Gigtastic

Although many have been reviewed via the Jems Music blog, there have been many more besides. Here's a selection of tickets from some of the gigs I've been fortunate enough to have been to over the past ten years or so.

Mixture tape heaven

Remember these? How about 'Wow and flutter', 'spooling', 'bias', 'auto-reverse', 'headroom', 'impedance', 'well' and 'Dolby'? Or the absolutely essential pencil?

All part of what is rapidly becoming a distant memory - the era of the mixture tape. Many a happy day spent putting together compilations from my record collection and, occasionally, from those borrowed from others. Tapes kept and tapes given away. Tracklists crafted, fadeouts and fadeins orchestrated; covers painstakenly designed, prepared and crafted. Music captured for a smile, all now fading like a distant memory. Overshadowed by a nondescript future where the playlist is king.

City & Colour - Brighton Dome - 4.2.14

Apparently, this one was down to me. Seems I added their 2005 album 'Sometimes' to Steve's iPod sometime back. So, when the Brighton leg of their 2014 European tour was announced, we were in. Rather appropriate choice as it happened - because the last time City & Colour were in Brighton was in 2005 - albeit at a much smaller venue. We weren't to be disappointed the second time around though - compensating for a somewhat lacking stage presence, the band delivered song after well-crafted song. The audience demographic, younger that I would have imagined (City & Colour are - as I found out the following day - one of my son Ed's favourite bands), lapped it all up, singing along to everything and braying for more after the first two hours. Although not completely my cup of tea, there was something for everyone here - even a pampering to my taste for guitar solos with Dante Schwebel capably demonstrating just how wonderful a Gibson ES339 can sound in the right hands. 

No Sinner

Vancouver's 'No Sinner', fronted by Colleen Rennison release their debut album on January 20 on Provogue. Absolutely one to watch out for in 2014; 'Boo Hoo Hoo' is the title track and totally my Christmas theme toon this year. Brilliant!

[Useless fact of the day - 'No Sinner' is 'Rennison' in reverse]

Dr Bluegrass & the Illbilly Eight

Thursday evening - 19 December 2013 and Brighton's North Laine Brewery was packed. Lots of people in various states of sobriety (or not) and us. Set the scene well for a raucous evening hosted by the ever lively Dr Bluegrass and the Illbilly Eight (or 'four' to be be fair). Not that reduced numbers made any difference. For tonight was for dancing (inside and out), frivolity and merriment. Sam Salter's banjo, Tom Bailey's rhythm guitar, Tom Clarke's double bass, Bryony Devitt's violin and all four's dulcet vocals combined to leave a very receptive audience shouting for more. Not to disappoint the band led an impromptu Seasonal outside encore with 'The Fairytale of New York'. Excellent stuff.

Mok Christmas Party - Prince Albert - Brighton - 13.12.13

What Brighton's Prince Albert lacks in size, it more than makes up for in ambience; a Mok gig there is always going to be a cracker - and the Christmas Party gig on 13.12.13 was absolutely no exception. Admirably supported by the multi-talented Sounds of Harlowe, Mok stormed their way through a blistering setlist which started as it meant to continue. 'I knew it' kicked things off. Past classics like 'Hey' and 'Monstaz' followed, the recent single 'Rufio', the subliminal 'Dave' and, as if the evening needed any improvement, the thaumaturgic 'Dragon' to finish. Mok smashed it. Roll on 2014 for more of the same.

Find out just how good Mok are by checking out 'Mokmusic-1' on Soundcloud.

'Hey' and 'Rufio' both feature. Here's a link

https://soundcloud.com/mokmusic-1

Stereophonics - Brighton - 21.11.13

I'm not even going to attempt to find the words to try and describe how good this gig was other than it was by far the best £35 I've spent in a very long time.