Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Saturday 1 February 2025 Grand Theatre, Leeds **** A superbly sung and acted new production, exploring the plight of refugees Robert Hayward as The Dutchman and Layla Claire as Senta. Photo credit: James Glossop In 2018, Opera North became the first opera company in the UK to be awarded Theatre of Sanctuary status, to recognise …
Continue reading "Wagner The Flying Dutchman – Opera North – Live Review"
2024 was a stunning year for Prog Rock new and old The Cover of Living & Alive by Beatrix Players The Return of Beatrix Players Beatrix Players, led by Ms Amy Birks, made a welcome return to the progressive rock scene in late 2023 with the release of their album Living and Alive. In 2024, …
Thursday 12 December 2024 Bridgewater Hall Manchester ***** The BBC Philharmonic brings Messiaen's extraordinary celebration of faith and nature into vibrant life The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra with soloists (front L to R) Paul Patrick (xylorimba) Tim Williams (glockenspiel) and Steven Osborne (piano) © Chris Payne/BBC The French composer Olivier Messiaen (1908 - 1992) was commissioned …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – From the Canyons to the Stars – Live Review"
Sunday 1 December 2024 The Fiddler’s Elbow, Camden, London An excitingly eclectic mix of prog bands perform to raise funds for an environmental charity On a wet Sunday afternoon in early December, intrepid prog rock fans and supporters travelled from South London to North London... and also from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium - and …
Wednesday 30 October 2024 Westminster Cathedral London ***** A moving and passionate performance of Britten's pacifist masterpiece The Bach Choir perform Britten's 'War Requiem' with The Philharmonia Orchestra at Westminster Cathedral, conducted by David Hill. Image © Andy Paradise "My subject is War, and the pity of War.The Poetry is in the pity...All a poet …
Wednesday 19 June 2024 O2 Apollo Manchester **** Early Pink Floyd imaginatively reinvented Last Wednesday morning, the first tickets went on sale for performances in Manchester by a music legend/national treasure now in his eighties, Sir Paul McCartney. That evening, another musical institution - also in his eighties - Nick Mason, was in town with …
Continue reading "Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets – Live Review"
Tate Modern, London ***** Blog Piece No. 68 (2024): A Music Critic's View of an Art Exhibition A fascinating and moving exhibition reveals the breadth and of depth of Yoko Ono as conceptual artist, activist, musician, artistic and life partner of John Lennon, mother...and her unexpected sense of humour. Half-A-Room 1967 from HALF-A -WIND SHOW, …
Continue reading "Yoko Ono – Music of the Mind – Exhibition"
The latest single from London-based prog rock band, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate is taken from their eighth studio album The Uncertainty Principle due to be released later in 2024. It's called One Word That Means The World (Vasily Arkhipov). The band enjoy a high concept for their songs - their previous album The Light …
The cover of Spine, from which My Blood is Gold is taken. The Danish composer, vocalist and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Amalie Bruun, released her debut album under her own name in 2006. In 2011 she formed the indie pop band Ex Cops, a duo, with Brian Harding. The band split in 2014, and she started …
Continue reading "Off the Beaten Track #6: My Blood is Gold by Myrkur"
Saturday 16 March 2024 Barlaston Village Hall, Stoke-on-Trent ***** Living & Alive thrillingly brought to life Beatrix Players recently reformed after a hiatus during which their lead singer and main songwriter Ms Amy Birks released two solo albums, In Our Souls (2022) and All That I Am and All That I Was (2020). The Players' …