Post Show: Basquiat Strings + Olivia Chaney at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre

An intimate show of string-lead dark jazz from Basquiat Strings with support from harmonium wielding folk singer Olivia Chaney.

Post Show: José González with support from Tom Kerstens’ G Plus Ensemble at Royal Festival Hall

Photography: Jason Williamson

The softly spoken and softly-sung Swedish songwriter José González proved a fitting headliner for London Guitar Festival, González’ deft fingerstyle playing ably blending Bossa with European folk styles.

Post Show: Joanna Newsom with special guest Roy Harper at Royal Festival Hall

Photography: Philip Ryalls

Over two unforgettable sold out nights at Royal Festival Hall Joanna Newsom kept the audience spellbound as she played material from 2010 triple-album Have One On Me as well as old favourites ‘Peach, Plum, Pear’ and ‘The Book of Right On’.

Support came from English folk legend Roy Harper personally coaxed to pick up his guitar once more after two years of retirement by Newsom.

Reviews

The lively arrangements have an exhilarating quality that still delivers a delicious shiver. – Holly Williams, The Independent

Nihal’s Desi Live

As a relative novice to the world of Bhangra, I didn’t know what to expect of BBC Radio 1 and BBC Asian Network presenter DJ Nihal’s Desi Live. The only experience I’d had of it’s performance was at my cousin’s wedding, but that was in traditional form and not something I felt I could relate to.

This event promised to be different, with three of the biggest names in UK Bhangra coming together for the first time to perform on stage: Jaz Dhami, H-Dhami and Juggy D. Sure enough, it was; the night started off with Nihal prepping the audience for the first act – an artist by the name of Mumzy Stranger – who’s songs were an amalgamation of Rn’B and Bhangra, with doses of Reggae thrown in for good measure.

Following Mumzy was an exceptionally talented full live band to accompany the main acts and with each musician bubbling with charisma, sartorial swagger and impressive vocals, I was blown away by the talent. The only let down – apart from forgetting my preferred camera lense – was the sound engineering, which did the music no favours; at times it was easier to distinguish the thundering notes by covering my ears, and that was not fun. Despite this malfunction, I feel that DJ Nihal and the performers should be applauded for all the effort they made in presenting this music and for making a fan of me.

Post Show: Live Photos Richard Hawley at Royal Festival Hall

We’ve a beautiful set of images to share with you from Richard Hawley’s Royal Festival Hall show on Saturday courtesy of photographer Philip Ryalls.

A Fond Farewell to 2009 and the Noughties (we can’t wait for 2010…)

JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2009

AND THE NOUGHTIES

It’s been an incredible year for gigs here at Southbank Centre. We’ve seen Brian Eno join David Byrne onstage at Ether, Ornette Coleman reuniting with Charlie Haden, Spiritualized performing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Yo La Tengo covering Bob Dylan and The Velvet Underground and taking questions from the audience, Laura Marling playing with Andrew Bird, and much, much more.

Post Show: Dirty Three + Josh T. Pearson at Queen Elizabeth Hall

With Nick Cave watching in the wings, Bad Seed Warren Ellis took centre-stage as Dirty Three raced, roamed and rocked through favourites from their back-catalogue including ‘Kim’s Dirt’, ‘Sue’s Last Ride’, ‘Hope’, ‘Sea Above, Sky Below’ and ‘Authentic Celestial Music.’

Post Show: Lisa Hannigan

Photos and reviews from an evening of beautiful new folk music.

Reviews

One might be tempted to describe her as being “girl next door”, except nobody really lives next door to anyone this cute and talented.
– Russ Coffey, The Arts Desk

Post Show: Tortoise + Cluster

Photos, reviews and tweets from the closing show of the 2009 London Jazz Festival featuring a unique on stage collaboration between elder statesmen of German electronica, Cluster, and Chicago jazzy post-rock pioneers Tortoise.

Post Show: London Jazz Festival 2009

The London Jazz Festival came to a close on Sunday night with a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between Chicago post-rockers Tortoise and Krautrock pioneers Cluster, during which Tortoise’s jazz-inspired rhythms jostled alongside Cluster’s atmospheric electronic tones.  This unique moment capped off what has been one of the most diverse London Jazz Festival line-ups yet, which has included the a cappella talents of Naturally 7,  the smouldering tones of Madeline Peyroux, Tropicalia legend Gilberto Gil and much more.

Here’s a few reviews from the festival in case you missed it. Can’t wait for next year’s now…