Emmylou Harris at the Barbican

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Emmylou Harris performing Wrecking Ball
Daniel Lanois 
Barbican, 26 May 2014

"Can you turn the sound down!" a faceless man yells from the darkened audience during Daniel Lanois' opening set. "You come up here on stage and say that!" Lanois half-jokingly responds. Yes, it's one of those audiences. A few others even leave objecting to the feedback. Admittedly Lanois playing a short set was a surprise to many (although it said it on the website) and it particularly annoys the hell out of the guy sitting next to me, who even goes to complain to the Barbican management after ("At least musicals start on time!" he amusingly if completely unfairly moans).

Neutral Milk Hotel at the Roundhouse

Neutral Milk Hotel
Laetitia Sadier Trio
Roundhouse, 22 May 2014

Apparently the last time Neutral Milk Hotel played a headline show in London it was at the tiny, tiny Camden Underworld in October 1998. A few months later and the band were no more and singer/songwriter Jeff Mangum had become this mysterious, indie hermit, all of which only seemed to add to their mystique. In the intervening years between then and their reformation late last year, the band's second and last album, In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, has become almost legendary, in the world of alternative music at least, and gained the band way more fans than they ever had first time round. It was no surprise then when this run of shows, three in all, at the Roundhouse was announced that it sold out pretty much straight away. Pretty amazing to go from the Camden Underworld to selling out three nights up the road at the Roundhouse without doing a thing other than letting time, reputation and word of mouth do its thing.

Tomorrow you'll find me...

Yay!

First Aid Kit at Islington Assembly Hall

First Aid Kit
Jo Rose
Islington Assembly Hall, 15 May 2014

With their third album, Stay Gold, due in less than a month it was a truly lovely surprise when First Aid Kit announced a smallish gig at the Islington Assembly Hall. Not surprisingly, given they are big enough to announce a date at the Royal Albert Hall in September since, it sold out pretty much straight away but lucky for me I managed to get one of the coveted tickets for the show. I had never been to Islington Assembly Hall before but it's actually one of the nicer venues I've been to in a while, just up the road from my current favourite, the Union Chapel, With a small standing area in front of the stage and a seated balcony, it's probably between the size of the much missed Astoria and the Scala in King's Cross, but the look of Bush Hall. Unlike some of the recent venues I've visited for the first time recently, this is one of the few that I'm keen to return to.

Janelle Monáe at Brixton Academy

Janelle Monáe
Cody ChestnuTT
Brixton Academy, 9 May 2014

It's bizarre to think that, in a world of subpar pop divas, Janelle Monáe isn't a huge superstar by now. She has three excellent records to her name, filled with brilliant, clever and catchy-as-hell songs that you'd imagine would all be big hits but for some crazy reason she hasn't had that all important crossover moment. That's why Monáe is playing Brixton Academy tonight instead of Wembley Arena, even though she deserves to be, but all the better for us in attendance because this was one amazing show made all that more exciting because it was in a smaller venue.