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The Gigs / Concerts Review

We Are Scientists at Soho Revue Bar

We Are Scientists

Live from Soho Revue Bar, London, 28 February 2008. No doubt, in terms of likeability, We Are Scientists sit somewhere between Dave Grohl, and a pail full of kittens. Fluffy kittens. But in terms of commitment, tonight wasn't really all that. In fact, if on this special day the crowd were the expectant betrothed waiting for the ultimate act of sacrifice from their one true love, they'd have been more than a little disappointed.

KT Tunstall Live from Bedford Arms

KT Tunstall

KT Tunstall live from Bedford Arms, London, 25 February 2008. The sometime Fence Collective figure and Mercury nominee tonight headed back, if not to her roots, then to somewhere near the base of her stem. Pitching up in a south London boozer locally known for allowing household names to get back to playing intimately - members of The Who are amongst the Bedford Arms' recent stage alumni - Tunstall was backed by two shimmying vocalists and longtime drummer and fiance Luke Bullen.

Mark Ronson Live at Hammersmith Apollo

Mark Ronson

Live from Hammersmith Apollo, London, 23 February 2008. Let's face it, it's not as if anyone can hang tough at The Hawley Arms anymore, is it? Judging by the limited info on Ronson's own site, that might be just be what the tour management were hoping everyone in ticket-buying land would think too. Sadly, there were no Amys, Lilys or Robbies, but we did see Rhymefest, two Pipettes and Tim Burgess, amongst others. And one very special London debut.

Roni Size Live from Scala, London

Roni Size

Live from Scala, London, 19 February 2008. Above its innovative textures and rhythms, it captured the community spirit behind the scene, and was delivered with a refreshing lack of arrogance that could be found in other quarters of the genre. Ten years on and things have changed for Size. New Forms is Universal's latest target for a deluxe reissue, and on the back of this its author has decided to return to music for the first time in two years. Judging by the acclaim of the Scala crowd this gig, wrapping up a comeback tour, confirmed he's been missed.

Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden

Foo Fighters

Live from Madison Square Garden, NY, 19 February 2008. Practically born into its arena-ready status thirteen years ago, the band has more than earned its Garden-sized audience, with six albums of accessibly aggressive alt-rock and pop sensibilities. During the New York show, which came a few nights after they added two more Grammys -- best rock album and best hard rock performance -- to the trophy case, the band nevertheless demonstrated that its humility was still intact. "We're playing Madison Square fucking Garden!" ever-charming and goofy frontman Dave Grohl shouted with kid-in-a-candy-store excitement as he darted back and forth across the stage.

Bon Jovi / Daughtry Live from Auburn Hills

Bon Jovi

Live from Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan, 20 February 2008. The recession seems to be dragging down CD and concert ticket sales, but there's apparently still room for superstars in the world of rock 'n' roll. Witness Bon Jovi, who partied like it was 1989 in suburban Detroit on Feb. 20 for a capacity crowd of 23,000 lunar eclipse-stoked fans. It was the very encapsulation of a Big Rock Show, arena style; two hours and 15 minutes filled with energy, eye candy and a jukebox worth of hits.

Elbow at Porchester Hall

Elbow

Live from Porchester Hall, London, 12 February 2008. Porchester Hall, a venue first opened in the reign of George V "for concerts, whist drives, banquets, dances, receptions and meetings", was tonight's setting for Manchester's Elbow to offer a morsel or four from forthcoming fourth album The Seldom Seen Kid. On taking to the stage all in serious muso black, front man Guy Garvey exchanged some chit-chat with his bandmates and began what would remain an easy rapport with a rapt audience. "This is the new classy Elbow," he announced, taking in his surroundings.

Counting Crows at Bowery Ballroom

Counting Crows

Live from Bowery Ballroom, NY, 10 February 2008. Sometimes, there is nothing more disheartening than seeing a band move up from the clubs to the arenas, only to get swallowed up in the sheer enormity of it all. Luckily, the reverse of that situation -- a seasoned arena band coming back down to rock a more intimate venue -- usually results in something pretty awesome. Counting Crows, veterans of any number of giant stadium shows, certainly didn't disappoint on Sunday night (Feb. 10) at New York's Bowery Ballroom, which holds 575 people. In fact, they pretty much blew the doors off the place.

Kid Sister at Museum of Natural History

Kid Sister

Live from Museum of Natural History, NY, 25 January 2008. Hundreds of people lined up outside New York's Museum Of Natural History to see the Chicago MC's performance on Jan. 25 were a testament to that fact. Until recently, Kid Sister peddled her two-wheeler to a trio of jobs including one as a sales clerk at a baby clothing store, but on this night she held court on the museum's stage after hip-hop duo the Cool Kids warmed up the crowd. During heir three-song set, the Cool Kids' Mikey, a 19-year-old from Chicago's south suburbs, and 22-year-old Chuck from suburban Detroit performed the chopped-and-screwed "Black Mags" and "Gold And A Pager" which samples an NWA beat.

Slow Club at Barfly

Slow Club

Live From Barfly, Cardiff, 4 February 2008. Of course, Barfly's golden age is one of high street-sponsored domestication, where the kids come as glossy as the magazine pages they read. Thus the fare begins...

Amelia Duke have a good name, immediately evocative of two fine things, Amelia Fletcher from Heavenly and Talulah Gosh and the new Darren Hayman track Elizabeth Duke, but in actuality Amelia Duke are as far removed from these two things as possible, or, as one punter cannily suggests, "total shite".