The Music Note

  Just over a year since the incredible 20th anniversary performance of 1972 , Josh Rouse returned to London to mark the same milestone for its follow up, Nashville . This album has always been my favourite among Rouse’s discography, with my appreciation partly rooted in the fact that, while certain tracks are truly reflective of the album title in their country influence, most of the tracks lean more towards the sophisticated, well-crafted pop that Rouse has become renowned for, with an underlying country influence subtly running throughout. This understated approach to the country genre resulted in a beautifully authentic, yet timeless record that sounds just as fresh now as it did upon its release in 2005. ‘It's the Nighttime’ – Nashville’s opening track, and the one most evident in its country influence, got the gig off to a solid start. ‘Winter in the Hamptons’ followed, with singalong choruses and snappy handclaps that were keenly reciprocated by the crowd. What was immedi...

  The Royal Scammers are a Steely Dan tribute band formed of Jeremy and Paul Stacey, and their 14-piece big band. I only came across these wonderful musicians a few weeks ago when I saw they were playing a six-night run at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club, and managed to snag a last-minute ticket for the final night. As a massive Steely Dan fan who hasn’t seen the band since their last UK show in 2019, and with no upcoming dates on the horizon, I figured a highly regarded tribute band playing at London’s most prestigious jazz club was the next best thing.   Shortly after arriving at Ronnie Scott’s and being led to a front row table (where I was so close to the stage, I was practically touching the keyboard), the Royal Scammers arrived on stage and kicked off the set with a fabulously glossy rendition of ‘Peg’. While the unique vocal tone of Donald Fagen is unmatched, The Royal Scammers lead vocalist Andy Caine showcased a powerful vocal that fully delivered on the far-reaching range r...

While I have been to many Bryan Ferry solo shows over the last decade, I had never seen him play as part of Roxy Music, alongside fellow band members Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera and Paul Thompson. I was therefore ecstatic when, earlier this year, it was announced that the band would be reuniting for an anniversary tour celebrating 50 years since the release of their self-titled debut album. Starting in America last month, the tour concluded last week with a run of shows in the UK (their first since 2011), culminating with a date at London’s O2 arena. Ferry has always incorporated a heavy mix of the Roxy catalogue into his solo shows, and while much of this material has taken on stripped back arrangements and relaxed tempos – perhaps to accommodate his softer vocal delivery in recent years – it was always a treat to hear favourites and unexpected rarities played in intimate venues with solid acoustics. With all this in mind, there was an element of concern mixed in with my excitement ...

Last week I saw Sting play the penultimate date of a six-night residency at the London palladium. The concerts, which had been rescheduled multiple times due to the pandemic, were in support of his 2019 release My Songs – an album featuring reworked versions of Sting’s most popular tracks, both as a solo artist and as part of The Police. Having followed the 2019 setlists for this tour, which mostly mirrored the album’s tracklist, I was initially expecting a similar “greatest hits” style setlist for the London dates. Then last year, Sting released a new studio album titled The Bridge , half of which is now being incorporated into the post-pandemic My Songs tour setlists. Accompanied by Ukrainian cellist Yaroslava Trofimchuk, Sting opened the set with a hauntingly sombre acoustic rendition of his 1985 song ‘Russians’, which has recently been re-released to raise funds for Ukraine charities. His band then joined the stage to launch straight into a blazing ‘Message in a Bottle’, and ...

The last gig I went to was Bryan Ferry’s March 13th 2020 show at the Royal Albert Hall, the second of two dates at the venue. The gigs were Ferry’s final performances on a run of tour dates that would be cancelled due to the pandemic, and more poignantly, the final full-capacity events to take place at the iconic venue – and quite possibly anywhere else – prior to lockdown. The concerts have now been released on a live album with all proceeds being shared between Ferry’s band and crew members in an effort to support them during what has been an extremely challenging time for the live music sector. This live release is a welcome memento of what was my favourite Ferry show in recent years. While the musicianship is always excellent, the setlists in the past few tours had not differed all that much, with each passing tour offering up just a few new song additions among a sea of setlist staples. However, the 2020 shows were hugely refreshing with revitalised setlists that drew largely f...

O2 Arena, London - 13/10/2019 O2 Arena, London - 14/10/2019 Manchester Arena - 18/10/2019 On his latest tour, John Mayer took the unique approach of forgoing a support act in favour of delivering two full headline sets. This is a very exciting concept that more artists seem to be embracing. A gig without an opening act allows the artist more freedom to play what they want, while pleasing fans with a more varied setlist. In Mayer’s case, with no new album to support since 2017’s The Search for Everything , the setlist possibilities were endless, adding a further sense of excitement to this tour. With this in mind, and as a fan of Mayer’s earlier work, I attended all three UK shows with the hope of hearing more rarities from his debut album Room for Squares and its follow-up release, Heavier Things to balance out his more recent material. The first of these shows at the O2 was solid; the overall performance showcased a decent mix of Mayer’s back catalogue, though the rarities ...

I’m pretty much a newcomer to the music of Steven Wilson. Though familiar with a few tracks from his former band Porcupine Tree, it’s only in the past few months that I have begun to explore his solo work, starting with latest release To the Bone and working backwards through his catalogue. I therefore attended Wilson’s recent gig at the Copenhagen Opera House as very much a casual fan looking to expand my ear on more of his music, in addition to hearing how the songs that I was familiar with, would transpire to the beautiful live setting of the Opera House. This gig was one of the final dates in support of To the Bone , an album which, while – as typical of Wilson – is dark lyrically, is not as conceptual as previous releases Hand. Cannot. Erase and The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) . Musically, To the Bone takes a more mainstream pop/rock direction – a perhaps brave departure from the prog rock genre that Wilson is renowned for. The set began with a short fil...

Ticketmaster has recently announced plans to close its two resale sites GetMeIn and Seatwave, in an attempt to combat touts who exploit the sites to sell tickets at inflated prices. The closure of these secondary ticketing sites, which will come into effect from next month, is certainly a positive step forward for music fans, with the added benefit that, in place of the secondary sites, Ticketmaster will be introducing a fan-to-fan exchange platform that will allow tickets to be sold at face value plus 15%, or below. However, it appears that Ticketmaster will still continue to operate its Platinum Tickets scheme, whereby premium seats for live music events are sold directly from the artist via Ticketmaster for amounts considerably higher than face value, which – according to Ticketmaster – provides fans with “fair and safe access to in demand areas at market driven prices”. The concept that fans can have safer access to some of the best seats in a venue, without having to resort t...

With a career spanning 20 years, Josh Rouse is an artist who continues to stylistically evolve with each new release. Originating with the alt country rock of 1998 debut Dressed Up Like Nebraska , his experimental creative approach has formed a catalogue that covers a multitude of genres, notably the 70s inspired pop/soul of 1972 , Spanish influenced El Turista , and the atmospherically cinematic arrangements of Bedroom Classics Vol. 2 , to name but a few. However, Love in the Modern Age – Rouse’s latest offering, may be his bravest transition yet, with an overriding 80s electro sound that is worlds apart from the rootsy, thought provoking, and at times, poetic aspects of previous release, The Embers of Time . Drawing inspiration from bands such as The Blue Nile and Roxy Music, the 80s influence is very much present throughout on Love in the Modern Age , from the keyboard and synth focused arrangement, right down to the Bryan Ferry-esque album artwork. On a side note, the album i...

“We are a little different from what we were a few months ago. But I’ve got to live with that,” Donald Fagen told the audience a few songs in to Steely Dan’s first UK gig in just under a decade. This reference to the recent passing of the band’s co-founder, Walter Becker, was accompanied by a poignantly placed empty mic stand that remained centre stage for the duration of the 90-minute Bluesfest headline set at London’s O2 arena. Despite an understated onstage entrance, perhaps made more evident following The Doobie Brothers’ electric opening set, “The Steely Dan Organisation” – a term Fagen used in acknowledgement to his 12-piece band – kicked off the performance with the rousingly upbeat ‘Bodhisattva’. The irresistible funk groove of ‘Black Cow’ was an early highlight, while ‘Hey Nineteen’, the intro of which is so instantly recognisable, set the crowd momentum soaring. It would have been difficult to top this opening trio of songs, had it not been for Fagen then proceeding to s...

John Mayer’s recent two-night consecutive run at the O2 Arena marked a long-awaited return for the musician, who last performed at this same venue three years ago. Mayer’s current tour is in support of latest album The Search for Everything – a project that was released in two gradual ‘waves’ as four-track EPs, followed by the arrival of the complete album last month. With a keener emphasis on pop and soul, the twelve tracks that comprise The Search for Everything indicate an evident shift from the folk/country sound that has dominated previous releases, Paradise Valley and Born and Raised , though the country influence still lingers in places. The Search for Everything tour is structured in a chapter format, accompanied by scenic onscreen visuals and stage lighting which provided a cinematic quality that was unlike any past Mayer gig I had attended. After opening the first of the O2 gigs with a solid rendition of ‘Heartbreak Warfare’ from 2010’s Battle Studies , Mayer and h...

Bryan Ferry returned to London last week for the first of two nights at the Palladium. The gig was an especially anticipated event in light of 2015’s postponed Royal Albert Hall show, in which a throat infection caused Ferry to cancel the performance just moments before he was due on stage. However, the inevitable disappointment that was experienced by fans as a result of the abrupt cancellation was outweighed by concern, especially following news that the remaining leg of UK tour dates had also been cancelled. Fans were therefore both relieved and thrilled following the announcement that the Albert Hall show would be rescheduled by way of two dates at the equally iconic setting that is the London Palladium. Ferry opened the set with the intensely atmospheric title track from current album Avonmore . This was surprisingly the only song — albeit one of the strongest — from the 2014 record to appear in the set, despite the current tour being in support of this latest release. The ov...

In terms of venues, I have been spoilt by my last two live music events, both of which have taken place in intimate settings with strong acoustics, adding to my overall enjoyment of the gig-going experience. Although Brixton Academy boasts an impressive interior and thriving atmosphere, it is, at times, notable for its muddy sound, an attribute that was present, but didn't detract from the dynamic horns of Brandon Flowers' set opener, 'Dreams Come True' - the first track from latest release, The Desired Effect . Within moments however, any less than clear acoustics seemed to either subside or go unnoticed, as lead single 'Can't Deny My Love' gained full crowd investment and set the standard for a gig that fully embraced Flowers' solo work, while also touching upon a few Killers classics. The release of The Desired Effect makes for a refreshing addition to Flowers' repertoire, and the eclectic feel of the 80's inspired songs were further e...

As part of his most recent UK tour, Josh Rouse came to London's Kings Place last month for a performance in support of latest album, The Embers of Time . This release comes two years after The Happiness Waltz , a record in which themes of growing older and family life, are effectively depicted through Rouse's atmospheric lyrics. The Embers of Time follows in a similar vein with songs like 'JR Worried Blues' ("I've got a stack of bills this high / I've got worries, worries on my mind") and 'Time' ("Early forties, how ya' doing / What's the deal / How am I supposed to look, how am I supposed to feel") touching upon these previously addressed themes. Rouse's music has mellowed considerably since the darker, moodier sound of 1998 debut Dressed Up Like Nebraska , though it is 2005's Nashville that is often regarded as his best work to date. While the soft, folk/pop of The Embers of Time will come as no real surprise to f...

Following the release of latest album Evermotion , Guster returned to London earlier this month for a one-off, intimate gig at Bush Hall. Although the album arrived in the UK only a few days prior to the gig, initial online previews had already indicated a strong transition from 2010's Easy Wonderful , with this latest effort driven towards a more spacious and atmospheric sound - a clear departure from its predecessor. This long-awaited performance marked the band's first London show in nearly a decade, a fact that was no doubt reflected by the anticipation of the thriving crowd, in both the lead-up and all throughout the 90-minute set. The band opened the show with a haunting rendition of 'Ruby Falls', in which the heightened dynamics of the extended outro was enough to rival the studio version that appears on 2006's Ganging Up On The Sun . Acoustic fan favourite 'Do You Love Me' followed, though it was the defining synths and powerful vocals of 'E...

Last week, Bryan Ferry appeared on Later... with Jools Holland to perform 'Loop De Li', the first track to be lifted from upcoming album Avonmore . Though it lacks the immediate impact of previous lead single 'You Can Dance' (from 2010's Olympia ), 'Loop De Li' embodies the classic sound that is reminiscent of Ferry's 1994 album, Mamouna . Subtle beats, smooth sax and timeless vocals culminate to a track that shines further with each listen.    

Eight months after his last UK tour, John Mayer returned to London a few weeks ago, for a one-off date at the O2 Arena. Much like last year's October shows, this gig once again centred around Mayer's 2012  Born And Raised  album, along with current release, Paradise Valley . Upon entering the O2, I was curious as to how this gig would compare to the previous year's strong, but not overly spontaneous set - especially when considering the relatively short space of time that has passed since those last UK shows. Mayer opened the set with 'Queen Of California', followed by the instantly recognisable grooves of 'I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)' - a welcome nod to the Continuum album, refreshingly early on in the performance. These initial songs noticeably got the crowd invested in the music, all the while setting the pace for a gig that touched upon the majority of Mayer's back catalogue, including some much-yearned for early material ...

In my previous post, I raved about the infectiously unique sounds of The Bedroom Hour, and their  Themes EP - an album which I have been listening to non-stop since I first downloaded it from iTunes at the beginning of the year. Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend the band's gig at Paradise - a charming and characteristic venue in Kensal Green. On arrival, I was taken aback by the luxe decor, spacious rooms, and overall thriving atmosphere of the place. This aside, I was primarily there for the live music, and The Bedroom Hour certainly did not disappoint, delivering an eclectic set that featured both material from  Themes  and new tracks from their upcoming album. The band took to the stage at around 8:00pm for a thirty-minute slot, which though brief in length, was more than compensated by the sheer energy and tight musicianship that was evident throughout the impressive seven-track set. Both songs played from Themes - 'Heart Will Haunt' and 'Shadow Bo...