Claire Stones

The Rails + Danny Wilson, Oslo, Hackney, London, 29th October 2019

This was the last UK tour date for The Rails – Kami Thompson and James Walbourne – who had hit the road in support of their album, ‘Cancel The Sun’, released back in August. The support tonight was from Danny Wilson, of Danny & The Champions Of The World, Bennett, Wilson, Poole and Grand Drive. His six-song set was a nice introduction to him, simple with a good acoustic guitar accompaniment. Playing songs from his back catalogue for the most part, he ended his set with a cover of Ronnie Lanes’ ‘Debris’, for which he was joined on stage by James Walbourne and Sean Read. Continue reading “The Rails + Danny Wilson, Oslo, Hackney, London, 29th October 2019”

The Blue Highways + James Hodder + Jamie Freeman + Howard Rose, The Betsey Trotwood, London, 18th & 19th October 2019

Unusually for what is essentially a brand new band, The Blue Highways played two shows back to back at the Betsey Trotwood in London’s Clerkenwell to celebrate their debut EP which was released back in August. The band (Callum Lury – lead vocals, guitar and songwriter; Jack Lury – lead guitar; Peter Dixon – bass guitar; and Theo Lury – drums and vocals) were joined on both nights by a horn section and kept the same playlist for both events. Continue reading “The Blue Highways + James Hodder + Jamie Freeman + Howard Rose, The Betsey Trotwood, London, 18th & 19th October 2019”

Hootie & the Blowfish + Drivin N Cryin + Patrick Davis, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 12th October 2019

Hootie & the Blowfish are back. Following a ten-year break, they reformed in 2018 and have a new album due out soon. On 12th October, their tour of the UK & Ireland hit London. The date, although not sold out, was pretty close, and seeing as Brad Paisley was at the O2 Arena the same night, it was pretty good going. Continue reading “Hootie & the Blowfish + Drivin N Cryin + Patrick Davis, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 12th October 2019”

Richard Thompson – 70th Birthday Celebration, Royal Albert Hall, London, 30th September 2019

When you’ve had a career such as Richard Thompson’s, supreme songwriter and guitar virtuoso, with many fellow musicians as fans, your 70th Birthday bash, of course, has to be held at the Royal Albert Hall. On 30th September, a star-studded line-up joined Thompson to play many of his songs along with some of his old favourites and adding a few of their own. Compèred by Thompson’s youngest son Jack – a self-described “Spawn of Thompson”- the night was split into two parts with the first half loosely following Thompson’s musical history in a chronological fashion. Continue reading “Richard Thompson – 70th Birthday Celebration, Royal Albert Hall, London, 30th September 2019”