THE FRONT ROW

Category: Music

  • Parklife 2022 – 5 Alternative Artists You Cannot Miss

    Parklife 2022 is almost upon us! June 11-12th sees one of the UK’s biggest festivals return to Manchester’s Heaton Park in what is shaping up to be their biggest year to date. With a bumper line-up featuring the best in the business in rap, dance and drum and bass music,…

  • EP REVIEW: Mildly Entertaining – Barbara.

    It’s a more than mildly interesting time to be in a band called Barbara, a fact that Brighton brothers, Henry and John Tydeman will surely testify to. From April 26th the band will be heading out to support The Divine Comedy on their nationwide tour; and Friday 22nd of April…

  • Single Review: Castro – The Merchants.

    The Merchants are three Wirralians (if you don’t know, look it up!) – Harry Bowness (vocals/guitar), Harry Strachan (drums), Joe Abraham (bass), and a Mexican, Ernesto Sandoval (guitar). I have seen them a few times, usually in the middle order of a local festival, or supporting someone at one of…

  • Preview: Liverpool Sound City 2022. Various venues 30/4/2022 – 1/5/2022.

    It doesn’t seem like a year since the last Sound City Festival in Liverpool. That’s probably because it’s not. Due to Covid Sound City 2021 was moved from it’s regular spring slot to the autumn. Now the event described in The Guardian’s Guide to Festivals 2022 as one of ‘the…

  • Live Review: Stanleys, Fiona Lennon, The Facades – The Cavern, Liverpool, 30/4/2022.

    If you are not of this parish then you may not of heard of Dave Monks. If you are, then you will be aware of his BBC Radio Merseyside, Saturday evening ‘Introducing’ show. For anyone with their finger on the pulse of local music it is essential listening. For new…

  • LIVE REVIEW: Micro FestEVOL, Hope Anti-Supermarket, New Brighton – 26/3/2022.

    The Hope Anti-Supermarket is exactly that. What was once New Brighton’s Kwik-Save, and then it’s Co-op, is now a multi-arts space – ‘A home for independent artists, musicians, crafters, makers and creators to co-exist and collaborate for all of the community to enjoy’. It’s the ideal venue for me to…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: brits & pieces Volume III – Various Artists .

    The brits & pieces series of albums are the brainchild of 90’s indie music fan Marc Rossiter. Inspired by compilation albums such as Shine, Marc’s aims are to showcase the abilities of the country’s most talented independent bands and singers; and to give you the opportunity to discover your new…

  • LIVE REVIEW : THE KAIROS, Keyside Cassidy, Megan Wyn – EBGBS, Liverpool, 25/2/2022.

    Sometimes you go to a gig and immediately sense that there is something a bit different going-on here. Entering the cellar space of EBGBS to see The Kairos perform their first hometown gig in two years was one of those occasions. Firstly, I was struck by the numbers of photographers…

  • SINGLE REVIEW: Alive – Tommy.

    Tommy is Tommy Cobley, former frontman of Leicester based indie band Arcades. The band were developing a head of steam, playing sold-out hometown gigs and garnering support slots with bands of the calibre of The View, when they suffered the tragic loss of guitarist Matt Gore to sudden cardiac arrest.…

  • NEWS: PARKLIFE 2022 REVEALED

    Together again, Parklife 2022 is here. The UK’s biggest metropolitan festival returns to its usual June weekend to kick off the summer festival season. Tyler, The Creator makes his long awaited UK headline debut, alongside the iconic 50 Cent who heads to Heaton Park for a UK festival exclusive. The…

  • SINGLE REVIEW: Round The Bend – The Kairos.

    The Kairos are back, and with the release of their new single – Round The Bend, they are ready to make up for lost time. My last sighting of the Liverpool quartet was in February of 2020 at the Invisible Wind Factory. They were the main support for RATS during…

  • Independent Gigs of the Year: 1. Hands off Gretel @ York Crescent

    Throughout 2021, whilst we’ve been able to safely get back to live music Halfway 2 Nowhere have tried to get to as many independent venues as possible to support local artists and the stages they love to perform on. This mini-series showcases some of the standout shows we’ve been to…

  • LIVE REVIEW: The Bug Club – Future Yard, Birkenhead, 27/11/2021.

    I can vouch for the structural integrity of the Future Yard building in Birkenhead. On Saturday night it faced the twin threats posed by the arse-end of Storm Arwen from the outside, and the sonic attack of The Bug Club from the inside. It stood up to both, although one…

  • SINGLE REVIEW: Rainy Days in June – Barbara.

    No-one does it quite like Barbara. Or should that be the other way round? Barbara do it like no-one else. Either way, it’s true. While Elton and Ed, Adele, and er, LadBaby battle it out for the festive number one with songs full of snow, joy, togetherness, and baked produce,…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: All In – Apollo Junction.

    I have to admit I have a soft spot for Apollo Junction. The first time I saw them live was above The Hawley Arms pub in Camden. Lead singer Jamie Williamson was wearing a surgical boot and I was told that the new bass player had learnt his parts that…

  • LIVE REVIEW: Billy Bragg, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 26/10/2021.

    A few weeks ago I went to Live at Leeds. I met some of my old university mates from back in the day. When we first met up, after the briefest of moments, it was like we had never been away. I had a similar experience this week with Billy…

  • LIVE REVIEW: The Cheap Thrills, Arts Club, Liverpool, 9/10/2021.

    Some people might tell you that the gig to be at in Liverpool on Saturday was Inhaler at The Guild of Students. Those people may well have been correct. But it will have needed to have been one hell of a gig to better The Cheap Thrills self promoted gig…

  • LIVE REVIEW: Sound City Liverpool, 2021.

    For most people attending Sound City 2021 their experience would have had a distinct flavour of Scouse. Red Rum Club played a buoyant Saturday headline slot at the Grand Central Hall. Local artists like Courting, SPINN, STONE, and Pixey, were playing highly anticipated festival slots. For me, my taste buds…

  • PREVIEW: Sound City – Boss Bands! Liverpool Sound City 2021.

    If you’re heading to Liverpool for the Sound City Festival you’ve probably already made your ‘Big Picks’ for the weekend, possibly The Snuts at The Arts Club on Friday, or Red Rum Club at Grand Central Hall on Saturday, but if you need a little help with some of your…

  • LIVE REVIEW: The Wendy James Band – Jimmy’s, Liverpool, 17/09/2021.

    The basement of Jimmy’s, Liverpool is usually the place where you go to watch exciting new bands on their way up. It’s intimate space is a rather incongruous setting in which to see a true, music icon. I’m here to watch Wendy James and her band perform pieces from her…