TOM PAXTON IN TOWN!! The “Ramblin Boy” is “Outward Bound” again- on a full UK tour including Birmingham Town Hall on April 25

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One of American folk and roots music’s most enduring figues, Tom Paxton, is currently winding up the last leg of his latest UK tour- which, thankfully, includes TWO MORE Midlands dates, at Birmingham Town Hall April 25 and Peterborough Key Theatre April 28. Here, below, is the official press release from his agency, including the ticketing link:

Tom Paxton and The Donjuans – UK Tour 2019

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and US folk icon, Tom Paxton, returns to the UK in April 2019 to perform with very special guests, Grammy winning singer/songwriter duo The Donjuans – Don Henry & Jon Vezner.

Collectively, their songs have been covered by: Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp, Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Nancy Griffith, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Faith Hill, B.J. Thomas, Blake Shelton, Peter, Paul & Mary and Bob Dylan just to name a few!

Within days of writing and playing together, they knew they were onto something. Now they’re taking it on the road!

Tom – guitar/vocals/stories

Don – guitar/vocals/uke/banjo/grins

Jon – piano/vocals/guitar/uke/kitchen sink

“I think we are all born singing Tom Paxton songs”
NANCI GRIFFITH

“Tom‘s songs are fine songs in anyone’s book”
UNCUT

Remaining Tour Dates:

Thu 25 Apr Birmingham Town Hall

Sat 27 Apr Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion

Sun 28 Apr Peterborough Key Theatre

Tickets are on sale now:

Tom Paxton ticketing link

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Don’t just “take root”, get out and hear some!! See you down there, mother folkers…

DARIUS DREWE

Thee Editorius

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WOH-OH HERE THEY COME!! Let’s get “X-Static” as DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES make our dreams come true at Birmingham Resorts World Arena on April 24

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Possibly the greatest duo in the history of rock and roll, the amazing DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (or just ‘Hall & Oates’ for short) are back in the UK again for a short tour this month- beginning in our beloved Brum at the Resorts World Arena (that’s the NEC to us oldies) on the 24th.

Performing a cross-section of hits from right across their 47-year career and beyond, as well as a few hidden “deep cuts” worthy of your attention, the Philly pair are bound to enchant and entrance….and, as if that alone weren’t enough to whet your yacht-rockin’ whistles, support comes from the acclaimed (and thoroughly entertaining) Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. However, tickets are selling fast, so grab ’em sooner rather than later!! If you wan to find out “how does it feel to be back” and not end up “out of touch”, then get online now and put their “kiss on your list”!! Can you “go for that”?

Here are the full tour dates (as advertised on the See Tickets site) complete with links:

Go on, you know you want to. Just remember- these events start WELL early, and parking and queuing in the area can be troublesome, so get down there at your soonest possible convenience.

See you in the aisles!!

DARIUS DREWE

ALL HAIL THE KINGS OF METAL!! The mighty, magnificent MANOWAR doth “into Birmingham ride” with swords aloft and steel by their side on April 19 and 20 for the ONLY UK dates of their farewell tour

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METAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!! METAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!! And, I’ll say it once again in case you didn’t hear me properly the first time- METAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!

Actually, more than that- TRUE metal. PURE metal. And, above all, HEAVY METAL. This, since their formation in 1980, is what New York City’s bravest, boldest and fiercest warriors of the genre have played, fearlessly and without compromise. Oh, for sure, they have at various stages refined and re-defined it with the addition of orchestral and operatic overtones, even featuring at one point guest vocals from the master of all things dark, sinister and ominous, Sir Christopher Lee- but in a career that’s produced thirteen speaker-blowing albums and over thirty death-defying, punishing and above all LOUD tours, vocalist Eric Adams, bassist Joey DeMaio and their assorted bandmates and Brothers have never strayed far from Thee Righteous Path.

And now, as they prepare to put their chargers to pasture before making their last voyage to Valhalla, they return for one last time to the English Ground upon which they met, and come to bid the West Midlands- the region that bestowed upon the world such Metallic originators as Black Sabbath, Robert Plant, The Move, Carl Palmer, Chicken Shack, Glenn Hughes, Ted Turner, Judas Priest, Slade, Edgar Broughton, Quartz, Magnum, Possessed, The Ghost, Diamond Head, Witchfinder General and (though the fact is still not popularly known) Phil Lynott – both a respectful homage and a fond farewell by making it the ONLY British stop on their entire tour. And, in return, they hereby invite all True Metal Warriors across the length and breadth of Birmingham, The Black Country, Coventry and the Midlands in general to pay the same respect back by turning up at the 02 ACADEMY on April 19 and April 20 2019 for a night of unsurpassed heaviness and power!!

For these shows, consisting of FAN FAVOURITES ONLY, Eric and Joey will be joined by two new recruits to the Court Of The Metal Kings: guitarist E.V. Martel and drummer Anders Johansson, whose thunderous traps of doom will be loud enough to awaken the spirit of Odin himself!! It really doesn’t get more Metal than this. However, tickets are selling fast- so if you want to join the rest of the Brothers And Sisters on their onward march to victory, then act fast and get them now. Remember, when preparing for The Final Battle, there is no course of action but BRAVERY!!!

Of course, there is a price to pay for such perfection- it doesn’t come cheap, and that’s why the tickets are priced at £89 pus booking fee. Most have already sold out from LiveNation, Ticketmaster and the 02 site, but don’t despair, keep checking for details: just because you don’t have one already, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get in. TRUE METAL WARRIORS NEVER GIVE IN WITHOUT A FIGHT!!!

The 02 Academy is situated at: 16-18 Horse Fair, Birmingham B1 1DB. Phone: 0121 622 8250

BROTHERS EVERYWHERE, RAISE YOUR HANDS INTO THE AIR- HEAVY METAL OR NO METAL AT ALL!! AND IF YOU’RE NOT INTO METAL, YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND!!

See you down there, eardrums permitting.

DARIUS DREWE

Thee Editorius

 

HE ONLY HAS (BRIGHT) EYES FOR YOU- AND YOU, AND YOU!! The incomparable ART GARFUNKEL returns for an evening of songs and stories at Birmingham Symphony Hall on April 17

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The velvet voice, the curly-haired crooner, the red rambler, the Boy From New York City. OK, at 77 years of age, Arthur Ira Garfunkel isn’t really a “boy” anymore- but his youthful exuberance, innocent charm and ability to charm audiences worldwide with his way round a variety of tunes- penned by writers as diverse as Clifford T Ward, Sam Cooke, James Taylor, Mike Batt, Jimmy Webb, Van Morrison, Steven Bishop, Albert Hammond, Gallagher & Lyle, the Beach Boys and Osibisa. Not forgetting, of course, the man alongside whom he first made his name- the genius known as Paul Simon, who alongside Bob Dylan and Joan Baez was probably the driving force behind the American folk scene of the 1960s.

Granted, old Art’s never been a songwriter per se, but he sure as hell knows how to interpret other people’s- making them his own in the process- and as every single one has a story attached to it somewhere, these are precisely what he’s hitting the UK to tell, promoting his recently published autobiography that also touches on his career as an actor, poet and mathematician. Furthermore, the late 2010s- despite a brief bout of “vocal paresis” some years ago- now find the veteran Artie singing better than he’s done in years.

However, as he freely admits, even he won’t be around to do it forever: he may well be in fine fettle health-wise, but every respectable gentleman deserves his retirement eventually. Which, in turn, is precisely what makes this run even more special than before. So, “breakaway” from the old routine and grab yourself a seat while you can- it’s bound to be this year’s high “watermark”! And whatever you do, don’t fall prey to “bad timing”…

Tickets for the remaining four dates, including Birmingham, are priced at £40.50-£60.50 plus commission, and are available here: https://www.thsh.co.uk/boxoffice/ticket/671735

  • APR
    17
    Wed 19:00
    Symphony Hall – Birmingham
    Find tickets
  • APR
    18
    Thu 19:00
    York Barbican

    Limited Availability

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  • APR
    20
    Sat 19:00
    Sage Gateshead

    Limited Availability

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  • APR
    21
    Sun 19:00
    Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
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See you down there, assuming of course we make it past the “bridge over Broad Street roadworks”

DARIUS DREWE

Thee Editorius

BILSTON GETS BLUE!! Time to “get to the point” and take the Train To Nowhere – SAVOY BROWN are bach in town on April 15

Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds

British blues legends SAVOY BROWN- led, as ever, by the irrepressible, ever-youthful Kim Simmonds- will return to The Robin 2 in Bilston once again on April 15 for a spectacular evening of lonesome boogie and classic hard rock. Would you believe that the seminal, phenomenal guitarist/vocalist- born and raised in Wales, “made” in London and now based for many many years in the US- has been leading the legendary combo, indirectly responsible for influencing over half of today’s blues-rock combos as well as the formation of Foghat and other rock gods of yore- for over FIFTY years now? Well, he has- and even at 72, it doesn’t look as if he wants to slow down anytime soon. After all, old bluesmeisters don’t die, they just keep strollin’ that devil’s highway…and let’s face it, they wouldn’t want it any other way!! And nor would we.

In addition, there’ll be fine support from singer, guitarist and all-round raconteur MELVIN HANCOX, another British 12-bar hero (and sessionman) par excellence: what a double bill!! So, what are you waiting for? Don’t “taste and try before you buy” or stand outside “looking in” – go “one step further” and grab a ticket now!! Honestly, all this indecision’s gonna “make me sweat” in a minute…

Tickets are priced at £15 adv, £16 door, and can be bought here: http://www.therobin.co.uk/whats_on/giginfo.asp?gigid=5520 Doors open at (approx) 7 30 pm: Box Office Tel No: 01902 401211. The venue is located at: 20-28 Mount Pleasant, Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV14 7LJ, and is accessible by tram (from Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, West Bromwich or Central Birmingham) or buses 82 (from Wolverhampton/Dudley) 229 (also from Dudley, via Tipton)  79 (also from Wolverhampton/West Bromwich) and 34/39 (from Walsall)

See you down there for some serious Blue Matter.

DARIUS DREWE

Thee Editorius

DOUBLE-HEADLINING PROG FRENZY IN DOWNTOWN BILSTON!! Get ready for some serious melodic widdlage as THAT JOE PAYNE and “this” DORIS BRENDEL rock up to the Robin for a twin-pronged aural assault on April 14

That Joe Payne (ex-The Enid) & Doris Brendel (Fish)

It’s the tour package every serious progger’s been waiting for for years- former Enid vocalist “That” Joe Payne and the amazing Doris Brendel (last seen up here with Fish, but an astounding singer and songwriter in her own right) in tandem, hitting the clubs and halls of great Britain for a progressive onslaught you’ll never forget. In the true spirit of collaboration, they’ll also be taking it in turns to headline respective gigs- so make sure you get there early!! Best of all, it’s hitting the West Midlands on April 14, when the region’s “home of prog”, the Robin 2, takes its turn at playing host to the dynamic duo.

Accompanied by their bands, both acts will be performing their new solo material, plus selected tracks they’ve released with other projects. DORIS BRENDEL is one of the most accomplished and exciting live singers on the scene: apart from her first-class musicianship (and that of her regular collaborator Lee Dunham) she’s also known for putting on incredibly visual shows, with outlandish steam-punk costumes and even laser gloves…. not to be missed!

The North London-based Brendel has worked with some notable people over the years, including Alvin Lee, Gary Moore, Sam Brown, Joe Brown, Herbie Flowers, and has toured extensively with Marillion- both as a solo artist and a former member of her old band The Violet Hour- as well as Nils Lofgren, John Farnham and Steve Marriott. She was also offered to sing with Pink Floyd on the Great Gig in the Sky tour, which she had to turn down due to already contracted tour commitments. More recently she has completed 2 European tours – one with Wishbone Ash, plus 3 months on the road with Fish singing BVs as well as providing the support. Further tours in 2019 are planned, along with a new solo album, and vocals for the giant Scotsman’s farewell album ‘Weltschmerz’

Northampton singer-songwriter THAT JOE PAYNE, meanwhile, is a classically trained vocalist, known for his impressive 5 octave range. Now a solo artist, other projects have included The Enid (2011-2016), Methexis (2015), and more recently John Holden and Zio (both 2018-present). With various collectives he has received 3 Progressive Music Award nominations, including Best Band, Best Album, and Best Event. His personal achievements include being voted Best Male Vocalist for two years running (2014 & 2015) in the Prog Magazine Readers’ Poll.

And it’s at the Robin!! What more do you proggers need to know??? Get down there and witness two of the brightest lights on today’s scene in action. Doors open at (we assume) 7pm, although this may alter on the night: tickets are £20 adv (£22 door) and available here: http://www.therobin.co.uk/basket.asp?add=5523&pr=20 Box Office Tel No: 01902 401211. The venue is located at: 20-28 Mount Pleasant, Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV14 7LJ, and is accessible by tram (from Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, West Bromwich or Central Birmingham) or buses 82 (from Wolverhampton/Dudley) 229 (also from Dudley, via Tipton)  79 (also from Wolverhampton/West Bromwich) and 34/39 (from Walsall)

See you down there, motherproggers!!

DARIUS DREWE

Thee Editorius

 

TIERS ARE NOT ENOUGH!! Take your seats as ABC unleash their complete “Lexicon Of Love” show at Symphony Hall on April 9

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EE BAH GUM!! ABC, those ultra-louche lame-suited New Romantic lounge lizards from deepest darkest Sheffield, are back on tour from April 7 to April 16- performing (once more by public demand) their bestselling Lexicon Of Love album in its entirety. As well as, of course,  several other silky-smooth highlights from their glittering career. You never know, they may even play some tracks from their extremely underrated (yet since re-evaluated) second collection Beauty Stab…  We can but live in hope.

Led by the irrepressibly wry, laconic and dapper Martin Fry, ABC have always been masters of the classically subtle pop song with a soulful sway and an erudite brain- and this tour, where they’ll once again be backed by arranger-conductor Anne Dudley and the London Sinfonia, will be the perfect demonstration of that idiom. Of this impending tour, vocalist, lyricist and sole remaining founder Fry has said: “For me the excitement is building. This truly is my favourite show to perform. There’s a magical combination at play in the spark between the band , the orchestra and of course Anne Dudley conducting. It all adds to a very special evening!”

And, of course, he’s right. However, one particular concert- on April 9, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham (home to one of New Romance’s largest and most dedicated tribes, the notorious Darklings) promises to be more special than most. So, if you’re a moody melodramatic Midlander, flop that fringe to one side (assuming you can still grow one, that is) don your most splendid suit and your dancing shoes and don’t be afraid to apply just that tiniest, subtlest hint of pancake and rouge- because after all, where else are you gonna go when the postman don’t call?

Tickets are priced at £38, £48, £58, £68 and VIP – £102* adv plus booking fee, from the following link: https://www.thsh.co.uk/boxoffice/ticket/697335 , and are fast disappearing from the box office as we speak!! And yes, once again, the show does start at the (by now infamously, if you’re a regular reader) early time of 7.30 pm.

Add and subtract, it’s just a matter of fact, when all’s said and done we still want them back. See you- circumstances permitting – down there.

DARIUS DREWE

Thee Editorius