The Charlatans Live
The Charlatans Live
Tivoli, Buckley
25 November 2021
THE CHARLATANS proudly announce their (Covid) delayed release of their 30th Anniversary tour and a 6 vinyl LP Box Set. Released on Then Recordings through Republic Of Music, A HEAD FULL OF IDEAS is a five album, and exclusive 7″, career-spanning box set that sums up their remarkable progress from 1990 Manchester scene hopefuls to one of the UK’s most enduring and best-loved bands. The accompanying tour begins at Belfast, Limelight 22/11/21 and finishes in Aberdeen on 20/12/21.
The band have notched up 13 Top 40 studio albums - three of them number ones - alongside 22 hit singles, four of them top 10. The rollercoaster highs have been accompanied by some shattering lows, any which one of them could have felled a less resilient band, from nervous breakdowns to near bankruptcy and the deaths of two founder members.
Somehow, they have not just carried on but adapted and transformed. The classic Charlatans sound - driving Hammond organ, Northern Soul and house-influenced rhythms, swaggering guitars and Tim Burgess’s sunny yet somehow yearning vocal - is instantly recognisable. And in spite of everything they have been through their music is now more relevant than ever, The Guardian described their last album, Different Days as “one of their best ever.”
This limited box set, is a diverse collection portrayed over five Transparent blue vinyl LP’s, spanning their hits, classic live performances, unheard demo’s and rarities and remixes. Within the box will also be an exclusive Original Demo’s 7″ featuring ‘Indian Rope’/'The Only One I Know’, as well as a signed print of a tour poster from the early 90’s, a booklet featuring unseen photographs and sleeve notes by friend and journalist Dave Simpson. There will also be triple vinyl LP version and 2CD deluxe of the box set featuring the hits albums plus the live album, and finally a cd or vinyl of just the hits albums.
Their iconic and hugely adored live track ‘One To Another’ (circa 1997) provides the titles for the individual vinyl collection within the box set. Each piece of vinyl is named after a lyric from the song.
Review
The Band
Martin Blunt - bass (1988-present)
Tim Burgess - lead vocals, harmonica (1989-present)
Mark Collins - guitar, pedal steel guitar (1991-present)
Tony Rogers - keyboards, piano, organ, hammond organ, mellotron, backing vocals (1997-present)
Back in 2001 I was in the early throws of developing my music website from my Wrexham, North Wales base. I had started covering live shows when my friend JJ invited me to Wrexham’s primary live venue to witness a secret gig by a band called The Charlatans, who were preparing for one of that summer’s festivals. In truth, I didn’t know the band and hadn’t heard a note of their music. The gig was sold-out with fans coming from far and wide on the news of the ’secret gig’. It’s hard to believe that was 20 years ago - I was still using film! After the amazing show Burgess performed a DJ set where I managed too take a few shots. In terms of live shows it was one of those special events that is cemented firmly in my memory.
Over 20 years later I’m back to see the band perform at a time when the UK’s musical gems seem to be making effective comebacks. This show is also special because it’s taking place at one of the country’s iconic rock music venues, the Tivoli in Buckley, North Wales - just a few miles from Wrexham. It also happened to be another sold-out gig with not an inch to spare in this historic auditorium.
I tried to guage the nature of the audience while I waited for the show to start and concluded that it consisted mainly of males aged between 30-50 with a sprinkling of fans in their mid-to-late 20s. At 9pm the band members mounted the stage to roof-lifting cheers before opening with a short introductory instrumental spell. At its completion a smiling, white-haired Burgess joined and immediately launched into a fabulous ‘Forever’ opening, which just happened to be one of my favourite Charlatan tracks. The band sounded perfect while white-garbed Burgess was in animated mood, wandering around the stage like a wounded lion.
The setlist was magical, perfect and covered all the bases. High points were many and I was reminded how distinctive the band is and how many great songs were written. It was hard to believe that both the band and their songs were 30 and 20 years old. ‘Weirdo’ and ‘Get Out Of Bed’ were two early reminders of just how good the band is while later in the set ‘Impossible’ and ‘Sproston Green’ provided the final evidence of a band that will live on in distinction for another twenty years. A memorable and exciting show that will add to my fond memories of a band with a big heart and a lot of soul. The band played my favourite track ‘How High’ brilliantly and I was reminded that the band are still aiming for the sky…
Setlist
Forever
Weirdo
Can’t Get Out Of Bed
Then
You’re So Pretty
Sleepy Little Sunshine Boy
Just When
One To Another
A Man Needs
Blind Stagger
Different Days
Plastic
The Only One
North Country
Blackened
How High
I Never Want An Easy Life & He Were To Get There
Impossible
Loving You Is Easy
Sproston Green
New Music Reviews
Margo Cilker POHORYLLE. Loose
“I’ve seen Margo down and out, and I’ve seen her light as a feather, spinning her heels in a warm wooden barroom with the weight of the world miles away. I’ve seen Margo listen to strangers, allowing no detail to escape. This all makes it possible for her to write down these songs, and to sing these songs so well, and to push the compass across the page in a way that makes you want more.”
Let me start by declaring this record my country album of the year. Cilker’s expressive, natural and smooth voice combined with simple, largely piano-based, arrangements gives the record a rare warmth, as she spins her tales. For me, Cilker is the essence of country music opening with the stunning ‘That River’ that flows along slowly over a strong melody, thoughtful voice and superb arrangement (featuring a superb piano refrain) that compels one to stop and listen. It’s got everything including a powerful emotional pull.
Next track ‘Kevin Johnson’ travels upbeat with another spell of piano magic with drums subtle in the background beating the song’s toe-tapping rhythm. Listening to this I’m reminded of Parton in both the vocal similarity and song writing. ‘Broken Arm In Oregon’ offers a darker, bass-driven vibe as Cilker tells her country tale while ‘Flood Plain’ dives into heavy contemplation with a softly strummed guitar accompanying Cilker’s convincing voice.
This record offers 9 superb songs, diverse in pace and feel. Cilker is without doubt a talent to watch and on the strength of this has the brightest possible future. Essential
5/5
Biography
MARGO CILKER is a woman who drinks deeply of life, and her debut record POHORYLLE, due fall 2021 on Portland label Fluff and Gravy, is brimming with it. For the last seven years, the Eastern Oregon songwriter, who NPR calls one of “11 Oregon Artists to Watch in 2021,” has split her time between the road and various outposts across the world, from Enterprise, OR to the Basque Country of Spain, forging a path that is at once deeply rooted and ever-changing.
As POHORYLLE traverses through the geography of Cilker’s memories-a touring musician’s tapestry of dive bars and breathtaking natural beauty-love is apparent, as is its inevitable partner: loss. For what bigger heartbreak is there than to be a fervent lover who must always keep moving? Cilker seems keenly aware of the precarious footing upon which love stands, and at many turns, the record circles something that is staggeringly beautiful and slipping away.
“I am a woman split between places,” Cilker sings on the album’s wistful closer, touching for a brief moment upon the vast dichotomies of her selfhood and her profession, and the negotiation that she conducts between them.
“I’m just very inquisitive. I’m a very curious person. Why are things this way? Do they have to stay this way? You know, how can things change?” Cilker asks. It is this part of her nature that expands POHORYLLE into the complex journey that it is: her ability to crack open a moment of desperation and lay it out on a table to catch a careful light.
Pohorylle, which carries gentle nods to Lucinda Williams, Townes Van Zandt, and Gillian Welch, shines under the instincts of producer Sera Cahoone, whom Cilker first came across in 2019 while planning her first full-length. “I was trying to pin down what kind of sound I wanted and stumbled across a video of Sera and just loved how she performed. I then listened to her last studio record and thought, that’s the sound.” Cilker says. “I found out Sera had produced that record herself with John Askew. My friend put me in touch with her and she liked my demos enough to produce the album. It felt very auspicious-It was truly just a gut feeling.”
Cahoone quickly got to work assembling a first-rate band: Jenny Conlee (The Decemberists) on keys, Jason Kardong (Sera Cahoone, Son Volt) on pedal steel, Rebecca Young (Lindsey Fuller, Jesse Sykes) on bass, Mirabai Peart (Joanna Newsom) on strings, Kelly Pratt (Beirut) on horns, and the album’s engineer John Morgan Askew (Neko Case, Laura Gibson) on an array of other instruments. The record also prominently features effortless harmonies from Sarah Cilker, Margo Cilker’s sister and frequent touring partner.
Over the last six years, Margo Cilker has toured extensively across the US and internationally, and is a staple in the independent festival circuit. She looks forward to returning to the road in full swing in 2021.
Danny George Wilson ANOTHER PLACE. Loose
Danny George Wilson (Bennett Wilson Poole, Danny & The Champions Of The World, Grand Drive) unveils a radically surprising new solo album Another Place to a world coming up for air. Celebrating the future returning with a vibrant and diverse collection of startling, impressionistic songs produced in tandem with Sussex-based, studio-wizard Hamish Benjamin and his frequent collaborator Henry Garratt, helped along by pedal steel maestro Iain Sloan (Peter Bruntnell, Wynntown Marshals), and with memorable guest appearances from Emma Swift (Blonde On The Tracks), Gerry Love (Teenage Fanclub), and Jeff Tweedy (Wilco).
There were moments on this record that I thought I was listening to early Neil Young. It took me till song three to get into this one, and how! ‘I Wanna Tell You’ is a lumbering giant of a song bursting with emotion and not-a-little darkness. Wilson’s voice is detached and wonderful as he tells this story which is backed by a powerful melody and beautifully judged instrumental arrangement. ‘Heaven For Hiding’ adopts a lighter, upbeat tone while ‘Can You Feel Me?’ features a familiar-sounding and strong chorus that could so easily qualify the song for heavy radio airplay.
‘Right Place’ is a very emotional song sung with great feeling and expression with a wonderfully judged instrumental backdrop. There’s swooning vocal choruses and a subtle country sound here and a quality that makes this one of my favourites on the record. ‘Giving Away Too Much’ takes a welcome rockier and diverse route while ‘We’ve Got A Lot To Learn’ offers a more adventurous and distinctive sound. ‘I Would Be In Love (Anyway) is an interesting marriage of Hammond and contemplative vocal in what results as a slow, beautiful romantic ballad, and another favourite.
The record concludes with another favourite. ‘Inbetween The Love’ moves at glacial pace as Wilson could be mistaken for Mr Young as he tells this sad, romantic and moving story. This is a lovely and very moving record which deserves your attention.
4.5/5
Placebo Back in 2022
Placebo announce new album NEVER LET ME GO released 25th March 2022
UK & European headline tour dates announced
Placebo are today announcing news of their long-awaited 8th studio album. Nine years on from the release of their last outing LOUD LIKE LOVE, NEVER LET ME GO is confirmed for release on 25th March 2022. Also announced today is a new track from the album, ‘Surrounded By Spies’, along with 2022 headline UK / European tour dates.
Listen to ‘Surrounded By Spies’ here and view the visualizer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N17TEw__Iog
Pre-order NEVER LET ME GO and access ticket pre-sale here: https://lnk.to/Placebo-NeverLetMeGo
In September, Placebo resurfaced from a long hibernation to release their first single in five years - and first from the new album - ‘Beautiful James’. A joyous and celebratory song, it came quietly loaded with antagonism for the increasingly prominent, ignorant, factions that have come to litter modern conversation. As Brian Molko commented at the time, “If the song serves to irritate the squares and the uptight, so gleefully be it.”
As great masters in cataloguing the human condition, Placebo’s unique way of examining both its flaws and beauty finds fertile ground in 2021. Crawling out of the pandemic into a landscape of intolerance, division, tech-saturation and imminent eco-catastrophe, theirs is a voice that has rarely felt more significant to contemporary discourse, and more appropriate to sing these stories to the world. Within the magnetic slow-burn of new track ‘Surrounded By Spies’ no punches are pulled in confronting the erosion of civil liberties, as Brian Molko’s deft lyrical delivery is married to a creeping sense of claustrophobia that fittingly makes the walls feel as though they are closing in from all around.
Brian Molko comments:
“I began writing the lyrics when I discovered my neighbours were spying on me on behalf of parties with a nefarious agenda. I then began to ponder the countless ways in which our privacy has been eroded and stolen since the introduction of worldwide CCTV cameras that now employ racist facial recognition technologies; the rise of the internet and the cellphone, which has turned practically every user into a paparazzo and spectators in their own lives, and how we have mostly all offered up personal information to enormous multinationals whose sole intent is to exploit us.
I used the cut-up technique invented by William S Burroughs and popularized in modern song by David Bowie. It’s a true story told through a lens of paranoia, complete disgust for modern society’s values and the deification of surveillance capitalism. The narrator is at the end of their tether, hopeless and afraid, completely at odds with our newfound progress and the god of money.”
Placebo have also shared headline UK & European tour dates for 2022.
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY OF NEVER LET ME GO VIA THE OFFICIAL STORE TO GET EXCLUSIVE PRE-SALE ACCESS TO PLACEBO 2022 UK & EUROPEAN HEADLINE TOUR: https://www.placeboworld.co.uk/
*Pre-sale access closes November 14th at 11:59PM GMT.
*Pre-sale starts November 15th at 9:00AM GMT.
*General on-sale starts November 17th at 9:00AM GMT
*Maximum 4x tickets per person. ”
PLACEBO UK & EUROPEAN 2022 HEADLINE TOUR DATES
OCTOBER
Sat 1 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle
Tue 4 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle
Thu 6 - Berlin, Germany - Mercedes-Benz Arena
Sat 8 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
Mon 10 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
Tue 11 - Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
Thu 13 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall Black Box
Fri 14 - Tallin, Estonia - Saku Arena Black Box
Mon 17 - Warsaw, Poland - Expo XXI Hall 3
Wed 19 - Leipzig, Germany - Quarterback Immobilien Arena
Sat 22 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclaycard Arena
Mon 24 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
Wed 26 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
Thu 27 - Milan, Italy - Mediolanum Forum
Sat 29 - Zurich, Switzerland - Samsung Hall
Mon 31 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Universum
NOVEMBER
Wed 2 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
Fri 4 - Esch El Azette, Luxembourg - Rockhal
Mon 7 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess Arena
Tue 8 - Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpaleis
Thu 10 - Nancy, France - Zenith
Fri 11 - Paris, France - Accorhotels Arena
Sun 13 - Bordeaux, France - Arkea Arena
Mon 14 - Rennes, France - La Liberte
Fri 18 - Portsmouth, UK - Guildhall
Sat 19 - Brighton, UK - Brighton Centre
Mon 21 - Liverpool, UK - Eventim Olympia
Tue 22 - Manchester, UK - O2 Victoria Warehouse
Thu 24 - Cardiff, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Sat 26 - London, UK - O2 Brixton Academy
Sun 27 - London, UK - O2 Brixton Academy
Tue 29 - Leicester, UK - De Montford Hall
Wed 30 - Leeds, UK - O2 Academy
DECEMBER
Fri 2 - Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall
Sat 3 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy
Mon 5 - Dublin, Ireland - 3 Arena
Wed 7 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
Thu 8 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy 1
Placebo - NEVER LET ME GO album track listing
Forever Chemicals
Beautiful James
Hugz
Happy Birthday In The Sky
The Prodigal
Surrounded By Spies
Try Better Next Time
Sad White Reggae
Twin Demons
Chemtrails
This Is What You Wanted
Went Missing
Fix Yourself
UK Democracy Threatened
‘You know the best thing about what you wrote?’ the boy went on, and Tomas could see the effort it cost him to speak. ‘Your refusal to compromise. Your clear-cut sense of what’s good and what’s evil, something we’re beginning to lose. We have no idea any more what it means to feel guilty. The Communists have the excuse that Stalin misled them. Murderers have the excuse that their mothers didn’t love them. And suddenly you come out and say: there is no excuse. No one could be more innocent, in his soul and conscience, than Oedipus. And yet he punished himself when he saw what he had done.’
From The The Unbearable Lightness Of Being By Milan Kundera
I don’t usually regurgitate past features to main feature cover status but the recent events in UK politics I feel justifies. Over the past few months prime minister Johnson has put both UK democracy and the integrity of the prime minister in serious jeopardy. What’s even more alarming is the blind, self-preservation of his political colleagues - regardless of the awful and damaging truth. Never in my many years have I witnessed such dishonesty, corruption and incompetence at the heart of UK government. And to think we have at least 2 more years of this catastrophe…this must end and end now.
Something terrible is happening to the UK’s democratic status. Over the years there have been many major examples of governing prime ministers undermining democracy and social wellbeing. A few examples: Thatcher, backed by her MPs, undermined the country’s industrial base with dire long-term consequences. Her Right-To-Buy policy to garner more votes started the demise of social housing when bargain-basement sale accommodations were never replaced. May’s immigration policy left many immigrants of colour disenfranchised (the Windrush scandal) and unable to benefit from health services, work, education with the threat and actual deportation for many.
Cameron introduced the EU referendum which also left the country with long-term economic and social problems. Tony Blair joined Bush in promoting war against Iraq against the wishes of the UN, the UK public but passed by parliament based on unproven intelligence and an enhanced, inaccurate report. The implications to Middle East peace and prosperity are incalculable and devastating. In addition tens of thousands of lives were lost and millions sought safety by leaving their homes for distant shores.
The current prime minister, Boris Johnson, has continued the trend with gusto. Firstly, he lead a substantially misleading Brexit campaign which many believed with the result that the UK left its most profitable and friendly alliance which had lasted over 40 years. He tried illegally to close parliamentary debate and lied to the Queen. He promised that ‘Brexit is done’ and finally agreed to an EU departure deal that was far from done with difficult negotiations still taking place over several aspects including the Northern Ireland Protocol. And this while the UK’s overseas trade is declining alarmingly with European trade down by nearly 20%. Johnson’s team failed to initiate lockdowns early enough while allowing infected aged patients to enter the social care system with many deaths resulting. The poor, corrupt and mishandled supply of PEP also contributed to the second-highest death rate in the world.
Rag’n'Bone Man Live
LIFE BY MISADVENTURE Tour
O2 Apollo, Manchester
29 October 2021
I have always been a little cautious over new artists who score in a major way from a single that dominates the airwaves, pushed strongly by their record company and the BBC. And it’s not unusual for these new artists to become major international artists on the back of that single, relentlessly promoted song. The inverse is also true: without ‘that song’ success, to even the most modest degree, is illusive unless the act has the most special and distinctive talents. In 2016 the song ‘Human’ hit the airwaves big-time and deservedly so. It had everything - melody, lyrics and the most passionate, expressive baritone vocal. It also dodged the ‘mainstream bullet’ in that it was a mature and literate composition without gimmicks or over-production or a dance beat. Rag ‘n’ Bone man (aka Rory Graham) had arrived and relatively quickly in industry terms. To describe Graham as different is an understatement. He is a physically big man in every way which probably contributes to the power of his baritone voice.
My aim has always been to experience selected acts in live performance and especially those who have progressed on the back of a successful single and/or album release. And that’s why I’m in Manchester tonight. Now I knew that the show was sold-out with 2,514 standing and 986 seated (the Apollo’s capacity) fans paying over £40 to catch Graham’s performance. What I wasn’t prepared for was the sight of the longest snaking queue I have ever seen at Manchester’s Apollo. With car parks full the delay in finding parking space meant I missed the first support act and only just caught a few songs from the second support act.
Emily Burns
Emily Burns is a 27 year-old British singer-songwriter. She was born in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland, but raised at Rugby, Warwickshire, England, where she attended Rugby High School For Girls. Her music style is influenced by artists such as Tove Lo, Kehlani, Sigrid and Banks. Burns entered the Live and Unsigned competition in 2010, reaching the final to perform at the indig02. She was subsequently invited to attended a masterclass at Abbey Road Studios, where inhouse producer Rob Cass signed Burns to Cave Productions, leading to the release of the single ‘Plasters, Glitter and Glue’.
She performed at numerous festivals, including a tour of the Czech Republic and appearances on two different stages at the Secret Garden Party. Emily also had a slot on the BBC introducing stage at T in the Park in July 2013, which led to ‘Plasters, Glitter and Glue’ being play-listed on BBC Radio. Burns also performed on SB.TV and Mahogany Sessions in 2013. Burns then proceeded to play at BBC Radio Big weekend in Middlesbrough in 2019. Burns started working as a receptionist at Abbey Road Studios in 2014, which led to meeting producer Sound Of Fractures, who produced her first major single ‘Take It Or Leave It’, which was released in November 2016. Burns signed to record label 37 Adventures in July 2017 and released her first single with the label, ‘Bitch’, in January 2018 followed by her second single, ‘Girlfriend At The Time’, in March 2018. Burns released her first EP, SEVEN SCENES FROM THE SAME SUMMER, in July 2018. Burns released two four track EPs throughout 2019, MY TOWN and PDA. She released a third EP, I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE THE WORST, in July 2020.
Burns glowed white set back on the large stage and looking a little lost in the environment. With her guitar and backing tracks she conquered a large audience with her fragile voice and ethereal, gentle songs. This was a short, brave performance by this unknown singer-songwriter. My only criticism was that she should have been located to the front of the stage rather than in the shadows at the back. That said, the audience provided genuine and generous applause in typical Manchester fashion.
Emily Burns: https://www.emilyburnsmusic.co.uk/#/
“BRIT and Ivor Novello award winner Rag ‘N’ Bone Man tours his second album, LIFE BY MISADVENTURE. Written with some of music’s true greats, this record by Rory Graham, is all about growing up and moving forward. In his unmistakable voice, it’s words of love to friends, family and himself as he delves into his past, present, and future.”
The first thing that struck me as I made my way to the stage pit was the nature of the audience that covered a wide spectrum that even included children accompanied by parents. There were students, retirees; the whole box of dice; which spoke volumes about the appeal of this young singer-songwriter to music-lovers. In fact I’ve rarely seen such a diverse audience. The next thing I noticed was the subtle but very effective stage set which was made up by full length curtains draped on both wings of the stage that effectively formed a funnel with Graham at the front to the drummer at the rear. He was backed by a full band and a couple of backing singers located at the front of the stage (rather than discreetly placed behind the act, as is usually the case). The reception for Graham as he appeared stage-centre was enthusiastic, genuine and very, very loud.
I have yet to hear the star’s latest offering and so this was my first opportunity to hear the songs starting with the strong opener ‘All You Ever Wanted’. Graham impressed with the way his voice easily filled the large auditorium while the song was typically personal with a memorable melody. Graham seemed a little tentative at first but with the most loyal fans in front of him and great instrumental support by song two he was in his element; relaxed, natural and happy.
By song three (’Skin’ from his previous album) he was performing on all cylinders, had acquired a guitar and was chatting comfortably with his 3,500 fans. There was an interesting moment halfway through the song when I was zooming in on that weathered , warm face. He seemed to look straight at me and smiled. In covering hundreds of shows it was the first time that I had been acknowledged and it was at that moment that I realised the real appeal of this young artist: he’s genuine, loves his trade and dare I say it, is human.
What followed was 99.9% of the new album contents plus the best bits from his previous release. I was tempted to leave earlier due to the size of the crowd and Covid fears (I counted a handful of mask-wearers) but I retreated to the back of the auditorium to hear the rest of one of the best live performances I have witnessed in the last ten years. Listening is one thing, but Graham revealed another compelling dimension on stage that places him high up the ladder of live performers.
Setlist
All You Ever Wanted
Fall in Love Again
Skin
Time Will Only Tell
Somewhere Along The Way
Old Habits
Alone
Changing Of The Guard
Perfume
Grace
Anywhere Away From Here
Talking To Myself
Crossfire
Be the Man
Party’s Over
Human
Hell Yeah
——
Giant
(Calvin Harris & Rag’n'Bone Man cover)
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