When I saw Sierra Ferrell back in 2022 playing acoustically with just a two-piece band backing her, I knew she was something special and brimming with star quality but even that wonderful show didn't prepare me for just how fantastic this gig would be. It truly was two hours of pure magic, with Ferrell showing off her incredible stage presence and backed by a truly astonishing band.
It's been more than 30 years since Sugar last played in London and then they split before I ever got the chance to see them live, so when they announced a short run of reunion shows, including two nights at the Kentish Town Forum, where they first played London back in 1992 (I went for the second night), I jumped at the chance to finally see them live and wow, it certainly didn't disappoint, as the trio, especially Bob Mould, have the energy of bands more than half their age.
I'm happy to say that seeing Waxahatchee almost ten years after the first time was an absolutely delightful affair, everything about this show was lovely, from the cool, appreciative and kind audience to the joyful performance, Katie Crutchfield's incredible voice and her killer band.
It's been a while since I last saw Sturgill Simpson live. Last time was back in 2015 and I remember it being rather refreshing seeing such a rootsy unpretentious show with such a pure unashamed love of traditional country music. With his last album, Sound & Fury, Simpson made a surprising and striking left turn musically, releasing a pretty amazing mix of country, southern rock, heavy rock and even a little techno. Crazily the mix really works but would the trick also work live?
I have seen Belly before, back in the 1990s, during the King tour. I must admit I can't remember much about it other than it was at Shepherd's Bush Empire before they put the barriers in and you could actually sit on the edge of the stage if you wanted to. I vaguely recall Tanya Donelly being smiley and sweet and Gail Greenwood being the most talkative of them all and looking like she belonged more in L7 than a twangy, slightly twee, indie band.
Neko Case Angel Olsen Lucy Wainwright Roche The Forum, 12 December 2013
Out again on a cold, wet and windy December night to The Forum, scene of my last concert from last year, Mark Lanegan, and now my last gig of 2013. Like Lanegan, Neko Case is more than worth braving the weather for even if this is the biggest venue I've seen her in for some time (and sadly I notice later that she hasn't sold it out, with the balcony empty) and there are two other intriguing acts on the bill for what promises to be a fantastic night of music and mischief.
Mark Lanegan Band Creature With The Atom Brain Duke Garwood The Forum, 4 December 2012
I feel like I've said all I can say about Duke Garwood. Love him or loathe him he's pretty much a given at any Mark Lanegan gig these days. A couple of years ago his droning, feedback-fueled gothic blues really divided opinions but I think since he's now joined by a drummer to help drive the songs along and added quite a few more upbeat and shorter songs to his repertoire, for those more interested in melody over atmospherics, he's certainly easier to love. The audience tonight definitely seem appreciative for once, which is nice to see.
Bat For Lashes Sylver Tongue The Forum, 29 October 2012
Going to see Bat For Lashes play a hometown show on a cold, rainy night just before Halloween somehow couldn't be more perfect. Natasha Khan's music always has had an other worldly feel but the new album, The Haunted Man, is even spookier than before. Stripped away of too many fanciful embellishments, it's a startlingly beautiful album and I was excited about experiencing it live.
Of all the bands that emerged from the so-called alternative country scene The Jayhawks always seemed to be the most under-appreciated. It's particularly crazy given that during the 90s they released two albums that equal, and maybe even better, anything Uncle Tupelo ever made. But in the mid-90s one of the band's main songwriters, Mark Olson, decided to leave the band and although they carried on making great records those special harmony vocals between Olson and fellow frontman Gary Louris were sorely missed. I saw Olson-less Jayhawks twice before they split and they were always fantastic but when Louris teamed up with Olson for a duo album there was no doubt that these two guys were meant to sing together. I guess it was only a matter of time before the whole classic line-up of the band got back together, lucky for us, and the gig tonight to finally see and hear the chemistry between these five guys and gal really was worth the wait.
Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara The Forum, 2 September 2010
Thinking back Led Zeppelin was one of the first bands I fell in love with. I remember waking up early before school just so I could listen to them in order to get my Zep fix for the day and sleeping under an enormous, almost wall-sized, poster of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page that I had got free with some magazine. And, although I moved on to other bands, I actually never stopped loving the Zep so really, all these years on, I don't know why I had never seen Robert Plant live. Sure, like millions of others, I had applied for tickets for the one-off Led Zeppelin reunion but, as recently as 1998, I could have seen him play with Jimmy Page. But for whatever reasons, despite having seen him numerous times out and about in London, this was the first time I had ever attempted to see him in concert and fortunately for me it was a fairly small gig at the Forum in Kentish Town.
You know how in the movies when someone goes to a rock concert they never queue up or stand there waiting for the opening act to finish, they just walk right in to a prime spot as the main act is playing? The only time that’s (almost) happened to me was last year in New York when I went to see the Drive-by Truckers. We walked up, bought our tickets and excitedly arrived in the venue as the Truckers were rocking the stage. It was a pretty magical moment.
A few years ago I saw Placebo play the Reading Festival where they had the misfortune of their bass amp breaking down mid set. It was a painfully boring set anyway, I had seen them years earlier where they seemed more in their element playing small venues, but on the huge stage they lacked the charisma to fill it and the situation was made even worse when their equipment failed. But rather than adapting and making the best out of a bad situation by maybe talking to the crowd while the problem was fixed, or singer Brian Molko performing something unplanned by himself, the band, without a word to the audience, walked off the stage and left the thousands in the packed audience just standing in the mud with no music or entertainment for 15 minutes, waiting for them to return. When they finally came back they resumed their set without a word and I completely lost any respect I had for them as a live band. A simple problem had left them flustered and unable to stray from what they had rehearsed and even communicate with the audience. But last night at the Forum, Wilco, and Jeff Tweedy in particular, proved what an incredible band they are by facing a similar situation and coming up triumphant.
Sonic Youth Hush Arbors The Forum, 23 October 2009
Every time I've seen Sonic Youth (about four times in total) they've had a weird-ass support act, from Japanese noise bands to the free-form jazz band whose drummer attacked a heckling audience member. In contrast to these, Hush Arbors were pretty straight ahead and ordinary. I had seen them before doing an acoustic set supporting Vetiver earlier this year, and they were a pleasant listen, full of folky harmonies and sweet melodies. I did wonder how they would fit with Sonic Youth but it turns out that with their instruments plugged in they supplement the folky harmonies with fuzzed-up guitars and sounded more rocked up and interesting than I remembered them.
Despite being late and missing the first act (Hush Arbors, a pleasant if unremarkable folky group I had already seen supporting Vetiver earlier this year) and arriving mid-way through Clinic's post rock friendly instrumental set, the venue wasn't that full most likely due to the tube strike, which saw people bail on the chance of seeing one of the few bands who always sound great at The Forum (which usually is notorious for being one of the worst sounding venues in London).
