The one and only time I saw Todd Rundgren live was on the 4th August 1979 supporting Led Zeppelin at what would turn out to be the mighty Zep’s penultimate gig on home soil. Back then I knew nothing about…
View More Todd Rundgren & Utopia – Live At The Electric Ballroom, Milwaukee, 23rd October 1978 / Live At The Old WaldorfMonth: February 2016
The Room / Doris Brendel
The Borderline, London Wednesday 10th February 2016 Into the darkness of The Borderline, following a brief chat with the security staff who had determined that at 5’5” I pose no threat – have they not read my Ninja reviews? Still…
View More The Room / Doris BrendelDreadnaught – Gettin’ Tight With Dreadnaught EP
Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2016, Dreadnaught from New Hampshire in the U.S. (not to be confused with other similarly named bands) are a new one on me. But I’m glad to be catching up! What we have here is…
View More Dreadnaught – Gettin’ Tight With Dreadnaught EPUlver – ATGCLVLSSCAP
Mostly Norwegian sonic explorers Ulver have over the two decades and more of their existence steadily built a reputation for never standing still, of always looking to see where that rugged path over there – yes, that one disappearing into…
View More Ulver – ATGCLVLSSCAPSteven Wilson
An Evening with Steven Wilson Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London Wednesday 27th January 2016 Sometimes we possibly try too hard to make sense of things when in fact what we should probably do is just sit back and enjoy them. Yet…
View More Steven WilsonKarda Estra – Future Sounds EP
It is always a treat to be reviewing anything beamed down from the rarefied world of Karda Estra, and the new(ish) EP Future Sounds is no exception to that rule. Karda Estra, aka Richard Wileman, has followed up their last…
View More Karda Estra – Future Sounds EPJohn Kongos – Kongos (Expanded Edition)
In my youth during the seventies, having discovered music I devoured whatever appealed to me at the time. I remember hearing Tokoloshe Man by John Kongos, liking what I heard and going out and buying the single. Still have it…
View More John Kongos – Kongos (Expanded Edition)Gandalf’s Fist – A Forest of Fey
Now I admit to having a problem with the name of this band, although you can blame that on an association with Julian Clary’s “infamous” joke featuring Norman Lamont. But never mind, it wasn’t even a good joke. Gandalf’s Fist…
View More Gandalf’s Fist – A Forest of FeyRichard Barbieri
Lunchtime Recital and Workshop – St.Paul’s Hall, Huddersfield University Thursday, 28th January 2016 When is a musician a technician and when can a technician be a musician? Richard Barbieri, late of Japan and Porcupine Tree, made a lunchtime appearance at…
View More Richard BarbieriIkarus – Echo
Ikarus are based in Zurich and variously describe themselves as “minimal groove”, “Nordic soundscape”, and “prog jazz”, and they are indeed all of these and more. Chief among the self-penned descriptions on their Facebook page is “EVOCATIVE MUSIC”. The uppercase…
View More Ikarus – Echo