ‘Centerfield’, followed by a performance by DEHD. The three-piece indie rock band from Chicago played songs from their new album ‘Blue Skies’, including their hit song ‘Bad Love’, which has amassed over four million plays on Spotify.

The quartet played ‘Stumpwork’ in its entirety, opening with ‘Kwenchy Kups’, a song with buoyant and airy instrumentals paired with optimistic spoken-word lyrics inspired by the sights of Bristol.

The upbeat nature of the song made it the perfect choice to open with as it energised the crowd in preparation for what was going to be a fairly long set. The energy remained high throughout the show as they proceeded to play ‘Viking Hair’, a song released as part of an earlier EP in 2019.

It was clear that this was a fan favourite as the crowd were quick to sing along.

In addition to the music itself, the performance was also captivating visually. Florence Shaw combined unusual facial expressions with eccentric hand movements and a lack of eye contact to create a unique atmosphere on stage.

I found this aspect of the performance particularly interesting, primarily because it reinforces the art-rock elements present within the group’s work. Personally, I think that her approach was refreshing as it differentiated from the standard formula vocalists usually go by when performing and the unconventional way she performs paired perfectly with the absurdity of some of their lyrics.

As the night came to an end, fans were still wanting more. ‘Scratchcard Lanyard’ and ‘Anna CallsFrom the Arctic’ were played as the encore, ensuring fans of the band left the venue on a high note.

Dry Cleaning are continuing their world tour and will be heading to Europe this spring.

Gracie Abrams - Good Riddance - Album Review

Dreamy vocals, acoustic guitar, and devastatingly honest storytelling make this the perfect heartbreak album, but maybe not in the way that you would expect. 

Gracie Abrams’ debut album Good Riddance tells the story of a breakup from the perspective of the person who left. The opening track ‘Best’ sets the tone for an album that will have you reaching for a box of tissues and your favorite old blanket. The song is packed with intricate details that make you feel as if you are experiencing everything with her, especially in the long, cathartic bridge. The line ‘I was never the best to you’ is the first of many occasions throughout this album that we hear the 23-year-old singer take responsibility for the destruction of the relationship.

‘I know it won't work’ continues the themes of lyrical vulnerability and honesty. The singer describes wanting her partner to move on as she knows that she is not good for them while struggling to move on herself. This is best portrayed in the breathtaking line: ‘I’m your ghost right now, your house is haunted’. After just two tracks, it is easy to sense a theme of a woman in her twenties trying to figure out what to let go of and what to hold onto and finding herself in the process.

‘I’m a rollercoaster, you’re a dead end street’ is the opening line to the third track ‘Full Machine’, and sums the song up perfectly. The feelings of sadness and distress are evident in her soft voice and this only intensifies a couple of tracks later as she sings the song's title ‘I should hate you’ with a shaky voice. 

Almost every song on this album is telling the same story: A good relationship that fell apart because she did not feel the same anymore. It would have been interesting to hear more variation in the storytelling as she is phenomenal at it and songs like ‘Amelie’ and ‘The Blue’ that stray from the main topic really shine and stand out, but I can appreciate that this album feels like a snapshot of a very specific time in her life and she keeps your attention throughout with her devastating honesty.

Aaron Dessner has displayed his incredible skill for producing music of this genre in the past, including working with Taylor Swift to produce her sister albums Folklore and Evermore, and I could not imagine a better fit for the album. Each song feels like a haunting lullaby that makes you want to curl up and listen to it on a rainy day.

Things start to look up towards the end of the album, starting with the song ‘Difficult’ which displays a more upbeat production as she sings about growing up and moving on but still fighting the temptation to go back to what she knows she should let go of. The following track ‘This is what the drugs are for’ mixes a darker sound with Gracie's raw vocals and an overall theme of getting used to something but not getting over it. The production begins to feel lighter towards the end of the song which could represent her finally beginning to heal.

In an album filled with sadness and self-reflection, the songwriter gives listeners one shining moment of joy with ‘The Blue’, a song made up of the sweetest soft vocals, bright production, and hope. This track is about finally being ready to fall in love again and ignoring feelings of doubt, like when she questions ‘what if you’re my weakness?’. 

The final track ‘Right now’ serves a sense of closure that feels needed at the end of this album. The sound of the piano and the cozy production make this song feel almost nostalgic, which fits flawlessly with the song's themes of feeling homesick and the loss that comes with getting older and moving away from your family. After listening to Gracie’s frustration with finding herself throughout this album, ending with the line ‘I feel like myself right now’ feels like the perfect comfort. 

Native Harrow - Acapela - 26/2/23

Native Harrow are a married duo who preform folk rock music. Originally from the USA they have now moved to Brighton in the UK and are currently on their ‘Old Kind of Magic’ tour. With lead vocals from Devin Tuel and her husband and backup singer, bassist and pianist, Stephen Harms. The pair worked amazingly together, with undeniable chemistry on stage. 

They performed songs from all their 5 albums, on the small stage in Acapella Studios, in Cardiff. A venue Devin described herself as ‘cosy and intimate’. And with around just 10-12 tables of two it was the perfect, and relaxed venue for Devin’s strong vocals to fill. 

The concert began at 8pm and they started with the song ‘A song for Joan’, followed by the title of their new album, ‘Old Kind of Magic.’ These were beautifully sung and accompanied perfectly by the instruments. As the room was so silent, you could hear a penny drop as the audience grasped on to every enchanting lyric Devin sang and note Stephen played. 

The breaks between songs were filled with stories romanticising the smallest things, such as seagulls and charity shopping… But also, things such as, falling in love, missing out on things from being on tour and the personal experience they had moving, not just a new city, but a whole new country. Which is what their next songs were about, ‘Turn Turn’ and ‘We can’t go on like this’. 

I really enjoyed listening to the singing but also to the stories that came with the songs. It gave a different dimension to the song and understanding what the lyrics meant made the audience feel more connected to the music, which was a super unique experience. 

‘Happier now’, ‘Shake’ and my favourite from the album, ‘Used to be Free’ was also performed in their magical set. And again, each song came with a story. Towards the end of the set the duo started to play louder and said, “we can’t play pretty songs all the time!” And the audience roared, ‘more, more, more’ before they sang a final two songs. Continuing with the two final songs, ‘I was told’ and ‘Heart of Love.’ 

This was probably one of my favourite concerts and I think everyone else in there would agree as the atmosphere was unbeatable and as we left everyone was staying how impressed and brilliant the duo was and I couldn’t agree more. And when they left the stage they said, “hopefully we will be soon, thanks for having us!” And I hope they are!

You can catch them on the rest of their tour dates, in London, Exeter or Brighton, and I fully recommend. So, go get your tickets! 

Spacey - Jane 12/2/23 - SWX

The Australian band of four, ‘Spacey Jane’ took to the stage in Bristol’s popular venue, SWX. They sang a collection of songs, which were mostly from their album ‘Here Comes Everybody.’ And I think this was one of my favourite concerts I have ever been too!

The venue was great, really accessible and the fans quickly flooded in, excitedly waiting for Spacey Jane. But before they came on stage at 9, the support act ‘Dolores Forever’ (Julia and Hannah) sang a few of their songs from their album ‘Baby Teeth’. This included, ‘Funeral’, ‘Conversations with strangers’ and ‘Party in my Mind.’ I really enjoyed their set as they sang upbeat and catchy indie/alternative songs, which I have actually had on repeat since the concert! They then thanked the fans and ran off stage, leaving us with what seemed like an impossibly long wait for Spacey Jane.

But as soon as it was 9pm, the crowd started to go crazy as Caleb Harper (lead singer), Ashton Hardman – Le Cornu (lead guitarist), Kieran Lane (Drummer) and Peppa Lane (bass guitar and back-up vocals) took to the stage. The energy they brought to the stage was immaculate and everyone in the audience was so in awe of the talent before them as we sang along to every word Caleb Harper, the lead singer sang to us. 

They started of their set with ‘Lunchtime’, ‘Skin’ and my favourite, ‘Sitting up’. ‘Lunchtime’ definitely got the audience’s attention as it is upbeat and got the crowd moving, a perfect song to start on. And ‘Sitting up’ brought us back down, as it is more relaxing, but still brilliant live! So, this combination of songs was a good taste into what their set was going to include. And it didn’t certainly disappoint! 

And neither did their stage presence or relationship with the audience. “We love you Bristol and we are so glad to be back.” Caleb said in his Aussie accent. As the crowd repeatedly shouted, “We love you!!!” throughout the performance. It was a great atmosphere.

They then continued to sing, ‘Yet’ ‘Saw teeth’, ‘Weightless’ and ‘Pulling through.’ The vocals and instruments all sounded great together, and their chemistry as a band was clear to see as they worked so good on stage. And I can say I have never seen a man with more energy or jump so high. Ashton Hardman really put his heart and soul into the performance and put on an incredible show. Peppa did an impressive solo as well and Kieran smashed it on the drums!

They then continued to sing, ‘Thrills’, ‘Headcold’ and ‘Lots of nothing.’ Said goodbye to the fans and ran off stage. But then chants began of ‘more, more, more’ and out they came again to sing ‘Hardlight’ and ‘Booster seat’ which is their most popular song, so I am glad they came back to sing it! 

I was gutted to see them leave the stage because this was such amazing performance and experience, which I would recommend to anyone. I had a great night and hope they come back to the UK ASAP! Or I might have to go to Australia… 

Spacey Jane are an Australian indie rock band from Fremantle, which formed in 2016. The group consists of Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu, Caleb Harper, Kieran Lama and, since 2019, Peppa Lane. 

Paramore - This Is Why - Album Review

This Is Why is an authentic portrayal of the life of a millennial post-lockdown, trying to heal and being faced with the boredom that comes with growing up and getting better.

As opposed to the band’s previous album After Laughter, which was full of joyful sounds and aesthetics to juxtapose the more gloomy lyrics, This Is Why displays the band going back to their roots of unapologetic angst. 

Vocalist Hayley Williams, 34, frequently uses monotone talk-singing throughout this album to depict the melancholia that is laced throughout the record. Unfortunately, this often leaves little room for the singer to fully display the impressive vocal range that we know she has. 

The album kicks off with a strong introduction from Zac Farro on the drums, who continues to shine throughout every track on this reasonably drum-heavy album. The title track eases you in with light vocals from Hayley and a catchy chorus. Beginning the album with the line “If you have an opinion, maybe you should shove it, or maybe you could scream it” gives listeners the immediate impression that the band has something important to say on this record, ensuring they have your undivided attention from the get-go. 

Just as you are beginning to theorize what kinds of political messages and realisations may be scattered throughout the album based on the lyrics of the first track, you are hit with The News. This song describes the feeling of wanting to stay informed in world events but feeling exhausted by the endless tragedies. The repetition of “a war” in the first verse replicates how it can feel sometimes to watch the news and keep up-to-date with world events. Many different bands, and artists in general, have taken a more political route in recent years. It feels as if many just do it to remain “relevant” and to appear in touch with the general public, and few do it simply because it is something that they are genuinely passionate about. I believe Paramore to be one of the latter few, but this song was lacking in any hard-hitting messages that we have not already heard plenty of times at this point and I would have liked to see them push it a bit further.

Running Out Of Time depicts the feeling of anxiety that comes with comparing your own progress and achievements with others who seem as if they are far ahead of you, both in the lyrics and in the music itself. The quick-tempo drumbeat is reminiscent of a heartbeat speeding up and the low vocals in the verses build further on this feeling of anxiety. The lyricism on this track in particular is an excellent example of the band’s talent for bringing humour and sarcasm into the more gloomy topics.

In comparison, the repetitive chorus in C’est Comme Ça leaves much to be desired, but this may well be an intentional choice to represent how repetitive a mundane life can feel. The track makes up for it with a strong drumbeat and a catchy riff and the fact that it is likely the most relatable song on the album, as many people have found post-lockdown that healing can unfortunately be incredibly boring.

Once we approach the second half of the album, we finally get to hear Hayley flex her phenomenal vocal ability, with her angelic falsetto sound in Liar and the way she floats between highs and lows with ease on Thick Skull. This later part of the record feels overall vulnerable, with more personal details of the complexity of self-healing rather than the more general world issues that are discussed in the earlier half. 

Thick Skull is a slow yet raw and emotional ending for the album. If you were hoping to come out of This Is Why with any sense of comfort or closure, you will likely be disappointed. The song appears to describe a person with a need to try and fix the people around them whilst continuously making the same mistakes in their own life. 

Although we end on a low note, sometimes it is enough comfort to know that others are experiencing similar struggles to you. This Is Why is an album filled with unease and anxiety, which is exactly what many of us need right now.

...

Martyn Joseph - St David's Hall - 7/2/2023

Performing the 122nd night of his tour, Martyn walks onto a very big St Davids Hall stage armed with his trusty Lowden Guitar and launches into ‘Here Come The Young’ the title track of his 2019 album.

This is no ordinary gig, the passion up a notch, Emotion and conviction always there with Martyn, but tonight is special to him and the fans and family present.

Martyn truly is a musical warrior spreading the word, feeding the mind, and touching emotions.

I watch in awe at a man at the top of his game, commanding a large auditorium on his own is an amazing talent, connecting and engaging with the crowd singing along and captivated by his conversation and songs.

1960 is his latest album as he explains more personal and retrospected to other albums, ‘Born Too Late’ ' ‘Felt So Much’ and ‘Driving Her Back To London’ particular highlights.

In the over 2 hour performance he plays songs from a lengthy career. ‘Cardiff Bay’ is always a popular choice and of course, he jokes about his top 40 hit ‘Dolphins Make Me Cry’.

His recent TV and Radio appearance for the song ‘Albert’s Place’ is mentioned, a song Martyn was commissioned to write is about the amazing work of Andrea Bell and the kitchen she runs in Sunderland supplying over 100 meals a day to anyone who needs help. It is another emotional version.

‘Nye’ is another example of Martyn’s talent for creating inspiring words and anthemic melodies. A song about the great Nye Bevan who founded The NHS.

After a short break you will find Martyn is off on tour to Canada, probably another 122 nights. How he can perform all those gigs, each with such quality songs conveyed with complete passion and professionalism, challenging inequality and injustice and still connecting with human stories, humbly and with genuine love takes a very special talent.

At Tonight’s concert, I was proud to be part of the audience. Artists like this are Very rare.

Please take some time to check the links below to Martyns Website, and ‘Let Yourself Trust’ Charity.

Questions with: Shane Greenhall of Those Damn Crows

‘As far as I can remember there’s always been an incredible scene of Welsh talent’

Bridgend-based rock band Those Damn Crows have been making a solid name for themselves in the music scene for the past few years, with the release of ‘Point Of NoReturn’ (2020) skyrocketing them even further. 2022 was a great year for the ‘Crows’, with their festival appearances at both Download and TeddyRocks and a headline slot at the iconic Chepstow Castle alongside Mason Hill and Florence Black.

This year is somehow gonna be even bigger and better with their brand new album ‘Inhale/ Exhale’ set to be released on February 17th and the UK headline tour on the horizon. This interview was conducted prior to their appearance at Download 2022 and so the quotations reflect that time.

In this interview, vocalist Shane Greenhall discussed the anticipation of playing the mainstage at Download Festival, the power of the Welsh music scene, and how the pandemic altered the way music is written. I posed the question ‘What was your favourite music video to shoot’ in which Shane replied ‘’Sick Of Me’ , we shot ‘Sick Of Me’ in a bomb shelter site which has now been modified to be used for TV and filming projects.

This was the time of the pandemic so it was really strange as we all had to isolate and keep our distance from fellow bandmates and the director of the video, there were no shots where the band was all together, we had to do our parts individually. ‘Sick Of Me’ is one of the lead singles from the 2020 album release ‘Point Of No Return’, the music video was released on YouTube on the 5th of February 2021 where it amassed almost 100k views.

Those Damn Crows can generally be found at an array of different festivals over the spring/ Summer months, Shane goes on to describe the anticipation of playing the mainstage ‘It’s so great to be talking about festivals again, we’ve been on the Download poster for nearly 3 years now as we were supposed to have played it a long time ago, literally months before the pandemic hit so it feels like it’s long overdue. We played the Download pilot which was insane and a huge honour to be one of the first bands to be picked to play to 10,000 people in a festival environment. But to be playing on the main stage this year under Iron F*****g Maiden is literally an incredible feeling.

Surely nothing can stop this from happening now! We’ve waited nearly three years…. we can’t wait!’ They performed a critically well-received slot at the festival. The band has found themselves in a supportive and close community with the Welsh music scene, and they have also done a lot to further this scene ‘There’s an incredible pool of talented Welsh bands at the moment and the rock community has embraced us all, but I must say, as far as I can remember there’s always been an incredible scene of Welsh talent.

Why? It’s probably because the Welsh in particular love to get together and have a sing-song, a couple of beers whether it be watching sports, family BBQs, party with friends, or down to the club to watch live music. There’s always music with us Welsh it’s part of our culture and rock music in particular has an incredibly strong hold on us.

During the first UK lockdown, the band came together over video calls to produce a weekly show for fans, they called it CrowCast. CrowCast has reached over 100 episodes, after almost three years of streaming. Although they never expected it to take off as much as it did, it had the opportunity to blossom into a new community for fans alike ‘CrowCast has steamrolled into something bigger than we ever thought possible, the idea was to keep in touch with our fan base throughout the pandemic, little did we know at the time but it was a place where we could all come together without us all being physically together to chat and express how we are all (not just in the band) feeling and experiencing this complete first for our generation with isolation.

’ The CrowCast has brought on some amazing guests including Lucas Woodland and Ruth Jones, this is what Shane has to say about some of his standout guests ‘Favourite guest for me was probably Ruth Jones as she was just so down to earth and truly lovely, but Danny Bowes from Thunder, Ricky Warwick from BSR- live from LA were fantastic, telling stories of how music touched them and has never let go but genuinely every single guest we’ve had on has been wonderful’.

To end the interview, I asked Shane how he would describe the new album in two words and here was his brilliant response ‘HOLY SH*T. The two words I hope everyone will say when

they hear it’.