Govannen/Kelly's Heroes

GOVANNEN/KELLY'S HEROES

IAC 31st January 2020

What a superb gig at International Arts Centre last night to celebrate St Brigids/Imbolc Eve... with, as the poster said, two of the finest celtic bands in the country...

First on stage was a new band to me... despite the fact they have been around for 30 years... KELLYS'S HEROES.

The band were superb... a real breath of fresh air. Great celtic music evoking memories of great older celtic bands. The set ranges between full tilt jigs. reels and assorted dance tunes, to familiar songs... including the likes of "Maids When You're Young" which was restablished by the Dubliners, "The Mingullay Boat Song" (i think The Corries) and ending with a superb version of one of my favourite songs, Andy M Stewart's "Rambling Rover"

The whole band are musically superb, led with superb accordion/melodeon and fiddle and held together by some strong rhythmic guitar work. At the front Tony sings beautifully with a strong clear voice with terrific feeling while playing the bodhran.

The whole band play and sing superbly throughout with total commitment and love for the music... high energy and hugely invigorating music with high energy songs and tunes that crack along at a colossol rate of knots...

The band delivered a magnificent set of over more than an hour.. but it seemed to be over in 10 minutes... an absolute joy to see and hear... absolutely top class, invigorating good time celtic music... glorious

They were so good we wondered if anyone could actually follow that on the night... but next up were Govannen.... and of course they could, they are also a superb band!!

Although like Kelly's Heroes they are a celtic band and mix songs and tunes throughout they are very different.

The set was typical of a Govannen gig, with the prime singers taking it in turns... starting with a tune set before Dan delivered a rousing version of "When will we be Married" (Waterboys)... next song was Chris dong a really fine job on "The Water is Wide" followed by Roger's interpretation of a Robert Frost poem, "Indian Tea".... the set progressed with songs and tunes sets with at times, as Chris said "A proper ceilidh going on at the back".

Again it is hard to single out highlights, but for me Dan's impassioned performance of his superb song "The Storm" always thrills, and Chris's jazz/celtic whimsy of "Jazz Hot Potato" is always a delight...

The last full piece started with a simply beautiful air played on fiddle by Adele which slowly morphed into a hell for leather set of tunes with the whole band on full power...

For an encore, Dan commented that they had done a lot of Ceilidhs around Burns Night, and they ended with a set of Scottish tunes, including "Scotland the Brave" and "Mairies Wedding" which took the pace and intensity up a couple more notches...

The whole set was an absolute treat... Chris delivering some great keyboard, whistles and vocals, and a bit of kalimba... Neil adds the percussion. Roger sings one song and he and Adele must be two of the best fiddle players on the scene... and Dan adds bodhran, fiery rhythm guitar and mandolin as well as songs... no two ways.. 5 superb musicians contributing equally to a superb band... full of energy and commitment they are always a real joy.

This was a really memorable joyful evening.. .both bands performing brought their A Games and delivered high energy exciting invigorating music for the whole show... two great bands clearly having a ball on stage and thrilling the audience. Absolutely loved it... magnificent evening.

One minor comment on the evening... not on the bands.. it seems some members of the audience felt the music was getting in the way of their conversations... disrespectful!!

Keep music live... keep music real... support your local venues

Julian Taylor

JULIAN TAYLOR

IAC:  26th January 2025

Another night at the International Arts Centre, this time to see Julian Taylor. Since I saw Julian previously i have been looking forward to him coming back, and sometimes such high expectations can lead to a disappointment... no chance in this case as last night he excelled expectations with another superb performance.

The feeling in the room was warm, with a feeling of goodwill and expectation

Julian's music is relaxed and country styled and the songs consistently high class, often personal and delivered with warmth and charm. Julian has a great voice that is warm, mellow and soothing... which perfectly reflects his personality.

His songs are outstanding, often personal and always expressive and beautifully crafted. In between songs Julian speaks of the background to the songs and also warmly and emotionally with pride of his family and heritage.

The show is superbly paced, starting with the beautifully mellow country pieces, and as the set develops the temperature rises and songs grow imperceptibly more "beaty". Throughout the show the audience sings along at the appropriate points, and by the last number, Julian deploys a looper, to maintain a pulsing beat while he dances and the audience stand to clap along... a moment of total togetherness between performer and audience.

The whole performance was outstanding... beautiful warm voice outstanding guitar playing, excellent songs and a performer of great warmth, charm and integrity who has the audience in the palm of his hands from the very first moment.

If you have a heart and soul catch a Julian Taylor live performance at the first opportunity...

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Boootleg Boss

BOOTLEG BOSS

IAC 25th January 2025

What a cracking night at the International Arts Centre last night... a real fixture for early in the year and always eagerly anticipated, the return of the Bootleg Boss... Springsteen tribute band.

My first visit to the IAC for a "standing" rock show so was interested to see how it worked... As we entered the lights were down, there was an air of anticipation and excitement in the air and the atmosphere was already building to something special...

The band hit the stage around 8.40 to a huge reception and crashed straight into the show...and from the off Springsteen classic followed classic... and just about every introduction was recognised and cheered... early on the gentle guitar, then harp, heralded 'The River" before first monster track of the evening... and there was a kind of intake of breath before the audience joined singing the song and belting out the chorus... a mighty performance.

The band carried on through the superb catalogue of music available, eventually another familiar harp introduction and as the song started the audience, as always, roared out the familiar "Mary's dress waved... " verse and hit a peak at the "Have a little faith there's magic in the night... you aint a beauty but hey you're alright".... as the band rocked like fury though "Thunder Road"... the first half ended, as ever with a tumultuous version of "Jungleland". This was simply exceptional and I have to single out the sax man who's lengthy solo was simply sublime... absolutely stunning.

The second half carried on where it left off... classic after classic thrilling the audience until what was i think meant to be the last song, "Dancing in the Dark"... an absolute tour de force performance that rocked along like a runaway express train...It seemed impossible to follow it... but at least half a dozen more "This is the last one's" followed ending, eventually, after more than 2-1/2 hours of wonderful music with "Born to Run" "Glory Days" and "Bobby Jean"

I didnt think it possible... but this band just seem to keep getting better. and better.. last night they were absolutely tight, and I felt Kev himself was more relaxed and "free" than ever...

Musically every musician is absolute quality and all on their A+ game last night... 2-1/2 hours of powerful, high energy uplifting inspirational rock'n'roll... and it feels so good to see this level of intensity, power and sheer brilliance up close in a fabulous intimate venue like this... absolutely superb evening... bring on the next one!!

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Courtney Askey/Mouseteeth/JJ Lovegrove/Honest Dave

COURTNEY ASKEY/MOUSETEETH/JJ LOVEGROVE/HONEST DAVE

IAC 25TH January 2025

It was a really lovely Friday evening at the IAC... a celebration of local talent promoted by Magic Teapot

Given the awful weather a great crowd turned out for the gig... and as you settled down into a seat their was a feeling of warmth and love for the show in the air...

First up in the evening was HONEST DAVE ably assisted as ever by Shaz Collyer on sax.

I am not normally a lover of loopers and pre-recorded tapesbut Dave uses them incredibly well, building up layers of texture and depth both vocally and on the guitar while Shaz adds some lovely sax to make an intriguing and enjoyable whole... Dave also adds some nifty guitar lines over the loops and backing tracks... Dave's performances are always quirky and rather different, a very enjoyable set, but to be honest, refreshing the set with some new material would really help.

After Dave a quick turnaround for JJ Lovegrove to weave her magic with her keyboard and incredible voice. for the first song the stage was dark, lit by one spotlight behind JJ which was a really good look and somehow appropriate, but I was grateful when she asked that the spotlight be dropped and the stage lit from the front... I now really understand why many artists dont like a spotlight on their faces!!

That aside, JJ started gently on the keyboard and built it up, the sound swelling adding multiple layers before the glorious voice came in over the music... a JJ Lovegrove performance has an ethereal quality as her voice soars over the keyboard accompaniment... delivering her excellent songs with passion and assurance... This set felt relatively short but more than maintained the standard... high quality set which i really loved.

Next up was Mouse Teeth Music who was a revelation... having seen and really enjoyed several Mouse Teeth sets before, tonights performance was even better... she has matured as an artists and this set was delivered with total commitment and assurance.

Her original songs and poems are powerful and very personal in nature, superbly crafted and at times somewhat disturbing and difficult to hear... and you have to admire the honesty and raw power of the songs... Her voice is clear and distinct bringing out the emotion of every song and poem.

Surprise of the evening was when she, with a laugh, introduced a sing-a-long... not normally included in her sets... but it went superbly and the audience fully bought in to it... Terrific performance all round

Last up was the one new name to me, Courtney Askey. Her set was almost divided into two, with a few numbers with her guitar and band and a few more solo on piano.

The band numbers were excellent, I am told a departure from earlier material being a tad darker. The songs were really good, and the performance concentrated on the lyrics and Courtneys performance though the band, comprising bass and drums, were superb... accompanying her with subtlety and total empathy making a lovely whole...

However... i personally preferred the solo piano pieces, Courteney sitting behind her piano on a dramatic looking empty dark stage and singing her songs beautifully with great assurance and feeling... rather beautiful.

Thoroughly enjoyed the whole of Courtneys performance and hope to see her and the band again before long

This was a lovely evening, demonstrating once again that the music scene in Leicester is alive and vibrant with countless talented and wonderful artists... thanks to Ian for putting on this, and similar, shows.

Keep music live... keep music real... support your local venue