Margo Price at Scala

Margo Price

Maya Lane

Scala, 18 June 2025

Back in 2016, I was lucky enough to see Margo Price touring her debut album, Midwest Farmer's Daughter, at this very venue, the Scala. Every time I've seen her since, including at the far bigger and grander Koko last year, I knew I was in the presence of a true star. I didn't think I would have the chance to see her in such a small venue again but almost ten years on, here I am back at the Scala to see Price where I first fell in love with her big time.

Best Gigs of 2024

This year really was all about MJ Lenderman for me. Not only did I see him with his other band Wednesday finally (their last album ruled 2023 for me), but I also saw him doing his first ever UK solo show all by himself at Rough Trade East (and got to meet the man himself) and saw him twice with his incredible backing band The Wind at the fantastic intimate shows at The Garage. 

Margo Price at Koko

Margo Price

Kelsey Waldon 

Koko, 30 January 2024

Last year I saw Margo Price absolutely blow the roof off Lafayette, so when she announced another show at the always beautiful Koko with another of my favourites, Kelsey Waldon, supporting, I couldn't get tickets fast enough. Good thing too, as not surprisingly, the show was completely sold out.

My Favourite Albums Of 2023

My top albums of 2023:

Wednesday - Rat Saw God

Jess Williamson - Time Ain't Accidental

Margo Price - Strays & Strays II

Jenny Lewis - Joy'All

The Mars Volta - Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon

Lana Del Rey - Did You Know There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

PJ Harvey - I Inside The Old Year Dying 

Inger Lorre - Gloryland

Margo Cilker - Valley Of Heart's Delight

Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, The Water, The Sky

Wilco - Cousin

Best Gigs Of 2023

Last year I went to only six gigs and this year, I did even better... seven! While hardly the heady days years back when I was going to over fifty shows a year, I still feel grateful to have seen some absolutely exceptional concerts this year including lots of old favourites I hadn't seen in a long time and finally seeing the magnificent Amanda Shires live, lucky for me, in such a wonderful intimate venue as Omeara. My gig of the year though has been a complete life-changing one, as it has utterly shaped my entire year and re-awakened my love of music and its importance to me in my life, and also had me nostalgically re-visiting lots of my favourite artists from the past. That show was The Mars Volta at Troxy and I am forever grateful I got to see it and I truly hope it won't be the last time. 

1. The Mars Volta at Troxy

2. Dinosaur Jr. at The Garage

3. Margo Price at Lafayette

4. Sleater-Kinney at Roundhouse

5. Amanda Shires at Omeara

6. Alison Sudol at Omeara

7. Caitlin Rose at EartH

Margo Price at Lafayette

Margo Price

Tommy Prine

Lafayette, 25 August 2023 

It feels like forever since Margo Price last hit these shores, but in fact it's been six years since she last played a headline show here. Since then she's actually released three more gloriously beautiful and eclectic albums, the latest of which, Strays, is easily one of the best of 2023 so far. So when she finally announced her return to London, I was excited to say the least.

My Favourite Albums Of 2020

13. Tanya Donelly & The Parkington Sisters

12. Bonny Light Horseman - Bonny Light Horseman

11. Courtney Marie Andrews - Old Flowers

10. Isobel Campbell - There Is No Other...

9. Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter

8. Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

7. Ren Harvieu - Revel In The Drama

6. Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters

5. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

4. Greg Dulli - Random Desire

3. Margo Price - That's How Rumors Get Started

2. Neil Young - Homegrown

1. Kathleen Edwards - Total Freedom

Albums Of The Decade

My favourite albums of the past decade. It's really hard to rank albums and really every one is interchangeable because each has meant something special to me or been something of an obsession over the past decade at different times. It's also interesting to see since starting this blog how a lot of the albums on my end of year lists are now rarely listened to by me and some almost completely forgotten (I really don't think I've thought about Yuck, for instance, since 2011 but they are there on my list that year). These were chosen for a combination of most listens and the memories they bring back. I'm sure I've missed out some good ones though.

My Favourite Albums Of 2017

This year has definitely been an interesting one musically, with women in particular releasing many of the best albums of any genre. That wasn't reflected well enough in the end of year polls, in my opinion, but it certainly is in my list. I actually included a couple more men in my first draft before realising that in my heart these were the albums that won me over more than anything else this year regardless of gender.

Best Gigs Of 2017

Out of all the shows I went to this year the two most memorable were touched by death and that's what will forever define them in my mind. There was the first night of Eddie Vedder's two shows at Hammersmith where Chris Cornell's death hung over everything like a huge black cloud. Cornell's suicide affected me more deeply than other celebrity deaths for many reasons so to experience that shared grief with other fans and also to witness Vedder's first public acknowledgement of it was very moving and cathartic and I will never forget it.

Margo Price at Islington Assembly Hall

 

Margo Price
Jeremy Ivey
Islington Assembly Hall, 19 January 2017

Margo Price is such a country queen. It actually boggles my mind that she missed out on a nomination at the CMAs for her debut album Midwest Farmer's Daughter, which I think was easily one of last year's best albums of any genre. Clearly plenty in London agree because tonight's show is sold out and nicely, quite diverse too.

My Favourite Albums Of 2016

Some of the greatest albums this year were some of the saddest and certainly inspired by death: David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave, all very different but heartbreaking records. I didn't include Cave on my list because I actually found his album Skeleton Tree, recorded in the aftermath of his son's death, the most difficult to listen to, proving I suppose that death is hardest for those left behind. A lot of my favourite albums this year were definitely dark, because I guess that was my mood in 2016, but I think some were hopeful too. These days I'm finding less solace in music but I am hoping that 2017 will be different.

Best Gigs Of 2016

I didn't go to as many gigs this year but there were still plenty of highlights for me from some old favourites, a few legends and some acts, new and old, who I had never seen before. Probably the most unusual was film director/composer John Carpenter at Troxy, whose mix of electronic soundtracks and visuals was pretty incredible. Meanwhile, Bat For Lashes' themed show showcasing her concept album The Bride was theatrical, warm and brilliant; Margo Price made me fall in love with her thanks to her no-frills traditional country and Low brought their Christmas record to life for me in ways I didn't expect. On top of that I got to meet Greg Dulli, one of my heroes, and to see Neil Young play with his new band, Promise Of The Real,  featuring Willie Nelson's sons. Not bad at all. I hope 2017 has lots of good things in store too.

10. Lush at the Roundhouse

9. Cyndi Lauper at Hammersmith Apollo

8. Greg Dulli at the Union Chapel

7. Neil Young & Laura Marling at the O2 Arena

6. Angel Olsen at Koko

5. Warpaint at the Roundhouse

4. John Carpenter at Troxy

3. Bat For Lashes at the Union Chapel

2. Low: A Christmas Performance at Union Chapel

1. Margo Price at The Scala

Margo Price's Hands Of Time video

Song of the year. Hands down.

Margo Price at Scala

Margo Price
Andrew Combs
Scala, 1 September 2016

I've seen Andrew Combs before supporting Caitlin Rose, which makes sense because one of the songs on Margo Price's superb debut album is co-written by Rose so I suppose they are part of the same group of singer-songwriting friends in Nashville. Combs, like before, stands alone with his acoustic guitar and the obligatory Nashville attire of blue jeans and cowboy shirt. He's smaller than I remember but just as baby-faced which contrasts with the world-weary gravel in his voice. I think I said this before but he reminds me a lot of Ryan Adams in his more stripped down, lonesome moments and the crowd responds well to his earthy, country style, in fact he even plays a song (Too Stoned To Cry) because someone requested it "on the way to the bathroom".