Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Semkina's haunting and eclectic second solo album ***** Singer songwriter Marjana Semkina is a member of the prog rock group iamthemorning with her Russian-born compatriot the pianist Gleb Kolyadin, both of whom are now resident in the UK. The duo have released several records, the most recent being The Bell (2019) and the EP Counting …
Garsington Opera, Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Albert Hall, London Tuesday 10 September 2024 ***** A dream cast and orchestra bring comedy, conflict and magic to Britten's Dream Benjamin Britten's work is often performed at the Proms - The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra has been performed 44 times, there have been 31 performances of Four …
Continue reading "Prom 68: Britten – A Midsummer Night’s Dream"
Sunday 2 June 2024 The Stoller Hall, Manchester ***** A joyous and moving performance of Bach's masterpiece Three hundred years ago, JS Bach took up a post in Leipzig where his St John Passion was first performed on 7 April 1724. On the three hundredth anniversary of the first performance, the BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Chamber …
Continue reading "Yale Schola Cantorum and Juilliard415 – Live Review"
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' …
Wilson's most eclectic album to date is 'cinema for the ears' ***** Steven Wilson has often said he would like to write a film score. He even wrote a screenplay with the film maker Mike Bennion, and they tried for a while to get the film made. When it became clear this probably wouldn't happen, …
Continue reading "The Harmony Codex by Steven Wilson – Album Review"
If Steven Wilson had written a song called December Skies in the early years of his band Porcupine Tree it would have been a dreamy, spacey extended jam with poetic, earnestly abstract lyrics. For later Porcupine Tree it would have been an angst-ridden, prog-metal song, probably featuring lyrics about disaffected teenagers or a serial killer. …
Continue reading "Off the Beaten Track Christmas Special: December Skies by Steven Wilson"
Thursday 29 June 2023 Castlefield Bowl, Manchester **** You wait 12 years for a Train... then two come at once For 12 years between their gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London in October 2010 and their next London gig at Wembley Arena in November 2022 it appeared that Porcupine Tree would never play …
Continue reading "Porcupine Tree – Live Review (Manchester)"
Friday 18 November 2022 Eventim Apollo, London **** Swedish prog metal band celebrate three decades of music with audience choices A work colleague was bemused when I told her I was going to London on Friday to see a prog metal band, 'didn't you do that last week?' she said. I explained that I had …
Thursday 3 June 2022 Manchester Academy Radiohead members bring new band The Smile to Manchester ***** Last time Radiohead played in Manchester was five years ago, when the Manchester Bombing forced the Arena to close and the gig was moved to Old Trafford Cricket Ground. It was an emotional evening, with the crowd singing Karma …
The Apollo, Manchester Saturday 27 November 2021 Classic Pink Floyd songs brought to life with an Australian twist **** The last time Pink Floyd played an indoor concert venue in Manchester was nearly 50 years ago at the Palace Theatre on 10 December 1974. It seems unlikely that the three surviving members will ever play …
Continue reading "The Australian Pink Floyd Show – Live Review"