'A richly detailed yet accessible guide to one of prog's most distinctive and creative minds' The book is available now from Burning Shed, Amazon and other online bookshops
Prog Magazine’s Review of my New Book on the Music of Steven Wilson
English National Opera – Angel’s Bone – Live Review
Friday 16 October 2026 London Coliseum ★★★★ Superbly sung and staged, the London premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera is visceral and thought-provoking The Cast of ENO's Angel's Bone London Coliseum © Nirah-Sanghani ‘It’s visceral,’ said a friend who saw the Manchester production of Angel’s Bone in May, before it transferred to the London Coliseum …
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Manchester Collective x Sidiki Demb̩l̩: Constellations РLive Review
Friday 9 October 2026 RNCM, Manchester A joyful and exhilarating meeting of cultures ★★★★★ Last Friday’s concert by Manchester Collective and the Sidiki Dembélé Ensemble brought together two cultures: British classical music and traditional West African music. Born in Abobo, near Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Sidiki Dembélé is a percussionist and composer. Rakhi Singh, the Collective’s …
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The Hallé – Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 – Live Review
Thursday 8 October 2026 The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ★★★★★ The Hallé continues its magnificent season with the debut of conductor Nodoka Okisawa in two 20th-century Russian masterpieces The Hallé Orchestra and Pavel Kolesnikov It’s a great time to be living in Manchester, not just because of the consistently lovely weather (!), but also because of …
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A Celebration of Syd Barrett – Live Review
Saturday 10 October 2026 Corn Exchange, Cambridge A superb line-up celebrates the music of Syd Barrett, who would have been 80 this year, on World Mental Health Day I once boasted to a much younger work colleague that I had seen Pink Floyd in their original line-up. She said, ‘Wow, with Syd Barrett?’ I replied, …
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A Celebration of Syd Barrett – Live at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge – Setlist
Saturday 10 October 2026 All songs by Syd Barrett and/or Pink Floyd, except where marked Pünk Flöyd BikeThe ScarecrowSee Emily PlayWined and DinedArnold LayneInterstellar OverdriveGigolo AuntJugband BluesThe GnomeBaby LemonadeDark Globe Radhika Theme from R.A.D.H.I.K.A. (Radhika)Starry Eyes (Radhika)Feline Bandits (Radhika)Matilda MotherCocoa Butter Eyes (Radhika)Since Yesterday (Strawberry Switchblade)Interstellar Overdrive Diana Silveira & The Psychedelic CircusNo Man’s LandOctopusShine On You …
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The Sixteen: Angel of Peace – Live Review
Tuesday 29 September 2026 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester The Sixteen bring peace and stillness to the opening concert of the Bridgewater Hall's 30th International Concert Series ★★★★ The Sixteen and conductor Harry Christophers. Credit: Johnny Millar/The Bridgewater Hall Harry Christophers and his chamber choir The Sixteen first performed at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall in February 1998, eighteen …
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Hall̩ Orchestra Opening Night: Built for the Hall̩ РLive Review
Thursday 23 September 2026 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ★★★★★ Celebrating 30 years of The Bridgewater Hall with the world premiere of a stunning new symphony by Sir James MacMillan Sir James MacMillan, Kahchun Wong and members of The Hallé. Credit: Alex Burns, The Hallé On Wednesday 11 September 1996, the Bridgewater Hall opened its doors for …
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BBC Philharmonic Orchestra: Sibelius Symphony No. 5 – Live Review
Saturday 19 September 2026 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ★ ★★ ★ ★ The Orchestra opens its new season with a stunning homage to nature, and a new piece by Gabriella Smith with a strong ecological theme BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John StorgÃ¥rds, conductor © Chris Payne Saturday evening’s opening concert of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra's new season, …
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Colin Edwin and John Wesley’s Voyage 35 present the music of early Porcupine Tree – Live Review
Thursday 17 September 2026 The Ritz, Manchester ★★★★★ Voyage 35 take us on a joyful trip to the outer reaches of the Porcupine Tree catalogue Colin Edwin and John Wesley. Image courtesy of Steve Livesley In an interview with Nick Holmes Music in August, bass player Colin Edwin explained how Voyage 35, his newly-formed band …