Live in 2016: Karnataka live at The Globe, Cardiff on Sunday 3rd April 2016

It was time tonight to lose my Karnataka live virginity. Clearly, you should all know by now that I like my Prog and Karnataka’s album Secrets Of Angels was my favourite Prog album of last year.

Karnataka - Secrets Of Angels Review

So I was really looking forward to seeing if the band could reproduce the intricacies and dynamism of Secrets of Angels in a live context.

The answer was a resounding YES.

Now consisting of Hayley Griffiths on Vocals, Enrico Pinna on Guitar & vocals, Cagri Tozluoglu on Keyboards, Jimmy Pallagrosi on Drums and founder member Ian Jones on Bass & Pedals the band put in a storming and impressive performance tonight that is worthy of their recent awards for Best Album and Best Track for Secrets Of Angels.

CRS Award Winners 2016

Now on album 7 (including two live albums), the band have had various line ups since their conception in 1997. With this line up being together since 2014 it now seems the band has a stable foundation with which to grow both their recording and live future. 

With the limited lighting and stage setting of the small Globe stage, it was all about the music tonight as the band perform a two-set show that incorporated the majority of the Secrets Of Angels tracks and selected highlights from their previous albums. In fact, something for fans old and new. And judging by the comments after and between the sets with the fans attending, the setlist went down really well. It also gave the newer members of the band a chance to get their musical skills around some of the earlier Karnataka classics.

So, with the strains of pre-gig music by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (a nice touch) fading, the band took to the stage.

They open up with the first track from Secrets Of Angels, the Eastern tinged Road To Cairo.

Road To Cairo

Right from the start you can see the power of the band. Underpinned by Ian Jones' bass pedals and Jimmy's drums, Enrico and Cagri build the tapestry upon which Hayley Griffiths' vocals swoop and swirl like a hawk.

With Hayley Griffiths, Karnataka have found the perfect front woman. Her voice is just astonishing all evening with it's power, range and consistency - the years of classical training coming to the fore.

Not only that, she was genuinely captivating in her movements onstage. Not any easy feat with the size of the Globe's stage. You just can't take your eyes off her. Even when she moves to the back and side of the stage while the boys play their instrumental passages, your eyes keep being drawn to her movement. Not only has she got a magnificent voice, she also has that special something that every brilliant front man and woman has had over the years. Whether it be that seductive sultriness or inner power, Hayley certainly uses it to great effect tonight in the interpretations of the songs.

Next, we are treated to another three songs from the magnificent Secrets Of Angels album.

Poison Ivy is followed by Talk To Me and the show stopping Fairytale Lies.

Although Karnataka have always had a way with a melody, Secrets is dripping with hooks and choruses to die for as this first passage of songs prove. If there were any doubters in the audience they were surely captivated by now.

The first of the older tracks comes next with a powerful version of Moment In Time from The Gathering Light album. It is great to see Hayley growing into these older songs like they were her own. She brings a new dimension with her range and dramatic presentation.

The original Moment In Time

Part 1 of the show closes with a new song - Twist Of Fate - which proves that the powerful and tuneful songs of Secrets Of Angels were no flukes. There is plenty of gold to be mined in the future by Karnataka and by the reaction of the crowd tonight, I was not the only one who thought so.

Then came the 20 minute interval which gave the fans time to interact and talk about the gig. Seems fans have come from all over the UK to be here tonight with many attending more than one gig on this upcoming European Tour.

It was good to hear Then by Yes and Firth Of Fifth by Genesis on the half time tape too.

Part 2 opens with the second older song of the night - again returning to The Gathering Light album for Serpent & The Sea. 

Because Of You is one of the most dramatic songs on Secrets Of Angels and it gives Hayley a chance to give it her best Assertive Seductress, which she does with aplomb and a definite twinkle in her eye as she moves to every member of the band one at a time.

The band have one older song left up their sleeve as they turn to The Storm album for Dreamer.

If singles were a thing that the music buying public were still interested in then it might be in Karnataka's interest to chose one of the next two songs they played to release and promote in that format.

Forbidden Dreams and the extremely catchy Borderline - no, not Madonna's song - it's much better than that one - would easily fit into daytime radio schedules. These two tracks from Secrets Of Angels warms up the crowd nicely for what the next 20+ minutes would bring.

Borderline from this gig

Now - in my 40+ years of listening to Prog, I've heard some majestic music. But I have to say that over the last 6 months that I've lived with Secrets Of Angels, the title track has become my favourite Prog song of all time - and being a lifelong YES & GENESIS fan, that's quite an accolade.

It's very, very rare for a live performance to bring me to tears but tonight's performance of this title track did just that.

It's 20 minutes of pure majesty. I must admit I was concerned whether the band could pull off all of the song's epic grandeur, intricacies and majesty in a live performance. But I needn't have worried. They played it magnificently.

The track gives every member a chance to shine - and they all pulled out the stops to deliver something very special indeed - I tell another reviewer present this evening that I would have paid the price of admission just to hear that one track. And I even tell Ian Jones the same after the show.

But two members in particular shine on this track - Jimmy on drums directed the song through its various patterns and changes with a flair that is reminiscent of Keith Moon at his musical drumming best.

And Hayley's vocal performance is just a thing of beauty. The range she shows in the song's dramatic final movement is just amazing. How the hell she holds those notes I'll never know. But it's everything that is great about Karnataka all in one song. It is a privilege to be there to see it performed. 

What it would be like with a choir and orchestra God only knows - but I'd love to find out one day.

The ovation it produces brings the house down. And it is so richly deserved.

The band then leave the stage - if only to get their breath back after such a monumental performance.

But they have one more trick up their sleeve for the encore.

If there isn't a Disney Music Executive currently tapping up Ian & Hayley to use Feels Like Home in a forthcoming movie then they need their heads examined. This song could be HUGE in the right movie. Academy Award winning even.

It was great to see Karnataka win awards this year for the Secrets Of Angels album. In next years awards, following this year's European Tour, they may even see another, Award for Best Live Act on their mantelpiece. I for one, would not be surprised one iota.

I can give no higher recommendation than to say if you only see one band live this year - make sure it's Karnataka.

Twitter - @Karnataka 

The Karnataka Website

Live in 2016: Genesish - live at The Globe Cardiff on Saturday 19th March 2016

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, (sorry, couldn't resist it) was my first experience of a Genesis tribute band. I am aware of some exceptionally good tribute acts currently playing both the European and USA circuit but it's the first time I've put my toes into the Tribute Act waters.

And I must admit, I'm SO glad I did.

Having seen Genesis (original) in 3 incarnations - with Steve Hackett, Phil Collins & Ray Wilson and also the Steve Hackett Genesis Revisited shows - three times, I was interested to see how Genesish would handle the material and the complexities of the music. The answer is very well indeed.

I've seen the various Tribute Acts on Youtube and some of them try to imitate the original band, in all aspects. Some more successfully than others.

But Genesish have made the correct decision, in my view, of not trying to imitate the band. There are some special moments, which I'll talk about later but on the whole they kept as close to the songs as they possibly could and vocalist John Kirby has his own strong voice and was excellent tonight.

Other Acts, such as the very highly rated Regenesis concentrate on a particular era of the band. However, Genesish have made the decision to cover the whole of the band's career. And it pays dividends tonight as the later songs get as much of an applause as some of the older material with an audience with a varied age range.

And how many 'proper' bands have you seen putting on a three hour show?

Split into two halves, the boys gave their all tonight to a very enthusiastic audience who lapped up every moment of tonight's show.

Vocalist John Kirby is also a drummer and the two kit set up the band employs leads to some magic moments as the band recreate the live GENESIS sound perfectly when Phil and Drummer 2 are mixing it onstage.

From the opening Duke's Intro and into Abacab, the band set out their stall. 

With such a huge catalogue of material to chose from the 3 hour show just flew by tonight.

I'm not going to into a full run down of what the band played as that will spoil the surprises but I'll give you a taste of some of the highlights.

Over the course of the evening, John uses a few props to enhance the evening. And it does exactly that. Enhances the experience. For us older fellas it brings back brilliant memories.

One such moment is when John dons Rael's leather jacket for In The Cage.

I'm sorry I can't give you more up to date videos but it gives a flavour of the night.

I was unlucky enough that I had bronchitis on the night I went to see the band, so singing was out of the question but I gave it my best Air Singing. It also stopped me from shouting Supper's Ready but I doubt it would have got a positive reaction as it would have taken up a huge amount of the set. ;)

I must also make a special mention to the lighting guys who put on an excellent show tonight - and from what i could see it worked perfectly.

Biggest cheer of the night was definitely the decision to use the Seconds Out version of The Lamb Lies Down/ Musical Box ending when Gabriel's version the old man appears. It's because these moments are scattered sparingly throughout the show that makes the moments when they DO happen so special.

John Kirby seems to have his own interesting individual personality which shows throughout both sets.

The guys didn't shy away from the long form songs either with  great versions of both Domino and Home By The Sea as excellent examples.

The big hits such as I Can't Dance, Misunderstanding & Invisible Touch all make an appearance. 

Highlights? Too many to mention - Many Too Many, Domino, Musical Box and the brilliant drum duet.

Special mention to the other guys in the band who also played a blinder tonight.

John Kirby on Vocals & Drums - Mike Dagnall on Bass, Pedals & Vocals - Paul Turner on Drums - Darren Dean on Guitars and the excellent Neil Gordon on Keyboards & Vocals.

After 2 encores there was only one song they could finish wish - a sing along version of I Know What I Like, complete with some serious audience participation.

So, what more can I say without giving away all of the secrets of a brilliant evening which delivered so much more than I was expecting?

 OK, a few things though fellas before you make the return journey to Wales

Learn the brilliant Inside & Out - my favorite Genesis song that hasn't been played live since 1977, ( that's the closer for part 1 sorted) don't forget the Calling All Stations album, (c'mon John, you've got a bit of the Ray look about you) and there are some beauties on there that will suit your voice.

 and get some more up to date videos on Youtube to show just how good you are in 2016!!!

Twitter - @genesishtribute 

The Genesish Website

Spotlight 2016: Jones - Happy Blue

I'll come clean right from the start. Unless he decides to record an album of Death Metal or Rap, any Trevor Jones record will make my Albums Of The Year. Even if he recorded the phone book, I'd probably put that in the list. He is the most consistently superb musician I have come across in the last 20 years.

So, with that out of the way, let me justify my decision to include Happy Blue on my 2016 list.

The album is a result of a year in which Trevor Jones lost both his father and his father-in-law. 

We all deal with grief in our individual ways. For Trevor, he poured his heart and grief into song.

But don't expect an album full of dirge.

This album wears the Perfume Of Sorrow.

But it is not grief-laden. There are shades of life and hope.

And most of all, Love.

Once again, Trevor is joined by his Miracle Mile partner, the multi-instrumentalist and producer Marcus Cliffe, providing guidance and instrumentation.

The album opens with a 53 second vignette called First - completed on the last track, called Last.

It's soft and plaintive and ease the listener into the first song, Ghost Of Song. 

It's a soft and gentle, almost acoustic song with a layer of pedal steel and organ. 

With any Trevor Jones or indeed Miracle Mile album, the sound is crystal clear and you can hear every word that Trevor Jones sings - and what a pleasure this is, as there is a lot of emphasis put on the words of these songs. Trevor is indeed a poet. It's certainly levels above most of what you would hear on a normal everyday rock/pop song.

From this gentle beginning, we move onto the title track, Happy Blue.

Death is the shadow that dances around this album. But as with the track Happy Blue, it is not maudlin. It wraps it's arms around you and whispers into your ear that it's OK to be sad, it's OK to remember, memories are made of magic and they stay with you always.

'But this unholy undertow is home to me'

Lovers Never Tell, swings, yes swings, gently as the piano, brushed drums and woodwind create a beautiful backdrop to the tapestry of Trevor Jones' words as her talks of his lover.

'There lies my Lover, as feckless as a breeze.'

Now, Trevor is a master of conjuring nostalgic visions. Many of his songs in the past have brought memories to the surface of times and events of the days gone by. Again, Naked As Adam is it a song about loss. 

Religious imagery is abundant throughout the album, with words such as Angels and Prayers but balanced with nostalgic, almost childlike phrases such as Truth & Dare.

With Melvin Duffy and BJ Cole to add the melancholic Pedal Steel Guitar over the guitar and muted organ the track breezes along. And yes, there's even a first for a Trevor Jones song, a saxophone layer to take away some of the sadness.

'Now, I've seen too many funerals, for the past to rearrange, as I sit her in neutral, waiting for the lights to change.'

Three Kisses is a simple song with an almost nursery rhyme-like melody that is gentle, short and sweet. A glimmer of light in an album of poetic darkness.

'She doesn't know she doesn't care, truth tangled as her auburn hair, the autumn leaves are everywhere, like missives from above'

If you sometimes feel like the album literally dances around you then you're probably not mistaken. Dance is an important metaphor in so many ways for Trevor Jones and it resurfaces in the track Weakness and Wine with it's waltz beat. Introduced with a simple piano backdrop with track builds with pedal steel and what sound like plucked banjo or mandolin. It has it's heart in a drinking song, I'm sure. You can imagine it being sung while everybody has a skinful. 

Not all funerals have to be sad - some are an Irish Wake.

If there is one track which is unusual in the scheme of the whole album it is the next track, Cartwheels. It is an atmospheric track based on a drumbeat and percussion layered with simple electric guitar and featuring the female vocals of Lucinda Drayton. It sounds like a track that Peter Gabriel might have included on one of his albums. A track such as Mercy Street. 

'No Happy Blues, no Sorry Reds, nothing cast a shadow as you danced from dawn into bed'

St Cecilia, the Patron Saint Of Music, is a hymn to the power of music as a healer. Like most of the melodies on this album, it is simple and captivating, with that beautiful melancholy that seeps through the album like a name through a stick of seaside rock. It is a very moving answer to the themes that reoccur throughout the album.

'Your eyes were watching God, while my eyes were watching you, if I called my dream would you make my dream come true.'

The key song for me of the album comes next. And I have no shame in admitting that it made me cry the first time I heard it and it still has the power to bring a tear to my eyes now, even after I've heard it SO many times.

It is a song Trevor has written directly to his father, about his father (and mother), it's called simply Battersea Boy.

For anyone who has lost a father, it is especially poignant.

It's a piano ballad, with simple phrasing and pedal steel and woodwind colouring washes. And it's simply gorgeous. You can almost hear Trevor breaking up as he sings it. How he kept himself together while singing this I'll never know. He must have known he'd written something special. 

'These words I stumble through, the semblance of a song, I hope that they ring true, seems where they belong, My heart was shaped by you, a little short on joy, but fashioned straight and true like a Battersea Boy'

After the killer track that is Battersea Boy, Trevor lightens the mood with another beauty, Misbegotten Moon. It is a song draped in the pedal steel, organ and marimba, a song of subdued joy, again, cloaked in waltz beat. 

'So we made a promise, witnessed by starlight, and sworn on that dappled delight, we'll always be lovers, and starting tomorrow, forever be joined by the light'

In an album full of the most gorgeous songs and melodies, My Muffled Prayer makes it's way to the top of this reviewer's list.

Another sweeping and understated epic ballad, it is a song of loss, longing, hope, redemption and most clear of al,l Love. A Love that lasts a lifetime. A Forever Love. For me, it's as close to a Van Morrison epic as Trevor Jones has ever attempted. And by God he pulls it off with subtle grandeur.

We can't change what has happened but we can bear the scars and we can learn to live with the pain and hopefully bring joy into the lives of others.

It's the album's prayer for redemption, for experiencing joy again, for hope.

'Begin Again'

The album ends with Last, a reprise of the first song of the album but this time with a spoken poem track. Revisiting some of Trevor's earlier solo work, especially Hopeland.

It's a beautiful way to close this particular chapter of his life.

Happy Blue - has sorrow ever sounded so beautiful?

'Every day, my first thought and last'

Images courtesy of Marcus Cliffe 

and

Di Holmes Photography

The Trevor Jones & Miracle Mile Website

Twitter - @hissytrev

Live In 2016: Down By The River 4 with M.G. Boulter, Jess Vincent & Blind River Scare

Tim Manning - aka Blind River Scare is building up quite a heritage with the Down By The River concerts.

Held in Barnabas Arts House in Newport, South Wales, the concerts are based downstairs in the intimate staged area.

It's a case of bring your own drinks, and in my case the now traditional scented candle, and settle down to watch the three artist concert.

Now on it's 4th show - Down By The River tonight features Blind River Scare up first - as always - tonight it's only Tim with Stuart on other duties down west.

The Blind River Scare play Americana/Alt Country songs, self penned by Tim Manning and are of a high quality indeed and tonight is no exception.

Tim always opens the Down By The River gigs and tonight is no exception. 

Tonight he gives us the usual top-notch spirited performances of several of his best known songs.

We are treated to Keep Saying Sorry, When You Walk Away and even a new song called But Still You Stay.

At Down By The River 3, Tim and Stuart performed an excellent version of Wreck On The Highway by Bruce Springsteen and tonight he performed another unexpected cover to the delight of the Newport audience. A terrific version of the Jackson Browne song Rosie.

Tim then ended his set with No Remorse Guilt Or Shame from his latest release Point Of No Return.

So a great start to a great evening.

Blind River Scare Website

Tonight's first guest artist is the Wiltshire based Singer Songwriter Jess Vincent. Jess has recently released her latest album Shine and took to the stage alone with just her guitar and ukulele for company. Blessed with a lovely voice, she has a certain attractive vulnerability which suits her songs perfectly.

Tonight she opens her set with the plaintive Sail Away, which is the opening song from her second album Seesaw Dreams.

In her nine songs set - Jess showed how her songwriting has matured over the three albums she has released so far.

The second song in the set was also from Seesaw Dreams and was a rather lovely version of Annie Bonnie - together with an engaging explanation about the genesis of the song.

 

Next up we had a lift in the mood with the upbeat title track from Jess' latest album Shine. I can hear echoes of Kate Bush in her voice - no bad thing - and it fits in perfectly to the folk stylings of her songs. But I think there is a hidden depth within her which so far has yet to be explored - much in the way that Bella Hardy has blossomed with her recent With The Dawn album.

We had a nice surprise next with Jess giving us a version of the traditional John Hardy. Using just hand percussion it highlights her delicate voice and got a great reaction from the audience.

It was a gig where the audience were appreciative of all the tracks that Jess performed tonight and was shown by the brisk business that Jess was doing after her set at the merchandising table. Always a good sign.

It was clear that Jess' performance won her lots of new fans tonight - but she wasn't finished yet.

Jess is friends with singer songwriter Reg Meuross and she played a gorgeous cover of one of his songs tonight - Jealous.

with two songs still to go in the set, Jess' gave us a glimpse into her softer side with two lovely tracks - Love Me True and Fetch My Heart.

Jess is certainly a singer songwriter to watch out for. She seemed confident up on stage and had a delicate demeanor which was both engaging and captivating. This was a perfect venue for Jess as she had the intimacy of the venue and an audience that was prepared to remain silent and listen. And they were rewarded with a performance to cherish.

Jess Vincent Website

The final artist in tonight's triple header was MG Boulter - or Matthew to his friends. Tonight he was accompanied by  Lizzie O'Connor on Mandolin, percussion and vocals and Paul Ambrose on upright bass and vocals.

Matthew (MG) has just released his fourth solo album - With Wolves The Lamb Will Lie - and tonight's set included several tracks from this excellent new album.

And he opened tonight with Someday The Waves from the new album.

Many of Matthews songs tonight will be reflective. Like Jess' songs, they sound particularly clear and delicate in tonight's venue as I sit there with candles on the tables and the people in the audience giving the songs their complete attention - it reminds me very much of the audiences I have experienced in The Chattery in Swansea. And it's a complete joy. It's great to be able to sit in an audience where you don't have people talking throughout the performance or clanging drink bottles at the bar.

For the second track of the evening - Matthew turns to his previous album, The Water and the Wave to give us a song called Above The Cafe Curtain.

Matthew then sticks with the Water album and plays a spirited version of Half Life where Lizzie and Paul get a chance to show why they are accompanying Matthew tonight. Excellent music indeed.

Matthew has acquired a witty line of banter between the songs and continues to lighten the mood throughout tonight's performance.

As tonight's show is a chance for Matthew to promote his brand new album it would be remiss if he didn't concentrate tonight's on said album.

With that in mind the next 6 songs are all from With Wolves The Lamb Will Lie.

Brother Uncles, Carmel Oakes, Love Trees, Inside The Cellar, Lalita and His Name Is Jean show what a fabulous alum this is and the songs all sound excellent in their live interpretations.

Matthew has a voice that is reminiscent of James Taylor with a little bit of Paul Simon thrown in for good measure.

For the next song, Matthew turns to the EP he released with Samantha Whates called The Boatswain's Manual and a track called Westcliff, which Matthew went on to explain is a song based on a story of Neil Young visiting the UK back in the 70s where he wrote a song called Daughters, which was never released. Matthew's song is called Westcliff - and it's superb.

The set tonight closes with another song from the new album called appropriately The Last Song.

But the audience wanted some more and Matthew, Paul & Lizzie obliged by playing Evelyn from The Water album.

It was great to see such an appreciative audience at the venue tonight and especially good to see the Merch Table doing some brisk business.

Tim Manning is building up a good venue down there in Newport and it's good to see the shows being supported.

With Down By The River 5 already being planned I'm looking forward to breaking out my can of V and scented candle once again in May.

MG Boulter Website

Twitter - @blindriverscare

@JessVincent01

@MGBoulter