Live Music + Gig Reviews

Venini @ Reading Festival, Reading

by Michael Hubbard

Silt, who had all but caused a riot at midday in the Carling Premier Tent at the Carling Premier Weekend while drinking Carling Premier, finally finished some 30 minutes late. Suddenly, rent-a-mob vanished and a…


Black Box Recorder @ Union Chapel, London

by Michael Hubbard
I first heard of Black Box Recorder because of The Auteurs, and I suppose I’m not alone. That band’s front man, Luke Haines, co-wrote all but one track of Black Box Recorder’s debut album England...
Black Box Recorder @ Union Chapel, London

Venini @ Barfly, London

by Michael Hubbard
If anyone should be under the impression that Venini‘s following would include a sizeable portion of Pulp fans, all excited about seeing ex-Pulp guitarist and fiddler Russell Senior then they’d be…. right. While this band...
Venini @ Barfly, London

a1 @ Astoria, London

by Michael Hubbard
They’re a boy band with a search-engine-friendly name, they’re from the same musical stable as Steps.As I write, they’ve just released one of the most catchy mass-market toons in ages as their debut single.Tonight, a1...
a1 @ Astoria, London

Liz Horsman @ Players Theatre, London

by Michael Hubbard
She’s signed to the same record label as Blur, she’s gorgeously vampy in her mannerisms and she poses in absolutely the most theatrical fashion imaginable, dahhling, in this, a London theatre. These are merely the...
Liz Horsman @ Players Theatre, London

Brian @ Rough Trade Shop, London

by Michael Hubbard
It is a beautiful day. Although we’re into late afternoon the sun still smiles on all and sundry assembled on Portobello Road. Sunglasses, vests, t-shirts and bottles of beer, consumed of course al fresco, are...
Brian @ Rough Trade Shop, London

Huun Huur Tu @ Royal Festival Hall, London

by Michael Hubbard
I first heard Huun Huur Tu way back in 1996 when my flatmate, an ex-gamekeeper, swordmaster, buddhist, eater of seaweed and political activist, parked himself in a corner of my room, threw a CD at...
Huun Huur Tu @ Royal Festival Hall, London

Brian @ Complex, London

by Michael Hubbard
Brian. Well, why not? As bands’ names go, there’s been a James. Maybe there’ll be a Dave or a Trevor. This band’s name, as was undoubtedly intended, tells much about front man Ken Sweeney’s approach...
Brian @ Complex, London