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These chaps (featuring James from The Popdogs) are going to at International Pop Overthrow Liverpool later this month.
Thursday, 15th May
The Cavern Pub - 7:15pm,
The Cavern Club (Front Stage) - 9:15pm
and they will be giving away copies of this debut CD single.

Band-
James Styring - lead vocal
Martin J. Brown - lead guitar, backing vocal
George Duffy - rhythm guitar, backing vocal
Neil Leak - bass guitar
John Dowd - drums

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Rick Wakeman Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Royal Albert Hall 30th April 2014

After an anxious wait for the tickets to arrive and the announcement of a tube strike over the day of the gig, I was beginning to fret that a disaster of an evening could be looming. However, the tickets arrived just before I needed to leave home for the week and my gig buddy for this adventure, Paul, booked a parking space and drove us from Milton Keynes into the big bad smoke and back again. Anxiety suitably subdued all that was left was to enjoy the gig.

I genuinely don't seem able to find the words to convey how much I enjoyed the show. Starting quietly with hat tips to those key players at the beginning of his opus, Rick treated the audience to an excellent choral version of Morning Has Broken, a version of Life On Mars? with vocals by Hayley Sanderson and a splendid rendition of Summertime by Ashley Holt. Rounding off this short  introductory section was a breathtaking Eleanor Rigby in the style of Prokofiev. I have heard this before but that night it just seemed that much better than before, leaving us eager for more after the interval.

After a quick dash to the merch table and an ice cream for Paul, we were settled in for the second half. As the orchestra finished their preparations Paul pointed out that he could see Rick in the wings complete with cape. I confess than I may have appeared to be far too excited by this, but in my defense this was the first time I had experienced a cape at a Rick gig. It was a spendid, shiny cape of silver and gold. 

Phillip Franks took on the role of narrator, sat on a throne by the huge organ in the hall, and the Journey began. I was pretty much lost in the show from then onwards. The sound in the hall was brilliant. It looked like everyone on the stage was having a ball, especially Rick who had a huge grin on his face most of the time. I'm going to admit to fnding the Dance of a Thousand Lights (transplanted into Journey from Return)  especially beautiful and moving.  Two screens had a images of caves and water for as and when appropriate in the story and the audience, thankfully, treated it as a classical piece and saved their applause for the very end of the story, and were on their feet immediately for a well deserved ovation.

The encore consisted of a bit of Return To The Centre of the Earth and a repeat of the whole end of Journey, this time with solos from members of the English Rock Ensemble, leading to Rick having a quick wander around the orchestra and choir with his keytar.

The final bow saw another ovation and then with a wave from the protagonists it was all over and time to gather ourselves together and head back to the car. 

Recently, friends have been discussing their top concert experiences, this one is right up in the top five of mine, without hestitation. 

I can't wait to do it all again at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on the 9th May.

My RAH photos

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Kiss Movie Poster

This is released later this year. My friend Keith has been helping with it. 

Status Quo - Manchester Apollo 5th April 2014

So this was going to be it. My last Frantic Four Reunion gig. I only got to two last year and two this year, but I wouldn't have missed them for the world. This was the Quo on my beloved video boxset, not the Quo on Saturday Superstore etc... Don't get me wrong, I love them both, I just love the original line-up that much more.

I haven't stood at the Apollo for several years. The room was hot and crowded and as with Hammersmith once the support went off (Toseland) it was easier to go and find a spec. I'm little and was grateful for the sloping floor. It was a smaller venue so even though I was probably as far from the back as I was in Hammersmith I was closer to the stage (though not really very close at.)

Did I mention the heat? I thought I was going to have a panic attack before they came on, but once I was settled and in my little bubble for the gig I was fine. Quick bit of praise for the staff inside the venue, my gig buddy felt faint with the heat and dehydration and when he went to the back to cool down the security people got a St John Ambulance person to check on him and give him some water.

The set ran along the same lines as every show. I think there's been the occasional switching of the order but no different songs. They are definitely tighter this time around. I had a small gripe about the sound though. Rick's vocals were lost in the mix a bit from where I was standing, making the songs on which he sings lead less powerful than in previous shows.  That said Big Fat Mama will always be a highlight for me, poor sound on the mic or not.

I would have thought that the inclusion of Caroline would have been met with rapturous enthusiasm at it seemed to be the song people missed the most last year, however, as well received as it was Down Down always seems to steal the popularity crown. I was stood underneath the balcony and could see it moving!

I left the venue just before the final notes of Bye Bye Johnny...somehow it makes it feel like it's never-ending.

Full unedited photos here.
Cropped and edited highlights here.

Status Quo - Hammersmith 28th March 2014

I loved seeing the original Frantic Four Quo line up last year, so when the opportunity arose for one last chance I felt I had to go again. (and again, I'll be at one of the Manchester gigs too.)

Forget all the jokes about only knowing three chords and churning out the same songs, this was all out rock and roll. It's a very different show to those with the current line-up. It's not polished, it's just four guys ploughing through the classics. (Not that I personally mind the current line-up either, if it's a Quo show I know I'm going to have a good time)

Setlist wise it was mostly the same songs as last time, with a small running order change, an additional seque into Gotta Go Home from Forty-Five Hundred Times and an encore opener that was guaranteed to please the crowd!

We were catching up with old friends before the gig but we did manage to catch three Dr Feelgood tunes from Wilko Johnson who was the support act. I couldn't actually see him as we shoe horned ourselves in at the back. When people moved to the bar in the break we managed to get a better spec.

This time around we were surrounded by slightly rambunctious concert goers, they were having fun at least, but there was a bit too much conversation going on while the band were playing. I tuned them out mostly and concentrated on trying to see as I was a bit shorter than most of the audience.

Sounding even tighter than last year, Quo didn't disappoint.  A couple of songs had slightly different arrangements but all were powered home by the dynamics of the band. There wasn't loads of between song chat from the stage, and I'll be honest what there was I couldn't hear very well. I think Francis explained he had a sore leg due to playing football with Alan and he was bandaged up a bit tight.

The venue was hot and sweaty, as was both the audience and the band so bursting out into the chill of the night air shorty after the last notes of Bye Bye Johnny had rung out was a bit of a shock to the system making it a relief when the tube wasn't crowded and we could have a sit down. And the journey back to Milton Keynes was less of a nightmare than last time too. It wouldn't have matter too much though, it was a great night and I'm going to be feeling a little bit sad at the Manchester gig knowing that it's unlikely that I'll get to see this line-up again.

Cropped and edited photo set here.
Full unedited photo set here

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Photos - Ultimate Rhythm and Blues 50th Anniversary Tour Liverpool Empire 1st March 2014.

Dave Berry

Maggie Bell

Animals & Friends

Animals & Friends

The Yardbirds

The Yardbirds

The Yardbirds

The Zombies

The Zombies

To see the full set of photos click here. 

Bastille - Manchester Apollo 28th February 2014.

I was thrilled to take my young niece to her first ever concert last week. She's a huge fan of the band Bastille and when it was announced they were playing in Manchester her Uncle made her day by buying tickets.

I think the night was a success even before we had entered the venue. Whilst queueing to get in we were stopped by a security man as a taxi pulled up near the stage door. The reason we were asked to wait was so that Dan and Woody from the band could get from the cab to the door. VJ was simply gobsmacked as they walked passed. It certainly made the evening even more memorable and special. Once inside and settled in a corner by the bar she spent sometime ringing her friends to say what had happened. This did mean missing the support acts, but it wasn't too long before we were taking our seats in the circle.


The show was great. The band were joined by a string quartet on stage and the sound was mixed really well. It surprised me how little my ears were ringing when we left to be honest. Loud enough without being over powering.  I was impressed with the on stage harmonies and it really felt like it was all about the music. The band were backlit, no spotlights. I can't fault the performance at all, everything was spot on and the audience lapped up every single second of it.  It was a very mixed audience, I had expected to be the oldest person there but the age range was pretty widespread.


The setlist featured one brand new song, plenty of strong favourites and the whole show was very well balanced out building up to an encore that started with my favourite of their songs and culminated in their biggest hit, Pompeii. We had danced, we had listened, we had sung along and then it was out into the night to a waiting Grandpa who was picking us up.

VJ loved it from start to finish and is still flying high on the experience, I couldn't be happier that her first concert was so brilliant for her. I really enjoyed it too, I wonder if she'll let me go along next time they tour. ;-)

Edited Photo Set

Unedited Photo Set.