Tag: Music Review

Middle Age Gigging: Embrace at The Piece Hall, June 2026.

My memory is a little hazy these days, in keeping with my 50 something status. Some things just stick though, however long ago they happened.

Around 28 years ago I was living in a flat above a cobblers in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. I was unemployed and missing Newcastle. Late one night though, not long after we’d moved there, my heart was lifted as out on the street underneath our window a young lad sang loudly on his way home from the pub next door. The song? ‘All You Good Good People’. I was fully on board with Embrace at this point, having written about them for a work magazine some months previously. Needless to say, I joined in with his singing.

Embrace have been a constant for almost all of my adult years; from my early twenties all the way through. That’ll be the same for a lot of people. So today’s Piece Hall gig feels like a big deal, celebrating what feels a little bit like 30 years together.

First up are local band The Hazy Janes, a bluesy rock trio who seem to be having a whale of a time. Their energy gets the crowd going and more to the point helps to warm us all up as it’s bloody freezing! They’re certainly not overawed by the setting and serve up a cracking set. Singer Ellis is an excellent front man and it’s a bit of a treat to have them opening up.

We’re running late though and so after a shorter than expected break it’s time for Idlewild. They’re a band that, I must admit, I wasn’t particularly into in their pomp but tonight I definitely warm to them.

Opener ‘You Held the World in your Arms’ gets us off to a great start and songs like ‘Little Discourage’ and ‘American English’ help to raise the bar. Idlewild are quite the spectacle with both guitarists rocking out and singer Roddy proving quite an addictive watch for me. There’s an awkwardness that I can’t take my eyes off, but his voice is superb throughout and all in all they deliver a quite brilliant set.

In truth though, today is about one band and one band only; the legendary Embrace and before too long the stage is set and we’re treated to a little backstage video that allows us to watch their approach. And then, they’re there and it’s time to celebrate a quite magnificent 30 years.

Opener ‘All You Good Good People’ is just wonderful – as ever – and it’s clear from the off that the band are thoroughly enjoying themselves. It sounds like everyone is belting out the lyrics at the top of their voices and it might be a good time to apologise to anyone near me for possibly drowning out Danny and also singing the wrong words with a well chosen selection of the right ones for the whole night. Soz, I’m just terrible at remembering lyrics even if I’ve been singing them everywhere for 30 years!

New song ‘Road to Nowhere’ comes next and keeps up the pace before there’s an absolutely paint stripping version of ‘One Big Family’, a song which I’ll never, ever tire of.

A quick mention for bassist Steve at this point, who I don’t think I’ve ever seen so animated. There was a smile and acknowledgement of the crowd at the start that just said, ‘I’ve got the best job in the world’ and it was an absolute joy to behold from where I was, right in front of him.

‘Someday’ and ‘Looking As You Are’ come next with the latter featuring the background wall of old photos of the band as well as ones sent in by the fans, which means that I find myself singing along and simultaneously kicking myself after we forgot to send ours in. It doesn’t matter; it sounds and looks great.

‘We Are It’ follows and again, it’s a great version which helps to ramp up the atmosphere a tiny bit more, but I have to say I’m running out of patience with Danny for not including me in his pointing bit in the chorus. I’m right here! I can be ‘it’ too!

Thankfully, all is forgiven with the reappearance of old live favourite ‘Save Me’ as the next song in the set. I’m getting far too old to be jumping up and down to the chorus, particularly for a bloke with a pacemaker (rock and indeed roll, huh kids?) but tonight it can’t be avoided. Danny certainly seems to be enjoying the spectacle of a few thousand oldies pogoing! It’s such a treat to hear this being played live again though! Mind you, if they’d followed it with ‘New Adam, New Eve’ I think I’d have had to have called for breathing apparatus, so I’m thankful that new song ‘Pure O’ allows me a breather simply because…you guessed it, I don’t know the words properly!

Next comes new one ‘Stop’ which I think might prove to be a bit of a classic and it certainly sounds good tonight. ‘A Glorious Day’ then brings the memories of Millennium Square all those years ago in Leeds flooding back. Two similar evenings to tonight as I recall and it really brings it home to me that some of us are lucky enough to have had nights like that and are then still enjoying the band all these years later.

‘Coming Home’ brings the first quiet tears of the night. It’s a superb song and an absolutely brilliant version on the night, but Richard’s line ‘I’d have picked you all up and never put you down’ gets me every time. Another one that’s going to be a classic, I reckon.

‘Refugees’ is then another incredible performance from Richard and it seems this is a song that simply never fails live. It doesn’t matter about the venue, I feel like I’m always witnessing something spectacular when we ‘lift off this metropolis’.

It’s getting late and we’re well aware that at least the first part of tonight’s gig is closing. First there’s a heart felt rendition of ‘Get Out of My Own Way’ which is followed by another new one in ‘Up In Your Feelings’. Then it’s time for another little tear with a stunning ‘Gravity’ – first dance at our wedding, yet I still don’t quite know whether gravity’s turning or pulling – followed by the perfect end to this part of the set, in ‘Ashes’. More jumping, more screaming of lyrics and more keeping an eye on my heartbeat. It doesn’t matter. It’s all well worth it.

I’ve all but given up hope of hearing ‘Wonder’ or ‘Dry Kids’ or ‘Hooligan’ but when Embrace return to the stage it’s great to hear ‘Exploding Machines’ as the encore opener. Then it’s ‘Emily’, ‘The Love it Takes’ and ‘Come Back To What You Know’, before it’s just a massive joyous singalong of ‘The Good Will Out’. And that’s been the thing with Embrace for however long they’ve been in your life…it’s always just been a massive joyous singalong. Everyone smiling, everyone singing, everyone dancing to a band and their songs that simply mean the world; one big family. Danny, Richard, Mike, Mickey, Steve – here’s to the next 30 years!

Middle Age Gigging: Embrace at Birdwell.

Like many others I’m sure, for a long time now the gospel sound of ‘Down in the River to Pray’ followed by Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’ has sent a shiver down my spine, being as it is the first sign that Embrace are imminent. Tonight, at a new venue for me, things are no different.

So when the lads take to the Birdwell stage, it’s as much a thrill as ever to see them. And with much of new album Avalanche about to be played for us this feels just a little bit special.

Of course, this being the age of social media – and even oldies like me can just about navigate our way round it – the majority of the crowd will have a fair idea about a lot of the songs already. So as the band launch into ‘Stop’, it feels like this is almost as much of a singalong as usual. And this carries on through the first few tracks with ‘Road to Nowhere’ and ‘Up in Your Feelings’. The new songs seem to be hitting just the right note with both ‘Stop’ and ‘Road to Nowhere’ following in what you might call the great Embrace anthemic tradition, while ‘Up in Your Feelings’ has a little bit of an infectious groove. All in all, three songs in and the atmosphere is fantastic.

Danny seems to be on great form and he’s clearly very proud of the new stuff and keen for us to hear the songs. It’s an optimism and confidence that gets more and more borne out as the gig progresses and we hear more of Avalanche.

‘Get Out of My Own Way’, a song about Danny’s wife – or as the man himself puts it, ‘Well it’s about me…I mean, I’m a singer!’ – is soulful and brooding while ‘Emily’ is a quite beautiful and slower number full of heartfelt emotion about a loved one.

The new songs are then wrapped up with the Richard penned ‘Coming Home’ which he tells us is about losing your purpose when your kids leave home. I nod along earnestly at this sentiment, while secretly willing my two out the door, yet knowing that I’ll probably have at least a few minutes where I think I know how he feels! Whether I agree or not, I love the song and am pretty sure that after a few more listens it’s going to one that stays with me for a long time.

The last of the new songs is definitely the one that has intrigued me the most – and I’ve only heard a short clip of it. ‘Pure O’ is what the kids would almost certainly refer to as a banger with Mike and Steve’s drums and bass driving the track on. For me, there’s very much a feel of Ace of Spades to it and so it rounds off this part of the set absolutely perfectly!

The set closes with four more known tracks in ‘Refugees’, ‘Gravity’, ‘Ashes’ and ‘All You Good Good People’ and as you’d expect, it’s truly exhilarating. Richard’s voice on ‘Refugees’ is superb and ‘Gravity’ (being the first dance at our wedding) is always welcome (no tears tonight though!). ‘Ashes’ provides its usual supersonic highway amid a genuine test to my left knee and a second jump cramp for the wife’s calf, before Good Good People closes the night as amazingly as ever.

It’s been a great night, but it’s not over yet, as we all get to pop over to the merch stand to meet the lads and buy stuff that our kids won’t understand, like a lanyard and a Rubik’s cube! Richard even helps us get a photo, hugging us both in close while I struggle with my angles and getting us all in shot! Surprisingly strong that lad! Cheers Rick!

On the drive home we decide that Birdwell might just be the perfect middle age gig. Firstly we get to see Embrace in a small venue. It’s only about a half an hour from our house, there’s free on site parking, we met the band, only had to test the knees and back for Ashes and were home for just after 10pm. I’m in my fifties, you know; life doesn’t get any better than Embrace at the Birdwell on a Tuesday night! What a wonderful world, indeed!

Review: Stereophonics at Sheffield Arena.

As a music lover, it’s safe to say that I’d give my right arm to be in a famous band…although maybe that wouldn’t then be overly practical. You know what I mean though, right? And when Stereophonics take to the stage in Sheffield tonight and Kelly Jones strides down the catwalk that stretches out into the crowd, all leather jacket and cool quiff, that feeling is amplified x 10, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Some lucky people just exude cool and Jones has always had it. So tonight, as the band kick things off with a raucous ‘Vegas Two Times’… it’s difficult not to focus on just him.

But this is much more than just the Kelly Jones show. The staging is superb, with big screens and graphics combining with an audience cam – briefly featuring me and Mrs C stood either side of an Amazonian giant of a young woman – and even the occasional lyric being projected behind the band. This means that your eyes are everywhere while the rest of you is busy getting pretty much blown away by the sound.

The early part of the set features a series of singalong Stereophonics’ classics and tonight’s crowd don’t fail to indulge, meaning that, despite the fact that this could just be regarded as a soulless a 15,000 capacity concrete bowl, the energy is palpable. This is a band well versed at playing this size of venue and then some and it’s a great start to the gig.

In the middle of the set is a mighty version of ‘Geronimo’, featuring a bit more catwalk action and some rock and roll superstar poses. This is then followed a few songs later by the welcome return of raucous early classic, ‘More Life In A Tramp’s Vest’ before the frenzy is calmed with the unlikely appearance of Kelly playing a ukelele version – or at least the start of a version – of ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’.

Later in the set it’s ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ that has the crowd singing along before an excellent version of the altogether more soulful ‘Fly Like An Eagle’. And then it’s time for the final song of the first part of the set and a thunderous rendition of ‘The Bartender And The Thief’ which leaves everyone in the crowd hungry for more.

For the encore, there’s ‘100MPH’, ‘Traffic’ ‘C’est la vie’ and then an almighty version of fan favourite ‘Dakota’. A brilliant ending to a brilliant gig. On a cold and windy December night in Sheffield, Stereophonics have proven once again that they can warm any room right up!

Middle Age Gigging: The Bluetones at Academy 2 in Manchester.

Saturday was a busy night for the Britpop revival in Manchester. Fresh from the success of recent Oasis support slots, Richard Ashcroft was crooning out his anthems at Co-Op Live. And meanwhile, far more refreshingly for us, The Bluetones were treating us to their indie pop joy at the Academy on the other side of town without a bucket hat in sight.

As ever the ‘Tones were on fine form and there was much to please a lively crowd.

First up though were The Supernaturals and a bit of a pleasant surprise for yours truly. I wasn’t a fan first time around and their hit ‘Smile’ left me doing anything but. Tonight though, I’m proved wrong – don’t worry, it’s a regular occurrence – as their set is excellent showing that the band have a depth that I’d never been aware of back in the day. The Manchester crowd are a little quiet to begin with, but it’s not long before we’re all enjoying ourselves. The set features stuff like the more upbeat ‘Smile’ and ‘The Day Before Yesterday’s Man’ but there’s also the more reflective ‘Don’t Let The Past Catch Up With You’. The highlight for me is the excellent ‘I Wasn’t Built To Get Up’ and all in all, The Supernaturals have definitely turned my head.

After a short break, our heroes The Bluetones emerge to a rapturous welcome. This tour comes on the back of some new releases, the most recent being the ‘London Weekend Television’ EP and there’s a healthy smattering of new stuff in amongst some well known classics, as well as one or two lesser known tracks. So, with a crowd made up of both Bluetones nerds like myself and my wife and folk out for a night of Bitpop nostalgia, frontman Mark makes a quick mock apology for the songs that some people won’t recognise.

But there’s nothing to apologise for as we kick off in well known territory with ‘Bluetonic’ and everybody’s singing along. It’s followed by the brilliant ‘New Athens’ and ‘Solomon Bites The Worm’ ensuring that it’s been a whirlwind start to proceedings. Last year’s single ‘Drive Thru’ – a bit of a personal favourite – follows before there’s a change of pace with ‘Keep The Home Fires Burning’. All killer so far, no matter what Mr. Morriss might be joking about!

In between songs, as ever, Mark is a master at working the crowd. Tonight, we’re jokingly told off for singing along with a stern ‘No!’, get the tale of how The Bluetones featured on both Bargain Hunt of all places and Sunday Brunch and hear of a time when Mark saw Duran Duran in America and their new songs turned what had been the best night of his life into the stuff of nightmares. There’s even an in gig band meeting when Mark tries to tell us about songs that are instantly known for their first chord strike while Adam insists on playing riffs. He was only talking about the first strike, mate!

Tonight, the new songs are well received and more than hold their own alongside the old hits that the ‘Tones are probably much more well known for among tonight’s crowd. Consequently, ‘The Aristocrats’, ‘Cheap Hotel’ and Madeline blend in seamlessly alongside ‘Cut Some Rug’ and ‘Slight Return’ because the truth is that these lads have never lost the knack of writing a cracking tune. In fact, for me ‘The Aristocrats’ is one of the stand out songs tonight.

The set closes with the brilliant ‘Never Going Nowhere’, which is followed by some good natured and Bluetones approved booing – props to Jimmy for the sign – because we’re all complicit in the lie here; of course they’re coming back for a couple more! I do have a tiny complaint to make here though and perhaps a reason for a small boo. There was no medley at the end of the song…no Eurythmics, no Van Halen and none of the other little surprises which have been blended into the set closer. I’ll let it go this once though…

And so, having also been booed back onstage, the boys are back to finish with the aforementioned ‘London Weekend Television’ an impromptu version of ‘My Way’ and then the sure-fire crowd pleaser that is ‘If…’. Once again, The Bluetones have been outstanding and given us yet another night to remember. Here’s to a new album soon and many many more nights like tonight. Cheers, lads!

Middle Aged Gigging: Stereophonics at John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield.

A funny one this gig. Beforehand, I was slightly reticent about going and not for the usual reason of being middled aged and living life in an almost permanent state of tiredness. No, this was different. This was a stadium gig and I really couldn’t remember the last time I’d been to a gig in a stadium. In fact, if anything I’ve been going to gigs in smaller and smaller venues of late. I needn’t have worried so much though, as first Blossoms and then headliners Stereophonics served up a cracking night that may well have taken the roof off the place if it actually had one!

The first time I saw Stereophonics live was around 1996, before their first album came out in what was a glorified pub in Hanley, Stoke-on Trent and it still amazes me to see what they’ve become. Don’t get me wrong; they’ve always had the songs and talent to deserve to be selling out stadiums, but it’s a hell of a leap from those early days!

Tonight, we arrive (fashionably) later than planned and after a mix up over stage times, realise that we’ve missed the first support act. In fact, we’re still trying to get into the stadium as the night’s other support, Blossoms, take to the stage. So, while I’m a big fan of their song ‘Your Girlfriend’ it’s difficult to enjoy it while your being squeezed through a small gap to get into a stadium and then precariously edging down some stairs towards the pitch. Tricky to sing along to when you’re trying not to take an almighty tumble!

Blossoms look and sound great though. Singer Tom looks amazing in flared jeans, striped shirt a loose tie and there’s more than a little bit of Mick Jagger about him. Tonight, he also brings to mind Faces era Rod Stewart and even a little bit of Prince at times, which is surely no bad thing?

Their set is superb and songs like ‘Gary’, ‘I Like Your Look’ and ‘Charlemaine’ have the whole stadium grooving along. It’s a great start to our night and the perfect set up for the main event.

After a quick set change Stereophonics amble on to the stage to a great welcome. There’s the odd wave from the band, but it’s a pretty low key entrance. And before we know it we’re into opener ‘Vegas Two Times’ and it feels like the whole place is up and moving. It’s a great track to open with.

This being a ‘Stadium Anthems’ tour there’s plenty to enjoy. Lots of singalong anthems and lots to make even the most curmudgeonly and dancephobic music fan (that’s not me, by the way) shuffle their feet. And singer Kelly Jones looks the epitome of cool in shades, black jeans and a black leather jacket. Oh, to be a rock god!

Stereophonics prove themselves to be as tight as it gets and this is just a brilliant rock and roll show. The visual production – in the form of screens – is pretty good; videos accompanying some of the songs and the odd bit of pyrotechnics as well as some massive pink balloons sent out into the crowd later on in the set as night falls. However, it’s the music that counts here; a stand alone reason to come and see the band.

Singer Kelly Jones has always been renowned for his incredible voice and it doesn’t let him down tonight as he’s absolutely note perfect throughout. My fears about a stadium show are quickly allayed as Stereophonics fill the place with a great big dollop of good old rock and roll. There are the usual irritations about this kind of show – people barging through to get closer to the stage when ‘their song’ comes on, people chatting – but none of it manages to get in the way of this being an excellent gig. Stereophonics do indulge in the odd bit of rock posturing, the odd pose here, a showbiz point or wink there, but then maybe they’ve earned the right to call on the odd cliche having sold over 15m records! It certainly doesn’t spoil anything for me, anyway.

There’s barely a dull moment tonight. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a set of stadium anthems so you’d have to be a fairly miserable fan of the band to not be enjoying what’s on offer. For me though the standout tracks are ‘Geronimo’ complete with it’s enormous saxophone (a baritone sax, I think?), ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’ with Kelly on ukelele, ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ and ‘Mr. Writer’.

As we edge towards a close – and my knees and feet begin to grumble – we’re treated to the ever brilliant ‘Local Boy in The Photograph’ and ‘C’est La Vie’ before an encore comprising of blistering versions of ‘The Bartender and The Thief’ and ‘Dakota’. Stadium anthems indeed!

As they exit stage left, Stereophonics leave behind a very happy bunch of Yorkshire punters. It’s been a brilliant night and a gig and band well worth coming out for. Makes me think that I shouldn’t leave it as long between shows next time!