Dave Matthews Band wrapped up touring in the Fall of 2000 with a run that took them through Gund Arena in December. At this point in time songs like JTR and Bartender were still new to fans but developing into fast favorites. Those songs coupled with proven crowd pleasers from the band’s catalogue make for a very strong setlist that plays out beautifully onstage.
It was Thursday November 30th 2022. We took to the stage at the Komedia in Bath, our first UK tour since Dingwalls in 2017. We had our ever-patient compadre Rob Reed and his troupe of cheerful professionals in tow and not only did they have a load of top-of-the-range cameras with them, they had the talent and expertise to make us look presentable. We were determined to succeed and well…we only went and bloody did it, didn’t we? What we have here is that very film, on a glorious Blu-ray, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it.
2023 release. Joshua Tree, California. A place where rock 'n' roll mythology is made, for better and worse. It was under these same burnished skies that Gram Parsons' stolen body was set ablaze. Where U2 announced their bid for global infamy. And as Ghalia Volt reminds us, exactly thirty years ago, it was here that near-mythical producer and Queens Of The Stone Age conspirator David Catching founded the fabled Rancho de la Luna studio that would bring a stream of dust-blown musicians to his door like moths to a candle.
The Andalusian singer’s debut brushes electronic beats and R&B melodies over a flamenco canvas. It is a masterful meditation on ancestral struggle that looks back to find a way forward.
Hiromi has announced Sonicwonderland, the internationally celebrated and GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer’s new album to be released on October 6 (Telarc). Sonicwonderland represents a new musical adventure for the constantly evolving pianist and composer, who is a star in her native Japan, and burst onto the music scene 20 years ago with her debut album. Recorded with a new quartet, called Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, the album features 9 new works bursting with synthesizer and deep-in-the pocket grooves. Hiromi dazzles at the keyboard, striking a balance of playing that is powerful, aggressive and delicate. She has also announced a select run of shows performing this new album in North America in October.
Ali Farka Touré is well known as one of the most influential and talented guitarists that Africa has ever produced. His legacy and impact are hard to overstate: Ali’s sound merged his much-loved traditional Malian musical styles with distinct elements of the blues, resulting in the creation of a groundbreaking new genre, now well known as the ‘desert blues’, earning him 3 Grammy awards and widespread reverence. 'Voyageur' is the first release of previously unheard music since 2006’s 'Savane', and features a collection of recordings captured at various points in Ali’s illustrious career. The album, which features fellow Malian superstar Oumou Sangaré on 3 tracks, reaffirms Ali’s status as a globally revered legend of African music.
Founded in the vibrant musical haven of Brussels in 2015, Azmari have been crafting a truly unique tapestry of musical exploration. Melding intricate jazz textures with intoxicating oriental influences, mesmerizing ethio grooves, enigmatic dark funk, and the pulsating beats of dub music, Azmari defies conventional labels to weave a narrative of sonic innovation and artistic liberation. Influences range from an eclectic array of artists, including Okay Temiz, Heliocentrics, Whitefield Brothers, Surprise chef, Antibalas and Sons of Kemet.