Easily one of my favourite exhibitions of the year, Finnegans Wake by German artist Anselm Kiefer was a true assault on the senses, like waking up in someone’s chaotic and …
In photos: Finnegans Wake by Anselm Kiefer at the White Cube Gallery, London, August 2023 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
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
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
Fresh from a BBC6 radio session in Maida Vale on Thursday, the Monochrome Set played a sold-out album launch party at the Lexington in Islington, north London. We were launching …
The Monochrome Set and support at the Lexington in Islington, Sat 28th Sept 2019 – 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
Last weekend, I paid my second visit to Sheffield in recent times and once again failed spectacularly to see anything of what I know is a most excellent city.
A damp and grey day in Sheffield – with high-level flasher, main roads and The Monochrome Set, Feb 2019 Read More
Here’s the sad sight of the Astoria Theatre in central London after it had closed its doors for good in January 2009.
Ten Years Ago: London’s Astoria Theatre closes for good, Jan 2009 – in photos 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
A splendid four-day festival showcasing live music, spoken word, debates and skillshares, the Green Gathering has become a beacon for sustainability, with the whole event being powered by wind, sun …
WIN two tickets for this year’s Green Gathering Festival in Chepstow, Wales, 2nd-5th Aug 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
Located in Holloway Road, north London, Nambucca is a live music venue/club/bar that happily survived a catastrophic fire in 2008 to remain an important gig on the indie circuit. We …
In photos: A trip to Nambucca, north London to see the Bridport Dagger and The Pacers, Nov 2017 Read More Over the last weekend, The Lexington venue in north London played host to Tapete Records, an independent record label based in Hamburg, Germany. The label was celebrating its 15th birthday with …
In photos: The Monochrome Set at the Tapete Records showcase, The Lexington, London 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 third and penultimate selection of photos from this year’s Green Gathering, showing some of the people at the festival. As ever, drop me a line if you find …
Green Gathering 2017 in photos – festival folks, August 2017 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
Here’s a selection of photos taken during a recent train journey from Brussels to Utrecht at the start of my December tour with the Monochrome Set.
Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, a strap on buffet and the mysterious face in the window Read More
Following on from the daytime views, here’s the second and final batch of photos from this year’s Green Gathering festival in Chepstow, Wales, with this collection of scenes after dark.
Green Gathering 2016 in photos. Night scenes: camp fires, upside down performers, bands and DJs Read More
The New Year came early last night in Hackney as a trio of bands performed for Japan’s New Year’s World Rock Festival – the world’s longest running music show. The show …
Sparkle galore and an early New Year with Misty Miller, Black Honey & The Near Death Experience at Hackney’s Moth Club Read More
And so another wonderful chunk of Soho’s rich musical history is set to disappear forever, with the news that the legendary 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street in central London …
Soho’s legendary 12 Bar Club to close in January 2015 Read More
I’m really saddened to hear that London is to lose another fine live music venue, with the Buffalo Bar in Highbury and Islington announcing that it will be hosting its …
London’s Buffalo Bar to close, with final event on New Year’s Eve 2014 Read More
Located by Tottenham Court Road tube station, the 12 Bar in Denmark Street is one of the very last rock’n’roll venues left anywhere near Soho, and it’s one that’s well …
Fat White Family headline the Antifolk Festival at Soho’s fabulous 12 Bar venue Read More
I had a splendid night out in London town last night, checking out both Piney Gir and Allo Darlin’ in two venues across town.
A Thursday night in London: Piney Gir in Shoreditch and Allo Darlin’ in St Pancras Read More
A while ago, I teamed up with like-minded Brixtonite, Rich, to create what we wanted to be the best Brixton listings service on the planet, naming it BrixtonBuzz.
BrixtonBuzz listings now available in the Lambeth Weekender newspaper Read More
It’s been a while since I’ve visited the Water Rats venue, a smallish live venue some five minutes from Kings Cross station, a short walk down Grays Inn Road. Now renamed …
A night at the Water Rats, Kings Cross – loads of bands, but not a love of love Read More
There may be a certain truth to the assumption that working in the music business is a cool job, but after spending years working at gigs and clubs in a wide …
From bands to DJs to soundmen: The Hierarchy Of Cool At A Gig Read More