Live Reviews
-
The anticipation was real as Soulfultiz finds himself buzzing with Kano....
-
Prince's former backing band, the NPG, celebrate him in Manchester with a formidable frontman....
-
London based punks Big Joanie make their Liverpool debut at EBGBS, and Gary Dougherty was there to catch them....
-
Pop superstar Christina Aguilera makes a stunning return to the UK for the first time in over a decade, as Tom Massam can attest. ...
-
The Sambroso All Stars paid tribute to Buena Vista Social Club at Kitchen St, and Gary Dougherty was there to enjoy the Son Cubano beats. ...
-
Shaun Ponsonby catches Fatlip and Slimkid3 from The Pharcyde playing their enduring hip hop classic at 24 Kitchen St....
-
Christy Smyth catches the occasionally funny, often heartbreaking Richard Dawson at Studio 2. ...
-
Launching what might be his most accomplished set of songs yet, Emilio Pinchi continues to surprise Shaun Ponsonby. ...
-
Tom Adam snaps the trip hop icon in the glorious surroundings of District. ...
-
Graham Smillie captures a momentous night at the O2 Academy featuring She Drew The Gun, Peaness and Mamatung. ...
-
Feeling under the weather actually helps elevate our enjoyment of these three, grungy bands. ...
-
Just months following his Sound City triumph, Loyle Carner returned to Liverpool. Soulfultiz catches the master at work. ...
-
Despite being unimpressed with the band on record, Connor Patrick Ryan is enthralled by Daughters in the flesh. ...
-
Excited to see a Motown legend in an intimate space, Paul Robert Mullen can't help but feel deflated with the reality. ...
-
KCC Live join up with LIPA for a bumper night as part of The 2ube. Dan Spelman reports. ...
-
There are few people as iconic as Cher. Shaun Ponsonby can't believe his eyes seeing the Gay Elvis in the flesh. ...
-
With funk icon Roy Ayers rocking up to Kitchen St, Lorna Dougherty catches a living legend in intimate surroundings. ...
-
Connor Patrick Ryan catches the New Order and Joy Division legend in the interesting surroundings of the Shankly Hotel. ...
-
Shaun Ponsonby and Brian Sayle head to Invisible Wind Factory to dance the night away with two funky African influenced stars in the making. ...
-
Review by Soulfultiz and photos by Vicky Pea from a huge night at the Arts Club for Liverpool's R'n'B and Hip Hop scene with MiC Lowry, Sub Blue, NuTribe and Shak Omar....
-
A major coup in booking some major stars, but Planet Slop wonders if this precedent set by LIMF can feasibly continue. ...
-
You wanted the best, you got the best. Shaun Ponsonby catches the KISS' brilliantly silly farewell tour in Manchester. ...
-
Following the Electric Lady for nearly a decade, Shaun Ponsonby almost sheds a tear as Janelle Monáe performs to a sold out crowd at Manchester's huge Castlefield Bowl. ...
-
It's the best weekend in the city, Africa Oyé's 2019 edition saw sunshine and rain, and Tony Nwachukwu was there to bask in its glory. ...
-
Celebrating four decades of Rapper’s Delight, Graham Smillie heads to the Shankly Hotel to catch Sugarhill Gang with Gradmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio....
-
In what was one of the most anticipated tours of the year, Shaun Ponsonby sees a trio of hip hop icons descend upon Manchester Arena. As a veteran of classic rock shows, ...
-
Broadening the names of the top of the bill appeared to give Sound City 2019 a whole new audience. The Planet Slop team spend the weekend in the Baltic Triangle. Sound Ci...
-
Celebrating four decades of skanking, Alan Parry catches The Specials for a night filled with dancing and overt political messages. Four decades ago, The Specials arrived...
-
Feeling like a rejuvenated section of the scene, the brains behind Wrong Festival present their second all-dayer. Graham Smillie earns his keep with both words and photos...
-
Despite the competition, Threshold Festival proved that they remain a vital date in Liverpool’s cultural calendar. Shaun Ponsonby and Lorna Dougherty go the distanc...
-
XamVolo launches his debut album, which Shaun Ponsonby believes has set a new standard for Liverpool music. ...
-
Bronnie marks her homecoming with an incredible show at Zanzibar. Dan Spelman witnesses an artist hitting a whole new level....
-
When John Waters comes to town, all bets are off. Planet Slop enjoyed a weekend of bad taste with The Pope of Trash and Liverpool’s very own Eat Me + Preach. ...
-
Planet Slop wouldn’t miss Queen Zee launching their debut album, would we? Shaun Ponsonby heads to 24 Kitchen St to see 2018’s gig calendar out in sickening s...
-
Making the venue feel like an extension of her work, LUNA took over 24 Kitchen St to launch her latest single....
-
An astonishing performance to launch her astonishing EP, Mersey Wylie puts on an empowering night at Studio 2....
-
Paul Riley may be feeling his age, but that doesn’t stop him enjoying a bumper night at EBGB’s from Loner Noise....
-
Out of Context celebrate their first birthday with a huge line-up of locally based talent. Gary Dougherty finds a night of empowering folk, soul, jazz and hip hop....
-
The former Talking Heads frontman stages his most elaborate show since Stop Making Sense, but does it live up to the hype? Shaun Ponsonby heads to Manchester to find out....
-
After a seven year absence, Ladytron return for a homecoming at the O2 Academy. Shaun Ponsonby finds out if they still destroy everything they touch. ...
-
Michael Fell heads out to the O2 Academy for two nights of sold-out shows in one of Liverpool’s favourite venues....
-
Gary Dougherty catches XamVolo’s return to Constellations for his fourth instalment of The Art of Dffrnce....
-
What’s in your toy box? Celebrating ten years of unabashed queer expression, Planet Slop takes in the House of Suarez’s annual Vogue Ball at Invisible Wind Fa...
-
The best night in Liverpool now comes with added Kylie. Shaun Ponsonby catches a bona fide national treasure in the act. ...
-
Heading to Manchester for Janelle Monae’s first full UK show in four years, Shona Carmen feels alive, emotional and included as the Electric Lady wows in a venue al...
-
Andrew Nicholls takes his regular Queenstion Time on the road, rocking up to Europe’s biggest drag convention in London, and speaking to Jujubee, Manila, Cheryl Ho...
-
Bringing together music and gig photography, Graham Smillie finds great potential in Shout About It Live. ...
-
The former Scissor Sisters man brings his solo show to the Arts Club, where Shaun Ponsonby finds a vibrant, colourful and thoroughly Queer show. ...
-
A perfect marriage of rock & soul, Shaun Ponsonby checks out California’s Vintage Trouble in the Baltic Triangle. ...
-
Three incredible Liverpool artists come together for one night at 81 Renshaw, and Graham Smillie was on hand to take it all in. ...
-
With LIMF debuting their new set-up for 2018, Shaun Ponsonby and Soulfultiz take in this year’s event and ponder the future. ...
-
George Clinton makes his final visit to Manchester, but despite his impending retirement, Shaun Ponsonby finds a defiant Dr Funkenstein refusing to rest on his laurels. ...
-
Little Steven returned to Liverpool six months after playing two shows in one day. Shaun Ponsonby was on hand to light the soulfire. ...
-
Going back to their roots in Studio 2, ParrJazz welcomed Forq to Liverpool’s finest Tuesday night entertainment. Mikey Fell was there to check it out....
-
After rescheduling their shows in the spring, the New Zealand musical comedy duo finally bring their reunion tour to Liverpool. Shaun Ponsonby finds out whether it was w...
-
Sandwiched between Positive Vibration and the new look LIMF, Shaun Ponsonby finds Africa Oyé is still the greatest weekend in Liverpool’s cultural calendar. ...
-
As Positive Vibration stage their most successful weekend yet, Paul Riley and Shaun Ponsonby wonder if, after just three years, the reggae festival has outgrown the Balti...
-
Planet Slop & Sakura join the tens of thousands making the pilgrimage to Manchester to see Rock n Roll’s living legends. ...
-
For WOWfest’s 2018 finale, Shelique Braithwaite takes in Potent Whisper at Constellations, and sees the themes of this year’s festival come together. ...
-
Joel Leary spends a night in the Jacaranda to witness some horn drenched Carlisle rockers head to Liverpool with a bluesy edge....
-
As Sound City return to their roots, Planet Slop send Giulia Cecchi, Mikey Fell, Mark Holmes, Brian Sayle, Graham Smilie and Soulfultiz to spend the weekend in the Baltic...
-
A modern jazz festival in the heart of the Baltic Triangle? Soulfultiz thinks its just what the doctor ordered....
-
Back for its second year, Paul Riley and Vicky Pea find Wrong Festival building on last year’s triumph and securing a unique place in the Liverpool music calendar.Â...
-
Threshold Festival use their fallow year to launch a more compact event. Shaun Ponsonby spends two days in the Baltic Triangle for Across The Threshold. ...
-
Not knowing what to expect from the Roxy Music legend, Alan Parry discovers what grown up pop sounds like. ...
-
A pretty perfect way to wind down on a Sunday evening, Shaun Ponsonby takes in some Manchester soul on Bold Street.  ...
-
With Paloma Faith bringing a local hero on the road, Shaun Ponsonby catches a pop star who is both fantastical and relatable. ...
-
With almost six decades of music to choose from, Brian Sayle catches the reggae legend on his return visit to Liverpool. ...
-
With Stealing Sheep debuting new material in a show named Big Wows, Graham Smillie finds it an appropriate title for a genuinely dazzling show. ...
-
Raiding Bob Marley’s back catalogue without their fallen leader, Shaun Ponsonby catches the reggae legends at the height of their powers. ...
-
The up and coming Malaysian-English comic came to Southport’s Atkinson, and Alan Parry found the young comedian performing beyond his years. ...
-
Maybe some things are best kept a fantasy. Planet Slop catches a disappointing Wiley at 24 Kitchen Street....
-
The former Black Uhuru star performs the most iconic music in his back catalogue, and Graham Smillie was there for the positive vibrations. ...
-
Launching his new single at Studio 2, Emilio Pinchi ends up offering one of the finest nights out in recent memory. Graham Smillie and Jazamin Sinclair were there to take...
-
With a big night at Invisible Wind Factory, Paul Riley finds himself disappointed by Nightmares on Wax, but finds a promising new talent in MC Nelson. ...
-
Vicky Pea tears up the draft and goes back to the drawing board after seeing Kendrick Lamar destroy her expectations in Manchester. ...
-
The night before her Kendrick Lamar collaboration drops, Jorja Smith brings her sell-out UK tour to the Invisible Wind Factory. Soulfultiz checks out an artist on the cus...
-
In a brand new venue on the outskirts of town, Shaun Ponsonby takes in an all-night Boom Bap party that could become a central part of a criminally overlooked scene. ...
-
Last week, Planet Slop joined up with Rogue Gallery for an eccentric and eclectic night of rock, hip-hop, blues, jazz-pronk and acoustic queercore. Here’s how it we...
-
A maverick musical with a message, Gary Dougherty reports on a night of songs, laughs and anarchic performance....
-
As Queen Zee stage their second Sassden event, Matthew Reekie finds a raucous night that is pushing boundaries. ...
-
Sakura presents a snippet of the night when Paramore’s arena tour came to Manchester. ...
-
Despite his disdain for New Years Eve, Paul Riley finds himself dancing with everybody else during Fiesta Bombarda’s triumphant end of year bash. ...
-
With a double bill of 2-Tone legends ending their year in Liverpool, Graham Smillie gets his Christmas skank on....
-
As Slade stage a Christmas party in Liverpool, Shaun Ponsonby feels the noize with the glam legend’s current incarnation. ...
-
Did we just see some defining performances from a couple of Liverpool’s stars in waiting? Shaun Ponsonby seems to think so....
-
In arguably the finest large venue in the city, Paul Riley finds a rock icon far from playing it safe. ...
-
The favourite band of his youth, Shaun Ponsonby heads to the Echo Arena to find out whether Queen are still the champions with Adam Lambert. ...
-
Bringing 25 years of Africa Oye to a close, Shaun Ponsonby sees a performance of sheer class from French-Cameroon artist Blick Bassy....
-
Stephen Lewin has high hopes as he sets out to join the dedicated DeMarco masses at Mountford Hall. ...
-
In the perfect surroundings of the Laughterhouse, Alan Parry finds Paul Foot reminiscent of Robin Williams in his pomp. ...
-
The shock rock icon returns with the original band for the first time in 46 years, and welcomes Shaun Ponsonby to his nightmare. ...
-
Consigliere to both Bruce Springsteen and Tony Soprano, Little Steven wows Liverpool with two very different shows in one day. Superfan Shaun Ponsonby wasn’t going ...
-
Taking a trip to New Orleans, albeit via Manchester, Owen Mullen finds a pure love of music at Gorilla. ...
-
With Blondie’s new album arguably being their most popular in two decades, Shaun Ponsonby finds a band far from resting on their laurels.  ...
-
Vicky Pea finally catches the band that has inexplicably eluded her since the glorious summer of ’04. ...
-
With Squeeze expertly showing us how it’s done, Alan Parry finds out what grown ups do on a night out. ...
-
With regular indie faces on stage, and some genuinely exciting MC’s relegated downstairs, Shaun Ponsonby, Vicky Pea and Lorna Doughtery think it’s time for Li...
-
Wednesday night may not be raring for a party, but Shaun Ponsonby finds a warm reception for Childhood....
-
Positive Vibration brings another reggae legend to Liverpool as part of Music Week. As if Shaun Ponsonby would miss this one....
-
Celebrating 20 years of the Bella Union label at Leaf for Liverpool Music Week, Paul Fitzgerald finds an evening of true celebration....
-
Having only known Jungle for two weeks, Graham Smillie takes a chance and catches them at the Invisible Wind Factory. Do they convert a new fan?...
-
Having a little look back at our adventures so far in Liverpool Music Week 2018. ...
-
As the Abstract Orchestra makes an inevitable return to the city, DJ2Kind watches them triumph in a re-imagining of a hip hop classic. ...
-
Liverpool Music Week brings us the good times, and it leaves Shaun Ponsonby wondering how many hits you can fit in one show....
-
Traveling down to London’s O2 Arena, Shaun Ponsonby became one of the first people to view the items on display at the world premiere of the official Prince exhibit...
-
Mark Johnstone gets his skank on as Reel Big Fish fuel the fire at the O2 Academy. ...
-
Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it; Andrew Nicholls takes in the House of Suarez annual Vogue Ball at the Invisible Wind Factory....
-
Impropriety’s improvised soap opera The Happening is coming to the end of its run at 81 Renshaw Street. Sean Broadhurst returns to take in the penultimate episode and r...
-
Stephen Lewin finds The Shipping Forecast void of answers but brimming with the seeds of essential conversations courtesy of Downtown Boys. ...
-
Paul Riley embraces the Freak Scene – and the whiskey – and the rock – at Loner Noises’ Freak Scene All-Dayer. ...
-
Paul Fitzgerald joins a sold out crowd at the Buyers Club to discover the true definition of a band on an evening of one special monent after another. ...
-
An odd pairing? Not at all! Stephen Lewin travels to Leeds for a formidable double header. ...
-
Luke Foo Guest has been away during Smithdown Road’s redevelopment, so he was delighted to spend the day at the free all-dayer they staged last week. Warning: Wrist...
-
Paul Fitzgerald enjoys two full hours of unremittingly joyous Congolese wonder at the Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music Room with Kanda Bongo Man. ...
-
Sean Broadhurst is witness to a mushroom related murder in the improv county of Kazimier-shire in Episode 4 of The Happening....
-
The laughs turn to genuine emotion for episode three of Impropriety’s improvised soap opera, and Sean Broadhurst finally avoided becoming part of the show....
-
The only all-female line-up at the Liverpool Comedy Festival, Sean Broadhurst took in Laughter Locker and found it a refreshing antidote to a male dominated industry. ...
-
Michael Edward joins a shawl of sound engineers as they swarm to witness Shellac at the Manchester Academy 2. ...
-
A virgin to The Funk, Sean Broadhurst becomes a bona fide convert at the homecoming concert for Liverpool’s galactic funk soldiers....
-
Kicking off the much anticipated Raskit Tour in Liverpool, Christy Smyth finds Dizzee Rascal well and truly back in the corner. ...
-
Greg Davies brought his You Magnificent Beast tour to Liverpool Comedy Festival, and Alan Parry found a man with the energy of a man half his age. ...
-
Having unwittingly become part of the show during episode one of Impropriety’s improvised soap opera, Sean Broadhurst was determined not to let the same thing happe...
-
Sakura shares her shots from Lorde’s gig at Manchester’s O2 Apollo. ...
-
A Friday night in fine company, Planet Slop takes in art rock legends Sparks for a rare live performance in Manchester. ...
-
The first ever We Are Grime event took place at EBGB’s last week, and Planet Slop were there to take it in. ...
-
Sakura presents her photo gallery from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at Manchester Arena. ...
-
As part of Liverpool Comedy Festival Vicky Pea attends her first Cabaret show, with a twist. ...
-
Planet Slop’s Paul Riley, Brian Sayle and Vicky Pea present their review and photo gallery from this year’s Liverpool Psych Fest. ...
-
An improvised spoof soap opera? Why not? Sean Broadhurst takes in episode one of Impropriety’s The Happening. ...
-
The gig may have been downsized, but Jesus and Mary Chain triumphed regardless, according to Paul Fitzgerald. ...
-
With Australia’s POND making a Liverpool appearance, Brian Sayle catches them launching this year’s anticipated Psych Fest. ...
-
With two massive reggae gigs in just a couple of weeks, Brian Sayle and Graham Smillie are blown away by the ambition of Positive Vibration. ...
-
One of the world’s biggest superstars comes to Blackpool. Shaun Ponsonby takes in the first ever Livewire Festival, starring the one and only Will Smith....
-
Sakura presents a photo gallery as Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst delivers a gig of the year contender to the pleasure of his fans....
-
Packed into a venue that may have been too small for a gig of this size, Paul Riley tries to enjoy jazz legend Roy Ayers during a night of ups and downs. Â Â ...
-
After a number of years away from the stage, Shaun Ponsonby catches the reggae giants’ return to Liverpool at the Olympia. ...
-
Adam Chapman reviews the now legendary Sunday of Hope and Glory 2017. ...
-
Heading down to London solo, Nelson experiences Afropunk in all it’s multicultural glory....
-
An alternative to Pride? Shaun Ponsonby thinks that Queer Rrriot was not only a rousing success, but that it is imperative that it continues....
-
Playing The Beach Boys' masterpiece Pet Sounds in full, Shaun Ponsonby finds the Liverpool crowd delighted to simply be in Brian Wilson's presence....
-
Having stopped paying attention to Gary Numan by the early 80s, Graham Smillie decides to pop along to the Exhibition Centre and discovers why the artist retains such a ...
-
Sakura presents a gallery of the bearded behemoths as they bring their Tonnage Tour to Manchester’s O2 Apollo. ...
-
Returning for it’s 5th year, LIMF overcomes the obstacles to retain it’s central place in Liverpool’s summer gig calendar....
-
Yes, Glastonbury happened. In fact it feels long ago in the memory now, but that can’t be helped. Upon returning this year we promptly fell apart, hit down with the...
-
With Detroit legends The Gories headlining, Mark Greenwood heads to Magnet for a whopper of a night from Harvest Sun....
-
With the rock legends making a rare trip overseas, Shaun Ponsonby joins the sold out crowd in Hyde Park for Tom Petty’s long awaited 40th anniversary tour. ...
-
With numerous generations of his family missing out on various incarnations of The Jacksons for decades, Shaun Ponsonby finally dances, shouts and shakes his body down to...
-
Seeing his favourite band in the flesh, Paul Riley braves the tourists for Radiohead’s massive gig in Manchester....
-
With a jazz superstar in intimate surroundings, Soulfultiz is left captivated by the great Kamasi Washington....
-
A funk and soul all-dayer? Don’t mind if we do! Shaun Ponsonby checks out Craig Charles’ Beats, Beer & Boogaloo at Camp & Furnace....
-
With one of the great cult bands on a rare UK trek, Shaun Ponsonby finds Cheap Trick sounding as great as they ever did....
-
Cancer Bats forming a Black Sabbath tribute band? Brian Sayle catches a curious, but arresting set....
-
Africa Oyé Feat. Max Romeo, Mokoomba, Jupiter & Okwess International & More: Sefton Park, Liverpool
As Africa Oyé turns 25, Shaun Ponsonby basks in the glory of what is arguably the best weekend on the Liverpool calendar.... -
With the only UK date for Springsteen’s right hand man being in Manchester, Shaun Ponsonby finally gets to see one of his heroes playing a solo set in the flesh....
-
Having won Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards, Shaun Ponsonby finds Liverpool’s reggae festival upping the ante. ...
-
On the eve of Positive Vibration’s second festival, Soulfultiz headed to Art of Reggae Exhibition at Constellations....
-
A perfect marriage of rock & soul, Shaun Ponsonby checks out California’s Vintage Trouble in Manchester....
-
Anyone expecting Sonic Youth’s greatest hits would have been sorely disappointed, but David North finds Thurston Moore’s celebration of The Mersey Sound capti...
-
Sakura was at The Ritz to see Liam Gallagher make his live return on a poignant night in Manchester. ...
-
With Sound City’s tenth anniversary celebrations moving them to a new home, and some extra special one-off shows, Shaun Ponsonby and Paul Riley took in the sights a...
-
 A line-up that rivals All Tomorrow’s Parties at it’s zenith, Michael Edward heads to Manchester for a humungous night at the Victoria Warehouse....