To accompany the launch of the exclusive John Hall edition of Martin & Paul Kelly’s ‘Rickenbacker Guitars’ book, Phantom Books have commissioned a special exhibition of original Rickenbacker guitars and …
Rickenbacker guitars galore at this wonderful central London exhibition Read More
Last night I ventured east to return to the Paper Dress Vintage venue in Hackney to watch a powerful performance by The Shattercones.
In photos: The Shattercones at Paper Dress Vintage, Hackney, Feb 2022 Read More
I enjoyed a fabulous time in Bristol over the weekend, starting with a gig with The Monochrome Set at the splendid Thunderbolt venue, and then dancing to 60s garage music …
A cracking night out in Bristol: The Monochrome Set at the Thunderbolt and dancing at Elmer’s Arms Read More
I think it’s fair to say that the Glastonbury festival of fifteen years ago wasn’t one of the best. After a promising sunny start, the site swiftly degraded into a …
Mud, mud, glorious mud! The swampy boglands of Glastonbury Festival in photos, June 2005 Read More
Here’s another glimpse into one of the long and many ‘lean’ years of my music career. This time it’s June 1983, and I can be seen youthfully posing at the …
Failed bands of my past: east London soul/funk hustlers, Apartment Read More
Here’s the story of how the punk revolution changed everything for this Welsh boy living in Cardiff in the 1970s, and how the dreams of rock’n’roll stardom took a blow when …
From the Valleys to the Roxy: Welsh punk rock dreams from the 1970s Read More
It’s a brilliant venue – and one I’ve visited and performed at many times – but The Lexington in Islington is now struggling to stay afloat as the coronavirus lockdown …
North London music venue The Lexington launches crowdfunding campaign Read More
On the weekend, I was back up in one of my favourite UK cities, with the Monochrome Set playing a show at Jimmy’s in Liverpool. Here’s some photos from my …
In photos: A drinking night out in Liverpool – Jimmy’s, The Grapes and the Motel Bar Read More
Following on from my set of photos taken around Exarchia at night, here’s a selection of images showing off some of the abundant street art in the area:
In photos: Street art, slogans and anarchist graffiti in Exarchia, central Athens, Greece Read More
Last weekend, I was wandering around the Athens Exarchia neighbourhood late at night, enjoying some of the bars and taking in the sights. Here’s some photos from my nocturnal travels:
In photos: Exarchia, Athens at night – street scenes, bars, street art and rooftop views Read More
Here’s a set of photos of road signs, street lights, wires and traffic signs from the east and west coasts of America. I grabbed the pictures as I toured with …
On tour in America: road signs, street lights, snow, wires and traffic signs in 100 photos Read More
In March this year, The Monochrome Set embarked on a breakneck USA tour, packing in nine gigs in ten days on both the East and West coasts of America. Merchmeister …
Tour diary – The Monochrome Set on the west coast of the USA Read More
Earlier this month, I was with The Monochrome Set on a whistle-stop tour of the US, taking in no less than nine gigs and three radio sessions on both the …
Dispatches from the Monochrome Set’s USA tour, March 2019 Read More
Here’s a selection of London scenes photographed over a decade ago. Above, you can see the much-missed Astoria Theatre which was cruelly flattened to make way for CrossRail. Read more …
Lost London: photos of The Astoria, 12 Bar Club, Denmark St and street scenes, Nov 2008 Read More
South London’s rowdy singalong tribute to the much-loved queen of the honky-tonk piano, Mrs Gladys Mills, have announced that they’ll be dusting off the party hats and playing some gigs …
The Mrs Mills Experience party singalong band are back! Read More
Located in the tiny village of Petit-Fays, near Bièvre, in the south of the province of Namur in Belgium, the P’tit Faystival is one of the most unlikely places to stumble …
P’tit Faystival – where a tiny village in Belgium goes crazy for music, July 2018 Read More
La Ferme Electrique is a fabulously friendly small musical festival in Tournan-en-Brie, some 25 minutes from Paris via train, that runs over two nights in July. Small scale, alternative, fiercely …
The fabulous La Ferme Electrique festival, Tournan en Brie, France, with The Monochrome Set, Fri 6th July 2018 Read More
Located on the River Rhine, Mainz was founded as a military post by the Romans in the late 1st century BC and is famous as the home of the movable-type printing …
Mainz in photos: architecture, tasty train meals, street scenes and The Monochrome Set, May 2018 Read More
Last night, I finally made it across to east London to visit the What’s Cookin‘ night held at the Leytonstone Ex-Servicemens Club, and enjoyed a splendid night in a striking venue.
In photos: A night at the wonderful What’s Cookin’ club in Leytonstone, east London Read More
On Wednesday, I popped along to the splendid Folkroom night at The Harrison bar to see the Lost Cavalry play a short acoustic set.
In photos: Lost Cavalry at the Folkroom music night, Harrison’s Bar, Kings Cross Read More
Last week I paid a midweek visit to the esteemed Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in Frith Street, Soho. I went along with a crew of Brixton pals to see a …
In photos: Jazz, jamming, and pricey drinks at Ronnie Scott’s, London Read More
Almost hidden in the woods at the top of the hill, the Whistlers Green area provided a relaxing alternative to the madness below, offering live music, food stalls and over 100 …
Boomtown 2017: a wander around the chilled out Whistlers Green on the top of the hill Read More
This year’s Boomtown Fair in Winchester, England, was once again a bloody amazing experience, and here’s the first batch of photos from the festival. Hopefully I’ve managed to document some …
Faces of Boomtown 2017: Seventy photos taken around the festival site Read More
Here’s the last set of photos from this year’s Green Gathering festival, which takes place on the top of a hill near Chepstow, south Wales:
Green Gathering 2017 in photos – scenes around the festival site Read More
Here’s the second of four photo features from this year’s Green Gathering festival, which is set on a verdant hilltop in Chepstow, Wales. This time I’m focusing on my favourite part …
Green Gathering 2017 in Wales: Mixing it up in the wonderful 99% Bar – in photos Read More
I was lucky enough to be invited up to this year’s Green Gathering in Wales. Sadly commitments elsewhere meant it was something of a flying visit, but here’s the first …
Green Gathering 2017 in photos: musicians and performers, Chepstow, Wales, August 2017 Read More
It’s long been urban75’s favourite festival of the year, and we’re not surprised to see that all 60,000 tickets have sold out this year in record time.
Boomtown Fair festival sells out in record time Read More
The organisers of the fabulous Boomtown festival have released their first video previewing this year’s festival, described as ‘Chapter 9: ‘Behind the Mask.’
Boomtown releases first trailer for the 2017 festival Read More
Boomtown has several stages and sound systems in the woods around the festival and they can make magical places to escape to after dark. Here’s some photos taken in the …
Photos: In the magical woods of Boomtown Festival 2016 Read More
Located at the top end of the festival, the Wild West remains one of our favourite city districts, with no shortage of ad hoc street performances, bars and live venues to keep …
The Wild West at Boomtown: courtroom scenes, gunslingers and hoedowns Read More