NEWS
The Beatles’ 50th Anniversary Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band juke-box, which holds 70 x 7” singles and can stream digital music, is out via Jingle Games Ltd.
The Guitarwrist pop-up shop in Newburgh Street, London, is opened 21 November by KT Tunstall, featuring jewellery created from guitar strings used by international artistes, for charity.
Saint Etienne So Tough, Tiger Bay, Good Humor, Sound Of Water, Finisterre, Tales From Turnpike House, Continental LPs are on Heavenly.
Priest New Flesh, Lovely, 17 November, features Airghoul (ex-Ghost).
Touchstone, London Venue 229, 10 December.
The www.charitybuzz.com auctions in November include signed guitars from (16) Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Joe Walsh (Eagles) (21) Ariana Grande, Toby Keith, Miley Cyrus/Fifth Harmony (28) Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
Salute, London Corsica Studios, 21 February 2018.
Lure, Burke, Stinson & Kramer LAMF: Live At The Bowery Electric coloured vinyl LP, CD, DVD with Q&As, including Jesse Malin, New York, November 2016, Jungle, 24 November.
James, Manchester Albert Hall, 18 December.
Bjork Utopia CD, CD/poster, 180g 2LP/DL, One Little Indian, 5,000-copy peach vinyl 2LP/DL, Rough Trade, 24 November.
Ellie Goulding, London Royal Albert Hall, 11 December.
Alec Byrne’s London Rock: The Unseen Archive hardback is on Virgin Books, £50, 7 December, with exhibition at London Proud Camden from 8 December.
Paradise, London 100 Club, 21 November.
Star Wars: A New Hope – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition 180g 3LP with 48-page book, Disney, 1 December.
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, London Village Underground, 18 January 2018.
GZA’s 500-copy Liquid Swords: The Singles Collection 4 x 7” box set, with five art prints, display case, booklet, Universal, 17 November.
On 8 December, Suzi Quatro returns with QSP, featuring Slade’s Don Powell and Sweet’s Andy Scott. Andy Rawll asked her about the album, and much more. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DF1VFoLonI.
LIVES SPECIAL
The Rolling Stones
Paris U Arena, France
25/10/17 View: in the pit
A new 40,000-capacity arena was a fitting setting for the three closing gigs of the No Filter Euro tour. Sympathy For The Devil was an innovative opener, and two blues songs, Just Your Fool and Ride ’Em On Down, provided an early opportunity for Mick to demonstrate his harmonica prowess. A faultless She’s A Rainbow – the night’s web choice – belied its 50 years. Encore, Gimme Shelter, was a showcase for Sasha Allen, her duet with Jagger featuring less vocal histrionics than latterday partner, Lisa Fischer.
The powerhouse at the centre of a rousing performance was Charlie Watts, alongside the effervescent Ronnie Wood. Jagger was in mischievous mood, telling jokes about Theresa May and ending a stunning Street Fighting Man playing Charlie’s cymbals. Keith nonchalantly smoked a joint before a moving Slipping Away featured the evocative line, “it’s just another show”. Not for this crowd. Simon Wright
Hurray For The Riff Raff
Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
25/10/17
View: back wall
The transition from rootsy folk to spiky indie with attitude is complete. The bulk of Hurray For The Riff Raff’s set showcased songs from The Navigator, honed into shape by intense touring. Sometimes, Alynda Segarra peered out from behind a semi-acoustic almost as big as her, but when she abandoned it and whirled, dervish-like, she was at her most gripping, rasping out political lyrics with venom and charm.
A sense of bonding pervaded, emphasised by a huge backdrop declaring All In This Together. The band (whose personnel change rapidly) stayed largely in the background, Hungry Ghost and Rican Beach irresistibly infectious, though Van Morrison could be excused for having a word about Living In The City. The tour de force Pa’lante is one of the most moving, dramatic climaxes any band has ever chosen to end a set. Oliver Gray
Sixties Gold
Southampton Mayflower
25/10/17
View: balcony
Illness forced Brian Poole & The Tremeloes to pull out, replaced by The Merseybeats. The Searchers’ John McNally was also off sick, while The Merseybeats recruited a former Swinging Blue Jean for a bout of Hippy Hippy Shakes. The Merseybeats rolled out It’s Love That Really Counts, I Think Of You, Don’t Turn Around, Wishin’ And Hopin’ and Sorrow. Headliners, The Searchers, rocked on Needles And Pins, Sweets For My Sweet, Don’t Throw Your Love Away and When You Walk In The Room.
Another star-turn was Love Affair’s Steve Ellis, with the floor-filling Everlasting Love, Rainbow Valley and Bringing On Back The Good Times. He was backed by Vanity Fare, who hit with Hitchin’ A Ride. Gerry Marsden, 75, in his Sixties Gold swansong, provided emotion on How Do You Do It?, I Like It, You’ll Never Walk Alone, I’m The One and Ferry Cross The Mersey, while Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying preceded his tearful farewell. Duncan Eaton
Inglorious
London Camden Electric Ballroom
20/10/17
View: standing, front-right
Fired by the return of original guitarist Drew Lowe, and a superlative second album, this was an accomplished show, from the stomping Toto-gone-metal opening of Read All About It, to the grunge intensity of Change Is Boming, glorious blues groove of Making Me Pay and bad boy swagger of Taking The Blame.
The potency was maintained with highlights from their debut, including the mystical High Flying Gypsy and Eastern-tinged Inglorious, showcasing Colin Parkinson’s dextrous bass and Phil Beaver’s incisive percussion. The snake-hipped I Don’t Need Your Loving and breakneck Hell Or High Water provided the perfect platform for Nathan James’ extraordinary voice, the encore taking in the revered Holy Water, Nathan completing a victory lap through the audience on the closing Until I Die. Andy Rawll
Freeda
Manchester Academy 3
28/10/17
View: up front
Local lads Freeda have been performing together for a year, but they’ve mastered how to entertain a crowd through their 60s rock’n’roll-inspired tracks and energetic execution. Their short, sweet set focused on their debut EP, Voodoo, with pinnacle track See The Sun kindred to Miles Kane.
Voodoo was performed in sultry style, frontman Sean’s bluesy vocals enrapturing the audience. In contrast, Now You’re Gone nodded to modern indie, still proving a hit with a singalong crowd. Ones to keep a beady eye on. Brigid Harrison-Draper
TOURS
Steve Aoki 26-30 January 2018 www.stereoboard.com.
The Cribs 3 December-27 January 2018 www.stereoboard.com.
Frightened Rabbit 15-17 March 2018 http://www.frightenedrabbit.com/.
Peter Hook & The Light 30 November-16 December http://bit.ly/TheLightSubstanceDec2017Tickets.
I’m With Her 28-30 January 2018 http://imwithherband.com/.
Jack Jones 24 January-9 February 2018 www.jackjones.lolipop.jp.
Tom Paxton 10-26 April 2018 www.ents24.com.
Skindred 19-128 April 2018 www.stereoboard.com.
Roni Size 22-26 February 2018 www.stereoboard.com.
Sam Smith 20 March-4 April 2018 www.stereoboard.com.
