NEWS
Gypsy Soul Winners And Losers is out on Escape Music, featuring ex-King Kobra’s JK Northrup, Johnny Edwards, Larry Hart.
Tift Merritt plays London Omeara on 23 October.
Music On Vinyl issues 500-copy LPs by Ozark Henry on 6 October of The Last Warm Solitude, Birthmarks and, on 1 December, The Sailor Not The Sea, The Soft Machine.
The Eric Clapton Life In 12 Bars documentary film is on US Showtime TV on 10 February 2018.
a-ha MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice, from Giske Ocean Sound, Norway, June 2017, is on Universal on 6 October.
Mostly Autumn play Sight Of Day in September at (16) Leamington Spa Assembly (23) York Grand Opera House.
Ex-KISS’ Vinnie Vincent has signings at Atlanta KISS Expo on 19-20 January 2018.
Donny Osmond’s 1,000-copy, signed, numbered One Night Only box set, from Birmingham NEC, February 2017, with 3DVD, 2CD, certificate, booklet, repro tour pass, is out 22 September via http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/donny-osmond-one-night-only.
Rag ’N’ Bone Man plays Edinburgh Hogmanay on 31 December.
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson signs his upcoming What Does This Button Do? autobiography in October at (17) London Troxy (20) Edinburgh Assembly Rooms (22) Salford Lowry.
Reef play London Flamingo Room on 27 September.
The 8,400 sq ft Gold Rush Vinyl record pressing plant opens in North Austin, Texas, in December.
Nik Kershaw plays Hertford Theatre on 14 September.
Mikro Jazz! Neue Expressionistiche Musik LP, CD, DL, on RareNoise on 29 September, features Jack DeJohnette.
Johnny Mathis & Clive Davis play Los Angeles Grammy Museum on 28 September.
Megadeth have VIP Meet & Greet + Side Stage + Stage Tour + Instrument Upgrade Packages available for their US September tour at (17) Hampton Beach (21) Henrietta (28) Boise, and October (6) Las Vegas. See www.megadeth.com/vippackages.
The Public Image Is Rotten PiL documentary is premiered at Raindance Film Festival at Leicester Square Vue, London, on 30 September.
Lou DiBello’s Heat Wave is out, featuring Ross ‘The Boss’ Friedman (Manowar), Mike Lepond (Symphony X).
Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp has An Audience With… Q&As in September at (22) Basingstoke Anvil Arts (24) Wavendon Stables October (13) Richmond Georgian Theatre Royal November (24) Crawley Hawth.
Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron Cavedweller, due 22 September on Migraine Music, features Mark Guiliana (David Bowie).
Discogs’ upcoming Crate Diggers events include September (23) Berlin Prince Charles (30) London Oval Space October (7) Amsterdam De Marktkantine (14) Los Angeles Lot 613. See cratediggers.com.
Reverend & The Makers have a signing session at Sheffield High Street HMV on 22 September.
Foo Fighters Concrete And Gold, due 15 September, features Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman.
Hiromi plays London Shoreditch Town Hall on 13 October.
King Crimson THRAK – The Complete Scores book is published by 7d Media on 24 September.
Heaven And Earth Hard To Kill is on US Quarto Valley on 6 October, featuring Ty Baillis (Katy Perry), Kenny Aronoff (Bob Seger).
The 60-track Soulsville USA: A Celebration Of Stax 3CD is on Concord/Rhino on 22 September.
The Avicii: True Stories documentary film, featuring Q&As with Chris Martin (Coldplay), Wyclef Jean (Black Eyed Peas), Nile Rodgers (Chic), David Guetta, is in select cinemas on 26 October.
Gorillaz have a pop-up store at 560, Grand Street, Brooklyn, New York, 5pm–10pm, 14-15 September.
The Gimme Shelter X Book Slam Event at Priory Church Of The Order Of St John, Clerkenwell, London, on 14 September, includes The Maccabees’ Orlando Weeks, Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina.
Stockport’s Strawberry Studios has an open weekend on 7-8 October.
The Seven Decades Live documentary/show on electric guitars at London Clapham Grand on 10-12 October is narrated by Joan Jett.
LIVES
Amy Macdonald
London Southwark Omeara
29/8/17
View: left-arch, standing
Amy returned to her acoustic roots at this tour preview, backed by a subtle three-man band, the set-list similar to her recent plugged-in sojourn, though smooth rock anthems like Under Stars and 4th Of July sparkled in their rearranged, rootsy forms. This also loaned a lovely Americana lilt to songs such as Down By The Water, which evoked the Mississippi more than the Clyde.
The stripped-back arrangements revealed the warm resonance of her voice, and a soul-stirring vibrato on the affecting Prepare To Fall and Never Too Late. Career-making This Is The Life provided a crowd-pleasing, life-affirming closer, while a disarmingly raw Dancing In The Dark saw her boss the Boss. She finished as she’d started with a rousing version of her debut Poison Prince, an ode to the flawed talent of Pete Doherty and testament to her own prowess. A beautifully balanced performance. Andy Rawll
The Yardbirds
Manchester Band On The Wall
5/9/17
View: standing
The Yardbirds’ sole English show of 2017 featured a set attesting to their underrated but substantial influence on rock. Laden with grooving blues, R&B and psychedelic rock from their golden 60s era, drummer Jim McCarty and frontman John Idan led the band through masterpieces like Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, Lost Woman and Still I’m Sad. Their inspired performance and mellow stage presence gave a genuine sense that one was face to face with rock’n’roll royalty. Old-school, consummate entertainers from first to last. Josh French
FILM REVIEW
Black Sabbath
The End Of The End
London Soho Screening Rooms
6/9/17
Prefaced by a short Q&A with Tony Iommi, this retina-searing, ear-pounding, body-quaking, brain-pulping celebration of Black Sabbath’s swansong expertly interspersed concert footage with interview clips, highlighting the enduring bond between Geezer, Tony and Ozzy. Though absent, there was respectful reference to Bill, and fly-on-the-wall studio jams of The Wizard and other non-setlist numbers. In cinemas on 28 September, it promises an evening of emotional power and musical glory. Andy Rawll
TOURS
Deborah Bonham 22-29 September www.deborahbonham.com.
Bad Manners 16-18 December www.eventim.co.uk.
The Christians 10 October-17 November http://www.flyingmusic.com/box-office/.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 24-30 September www.nickcave.com.
Department S 15 September-23 December www.ents24.com.
Embrace 4-7 November www.stereoboard.com.
Ex-Dire Straits’ John Illsley 19 October-13 November www.ents24.com.
Oysterband 7-26 November www.oysterband40.com.
Nerina Pallot 13-15 November www.nerinapallot.com.
The Professionals 27-28 October www.cookandjones.co.uk.
Spiral Stairs 14-19 September www.spiralstairsofficial.com.
