There is something of a think-tank, symposium or conference feel to Brainchild. It is as if everyone is there to contribute everything creative they have, to make genuine connections and to participate in a melting pot of ideas, music, art, colour and the celebration of life itself. Virtually everything in the festival grounds (which was…
Category: Music
Bulgaria Part II: Meadows in the Mountains
Waking up at about 5am, I quickly and quietly packed up my gear and made for Sofia. I walked off the mountain as the sun rose, a bloody red, baleful eye. Enormous dogs barked and snarled at me from behind their fences and I wielded my walking stick defensively, worrying at the structural integrity of…
Live Review: Nick Mulvey at the Royal Albert Hall
*****ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN THE UPCOMING***** From the beginning, Nick Mulvey’s performance whispered understated skill: the cavernous hall of the Royal Albert Hall (almost totally sold out) juxtaposed his modest setup (four guitars, pedals, drum kit and keyboard rig). Then came Mulvey’s humble and relaxed entry. He just wandered onto the stage. He did this, however,…
Live Review: DMA’s at the O2 Forum Kentish Town
****ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN THE UPCOMING**** In the cavernous hall of the Kentish Town Forum, a huge, eclectic crowd, anticipated the DMA’s with a palpable hype. But this electric atmosphere was belied by a modest stage set-up. There was no jungle of instruments and assorted gear, just the usual suspects. The band’s entry was similarly subdued,…
Interview: Nakhane Touré (musician, writer, actor)
Nakhane Touré is a South African artist who has already made a name for himself with his two music albums and his novel (Piggy Boy Blues, 2016), but has recently entered another realm of work: acting. Starring in the controversial, divisive, but very highly-praised The Wound, Touré plays Xolani, a closeted homosexual factory worker. As…
Live Review: Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall
ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN THE UPCOMING A huge and warm welcome awaited Gregory Porter’s modest entrance to the cavernous Royal Albert Hall, which was all but sold out. Throughout the concert this disparity between the devotion of Porter’s audience and his down-to-earth, unassuming character added extra power to his performance. His voice, as rich and vibrant…
Album Review: Boarding House Reach
Jack White’s new album, Boarding House Reach, begins with about as strong an opening as is possible. Everything screams ‘electro-power ballad’, from the title to the majestic harmonies. Reverberating organ notes fill up the background only to be drawn to the fore in a chromatic-filled solo, which in turn is quickly superseded by a grinding,…
Asheville & The Siamese Sound Club (Part II)
“It makes them wanna stop and I’m confident – I’m always confident – that we play to a level and with enough heart behind it that it does pull people in, you know?” It had definitely drawn me in. The whole time I was sat listening to their music, I had struggled to get my head…
Album Review: Rare Birds – Jonathan Wilson
Rare Birds (released last week on Bella Union), is Jonathan Wilson’s third album, and marks an interesting point in his musical career. What that point is, however, is perhaps harder to define. On the one hand, what made his previous work stand out so much is still present, but on the other it’s possible to…
Asheville & The Siamese Sound Club (Part I)
My cycling route in America took me as far south as Asheville, North Carolina. I came to it from the northeast, and almost doubled back, just further over to the east. Knowing that it was the axis of the trip, that afterwards I would be homeward bound, gave it this magical feel: the turning point….
Faith in the Road 