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Posts Tagged UK

Archive

November 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: The Bootleg Beatles (November 14, Wellington)

The Bootleg Beatles Opera House, Wellington Thursday, November 14 I’ve seen The Bootleg Beatles before – so they’re not the only repeat-offenders. They were very good. And I’m not (often) a fan of tribute acts. But a) it’s The Beatles. And b) this is a very good-natured, well-meaning, deftly executed tribute show. It’s about celebrating […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 1960s, Abbey Road, George, Gig Review, Gig Review: The Bootleg Beatles, Gig Review: The Bootleg Beatles (November 14, History, John, Live Gig, Live Gig Review, November 14, Opera House, Paul, Ringo, The Beatles, The Bootleg Beatles, Thursday, Tribute, Tribute Act, UK, Wellington, Wgtn, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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September 14, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 252

Sid Phillips & His Band, Squeakin’ Shoes/Basin Street Blues [78] (1954) I bought a few 78s just to have – for the look and feel of them. I bought a gramophone a few years later, one of those replica-ones; it worked. Still works. I’ve just given it to my folks to store/display. I’ve run out […]
Posted in Blog, The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged 1954, 78, A-side, B-side, Basin Street Blues, Betty Miller, Big Band, Jazz, LP, Quickstep, Record, Sid Phillips, Sid Phillips & His Band, Simon Phillips, Slow Foxtrot, Squeakin' Shoes, The Vinyl Countdown, The Vinyl Countdown # 252, Toy Story, UK, Vinyl ·

Archive

August 20, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Ezra Collective: You Can’t Steal My Joy 

Ezra Collective  You Can’t Steal My Joy  Enter The Jungle Records  Oh thank fuck for ears! Because, good lord, almost everything is wrong with this record…right up until you listen to it. The band’s name, that album cover, a record called You Can’t Steal My Joy – it’s just as well we don’t judge books (or albums) by their cover (even though a […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Ezra Collective, Instrumental, Jazz, Jorja Smith, London, Loyle Carner, UK, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover, You Can’t Steal My Joy ·

Archive

June 13, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The Specials: Encore

The Specials  Encore UMC (Universal Music Catalog).  The three remaining Specials are here – Terry Hall (vocals), Horace Panter (bass), Lynval Golding (vocals/guitar) – which means this is The Specials. But there were more original members of the band around and present for the reunion of 10+ years ago and all the live albums and bits and pieces that have […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Bonus, Brexit, Deluxe, Encore, England, Horace Panter, Live, Lynval Golding, Saffiyah Khan, Ska, Terry Hall, The Specials, The Specials: Encore, UK, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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May 22, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Brodsky Quartet (May 20, Wgtn)

Brodsky Quartet MFC Monday, May 20 Britain’s long-running Brodsky Quartet (formed in 1972 and still with two original members) are known for their regular touring (including at least four visits to New Zealand) and their crossover pop collaborations (Elvis Costello, Bjork, Paul McCartney) as well as their refined chamber work – including a fondness for the string-quartet […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 2019, Britain, Brodsky, Brodsky Quartet, Cello, Chamber, Chamber Music, Chamber Music New Zealand, Classical, England, Gig, Gig Review, Gig Review: Brodsky Quartet (May 20, Gina McCormack, Ian Belton, Jacqueline Thomas, Live, Live Music, May 21, MFC, Monday, Music, Paul Cassidy, Quartet, Review, UK, Viola, Violin, Wellington, Wgtn, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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May 13, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Luke Wright (May 13, Wgtn)

Luke Wright  Meow; Wellington  Monday, May 13 I call it a “Gig Review” – but it’s a poetry reading. Still, “Gig Review” seems to suit, poetry reading suggests something staid, safe, possibly boring. Not even the chance with one of the UK’s finest modern poetic voices – Luke Wright. Here for writers/readers festivals and Wellington was […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Auckland Readers, Auckland Writers Festival, Christchurch, Gig Review, Gig Review: Luke Wright (May 13, Live Gig, Luke Wright, Meow, Performance Poet, Poem, Poems, Poet, Poetry, Poetry Reading, The Toll, UK, Wellington, Wgtn, Word, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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May 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Luke Wright – Poet: Reading at Meow, Wellington, Monday, May 13, 2019

Verb Wellington is bringing poet Luke Wright to the capital city this coming Monday, May 13. I’ve just recently finished reading Luke Wright’s volume The Toll – and it contains six or seven of the very best poems I’ve ever read. Which is a phenomenal strike-rate. He has aspects of Stewart Lee and Roger McGough to his […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 2019, Festival, LitCrawl, Live, Luke Wright, Luke Wright - Poet: Reading at Meow, May 13, Monday, NZ, Poem, Poems, Poet, Poetry, Poetry Reading, Preview, Readers, Show, Tour, UK, Verb, Wellington, Writers, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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May 2, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 166 – Rob Mayes (Failsafe Records)

Welcome to episode 166 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat.  Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify -follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library. I had a chat with Rob Mayes. He runs a […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged Acast, Anchor, Anchor/FM, Archive, Archivist, Arranger, Authorised, Beat Rhythm Fashion, Bootleg, Chat, Children's Hour, Christchurch, Conversation, Dolphin, ep.166, Episode 166, Episode 166 - Rob Mayes, Failsafe Records, Flying Nun, http://www.failsaferecords.com/, Interview, Japan, Music, Off The Tracks, Podcast, Producer, Record Company, Records, Rob Mayes, Rob Mayes (Failsafe Records), Sound Engineer, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast: Episode 166, Sweetman Podcast: Episode 166 - Rob Mayes (Failsafe Records), Tapes, The Children's Hour, UK, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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March 19, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The 1001 Albums Challenge # 134: Orbital – “Snivilisation”

I could easily have told you that I was quite a big Orbital fan – I enjoyed them. Still do – in theory. But I never play their albums. I knew some singles. I knew some moments, I had a compilation album – I liked some of the clips, I liked when they were featured. I had friends […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1001, 1001 Album, 1001 Albums, 1001 Albums Challenge, 1990s, 1994, 90s, Dance, Electronica, Orbital, Orbital - “Snivilisation”, Snivilisation, The 1001 Albums Challenge, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 134, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 134: Orbital - “Snivilisation”, UK ·

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February 25, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The 1001 Albums Challenge # 128: Stereo MC’s – “Connected”

There’s a wince of nostalgia at the title track and though I know a few more songs on here and by Stereo MC’s this is my first time hearing the Connected album. And I definitely didn’t need to hear this.  It’s a bit like – I imagine – recommending something by Ronny Jordan or The Seahorses or Ocean Colour Scene.  Just dated shit from a time when you had […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1001, 1001 Albums, 1001 Albums To Hear Before You Die, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 1990s, 1992, 90s, Britain, Connected, England, Nineties, Ocean Colour Scene, Ronny Jordan, Stereo MC's, Stereo MC’s - “Connected”, The 1001 Albums Challenge, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 128, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 128: Stereo MC’s - “Connected”, The Seahorses, The Stereo MC's, UK, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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February 13, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The 1001 Albums Challenge # 124: Happy Mondays – “Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches”

 I was just slightly too young to really get into much of the British music from the very late 80s and into the early 90s; there was some, sure. But the whole Second Summer of Love-thing didn’t mean a great deal to me – I liked some music videos I saw on music TV and […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged “Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches”, 1001, 1001 Albums, 1001 Albums Challenge, 1001 Albums To, 1001 Albums To Hear Before You Die, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 1990, 90s, British, Happy Mondays – “Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches”, Nineties, Rave, The 1001 Albums Challenge, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 124, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 124: Happy Mondays – “Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches”, UK, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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February 8, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The 1001 Albums Challenge # 122: The Shamen – “En-Tact”

Barriers of entry. You just need to dive in – mostly. But sometimes it helps if you’re there at the right time. And with anything dance-music related I feel that’s most certainly the case, for the most part anyway. I love a lot of Daft Punk’s music because I hear it always thinking about how I heard […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged # 122, 1001, 1001 Albums, 1001 Albums Challenge, 1001 Albums To, 1001 Albums To Hear Before You Die, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 1990, 1990s, 90s, Daft Punk, Dance, En-Tact, England, KLF, Nineties, Primal Scream, Rave, Scottish, The 1001 Albums Challenge, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 122, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 122: The Shamen - “En-Tact”, The KLF, The Shamen, The Shamen - “En-Tact”, UK ·
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