Just in case you missed this particular piece of news, the wonderful Rachael Sage is back in the UK for a summer tour this year. Rachael’s a fascinating singer-songwriter who combines very danceable songs in a style that she defines as “colourful chamber pop” with darker, more melancholic and introspective material drawing on her experience of New York life and pulling in references to her heritage and experiences. She’s an incredibly interesting and engaging performer. I’m always happy to go to a Rachael Sage gig, wherever she plays. As an added bonus, Rachael’s joined on this tour by violin player and long-time collaborator Kelly Halloran, who adds an extra dimension to Rachael’s performances both musically and visually. They’re a stunning combination.

For anyone in London, Rachael plays the legendary Troubadour on Wednesday July 6th as the second date of her UK tour and you can get tickets here. See you there.

Here’s the tour schedule:

And, as a bonus, here’s a photo of Kelly Halloran playing when Rachael supported Howard Jones at Union Chapel in 2017:

Here’s a strange coincidence for you. A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a couple of ex-members of Curse of Lono at a gig they were playing and we got to talking about the tour they did in support of Southside Johnny in 2019 and how much they were impressed by the band. Fast forward two weeks and I get press release telling me that the latest Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes album debuted at No. 5 in the Billboard Blues Chart. It may be the latest album, but ‘Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Live in Cleveland ‘77’ was actually recorded forty-five years ago live at The Agora Ballroom and Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, at a time when Cleveland was a major centre for rock music and The Jukes were on the up after two albums on Epic and a helpful Asbury Park association with Bruce Springsteen.

The album’s a fascinating snapshot of a band that was probably hitting its peak (and still has a loyal following to this day). The sound is big, with the full rock band augmented by a horn section packing a mighty punch and a singer with the voice to cut through the tight arrangements. It was a sound that you couldn’t ignore, combining elements of rock and soul and delivered with style and swagger. The opening song on the album, ‘This Time It’s for Real’ is a perfect example of the sound and the energy of The Jukes at that time. Have a listen:

The set on the night was a typical mixture of Jukes originals (mainly written by Steve van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen) and well-chosen covers including a version of Billy Joel’s ‘Goodbye to Hollywood’ featuring Ronnie Spector (who had featured on the Jukes’ first album ‘I Don’t Want to Go Home’). The album’s a great example of how a live album should sound and captures the energy and raw power of a big band at the top of their game. It’s a pity it took so long to unearth, but it’s a rare gem for Jukes fans and maybe it can bring a few more into the fold.

If you want to buy this classic live album, you can find the CD it on Cleveland International Records or Amazon and the vinyl will be available later in the year.

And meanwhile, The Jukes carry on the good work. There’s only Johnny left from the original line-up, but the current band has been together for about ten years and they’re still an awesome live experience. Here’s a shot of Johnny from a London gig at Kentish Town Forum almost exactly five years ago:

Copyright Allan McKay

As if it’s not enough to stage a festival across some of London’s most iconic venues over five nights at the beginning of July (Wednesday 3rd to Sunday 7th), Innervisions has placed a large dollop of icing on the top of this particular cake. We told you earlier about the festival but since that time there have been, as they say, developments. In addition to the superb and varied line-up of headliners announced earlier, we also now have confirmed supports across the festival.

And not just any old supports. A competition jointly organised by Innervisions Festival and The Arts Council has given twenty unsigned artists the opportunity to appear on the big stage to packed houses across the festival. Just to give you a flavour of how this pans out over the five days, Sans Soucis and Chloe Bodur support Joel Culpepper at Under the Bridge on July 3rd, Belle Benham supports Gentleman’s Dub Club and Submotion Orchestra at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on July 5th and Hannah Francis supports Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson at Under the Bridge on July 6th. And obviously many more that you can discover at www.innervisionsfestival.com. Not only do you get to see some r’n’b legends, you also get a quick shuftie at the next generation. Double bubble.

And don’t forget some of the more established support acts that are appearing; Van Morrison will be supported by James Hunter, while Mavis Staples has the UK’s most happening soul band, Stone Foundation opening for her at The Roundhouse in the middle of their woodlands Paul Weller support tour. Try to catch as many as you can, these gigs will be phenomenal.

Here’s a sample of the supports for you:

So what makes the perfect festival? A line-up of artists that you really want to see, obviously, but maybe I’m approaching this from the wrong direction. There are many, many aspects of festivals that fill me with dread, including sanitation (or lack of), over-priced food and drink, the great British weather and big one; camping, glamping or whatever you favour in the area of al fresco sleeping. Now if there was a festival where I had the choice of loads of interesting gigs and the option of curling up in your own bed after a nice shower, that’s the one I’d be going for. Now, as it happens, there’s something closely resembling that happening in London this year, for the second time, going by the name of Innervisions Festival promoted by the APMG group.

The line-up features an impressively varied list of artists including Van Morrison, Mavis Staples (supported by the wonderful Stone Foundation), Maceo Parker, Fela Kuti, Gilberto Gil, Gentleman’s Dub Club, Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson playing at a range of venues including Under the Bridge, The Roundhouse, Islington Assembly Hall, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Indigo at the O2 and Earth between Wednesday July 3rd and Sunday July 7th.

You can see the full updated line-up and links to ticket sales on the Festival website. Here’s how it’s looking at the moment:

So if you’re a fan of any of the artists on this line-up grab yourself a ticket or two for any of the gigs, arrive at a reasonable time, leave the wellies at home, enjoy the gig and then get the tube home to a nice comfortable bed and wake up the next day feeling refreshed and without the prospect of a mile-long cue for a tepid shower. Just sayin’.

 

Typical; you wait over 40 years and then two come along at the same time. Books, that is, from our own Man Oop North, Steve Jenner. We reviewed his collection of gig reviews a few weeks ago and this time he’s gone full-on autobiography. Now, if you know Mr J, you know that he wouldn’t just sit down and write the story of his life. Oh no, that would be far too easy; not nearly enough of a challenge. It would have to be much more complicated than that; well, a bit more complicated. The Broadcast Brothers tag is a bit of a clue really. The Broadcast Brothers are Steve and Paul Jenner and guess what? They’re brothers; that’s shocked you hasn’t it?  

“On the Radio” is the story of a lifelong obsession with pop music and the way it’s woven into the fabric of our lives. The story takes us from the era of the Dansette, through the pirate stations that led to the introduction of Radio 1, the mobile disco, live bands and back to radio, this time from the other side of the microphone. Now that doesn’t sound too complicated, does it? So, what if the story was told from two points of view, the two brothers intertwining their feelings and recollections (which isn’t a portmanteau word for record collections) together to give a 3D view of a journey from life in a Northern town to life in several other Northern towns with a route that takes in most of the United Kingdom. Steve and Paul have very different writing styles that dovetail neatly to give a rounded, detailed and often bloody hilarious peek into their personal odyssey. 

As well as the fascinating biographical detail of two brothers who have had, how can I put it, interesting lives, “On the Radio” is a historical document of an era, starting with local pirate stations ducking and diving to stay one step ahead of the enforcers to small, just-about-profitable and, most definitely legal, stations serving parts of the country that the big conglomerates won’t touch. It’s a success story, but one that demonstrates that the route to success isn’t a motorway; it’s a winding road through the Peak District. You go up, you go down and, more often than not, you get stuck behind a tractor. The message that shines through the book is that it doesn’t matter how talented and enthusiastic you are (and these guys are alpha in both of those categories), the thing that makes the difference is sheer bloody hard graft. 

“On the Radio” is a spellbinding roller-coaster ride from the sixties to the millennium narrated by two passionate, committed and hugely entertaining raconteurs. It had me spellbound from start to finish and at times made me laugh out loud on my London commute. It’s out now and you can get your hands on a copy by following this link. You won’t regret it. 

 

We don’t get too many chances to do book reviews, but I’m absolutely insisting on doing this one. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Twilight” is the work of our very own contributor, and friend for longer than either of us can remember, Steve Jenner. The central premise of the book is very simple; the golden age of rock ’n’ roll, for a variety of reasons, is over and we’re now witnessing what my friends who still live Up North would call its last knockings. I’m not going into that in detail, because I’m hoping you’re going to read it for yourself and find out.

Besides the basic premise, what Steve has done is collected a series of reviews written during his lengthy odyssey to try to catch as many of the bands that we have loved over the years while we still have the opportunity. Sometimes the attempt to catch the bands has only been partially successful; in the period between buying tickets for Steely Dan and seeing the show, Walter Becker (one half of the partnership) died and the show had some of the feel of an upbeat memorial. The artists reviewed cover a diversity of musical styles and range from global megastars to not-even-a-hit-in-the-UK. It’s a perfect cross-section of the music that is only rock ‘n’ roll (but we like it). Some of the reviews have appeared here in the past; some haven’t and I’m hoping we’ll see more in the future.

Don’t get the idea that this is a favour for a mate. We only feature bands, gigs, albums, singles and even books on MusicRiot that we love and we want to share with the world. The other thing is that Steve can write; no argument on that at all. Here’s an example from the book and my favourite intro to a review:

‘My mate can drink 3 pints of lager through a straw in less time than it takes to boil a kettle.

According to some, this makes him a ‘legend’.

Brian Wilson is regarded by many as a ‘genius’.

I would argue these labels have caused problems for both men and have probably influenced their behaviour and probably not in a good way.’

Steve has also given credit to some unsung heroes; the actual venues hosting these events. The final section of the book is a series of short pieces about the places these bands were seen in, ranging from the Foxlowe Centre in Leek to the O2 in Greenwich and all shapes and sizes in between. Part fact/part personal opinion, it gives real feel for ambience of these buildings.

Writing’s a skill; you can learn, you can make yourself better. The unique qualities that make this a standout piece of work are Steve’s knowledge of his subject (trust me, most of this stuff is in his head) and his sheer enthusiasm for all aspects of music. Passion, knowledge and skilful writing combine to create a little gem that you won’t want to put down.

And I was almost too modest to mention that I took the cover shot; almost.

Exactly a year ago we published an interview with Gilson Lavis about his second career as an artist, running parallel with his day job as drummer with the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra (and let’s not forget Squeeze, where he got his first taste of fame). The interview concentrated on the upcoming exhibition of his artwork at the Salomon Arts Gallery in New York; a year later it’s time for London to play host to his evocative images. If you missed the interview, here’s a quick recap (with a few examples of Gilson’s work).

As Gilson’s musical career developed, he made use of his leisure time on tour in a constructive way; instead of the usual rock ‘n’ roll recreations, he went back to drawing and painting using the material closest to him; musicians. The day job (particularly with Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra) gave him the opportunity to see of the world’s greatest musicians at close quarters and he’s made the most of it, creating some fabulous works of art that he’s now exhibiting and selling. In addition to the personally-observed pieces, there are also pieces created from photographs of performers as diverse as Ray Charles, Tony Hancock and Jimi Hendrix.

So, back to 2018 and Gilson has a London exhibition, Gilson Lavis: From Drums to Canvas”, at the Karma Sanctum Soho Hotel from July 5th to August 12th. It’s a must-see event, but don’t take my word for it, here’s Gilson’s take on the exhibition: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to show some of my artwork at the Karma Sanctum Hotel in Soho. The ethos of the venue and the subject matter I focus on in my paintings combine superbly well. A great venue and a great privilege. I can’t wait !”

My advice is to get down to the Karma Sanctum to see this exhibition; apart from the unbelievable quality of Gilson’s work, you never know who you might bump in to admiring their likeness. And if you bump in to Gilson, say hello to him; he’s a lovely guy and he has a huge store of music business anecdotes.

 

We try to do one festival a year here at Music Riot. Last year it was iconic Isle of Wight Festival; this year we’re staying a bit closer to home with a visit to Cornbury Festival in Oxfordshire. We took several factors into account before making the scientific decision to opt for Cornbury this year despite the stiff competition from the plethora of festivals across the UK, from the boutique to the behemoth. So, what do you think swayed us in the direction of Chipping Norton for this year’s summer outing?

Well, let’s start with the headliners; UB40, Alanis Morissette and Squeeze. They’ve all enjoyed single chart success and critical acclaim and each of them has survived through several decades in the music business; four decades each in the case of Squeeze and UB40, and Squeeze are still knocking out great new tunes as if the last forty years never happened. Look a bit lower down the bill and you have all the reasons why anyone who loves music should be going to Cornbury.

There’s great music to appeal to all ages and tastes, from the reinvented P.P. Arnold and the evergreen Mavis Staples and Jimmy Cliff, through the nineties dance of Stereo MCs right up to the London Americana of the superb Danny and the Champions of the World. And, if that wasn’t enough, don’t forget that Cornbury has the poshest loos on the festival circuit; when you reach a certain age, that’s really important.

If all of that hasn’t convinced you, Caffe Nero have a stage at the event where you can get great coffee and see absolutely loads of upcoming talent. We’ve already heard many of the artists playing on the Caffe Nero stage over the last couple of years; you could spend the entire festival there and hear nothing but fabulous music. See you down the front.

Cornbury Festival takes place between Friday July 13 and Sunday July 15.

It came as quite a surprise three years ago when Henrik Freischlader announced his retirement from performing. Fortunately for fans of great guitar playing it was less of a retirement and more of a sabbatical. 2016 saw the release of the album “Openness”, a tour with the trio format and Henrik Freischlader was back. So what does 2017  have in store for us? Well, quite a lot actually, with the fun in the UK beginning with three gigs on the “Blues for Gary” tour, a tribute to Henrik’s hero Gary Moore, where he’s supported by Gary’s former sidemen, Pete Rees and Vic Martin and joined by Moritz Meinschäfer on drums. The three UK dates are: 

Under the Bridge, Chelsea – Friday July 28 

The Tunnels, Bristol – Saturday July 29 

Maryport Blues Festival – Sunday July 30 

But that’s not all, after downsizing to a trio format in 2016, Henrik’s gone in the opposite direction this year, unveiling the Henrik Freischlader Big Band with singers Linda Sutti and Joanne Kasner, Moritz Meinschäfer (drums), Armin Alic (bass), Dániel Szebényi (keyboards), Marco Zügner (saxophone), Harrisen Larner-Main (guitar & vocals). With Henrik, that’s eight people on stage and a huge amount of talent. 

They’re coming to the UK in September for six dates and this is something you really don’t want to miss. Catch them here: 

Band on the Wall, Manchester – Tuesday September 19 

Robin 2, Bilston – Wednesday September 20 

ABC 2, Glasgow – Thursday September 21 

The Flowerpot, Derby – Friday September 22 

The Borderline, London – Saturday September 23 

Komedia, Brighton – Sunday September 24 

Do yourself a favour and try to catch one of these shows; you certainly won’t regret it. 

walled-garden-001[1]You know how I feel about festivals, yeah? Let’s just say that in general, I’m not a fan; too many people, bad sanitation and overdraft-inducing prices for food and drink. Walled Garden promoters Mel Fordham and Gardie Grissell have cottoned on to the fact that there are people out there who love music but don’t like squalor. The Walled Garden festival has a capacity of 2,000 (about the capacity of most the venues on the O2 circuit), beautiful acoustics and it’s part of the Brightling Park estate in East Sussex with a variety of camping options including the inevitable glamping.

The festival bill has an eighties/nineties bias and includes ABC, Embrace, Howard Jones, Jennifer Paige, Beverley Craven, Toploader and many more spread over three days (Friday 14 – Sunday 16 July) and you can find more information here. Me, I’d be there on the strength of ABC and Embrace (and Howard Jones is still pretty good live these days) and the beautiful setting.