Posts Tagged British
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April 25, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 411
UB40, Signing Off (1980) My dad played tapes in the car a lot when we were young – UB40 was a big deal. And he had this album – and, later, The Greatest Hits one – (I think that was my brother’s, but the whole family got a kick out of it, sure). I loved […]Archive
March 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
NZ Festival Writers & Readers: A C Grayling – Democracy In Crisis
A C Grayling: Democracy in Crisis Renoulf Foyer, MFC Sunday, March 11 This Writers & Readers session was a straight-up lecture by British author, philosopher, public intellectual A C Grayling. The topic Democracy in Crisis coming from his latest work, Democracy And Its Crisis. He also spoke the previous night, although I missed that on […]Archive
March 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Revisiting Live at Knebworth (1990)
The grounds of Knebworth House have played host to some huge rock concerts over the years. This British venue was where the re-formed Deep Purple first played in 1985. A year later it was where Queen played its final live show (with Freddie Mercury). In 1979 it was the scene for two Led Zeppelin shows, the band’s return to the UK stage after […]Archive
March 5, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: The Staves (March 4, Wgtn)
The Staves The Festival Club Sunday, March 4 British sisters Emily, Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor record and tour as The Staves, this Festival performance was their first Wellington appearance. They’re back in the tent for a second and final showing in the capital this Tuesday, March 6. From heavenly harmonies, and through clever looping of […]Archive
February 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 33: Pentangle – “Basket of Light”
I have listened to a lot of albums by John Renbourn and even more by Bert Jansch but Pentangle – not as much; not so much – mostly left to compilations or standalone tracks… At first, listening to this, I feel it’s one of those dated-sounding things – can’t quite place it anywhere near today […]Archive
November 16, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 471
Rip Rig + Panic, I Am Cold (1982) I first saw them on The Young Ones and it blew my mind, a lot of the music did on that show. But this cut in particular – and though I sought them out, have heard some Rip Rig + Panic (and have heard the album by […]Archive
October 2, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Stubs: # 209 – James Acaster, Wellington, 2016
And if there’s a better act at this year’s Comedy Festival I haven’t seen it. * *Disclaimer: I hate the Comedy Festival and this is the only show I’m attending – that said it was fucking tremendous. That’s how I closed my review of James Acaster last year. No disrespect to him – only disrespect for the […]Archive
September 28, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 492
V/A, That Summer! (1979) 1. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll – Ian Dury 2. Spanish Stroll – Mink DeVille 3. (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea – Elvis Costello 4. She’s So Modern – Boomtown Rats 5. New Life – Zones 6. Another Girl Another Planet – The Only Ones 7. Whole […]Archive
July 23, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 526
Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen, Spirituals Volume 1 (1974) I had heard of this guy – Ken Colyer – but I hadn’t really heard him…a British jazzer who dedicated his life to recreating/representing the fabulous music of New Orleans. His band (his Jazzmen) would also play skiffle pieces in and around the jazz or turn trad-jazz over […]Archive
June 13, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: The Comet Is Coming (June 10, Wgtn)
The Comet Is Coming Opera House, Wellington Saturday , June 10 (8pm) The Comet Is Coming is a British “future jazz” trio comprised of Danalogue the Conqueror (Dan Leavers) on synths, Betamax Killer (Max Hallett) on drums and King Shabaka (Shabaka Hutchings) on saxophone – they were pitched as a highlight of the jazz festival. […]Archive
May 26, 2017 by Simon Sweetman