SIMON McBRIDE

14TH MARCH – 13TH MAY 2011 CONTENTS: • Tour Editorial • Album Reviews

Momentum PR 39 – 41 North Rd, London, N7 9DP – tel: 020-77000 275

THE SCOTTISH SUN – MAY 6TH 2011

WED4 THUR5 FRI6LECTUREIRISH ACHIEVERSIN BRITISHHISTORYIRISH CULTURAL CENTRE,LONDON, 7.30PM

he Irish Achievers in BritishHistory Lectures Series will takeplace every Wednesday evening,profiling eminent Irish achievers

in British politics, literature and the arts.Its subjects, in date order for each week,are John Wheatley MP (this evening), thenSir John Lavery, Elizabeth Bowen &George Bernard Shaw.

John Wheatley MP, “Red Clydeside”Labour MP and Minister of Housing in thefirst Labour Government in 1924, iscredited with introducing social housinginto British politics as well as bringingthe Scottish Catholic vote over to theLabour Party.

Wheatley was mistrusted by RamsayMacDonald and never held office insubsequent Labour administrations.Lecturer Steve Schifferes. Professor offinancial journalism at City University andformerly producer at London WeekendTelevision, BBC journalist and has workedat Shelter, the National Campaign for theHomeless. Free entry.For more visithttp://irishculturalcentre.co.uk.

MEDIUMDEREK ACORAHBLOOMSBURY THEATRE,LONDON, 7.30PM

op spirit medium DerekAcorah, described as ‘Themodel of the modernmedium’(if you believe in suchthings!), Derek, brings hisTrue Vision show to Londonfor one night only.With hours of spirit contact,one-to-one readings, numerousTV appearances and twenty years oflive stage shows, Derek Acorah isprobably the most time-honoured andrespected spirit medium in theUK today.His friendly and sincere delivery,down-to-earth charm and obviousdedication to his work has endearedDerek to thousands, including thosewho regularly join him in the audienceat his live stage shows.Derek’s readings have broughtcomfort and understanding to manythousands and with Sam, his SpiritGuide, beside him Derek Acorah’songoing live events and True Visiontour will continue to bring help tomany more. He said, “I’m delighted tobe back on the road …Tickets £21.50. Call 020 73888822 or see www.thebloomsbury.com.

DANCETHREADSPURCELL ROOM,SOUTHBANK CENTRE,LONDON, 7:45PM

eira Dance return to theenvirons of the SouthbankCentre with the new dancepiece Threads, a fresh anddistinctive fusion of

contemporary and Irish dance styleswhich includes live traditionalmusic and song.

Choreographed by Keira Martin, itexplores various ideas on the subject ofmigration, including the fierce emotionsexperienced when longing for home.With session musicians and threedancers Keira Dance present anatmospheric, lively evening that, muchlike an Irish cèilidh, has your foottapping and your heart leaping from thefirst beat of the drum.

Keira Martin is a West Midlands-based dancer, choreographer, teacher,mentor and musician. She began herdance adventure by ring-leading herfriends into dancing in the streets withher for free tickets and camping atfolk festivals.

Visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk.Tickets £13, also see the company’swebsite www.keiradance.com.

KT T

SAT7

40GUIDE 07 MAY 2011 The Irish Worldwww.theirishworld.com!

ormer Young Guitarist of The Yearand now fully-fledged blues-rockvirtuoso, Irishman Simon McBridecame off playing to thousands of

people each night when he opened forJoe Satriani on his recent UK tour - nowhe will embark on a new tour playingmore modestly-sized venues.

His latest album, Since Then,released earlier this year and re-released at the start of his May tour, haswowed critics, prompting Classic Rockmagazine to say “At last Irishmen inpubs will stop going on about RoryGallagher!”

Simon started playing the guitarwhen he was ten. By age 15 and entirelyself-taught he was good enough toenter Guitarist Magazine’s YoungGuitarist of The Year, a performancecompetition staged at WembleyConference Centre, which he wonagainst strong competition.

A few months after his sixteenthbirthday Simon was recruited by theBelfast-based pioneering metal bandSweet Savage, who reformed in 1994without founding guitarist, VivianCampbell (Dio, Def Leppard), who Simonreplaced. Simon toured with the bandand recorded two albums, Killing Time1996 and Rune 1998.

After leaving in 1998, he joinedfellow Irishman Andrew Strong, whomade his name in the 1991 cult film TheCommitments and went on to asuccessful singing career. Playing withStrong was in stark contrast to SweetSavage. As Simon says, the change ofmusical style was a useful and enjoyablelearning experience. He spent six yearstouring with Strong before leaving topursue the idea of a solo career.

In 2008 he released his debut soloalbum, Rich Man Falling (“BLUES ROCKPAR EXCELLENCE” CLASSIC ROCK), afterwhich the band played a string of majorfestivals. Now McBride starts his ascent

in the UK. Aswell asSatriani, hehas opened in

the UK and Irelandfor Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa

and US slide maestro and Grammynominee Derek Trucks.

Visit www.simonmcbride.net.he Irish in Britain SeminarSeries 2011 runs from 10 -31 May: The recent upturnin Irish migration indicates

that Britain continues to be one ofthe primary destinations of Irishmigrants into the 21st Century.The series covers a broad range ofresearch in the field and aims toput current trends into their widerhistorical and political context.

Seminars are: 10 May, Dr.Jennifer Redmond, NationalUniversity of Ireland, Maynooth

T

SIMON MCBRIDE

F

COMEDYDYLAN MORANHEXAGON THEATRE,READING, 19:30

rish comedic legend DylanMoran, 39, is also a writer, actorand filmmaker – are there noends to this shaggy-hairedman’s talents?!

He is arguably most famous for hissardonic observational comedy, theutterly brilliant television sitcom BlackBooks. Moran also appeared as one ofthe two lead characters in thehome-grown black comedy "A Filmwith Me in It" in 2008.

He is a regular performer atnational and international comedyfestivals and in 2007 was voted the17th greatest stand-up comic onChannel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups(too low in our opinion) and again inthe updated 2010 list as the 14thgreatest stand-up comic.

He has also twice won the BAFTATV Award for Best Situation Comedy,both for Black Books. Who else woulddescribe his own hair thus?: “It`s itsown bioculture, I just leave it alone...we sleep in separate rooms.” For alltour dates see www.dylanmoran.com.To book for tonight, visit the websitewww.readingarts.com/thehexagon orcall 0118 9606060.

I

With ShelleyMarsden

IRISH INBRITAINSEMINARSERIES

DON’TMISS

THE IRISH WOLRD – 7TH MAY 2011

NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST – APRIL 29TH 2011

EXPOSED MAGAZINE SHEFFIELD – MAY ISSUE 2011

URBAN LIFE MAGAZINE MANCHESTER – 24TH APRIL 2011

24 The Star, Friday, May 6, 2011 www.thestar.co.uk

HEAR&NOW KEEPUP-TO-DATELATESTMUSIC NEWSclickwww.thestar.co.uk

THEY might not be able topromise you grass skirts anymore but The Brothers Uncon-nected will deliver the musicof legendary US experimentalband Sun City Girls when theyroll up to The Riverside onThursday.

Alan and Richard Bishopfounded SCG in 1981 withCharles Gocher joining aspercussionist a year later.SCG went on to become whatmany regarded as America’smost innovative and influen-tial underground group.

When Gocher lost his battlewith cancer four years ago theBishops immediately decidedSCG would no longer existand the following summertoured under the name TheBrothers Unconnected: a trib-ute to SCG and Charles.

Plans to visit Europe havefinally come to fruition withAlan and Richard visitingMowbray Street for an acous-tic guitar set that includesseveral tracks written byand/or originally performedby Gocher.The night will startwith a 40-minute film of hisvideo experiments.

BishopsupafterSungoesdown

Simonsaysit’stimetotour

SHEFFIELD uber-rockers DefLeppard had an indirect handin launching award-winningblues guitarist Simon McBrideon to bigger things.

For it was their recruitingof Vivian Campbell to replacethe tragic loss of Steve Clarkethat opened up a vacancy inBelfast band Sweet Savage afew months after self-taughtSimon’s 16th birthday.

That was in the mid-’90sthen after two albums he leftto work with Andrew Strong,of The Commitments filmfame, for six years beforefinally releasing a solo albumthree years ago.That flaggedhim up to Jeff Beck, JoeSatriani, Derek Trucks and JoeBonamassa, for whom he hassince opened.

Simon’s second albumSince Then has him headlinetouring with Sheffield’s O2Academy in his sat nav onWednesday.

Blues-soul player JJ Grey& Mofro opens on the back ofhis Georgia Warhorse album.

02 Academy:SimonMcBride.Picture:Jordan McLachlan

LISTENING POST... LISTENING... LISTENING POST...n Love Inks E.S.P. (Hell,Yes!)

ATEXANtrio butfranklytheirfrugalwarescouldhaveevolved anywhere.

Opening with the dinkyWave Goodbye the lyricallyand musically simple ap-proach continues throughdreamy debut single Black-

eye and the nagging gemLeather Glove. And thereinlies the charm; like The XXthere’s an organic feel toLove Inks which allows Sher-ry LeBlanc’s vocal warmthand a lone guitar to shine.

It’s hard not to fall a littlein love with this, even if RockOn could have been recordedin a Victorian gents.

n The Robot Heart TheRobot Heart (Bleeding HeartRecords)

TO say that Tom Marsh hadlived a full life before landing

in Brighton is an undertstate-ment.

The music born of thoseexperiences – deaths offriends,arrests,boozeanddrugabuse– couldhaveeruptedinto furious angst or flowedcontemplative.

The latter ensued with asoulful meshing of acousticguitars, choral layering, plain-tive electronics and a hint of

Sussex sunshine to deliverhopeful, filling, unusual indiefolk.

Forget the title, this is avery human record.

n Pete Lawrie A LittleBrighter (Island)

LOOKING not unlike Shef-field’s Jon McClure, thischap is more positive thanhe looks. Get used to a voicethat sounds like he needsa good hack, and there’s arichness as it combines withacoustic strumming andthe slightly over-powering

strings of opener In The End.The Liverpool-born Welsh-

man’s gruffness remind ofChris Rea or Ray Lamon-tagneastunesswaybe-tweenthe mer-cilesslypoppyAll That We Keep, the Blunt-balladry of Half As Good andthe troubadour-natured HowCould I Complain withoutquite hitting the ‘complete’button.

YOU don’t often get some-thing for nothing these days.

So when energised studiowhizz Liam O’Shea, picturedabove, decided to follow-uphis album matching Shef-field bands with innovativeremixers and give the resultsaway gratis, he had a bit ofconvincing to do.

(Re)Mixed In Sheffield Now+ Again hit the internet thisweek, offering an alternativeand adventurous snapshot ofmusical talent in England’sfourth city.

“I was trying to build onwhat I did first time,” saysthe curly-haired muso. “I’ddone the thing of gettingbands together with DJs,cross pollinating, gettingdifferent people to listento different people’s musicand hopefully increase thepenetration of music into dif-ferent markets.

“With this one I just want-ed to reach more people andinvolve some bigger names.”

Eighteen months on fromthe first album, the sequel

has 44 bands being remixedby 44 different DJs and pro-ducers.

Among them is ArcticMonkeys drummer and oc-casional decks dabbler MattHelders – apt as Liam did themastering in the Monkeysformer rehearsal rooms nearDevonshire Green, previ-ously Avalon Studios.

Even with a ‘Sheffield art-ists only’ brief, Liam says hestill had 250 to choose from.And besides quality control,he needed parameters to nar-row down the choices.

“There were a couple ofthings; concentrate on peoplealready working and helpingthemselves and also picksome struggling to get sometraction, so it’s not exclu-sively people who are alreadyknown.

“That’s the point of get-ting bigger names involved,giving something back byattaching their name to oth-ers. Hopefully people willpick up on smaller artistswho weren’t getting noticed

before.”Some ruled themselves

out either through quality,apathy or simply refusing tobe involved.

“I had to use discretionwith bands and source mate-rial. Also you ask certainbands, try to get somethingoff them, but after a whilepestering you give up.

“Some are so slack anddon’t even get back to you.Some want to get involvedbut have managers that thinkthey don’t need to.”

Then there was the likesof local Dubstep DJ turnedRadio One host Toddla whowas up for it immediately.

“You can’t get any biggerthan Arctic Monkeys as faras Sheffield is concerned.Matt handled Wet Nuns andwas one of the easiest todeal with, very prompt andefficient and he’s done one ofthe better remixes.”

Elsewhere Liam’s match-making involved a degreeof discretion and feeling.“Sometimes I’ll pair people

up because I think they’ll beright. Then I threw a few cur-veballs like getting ex-Mon-keys bassist Andy Nicholsonto do Sarah Mac. I put twoquality acts together even ifthey’re not suited on the faceof it to see what comes of it.

“And people can remix inmany different ways; a faith-ful reproduction of the songor using a tiny bit.

“This project is showcasingthat aspect as well, lookingat all the ways people attackthis. All of it is acceptableand creative to a degree andthen it comes down to a mat-ter of taste and the real issueof why people get remixingdone, which is to get theirstuff heard on different dancefloors.”

While Liam admits somepairings were a gamble, mostworked out, the cast rangingfrom Heaven 17, The Spires,I Monster and CabaretVoltaire to Neil McSweeney,Playground Mafia and Alva-rez Kings.

As for doubters of Liam’s

motives, there were some.“The fact is it’s a free

album.“If I wanted to make money

I would do something verydifferent. It took from No-vember until today... I’ve lostmoney, never mind made it.”

Among others championedis Lord Of Flatbush leaderSteve Edwards who has nevermade the impact as a solo vo-calist he has guesting for art-ists such as Basement Jaxx,Cassius and Bob Sinclar onglobal hit World Hold On.

“In 2006 he was the biggest-selling dance artist in theworld on iTunes, but no-oneknows who Steve is,” addsLiam.

“He’s always had that prob-lem, sung on a load of hitsbut no-one knows. Love LikeWater (handled by Toddla T)could be where people lookat Steve and start joining thedots, before his solo albumcomes out this year.”

Visit mixedinsheffield.co.uk to download the good-ies.

Liam’smixedupinallsorts

Liam’smixedupinallsorts

SHEFFIELD STAR – MAY 6TH 2011

WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE – MAY 6TH 2011

BIRMINGHAM GIGS – MAY 6TH 2011

NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE – MAY 6TH 2011

SELBY TIMES – FRIDAY 13TH MAY 2011

IRISH WORLD ONLINE – 26TH APRIL 2011

SCORPIO PROMOTIONS ONLINE – APRIL 2011

SCORPIO PROMOTIONS – MAY 2011

THE LIST SCOTLAND – 28TH APRIL – MAY 26TH 2011

THE LIST ONLINE – APRIL 2011

THIS IS BRISTOL ONLINE – APRIL 2011

HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER – 20TH MAY

YOUR MEMORIES...

MUSICJIM JONES REVUETonight, 02 Academy, Birmingham,0844 477 2000

THE hardest working rock and roll band this side of E Street, the Jim

Jones Revue hits town. If you like your gigs hot and sweaty, then head down to the Academy for an explosion of old school rock and soul delivered with more energy than a Japanese nuclear reactor.

KATY PERRYMonday April 4, LG Arena, Birmingham, 0844 338 8000

KATY doesn’t do things by halves, so the Birmingham

stop-off on her world tour prom-ises to be spectacular. All the hits and more will be dressed up in the current album’s Cotton Candy theme and, she says, “I hope that it’s going to engage all of your senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch”. She’s shifted 10 million singles since she kissed a girl, and liked it.

JEKYLL & HYDEMon April 4 to Sat April 9, Birmingham Hippodrome, 0844 338 5000

MARTI Pellow, hugely successful solo artist and frontman of Wet Wet Wet,

makes a return to the UK stage in a new tour of the hit Broadway musical. It’s not unfamiliar ground for Pellow, who has al-ready starred in the West End, on Broad-way and on national tour in stage musicals Chicago and The Witches of Eastwick.

PAUL HEATONWednesday April 6, Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, 0870 320 7000

CELEBRATING 25 years since his !rst hit (The Housemartins’ Happy Hour),

Heaton is back on tour with a new single, The Old Radio, out tomorrow. He’ll be backed by his band – Jonny Lexus (guitar), Jonny Wright (bass) and Pete Marshall (drums) – to serve up solo songs and a few Housemartin hallmarks.

ALBERT LEEWednesday April 6, Robin 2, Bilston, 01902 401211

ONE of the world’s !nest guitarists, Al-bert Lee needs no introduction to coun-

try and rock fans – and his band, Hogan’s Heroes, boasts some of the best-known and most respected musicians in Britain. Originally formed by steel guitarist Gerry Hogan to play at his annual festival in 1987 (hence the name) they’re not to be missed in such intimate surrounds.

PETER KAYThursday April 7 to Monday April 11, National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, 0844 338 8000

HE stole everone’s thunder during Comic Relief again, but this is Peter

Kay doing what he does best: gentle obser-vational comedy that’s strictly old school but right on the mark. There are few of his gags that fail to ring a bell simply because he has such a keen eye for eccentricity and downright daftness.

ANDY PARSONSFriday April 8, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, 0870 320 7000

IF you like your comedy more barbed, then here’s an increasingly rare chance

to catch Mock The Week star Andy Parsons in full stand-up splendour. Parsons once found some underpants in a jar of mayon-naise. He may talk about it. Or he may not. This is his third tour round the country, and it may be his last. There’s only so much of the UK a man needs to see.

TO SEE7PANIC AT THE DISCO Vices & Virtues (Decaydance)

PANIC At The Disco survivors Brendon Urie

and Spencer Smith have turned back the clock. After the overblown pomp of Pretty.Odd this is a return to the excitement of the band’s breath of fresh air debut A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. The Ballad Of Mona Lisa is simply irresistible with its busy beat and guitar crunch; Let’s Kill Tonight sounds like it’s set in a Transylvanian nightclub, Memories is the purest pop and Hurricane is 1980s incarnate with more than a metallic twang of Duran Duran. PC

KATY B On A Mission (Sony)

JOINING the new generation of music-

makers alongside Jessie J and Tinie Tempah, 21 year-old Kathleen Brien kicks off her debut album with Power On Me and remains on a high-energy roll until finalé Hard To Get. With touches of house, dubstep, drum ‘n’ bass, rave, UK garage and R&B, Katy, who writes all her own songs, refuses to be pinned down. Singles Katy On A Mission and Lights On (featuring Ms Dynamite) stand out, but there’s enough to suggest household name status beckons. JD

SIMON McBRIDE Since Then (Nugene)

I WAS lucky enough to share a Jamesons

with the late, great Rory Gallagher in his heyday. Since his death in 1995 no blues-rock guitarist has come close – until now. Simon McBride, who plays the Robin 2 at Bilston on May 10, is a revelation, whether he’s racing through Gallagher-style rock and roll like Take My Hand or playing the blues on Down To The Wire and Sweet Angel. Elsewhere, Save Me will appeal to the Bad Company crowd and Devils Road adds odd, and unnecessary, electronics. PC

TEDDY THOMPSONBella (Verve Forecast)

ACCLAIMED singer-songwriter Teddy Thompson’s new album Bel-

la combines some lean rock and pop with lush, beautifully arranged ballads.

The album was recorded in Thomp-son’s adopted hometown of New York City and features accompaniment from his excellent touring band, comprising Ethan Eubanks on drums, Jeff Hill on bass and Daniel Mintseris on guitar.

As well as being candid, Teddy Thompson’s lyrics are articulate. Don’t

you just hate it when you can’t make out what a singer is on about!

In Looking For A Girl, he lists all the qualities he likes in a woman: “I’m looking for a girl who drinks and smokes, who takes a lot of work but can take a joke. I’m looking for a girl who’s good in bed, but knows when it’s time to knock it on the head.”

Other great tracks include the self-effacing The Girl I Can’t Have, the tor-tured Over And Over, the Phil Spector-like Take Me Back Again and the Roy Orbisonesque Tell Me What You Want.

The best new album of 2011 so far!

B B KINGMaking Love Is Good For You (T Bird)

The follow-up to Riding With The King – a Clapton collaboration –

this album is on CD for the first time. Best tracks include versions of Bar-bara George’s I Know, Willie Dixon’s Don’t Go No Further, Buddy Woodrow Johnson’s gorgeous Since I Fell For You and the Tony Joe White title track.

WITHBEV BEVAN

BEVAN’S HEAVEN

Read my blog at www.sunday mercury.net and tune to Bev Bevan and Jimmy Franks on WM from 10pm to midnight every Tuesday.

SHE wears bargain shop panties and drinks moon-shine until she’s ill.

Little Miss Higgins, you see, doesn’t do demure. She’s a goodtime gal who was raised in a Kansas town named, oh so aptly, Independence.

And if you thought that Imelda May had added sassy sex appeal to the 50s, then prepare to be blown away by some naughty nostalgia.

Jolene Higgins, to give this little miss her full name, struts and serenades her way, guitar in hand, lips !ery red, onto any stage.

Then the pocket-sized powerhouse serves up a heady mix of old-time country blues sprinkled with jazz, a hint of folk and a dash of roots rock.

Set somewhere at the crossroads be-tween the 1940s and 50s, she’s backed by a horn section, guitar, mandolin, banjo, upright bass, muck-bucket bass, and chunky percussion.

It’s old school but somehow thor-oughly modern at the same time.

Jolene, who these days lives in Can-ada, started out young: “When I was four my dad bought this old piano at a local bar,” she recalls.

“It was a mini grand piano. He brought it home and told me it was mine. I carved my name in the side and started taking piano lessons.”

Her stage name started out as a lover’s term of endearment but one day she put it on a poster and it stuck. Little Miss Higgins was born.

Her in"uences, she says, are wide-ranging. “As a songwriter, I’ve been in"uenced by everyone from Mem-phis Minnie, Billie Holiday and Big

Bill Broonzy to Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton and Bob Dylan.”

Her new album Across The Plains, out tomorrow, is a delight, and will be followed by a gig at the Manhattan Live Lounge At Nuvo in Birming-ham’s Brindleyplace on April 19.

Bargain Shop Panties is a jump-jive singalong; Beautiful Sun is a breezy opener straight out of Preservation Hall; The Tornado Song is something T Rex might have recorded had Bolan been about during Prohibition.

Glad Your Whiskey Fits Inside My Purse is lo-! fun; Snowin’ Today: A Lament For Louis Riel adds French lyrics to the true tale of a Canadian resistance !ghter.

Best is Hope You Don’t Feel Blue, which seeks to right historical un-truths and social injustice within the framework of a dramatic blues.

Don’t be misled by the name. This little miss is a big hit. PC

Jolene is little miss naughty

ACROSS THE PLAINS

LITTLE MISS HIGGINS

ALBUMOF THE WEEK

SUNDAY MERCURY – APRIL 3RD 2011