June 2010 @ The Brook

Since 1999 Bee Gees Fever have been wowing audiences across the UK and Europe with their stunning live tribute to the music of the Brothers Gibb. From the soulful ballads Too Much Heaven and How Deep Is Your Love through to the high energy disco classics such as Stayin' Alive and Night Fever, the band faithfully recreate the songs that have helped make the Bee Gees musical legends over the last four decades. With a full show of over 2 hours, there is something for everyone from every era of the Bee Gees glittering career, and create a striking visual tribute too as they pay tribute to the 'Saturday Night Fever' image of the late 70's. Unlike some tribute acts, all the songs are performed totally live, no backing tapes or sequences, just five guys, their voices and their instruments. This gives the show a raw energy which will get even the most reserved feet up on the dancefloor.

"Something in the Air" has appeared on the soundtracks of the films The Magic Christian (1969), Almost Famous (2000), The Girl Next Door (2004), and The Strawberry Statement (1970) plus many TV ad- vertisements including Vodaphone and British Airways. The single was on the bands only album release ‘Hollywood Dream’, which was released 40 years ago in 1970.

A chance conversation between the owner of the relaunched Track Records, Ian Grant, and Andy Newman last year, led to rehearsals with a band that drummer Mark Brzezicki (managed by Grant during their time with Big Country) had put together. The rehearsals impressed everyone involved and it was decided it was time to ‘test the water’ with a couple of live performances which took place in February. They were very successful (quotes and reviews below) and more are being scheduled. The second of the two was recorded and there will be a cd and download released shortly and Hollywood Dream is being revisted with the view to release a Deluxe Edition shortly.

Mark was a founder member of Big Country. He played drums on all Pete Townshends solo albums and was also a member of Procul Harum for 20 years. His association with the Townshend family is such that he also played in On The Air with Pete’s younger brother Simon (and Tony Butler who was also a member of Big Country) during the early 80’s and continues that association with Simon’s son Josh being in the new lineup of Thunderclap Newman.

Andy Newman says "I have to say I am excited by this new project and I have to say it is fascinating with another member of the Townshend dynasty involved".
Andy Newman – Piano, Woodwind and vocals Mark Brzezicki - Drums and vocals Josh Townshend – Guitar and vocals Nick Johnson – Guitar and vocals
Tony Stubbings . Bass Guitar

The Lewes show last Friday was ........ a great one ............. the line up is terrific - so good to see The Mighty Thunderclap in top form - looking for sure as one of Edward VII ‘s direct descendants. Andy’s percussive work so sharp & original still - guitarist [lead] is stunning - young Josh T. & bass / drums as well - great slow tempo - which is the acid test of music - with all the dynamics & energy boiling inside & pushing out

- What was also great was the band ‘cooking’ together perfectly - you can see they’re happy & it washes through the audience like warm waves - I know when it’s real from being on stage myself [Temperance Seven ] Thank you again for this really FRESH presentation of our dear friend Speedys’ 40 years old works.

- John Edwards.27/02/10

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Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman – Piano, Woodwind and vocals,
Mark Brzezicki - Drums and vocals,
Josh Townshend – Guitar and vocals,
Nick Johnson - Guitar and vocals,
Tony Stubbings . Bass Guitar

(Mark is former Big Country / Procol Harum drummer and performed on all Pete Townshend solo albums)
(Josh is son of Simon Townshend and nephew of Pete Townshend who produced the original Thunderclap Newman)

Red Light Fever, the second full length from Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders (out April 20 on Shanabelle/RCA), represents a quantum leap from the band's eponymous 2006 debut. Though core Coattail Riders Chris Chaney (bass) and Gannin Arnold (guitar) reprise their roles from that decidedly low key affair (that first album was recorded at Foo Fighters/Coattail Riders percussionist Drew Hester's home studio), Red Light Fever sees them reuniting at the Foo Fighters' own 606 studios, enlisting the aid of members of Queen, The Cars and Hawkins' bandmate and best friend Dave Grohl, and ultimately tackling a much broader and more ambitious range of material—with stunning results from start to finish.

"The first record was garage-y and scrappy," Hawkins recalls. "We got into it in such an immediate and intimate manner and banged it out in two weeks. With this record, we were conscious of it being a bigger production—I mean we were in 606 and not Drew's living room—but it was still about having fun. The way I think of it is, if it's over-produced then it's over-produced in a 1970s way, not in a 2000s way. It's meant for people who like that kind of stuff. Because those are the records that I like."

As huge a sound and scope as Red Light Fever eventually grew to encompass, it began beyond humbly: with Hawkins demoing tracks on his own when an early 2009 break from the Foo Fighters' grueling touring schedule finally freed up the time. According to Hawkins, who of course provides drums and vocals on all tracks among other additional instrumentation, "About halfway through, I just said f**k it, I don't care if the record ends up sounding like me having sex with my record collection."

The record soon snowballed from another home recording project to full on sessions at the Foo Fighters' state of the art 606 studio complex. Hawkins, Chaney and Arnold expanded the band's studio lineup to include touring Coattails guitarist Nate Wood and began hammering out the dozen songs that would become Red Light Fever. Sounds got progressively bigger, arrangements more grandiose and the band more unabashed than ever about wearing its vintage 70s influences on its collective bedazzled sleeve. "Sweet, Queen, The Move... even 10cc," Hawkins says. "It's all in there. Whether its that Chinn-Chapman glam hit factory feel or a Roy Thomas Baker type production vibe, we just went for what felt natural without worrying. People forget that sometimes, the reason you do this in the first place: It's supposed to be fun."

And so it would follow naturally that the record's dozen songs would be fleshed out with the aid of a stellar supporting cast, many of whom shaped Hawkins' own musical acumen since childhood. By the time of its completion, Red Light Fever's credits would come to include Elliot Easton of the Cars, Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, and last but by no means least, Hawkins' bandmate Dave Grohl.

In fact, Red Light Fever could be considered a labor of love – if the sheer joy exuded in every note, influence and nuance of every song didn't make the entire affair seem so effortless. Hawkins' increasingly accomplished vocals and world renowned drumming skills recall and pay uninhibited and spontaneous tribute to a vast spectrum of classic rock heroes: "Way Down" is an undeniable highlight that began by Hawkins' recollection as "a silly little song I did a demo of in three hours, putting some tongue in cheek lyrics to a glammy stomp, with nods to the Move and Sweet that I didn't even notice were there until later! That was definitely a theme of this record, not paying tribute deliberately, but at the same time letting it all come out. There was nothing self conscious about it." Similarly "Not Bad Luck" grew out of a riff that would not be dislodged from Hawkins' head toward the close of the sessions and ultimately became a standout track with additional guitar from none other than The Cars' legendary Elliot Easton. "'Not Bad Luck' was honestly an afterthought. I ended up recording the basic track with Elliot Easton on guitar and backing vocals,  using the same method Roy Thomas Baker used to record The Cars and Queen... And now that afterthought is the record's opening track. Just shows you can't plan these things..."

Red Light Fever's songs will soon be debuted in public as Hawkins reassembles and expands his Coattail Riders live incarnation for as much touring as can be squeezed in between the members' various full time gigs. "I'll still play drums this time out," he promises. "But so will Drew Hester. Nate Wood too. I'm going to push myself a little. I never had dreams of being a frontman, but I am going to get up there, play some guitar, piano and sing up front on this tour." What this will mean for live arrangements of material  ranging from uptempo rockers like "Your Shoes" to Beatle-esque balladry like "Hell To Pay," will very likely hold as many surprises for the audience as for the Coattail Riders themselves.

"I never went into this with any plan," Hawkins concludes. "I never said 'I want this to sound like this' or made any conscious decisions about anything with this band. The songs just went where they naturally went for me. In a way, I  first really heard the final record the same way anyone else will: In hindsight once it was all laid out in front of me. And that's how it's going to be when we do this for however long we do it. I'm just going to have fun with it."

In this remarkable production Let’s Hang On takes you on a musical journey through the prolific career of one of the most successful bands of all time" Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons"

You will hear the story of these blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs invented their own sound and took the world by storm all before the age of 30…

In the first part of the show Let’s Hang On take you back to the very beginning where it all began for these guys. You’ll hear tracks from the early 50’s when Frankie first joined the group and then with the addition of Bob Gaudio still recognised today as one of the greatest song writers of all time you're treated to even more classic early material recreated live on stage with the greatest of accuracy!

Also in this first section of the show Let’s Hang On do something that is very rarely attempted in any live performance, and that’s acapella singing…The stage is transformed into a street corner in New Jersey, four guys sitting on some steps under a street lamp singing doo wop got industry critics writing "PERFECTION" "AN AUTHENTIC MASTERPIECE" and "MIND BOGGLING ACCURACY"

In the second part of the show its simply party time, all your favourite hits non stop, you really are guaranteed to be dancing in the aisles and singing at the top of your voices to " Dec 63, Beggin’, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Grease, Working My Way Back To You, Who Loves You, Bye Bye Baby and many many more…

The whole show leads up to an electrifying finale when out come the retro red jackets and you hear that legendary falsetto vocal blow the roof off with "Rag Doll, Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Big Girls Don’t Cry…

They perform with breathtaking precision the legendary songs of ELO, The Electric Light Orchestra’. Magic’s outstanding vocal and musical talents are augmented with the addition of Dave Chapman, a sensational keyboard player, who reproduces the complex orchestral sounds that is part of the ELO legend, making this concert a must for all lovers of great music and harmony.

Magic is a tribute band in the classiest sense of the word. Without trying to be look-alikes, they succeed in creating the talents and sounds of the Electric Light Orchestra. ELO fans are devoted and thrilled to listen to the popular music of the seventies and eighties without anyone being able to accuse Magic of trying to be something they are not.

Lead vocalist, Roger Brown, is a dynamic, spontaneous and versatile performer who feels the music from his soul and contagiously exchanges this energy with his audience. Bass guitarist, Charlie Sutton, complements Brown’s singing talents, hitting the higher notes and takes the lead for numbers such as Evil Woman, as well as feeding into songs such as The Diary of Horace Wimp and Mr Blue Sky with vocal perfection. Trevor Lock, Dave Fusaro and Rob Lock complete the regular Magic line-up. For their ELO set, the band is augmented by the valuable musical skills of keyboard player, Dave Chapman.

The repertoire gives Magic the opportunity to demonstrate their own versatility, as well as showcasing the truly exceptional music of ELO, reminding the audience of how musically adept the band were.

An encore promoting Magic’s other tribute concert, dedicated to the music of Queen, confirms they are an excellent harmony group with a love for some of the best bands of the past

Edinburgh Fringe favourites Orkestra del Sol further explore their polygamous love affair with bombastic brass band music, anarchic humour and tall tales in a brand new show.

The Logical song, Dreamer, Breakfast in America, Goodbye stranger... A few amongst many of the massive hits that make up the timeless repertoire of Supertramp. You can probably whistle or sing some of these famous tunes yourself! Everybody can thanks to the millions of record sales, concert receipts and radio dominance achieved by the superb Supertramp since their inception in 1969. Their songs are worldwide rock classics and FM radio staples, that over the passing decades have remained in the hearts of millions of fans... and in the hearts of the musicians that make up the only UK tribute to the mighty Supertramp, Logicaltramp!... the "Spirit of Supertramp"...

Based in London, Logicaltramp is made up of a talented group of professional musicians (With credits ranging from: Mick Jagger, Opera Babes, Rick Wakeman, John Wetton, It Bites, Huw Lloyd Langton, Dave Stewart, Jimmy Somerville…) who all share a collective love and passion for the music of Supertramp and Roger Hodgson..

Logicaltramp bring their own unique approach to the music of Supertramp – playing full-on two-hour rock shows that include all of Supertramp’s greatest hits, all of their stand-out epic album tracks and even a few rarities for the die-hard fan! Logicaltramp have performed many special concerts both in the UK and abroad and have received amazing reviews from Supertramp fans everywhere. The band have also garnered fantastic press reviews (e.g. Classic Rock magazine, Classic Rock Society) wherever they’ve played with reviewers enjoying their unique take on the classic Supertramp sound.

Last but not least, Logicaltramp have been very fortunate to receive glowing endorsments from the members of Supertramp themselves: Roger Hodgson, Carl Verheyen & John Helliwell have been amazingly supportive, John Helliwell even joined them on stage for an unforgettable performance of The Logical Song!

Logicaltramp is so very proud to play the wonderful music of Supertramp, they very much hope you like what they do as well!....?

The best up and coming indie bands for your delectation. Could be the future unearthed right here.

SUMMERS

SUMMERS are bridging the gap between the iconic legends of old and the current new wave of music, taking a 1976 born genre and firmly stamping their own sound all over it.
This adrenaline fuelled melodic rock band, originating from the South Coast of England, always leave their audiences on a high with a head full of songs. Their melodies are intelligently crafted with twin guitar led riffs. The lyrics are catchy and memorable. They have won high praise from Mickky D of Motorhead who believes the band have a real future in the music industry and deserve to be exposed into the consciousness of rock fans across the world.

Former music critic of Sounds Magazine and now journalist for THE PEOPLE newspaper, Gary Bushell quoted

"You Will believe Classic Rock is alive and well
You Will sing the songs all the way home
You Will get your daughter pregnancy tested in the morning"

Fearne

In the 4 years since Fearne formed, the material just keeps getting stronger and stronger. An album, and a 3 track single under their belts, Fearne are currently putting the finishing touches to the eagerly anticipated EP due for release in the spring of 2010. An incredibly busy 2009 gigging, put them in just the right place to focus on the writing of new material. After a support show for Feeder last year they now count lead singer Grant Nicholas as a fan. This has spurred them on to achieve the recognition and level of creative success achieved by their famous admirer.

Alex Bedrijczuk (known as Beds) lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter with the band has a renegade spirit and a voice that can charm the birds and scare small children, delivering lyrics warped with dry wit and bile, and a truck load of sentimental heart break and tragedy. His role as front man has the quiet assurance of Guy Garvey, but the power of his delivery is what packs the punch. Songs from a soul in limbo, indeed.
The rhythm section of Fearne is key to the sound, the driving Bass lines of Nick Bryson inject energy and give a funk overtone to what could be perceived as indie rock, because it is much more than that, a layered, complex sound, featuring many different instruments and textures, rich in melody and harmony this is music for the discerning masses in this new decade. From the aching melancholy of the single ‘Closer’ to the soaring live smash-the-stage-up favourite of ‘Bang Bang’ the bands original repertoire already has a loyal and growing following.

The pedigree of Fearne’s performances are without peer. Athlete, Feeder, and Nizlopi have all had Fearne open their shows, and always leave the audience wanting more

The New Governors

The New Governors are a band that was originally driven by singer/songwriter Michael Ricketts. Keen to develop his songs that were crying out for something more, he found the guys to make it happen.

The band have developed the songs and live performance over the past years and have travelled internationally with their new sound. Influences within the group cross many genres and continue to surprise, confuse and excite new listeners.

The four guys continue to drive their own sound into the songs without fear of genre boundaries but with great respect for each others place. The sound is big, the original concept not lost, does it work, you decide..............

The Currents

The band was formed in 2007 when the members met each other in the rock city of Virrat. Musical style of The Currents could be described as ränttätänttätää-rock with strong british influences. Generally goodmusic, you know…

The Currents tries to stay away from all kinds of strange and shady so called "progressive" stuff and just play honest rock/pop.

Now we want to show the country that gave us The Beatles, Oasis e.t.c what we can do.

For the sake of rock n roll.

As Yngwie Malmsteen said it: tsau

From winning the Young Guitarist of the year competition at 15, to sharing stages with members of Def Leppard, and touring with Status Quo, you could say he's been there and done it, especially still only in his early twenties.

Regulary playing to thousands of people in Europe, Simon has never toured his own band in the UK, until now! In support of his debut album, Rich Man Falling, Simon McBride makes the first of what we hope will be many trips to Southampton's top live music venue, The Brook on 30th June.