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PLAYING OUT LOUD!
REVIEWS
Gig Reviews -
CD Reviews
Gig Reviews
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The Human League, Southampton Guildhall
- 12/12/04.
 Often
when listening to the radio we are reminded of a certain time in our lives - a
song that can bring back happy memories and set off a bout of nostalgia. That’s
what happened to me at the Guildhall - | was taken back 20 years to my teenage
dancing days.
Phil Oakley, Joanne Catherall and Susan Anne Sulley, better known as the Human
League, started the evening with Mirror Man. They were in fine voice and
immediately got everyone singing along. I had forgotten how many great songs
they had made - Tell Me When, The Lebanon, Human, Love Action and Sound of the
Crowd reminded me and the crowd just how good they were, and if anything they
sounded even better than in their 80s heyday, helped by perfect sound.
 As
the concert continued, the venue exploded with applause when the first few bars
of Fascination were played. It was as if time had stood still, and I could
imagine myself back in my stilettos, boogying as if hearing it for the first
time Just about everyone was singing to the following Don’t You Want Me? Then
came Circles of Death, Electric Dreams and the closing Things That Dream.
A packed hall of devoted Human League fans included Phil’s parents and some very
committed fans from the Isle of Wight, plus others who were following the band
throughout the whole tour. Easy to see just why they have such devoted fans -
the show was a perfect combination of nostalgia and entertainment.
Review by & Photo copyright Claire Edwards.
Roy Wood’s Army, The Brook, Southampton
- 8/12/04.
 Another
debut at The Brook, and another great night as rock legend Roy and his
twelve-piece band crowded the stage. A non-stop barrage of hits got underway
with an extended version of California Man with Roy wielding his guitar dressed
in some kind of army greatcoat. With a six-piece brass section fronted by three
girls - two trombonists and a saxophonist - with two more trumpeters and another
sax player squeezed into the corner behind them, the sound was full and
perfectly balanced. Roy was in good vocal form, too, despite suffering from a
sore throat, as he proceeded with Ball Park Incident and Fire Brigade and a
couple of more recent songs, the soulful House of Love and the rocking Kiss Me
Goodnight, Boadicea.
A feature of the second half was a quick burst on the bagpipes by Roy during one
number, and the continuing efforts of the brass girls to handle both backing
vocals and their instrumental parts. The hits kept coming with Angel Fingers,
Flowers In The Rain, and I Can Hear The Grass Grow interspersed with a drum solo
on the instrumental Roy’s Revenge and backing vocalists the Naylor twins singing
Rescue Me to give Roy’s throat a rest. There was a change of pace with Big Girls
Blues before Are You Ready To Rock gave each brass player a chance to
demonstrate their solo skills. Then it was hits all the way with See My Baby
Jive, Blackberry Way and the inevitable closer I Wish It Could Be Christmas
Every Day with the crowd singing along. A great evening’s entertainment, and
another contender for gig of the year at The Brook.
Review by & Photo copyright Claire Edwards.
Eric Bibb & Friends, The Brook,
Southampton - 5/12/04.
 The
warm ambience of The Brook proved the perfect place for revered bluesman Eric
Bibb to end his national tour. And there was certainly an end-of-tour feel to
this sublime gig with a joyous atmosphere in the crowded venue. After singing In
My Own Time solo, Eric introduced singer Ruthie Foster, who with percussionist
Cyd, sang a batch of soulful songs including Sam Cooke’s You Send Me. The crowd
took to her powerful voice and comfortable stage presence immediately. They also
gave a warm welcome to the extremely talented guitarist and singer Martin
Simpson whose devastating slide style and intense vocals had the crowd whooping.
Meanwhile Eric sat at the edge of the stage beaming beatifically.
The second half began with solo versions of Stagger Lee and crowd favourite
Shingle By Shingle before Ruthie and Martin joined Eric on Needing Time. Exit
Ruthie, leaving Eric and Martin to blend their guitar styles on Guy Clark’ s The
Cape and Goin’ Down Slow. Another friend, bassist Alex Yeoman joined the duo
before a rousing Right On Time and Dance Me To The End of Love, with Ruthie
returning for the nearest thing to a pop song in Eric’s set list, Lovin’ In My
Baby’s Eyes. Nobody wanted this soulful spellbinder to end, with several encores
following the official showstopper Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down.
No chance of that with Eric and friends around – a great gig.
Photo copyright of
Keith Curtis
CD Reviews
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STEELEYE SPAN. WINTER.
 PARK
RECORDS. PRKCD74. Running time: 59:07
If you’re looking for a late Christmas present for someone who likes both
traditional folk music and rock, look no further. A varied mix of seasonal songs
featuring the very listenable voice of Maddy Pryor and some great musicians
including Rick Kemp, Ken Nicol and Peter Knight. Some of the treatments, notably
on the carols The First Nowell
(sic), Hark The Herald Angels Sing and Good King Wenceslas, might upset the
purists out there as they are accelerated versions with a strong beat, but many
of the other traditional songs are treated in a much more folky style. And every
songs tells a story, with some helpful sleeve notes offering enlightenment.
Despite the seasonal theme, there’s a good deal of variation in mood and pace
between songs like Down in Forest, Chanticleer and Mistletoe Bough, a touch of
acapella on Bright Morning Star and an evocative instrumental, Winter. And the
album closes with an excellent version of the haunting In The Bleak Midwinter.
Overall, a very well produced album to celebrate Christmas the traditional way.
JOHN OTWAY. OT-AIR.
 OTCD201.
Running time: 40:40
Produced by Hampshire record producer Barry Upton, this collection of brand new
material by one of pop’s greatest eccentrics is a triumph. Inventive, both
musically and lyrically, humorous, varied and full of great lyrics, it fairly
rolls along. Mr Otway has countless admirers but rarely ventures into the
recording studio, preferring to immerse himself in live performance. But perhaps
the fact that Barry Upton took him back into the charts with Bunsen Burner
enticed him back in. That and the fact that when John makes his world tour in
2006, taking his fans with him, he’s going to need a product to sell.
And what a product! Twelve tracks take off with Ot-Air and Lasers of Love and
there ‘s a cornucopia of muscal styles here from crafted pop to ballads to rock
and funk. There’s a touch of Ian Dury on The Blockheads on several tracks,
notably The Dream Makers, where the late lamented gets a credit (“stealing bits
from Ian Dury”) on a track which seems to be a pastiche of Reasons To Be
Cheerful. John’s old friend Wild Willy Barrett pops up on a tribute to Benny
Hill, The Old Fiddler, and it sounds like everybody had a good time making this
engrossing album. Excellent, and just the album to cheer everyone up at
Christmas. Visit www.johnotway.com if you have any trouble finding it in record
stores - and you may want to put your name down for his world tour.
HOTPANTZ. (I’D LIKE TO GIVE YOU) ONE 4
CHRISTMAS.
 We
don’t normally review singles here, especially not Christmas singles, but we’d
like to recommend this one to anyone who appreciates crass, commercial and
suggestive songs of a Yuletide nature. It’s another Barry Upton opus and it’s
going to be a big hit.
Well-produced, catchy, it refers of course to the giving of presents (I don’t
know what you were thinking). I can see this being Top 3 material, particularly
as I couldn’t get the tune out of my head after only one listen - a sure sign of
a hit. It also contains a raucous version of Silent Night which you can turn up
and annoy the neighbours with on Christmas Day. The best Christmas record for
years.
ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST. MANGO CRAZY.
 MYSTIC RECORDS MYSCD187.
Running time: 49:23
A reissue from 1983 this 13-track album sees Chappo on good form with his usual
bunch of class musicians including the excellent slide guitar of Steve Simpson.
That wobbling vibrato voice wraps itself round a mixture of soul and rock from
the exotic opener Mango Crazy to the closing bonus track Maybe A Shot In The
Dark. You can just imagine Roger sweating away banging the tambourine on this
set of mainly upbeat songs. There isn’t a weak track on the whole album, but nor
is there really a stand-out, which is more to do with the high quality of the
arrangements and performance rather than anything else. Any Chappo fan who
hasn’t got this won’t be disappointed.
CHANTZ. STORIES OF ME.
 DECCA RECORDS.
Running time: 43:08
Thirteen tracks by a young American who is apparently still in his teens
himself. A very mature voice, big band arrangements, very slick and very
professional. The only problem from my perspective is that some of the songs,
notably Birth of the Blues, Let The Good Times Roll, Uptight and Mack The Knife
are a bit over-familiar. But as an introduction to jazz, soul and show songs for
young people, I can heartily recommend it.
The musicianship is excellent throughout and young Chantz performs with
considerable brio. Closing with a version of Bill Withers’ Lean On Me and
Gershwin’s They All Laughed it’s a very well-produced album that’s beyond
criticism technically. But I’d like to hear him singing some original material.
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Featured artists:
see POL Articles
Dr Feelgood
Mr Kyps Poole December 4
The Wedgewood Rooms
Southsea December 12
Roy Wood
The Brook, Southampton December 9
Human League Southampton Guildhall
December 12
Wildcards
Twyford Village Hall December 11
Scarlet Soho Railway Inn, Winchester December 19
Jon Amor
The Bullfrog Blues Club, Southsea Pier December 23 |
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