Posts Tagged Review
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June 24, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
When You Have To Work To Love An Album And It’s Worth It
I’m often asked about a time when I changed my mind and/or got it wrong. Here’s an example then I guess. When I first heard Let England Shake by PJ Harvey, I did not like it. I didn’t like it at all. I just did not connect with it. The title song was okay, and I quite liked […]Archive
June 14, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
David Sedaris: Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy-Go-Lucky David Sedaris Little, Brown and Company; First Edition A new David Sedaris book is a treat. If you’re a fan, a convert, you’re generally there for life – keen and waiting. He’s given us plenty already, and been very generous across the last few years with a bit of closet-cleaning resulting in two volumes […]Archive
June 13, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Campfire Tales at The Royal Hotel: Saturday June 11
Campfire Tales Saturday, June 11 The Royal Hotel, Featherston Campfire Tales, part of this year’s Booktown Festival in Featherston, ran across two nights at The Royal Hotel. A brilliant venue and setting for a set of ghostly stories read aloud by actors under candlelight. I went to Saturday’s show – the second performance. I’m told […]Archive
June 12, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Shopping Karts: ‘Til The Wheels Fall Off
I just wanted to mention a brand new album by someone that I think is a very special talent indeed. Well, I have to. He’s my son! Yes. Darling Oscar, 10 years old, has made his first album. He did so with the help of my good friend Sam. Best Man at our wedding, one […]Archive
May 25, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Ricky Gervais: SuperNature
Ricky Gervais: SuperNature Director: Ricky Gervais Netflix I haven’t found Ricky Gervais funny for a lot longer than I ever found him funny, something I explored when I made the wrong move of watching season three of After Life (I had mostly enjoyed the first two seasons, the first especially).Archive
April 24, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Hermione Johnson with Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson (April 21, Wellington)
Hermione Johnson w/ Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson Meow; Wellington Thursday, April 21 Earlier in the week I made sure I bought a ticket to see Hermione Johnson with Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson. Because I knew that if I didn’t book it then and there I’d make any excuse at the end of a […]Archive
January 26, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
The Crude Farce of After Life Season Three
I haven’t always had a problem with Ricky Gervais. I was a big fan of The Office – who wasn’t? I think Extras was possibly better, smarter. And, at the time, I was even into his stand-up comedy specials. Each one arriving with special-club buzz. They haven’t aged well. They weren’t really great at the […]Archive
January 23, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Wellington Comedy Presents – Friday Laughs at The Cavern Club (Friday, January 21, 2022)
Wellington Comedy: Friday Laughs Cavern Club Friday, January 21 Last year I wrote about attending Raw Meat Monday which felt like a way back in to a comedy scene I had never really experienced. My deal with reviewing comedy was mostly internationals, and some Comedy Festival or Fringe shows. Single acts. Usually big names. The […]Archive
December 4, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
RNZ Reviews: December 2021
Once a month or so I have a chat on RNZ on their Afternoons show with Jesse Mulligan. I’ve been doing it for about five years now. Most months. This was my first time in for 2021. For my final session of 2021 I found two albums that featured covers, moving the original songs to solo piano; two […]Archive
November 27, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Stubs: # 287 PJ Harvey, Wellington, 2017
I saw PJ Harvey in 2004, flew to Sydney – went with a couple of my best mates, it was incredible. Shortly after she announced she was retiring from stage-work. Well, she came back after a few years away and then I didn’t go to Auckland and see her again, and sorta wished I had. […]Archive
November 22, 2021 by Simon Sweetman