Blue Vulture 'Live To An Audience of No One'

Broadcaster, local councillor, scout leader, festival promoter and pop frontman, is there anything Bainy can't do? Actually there is at the moment and that is perform in front of an audience.

In October Blue Vulture recorded a socially distanced, totally safe and legal performance as part of the We Shall Overcome season at an empty Black Market Venue. That was back in the dark locked in days of 2020 in which a deadly virus was on the loose which are happily behind us. Now we are in the dark locked in days of 2021 in which a deadly virus is on the loose and musicians still cannot perform. Not to be idle, many performers are keeping their hand in and in that spirit Blue Vulture have dropped a surprise release to keep our appetites whetted while the postponed album To A Degree remains a victim of the general shutting down of civilisation that we are all living through.

Live To An Audience of No One is that surprise release, (and I am deliberately avoiding the obvious joke), three songs taken from the aforementioned We Shall Overcome set. All three songs hit you with trademark indie swagger of classic Vulture which will only serve to make us yearn for the time we are allowed to go out and watch a live streamed gig in real life!

All proceeds go to Broxtowe Community Projects

Download from Bandcamp

Future Sound of Nottingham Final - Rock City, 14th June 2015

Now in its seventh year, the Future Sound of Nottingham is the competition that finds a lucky Nottingham music maker to open the Splendour festival, where a musician's popularity on social media is as important as musical ability. Past recipients of the prize include The Afterdark Movement and Joy Mumford and this year the final was one of the strongest and most difficult to predict the outcome of. Orchestrated by local music blog NUSIC which has been around in some form or another for eight years, the night was hosted by the founder Mark Del, who showed the same capabilities as master of ceremonies that he shows as a television presenter.

Rock City had filled up fairly quickly when I arrived just before seven o'clock and the room was in good spirits when the first band of the evening took to the stage. The rules to this competition are a bit long-winded so I assume there's a reason that a band who have been together a long time can enter a contest that focuses on the new, but the first band on was Cheshire and the Cat, a great band but not one that I feel needs to be involved in this sort of thing. The audience took to them straight away and the night got of to a flying start. NUSIC make a point of not publishing a running order in advance which works well as it eliminates the problem of audience members leaving as soon as their friends have finished their spot. Next up was a relativity new band although with a fine local music pedigree, As December Falls. Although I don't feel that opening the Splendour festival at lunchtime would suit them, they are maybe the only act on the line-up that will one day be given the chance to play Rock City under their own steam in the future. Josh Wheatley appeared for the second year running with his band and went down well with the crowd as expected, and his big following was an advantage when it came to one of the scoring methods.

Throughout the show an audience 'vote' was taken using a decibel counter so the louder the audience the higher the vote, reminiscent of Hughie Green's clap-ometer. This was added to the judges votes and to gain a final score for the evening, slightly convoluted but effective. Suspect Alibi took to the stage with confidence, in fact nobody seemed at all daunted by the fact they were playing Rock City. Ellie Keegan was probably the only performer suited to the prize, and the only one who genuinely would have benefited from the boost that first place would have given her. For me the weak link on the bill was The Chase despite the biggest audience reaction, which basically meant they brought the most people along.

Suspect Alibi were the eventual and deserving winners so the Splendour stage is theirs. While the votes were being counted a special guest always plays, and this year was a bit of a blast from the past in the shape of Liam Bailey. Hailed as the next big thing in 2011, he acted as a poignant cautionary tale to this year's acts that early plaudits don't necessarily mean the big time is imminent. 

Gorgeous Chans/Huskies/The Breakfast Club/Josh Kemp - Rescue Rooms, 7th April 2015

Picture from Facebook

There should be more gigs like this in future, I know this wasn't the first but in a city saturated by free gigs tonight was proof that proof that people will pay to enjoy a quality night out. Four local acts on a big stage rather than cramped into the corner of a trendy hat shop in Hockley (or something) brought in a respectable crowd, especially when you consider it was on a week night immediately after the Easter weekend.

First on to a not yet full venue was a familiar face, Josh Kemp. To my mind this wasn't a suitable outlet for Josh as he has earned his stripes on the circuit several times over and having headlined his own show at Bodega last year this was something of a step back; as the old joke goes - any further down the poster and people might mistake him for the printer. Not that he didn't put in a great set of course, turning out a set of newer material from his vast songbook and demonstrating his ease and friendliness towards the audience. The Breakfast Club are another band that wouldn't be my obvious choice for a support given their growing reputation; this was more of a four way headliner than a gig with a hierarchical running order. After the usual set of comedy and music, including new songs among the classics, the running order went a little astray and so the cigarette breaks between acts shortened slightly.

Next on the bill was Huskies, a band I hadn't seen before and who went down well with the crowd but didn't really hold any great appeal for my tastes. Not that they aren't a talented band because they are and musically they do have 'it' but whatever 'it' is I don't want it because you can't just blindly enjoy everything (although that is how most Nottingham based reviewers and podcasters operate). After an even shorter break between sets it was time for the main event. The Gorgeous Chans hit the ground running and held the crowd for the duration of their set. Tighter than they have ever been (especially when compared to where they were when they won the Future Sound of Nottingham popularity contest in 2013) and winning on audience reaction, (even if the audience was mainly annoying kids with no understanding of the words 'excuse' and 'me' when pushing their way past the grown ups - such a shame the clip around the ear is frowned on these days), the time just flew by in a haze of upbeat pop. A lazy reviewer will do the Vampire Weekend comparison but if you want that you'll have to read a lazy review.

Richard Herring :Lord of the Dance Settee - Glee, 26th February 2015

Picture from Richard Herring's website

After covering such topics as racism, death, love, religion, and yoghurt during the course of his stand up career, the latest show doesn't have a theme.

I'll start again - I only said it doesn't have a theme because Richard Herring got several mentions in last night of the fact that reviewers keep writing that there isn't a theme. Lord of the Dance Settee is the name of this season's show (a Herring season starts at the Edinburgh Festival and ends in this instance at the beginning of June), and perhaps the last time he'll commit to such an undertaking now that he is a father. The theme this time is celebrating your own daftness, your own lack of cool, and basically enjoy life. Although true fans have heard the 'settee' joke before on This Morning With Richard Not Judy <TMWRNJ>, and true nerds will remember it as Richard's sub-heading on his MySpace profile, the title comes from a childhood misunderstanding over the words to the well known hymn. Now I come to think of it, Herring resembled the Fist of Fun/TMWRNJ 'character' of Richard Herring on stage tonight in terms of delivery and faux-pomposity - "we're laughing and learning tonight".

As a departure from the lecture feel of past shows, Herring threads separate anecdotes from his childhood through to being a grown up, (but not grown up) with his trademark flair for call backs to old routines giving it a far looser feel than previous shows. In all honesty, he looked like he was having far more fun with this freedom to ad-lib and go off at tangents without causing too big a gear change. This no doubt came in handy just at the start of the second half when as usual there was a quick plug for the various treats available afterwards from the merchandise stall and a woman in the front row (who possibly hadn't been to a comedy club before) put up her hand to ask, in the middle of a joke, if he accepts debit cards.

There is something of a 'greatest hits' feeling to this show, with many of the subjects touched on in newspaper columns and the daily blog Warming Up; Dave the Manager, a kiss covering generations, International Mens' Day, and how he and his mates tried to sabotage Ted Rogers. The pay off about the age of Ted Rogers (no spoilers) delivered with skilled self depreciation.

For an influential comedian like Richard Herring to still be at club level is seen as a bit of a shame by some, but his style of comedy would be lost at too big a show with screens magnifying him to the back row. Besides, if in a Sliding Doors world Lee & Herring had achieved the Baddiel & Newman level of adulation then Richard wouldn't have been able to invent Internet comedy. The time flew by and Richard Herring showed once again why he is not only one of this country's best stand up comedians, but also that he is right on top of his game right now.

Saint Raymond - Rock City, 11th February 2015

picture from Nottingham Post

(This is the original unedited version of the review I submitted to the Nottingham Post, I am not sure why they removed what they did.)

If you’re a musician from Nottingham then the opportunity to play at Rock City will be pretty high on your to-do list; before the expression was sullied you might have called it your ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ wish, but it’s probably best if we don’t. Callum ‘Saint Raymond’ Burrows is the second home grown artist to play to a sellout crowd at City, and in my opinion the first deserving one. Although it is only February, after last night people are already talking about what we saw being listed high on the list of gigs of the year.

At only nineteen years old, Callum already comes across as something of a veteran of the local music scene. He played his first gig while most of us were squeezing our spots and he has never looked back. Fast forward through his teens and he now has three EP releases under his belt, festival appearances, national and local radio sessions and a major recording contract. This tour follows a jaunt around the arenas as support for MOR wallpaper Ed Sheeran, so you can’t accuse him of being idle.

Sadly I missed the opening act Fickle Friends and only caught the very end of Amber Run, a band who shared the Nottingham Rocks 2013 stage with Saint Raymond. They proved popular with the crowd and warmed them right up for the main event with their audience pleasing ditties and easy rapport. I have seen a lot of big name acts at this venue over the years but I can’t recall this many people, and never before has the phrase ‘out on a school night’ seemed so literal.

Building up the anticipation by getting the rest of the band on first, Callum casually walked onto the stage and stood on a monitor to take in the applause of 1,950 people before getting right down to business. Never a particularly chatty young man, (typical teenager eh?), the music did all the talking, kicking off with ‘Letting Go’ followed after enquiring who was up for a party by ‘Everything She Wants’, the audience sang every word back to him with what can only be described as ‘gusto’ with Callum presiding over them with the skills of a master showman with everyone in the palm of his hand. The band took a little rest while we were treated to a solo song that he “only wrote last week”; I didn’t catch the title unfortunately but I’m sure everyone will soon.

Returning alone for the encore with his hymn to Nottingham ‘This Town’ and closing in style with the band and a storming rendition of ‘Fall At Your Feet’ and declaring this the best night of his life, he left the stage a hero.

Displaying none of the arrogance and self-importance of certain Nottingham musicians, he occasionally looked as if he could quite believe the situation he was in. Believe it, next time the arena wouldn’t be unrealistic and maybe he’ll remember that Sheeran bloke and let him support?

Josh Kemp - Bodega, 24th October 2014

Photo by Gary Barwell

Once upon a time, a shy young lad approached a radio station I was working for and asked if he could come and play. He was a likeable chap, dedicated to his music, and obviously destined for greatness with a work ethic that would make a lesser person crumble. His name was Josh Kemp. His name still is Josh Kemp if the truth be told, and that shy young lad has now got (probably) close to a thousand gigs under his piano key belt in addition to two EP releases (here tonight to launch the third), YouTube hits-a-plenty for his music videos, radio sessions on both sides of the Atlantic, and something in common with Errol Flynn and Russell Crowe thanks to a starring role in yet another adaptation of the Robin Hood story.

The occasion tonight was the launch of his EP Chatterbox, and the Bodega was full to bursting for the occasion. In a room festooned with glow sticks and balloons, and having had the crowd warmed up expertly by Molly & Jack and The Rascels, Josh walked on to the stage to a much deserved applause and kicked things off in his trademark style, breaking into well known track ‘The Reason’.

By this time things were going well enough, but then something totally unexpected happened. Subtly and sharply, there was suddenly a band accompanying and by the end of the song the room reverberated to a much fuller sound that suited the songs down to the ground although I would personally hate to see the end of the solo shows. The new tracks from the EP, ‘Chatterbox’, and ‘Four Letters’ came next and showed that he has evolved as a songwriter while keeping his cheeky charm, and the old favourites were rolled out to mass approval akin to Sinatra breaking into ‘My Way’.

A mass sing-along of the crowd favourite ‘The Hangover Song’ closed the set, but Josh wasn’t going to get away that lightly. Returning to the stage alone to crack open one of his renowned cover version medleys, he brought together ‘Gold’, ‘I Wanna Be Like You’, and ‘Sweet Child Of Mine’ and still wasn’t allowed to leave. Having been treated to a crowd rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, Josh struck back with another medley; ‘Sex On Fire’ and ‘Mr Brightside’.

Josh took this adoration in his stride, looking as if he still couldn’t believe his luck to be given this opportunity. This is nothing to do with luck however, this is all down to hard work and talent and one day everyone in attendance will look back on the day that Josh Kemp played such a small venue. 

Tom Stade - Glee, 10th October 2014

For the uninitiated, Tom Stade’s standup comedy shows would make Roy Chubby Brown look like a Sunday school teacher; not for the easily offended, or for the difficultly offended for that matter. That has all changed however, and tonight we witnessed Tom’s reinvention as an all round family entertainer with not a single rude word or filthy comment passing his lips.

I’m joking of course, he hasn’t toned down or compromised his act one bit and demonstrated an ability to weave a narrative together not seen since Billy Connelly’s heyday.

Fellow Canadian Nigel Lawrence got the audience on side straight away with observations on food in Scotland, flying, and pets behaviour and didn’t hit a single duff note. The job of a warm up act is to literally warm up the crowd, and he fulfilled that role with ease.

Tom Stade hit the stage with such force it’ll probably still feel it this morning, and launched effing and giggling like a stoned teenager headlong into a mind blowing routine about Boots and their crazy three for two deals and loyalty card scheme.

This year’s show is called Decisions Decisions, it looks at the fact that there are basically two age groups – young and old, and deciding which one you want to be. Parenthood gets a good natured kicking, as those in the audience with children are basically told they are wasting their time investing in someone who doesn’t appreciate it. As usual Tom found a rapport with a couple in the front row, Dale and Zoe, with whom he was able to keep soliciting opinions and back referencing.

When comedians spout outlandish ideas it tends to contain some element of truth designed to make you think, and Tom’s delivery makes him one of the best. Zoe will probably insist on back row seats next time though.

Originally written for the Nottingham Post.