sots-scrollerWe’re all big fans of Hannah Wood and Abbe Martin, better known as Sound of the Sirens here at Riot Towers. Since seeing them for the first time less than two years ago at The Half Moon in Putney, they’ve been working incredibly hard to bring their own unique blend of perfect harmonies, dynamics that range from a whisper to a whirlwind and a bunch of songs that combine memorable melodies with lyrics that are poetic and profound. It’s not necessarily cheerful but the overall experience is always life-affirming.

After a reasonably busy 2015, which included Glastonbury, both Carfests, a live appearance on Radio 2 and an appearance on TFI Friday, Hannah and Abbe have really put the pedal to the metal this year with appearances all the major festivals from the Isle of Wight to Cropredy. Now the festival season’s over, it’s time for a rest, yeah? No chance, they’re working on the new album and they’re going back on the road headlining a mini autumn/winter tour. If you want to see this force of nature in action, here’s where to go:

Friday October 14                            Bush Hall, Shepherd’s Bush, London

Saturday October 15                        Deaf Institute, Manchester

Tuesday November 29                    Notes Café, Southampton

Wednesday, November 30              Gwdihw, Cardiff

Thursday, December 1                    Exeter Cathedral

If you go along to any of these gigs, make sure you take along some extra cash because you will want to buy CDs at the end.

HF UK Flyer 2016 ScrollerYou could hear huge sighs of relief in guitar shops all over Britain earlier this year when Henrik Freischlader announced his return to playing and recording music. His playing’s very accessible to all, but guitarists just can’t get enough of him. Whatever the reasons for his extended sabbatical he’s come back firing on all cylinders with a great new album “Openness” and he’s now coming back to the UK to play some dates as the Henrik Freischlader Trio with  Alex Grube (bass) and Carl-Michael Grabinger (drums) working in the engine room. His playing alone will have the guitarists in the audience salivating, but he has another secret weapon; he has a very, very good blues/soul voice. This isn’t just a guitarist who sings a bit, this is someone who’s a guitarist and a singer and he’s completely at home in both areas.

If you want to see him in the UK in 2016, here are your choices:

Wednesday September 21                            The Borderline, London

Thursday, September 22                                ABC, Glasgow

Friday, September 23                                     The Flowerpot, Derby

Saturday, September 24                                Yardbirds Club, Grimsby

Sunday, September 25                                  Komedia Studio, Brighton

Special guests are still being confirmed but the Henrik Freischlader Trio will be joined by  Stuart James Band for the London gig and Ben Poole will play in Brighton.

Lisa Mann ScrollerHere’s an interesting one for UK blues aficionados. Lisa Mann, blues singer and bass player, is about to start her first UK tour. She’s been winning awards across the pond for a few years now and she’s touring the UK in support of her latest album, “Move On”. She combines sinuous, funky bass with a powerful, earthy voice that works perfectly for blues ballads, stompers and Motown/Stax soul. She’ll be backed on the tour by Dudley Ross (guitar), Steve Watts (keys) and John Sam (drums).

Like the sound of that? You can see her here:

07/07/16              Worthing Pier’s Southern Pavilion

08/07/16              The Convent, Stroud

09/07/16              The Astor Community Theatre, Deal

10/07/16              The New Crown, Merthyr Tydfil

11/07/16              The Iron Road, Evesham

14/07/16              The Half Moon, Putney

15/07/16              Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival

16/07/16              Pizza Express Music Lounge, Maidstone

17/07/16              The Tunnels, Bristol

Here’s a superb clip to whet your appetite:

Ronnie TitleThere’s a couple of interesting tours coming up in late November/early December that we really thought we should share with you. First up is a tour by the absolute legend Ronnie Spector with her “Ronnie Spector Sings the Fabulous Ronettes” tour, featuring the greatest Ronettes hits, including “Me My Baby”, “Baby I Love You”, “Do I Love You” and “Wallking in the Rain”, plus Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector originals that became hits as covers, such as “I Can Hear Music” (Beach Boys) and “Chapel of Love” (Dixie Cups). The tour follows the release earlier this month of “The Very Best of Ronnie Spector” on Sony Music.

As if that wasn’t enough, Ronnie’s also working on her new album “English Heart”, a set of covers of songs by the sixties British invasion bands including The Beatles, The Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers and The Animals which is scheduled for release in April 2016 on 429 Records. If you want to see the greatest hits tour, Ronnie’s doing the following dates:

November 28                    Philharmonic Hall            Liverpool

November 29                   Royal Concert Hall          Glasgow

November 30                   The Sage                             Gateshead

December 1                        Town Hall                           Birmingham

December 3                        The Barbican                      London

December 4                        Colston Hall                       Bristol

In early December, the European leg of the Light of Day tour comes to the UK. The Light of Day Foundation is a charity raising funds for research into Parkinson’s and related degenerative diseases, which originated in New Jersey in November 2000 and has been supported by many performers including Bruce Springsteen (whose song gave the Foundation its name), Michael J Fox, Southside Johnny, Darlene Love, Willie Nile, Jakob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Badly Drawn Boy and Gary ‘US’ Bonds.

The headline band for the UK tour this year is Joe D’Urso, Vini ‘Mad Dog’ Lopez, Eric Bazilian, Ed Manion and Jake Clemons. If you want to see some incredible musicians and donate some cash to a very good cause, then you can catch the Light of Day tour on the following four UK dates:

December 4                                        Oran Mor                                            Glasgow

December 5                                        TAPE Arts Centre                               Colwyn Bay

December 6                                        The Musician                                      Leicester

December 8                                        The Half Moon, Putney                  London

You should catch both of these tours if you can, and maybe we’ll see you at The Half Moon for the Light of Day gig.

Bob Malone TitleRight, we’ve just got time to remind you about this. One of the Riot Squad’s favourite keyboard players is coming back to the UK with a tour which starts this Friday in Southend-on-Sea. He’s promoting the brilliant “Mojo Deluxe” album (which we reviewed earlier this year) and you should really make the effort to get out and hear Bob rip it up with his own unique blend of rock, blues New Orleans r’n’b. We may even see you out there.

Here’s the itinerary:

Friday October 9                     The Railway Hotel, Southend-on-Sea

Saturday October 10              Boogaloo Blues Weekend, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

Sunday October 11                The Navy Club, Maryport

Wednesday October 14          Dusty’s Blues Club, High Wycombe

Thursday October 15              The Green Hotel, Kinross

Friday October 16                   The Blue Lamp, Aberdeen

Sunday October 18                Hope Tavern, West Lindsey

Tuesday October 20               Blues Café, Harrogate

Wednesday October 21          Railway Venue, Bromley Cross, Bolton

Thursday October 22              The Jam House, Birmingham

Friday October 23                   Keighley Blues Club

Saturday October 24              Catholic Club, Peterlee

Monday October 26                The Bullingdon (Haven Club), Oxford

Tuesday October 27               The 100 Club, London

Wednesday October 28          The Jazz Café, Cardiff

 

Dean OwensWell, the good news is that now the festival season’s almost over, we’re starting to see a few good tours appearing.  Riot Squad favourite Dean Owens has put together a mini-tour in support of his latest single, “I Still Miss Someone” from his superb album of Johnny Cash covers (and one Dean Owens original), “Cash Back”.  If you go along to The Cabbage Patch gig in Twickenham, you may even bump into the Riot Squad.  We’ll also have a review of “I Still Miss Someone” coming up in the next few weeks.

 

Saturday October 5

Hazy Recollections (part of Glasgow Americana) CCA Glasgow

Friday October 25

Cafe Panola (Pentland Garden Centre), Loanhead nr Edinburgh

Saturday October 26

The Tunnels, Aberdeen

Friday November 1

The Cabbage Patch, Twickenham

Saturday November 2

Guitar Bar, Nottingham

Friday November 8

Caffe Borsa, Dundee

Saturday November 9 – Soundhouse No 42, Edinburgh

A few weeks ago we reviewed Paul Carrack’s new album “Good Feeling” here on MusicRiot and we loved it.  If you haven’t listened to it yet, you really should.  If you want to hear the songs live, Paul and his band are just about to start a UK tour running through October and November.  Support on all dates will be the excellent Tinlin.

If you want to see Paul before that, BBC4 are showing an hour-long profile on Friday October 12 (10 pm) as part of an evening of Squeeze-related shows.

Tour dates

October

Tuesday 16 October                                              Derby, Assembly Rooms

Friday 19 October                                                  Worthing, Assembly Hall

Saturday 20 October                                             Bournemouth, Pavilion

Monday 22 October                                              Northampton, Derngate

Thursday 25 October                                            Scunthorpe, Baths Hall

Friday 26 October                                                 York, Barbican

Monday 29 October                                              Southend, Cliffs Pavilion

Tuesday 30 October                                              Ipswich, Regent

Wednesday 31 October                                        London, Indigo 2

November

Wednesday 7 November                                      Llandudno, North Wales Theatre

Thursday 8 November                                          New Brighton, Floral Pavilion

Sunday 11 November                                            Eastbourne, Congress Theatre

Monday 12 November                                           Swindon, Wyvern Theatre

Tuesday 13 November                                          Swansea, Grand Theatre

Friday 16 November                                              Preston, Charter Theatre

Saturday 17 November                                          Leamington Spa, Royal Spa Centre

Thursday 22 November                                        Crawley, The Hawth

Friday 23 November                                              Southampton, The Brook

Wednesday 28 November                                    Harrogate, Royal Hall

We’ve got another Riot Squad favourite touring the UK in November to launch his new album, “Cash Back”.  Dean Owens is on the road for the first couple of weeks in November and I really recommend that you go out and see him; you won’t regret it.  If you’re at the Wilmington Arms show, you might even bump in to the Riot Squad on the town.

 

Friday November 2, 2012

Backstage At The Green Hotel, Kinross

Further details

 

Saturday November 3, 2012 (2 shows )

 

Afternoon at The Tea Posy @ The Greenhouse Project, Dingwall

Further details

Evening show at The Arch, Ullapool

Further details

 

Sunday November 4, 2012

The City Walls, Stirling

Further details

 

Monday November 5, 2012

Glasgow, Cottiers Theatre (album launch show)

Further details

 

Wednesday November 7, 2012

The Ram Jam Club @ The Grey Horse, Kingston Upon Thames

Further details

 

Thursday November 8, 2012

Wilmington Arms, Clerkenwell, London (album launch show)

Further details

 

Friday November 9, 2012

Tynemouth (near Newcastle) House Concert.

Contact Dean for info if you’d like to attend.

 

Saturday November 10, 2012

Studio 42 (Douglas Robertson Photography), Edinburgh

Further details

 

Sunday November 11, 2012

The Steeple Arts Centre, Newburgh (Fife)

Further details

If you haven’t managed to see Riot favourites the Billy Walton Band yet, you can see them across the UK in November of this year.  I know I keep saying this, but you really should make the effort to go and see them.  Full details available at www.billywaltonband.com .

 

November 2, 2012 7:00 pm

The Regal Cinema Evesham, Port Street

Evesham, WR11 3LD

 

November 3, 2012 (Time TBA)

The Flower Pot, 25 King Street

Derby DE1 3DZ

 

November 4, 2012 4:00 pm

Grimsby Yardbirds Club, Church Street

Grimsby, DN32 7DD

 

November 7, 2012, 7:00 pm

The Caves, 8-12 Niddry Street South

Edinburgh EH1 1NS

 

November 8, 2012 (Time TBA)

Backstage at the Green Hotel, 2 The Muirs

Kinross, Perthshire, Scotland KY13 8AS

Billy Walton Band & WT Feaster Band

 

November 9, 2012 (Time TBA)

The Cluny, 36 Lime St, Ouseburn

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 2PQ

 

November 10, 2012 (Time TBA)

Cameron’s Club, Hartlepool

Double Bill w/ WT Feaster

 

November 11, 2012 (Time TBA)

True Blues Club at Earlestown Conservative Club,

17-19 Earle Street, Newton-le-Willows, WA12 9LW

 

November 12, 2012, 8:00 pm

The Greystones, Greystones Road.

Sheffield, S11 7BS

Double Bill w/ WT Feaster

 

November 13, 2012 (Time TBA)

The Cellars, 56 Cromwell Road,

Eastney, PO4 9PN

 

November 14, 2012 (Time TBA)

The Robin 2, 20-28 Mount Pleasant

Wolverhampton, WV14 7LJ

Double Bill w/ WT Feaster

 

November 15, 2012 (Time TBA)

Crawdaddy’s, Basildon

Double Bill w/ WT Feaster

 

November 16, 2012 (Time TBA)

Boom Boom Club/Sutton United Football Club

Gander Green Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 2EY

Double Bill w/ WT Feaster

 

November 17, 2012 (Time TBA)

Halling Community Center, High Street

Halling, Rochester, ME2 1BS

Double Bill w/ WT Feaster

 

November 18, 2012 (Time TBA)

The Pavilion, Harbour Street,

Broadstairs, CT10 1EU

 

 

The Billy Walton Band are touring the UK between November 3rd and 16th in support of their latest album.  You can see them in all these places:

Beaverwood Music Club, Chiselhurst                                                               Thursday, November 3

Halling Community Centre, Rochester                                                             Friday, November 4

Boom Boom Club/Sutton United Football Club, Sutton, Surrey                 Saturday, November 5

Glasson Club, Maryport                                                                                        Sunday, November 6

Trojan Rooms, Whitley Bay                                                                                 Monday, November 7

The Greyhound, Beeston                                                                                      Wednesday, November 9

Yardbirds, Grimsby                                                                                               Thursday, November 10

Touchline, Hockley                                                                                                Friday, November 11

The All Saints Art Centre, Whetstone                                                                Saturday, November 12

The Brown Jug, Cheltenham                                                                               Sunday, November 13

Famous Monday Blues at The Bullingdon, Oxford                                         Monday, November 14

The Brook, Southampton                                                                                      Wednesday, November 16

You can get full details here http://www.billywaltonband.com/home.html.

Watch out for an interview with Billy in the next few weeks.