Wed 4 Jun – Wooden Shjips, The Cult of Dom Keller
Annoyed to have missed them last time they were in Brum. Still, well worth the wait, but I have to admit I remain perplexed as to why they are only playing tiny venues when they are so fucking great. Whilst some artists are continually striving to reinvent themselves, with lesser & greater levels of success, the Wooden Shjips just make a small palette go an amazingly long way. And their new album Back To Land simply continues to extend their repertoire. Without wishing to sound corny they are just…

Sun 1 Jun – Toumani Diabaté, Sidiki Diabaté
To hear a direct lineage in musicianship & oral history older than many countries is a privilege & a pleasure. When Toumani introduced his son as a 72nd generation griot kora player this was not idle posturing but a statement borne of deep love & respect for his art & his culture. There is also a clear bond of love & devotion between father & son. After all Sidiki is a rap star in his own right back in Mali & doesn't necessarily need to follow in his father's footsteps. That he…

Sat 18 Jan – Half Man Half Biscuit
Okay, it's finally time to admit it. Having now been to see them seven times in the past three years and travelled as far afield as Bristol and Stockton-On-Tees I now know I'm addicted to Half Man Half Biscuit. I've always had a varied taste and that is reflected in my live experiences. There are very few artists that I would want to see repeatedly but even the few I would are well short of the all-encompassing passion that this is becoming. I used to think people that followed a group maniacally…

Thu 11 Oct – John Cooper Clarke, Luke Wright, Mike Garry, Al Hutchins
I've long been a fan of John Cooper Clarke but have only ever seen him supporting The Fall before this so I was looking forward to him on his own terms. I wasn't disappointed, either by him or his support acts.
The night began with Mike Garry, a sort of mancunian Benjamin Zephaniah. A proper poet whose showcased material leaned heavily on his background and found it to be firm enough to support him. His delivery was polished and contained beautiful rhythm, rhyme and pathos and managed…

DJ FORMAT & THE SIMONSOUND - LIVE AUDIO/VISUAL SET

I suppose I've always considered myself to be an unlucky person. The fates always seem to conspire to spoil my best laid plans. I don't get to go to the parties and events I really want to. Always wrong place, wrong time, too ill, no cash and, most often, double booked. On this occasion I felt totally lousy with a throat infection and could so easily have dropped out. It was only a tenner after all.
But now I have seen the light. It beams from the windows of The Hare…

Thu 26 Jan – Half Man Half Biscuit

Never knowingly underheard I'm back at Bilston for another in my now regular pilgrimages to the shrine of Nigel Blackwell's genius. The fact that this band aren't widely acknowledged as legends of modern music just goes to prove how stupid most people are. Still they remain all the better for being a cult rather than a stadium religion. There's not much point in me cataloguing the full set. So I'll just report a few highlights.

The set starts with my personal favourite from 90 Bisodol (Crimond) Joy In Leewarden. Noone else could…

Thu 8 Dec – Death In Vegas, Von Haze
Being a fan of Death In Vegas is a lot like being a member of a cult. Most can’t see what you see, a few might see something worth a nod but only the true acolyte really understands. For it is only in the live worship of Richard Fearless’ musical majesty that the fan is raised above the ordinary and into the realms of obliteration. It’s like stepping into a gospel church, though an entirely different energy. A black, dark energy.
The night didn’t start well. My mate couldn’t make because…

Mon 28 Nov – The Staves, Paul Thomas Saunders, Katy Rose & The Cavalry Parade
Six pounds doesn't get you much these days, unless you're lucky. I was lucky to stumble across The Staves as part of the Moseley Folk Festival and was keen to see them in a more intimate environment. And for my six pounds I got three artists that gave me an evening of simple pleasure.
Katy Rose & The Cavalry Parade started proceedings. She sang pleasant songs delivered with humour and a simple clean vocal style. Paul Thomas Saunders was much more surprising. With his rock…

Tue 15 Nov – The Fall
The first time I saw The Fall was in 2004 and having been a casual listener for many years I had little idea what to expect. I remember thoroughly enjoying John Cooper Clarke and thinking that they had been pretty entertaining but not the epiphany I always hope for with live music. My abiding memory was someone shouting "get up you lazy bastard" to which Mr Smith replied in his best drawl from his seat at the back of the stage "I am a cripple!"
Move forward seven years and my casual acquaintance has…

Fri 4 Nov – Toumani Diabaté, Revere
I've been a fan of Toumani Diabaté's music for some time now so I knew what to expect from tonight's show but I was genuinely not prepared for the impact his music would have on me live. It was utterly mesmerising.
I love the sound of the kora which lies somewhere between a lute and a harp and Toumani is widely acknowledged as one of it's greatest ever exponents. He limped onto the stage supported by a crutch to warm applause from a 3/4 full hall and sat down behind his instrument ready…