Julia Stone - Paradiso 21 October 2012

Julia Stone was hands down the best ‘walk-up’ show of the year, so far.

Ok, so maybe we don’t do as many walk-up shows as we used to, mainly due to the fact we don’t like running the risk of something selling out, but don’t let that take anything away from the statement. We were willing to run the risk with this show, so expectation were obviously not sky high, but sometimes that’s the best frame of mind to be in when you’re about to be blown away.

Robert Cray - Paradiso, 16 October 2012

Inducted into the Blues hall of fame- tick. Five time Grammy Award winner- tick.

When I look back on my music collection there appears to always be quite a bit of Blues. Ok so it is not like I am so in love with the Blues that I would disregard everything else, but there is something about this genre that really stirs ones emotion. And I don’t mean just a little bit, I mean you can really feel what the artist is going through, or has gone through.

Husky – Club Ziggo 24 September 2012

Yes it’s a Husky but by no stretch of the imagination is it a dog.

Four non assuming lads from Melbourne sauntered on stage at Club Ziggo to start their live performance, after a few out takes and retakes for the recording TV cameras, the introduction to the band was complete and the show could get under way. A beautiful show that felt like it came from nowhere, but maybe that just because I don’t live in Australia anymore.

The Temper Trap – Melkweg, 16 September 2012

If Boy & Bear are the band that I should love and don’t, then The Temper Trap are the band I shouldn’t but kinda’ do. Maybe it’s patriotism, maybe it’s lower expectation but there is just something about this indie-pop band that keeps surprising me.

Of Monster and Men – Melkweg, 4 September, 2012

Indie might change, but the beer will remain the same.

When did I develop this love for indie folk pop? Moreover, when did the rest of the world do the same? It feels like every time I am reading about music at the moment there is a reference to Of Monsters and Men, or Mumford and Sons, or even Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The world is in love with this particular genre right now and I for one have jumped on board this catchy little band wagon.

Leonard Cohen - 5 lessons from the master

Olympisch Stadion, 21 August 2012

Leonard Cohen is one of the greats. In a career that spans 45 years the man has done it all, and I’m pretty sure he has won enough awards and accolades that he doesn’t need me or this blog to tell him just how good he is. So instead, here are the 5 things that I learnt from the master at his show in Amsterdam last week:

Snoop Dogg, Paradiso, 17 August, 2012

Imagine my surprise, and twinge of disappointment, when the artist formally known as Snoop Dogg announced that he was through with his gangster lifestyle? That he was embracing the Rastafarian way of life, that he had recorded a reggae album and was that he was now going by the name of Snoop Lion?

All this when I had a moderately expensive ticket in my hand that clearly said Snoop Dogg @ Paradiso!