Category: gig review

The Hives - Alexandra Palace - 29 Nov 2025

Review: The Hives – Alexandra Palace, London – 29 Nov 2025

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

Well I never expected that, a thoroughly enjoyable evening with 3 bands (with Spiritual Cramp and  Yard Act as support) all excellent in their own way.  The Hives are pretty new to me, I know a few of their songs but never got any further than that.  They formed in 1993 in Fagersta, Sweden so the band should be used to the coldness of the cow shed that is Ally Pally – it was brass monkeys! Luckily being surrounded by bodies and bopping does warm you up somewhat.  It would appear that the show was a sell-out – so based on the great hall capacily that would be roughly 10k people (not that it felt like it) and not the 2 million Pelle cheekily kept referring to 😊.

Spiritual Cramp opened it up with a killer set of slashing riff garage-rock.  I’m unsure of their image – as they literally don’t have one – given their lead guitarist looked like he was off to studies in his shirt and jumper and their singer Michael Bingham looked like he should be in a 70’s shop window display – they were really dressed very dull.  However, that’s not to distract from the music – they put on an entertaining 30 minute set which gave me enough confidence to go and check them out further.  This was a good introduction for what was to come.

Spiritual Cramp set list

  1. Slick Rick
  2. Go Back Home
  3. Earth to Mike
  4. At My Funeral
  5. Young Offenders
  6. Better Off This Way
  7. Automatic
  8. You got my number
  9. Talkin’ On The Internet
  10. Blowback

Yard Act are an indie band from Leeds and comprise of: James Smith (vocals); Ryan Needham (bass); Jay Russell (drums); and Sam Shipstone (guitars).  James spends most of the time talking the lyrics as opposed to singing them – and boy are there lots of words to get through.  It was hard to pick up on a lot of the lyrics as they were spewed out at ferocious pace but there was plenty of swearing and political/ philosophical references so I’m going to investigate them further.

Their performance was tight and James as the focal point in his loud trousers was both eccentric frantic, in a good way.  Sam reminded me of a Victorian gentleman with his big sideburns and huge moustache, and Ryan looked a tad Trevor Horn 😊.

Yard Act set list

  1. Tall Tales
  2. Dead Horse
  3. Dream Job
  4. Payday
  5. Witness (Can I Get A?)
  6. Petroleum
  7. Dark Days
  8. Thrill of the Chase
  9. We Make Hits
  10. The Overload
  11. New Beginnings
  12. The Trapper’s Pelts

The Hives are a black and white extravaganza of a show, sometimes less is more and this was choreographed to monochrome perfection.  Where to start – the bands suits obviously.  Impeccably dressed all in black, a mix of evening suit meets the rhinestone cowboy.  The detail lines on the sleeves, pockets and shoulders were bright white led lighting and synced perfectly into various patterns e.g. flashing, pockets only etc.  Flash bastards 😊.  In front of the drummer were 3 kick  drums with the words THE one them, and above the band 5 big inflatable balls with HIVES on them – just in case we didn’t know.

The band is:

  • Pelle Almqvist – vocals
  • Niklas Almqvist – lead guitar
  • Vigilante Carlstroem – rhythm guitar
  • Christian Grahn – drums
  • Johan Gustafsson – bass

Thanks to my mate Nick for getting the tickets, he said I’d like them even though I knew very little of them before last night.  Well he was right, I had a smile on my face throughout their set.  They are a fun band to watch – loads of energy and a front man that is par excellence.  At the helm of the chaos is Pelle Almqvist, a consummate frontman charisma overflowing.  Pelle reminded me of Mike Myers and was pretty much as maniacal and funny as him throughout.  Shyness is not in his vocabulary, and he engaged in many monologues between most songs that were very entertaining.  He constantly extolled the virtues of how great the band, himself and the audience were (watch the video links in the set list to get an idea of his banter), smile permanently intact.  Their arrogance is deeply charming and amusing throughout.  Lots of repetitive banter to get the crowd clapping, singing, cheering.  I particularly liked it when the band stopped frozen dead during ‘Paint a Picture’, for about a minute, whilst milking the applause and waiting for more.  My other main takeaway is that Per gobs a lot – there was spit all over the stage and walkway – he must be Sweden’s world champion gobber!

Pelle and Niklas cover every inch of catwalk stage, with Pelle frequently over the barrier and in with the crowd ably supported by their ninja dressed roadies sorting out the extremely long mike cables.

They kicked off with ‘Enough is Enough’ of their new album, which pretty much set the tone for the next 95 minutes of high energy R’nR riffs with no let-up, one crashing song after another.  ‘I Hate to Say I Told You So’ and ‘Tick Tick Boom’ got the crowd to explode into a few mini mosh pits.  ‘Legalize Living’ kept up the momentum for the 1st encore and then they went off script by playing ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ by public demand no less (some ladies in the audience kept showing him a placard with the song title on it) before finishing with a song that defines the group and their faux arrogance totally – “The Hives Forever Forever The Hives”.  For the new songs Pelle smirks “These songs are classics too, you just don’t know it yet”.

The Hives set list (click on links to see the YouTube videos)

  1. Enough Is Enough – (The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, 2025)
  2. Walk Idiot Walk – (Tyrannosaurus Hives, 2004)
  3. Rigor Mortis Radio – (The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, 2023)
  4. Paint a Picture – (The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, 2025)
  5. Main Offender – (Veni Vidi Vicious, 2000)
  6. Born a Rebel – (The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, 2025)
  7. Stick Up – (The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, 2023)
  8. Bogus Operandi – (The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, 2023)
  9. Hate to Say I Told You So – (Veni Vidi Vicious, 2000)
  10. O.C.D.O.D. – (The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, 2025)
  11. I’m Alive – (Live at Third Man Records, 2020)
  12. Here We Go Again – (Barely Legal, 1997)
  13. Countdown to Shutdown – (The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, 2023)
  14. Come On! – (Lex Hives, 2012)
  15. Tick Tick Boom – (The Black and White Album, 2007)

Encore:

  1. Legalize Living – (The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, 2025)
  2. Bigger Hole to Fill – (The Black and White Album, 2007)
  3. Smoke and Mirrors – – (The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, 2023)
  4. The Hives Forever Forever The Hives – (The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, 2025)

So roughly third of set from new LP, and 40% of pre 2020 material – covering most of their output.

At the  end he introduces the band and invents wildly amusing characters for them all.  When he comes to the bass he says “and now for a man that needs no introduction, because I introduced him earlier” 😊 tee hee.

The Hives are infectious, the gig is definitely a wild spectacle, long live The Hives!

Marko [30 Nov 2025]

Graham Nash - More Evenings Of Songs & Stories tour 2025

Review: Graham Nash – London Palladium 19 Oct 2025

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig review4 Comments

Graham Nash has in my world always been part of the CSNY story and I never really paid any attention to his career past the mid 70’s.  However, given his eminent status from the 60/70s and the fact that he is referenced my many musicians I thought it was about time I went and saw him live (before one of us dies 😊).  So checking out the setlist.com web site and seeing the songs he was playing on this tour I must admit I was very much looking forward to it (especially the bit about stories), and he didn’t disappoint.   We got to learn a bit about his history and how some songs were inspired.

The stage was simple (a roadies dream), adorned in candles and carpets, the lighting was calm and soothing.  All were seated and it was nicely setup to be easy on the eye and let the audience concentrate on the harmonious melodies and songwriting of undoubted quality.  This was a musical event and a celebration of songs  and stories that have endured for good reason – they are timeless.

The sound was well mixed – crystal clear which let Graham’s crisp voice and the melodic harmonies excel.  It was also loud enough, when the band went at it full pelt, to ensure a few deaf ears the next day 😊.

The band were Todd Caldwell (keyboards), Adam Minkoff (bass, drums, guitars), and Zach Djanikian (guitars, mandolin, drums).  Adam and Zach are both clearly adept musicians and they constantly switched instruments between songs which allowed them to showcase their skills especially when it came to extended guitar solos – impeccable musicianship and singing harmonies.

Graham introduced most of the songs with a brief anecdote on how the songs emerged e.g. ‘Immigration Man’ was written after he was refused entry back into the USA in 1970 after a CSNY tour.  In fact the introductions were a pretty good summary of his extraordinary career and the famous musicians he has hung around with along the way.

He told a great story of being begged by his then Hollies manager to go and see a kid whose mum was constantly pestering him about her songwriting son.  So Alan Clarke and he went over to the kids house.   It turns out that this 17 year old kid was burgeoning songwriter Graham Gouldman and he played them a few tunes of which they took a couple, and Alan kept asking if he had any better tunes and they finally got their hands on ‘Bus Stop’, which was a massive hit for the Hollies.

We also had lots of stories from Peter Asher, the support act, a man with an equally interesting life story, from which I learnt a lot.  He was entertaining to listen to but the music was simply not for me, old, dull and dreary.  I’d have preferred him just talking TBH.  This is a classic example of someone that should not be on the road at his age, plus the sound mix was as awful as the songs!

For Graham’s set the songs were split roughly two thirds CSN/CSNY and the other third to his solo output.  A wonderful mix of stonewall 1969-1975 classics and excellent solo material. 

Set List (click on the link to see the YouTube video)

  1. Wasted on the Way (Daylight Again, 1982 – CSN song)
  2. Marrakesh Express (Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1969 – CSN song)
  3. Military Madness (Songs for Beginners, 1971)
  4. I Used to Be a King (Songs for Beginners, 1971)
  5. Bus Stop (Bus Stop, 1966 – The Hollies song)
  6. Immigration Man (Graham Nash David Crosby, 1972)
  7. Better Days (Songs for Beginners, 1971)
  8. Love the One You’re With (Stephen Stills, 1970)
  9. Love of Mine (Now, 2013)
  10. To the Last whale… Wind on the Water (Wind on the Water, 1975 – Crosby & Nash)
  11. Just a Song Before I Go (CSN, 1977)
  12. Our House (Déjà Vu, 1970, – CSNY song)
  13. Teach Your Children (Déjà Vu, 1970, – CSNY song)

encore

  1. Find the Cost of Freedom (So Far, 1974 – CSNY song – B-side of Ohio)
  2. Woodstock (Déjà Vu, 1970, – Joni Mitchell song)
  3. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1969)

‘Marrakesh Express’ he revealed was written about a train journey between Casablanca and Marrakesh that he took in 1966 while with The Hollies and to this day it’s one of his most famous songs.  The lyrics made reference to ‘animal carpet wall-to-wall’, ‘coloured cottons’ in the air, referring to the people and sights on the train.

‘Military Madness’ about his father’s experience during WW2 and ‘I Used to Be a King’, the latter written about his relationship with Joni Mitchell.

There was a lot of audience participation with the chorus of Stephen Stills’ ‘Love the One You’re With’ and ‘Our house’ based on a cold morning when Joni Mitchell bought a vase on their way back to their Laurel Canyon home. Upon entering the house, Nash said, “I’ll light the fire; you place the flowers in the vase that you bought today”.

The encore featured ‘Find the Cost of Freedom’, Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock’, and a thundering version of ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’ that took the well-aged audience back in time to CS&N’s heyday.  Some of the song lyrics resonate as much today as when they were first written 50 odd years ago.  That said Nash didn’t need to go political with regard to comments made around current wars and free speech, the former based around the middle east split the audience and there was audible dissent and booing to which he said “we are all entitled to our opinions” – quite right he should have kept his opinions to himself and just sang the bloody songs!!

I’m old but the audience were truly old and this was perhaps their last chance to engage in a nostalgic victory lap from an 83 year old legend in his twilight years.  I’m glad I experienced it, thanks for an entertaining evening – end of the story.

Marko [21 Oct 2025]

PS – Neil Young didn’t even get a mention 🤔

Dr Feelgood - 3 Oct 2025 Hertford Corn Exchange

Review: Dr. Feelgood at Hertford Corn Exchange – 3 October 2025

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

Question: When does a band become a tribute band? Given there are no original members in the current Dr. Feelgood, nor have there been since 1994, it’s a question to ponder.  On the other hand Phil, Kevin and Gordon have been around since 1983 playing alongside the late great Lee Brilleaux.  Conundrum.  You could ask the same question about the band Gong!

Let’s reflect on their lineups below:

Original Members

  • Lee Brilleaux – vocals, harmonica  (1971 – 1994) – rip 1995
  • Wilko Johnson – guitar, piano (1971 – 1977) – rip 2022
  • John B. Sparks – bass (1971 – 1982)
  • John ‘The Big Figure’ Martin – drums (1971 – 1982)

Current members

  • Phil H. Mitchell – bass (1983–1991, 1995–present)
  • Kevin Morris – drums (1983–1994, 1995–present)
  • Gordon Russell – guitars (1983–1989, 2021–present)
  • Robert Kane – vocals, harmonica (1999–present)

So Canvey Islands finest pub rock R&B tradition is being kept alive by it’s current incumbents, and they are doing a mighty fine job to. Robert is a charismatic frontman with quite a few Lee moves in him, and has a wonderful voice that complements sound.  Gordon can sure play guitar and is totally understated as compared to Wilko. The backbeat throb and depth are supplied by Phil and Kevin perfectly and it all adds up to a no-nonsense what you see is what you get sound.

The audience tonight is old!  Yes that’s something coming from an young oldie.  Luckily some youngsters turned up later doing their best Status Quo but there was some bad dad dancing and air guitaring going on throughout.  Luckily a bunch of older ladies moved in and put the groove in to save the day 😊.  It took a while for the audience (250ish?) to get going but when they did the Corn Exchange lit up and Robert looked much happier.  Signature songs like ‘Roxette’, ‘Milk and Alcohol’, ‘Back in the Night’ and ‘Riot in Cell Block No 9’ had everyone bopping and singing along.

The night was not just about reminiscing given they played quite a few tracks of their own post original Feelgood recordings. These songs keep to the original formula and in themselves are pretty good tunes e.g. the celebration of drinking song ‘Gimme One More Shot’ is full of the crowd singalong feel good factor.  Gordon does some stunning guitar solos tonight and a bit of showing off playing the guitar above his head – all in the best possible taste.  That aside you can’t take your eyes off Robert who controls the stage and commands attention with his raw energy.  Not a duff track played all night, perfect.

Set list – Doctors Orders Anniversary Tour 2025 (Click on the links to view the YouTube videos)

  • Take a Tip – (Private Practice, 1978)
  • No Mo Do Yakamo – (A Case of the Shakes, 1980)
  • She Does It Right – (Down By the Jetty, 1975)
  • Mary Ann – (Damn Right!, 2023)
  • I Can Tell – Bo Didley cover
  • Put the Blame on Me – (Damn Right!, 2023)
  • Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do) – Wilson Pickett cover
  • Damn Right I Do – (Damn Right!, 2023)
  • You Don’t Love Me – Willie Cobbs cover
  • Keep it Undercover – (Damn Right!, 2023)
  • Back in the Night – (Malpractice, 1975)
  • Roxette – (Down By the Jetty, 1975)
  • If My Baby Quits Me – (Primo, 1991)
  • Milk and Alcohol – (Private Practice, 1978)
  • See You Later Alligator – (Brilleaux, 1986)
  • Going Back Home – (Malpractice, 1975)
  • Down at the Doctors – Micky Jupp cover, 1978
  • Gimme One More Shot – (Chess Masters, 2000)

Encore

  • Last Call
  • Riot in Cell Block #9 – (The Robins cover)
  • Route 66 – (Bobby Troup cover)

There were 6 cover songs, all good ones, but given the back catalogue I wonder if they shouldn’t have played a few more originals – just a thought?

I think Lee and Wilko would approve, so thank you to the current line-up for passionately keeping the music alive and thus ensuring the Dr. Feelgood legacy remains intact.  Dr. Feelgood are defo worth a punt if you want a good night out at a price that won’t break any wallets.

A shout out to my mate Gareth who after 6 pints declared “what a night, I’ll walk back to the station to sober up before I get home” 😊- hic…

Marko (5 Oct 2025)

Review:  Steve Wickham & Ray Coen; Heathen Apostles; SarahVista – 100 Club [30 July 2025]

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

Blimey little did I know this was going to be an ace night given I’d never heard of the support acts or indeed Ray Coen – but being an ardent Waterboys fan and a lover of the Irish fiddle Steve Wickham was a no brainer. It ended up as a weird and wonderful surprise plus I’ve no got 2 new bands to check out.  Quick summary: Sarah Vista are a mix between a Mexican mariachi band and an Ennio Morricone spaghetti western soundtrack.  Heathen Apostles are Tennessee bluegrass with a gothic country twist aptly named ‘bloodgrass’ by their singer.

The 100 club was say 50% full with tables/chairs set out around the venue, as opposed to just the wings as normal.  A lot of the seats were taken by punters associated with the support acts, and promptly left to go to the bar before Stere and Ray came on.  I found this distasteful and unrespectful given that there was such a cacophony of chatter at the bar that it was hard to hear and concentrate on Steve/Ray’s quiet set for the first 20 mins.  I nearly stood up to tell them to “shut the fuck up!”, but thankfully they left and things improved.

Sarah Vista

The band were a 6 piece led by a blonde cowgirl dressed all in black.  Great C&W look and I liked all the songs I heard, especially the up-tempo ones.  I can imagine them playing a saloon bar, in the old west, waiting for the inevitable shoot out to happen!  Couldn’t really catch the lyrics so I don’t know what the songs were about, but given some of the titles I think death features heavily 😊.  They certainly got my foot stomping and they were very entertaining to watch.

On an unrelated note Alex Cox, the director, has Sarah in his upcoming film ‘Dead Souls’.

Her setlist included these songs:

  • Killing Fever
  • Dead on Arrival
  • Hour of the Gun
  • Lonely are the ..
  • Tall in the Saddle
  • Sugar Colt
  • County Jail
  • Dig Yourself a Hole
  • I Wish You Hell

Heathen Apostles

The Heathen Apostles definitely have a dark western image – hat, hair styles, beards/sideburns – it could easily be 1873 in Tennessee.  To me they looked like a cross between Jason and the Scorchers and Aimish undertakers, and the attractive lead singer was the antithesis of Stevie Nicks..  So after  a bit of investigation it turns out Chopper was with the Cramps for a while – great education 😊.

The band are: Mather Louth (vocals/guitar/ bodhrán); Chopper Franklin (guitar/mandolin);  Thomas Lorioux (Upright Bass), Luis Mascaro (violin). 

Being a small gig the band have to do their own humping – thankfully they don’t have much gear.  Dressed all in black and wearing hats they looked mean and ready to kick ass.  Mather, dressed like the wicked witch of the west, immediately commands attention and her screeching eerie voice blends perfectly with the dark nature of many of their songs, even the up tempo ones.

Obviously I don’t know any of the songs but did manage to video them in action singing Death’s Head a rather wonderful tune. There was plenty gothic foot stomping rhythms that would go down well at any hoedown!  I really enjoyed there set and will check them out for future gigs.

The “fuck Trump” comment was unnecessary – there are way too many people need fucking!

PS – Alex Cox, the director, is using the band’s ‘Careful What You Pray For’ in his upcoming ‘Dead Souls’ film.

Steve Wickham & Ray Coen

And onto the main reason I came, to see Steve Wickham (I’m an ardent Waterboys fan) and love the extra depth of sound that Steve gives to the band with his fiddle. I also loved all the Celtic songs from the ‘Fishermans Blues’ period and hoped I’d get the feeling of being in a small country pub on the west coast of Ireland, drinking Guinness and soaking in the traditional sounds of the area.  Plus a couple of  Waterboys tunes wouldn’t go amiss 😊..  Ray on the other hand I’d never heard of but it turns out he’s a very accomplished guitarist/fiddle player, and singer-songwriter from Sligo. 

Again I’m not familiar with their set list but a few songs I knew such as ‘Fearful Man’, ‘Dunfords Fancy’ and I managed to video The Hare and a seriously slowed down and mellow rendition of  Fisherman’s Blues.

They used the 100 Club PA system which on this occasion simply wasn’t loud enough to drown out the persistent noise from the bar area for the first half of the set.  Steve spoke between songs, either introducing them like ‘Fearful Man’ or just talking about the fact that it rains most of the year in County Sligo where they both live.  Amusing anecdotes that added to the overall beauty of the evening.  Steve played fiddle mostly and some acoustic guitar and Ray provided the rhythm guitar and a few acoustic solos. They are both extremely talented musicians, and I think they quite like playing these little venues – they smiled a lot and gave each other knowing glances.

So a mix of their own solo songs interspersed with some Waterboys tunes for a paltry £25 – what’s not to like.  You simply can’t beat a small gig atmosphere, you can keep your Wembley stadium gigs – this is way better and personal.

Marko [5 Oct 2025] yes a very late post 😊

Spear of Destiny - Janus live review Club 85 Hitchin

Review: Spear of Destiny – Club 85 Hitchin [28 May 2025]

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig review1 Comment

The ‘Janus’ tour is in support of the re-worked recordings from the 1987 & 1988 album’s ‘Outland’ & ‘The Price You Pay’ and 12” B-sides from the time.  Kirk says they didn’t sound anything like he actually wanted them to sound like.  So now he has righted a wrong and on second hearing he was correct in his original conviction.

SOD are, and have been for a while:- Kirk Brandon – Voice/Guitar; Stan Stammers – Bass; Steve Allan Jones – Keyboards; Clive Osbourne – Sax; Phil Martini – Drums; Adrian Portas – Guitars

So another new venue for me – Club 85 in Hitchin above a dodgy boozer.  Don’t let that fool you this 300 capacity venue, which is worryingly fighting closure, is actually pretty neat.  Lighting and acoustics are fine and plenty of good viewing points.  The audience tonight are quite restrained (apart from me when I found out Chelsea equalised and then went on to win the EUFA Conference League final (get back to the music review – Ed)).  I guess the audience were mainly 50+ with a few scattered youngsters around. Each song was greeted with much applause and hollering but no signs of any mini mosh pits as with previous gigs and it didn’t look like a sell out which is criminal for such a legendary band! 

The support was a bloke under the moniker of Scant Regard.  Just him, his guitar, and a wonderful back screen showing clips from old westerns, sci-fi, cartoons etc. all perfectly put together.  Most of the songs were purely music, and some reworkings of classics like Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’ and Donna Summer’s ‘I feel Love’ done absolutely like no one else would do them – bloody great stuff.  It’s amazing what you can do with a guitar and laptop these days!  He’s defo worth a punt if you ever get the chance to see him, a bit psychedelic 60’s surf sounds crossed with spaghetti westerns and electro.  What’s not to like?

Spear of Destiny
Now Kirk certainly has distinctive vocals and the same haircut since 1982 😊, and his band are tight as you like – powerful chords, throbbing bass, and haunting sax fill the room.   I preferred the more lively tracks e.g. ‘Spirits’, ‘Land of Shame’, ‘Radio Radio’ but slow ones like ‘I’m So in Love with You’ and ‘Never Take Me Alive’ are pretty raw and emotional.

Adrian did his usual best Johnny Ramone low slung guitar act, Stan and Phil held done the rhythm section impeccably whilst Clive (in a great Captain Scarlet t-shirt) performed faultlessly when required intermittently on sax and Steve quietly just got on with the synth almost unnoticed.

Set list (click on links to view the videos)

  1. The Jungle – (Janus, 2025)
  2. Land of Shame – (Outland, 1987)
  3. Radio Radio – (The Price You Pay, 1988)
  4. Strangers in Our Town – (Outland, 1987)
  5. Embassy Song – (Janus, 2025)
  6. Outland – (Outland, 1987)
  7. March Or Die – (Janus, 2025)
  8. Spirits – (Janus, 2025)
  9. So in Love With You – (The Price You Pay, 1988)
  10. Tinseltown – (The Price You Pay, 1988)
  11. Jack Straw – (Outland, 1987)
  12. The Price – (The Price You Pay, 1988)
  13. Never Take Me Alive – (Outland, 1987)
  14. Junkman – (The Price You Pay, 1988)
  15. Pumpkin Man – (Outland, 1987)

Encore:

  1. Warleigh Road – (Morning Star, 2003)
  2. Soldier Soldier – (The Price You Pay, 1988)
  3. Liberator – (One Eyed Jacks, 1984)

The opening encore Kirk dedicates to his late band member: Warren “Woz” Wilson. It’s the soulful ballad ‘Warleigh Road’ which builds slowly and has Adrian doing an excellent extended guitar solo. Top tune!

They finish with probably their best known track ‘Liberator’, hands in the air and singalong time.  The most animated the crowd got all night.  Kirk finishes with a few words and then off backstage to recover.

A great night of music from class musicians and Chelsea win the cup – so Kirk would have been well happy!!

Marko [29 May 2025]

Airbag - Live London 2025

Review: Airbag The Dome London – 26 April 2025

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

I can’t quite remember how I discovered Airbag many moons ago but when I did, early on in their career, I said to myself finally the rightful heirs to the Pink Floyd crown. They create sonic, sometimes barren, soundscapes that suddenly bursts into life with a rollicking riff or a Dave Gilmour inspired solo.  File them under Prog Rock!  To confuse matters it turns out there is another Airbag, an Argentine hard rock band whom seem to come to the for on internet searches – it fooled a few of my friends who checked out the wrong band 😊 until I told them to go to AirbagSound.com.

So a quick history lesson, Airbag were formed in Oslo in 2004 by school friends and their current mainstay line-up is Asle Tostrup (vocals/guitar), Bjørn Riis (lead guitars), and Henrik Bergan Fossum (drums).  Live they also have Jørgen Hagen (keyboards) and Anders Hovdan (bass). They have released the following LPs – check them out all mighty fine listens.

  • 2009      Identity (a compilation of previously released EPs)
  • 2011     All Rights Removed
  • 2013     The Greatest Show On Earth
  • 2016     Disconnected
  • 2020     A Day at the Beach
  • 2024     The Century of the Self

So finally after 20 odd years they made it to the UK and I was so looking forward to this evening.  Dressed all in black Airbag took the stage at 8:50 for an atmospheric 80 minute set interspersed with a splattering of songs from all their albums bar ‘Disconnected’.  They start with the pulsating bass drone of ‘Machines and Men’, and it’s repetitive chord sequence before it explodes into life.  They certainly know how to build a layered musical canvass. Excellent throbbing bass from Anders and guitar work from Bjørn.  Next comes ‘Redemption’ with another slow impressive build-up of bass and layered Korg synths.  Asle took a couple of songs to get the mix of his voice right (but more of that later) given it was lost during the loud parts where all instruments were at full tilt.

‘Never Coming Home’ is one of my personal favourites and is one of those songs that always makes the hairs on the back of my arm stand out! Atmospheric keyboard work from Jørgen, a lovely melody and aching guitar licks – plus great lyrics – what’s not to like.  ‘Dysphoria’ slow burns and showcases Asle’s vocals at their best when not fighting the other instruments and Bjørn’s virtuoso guitar work is excellent.  ‘Erase’ is punching bass lines, thumping drums, guitar licks and gripping vocals.

‘Megalomaniac’ commences with its irresistibly haunting repetitive guitar riff and vocals before busting into life with huge riffs and dynamic guitar solo.  All parts of the band working in total harmony – a joy to behold.

Airbag Set List (click on link to see YouTube videos)

  1. Machines and Men – (A Day at the Beach, 2020)
  2. Redemption – (The Greatest Show On Earth, 2013)
  3. Never Coming Home – (All Rights Removed, 2011)
  4. Dysphoria – (The Century of the Self, 2024)
  5. Erase – (The Century of the Self, 2024)
  6. Megalomaniac – (A Day at the Beach, 2020)

Encore:

  • Colours – (Identity, 2009)
  • Homesick I-III – (All Rights Removed, 2011)

The band leave the stage to rapturous applause from a fixated audience.  They are quickly back for an encore of ‘Colours’ and ‘Homesick’ – wow and both these were just fantastic.  Asle strums away on acoustic guitar before the synths and slow guitar kick in and the whole sound just flows slowly through you like a mist – ‘Colours’ is such a beautiful record. 

Airbag - London 2025

So in the end they only played at 80 minute set ☹ – they have such a wonderful rich back catalogue of work and so many classics not played.  I’m sure they could have snuck a couple more songs in?  The final song ‘Homesick’ is an opus epic a beautiful mix of melodic guitar backed by multiple rolling keyboard layers, deep bass and drum rhythms. A dark moody atmospheric piece with scorching guitar licks and evocative melodies that freely roams into ‘Wish You Were Here’ territory.

A couple of low points for me were the lighting and merchandise.  With the correct lighting and backdrop this would have made the gig even more spectacular.  It didn’t detract from the music but certainly didn’t add to it.  But that’s the trouble when you play in a smallish venue and have to use their rig.   Also, the merchandise (or what there was of it) wasn’t very inspiring and lacked imagination.  I’m sure they can come up with far better designs e.g. the ‘Identity’ cover.

The anticipation of a great evening’s music was certainly fulfilled and more.  I loved every minute of the gig and managed a brief chat with Asle and Bjørn as they were clearing up – top blokes!  An all-encompassing immersive experience from start to finish.

Please come back soon chaps 🙏🏻, else I’ll just have to go to Norway or the Netherlands for an away trip!

Marko [27 April 2025]

Goodbye Mr Mackenzie 100 Club gig review

Review: Goodbye Mr Mackenzie at 100 Club – London 4 April 2025

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig review2 Comments

Surprisingly it’s the 1st time the Mackenzies have played the little 100 Club and given there were seven of them there was precious little room to move about.  Martin was especially restricted but he still maintained his usual charismatic leader role.  Alas the venue was probably only two thirds full so loads of punters missed out on an outstanding evening of GMM early 90’s classics from small but ace back catalogue that have, for me, stood the test of time.

The support band ‘She Made Me Do It’ were a trio from London. A new find for me but they have been around since 2015. An Indie guitar driven sound with thumping base made for an entertaining set which kept people engaged throughout. 

As usual when GMM take the stage guitarist Big John Duncan, an MS sufferer, gets an extra special welcome.  He stays seated throughout the set, only to be expected.  He’s an ominous figure given his size and near totally tattooed torso. Love the ‘Punk’ fanzine lettering tattoo on his neck!  It’s even stevens tonight who has the most charisma, Big John or Martin’s enigmatic ominous presence driving his band forward.  Martin, dressed all in black, is the ideal front man, controlling the stage and audience alike.

GMM are:  Lead singer – Martin Metcalfe; lead guitar – Big John Duncan; drums – Derek Kelly; Fin Wilson – Bass; Rona Scobie – Keyboards; Jim Brady – Guitar; Tippi Hedron – backing vocals/guitar.

Goodbye Mr Mackenzie - 100 Club London 4 April 2025 gig review

Ably supported by the rest of the band who were as tight as possible given the limitations of the equipment and sound at the 100 Club. Derek and Fin kept the rhythm section excellently whilst Big John and Jim Brady regularly switched lead and rhythm guitar licks. Rona, stuck at the back in a small space, layered the keyboards over the top given the band the quintessential GMM sound.

Nearly half the set came from 1994’s ‘Five’ album with the powerful slow burners of ‘Jim’s Killer’ and the simple but haunting chords of ‘Naigara’ being the highlights.  The last three songs are absolute belters ‘Goodwill City’, the singalong ‘The Rattler’ and it had to end with ‘Goodbye Mr Mackenzie’.  Bloody great stuff and my personal highlight ‘Blacker Than Black’ what a song. Plenty of loyal followers were there singing along and applauding loudly after each song. They have a small’ish but loyal following and I’m proud to be one of them!

Big John got his moment in the spotlight singing ‘The Way I Walk’.

Set List (Click on links to view the YouTube videos)

  1. Hands Of The Receiver – (Five, 1994)
  2. Open Your Arms – (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags, 1989)
  3. Hard – (Five, 1994)
  4. Love Child – (Hammer and Tongs, 1991)
  5. Yelloueze – (Five, 1994)
  6. The Grip – (Five, 1994)
  7. Jim’s Killer – (Five, 1994)
  8. Blacker Than Black – (Hammer and Tongs, 1991)
  9. His Master’s Voice – (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags, 1989)
  10. Niagara – (Five, 1994)
  11. The Way I Walk – (The Way I Walk EP, 1994)
  12. Normal Boy – (Five, 1994)
  13. Now We Are Married – (Hammer and Tongs, 1991)
  14. Goodwill City – (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags, 1989)
    Encore:
  15. The Rattler – (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags, 1989)
  16. Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie – (Good Deeds and Dirty Rags, 1989)

Simply, a great gig from Goodbye Mr MacKenzie, go watch them if you can, you won’t be disappointed.

So many great songs were omitted tonight e.g. ‘Candlestick Park’, ‘Carlton Hill’, ‘Bold John Barleycorn’, ‘Knockin’ on Joe’, ‘Face To Face’ they could have gone on for a few more songs in my opinion.  Also the merchandise stand was very bland I’m sure they can design better t-shits etc. given the stuff Martin does with Maria Rud.

BIG QUESTION – will there ever be another GMM album Martin?

Marko [7 April 2025]

Review: GBH live at the 100 Club, London, 11 January 2025

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

Before I start the blog I’d like to thank John (their US tour manager) for getting me a backstage pass and to GBH for taking time out to chat with me during the day.  They are a lovely courteous bunch of fun loving Brummies 😊.  So the good news was I got to see the soundcheck for both GBH and their support act Split Dogs who were also golly good fun. And then off to the pub around the corner for a few jars with the band, hear some stories and back in time to watch the Split Dogs set.

The 100 club is still as dingy, divey and sweaty as always, apparently the gents was refurbed a while back but it’s seriously hard to tell!  Both bands used the house back line and basic lighting – well it’s bloody hard shifting gear down those steps at the back of the venue, plus less gear to be stolen 😊.

Support Band – Split Dogs

I’d never heard or Bristol’s Split Dogs before today but my interest was spiked during their soundcheck – they play Rock ‘n Roll with a punk attitude.  I’d describe the sound as Punk meets Status Quo on crack/steroids and as it turns out speaking with Mil after show he’s a massive Quo fan. I spotted more than a few quick Quo inspired riffs during their blistering in your face set.  In Harry they have an all-out in your face front man, she is a fucking force of nature.  Brilliant poses, facially expressive, aggressive, style in abundance – just look at the girl go (you can’t take your eyes off her).  Mil reminds me of a young Brian Setzer – loud guitars, tattoos and a “I don’t give a fuck” attitude. They are ably supported by the bass/drums laying the groove in support of Mil’s manic guitar. 

They seem to have had a few line-up changes but currently Split Dogs are Harry Martinez – vocals, Mil Martinez – guitar, Suez Boyle – bass, Chris – drums.

Split Dogs

This lot are going places – go catch them while they are still raw and eager. If you want to see them in action follow the links below:
Live 100 Club

Soundcheck 1 – 100 Club

Soundcheck 2 – 100 Club

GBH Review

GBH 1st played the 100 Club 44 years ago supporting Discharge.  In the intervening years not much has changed, GBH’s brand of hardcore metal-punk headbangers give you no respite throughout their 75 min set.  Highly charged riff driven powerhouse songs that grab the audience by the proverbial balls.  Those of you that know the 100 Club will know there is a pillar just in front of the stage middle and either side of the pillar small groups developed into mini mosh pits with studded leather clad Mohicans (or baldies) leaping about with gay abandon.  Die hard fanatical fans seeing their hero’s in action.  On numerous occasions the stage was ‘invaded’ by various fans just wanting to either sing or dance or in fact just use the stage as a launch pad for a quick bit of crowd surfing. The local bouncer intervened on a few occasions but towards the end Colin seemed to warm to it and was more than happy for the fans to sing the chorus’s on stage with him or to hand the mic over to the front row to shout the words. 

As always Colin’s lyrics are undecipherable on stage, but that matters not if you know the words anyway.  The band have been at it for so long it’s seamless to watch, a well drilled machine. Colin still looks the part as he battles constantly with the mike stand and generally looks angry throughout – a top front man.  Jock does his thing effortlessly, guitar and man in perfect harmony riff after riff (now that sounds like a good album title 🤔). Scott beats the shit out of the drums all night long as if his life depended on it and the back line interplay with Ross on bass really lays the sonic back beat to Jock’s powerhouse guitar riffs and solo’s.

Set List (click on the link to watch the YouTube videos)

  1. Diplomatic Immunity (City Baby’s Revenge, 1984)
  2. Drugs Party in 526 (City Baby’s Revenge, 1984)
  3. Sick Boy (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  4. Slit Your Own Throat (Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne, 1981)
  5. Am I Dead Yet? (Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne, 1981)
  6. Warpigs
  7. Maniac (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  8. Gunned Down  (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  9. I Am The Hunted (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  10. The Prayer of a Realist (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  11. Heavy Discipline (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  12. Boston Babies (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  13. Bellend Bop (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  14. I Never Asked For Any Of This (Momentum, 2017)
  15. Generals (Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne, 1981)
  16. No Survivors (Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne, 1981)
  17. Fifty What? (Momentum, 2017)
  18. Momentum (Momentum, 2017)
  19. Give Me Fire (City Baby’s Revenge, 1984)
  20. City Baby Attacked by Rats (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  21. City Baby’s Revenge (City Baby’s Revenge, 1984)
  22. Time Bomb (City Baby Attacked by Rats, 1982)
  23. Bomber – [Motorhead cover, 1979]

    Extra gift for you all – ‘Momentum‘ at the soundcheck…

So Birmingham’s GBH are the flag bearers of the 2nd wave of punk rock and probably the most famous of the movement.   They obviously have staying power, three of the originals are still in the band and Scott has been with them since 1994 which says a lot about their camaraderie.  They bond on stage each knowing their place and the interaction is very real.   The vast majority of their set comes from the 1981-84 heyday period with the addition of 3 tracks from 2017’s Momentum (my personal favourite is ‘I Never Asked For Any Of This’) plus an anarchic cover of Motörhead’s classic ‘Bomber’ to finish off their intense set.

GBH are: Colin Abrahall – vocals; ‘Jock’ (Colin Blyth) – guitar; Ross Lomas – bass; Scott Preece – drums.

I for one knew little about GBH before tonight, except for their name and iconic band pictures, especially from the early days.  So I listened to some of their stuff and liked both the old and new so another band in my catalogue to check out more and to watch live again. I really enjoyed watching them live as a newbie but for the diehards this was a massive deal.

In my experience having spent a few hours with the band during soundchecks, in the pub and backstage, they may have a ‘rock ard’ image but they are a wonderfully down to earth, not up their own backsides, set of blokes who still reside around their home turf of Birmingham.  It was a pleasure to meet them and see them in action.  A new fan to their ranks.

Marko [15 Jan 2024]

Live review: The Long Ryders 229 London – [16 Oct 2024]

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

40 years ago The Long Ryders released their 1st LP Native Sons, to critical acclaim, and apparently in the process unwittingly invented ‘Americana’.  I indeed bought said LP and treasure it to this day.  I really can’t remember how they came to my attention (at same time as Green On Red and REM I think) else they may have inexplicably passed me by.   When I saw they were touring and playing the LP in its entirety I just had to go reminisce and be part of rock ‘n’ roll history😊.  As it happens it’s not lost any of its lustre, is still a lovely and relevant piece of work that has stood the test of time.

Having seen them 18 months back I knew what to expect – The Long Ryders are a top live band led by the indomitable barmy Sid Griffin; Greg Sowders wearing a Stetson looking like a retired Texas Ranger and Stephen McCarthy erring on the accountant look.  They are supplemented by Murry Hammond (from the Old 97’s) and a 2nd drummer (not seen that since the Glitter band 😊) plus the occasional horn section.

The Long Ryders are:

  • Sid Griffin – Guitar/vocals
  • Murry Hammond (from the Old 97’s) – Bass/vocals
  • Stephen McCarthy – Guitar/vocals
  • Greg Sowders – Drums

So how to describe them?  60’s psychedelia, Alt.Country, slightly Monkees, Byrdsy – basically lots of twangy guitar riffs.  They come into their own live delivering songs with passion, energy and a sense of fun.

Sid Griffin is a consummate and witty performer – give them what they want!!  His energy levels are  undiminished and in-between songs he’s a funny fucker. The hair is now whiter but it’s still a shaggy sweaty mop from back in the day.

Setlist (Click on links to view YouTube videos)

  1. Gunslinger Man – (Two-Fisted Tales, 1987)
  2. Seasons Change – (September November, 2023)
  3. September November Sometime – (September November, 2023)
  4. Final Wild Son – (Native Sons, 1984)
  5. Still Get By – (Native Sons, 1984)
  6. Ivory Tower – (Native Sons, 1984)
  7. Run Dusty Run – (Native Sons, 1984)
  8. (Sweet) Mental Revenge – (Native Sons, 1984)
  9. Fair Game – (Native Sons, 1984)
  10. Tell It to the Judge on Sunday – (Native Sons, 1984)
  11. Wreck of the 809 – (Native Sons, 1984)
  12. Too Close to the Light – (Native Sons, 1984)
  13. Never Got To Meet The Mom – (Native Sons, 1984)
  14. I Had a Dream – (Native Sons, 1984)
  15. I Want You Bad (NRBQ cover)
  16. State of My Union – (State of Our Union, 1985)
  17. Greenville – (Psychedelic Country Soul, 2019)

Encore:

  1. White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane cover)
  2. Lights of Downtown – (State of Our Union, 1985)
  3. Looking for Lewis and Clark – (State of Our Union, 1985)

The lights dimmed, the near sell-out crowd roared, and the guitars twanged to ‘Gunslinger Man’.  They twanged even more on the Byrdsy ‘September November Sometime’ a quintessential Ryders song and a personal favourite of mine.  Then Sid announces they are playing the whole of ‘Native Sons’ in chronological order – perfect!  So from the off it’s all ass-kicking attitude, on ‘Final Wild Son’

Sid and Stephen regularly took turns for lead vocals and traded guitar solo’s respectfully.  Stephen is more sedate during his solos whereas Sid on the other hand (with trusty Rickenbacker) is in constant motion making machine gun shapes, wailing legs and striking poses.  Hell they all really look like they are enjoying themselves not surprising really given the enthusiastic audience and classic songs like ‘Run Dusty Run’, ‘(Sweet) Mental Revenge’, and ‘Tell It to the Judge on Sunday’ they get to play.

Tools down and off for the briefest of interludes and lots of hollering.  Upon returning Sid says “on a personal level thank you for making so much noise as I’ve a lot of family here tonight, and they weren’t so sure about the career path I took” – tee hee!!  At the start of their dreamy version of Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ (sung by Murray) he says “kids there’s something to be learned here so pay attention”.  They finish off with the rousing audience participation sing-a-long that is ‘Waiting For Lewis and Clark’ the final icing on a class night. Catch them while you can folks, definitely worth the ride.

Morton Valance

The support act were a London band called Morton Valence, whom I’d never heard of but turned out to be a very fine band indeed with some beautifully eerie slow burning country style songs.  The 4 piece were fronted by a beanie wearing singer with acoustic guitar and a lovely Irish lady on keyboards.  Chatting with the band afterwards it turns out they have released quite a few albums already so I’ll have to check them out as they sounded interesting and different.  I felt obliged to buy something as let’s face it any band that gets to mention Hieronymus Bosch in a song has got to have some degree of intellect 😊 and wit. I enjoyed their set, they were engaging.

Marko [18 Oct 2024]

Review:  Black Uhuru – Jazz Café London [24 July 2024]

On By markosgigarchiveIn gig reviewLeave a comment

Black Uhuru were:

  • Derrick ‘Duckie’ Simpson – Vocals
  • Andrew Bees – Lead vocals
  • Elsa Green – backing vocals
  • Supported by some old black session musicians (bass/drums/keyboards/rhythm guitar) and a white dude with tattoos on lead guitar.

Luckily I saw the classic lineup of Black Uhuru in 1982 at Wembley Stadium supporting the Rolling Stones (alas I recall nothing from the day).  These days only Duckie remains as the stalwart holding their formidable legacy together so I was really looking forward to seeing them.

A sweaty night in the small but packed Jazz café in Camden finally saw the return of Black Uhuru (and about bloody time given all the previous cancellations!!).  Duckie and Andrew are a total contrast. Duckie barely moves, totally laid back, and just adds the odd bit of singing when required until he takes over lead vocals towards the end of the gig and even then barely breaks into a sweat.  Andrew on the other hand is a dynamic live wire, doing all the reggae moves and engaging the audience in singalongs.  He certainly has stage presence!  The rest of the band basically blend into the background (most with their dreads hidden in their tams), doing their job with minimum fuss.  They are a solid unit – pulsing repetitive hypnotic bass/drum really driving the beat for the whole evening.

Duckie’s performance was pretty much that of an interested bystander watching and conducting his band.  There were a number of occasions when Andrew had to restart a song, band obviously out of step, so they hadn’t had sufficient time to practice for this gig?  Not that this bothered the mixed crowd who danced and sang along enveloped in the rhythmic sound.

Set List (Click on the links to see the YouTube videos)
These are the songs I remember:

  1. I Love King Selassie – (Live, 1984)
  2. What Is Life? – (Anthem, 1984)
  3. Shine Eye Gal – (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1983)
  4. Plastic Smile – (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1983)
  5. Black Uhuru Anthem – (Anthem, 1984)
  6. As The World Turns – (As The World Turns, 2018)
  7. Spectrum – (Strongg, 1994)
  8. General Penitentiary – (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1983)
  9. Sponji Reggae – (Red, 1981)

Encore

  1. Solidarity – (Anthem, 1984)
  2. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner – (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1983)
  3. Happiness – (Sinsemilla, 1980)
  4. Sinsemilla – (Sinsemilla, 1980)

The nearly 2 hour set was sprinkled with classic hits from their 80’s heyday and newer tracks from their last LP.  Some tracks were elongated into a rhythmic jam with the groove simply moving your body to the beat.  The diverse audience of young/old black/white is a testament to Black Uhuru’s enduring reggae greats legacy.  The band and audience connected on many levels (umm is that dope I smell?), there is a timeless appeal to their music.

All in all it was a night to celebrate Black Uhuru as true ambassadors of ‘proper’ reggae. Thank you Duckie for keeping the fire burning!

Marko [29 July 2024]