Festivals and events

Johnny Burnette, Adam Faith, The Ted Heath Band, Brenda Lee, John Leyton, Bob Miller & the Millermen, Cliff Richard, The Springfields, Bert Weedon, Danny Williams: Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Brenda Lee, John Leyton: NME Poll Winners Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, London

Live Review by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 20 April 1962

At the NME's sensational Poll Winners' concert — CLIFF, SHADOWS, HELEN, BILLY, ADAM GIVE THRILL OF LIFETIME ...

The Beatles, Mike Berry, The Brook Brothers, Joe Brown, Cliff Richard, The Shadows, The Tornados: Cliff Richard, The Beatles, The Tornados, Joe Brown et al: NME Poll Winners Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, London

Live Review by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 26 April 1963

MIKE BERRY burst into the second half to the throbbing beat of 'La Bamba'. Close on its heels came his current release 'My Little Baby' ...

Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams: Big Blues Tour

Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 October 1963

WITH R&B getting a deep hold in this country, many of the former fans of this type of music seem to be switching to the ...

The Animals, The Bachelors, The Beatles, Cilla Black, Donovan, Dusty Springfield, Freddie & The Dreamers, Georgie Fame, Herman's Hermits, The Ivy League, The Kinks, The Moody Blues, The Rockin' Berries, The Rolling Stones, The Searchers, Sounds Incorporated, Them, Tom Jones, Twinkle, Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones et al: NME Poll Winners' Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, London

Live Review by Keith Altham, Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 16 April 1965

IT WAS THE GREATEST POP SHOW ON EARTH ...

The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Jackie DeShannon, Johnny Cash, The Kingsmen, P.J. Proby: The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, Johnny Cash, P.J. Proby et al: Freedom From Hunger Benefit, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Louise Criscione, KRLA Beat, 23 June 1965

Most Fantastic Show Ever! ...

Bob Dylan: Beneath the Festival's Razzle-Dazzle

Report by Robert Shelton, The New York Times, 1 August 1965

THE RAZZLE-dazzle of last weekend's Newport Folk Festival should not eclipse the quiet, unflamboyant work of enrichening American folk culture that the festival makes possible. ...

The Animals, The Beatles, Steampacket: Wild Richmond Festival — and Meeting Two Unexpected Guests

Live Review by Keith Altham, New Musical Express, 13 August 1965

FROM A STEEL tower out in the middle of Richmond Athletic Ground the anxious voice of an American cameraman crackled through a walkie-talkie set held ...

Donovan, Petula Clark: Fun, Work Behind The Cameras At Filming of 2nd T.A.M.I. Show

Report by Louise Criscione, KRLA Beat, 25 December 1965

A COUPLE OF weeks ago The BEAT took you behind the scenes of a recording session to show you that it was not so easy ...

Frank Sinatra, Herb Alpert, James Brown, Roger Miller, Tom Jones: Stars Turn Out For Grammys: Standing Ovation For Herb Alpert

Report by Louise Criscione, Carol Deck, KRLA Beat, 9 April 1966

HOLLYWOOD: In the finest tradition of glittering Hollywood premieres and openings, the Eighth Annual Grammy Awards were presented in the International Ballroom of the Beverly ...

The Beatles, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, The Fortunes, Herman's Hermits, Roy Orbison, Crispian St. Peters, Alan Price, Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones, The Seekers, The Shadows, The Small Faces, Sounds Incorporated, Spencer Davis Group, Dusty Springfield, The Walker Brothers, The Who, The Yardbirds: All About The World's Greatest Pop Show: 1966 NME Concert Mightiest Ever!

Live Review by Keith Altham, Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 6 May 1966

THOUSANDS upon thousands of fans converging on the massive Wembley Empire Pool for the biggest pop show in the world on Sunday... the staggering, the ...

The Mothers Of Invention, Nico, The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground, Nico, the Mothers of Invention: The Exploding Plastic Inevitable, Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco CA

Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 30 May 1966

Gimmicky 'Explosion' ...

Judy Collins, The Lovin' Spoonful: "All Folk Music Now" at Newport

Report and Interview by Karl Dallas, Melody Maker, 30 July 1966

THIS YEAR'S Newport Folk Festival was more like a blues show or a pop show, with traditional folk music supported by a very small hard ...

The Clancy Brothers, Shirley Collins, The Lovin' Spoonful, Phil Ochs, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Pete Seeger: Newport Festival: Teenage Takeover In Millionaires' Playground

Report by Lillian Roxon, Sydney Morning Herald, the, 31 July 1966

Once again rebellious young rock 'n' rollers have turned exclusive Newport into a riot city of jazz and festival From LILLIAN ROXON, who visited Newport, U.S., ...

Cream, Georgie Fame, The Who: The Who, Cream et al: National Jazz and Blues Festival, Windsor

Live Review by uncredited writer, New Musical Express, 5 August 1966

Who 'wreck' festival ...

The Action, Cream, Georgie Fame, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, The Move, The Small Faces, Spencer Davis Group, Geno Washington, The Who: Sixth National Jazz and Blues Festival, Windsor: Jazz on a Summer's Weekend

Live Review by uncredited writer, Melody Maker, 6 August 1966

A washout, but still swinging ...

Pink Floyd, Soft Machine: 2500 Ball at IT Launch

Report by uncredited writer, International Times, 31 October 1966

IT ISN'T SO cool to rave about your own party, but the IT Rave-Up at the Roundhouse two Saturdays ago was such an event we ...

The Beatles: Beatles Off Guard

Interview by Ann Moses, New Musical Express Annual, December 1966

When two Los Angeles security men guarded the Beatles during their last U.S. tour there were no reporters... no photographers. The Beatles never thought this story would be ...

Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, The Doors, Hugh Masekela, Peter, Paul & Mary: Peter, Paul & Mary, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield: Valley Music Centre, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Tracy Thomas, New Musical Express, 4 March 1967

P, P & M protest ...

Now it's the big "Be-In": they all go to the park

Report by Lillian Roxon, Sydney Morning Herald, the, 30 April 1967

New Yorkers go gay in the 800 acres they have found right in the heart of town ...

Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, Tomorrow: Pink Floyd, Soft Machine et al: The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream, Alexandra Palace, London

Live Review by Nick Jones, Melody Maker, 6 May 1967

TECHNICOLOUR DREAM STIRS UNDERGROUND ...

The Beach Boys, Cream, The Dubliners, Georgie Fame, Paul Jones, Lulu, The Move, Alan Price, Cliff Richard, The Small Faces, Spencer Davis Group, Dusty Springfield, Cat Stevens, The Tremeloes, The Troggs, Geno Washington, Steve Winwood: The Beach Boys, Small Faces, Dusty Springfield et al: NME Poll Winners Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley, London

Live Review by Keith Altham, Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 13 May 1967

POLL SHOW THRILLS ALL THE WAY ...

The Animals, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Electric Flag, Jefferson Airplane, Beverley Martyn, Steve Miller, Moby Grape, The Paupers, Otis Redding, Simon & Garfunkel: At Monterey Fairgounds: 1st Pop Music Festival Draws Large Crowds

Report by Pete Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 1967

MONTEREY — Thirty thousand people swelled the city of Monterey over the weekend for the first International Festival of Pop Music, held in the outdoor ...

Monterey Pops! An International Pop Festival

Report by Michael Lydon, unpublished, for Newsweek, 20 June 1967

Reporting for Newsweek took me to Monterey. I'd gone to work for Newsweek right out of college in 1965 – I was a reporter in ...

Monterey Pops! An International Pop Festival (2)

Report by Michael Lydon, unpublished, for Newsweek, 20 June 1967

Part TwoDAY TWO was over and Sunday came grey and cold, but the excitement was still there and growing. Could anyone believe what had happened, ...

The Animals, The Association, Big Brother & The Holding Company, The Blues Project, Booker T & The MGs, Buffalo Springfield, Electric Flag, Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas and The Papas, Lou Rawls, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, Simon & Garfunkel, The Who: Keith Altham Planes West to Cover America's Monterey Pop Festival and Cables This Day-By-Day Report

Report by Keith Altham, New Musical Express, 24 June 1967

WE DROVE to London Airport in Animal manager Mike Jeffery's Rolls-Royce while he dictated a few last minute instructions to assistant Tony Garland — "Ring ...

The Animals, The Association, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Country Joe & The Fish, Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas and The Papas, Hugh Masekela, Moby Grape, Laura Nyro, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Lou Rawls, Otis Redding, Johnny Rivers, Ravi Shankar, Simon & Garfunkel: Monterey Pop Festival: The Hip Homunculus

Report by Richard Goldstein, The Village Voice, 29 June 1967

"The West is the best: Get here and we'll do the rest!" — The Doors ...

The Bloodless Battle Of The Badge: The Press at Monterey Pop

Report by Derek Taylor, World Countdown News, July 1967

THE CLEAN YOUNG man at the window said he was from the Los Angeles Times and there was nothing in his face to say he ...

Jimi Hendrix, The Mamas and The Papas, The Who: Mamas & The Papas, The Who, Jimi Hendrix et al: Monterey Pop Festival, Monterey CA

Live Review by Tracy Thomas, New Musical Express, 1 July 1967

Who, Jimi win high praise ...

The Who: Second thoughts on Monterey

Interview by Nick Jones, Melody Maker, 1 July 1967

Pete Townshend talks to Nick Jones ...

The Rolling Stones: Monterey Pop Festival: Brian Jones

Interview by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 15 July 1967

BEAT: Can you comment about what's happening this weekend in Monterey? ...

Eric Burdon: Monterey Pop Festival: Eric Burdon — 'It Was A Good Beginning'

Interview by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 15 July 1967

"I THINK THE Monterey Festival was agood beginning for what may follow in the next few years. But I think there were a lot of ...

Monterey Pop Festival: How The Happening Happened

Report by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 15 July 1967

THE MONTEREY International Pop Festival was a fantastic success by all accounts. It was a real victory for the art of pop music over commerical ...

David Crosby, Jimi Hendrix, The Monkees, Otis Redding, The Who: Monterey Pop Festival: Inside Looking Out

Interview by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 15 July 1967

BEAT: Just wanted to get your comments on what's happening here in Monterey this weekend. ...

The Mamas and The Papas: Monterey Pop Festival: Mama Cass — 'I Want A Bit Of Freedom Myself'

Interview by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 15 July 1967

BEAT: What's your reaction to what's going on here, Cass? ...

The Mamas and The Papas, Otis Redding: Monterey: KRLA Picks Up On The Action At Outasite Pop Festival

Interview by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 15 July 1967

"THIS IS BEAUTIFUL...this is beautiful," Mama Cass laughed over and over again as she sat in the press headquarters on Saturday night at the Monterey ...

Arthur Brown, Cream, Donovan, Manfred Mann, Marmalade, The Nice, P.P. Arnold, The Small Faces, Tomorrow, Yusef Lateef: Various Artists: Seventh National Jazz And Blues Festival, Windsor

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 19 August 1967

I've got those Seventh National Jazz And Blues Festival blues ...

Where’s the Money from Monterey Pop?

Report by Michael Lydon, Rolling Stone, 9 November 1967

For the first issue of Rolling Stone in November, 1967, editor Jann Wenner asked me to do an investigative piece on what had happened to ...

Grateful Dead: The First European International Pop Festival: Pigpen To Meet Pope?

Report by Michael Lydon, Rolling Stone, 10 February 1968

THE FIRST EUROPEAN International Pop Festival, a resounding name for a still rather mysterious event, is being planned for Rome's huge Palazzo dello Sport February ...

Yippies Head for Chicago

Report and Interview by Mike Jahn, Pop Scene Service, 23 March 1968

"OURS IS THE politics of ecstasy," said Abbie Hoffman, the New York Digger leader, for whom ecstasy is as much a public as a private ...

Big Brother & The Holding Company, The Doors, Electric Flag, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Taj Mahal, Steve Miller: 16 Hours of Rock in Dismal Surroundings

Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 20 May 1968

SIXTEEN HOURS of the same thing gets to be an enervating experience even if one is a super-rock fan and many of the nation's outstanding ...

Ravi Shankar: Pop Sounds from India Rock Greek: Ravi Shankar, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles

Live Review by Stephen M H Braitman, Van Nuys Valley News, 30 June 1968

THREE GREAT MUSICIANS from India, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Alla Rakha, rocked the foundations of the Greek Theatre last week as their "Festival ...

The Action, The Nice, The Pretty Things, Traffic: The Nice, Traffic, Pretty Things, the Action, Eyes: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 3 August 1968

"ALL THIS needs is for John Peel to appear with three loaves and five fishes and he could feed the ten thousand," said an observer ...

Junior's Eyes, The Nice, The Pretty Things, Traffic: Traffic, Nice, Junior's Eyes, Pretty Things: Hyde Park London

Live Review by Hugh Nolan, Disc and Music Echo, 3 August 1968

Such a NICE day in the park ...

Arthur Brown, Ginger Baker, Jeff Beck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Joe Cocker, John Mayall, Marmalade, The Nice, Spencer Davis Group, Tim Rose, Traffic, Tyrannosaurus Rex: NME Reporters Cover the Weekend's Major Event — the Eighth National Jazz and Blues Festival

Live Review by Keith Altham, Richard Green, New Musical Express, 17 August 1968

STARS, SUNSHINE and a SHAMBLES ...

Ginger Baker, Jeff Beck, Arthur Brown, Eclection, Fairport Convention, The Incredible String Band, Jethro Tull, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Mayall, The Nice, Savoy Brown, Al Stewart, Ten Years After, Traffic: 8th National Jazz & Blues Festival: Lazy Sunbury Afternoon...

Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 17 August 1968

PLAGUED BY DISASTER AND COUNTLESS SETBACKS, THE SUNBURY FESTIVAL PRESENTED SOME OF THE BEST MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT EVER SEEN. RM WAS THERE. ...

Jeff Beck, Arthur Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Marmalade, The Nice, Ten Years After: Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Jeff Beck, The Nice, Jerry Lee Lewis et al: Eighth National Jazz And Blues Festival, Kempton Park

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 17 August 1968

Music triumphs, despite rain, accidents and the rockers ...

The Animals, Blue Cheer, Jefferson Airplane, Sonny & Cher: Jefferson Airplane et al: Newport Pop Festival, Orange County Fairgrounds CA

Live Review by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 17 August 1968

NEWPORT FESTIVAL FAILURE ...

Jefferson Airplane: The Isle of Wight Pop Festival

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 7 September 1968

A SMALL bronze medal should be struck and presented to all the survivors of the Isle of Wight Pop Festival. They are the brave men ...

Hair: Shaftesbury Theatre, London

Live Review by Hugh Nolan, Disc and Music Echo, 2 November 1968

The Lesson of Hair ...

The Animals, Blue Cheer, The Byrds, Canned Heat, The Chambers Brothers, Country Joe McDonald, Electric Flag, James Cotton, Jefferson Airplane, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sonny & Cher, Steppenwolf, Tiny Tim: The Newport Pop Festival: Two Days of Surprises, Flowers, Cream Pies... and Super Sounds!

Live Review by Carol Deck, Flip, December 1968

THE ONLY THING really wrong with the Newport Pop Festival held recently in Orange Country, Calif, was that it wasn't in Monterey. ...

Elvis Presley: A Comeback? Elvis Never Went Away!

Interview by Ivor Davis, Daily Express, 5 December 1968

HIS WELL-OILED black hair is combed into the perennial duck's tail, his sideburns are long, but vintage '50s rather than '68 style, his nasal sounds, ...

Blind Faith, Donovan, The Edgar Broughton Band, Richie Havens, The Third Ear Band: Blind Faith, Richie Havens, Donovan, Edgar Broughton Band, The Third Ear Band: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 14 June 1969

Following Blind Faith to the shores of a lake ...

Blind Faith, Donovan, Richie Havens: Blind Faith: A Fine Day

Report by Geoffrey Cannon, The Village Voice, 19 June 1969

LONDON — take a sheet of thin cardboard. Sprinkle iron filings on top. Place a magnet underneath. All the filings will start and shift, and ...

The Insect Trust, John D. Loudermilk, Johnny Winter, Mississippi Fred McDowell: The Memphis Country Blues Festival

Report by Miller Francis jr., The Great Speckled Bird, 23 June 1969

AN ARTICLE ON the Memphis Country Blues Festival in a local Memphis newspaper was headlined: "BLUES ARE REBORN IN COTTON-FIELD HEAT." ...

Atlanta International Pop Festival

Comment by Miller Francis jr., The Great Speckled Bird, 30 June 1969

"If you want to come up with a singular, most important trend in this new music, I think it has to be something like: it ...

John Mayall, Led Zeppelin, The Nice: Led Zeppelin, John Mayall, The Nice et al: Bath Festival, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 5 July 1969

A ZEPPELIN attacked the City of Bath on Saturday, and gassed 120,000. Airship Com­mander Jimmy Page kept the most fearsome dirigible in pro­gressive blues aloft ...

The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker: Newport '69 Pop Festival: Rock Festival Fiasco

Report by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 5 July 1969

NOW THAT the Newport '69 Pop Festival (called that to borrow a little of the fame from the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals, but actually ...

Blodwyn Pig, The Nice, Ten Years After: The Nice, Blodwyn Pig, Ten Years After: Bath Festival, Somerset

Live Review by Richard Green, New Musical Express, 5 July 1969

RICHARD GREEN says ROCKING NICE HIT ...

Family, The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park: Out of the Way

Report by Geoffrey Cannon, New Society, 10 July 1969

A world turned upside down ...

Family, King Crimson, The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones, King Crimson, Family: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Geoffrey Cannon, New Society, 10 July 1969

2018 author's introduction:  This was the third rock concert filmed by Granada Television for the UK national network in 1968 and 1969, the first two ...

Amen Corner, Chuck Berry, Blodwyn Pig, Martin Carthy, Chicken Shack, The Dubliners, The Equals, Family, The Incredible String Band, Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, Led Zeppelin, The Liverpool Scene, Marmalade, Pentangle, Dave Swarbrick, The Web, The Who: Festivals & Pop Proms

Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969

ALL THE HAPPENINGS REVIEWED... ...

Alexis Korner, Family, King Crimson, The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones et al: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 12 July 1969

CHRIS WELCH SAYS: 'Somehow the magic worked' ...

The Rolling Stones: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969

the good, the bad & the ugly... ...

Johnny Winter: Forest Hills Music Festival, Queens NY

Live Review by Mike Jahn, The New York Times, 28 July 1969

Agility Marks Blues By Johnny Winter At Forest Hills Fete ...

Pete Brown and His Battered Ornaments, Family, Alexis Korner, The Rolling Stones, Screw: The Rolling Stones: Free Concerts — The Aftermath

Report by Mark Williams, uncredited writer, International Times, 1 August 1969

FREE CONCERTS constitute a threat to the established promotional ethos. An opportunity for music to be played without the encroachments of contractual stipulations, of advertising ...

B.B. King, Big Mama Thornton, Charlie Musselwhite, Clifton Chenier, Freddie King, Howlin' Wolf, J.B. Hutto, Lightnin' Hopkins, Luther Allison, Magic Sam, Muddy Waters, Son House, T-Bone Walker: Payin' Some Dues — Blues at Ann Arbor

Live Review by Miller Francis jr., The Great Speckled Bird, 18 August 1969

"I'd like for them to hear the real things. I don't think yet that most of the white people like my music because it's blues. I ...

The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone: The Band, Sly & The Family Stone, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin: Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Bethel, NY

Live Review by Mike Jahn, The New York Times, 18 August 1969

Rock Audience Moves to Dusk-to-Dawn Rhythms ...

Woodstock: Peace Mecca

Report by Danny Goldberg, Billboard, 30 August 1969

BETHEL, N.Y. – About 400,000 rock fans gave peace a chance Aug. 15-18, and it worked. For them and the overwhelmed residents of this Catskills ...

Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tim Hardin, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Melanie, Ravi Shankar, The Who: Woodstock

Report by Miller Francis Jr., The Great Speckled Bird, 1 September 1969

"Man, what done got into them ofays?" one asked. "It ain't nothing. They just trying to get back, that's all" "Get back?" said the ...

The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan, The Band: Isle of Wight Festival

Live Review by Geoffrey Cannon, The Guardian, 2 September 1969

The gospel according to Dylan ...

The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan & the Band: Isle of Wight Festival

Live Review by Lon Goddard, Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 6 September 1969

Love is all there is...Wesley Laine & Lon Goddard report from the Isle of Wight ...

The Band, Bob Dylan, Bonzo Dog Band, Fat Mattress, Joe Cocker, The Moody Blues, The Nice, The Who: Bob Dylan et al: Isle of Wight Festival

Live Review by Richard Green, New Musical Express, 6 September 1969

200,000 roar approval including John, George, Ringo and wives! But Dylan didn't quite sink Isle of Wight, reports Richard Green ...

Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones: Still Hope for the Stones

Report by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 3 December 1969

THE ROLLING Stones are still hoping to perform in a gigantic free show in the San Francisco area on Saturday afternoon. ...

The Rolling Stones: Altamont: 300,000 Jam Rock Festival Near S.F.

Report by uncredited writer, Los Angeles Times, 7 December 1969

Youth Stabbed to Death; Cars Tied Up for Miles ...

Jefferson Airplane, The Rolling Stones, Santana: What To Call Altamont?

Report by uncredited writer, The Berkeley Barb, 12 December 1969

AS IF IT were an ancient pilgrimage to Jerusalem they relentlessly pressed on in the cold grey morning to Altamont Speedway. The sheer numbers were ...

The Rolling Stones: "Mert" Hunter, The Kid They Killed at Altamont

Interview by uncredited writer, The Berkeley Barb, 19 December 1969

THIS IS THE story of the kid they killed at Altamont. ...

Eric Clapton, Delaney & Bonnie, George Harrison: Eric Clapton: God is a Guitarist

Report and Interview by Philip Norman, The Sunday Times, 1970

GEORGE HARRISON sat with a painfully thin fellow in a motorway restaurant, a graveyard of the digestion outside London. ...

Peter, Paul & Mary, Richie Havens, The Voices of East Harlem: Richie Havens, Peter, Paul & Mary, the Voices of East Harlem et al – Vietnam Moratorium Benefit, Madison Square Garden, New York NY

Live Review by Mike Jahn, The New York Times, 29 January 1970

Garden Thronged for Songfest In Aid of Vietnam Moratorium ...

The Rolling Stones: "After about five numbers there seemed to be fights everywhere. I was numbed"

Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 31 January 1970

MICK TAYLOR ON THE STONES BLOODBATH ...

Won't Woodstock Ever End?

Report by Loraine Alterman, Rolling Stone, 7 February 1970

NEW YORK — "The picture is not as bad as it was," John Roberts, toothpaste heir head of the Woodstock Group (nee Ventures) says. "We've ...

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Sly & the Family Stone: Sly Stone: Stone Too Sick to Rock

Report by Mike Gormley, Detroit Free Press, 24 February 1970

Refunds Available ...

The Rolling Stones — A Play in the Apocalypse

Special Feature by Michael Lydon, Ramparts, March 1970

There's no business like show business, Like no business I know; Everything about it is appealing, Everything the traffic will allow. — ...

Eric Clapton, Marianne Faithfull, Jethro Tull, John Lennon, Taj Mahal, Yoko Ono, The Rolling Stones, The Who: The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

Report by David Dalton, Rolling Stone, 19 March 1970

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was an entertainment extravaganza planned and put on by the Rolling Stones in December 1968. Originally done as ...

Woodstock (Dir. Michael Wadleigh, Warner Bros.)

Film/DVD/TV Review by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 11 April 1970

WOODSTOCK FILM IS WORTHWHILE ...

Brinsley Schwarz: The Lost Weekend

Report by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970

Charlie Gillett's impressions of Brinsley Schwarz, the Fillmore East, and night life in New York ...

The Flock, It's a Beautiful Day, Quintessence, Johnny Winter: Sounds of the '70s at Montreux

Report by Geoffrey Cannon, The Guardian, 1 May 1970

UP THE ROAD from where I'm sitting now, senior television executives from ail over Europe, and from America and Japan, have been descending into a ...

Woodstock

Essay by Miller Francis Jr., The Great Speckled Bird, 4 May 1970

Part 1 WOODSTOCK IS AN amazing piece of technology, one of the most important films ever made. We have long been accustomed to experiencing films as ...

Woodstock producer Bob Maurice

Interview by Miller Francis Jr., The Great Speckled Bird, 4 May 1970

(The following dialogue with Bob Maurice, producer of the Woodstock film, is an edited version of a long interview taped last week at the Marriott.) ...

Woodstock (Dir. Michael Wadleigh, Warner Bros.)

Film/DVD/TV Review by Richard Green, New Musical Express, 23 May 1970

WOODSTOCK — BEST FILM EVER MADE ABOUT POP ...

Ginger Baker, Black Sabbath, Colosseum, Family, Jose Feliciano, Grateful Dead, Screaming Lord Sutch, Traffic, Tony Joe White: Grateful Dead, Traffic, Black Sabbath, Jose Feliciano et al: Hollywood Music Festival, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire

Live Review by Richard Green, New Musical Express, 30 May 1970

PEACEFUL FESTIVAL OF GOOD MUSIC ...

Various Artists: Woodstock (Atlantic, stereo 2663001; 150s)

Review by Richard Green, New Musical Express, 30 May 1970

Monster albums from Woodstock ...

Recollected in Tranquility: Woodstock

Report by Mike Jahn, Music & Artists, June 1970

IN AUGUST 1969 we pulled into Woodstock, feeling about half-past dead. I had to go there and write about three days of love, peace and ...

Mariposa Folk Festival To Be One of the Best

Report by Mike Gormley, Detroit Free Press, 23 June 1970

TORONTO IS going to have a music festival. It will be properly run, have good talent and a place to operate. It's the same one ...

Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, Ten Years After, The Who: Woodstock (Import Cotillion SD3-500)

Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970

BONUS TRACKS ON WOODSTOCK GIANT ...

Blues Image, John Sebastian, Leon Russell, The Who: The Who, John B. Sebastian, the Blues Image, Leon Russell: Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim CA

Live Review by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 4 July 1970

WHO HEAT UP SUMMER ...

Joan Baez, Canned Heat, Country Joe & The Fish, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Arlo Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, John Sebastian, Sha Na Na, Sly & the Family Stone, Ten Years After: Various artists: Woodstock (Atlantic: 2663 001)

Review by Geoffrey Cannon, The Guardian, 17 July 1970

Update, 2020. Woodstock. The name has many meanings. There's Woodstock the town where Bob Dylan and the Band lived once. But the main resonance is ...

The Edgar Broughton Band, Formerly Fat Harry, Kevin Ayers, Pink Floyd, Roy Harper: Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, Edgar Broughton Band, Kevin Ayers & The Whole World, Formerly Fat Harry: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Mark Plummer, Melody Maker, 25 July 1970

Good music, bad vibes at free Hyde Park ...

Janis Joplin’s Full-tilt Boogie Ride

Report and Interview by David Dalton, Rolling Stone, 6 August 1970

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Janis Joplin and her newly-formed band, Janis Joplin Full-Tilt Boogie, debuted here June 12th, their first gig since they started rehearsing together ...

Chicago, Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis, The Doors, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, Pentangle, Procol Harum, John Sebastian, Taste, Ten Years After, Tiny Tim, The Who: The Isle of Wight Festival: Five Days That Rocked Britain

Report by Mark Plummer, Michael Watts, Chris Welch, Richard Williams, Melody Maker, 5 September 1970

MM's Richard Williams, Chris Welch, Michael Watts and Mark Plummer present a five-page report on an amazing weekend of music and other scenes... ...

The Isle of Wight Festival: Three Shades Of Wight

Overview by Geoffrey Cannon, The Guardian, 5 September 1970

APART FROM the music, what went on at the Isle of Wight last weekend? Here are the most popular theories. ...

Stoneground: The Electric Rum-And-Butter Ice-Cream And Melon Slices Test

Report by Geoffrey Cannon, New Society, 10 September 1970

Update, 2020. Wavy Gravy (born 1936 as Hugh Romney) featured in my piece below, does not just dream dreams and see visions. He lives them. ...

Joan Baez, The Doors, Hawkwind, Joni Mitchell, The Pink Fairies, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who: The Isle of Wight Festival: 5 Days of Peace, Music and Love

Report by Mick Farren, uncredited writer, International Times, 10 September 1970

2011 note: this report on the 1970 IoW festival is led off by Mick Farren but includes contributions by other, unnamed IT writers. The title ...

Canned Heat, Eric Burdon, John Sebastian, Michael Chapman, War: John Sebastian, Canned Heat, Eric Burdon & War et al: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, 19 September 1970

JOHN SEBASTIAN brought a little sunshine into a gloomy Hyde Park, London, on Saturday. ...

Melanie: Festivals: Powder Ridge A Ball Anyway

Report by Danny Fields, Circus, October 1970

Let me take you down Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields Nothing is real Nothing to get hung about Strawberry Fields forever Strawberry Fields forever ...

Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding: Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix Experience: Historic Performances Recorded Live at Monterey (Reprise MS2029)

Review by Vernon Gibbs, Columbia Daily Spectator, 5 October 1970

CHILLING. EVERY note sends raw, nervous bundles of uncertainty racing through your head. Reprise, which originally planned this album to capitalize on the festival furore ...

Alex Taylor, James Taylor: James and Alex Taylor: And He Played Real Good For Free

Report by Al Aronowitz, Melody Maker, 10 April 1971

CHILMARK, MASSACHUSETTS.The Island Children's School gave its first annual benefit concert here last January 12 and if you've read The Vineyard Gazette then you know ...

Laura Nyro: Lady Laura

Report by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, 15 May 1971

"LAURA WANTS the monitor turned up please." ...

Fillmore West Going — Police Blamed

Report and Interview by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 11 June 1971

THE FILLMORE West rock-dance operation at Market and Van Ness will close down permanently at the end of June, an exhausted and bitter Bill Graham ...

Rock Festivals: Sometimes You Can Even Hear The Music

Overview by Mike Jahn, The New York Times, 11 July 1971

"EVERYONE'S SAYING the music's for free" — that's the line from a recent rock album by singer David Crosby. But there have been signs that ...

The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter (Dir: Albert and David Maysles, Cinema V)

Film/DVD/TV Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 31 July 1971

STONES' FILM TERROR ...

Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar: George Harrison et al: Concert for Bangla Desh, Madison Square Garden, New York NY

Live Review by Mike Jahn, The New York Times, 2 August 1971

Raga and Rock Link 2 Cultures ...

Badfinger, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr: George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar et al: Concert for Bangla Desh, Madison Square Garden, New York NY

Live Review by Nancy Lewis, New Musical Express, 7 August 1971

GEORGE CREATES GREATEST ROCK SPECTACLE OF DECADE ...

Mick Farren: Rock Rebel with a Cause

Interview by Roy Carr, New Musical Express, 28 August 1971

TWENTY-SIX-year-old Mick Farren, ex-singer with the Deviants, writer, political activist and spokesman for the underground, has been called many things. However, he prefers to define ...

Jack Bruce, Roy Harper, King Crimson: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Roy Carr, New Musical Express, 11 September 1971

AFTER THE confusion that reigned at Weeley, it has become quite apparent that you don't need every band that lives, breathes and plugs in to ...

The First Great Rock Festival Of The Seventies

Review by Charles Shaar Murray, Ink, 5 October 1971

Isle of Wight/Atlanta — a CBS 3 record set ...

Opry

Report by Gene Guerrero, The Great Speckled Bird, 1 November 1971

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — It was a combination pop festival and Lion's Club Convention — the 46th Anniversary Celebration of the Grand Ole Opry held October ...

John Lennon, Yoko Ono, John Sinclair: John and Yoko "go protest"

Report by Lillian Roxon, Sydney Morning Herald, the, 19 December 1971

NO SOONER did Bob Dylan astonish everyone by going back to "protest" and coming out with a song protesting the death of convict George Jackson ...

Frank Zappa, Hawkwind: The Foulk Brothers: Pop Promoting Blues

Report by Philip Norman, The Sunday Times, 1972

"RONNIE..." RONALD Foulk's secretary broke into the conference. "Will you accept a transfer call from America?" ...

George Harrison: The Concert For Bangla Desh

Review by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, 1 January 1972

If you buy only one LP in 1972, make it this one ...

Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar: George Harrison & Friends: The Concert for Bangladesh (Apple)

Review by Geoffrey Cannon, The Guardian, 4 January 1972

Update, 2019: The first time I met George Harrison was in the late 1960s, when he was still a Beatle. I quite often went to ...

Jan & Dean, Carole King, The Mamas and The Papas, Scott McKenzie, Johnny Rivers: Lou Adler: A Music Giant

Interview by Danny Holloway, New Musical Express, 5 February 1972

LOU ADLER is a music giant behind the scenes. He started his career writing songs with Herb Alpert, but the partnership split up because Alpert ...

Chuck Berry, Pink Floyd, Billy Preston, Slade, The Roy Young Band: Chuck Berry, Pink Floyd, Slade, Billy Preston, Roy Young Band: Lanchester Arts Festival, Locarno, Coventry

Live Review by Tony Stewart, New Musical Express, 12 February 1972

ONE OF THE MOST ADVENTUROUS BILLS EVER ...

Commander Cody, John Lennon, Joy of Cooking, Stevie Wonder, Yoko Ono: John Sinclair: Free John & Yoko

Report by uncredited writer, Dave Marsh, Creem, March 1972

The new Plastic Ono Band comes to Ann Arbor to Free John Sinclair – Starring David Peel, Archie Shepp, Ed Sanders, Stevie Wonder, Commander Cody, ...

Universal Exhibition: The Bickershaw Festival

Report by Charles Shaar Murray, Oz, May 1972

"FESTIVALS," SAID Tommy Chong, leaning up against the RCA caravan at Bickershaw, "are just camping out with a light show." ...

Brinsley Schwarz, Captain Beefheart, Donovan, Dr. John, The Flamin' Groovies, Grateful Dead, Hawkwind, The Kinks, Wishbone Ash: Bickershaw

Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 May 1972

Maybe if you're young enough, from a dreary home environment with nothing but a soul destroying future, then maybe you could enjoy a festival like ...

The Flamin' Groovies, Grateful Dead: Grateful Dead et al: Bickershaw Festival, Lancashire

Report by Nick Kent, Friends/Frendz, June 1972

BICKERSHAW, A SLEEPY little Northern town, had certainly never seen anything like it before. Coronation St had been invaded by the day glow kids and ...

The Beach Boys, Joe Cocker, Richie Havens, Melanie, Sha Na Na: Beach Boys, Joe Cocker, Richie Havens, Melanie, Sha Na Na: Crystal Palace Bowl, London

Live Review by Tony Stewart, New Musical Express, 10 June 1972

Soakin' At The Palace: TONY STEWART reviews the Garden Party that should have been a lot better ...

The Beach Boys, Joe Cocker, Lindisfarne, Sha Na Na, Stone The Crows: Pub Fights, Gales, Oldies: The Gt. Western Festival Saga

Report by Andrew Bailey, Rolling Stone, 6 July 1972

LONDON — "Somebody leaped out at her from behind some bushes in our driveway," explained a seething Lieut-Col. Michael Underwood, "and gave her a black ...

Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Ravi Shankar: The Concert for Bangla Desh (Apple/Twentieth Century-Fox)

Film/DVD/TV Review by John Pidgeon, New Musical Express, 15 July 1972

A SPECIAL PREVIEW BY JOHN PIDGEON ...

Iggy Pop, The Stooges: Iggy & The Stooges: Kingsound (King's Cross Cinema), London

Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Disc, 22 July 1972

IGGY AND the Stooges made their first performance in over a year on Saturday night, Sunday morning. Despite the event happening in the dead of ...

The Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas: Wattstax 72: Seven Hours of Soul

Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 8 September 1972

THE whole idea of WATTSTAX '72 was splendid. It enabled more than 100,000 people to attend a seven hour concert at the Los Angeles Coliseum ...

Beck, Bogert and Appice, Steeleye Span: Great Caledonian Express Festival, Grangemouth, Scotland

Live Review by Charles Shaar Murray, New Musical Express, 30 September 1972

Mr. Beck we salute you ...

Hawkwind, The Pink Fairies, The Pretty Things: Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, The Pretty Things: Windsor Free Festival, Berkshire

Live Review by Nick Kent, New Musical Express, 30 September 1972

THE SIGNS were there once again at what was in effect just another one-day festival that a bummer was to be had by one and ...

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, Jesse Colin Young, Quicksilver Messenger Service: Woodstock Remembered: KGB stages a rock festival

Report by Steven Rosen, Los Angeles Free Press, November 1972

SUNDAY’S KGB "Charity Ball" was important for one reason: the concert proved that people in large numbers can still come together for an event and ...

Allman Brothers Band, Elvin Bishop, Commander Cody, John Hammond, Jo Jo Gunne, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Roxy Music, Wet Willie, Edgar Winter: Allman Brothers, Edgar Winter Group, Mahavishnu Orchestra et al : Rock & Roll Nine, Hollywood FLA

Live Review by Jim Esposito, Rock, 26 February 1973

ALMOST EVERYTHING about Rock & Roll Nine was good in some ways and bad in others. Celebrated on an isolated raceway in the swampy boondocks ...

Festivals: Whither The Million-Dollar Bash?

Report by Chris Rowley, International Times, 12 June 1973

'During Saturday evening the weather deteriorated with the wind increasing and bringing heavy rain. By this time it was not possible to carry patients by ...

Festivals: Whither The Million-Dollar Bash?

Report by Chris Rowley, International Times, 12 June 1973

'During Saturday evening the weather deteriorated with the wind increasing and bringing heavy rain. By this time it was not possible to carry patients by ...

The Kinks, Lindisfarne, Sly & the Family Stone, Edgar Winter: Wet City: Sly and Company Live in London

Report by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 21 July 1973

LIKE THE WEATHER, the music at London’s White City on Sunday was a mixture of fair and foul. ...

Allman Brothers Band, The Band, Grateful Dead: Allman Brothers Band, the Band, the Grateful Dead: Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen, NY

Live Review by John Swenson, The Village Voice, 9 August 1973

It was about music too ...

Funkadelic, Mandrill, Osibisa, Rare Earth: Black 'Woodstock': A Violent Fiasco

Report by Vernon Gibbs, New Musical Express, 1 September 1973

IT COULD have been the biggest event of the summer. For many of us trapped in the iron heart of the city, it promised to ...

Mardi Gras: The Complete Mardi Gras Primer

Guide by Jim Esposito, Creem, March 1974

NEW ORLEANS – a party town without peer – annually hosts one solid week of rampant, unadulterated Bachanalia. It's called Mardi Gras. Sort of an ...

Black Oak Arkansas, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, The Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Emerson Lake And Palmer, Rare Earth, Seals and Crofts: Various Artists: California Jam Festival: Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario CA

Live Review by David Rensin, Zoo World, 23 May 1974

"Bastion Of Ennui" nets record gate. ...

Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias, Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers, Julie Felix, Roy Harper, Kokomo, Roger McGuinn, Toots & The Maytals: Roger McGuinn, Roy Harper, Julie Felix, Toots & the Maytals et al: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Chris Salewicz, New Musical Express, 7 September 1974

Peace and paranoia: The Metropolitan Police Force's Gala Weekend Outing at Hyde Park ...

Black Oak Arkansas, Brownsville Station, Billy Preston, War: Hard Rock in Hawaii: "Like an Army Zone"

Report by Judith Sims, Rolling Stone, 10 October 1974

HONOLULU — BACKSTAGE violence erupted before an August 31st concert at Hawaii Raceway Park which starred War, Black Oak Arkansas, Billy Preston and Brownsville Station. ...

The GTOs, The Hollywood Stars, New York Dolls, Iggy Pop: New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, Hollywood Stars, the GTOs: Hollywood Street Revival and Trash Dance, the Palladium, Hollywood CA

Live Review by Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, 15 October 1974

Glitter-Rock Stages a Symbolic Wake ...

Allman Brothers Band, Be Bop Deluxe, Cockney Rebel, Doobie Brothers, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Van Morrison, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Robert Wyatt, Yes: Letter from Britain: Something Might Happen

Report by Ian MacDonald, Creem, November 1974

SITUATION UNCHANGED. Still hanging on in here, waiting for something to happen. (Wait — was that a heart-grazing lobe-grinder of a new single from Mick, ...

Wanda Jackson, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Marty Robbins: Dolly Parton, George Jones, Marty Robbins, Barbara Mandrell, Wanda Jackson et al: Country Music Festival, Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Colin Irwin, Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 5 April 1975

Yee-hah for the cowboys! Colin Irwin and Robert Partridge review Wembley's giant country festival ...

Captain Beefheart, Linda Lewis, Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, Steve Miller: Pink Floyd, Steve Miller, Captain Beefheart, Roy Harper, Linda Lewis: Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire

Live Review by Mick Brown, Sounds, 12 July 1975

Floyd fly high with support ...

David Allan Coe, Rita Coolidge, Willie Nelson: Nelson Picnic Brings Different Musical Elements Together

Report by Stephen K. Peeples, Cash Box, 26 July 1975

HOLLYWOOD — This year's Willie Nelson 4th of July picnic was streamlined in production and presentation: narrowed to one day as opposed to three last ...

Caravan, Climax Blues Band, Ike & Tina Turner, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Soft Machine: Ike and Tina Turner, Caravan, John McLaughlin et al: Startruckin' 75

Report by Charles Shaar Murray, New Musical Express, 23 August 1975

WHERE THE HELL is Lou Reed?Good question, if a trifle academic, but eminently suited for whiling away times in the coach by discussing. ...

The Selling Of Reading Festival

Report by Chris Salewicz, New Musical Express, 30 August 1975

THE SUN was westering in a haze of towering cumulus, fire-orange against midnight black, filling the still air with speckled light, as we came over ...

Wild In The Streets

Report by Mick Farren, New Musical Express, 30 August 1975

MICK FARREN visits the Notting Hill Carnival ...

Windsor/Watchfield Festival: The Smallest Story Ever Told

Report by Andrew Tyler, New Musical Express, 30 August 1975

Meanwhile...out west on Windsor's High Chaparral, a wandering hippie couple in search of the Ultimate Alternative Festival are waylaid by a pack of journalists hungering ...

Grateful Dead, Jefferson Starship: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Live Review by Todd Everett, Phonograph Record, November 1975

Reunion in the Park: The Dead & The Starship Back To Basics ...

Joan Baez, T Bone Burnett, Bob Dylan, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Allen Ginsberg, Roger McGuinn, Bob Neuwirth, Phil Ochs, Scarlet Rivera, Mick Ronson: Bob Dylan and Friends on the Bus: Like a Rolling Thunder

Report by Larry Sloman, Rolling Stone, 4 December 1975

NEW YORK — It was four o'clock on a brandy-soaked October Thursday morning in Greenwich Village as about 20 friends and assorted hangers-on gathered in ...

Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Dr. Feelgood, The Faces, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Slade: Introduction

Book Excerpt by Mick Gold, 'Rock on the Road' (Futura), 1976

THE IDEA OF doing a book of photo-essays about live music was sparked by a desire to examine two areas: what the job of being ...

Crosby Stills Nash & Young: Mel Bush: The Man Who Hired The World

Book Excerpt by Mick Gold, Rock On The Road (Futura), April 1976

A PROMOTER IS THE middleman between a musician and an audience. A promoter hires a venue, books an act, organises the publicity, is responsible for ...

Little Feat, The Outlaws, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, The Who: The Who: Who-ray!

Report by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 5 June 1976

"Will the people on the lighting tower please get-off because it's very dangerous and we are afraid that tower might go" – Nicky Horne, Capital ...

Babe Ruth, Back Street Crawler: Midnight Court: the Lyceum's walking wounded

Live Review by Ed Jones, Melody Maker, 10 July 1976

MY GOD, it's like dawn on the second day of the Somme. Lying prostrate everywhere are twisted bodies, obviously beyond the ministrations of medicine. The ...

Curved Air, Hawkwind, Status Quo, The Strawbs: Status Quo: Quo Storm The Castle

Live Review by Harry Doherty, Melody Maker, 31 July 1976

Rock festivals in Wales always tempt providence, as many a Marley or 10cc fan can attest. But at Cardiff Castle last Saturday, the sun shone ...

The Count Bishops, The Damned, The Gorillas, Little Bob Story, Nick Lowe, The Pink Fairies, Roogalator, Shakin' Street, Tyla Gang: Salut les Punks

Report by Caroline Coon, Melody Maker, 4 September 1976

Special report from the first European Punk Rock Festival in the South of France by CAROLINE COON ...

The Clash, The Damned, The Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols, The Clash et al: Punk Rock Festival, 100 Club, London

Live Review by Giovanni Dadomo, Sounds, 2 October 1976

High dummy count flunks punks ...

The Band, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bobby Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Neil Young: The Band's "Last Waltz": Winterland, San Francisco CA

Live Review by Stephen M H Braitman, Phonograph Record, December 1976

WHEN THE announcement came, 5,000 tickets at $25 each were sold out almost immediately. This was the final show, "The Last Waltz." The Band — ...

Lee Dorsey, Professor Longhair, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint: Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Mardi Gras MG 1001); New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 1976 (Island 1SLD 9424)

Review by Dave Marsh, Rolling Stone, 28 July 1977

IN NEW Orleans it is easier to perceive an American musical tradition than anywhere else; the city is the fount not just of jazz, but ...

The Clash, The Damned: Clash In Euro-Rock Horror

Report by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, 20 August 1977

'Bilzen? more like Belsen' Clash, Damned: Bilzen Festival, Belgium ...

The Clash: Belgium's Burning! The Clash in Europe

Report by Robin Banks, ZigZag, September 1977

"Be not the first by whom the new are tried/Nor yet the last to lay the old aside." ...

The Clash: God, What A Bummer! Stuck Here With Joe Strummer!

Report and Interview by Chris Salewicz, New Musical Express, 3 September 1977

THE CLASH AT BELSEN... 'ALL JOURNALISTS ARE SWINE' BY CHRIS SALEWICZ, WHO DUCKS AND RUNS. ...

Aswad, Chelsea, The Doctors of Madness, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Lew Lewis, Slaughter and the Dogs: Eddie & the Hot Rods, Lew Lewis, Chelsea, Aswad et al: Punk Festival, Chelmsford City Football Stadium

Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 24 September 1977

And we don't careThe message: punk's now a business ...

Jimi Hendrix: The Final Tribute to Jimi Hendrix

Memoir by Al Aronowitz, Circus, 29 September 1977

I HAD TO talk Miles into going to Jimi's funeral with me. ...

Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe: The Stiff Tour: Stiffs Drugs And Rock 'N' Roll

Report by Charles Shaar Murray, New Musical Express, 5 November 1977

"SEX AND drugs and rock and roll...sex and drugs and rock and roll...sex and drugs and rock and roll..." Hot damn, m'man, Leicester University is ...

Tamiko Jones: John Abbey and Tamiko Jones: A Soulful Wedding In Atlanta

Report by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 22 November 1977

CERTAINLY one of the most exciting events of this year (might even qualify for the decade!) was the soulful wedding of our esteemed editor, Mr. John Abbey to the ...

Aerosmith, Bob Welch, Dave Mason, Foreigner, Heart, Santana, Ted Nugent: The California Jam Festival

Live Review by Sylvie Simmons, Sounds, 8 April 1978

THERE WEREN'T even traffic jams. ...

The Stonehenge Summer Solstice Festival: Hippies — Will This Sinister Cult Catch On?

Report by Brian Case, New Musical Express, 29 June 1978

NME's fluid druid, BRIAN CASE gets unhinged at Stonehenge, meets strange young people with long hair, observes weird rites and inexplicable occurrences and stands in ...

The Cramps, The Mutants: The Cramps/The Mutants: Napa State Hospital, Napa CA

Live Review by Howie Klein, New York Rocker, July 1978

"LET'S DRIVE UP to the funny farm. The Cramps and Mutants are doin' a concert for the nuts; should be lotsa yuks." I wanna take ...

Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Graham Parker, Joan Armatrading: Blackbushe Festival - Nice To See Ya, Bob

Live Review by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, 22 July 1978

...OR RATHER, IT would have been, but at least we heard him and that made the hassles worthwhile, reports our survivor of the million dollar ...

Aerosmith, Heart, Waylon Jennings, Mahogany Rush, Willie Nelson, Ted Nugent: Hot times in the heart of Texxas

Report by Joe Nick Patoski, Rolling Stone, 24 August 1978

IF ANYTHING was learned from the 105,000 fans who piled into the Cotton Bowl over the Fourth of July weekend for the two-day Texxas World ...

Grateful Dead: Dead on the Nile

Report by Michael Watts, Melody Maker, 23 September 1978

Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Keith & Donna Godchaux, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Hamza El-Din, Bill Graham, Ken Kesey & The Merry Pranksters, the Sphinx, the ...

Dottsy, Freddie Hart, Sleepy LaBeef, Hank Locklin, Tammy Wynette: Wembley Country Festival: The Metropolitan Soap Opera

Report by Mary Harron, Melody Maker, 28 April 1979

Friendly and polite or mean and bigoted? Even transferred to North London, the country music audience reflects the ambiguous small-town mentality. MARY HARRON heard Tammy ...

Blondie, Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Philip Glass, Michael Nyman: Crits fiddle while public burns...

Report by Richard Grabel, New Musical Express, 30 June 1979

Fripp, Eno and others debate the future of a species ...

The Clash, Doll By Doll, John Otway, Merger, Siouxsie & The Banshees: ZigZag: The Party (The Pain)

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1979

IT WAS OUR party... the day ZigZag came OUT. An erratic monthly "fanzine" (not owned by IPC or any other gardening clubs) celebrated ten years ...

Commander Cody, Led Zeppelin, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Todd Rundgren: Ghosts Of Progressive Rock Past: Led Zeppelin et al at Knebworth

Report by Paul Morley, New Musical Express, 11 August 1979

EVENTS LIKE KNEBWORTH, the promoter Freddy Bannister had wanly predicted in Saturday's Guardian, cannot continue for much longer. The reasons for the inevitable decline and ...

Chas and Dave, Commander Cody, Fairport Convention, Led Zeppelin, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Utopia: Led Zeppelin, Utopia, Southside Johnny, Chas And Dave, Commander Cody, Fairport Convention: Knebworth Festival, Knebworth House, Herts

Live Review by Hugh Fielder, David Hepworth, Sounds, 11 August 1979

OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY ...

Led Zeppelin, New Barbarians, Todd Rundgren: Led Zeppelin/New Barbarians/Todd Rundgren: Knebworth, Hertfordshire

Live Review by Nick Kent, New Musical Express, 18 August 1979

WELL, THAT'S OVER. No more Led Zeppelin front covers for a good while; no more wondering whether Mick would appear with the New Barbarians; no ...

A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Fall, Hawkwind, Joy Division, The Monochrome Set, The Only Ones, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, pragVEC, Public Image Ltd, Punishment Of Luxury, Scritti Politti, Spizz, The Teardrop Explodes, Tymon Dogg: Joy Division, Pil et al: Futurama '79 Festival — Set The Controls For The Squalor Of Leeds

Live Review by Andy Gill, Ian Penman, New Musical Express, 15 September 1979

The World's First Science Fiction Music FestivalWords: Ian Penman and Andy Gill. Pix: Kevin Cummins ...

Led Zeppelin: The Songs Remain The Same: Led Zeppelin at Knebworth Park

Live Review by Mick Brown, Rolling Stone, 4 October 1979

...

Eric's: An Undignified Death

Report by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 29 March 1980

PENNY KILEY on the demise of Liverpool Eric's — the city's rock 'n' roll heart. ...

The Bellamy Brothers, Commander Cody, Phil Everly, Emmylou Harris, Joe Sun: Various artists — Marlboro Country Festival: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Fred Dellar, New Musical Express, 19 April 1980

MONDAY AT Wembley. Contemporary country night, give or take a few lower-order stetson-tilters. ...

Motörhead: Must We Fling This Filth At Our Pop Kids

Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 7 June 1980

RONNIE GURR thinks we should and MOTÖRHEAD want to get even dirtier. ...

The B-52s, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Rockpile, Talking Heads: Heatwave Festival: Crouching Towards Bowmanville Or Elvis: What Happened?

Report by Susan Whitall, Creem, November 1980

I MUST confess to hating "rock festivals" with some passion. My response to the rhetorical "Would you have gone to Woodstock?" question has always been ...

The B-52s, Elvis Costello, Holly & The Italians, The Pretenders, Talking Heads: Heatwave Festival: Punk Woodstock Meets The Ugly American

Report by Dave DiMartino, Creem, November 1980

JUST OUT of the Detroit-Windsor tunnel, a friend and I are fighting a losing battle. We're trying to take Canada seriously.  ...

James Booker, The Neville Brothers: Roots Music In The Crescent City: The 12th New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Report by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 1981

This year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival included veterans like Dexter Gordon, bluesman Muddy Waters and local favorite Allen Toussaint. ...

The Neville Brothers, Professor Longhair: New Orleans: "The city that time forgot"

Report by Don Snowden, New York Rocker, October 1981

One City And Its Romance With R&B ...

The US Festival: A Celebration of Music, Technology and People

Report and Interview by Dave Zimmer, BAM, 13 August 1982

SAN BERNARDINO — The Police, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Talking Heads, Jackson Browne, Santana, The B-52s, Eddie Money and over 20 other top ...

The Beat, Fleetwood Mac: The US Festival: Us & Them

Report by Barney Hoskyns, New Musical Express, 25 September 1982

That Woz the Fest that Woz! Barney Hoskyns takes a bite of the rotten Apple and hangs his head in despair ...

Genesis, Peter Gabriel: Rhythm Of The Pete

Interview by Richard Cook, New Musical Express, 2 October 1982

After the ambitious WOMAD Festival, the bailiffs cometh and PETER GABRIEL has decided to get himself out of hock – even if it means a ...

Led Zeppelin: Bath 1970: Confessions Of A Festival-Goer

Memoir by Tom Hibbert, The History of Rock, 1983

The 1970 Bath Festival: a personal view. ...

Big Country, Eurythmics, Simple Minds, Steel Pulse, U2: U2, Simple Minds, Eurythmics, Big Country, Steel Pulse: A Day At The Racecourse

Report by Dave Rimmer, Smash Hits, 1 September 1983

A long, hot, emotional day it was too. Dublin's Phoenix Park throws open its gates to U2, Simple Minds, Eurythmics, Big Country and about 20,000 ...

Aswad, Neneh Cherry, Rip Rig and Panic: Notting Hill Carnival '83

Report by Vivien Goldman, New Musical Express, 3 September 1983

CARNIVALS ARE crucial — all the best cultures have 'em. But the world has a way of perverting the simplest pleasures, and since 76, Carnival ...

The Clash, Van Halen: US Festival ’83: No More In ‘84

Report by John Mendelsohn, Record, Summer 1983

AFTER PUNK, audiences weren’t supposed to pay large amounts of money anymore for the privilege of watching superstars from the length of a football field ...

KACE's High: Funky Music In The Park

Report by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 1984

'And the winner is band number....Number...." ...

Accept, Gary Moore, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Y & T: Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne et al: Monsters of Rock, Castle, Donington, Leicestershire

Live Review by Barney Hoskyns, Mat Snow, New Musical Express, 25 August 1984

I WAS A TEENAGE GRISTLEBURGER! Trampled underfoot: BARNEY HOSKYNS and MAT SNOW. ...

Bob Geldof: The Rat And The Band Aid "Saint"

Report and Interview by Mick Brown, The Sunday Times, 23 December 1984

BOB GELDOF has been transformed from fading Boomtown Rat to charity superstar behind Christmas’s biggest pop hit, helping Ethiopian famine victims. Mick Brown reports. ...

Van Halen: Monsters of Rock, Castle Donington

Live Review by Barney Hoskyns, New Musical Express, Summer 1984

I'D BEST COME clean, 'fess up that the Edward Van Halen Four were the sole reason I schlepped up to this denim'n'leather version of Dante's ...

Queen: Rock in Rio

Report by Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 14 March 1985

Ten-day event comes off with few hitches ...

Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Prince, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder: USA for Africa: Record could raise millions for hungry

Report by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 14 March 1985

"CHECK YOUR ego at the door." That was the message producer Quincy Jones sent to Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross ...

The Jesus & Mary Chain: Jesus And Mary Chain! A Riot

Report by Neil Taylor, New Musical Express, 16 March 1985

Neil Taylor witnesses yet more violence at a Jesus And Mary Chain concert. ...

Asher Senator, The Cool Notes, Five Star, Pato Banton, Smiley Culture: The Cool Notes, Smiley Culture, Asher Senator, Pato Banton, Five Star: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by William Shaw, Smash Hits, 22 May 1985

"All Dayers" have been going for years. They're marathon sessions of dancing to reggae and soul records with live appearances from the singers who made ...

Blackfoot, Deep Purple, The Mama's Boys, Meat Loaf, Mountain, The Scorpions, UFO: Deep Purple, The Scorpions, Meat Loaf et al: Knebworth Fayre, Knebworth, Hertfordshire

Live Review by Steffan Chirazi, Sounds, 29 June 1985

THIS IS the second Dark Age. It's gotta be. Either that or it's a farmyard. Either that or it's a British festival. Oh oh, it's ...

Billy Bragg, Ian Dury, Echo & The Bunnymen, Green On Red, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Poison Girls, The Style Council: Echo & The Bunnymen, Ian Dury et al: Glastonbury CND Festival, Pilton, Somerset

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 29 June 1985

"JESUS WEPT," from St Mark's Gospel is, I'm assured, the shortest verse in The Bible. That his Divinity did so over this event when 40,000 people decamped ...

Billy Bragg, The Faith Brothers, R.E.M., The Ramones, Spear Of Destiny, U2: R.E.M., U2, The Ramones etal: Milton Keynes Bowl, Buckinghamshire

Live Review by Garry Bushell, Sounds, 29 June 1985

THE LONGEST DAY ...

Midnight Oil, The Style Council, The Untouchables, Working Week: Working Week/The Untouchables/Midnight Oil/The Style Council: Glastonbury CND Festival, Somerset

Live Review by William Shaw, Smash Hits, 3 July 1985

MUD: IT'S what you get if 40,000 people tramp around a small farm for 48 hours in almost constant rain. A lot of mud. By ...

Pictures That Rocked the World: Live Aid

Report by Steve Turner, Radio Times, 13 July 1985

Fresh from co-writing the world’s fastest selling single, Bob Geldof is up to his eyes in organising the world’s biggest and most ambitious rock concert. ...

Live Aid, Saturday 13th July 1985: The Greatest Show On Earth

Report by Various Writers, Smash Hits, 17 July 1985

LAST DECEMBER when Bob Geldof and Midge Ure assembled a choir of extremely famous pop stars to record a song in aid of starving Ethiopians, ...

Bob Geldof: Life After Live Aid? Keeping Pop's Conscience In Focus

Comment by Gavin Martin, New Musical Express, 20 July 1985

Can Live Aid really be more than a cosmetic exercise, a massive sop to the conscience of the West, or at best a temporary solution ...

Bob Geldof: Live Aid: Transmission Of Mercy

Comment by Don Watson, New Musical Express, 20 July 1985

JUST ABOUT the time that the 70,000 in the centre of the mediarena were filing, as instructed, towards the exits, I was emerging from the ...

Bob Geldof: Live Aid take may hit $60 million

Report by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 29 August 1985

As many as 2 billion people watched the event ...

Alton Ellis, Prince Lincoln Thompson & the Royal Rasses: Notting Hill Carnival: Calypso Factor

Report by Nick Coleman, New Musical Express, 7 September 1985

Hustling herbman NICK COLEMAN ventured into the red-striped fog and filed this emotional report on the frenzied Notting Hill Carnival. ...

Billy Bragg, Junior Giscombe, Spandau Ballet, The Style Council: Red Wedge

Report and Interview by William Shaw, Smash Hits, 12 February 1986

"It's no good just complaining in your beer about things — you've got to come out and say it..." So says Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp. ...

The B.P.I. Awards

Report by Tom Hibbert, Smash Hits, 26 February 1986

While you were watching the awards ceremony on TV the other week, a select few music biz "nobs" were there in person at a big ...

A Conspiracy of Hope: Amnesty International

Report by Charles Bermant, The Globe and Mail, 6 June 1986

A CONSPIRACY OF Hope, a package tour benefiting the human rights organization Amnesty International, kicked off at the Cow Palace Wednesday night with more than ...

Michael Des Barres, Joan Jett, Kool and the Gang, Nils Lofgren, Darlene Love, The Textones: Kool & The Gang, Joan Jett & the Black Hearts et al: Drive Aid, Radio City Music Hall, New York

Live Review by Toby Goldstein, Creem, July 1986

DRIVE ME WILD ...

Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, The Neville Brothers, Lou Reed, Sting, U2: U2, Sting et al: Amnesty International, Conspiracy of Hope Benefit, Cow Palace, San Francisco CA

Live Review by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 17 July 1986

Amnesty's rock & roll roadshow All-star lineup gives America the message ...

Dire Straits, Pet Shop Boys, Spandau Ballet: BPI Awards: Middle-age Spread

Report by Jon Savage, The Observer, 15 February 1987

JON SAVAGE takes a sceptical look at the BPI Awards ...

1967, The Summer of Love: There Was a Brief Moment When the Sun Really Shone

Memoir by Judith Sims, Los Angeles Times, 2 August 1987

I'LL GET right to the point: 1967 was one of the best years of my life. ...

Anthrax, Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Dio, Metallica, W.A.S.P.: Bon Jovi, Dio, Metallica, Anthrax, W.A.S.P., Cinderella: Monsters Of Rock, Castle Donington

Live Review by Steven Wells, Simon Witter, New Musical Express, 29 August 1987

THRASH TRASH ...

Anthrax, Bon Jovi, Ronnie James Dio, Metallica, W.A.S.P.: Bon Jovi/Dio/Metallica/Anthrax/W.A.S.P.: Monsters Of Rock, Castle Donington

Live Review by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, 29 August 1987

MATALLIC KO ...

Alice Cooper, Status Quo, The Stranglers: Alice Cooper, The Stranglers, Status Quo: Reading Festival

Live Review by Len Brown, New Musical Express, September 1987

WELCOME TO my nightmare. "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! It's been five years but it's good to be back. . . Awwwwwwright! . . . We f—kin' ...

The Damned, Doctor and the Medics, Gaye Bykers on Acid, Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, The Pink Fairies, Pop Will Eat Itself: Hawkwind, Gaye Bikers on Acid et al: Acid Daze, Finsbury Park

Live Review by Barbara Ellen, David Quantick, New Musical Express, 5 September 1987

SPORTS DAY IN HELL ...

Dancing Hoods, House of Freaks, Little Kings, The Pandoras, Redd Kross, Sea Hags, T.S.O.L., The Unforgiven: Redd Kross et al: Hollywood Hills Rock Festival, John Anson Ford Theater, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Gerrie Lim, L.A. Weekly, 11 September 1987

IN A BUCOLIC canyon were the faithful gathered, the black-garbed and the henna-haired and the anorexic trendoids baring their nightclub tans, all earnest supplicants at ...

Big Brother & The Holding Company, It's a Beautiful Day, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe McDonald: Festival remembers the Summer of Love

Report by Charles Bermant, The Globe and Mail, 14 September 1987

SAN FRANCISCO – The first cosmic occurrence was before noon, when Jesse Colin Young sang the last chorus of 'Get Together'. He let the crowd ...

Acid Crackdown: Sunrise III, Greenwich

Report by Simon Witter, New Musical Express, 19 November 1988

2003 note: Sunrise III, which took place in November 1988 on an industrial wasteland that would later house the Dome, was a pivotal event in ...

Gerald Alston: Jazz-Soul-Funk Weekender: Cala Gran Holiday Park, Fleetwood

Live Review by Barbara Ellen, New Musical Express, 22 April 1989

BLACKPOOL HALLUCINATIONS ...

Boy's Own Party: East Grinstead

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 2 September 1989

BY THE time we got to Grinstead we were... oops! Wrong summer of love...No wallowing in mud here, no bad acid, no teds and no ...

Living Colour, Public Enemy: Talking Loud & Saying Nothing: The Electricity of Afrocentricity

Report and Interview by Chris Bourke, Rip It Up (New Zealand), December 1989

SUMMER IN THE city, New York City, and the place smells. Hot times, an expected high of 90 today, and more than the back of ...

They're Raving Mad!

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 10 February 1990

Rave promoters gathered with Dance fans in London's Trafalgar Square last week to protest against proposed legislation to outlaw all-night parties. JACK BARRON joined the ...

John Lennon: Dead Aid/Instant Bad Karma By The Mersey: The John Lennon Memorial Concert, Pier Head, Liverpool

Report by Michael Gray, The Times, 7 May 1990

IT HAS TAKEN the music industry five years to transform the rock-stars-for-charity mega-event from Bob Geldof's coherent effort to ameliorate a real tragedy to this ...

Aswad, Tracy Chapman, Terence Trent D'Arby, George Duke, Peter Gabriel, The Neville Brothers, Lou Reed, Neil Young: Nelson Mandela Tribute Concert, Wembley Stadium, London

Live Review by Robert Sandall, Rolling Stone, 31 May 1990

WHILE THE black south African leader Nelson Mandela was still in jail, his seventieth birthday, in June 1988, inspired the starriest gathering of rockers since ...

AUDIO: Roger Waters (1990)

Audio transcript of interview by Martin Aston, Rock's Backpages Audio, June 1990

This is a transcript of Martin's 1990 audio interview with the former Floyd man. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...

Pink Floyd, Roger Waters: Roger Waters (1990)

Interview by Martin Aston, Rock's Backpages Audio, June 1990

The former Floyd man discusses the problems of producing the upcoming Berlin production of The Wall: German Green Party demands that he plants lupins after the show; Soviet co-operation in using the Red Army Choir; trying to get help from the British military but not being allowed to use an army band, and all the headaches involved in such an ambitious production.

File format: mp3; file size: 19.8mb, interview length: 20' 34" sound quality: ***

Cliff Richard, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Status Quo, Tears For Fears: Knebworth 90: The Billion Dollar Buskers

Live Review by Mat Snow, Q, August 1990

IN DAYS OF yore, the elders tell, the grassy slopes of Knebworth would resound to the pagan strains of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers and ...

By the Time I Got Back to Woodstock

Essay by Steve Turner, The Independent, 4 August 1990

TO SALLY GROSSMAN, the living room of her Bearsville home near Woodstock in New York State is nothing extraordinary. It has an old fireplace, some ...

AUDIO: Fairport Convention's Simon Nicol (1991)

Audio transcript of interview by John Tobler, Rock's Backpages Audio, 1991

This is a transcript of John's audio interview with Simon. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...

Jane's Addiction: Jane’s Addiction and Lollapalooza: A Woodstock For The Lost Generation

Interview by Simon Reynolds, The New York Times, 4 August 1991

There’s no contest: this summer's biggest tour is the aptly titled Lollapalooza, a mobile rock festival featuring a bill of premier alternative bands – Siouxsie ...

AC/DC, The Black Crowes, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche: AC/DC, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche, Black Crowes: Monsters of Rock, Castle Donington, Leicestershire

Live Review by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 24 August 1991

METAL FATIGUE ...

Jane's Addiction: Lollapalooza

Report by Simon Reynolds, The Guardian, 29 August 1991

LOLLAPALOOZA means a bizarre happening. ...

Babes in Toyland, Chapterhouse, Dinosaur Jr, Iggy Pop, Nirvana, Pop Will Eat Itself, Sonic Youth: Reading '91: Reading, Writhing And Riffmatic

Live Review by Keith Cameron, New Musical Express, 7 September 1991

FRIDAY: IT WAS obvious, really – he had to say it. Who better than His Supreme Iggyness Of Pop, the Godfather of (s)punk rock, to ...

Hole: The Berlin Independent Days Festival: Don't Mention The Wall!

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 23 November 1991

Swells Uber Alles! STEVEN WELLS takes his war on Jingly Jangly Wank to the Berlin Independent Days festival, where he shouts at Indie Kids, Europop ...

David Bowie, Def Leppard, Extreme, Bob Geldof, Guns N' Roses, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Metallica, George Michael, Liza Minnelli, Robert Plant, Spinal Tap, Lisa Stansfield: Various Artists: The Freddie Mercury Tribute, Concert For Aids Awareness, Wembley Stadium, London

Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 2 May 1992

IT'S, UH, KINDA TRAGIC ...

Aswad, Lucky Dube, John Holt, Barrington Levy, Papa San: Barrington Levy, Papa San, John Holt, Aswad, Lucky Dube: Reggae Sunsplash, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles CA

Live Review by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 1992

The Musical Diversity Is as Broad as the Quality Is High at Reggae Sunsplash at Greek Theatre. ...

Gathering of the Tribes

Report by Simon Reynolds, Melody Maker, 6 June 1992

Castlemorton was the site of the biggest illegal rave to date. But, as SIMON REYNOLDS discovered, it was only a prelude to what's to come ...

Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Ice-T, Ministry, Porno for Pyros, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden: 'Looza Takes All

Report by Steffan Chirazi, Kerrang!, 8 August 1992

The LOLLAPALOOZA II festival winds its way around America with a bill as exotic as its name. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ministry and Pearl Jam ...

Ice Cube, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Lush, Ministry, Pearl Jam, The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Lollapalooza 2: One Nation Under a Groove

Report by Andrew Mueller, Melody Maker, 15 August 1992

It's Glastonbury on wheels, a mobile Reading, the lovechild and legacy of ex-Jane's Addiction frontman and all-round chap, Perry Farrell. It's LOLLAPALOOZA, in its second ...

Ian Dury, Flowered Up, Madness, Morrissey: Superannuation Terrorists: Madness/Morrissey/Ian Dury & The Blockheads/Flowered Up: Finsbury Park, London

Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 15 August 1992

THE TEE-SHIRT READS "Madstock"; the reality sporadically veers from such cheery celebration. Somewhere in the fun and the frolics, the grubbiness of moronicism smears the ...

Nirvana: Reading Festival, Berkshire

Live Review by Andy Gill, The Independent, 3 September 1992

The sights, sounds, smells: Andy Gill reviews Nirvana in the mud at the Reading Festival ...

Sonia: Euro Hell

Report by Tom Doyle, Smash Hits, 26 May 1993

It's a cowshed in Ireland. It's packed with foreigners sporting Pat Sharp haircuts. It's Our Sonia's big stab at Eurovision Song Contest fame. And its ...

Lollapalooza: Return of the All Day Sucker

Report by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 27 May 1993

Lollapalooza '93: The making of the summer's biggest rave ...

AUDIO: Richie Havens (1993)

Audio transcript of interview by Paul Zollo, Rock's Backpages Audio, 4 June 1993

This is a transcript of Paul's audio interview with Richie. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...

Arrested Development, Mercury Rev: Mercury Rev, Arrested Development, Charlie Hunter Trio: Lollapolooza: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View CA

Live Review by Eric Weisbard, L.A. Weekly, 8 July 1993

PASSING THROUGH San Francisco (the fourth stop on the tour) last Tuesday, Lollapalooza '93 showed signs of going to seed: the electronic billboard above the ...

Bark Psychosis, The Levellers, Loop Guru, My Bloody Valentine, Transglobal Underground: Your Culture Under Siege: Criminal Injustice

Report and Interview by Carl Loben, Simon Reynolds, Ngaire Ruth, Melody Maker, 30 April 1994

For decades, squatting, free festivals and illegal parties have played a vital role in alternative pop culture. The Criminal Justice Bill — which has been ...

Ash, The Cranberries, Crowded House, D:Ream, The Fatima Mansions, Shane MacGowan: Crowded House, The Cranberries, et al: Fleadh '94, Finsbury Park, London

Live Review by Dele Fadele, New Musical Express, 18 June 1994

BLARNEY ARMY! ...

The Who: Woodstock

Review and Interview by Chris Salewicz, MOJO, July 1994

WOOSTOCK BEGAN ON A GOLF course. Three years before they were to be responsible for Governor John Rockefeller declaring the Woodstock Festival area "a state ...

Glastonbury: Three-Day Passout

Report by Johnny Cigarettes, New Musical Express, 2 July 1994

Glasters — a total experience for mind and body… and awesome fun besides. JOHNNY CIGARETTES folds his tent and steals away to the outer extremities ...

Jimi Hendrix: Woodstock (MCA)

Review by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 1994

MORE THAN Hendrix the space bluesman or rock song performer, Woodstock spotlights Jimi the jammer, and his seemingly infinite inventiveness in the loosely structured format ...

A Tribe Called Quest, The Beastie Boys, The Boredoms, The Breeders, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, George Clinton, Flaming Lips, The Frogs, L7, Rollerskate Skinny, Smashing Pumpkins, The Verve: It's The 'Looza Baby, Why Don't You Kill It?

Report by Keith Cameron, New Musical Express, 30 July 1994

LOLLAPALOOZA once had the chance to be the greatest rock'n'roll circus the planet had ever seen. But, in spite of the live spectacle of VERVE, ...

Aerosmith, Allman Brothers Band, The Band, Joe Cocker, The Cranberries, Bob Dylan, Green Day, Jane's Addiction, The Orb, The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Woodstock II: Sodden Life Is Rubbish

Report by John Harris, New Musical Express, 27 August 1994

Take 250,000 hippy children (Please! — Ed) and baby boomers reliving the 'glories' of the '60s, stick them in a sea of mud and charge ...

A Tribe Called Quest, The Beastie Boys, The Breeders, George Clinton, L7, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Smashing Pumpkins: Various Artists: Lollapalooza '94, Sam Boyd Stadium University of Nevada Las Vegas July 1,1994

Live Review by Eric Weisbard, Spin, September 1994

THE DIFFERENCE between Lollapalooza 1994 and Lollapolooza Past is that this year Perry Farrell and colleagues decided the music being offered couldn't just be loud, ...

Frank Black, Cypress Hill, Flaming Lips, Gang Starr, Hole, The Lemonheads, Pavement, Transglobal Underground, The Verve: Cypress Hill, Lemonheads, Verve, Hole et al: Reading Festival

Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 3 September 1994

READING.It's like acid; once you've tried it you swear you'll never be back for more, and yet you always are. Perhaps it's because this festival ...

Fun-Da-Mental, Ice Cube, Kitchens of Distinction, Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream, Pulp, Radiohead, Reverend Horton Heat, Senseless Things, Terrorvision: Primal Scream, Radiohead, Pulp, Manic Street Preachers et al: Reading Festival, Berkshire — Saturday

Live Review by Andrew Mueller, Melody Maker, 3 September 1994

ON A REMARKABLE autumn's day on which Chelsea go from to two down to three up at Leeds, Everett True gets hospitalised because he's too ...

American Music Club, Jeff Buckley, Candlebox, Dig, Echobelly, Morphine, Scrawl, They Might Be Giants, Tindersticks: Reading Festival, Melody Maker Stage

Live Review by Dave Simpson, Melody Maker, 3 September 1994

SO HERE I am, it's 12.15pm, the f***ing cab driver's turfed me out onto the street. I've got miles to walk to the flamin' festival ...

Blur, M People, Shara Nelson, Michael Nyman, The Prodigy, Pulp, Take That, Therapy?, Paul Weller: Now the Mercury rises

Report by Jon Savage, The Guardian, 16 September 1994

Jon Savage sees the north take its regional revenge ...

Woodstock '94: Dirty Weekend

Report by Andrew Mueller, Vox, October 1994

Only the pissing rain made Woodstock '94 faithful to the original. Mostly, it was a hyped-up, chaotic gathering of middle-class punters and middle-order bands. ...

Grooverider, Moby, Orbital: Tribal and Strife

Report by Andrew Smith, The Guardian, 8 May 1995

The Criminal Justice Act put the rave under House arrest. But it's out and it's phat in Oxfordshire ...

The Deviants, John Lennon, John's Children, Pink Floyd, Yoko Ono: Eyewitness: The 14-Hour Technicolor Dream, April 29, 1967, Alexandra Palace, North London

Retrospective by Johnny Black, Q, June 1995

Pink Floyd, The Soft Machine, The Move... Some of Swinging London's swingiest played at the legendary International Times benefit at Alexandra Palace. Johnny Black rounds up a ...

Elvis Costello: Rebuilt to Last: Elvis Costello's Meltdown

Report and Interview by Robert Sandall, The Times, 11 June 1995

Music cannot be divided into the old artificial groups. Elvis Costello has always known this, and now he is paving the way to a more ...

The Prodigy: Tor De False

Interview by Johnny Cigarettes, New Musical Express, 24 June 1995

Can't make it to Glastonbury this year? Mum wouldn't allow you near the place, huh, or is it, as you've told your friends, you were ...

The Boo Radleys, Jeff Buckley, The Cure, PJ Harvey, The Prodigy, Pulp: Pulp, PJ Harvey, the Cure et al: Glastonbury Festival, Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset

Live Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 30 June 1995

City of 100,000 dancing lights: Caitlin Moran on a Glastonbury weekend that will be remembered chiefly for the coming of Pulp ...

Be gentle with me! Reading & Donington — The Kerrang! Survival Guide

Guide by Paul Elliott, Kerrang!, 26 August 1995

Are you a festival virgin? Is it your first time? Don't end up face down in a muddy puddle — read the Big K! survival ...

Willie Nelson: Get set for good old Country Music: Willie Nelson's End of Summer Picnic

Profile and Interview by Lon Goddard, Daily Astorian, 7 September 1995

"MAMA, DON'T let your cowboys grow up to be babies," joked quintessential crossover music legend Willie Nelson from the stage of Portland's 3,200 capacity Rose ...

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Report by Eric Weisbard, Spin, December 1995

THE ROCK and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Cleveland this past Labor Day weekend, amid vast hype and a thinner layer of ...

Peace, Love, Music: Woodstock Revisited

Retrospective by Tom Graves, American History, February 1996

"IT'S A NEW dawn," Grace Slick, lead singer for the Jefferson Airplane, told a swelling crowd of 400,000 at Woodstock, the most famous music gathering ...

Porno for Pyros' Perry Farrell (1996)

Interview by Steven Daly, Rock's Backpages Audio, 17 April 1996

The Porno for Pyros frontman talks about his upcoming ENIT Festival and the ecological angle that involves tree planting, craft beers and the "spirits" of heroin and cocaine. He also looks back at his involvement with ENIT's hugely successful predecessor Lollapalooza – and how he became estranged from it. Lastly, he considers, slightly optimistically, how technology is going to change the music business...

File format: mp3; file size: 60.2mb, interview length: 1h 02' 39" sound quality: ***

Apollo 440, The Bluetones, Blur, Dodgy, Elastica, Gene, Massive Attack, Northern Uproar, Oasis, Pulp, Reef, Robbie Williams: Britpop Football Special: Ooh-aah, Rossit-ah!

Report and Interview by Ian Watson, Melody Maker, 25 May 1996

Martin Rossiter as Eric Cantona? Liam Gallagher squaring off against Damon Albarn? Robbie Williams and Steve Pulp in the same footie team? No, you're not ...

Blues Traveler, Jane's Addiction, Metallica, Porno for Pyros: Lollapalooza, H.O.R.D.E. and ENIT: 3 Tribes

Report and Interview by Steven Daly, Rolling Stone, 13 June 1996

LOLLAPALOOZA is the "alternative" tour, and H.O.R.D.E. a neo-hippie haven. Is there room for the ENIT Festival, the weirdest of them all? ...

T. Rex: Eyewitness: The First Glastonbury Festival, September 19-20, 1970

Retrospective and Interview by Johnny Black, Q, July 1996

No Glastonbury this year! No matter! Let Q whisk you back to the first festival of Pop, Folk & Blues At Worthy Farm – a ...

Tribal Gathering: Whose Land Is It Anyway?

Report by William Shaw, Select, July 1996

The residents of Otmoor hated it. The good citizens of Beckley insisted it should be halted. Members of The Woodland Trust claimed it would cause ...

The Stone Roses: This is, that was, the Stone Roses

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 30 August 1996

At Reading, the band that wanted to be adored took our love and broke it into little pieces ...

The Mercury Prize: Pulp Friction

Comment by Simon Frith, The Guardian, 13 September 1996

Tokenistic? Predictable? Ridiculous? Critics claim all three. Here, chairman of the judges Simon Frith defends the Mercury Music Prize. ...

808 State, Björk, Underworld: Björk, Underworld, 808 State: Irvine Beach '96, Irvine Beach Park, Scotland

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, New Musical Express, 14 September 1996

BEACHED WAILS ...

Camden Crawl: Take Me Home

Report by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 21 September 1996

After Britpop, C96. Caroline Sullivan runs a marathon of new music in north London. ...

David Bowie: Bowie's Birthday Blastoff: Madison Square Garden, NYC

Live Review by Jim Sullivan, The Boston Globe, 11 January 1997

NEW YORK – "It's not much of a tribute, in a way," said David Bowie before the 50th-birthday celebratory show he and a bunch of ...

Blur, The Levellers, Mark Owen, The Prodigy, Stereophonics, Symposium: Alive and Kicking

Report by Ben Myers, Melody Maker, 31 May 1997

Sunday sunshine and a celebrity soccer shoot-out! A brace of top pop stars recently puffed their way around the pitch in a charity match. Some ...

Black Sabbath, Coal Chamber, Faith No More, Fear Factory, Machine Head, Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osbourne, Slo-Burn, Type O Negative, Vision of Disorder: Ozz-Fest: California Screaming!

Report and Interview by Steffan Chirazi, Kerrang!, 12 June 1997

The greatest show on earth has FEAR FACTORY, MANSON, TYPE O, MACHINE HEAD and COAL CHAMBER on one bill — and it's just destroyed America. This ...

Ash: Staying Out Of It For The Summer

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 28 June 1997

As the world prepares to get ripped to the tits on cheap cider and mung bean noodle bake at GLASTONBURY, NME indulges in a series ...

Sarah McLachlan: Lilith Fair: If You Want To See a Show, Put On a Festival – Sarah McLachlan Takes the Girls on the Road

Interview by Carla DeSantis, Rockrgrl, July 1997

MOVE OVER, Lollapalooza. This year's summer traveling festival to watch is the Lilith Fair, the brain-child of Canadian artist Sarah McLachlan. ...

Echo & The Bunnymen, The Prodigy, Smashing Pumpkins: Glastonbury: Where Were You While We Were All Getting Dry?

Report by Neil Mason, Melody Maker, 5 July 1997

So, you are back home again, tucked up in bed, bad dose of the snivels. Your shoes are f***ed, your bones a bit soggy. Well, ...

Tracy Chapman, Sarah McLachlan, Kinnie Starr, Suzanne Vega: Songs of the Sirens: Lilith Fair

Report by Nicholas Jennings, Maclean's, 28 July 1997

THEY READ tarot cards on the grass in the afternoon sun and danced under the moon to the sounds of Tracy Chapman. And before they ...

Leah Andreone, Tracy Chapman, Paula Cole, Lauren Hoffman, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, Mudgirl, Kinnie Starr, Suzanne Vega, Cassandra Wilson: Lilith Fair: The Gorge Amphitheatre George, Washington

Live Review by Evelyn McDonnell, Spin, September 1997

"JUST A SECOND, just a second now," said Canadian performer Kinnie Starr as she abruptly swung her electric guitar down and stepped off the tiny ...

James, Korn, Orbital, Snoop (Doggy) Dogg, Tool, Tricky: Lollapalooza: Coral Sky Amphitheater, West Palm Beach, Florida

Live Review by Will Hermes, Spin, September 1997

"DO YOU WANNA see the first band, or do you wanna see me jump to my death?" a paunchy MC bellowed from a perch atop ...

Fairport Convention 30th Anniversary: Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire

Review by Colin Harper, MOJO, October 1997

IF SOMEBODY back in the "summer of love" had told Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson and Judy Dyble – members of North London's premier Jefferson Airplane ...

Kraftwerk play Tribal Gathering

Report and Interview by Toby Manning, Jockey Slut, December 1997

HOW ON EARTH DID UNIVERSE ENTICE THE TECHNO INNOVATORS BACK ONTO A STAGE? LET'S FIND OUT. ...

Felix Cavaliere, Rick Derringer, Foreigner, Nils Lofgren, Leslie West: The Rock'n'Roll Fantasy Camp

Report and Interview by Bob Spitz, Delta Sky, December 1997

IT WASN'T UNTIL Friday night, when Frank Gonzales belted out a monster version of 'Double Vision', that everyone realized the significance-the true beauty of the ...

The NME Awards: You And NME We're History...

Retrospective by Ian Fortnam, New Musical Express, 7 February 1998

So which future James Bond handed out the awards in 1963 and '68? Who played their last UK show at 1966's do? And who sparked ...

Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, The Who: Monterey International Pop Festival

Review by Max Bell, Uncut, March 1998

Four-CD box set of the 1967 Summer Of Love festival ...

The Guiness Fleadh

Report by Chris Smith, Performing Songwriter, March 1998

IF YOU HAD said to someone twenty years ago that Ireland was hot, they would have assumed you'd never been, because, truthfully, the place is ...

The Chemical Brothers, Cornershop, Beth Orton, Primal Scream, Finley Quaye, Run-DMC, Roni Size and Reprazent: Run DMC, Chemical Brothers, Roni Size et al: Creamfields, Winchester

Live Review by Neil Kulkarni, Melody Maker, 9 May 1998

It's a Cream come true! We join the madness that's CREAMFIELDS in Winchester with Primal Scream! Cornershop! Roni Size! Run DMC! The full bloody monty! ...

Ash, U2: U2 and Ash: I was there, helping to make history. (I just wish I hadn't been scratching my chin)

Report and Interview by Sean O'Hagan, The Observer, 24 May 1998

THE PHONE rings at 10.30 on a Monday night. It is Bono. "We're going to Belfast tomorrow night," he says, "and we're trying to come ...

Glastonbury: Pop Feast Kicked Off By Football

Report by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 29 June 1998

Caroline Sullivan sorts fab from drab ...

Glastonbury: "I am offered cocaine. I am offered ecstasy. But what I really want is a lethal injection."

Report by Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 5 July 1998

AND SO, INEVITABLY, it has come to this. In a teeming beer tent near to the main Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, Paddy is crouched over ...

Glastonbury ‘98

Live Review by Rob Chapman, MOJO, August 1998

AFTER THE quagmire of 1997 it surely couldn’t be Pop Passchendaele II could it? Oh yes it could. Unlike last year, when the Glasto monsoon ...

R.E.M., Radiohead: Tibetan Freedom Concert: People Have The Power

Report by Paul Lester, Uncut, August 1998

MONDAY, JUNE 15, THE CAPITOL BUILDINGIt is 10 days before Bill Clinton's historic first presidential visit to China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. An ...

Erykah Badu, Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Billie Myers, Sinéad O'Connor: Sarah McLachlan, The Indigo Girls, Erykah Badu et al: Lilith Fair, Civic Stadium, Portland, Oregon

Live Review by RJ Smith, Spin, September 1998

BEFORE ANYTHING else is said about the opening night of the 57-date Lilith Fair, let's note the nice: The climate at Portland's Civic Stadium was ...

The Kinks: Preservation is packed with power

Live Review by Jim Sullivan, The Boston Globe, 5 October 1998

IT HAS BEEN Boston Rock Opera's mission, since its 1993 inception, to dust off, kick up, give respect to, and sometimes tweak the rock operas ...

Mobo Workin'

Report by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 9 October 1998

The Music Of Black Origin awards are now pop's trendiest bash, reflecting the dominant R&B influence in the charts. ...

A Day in the Garden: Woodstock Revisited

Live Review by Richard Younger, Midtown Resident, Summer 1998

It took 29 years, but on Saturday, Aug. 15, I finally made it back for "A Day in the Garden". What attracted me to the ...

Eyewitness: March 1952 — The First Rock'n'Roll Concert

Retrospective and Interview by Johnny Black, Q, February 1999

10,000 people smashed down the doors to get in, none of the bands were paid and one man was stabbed in the arse. After the ...

Basement Jaxx, Ed Rush & Optical, Norman Jay, Danny Rampling, Underworld: Homelands

Report by Carl Loben, Melody Maker, 5 June 1999

Orbit's minute-by-minute descent into delirium ...

Jah! Glastafari!

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 June 1999

When the Glasto Green Field vibes work their magic, we all come over a bit hippy. But for the good folk of Glastonbury, being a ...

Boyzone, The Corrs, Geri Halliwell, Martine McCutcheon, Mike + the Mechanics, Mark Morrison, Westlife: Boyzone, Westlife, Corrs, Geri Halliwell et al: Party in the Park, Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 5 July 1999

Famous for 10 minutes ...

Woodstock

Retrospective by David Dalton, Gadfly, August 1999

Woodstock. August 15, 16, 17, 1969. Three days of peace, love and music. For the past thirty years, it has been touted as a new ...

Newport Notes: How the Jazz and Folk Festivals made history

Retrospective and Interview by Ted Drozdowski, The Boston Phoenix, 9 August 1999

"WELL, THIS IS real bullshit!" yelled Eddie Condon.  ...

Spirit of '69 Woodstock Alive At Falcon Ridge

Comment by Chris Smith, Billboard, 14 August 1999

BLAME IT ON the heat. Blame it on poor security. Blame it on the cause/effect relationship between artist persona and audience behavior. Blame it on ...

Paul van Dyk: Follow The Leader

Interview by Dorian Lynskey, Muzik, September 1999

On a mission to the Love Parade with two million German ravers and the biggest trance DJ in the world. Paul van Dyk on Berlin, ...

Basement Jaxx, Coldcut, Carl Cox, DJ Shadow, Gang Starr, Goldie, Grooverider, Leftfield, Paul Oakenfold, Pet Shop Boys, Scratch Perverts: Basement Jaxx, Pet Shop Boys et al: Creamfields, Old Liverpool Airfield

Live Review by Andy Crysell, New Musical Express, 4 September 1999

THE SCOUSE THAT JAXX THRILLED ...

Live Killers

Comment by Tom Cox, The Guardian, 17 September 1999

HERE'S A JOKE. Last night, I met an alien outside a pub in north London. We got chatting about hobbies and stuff, and he ended ...

The Rolling Stones: Altamont: An Eyewitness Account

Retrospective by David Dalton, Gadfly, November 1999

The Rosy Apocalypse ALTAMONT, 6th December, 1969. The name itself is fraught with menace – its flinty suggestive syllables (altar-mountain-tumult) reinforcing biblical overtones. ("The ...

Matato'a: Global Ear: Easter Island

Report by Edwin Pouncey, The Wire, March 2000

A survey of sounds from around the planet. This month … Easter Island ...

Ash Ra Tempel, Coil, Julian Cope: Julian Cope's Cornucopea: South Bank Centre, London

Live Review by Edwin Pouncey, The Wire, May 2000

BILLED AS "a festival of plenty" by its curator Julian Cope, the two nights spent in the company of his various label mates, old mates ...

David Toop: Tokyo without a map

Report by David Toop, The Wire, May 2000

Sonic Boom curator David Toop visits the Japanese capital to network with a gaggle of young electronic sound artists, and finds the megalopolis as perplexing ...

James Brown, B.B. King, Lloyd Price: Eyewitness: The Black Woodstock — 22-23 September 1974

Retrospective and Interview by Johnny Black, Q, June 2000

As Muhammad Ali and George Foreman waited to go toe-to-toe in Zaire, Don King persuaded James Brown and BB King to headline a music festival. ...

Jimi Hendrix: The Experience Music Project Opens in Seattle (Part 1)

Report by Charles Bermant, Rolling Stone Online, 24 June 2000

IT WASN'T YOUR typical ribbon cutting. Gazillionaire Paul Allen smashed a Stratocaster made of unflavored green rock candy, designed especially for the occasion by glass ...

Radiohead: "Thank you, ignite!": Radiohead at Meltdown

Report by Jim Irvin, MOJO, July 2000

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was a piece for the news section of MOJO in July 2000 previewing songs from the forthcoming Radiohead album that were unveiled ...

The Rolling Stones: Sonny Barger: Hell's author

Report and Interview by Deanne Stillman, salon.com, 10 July 2000

IN 1982, AFTER smoking three packs of Camels a day for 30 years, Sonny Barger, the founder of the Oakland Hells Angels motorcycle club, was ...

Jimi Hendrix: Experience Music Project Opens in Seattle (Part 2)

Report by Charles Bermant, Rolling Stone Online, 26 July 2000

SHORTLY BEFORE BO Diddley began his set at the Experience Music Project celebration, Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding approached him with greetings from a ...

Muse: Around the World in 50 Dates

Interview by Everett True, Melody Maker, 23 August 2000

...BUT IT'S NOT ALL FUN ON THE ROAD WITH MUSE. HERE THEY TELL US ABOUT THEIR WORLDWIDE FESTIVAL HIGHS AND LOWS ...

Daphne and Celeste: Daphne & Celeste: "If you stick your tongue out, after a while it tastes like a condom!"

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 2 September 2000

Daphne & Celeste — social commentators, teen girls bringing a breath of fresh air to the testosterone-charged air of the Carling Weekend. Of course not ...

How reggae won the West

Retrospective by Lloyd Bradley, The Evening Standard, 15 September 2000

This is the story of reggae in West London — from the sound systems of the Fifties to the Carnival of today. Lloyd Bradley celebrates ...

The Cinematic Orchestra, Coldcut, Kid Koala, Kid606, Mr. Scruff: Xen Cuts: Ten Years Of Xen (various London venues)

Live Review by Kodwo Eshun, The Wire, November 2000

LONDON's Ninja Tune label celebrated their first decade in the flirty, flighty, faddish, fickle world of UK dance with Xen Cuts — three consecutive nights ...

Sigur Rós: Desolation Angels: Icelandic music

Report and Interview by Rob Young, The Wire, January 2001

Spearheaded by Sigur Rós, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and the Kitchen Motors collective, Iceland’s hardy children of nature are proving stubbornly resistant to the World Rock ...

Resolution — New Year's Eve concert: Alexandra Palace, N10

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 January 2001

BLIZZARDS, BLACK ICE and freezing fog meant that, for millions of Britons, the first New Year’s Eve of the millennium was spent tucked up at ...

Black Sabbath, Papa Roach, Slipknot, Tool: They Have Come For Your Parents: Ozzfest 2001, National Bowl, Milton Keynes, 26th May

Live Review by The Rev. Al Friston, Rock's Backpages, 2 June 2001

My my, hey hey, hard rock will never die. OK, it doesn’t scan quite as well as ol’ Neil’s line, but you get my drift. ...

Life Support: Michael and Emily Eavis

Interview by Sheryl Garratt, The Observer, 24 June 2001

Michael Eavis, founder of the Glastonbury Festival – taking a rest this year – and his youngest daughter Emily. ...

Sean Paul: Queens of calypso and men of steel

Report and Interview by Stevie Chick, The Evening Standard, 22 August 2001

MAURICE HAMILTON sighs heavily as he describes the series of events which has seen virtually all the proposed live performances at this year's Notting Hill ...

The Big Chill Festival

Report by Sheryl Garratt, The Observer, 26 August 2001

IT'S A WARM Sunday afternoon, and I'm stretched out on the grass watching white clouds blow across blue sky, while Norman Jay plays some of ...

Nina Simone, Peter Green, Van Morrison: Bishopstock 2001: Nina Simone and Van Morrison

Live Review by The Rev. Al Friston, Rock's Backpages, 1 September 2001

Two cantankerous legends hold court in the Devon sunshine ONE FESTIVAL, THREE DAYS, four major cancellations... and two obstreperous veterans doing their thang on Bank ...

Gorillaz: Damon and the fine art of faking it

Report by Stevie Chick, The Evening Standard, 15 January 2002

At this year's Brit Awards, Damon Albarn's creation, Gorillaz, look set to upstage the fake bands they so like to mock. Stevie Chick reports. ...

Taraf de Haïdouks: Johnny and the outlaws take Hackney by storm

Report by Tim Cooper, The Evening Standard, 29 January 2002

IT IS not every day you find a Hollywood superstar slumming it in the East End. But last night Johnny Depp came to deepest Hackney ...

Nirvana, Tad: Burn Baby Burn! Sub Pop's 1989 tour of Europe

Retrospective and Interview by Keith Cameron, Q, March 2002

Started: Riverside, Newcastle, 23 October 1989 Finished: Astoria, London, 3 December 1989 Bands: Nirvana, Tad ...

Bob Dylan, George Harrison: George Harrison et al: Concert for Bangla Desh

Review by Charles Shaar Murray, MOJO, March 2002

The first hi-profile multi-star benefit concert of the post-psychedelic era. Harrison, Dylan and Shankar strut their stuff alongside Clapton, Ringo and Leon Russell. ...

Sonic Youth: All Tomorrow's Parties: A Festival That Pops With Edge

Report and Interview by Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 13 March 2002

UCLA's ambitious All Tomorrow's Parties fest, curated by avant-rockers Sonic Youth, embraces the underground. ...

Girls Against Boys, The Icarus Line, The Von Bondies, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs: South By Southwest

Report and Interview by Stevie Chick, Kerrang!, 6 April 2002

Deep in the heart of Texas, the Icarus Line are being lynched by the locals, the dwarves are getting their kits off, and Courtney Love ...

OutKast, The Roots: Audiotistic: "Happy Hip-Hop" Sets Festival's Vibe

Report and Interview by Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 11 April 2002

The organizers of Audiotistic expect 37,000 fans to show up for an event that plays against type. ...

Glastonbury

Interview by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 17 May 2002

"IF YOU LOOK right through the centre of the Pyramid stage," says Michael Eavis, waving at the steel framework that squats surreally in the middle ...

Ant and Dec: Ant & Dec: Sing When You're Winning

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 29 May 2002

Angus Batey meets the men behind the official England song, Geordie funsters Ant and Dec ...

The Meeting of the ‘Twain: Monterey Pop and the Great California Divide

Special Feature by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages, June 2002

"TRAVELING UP the Coast from the ruins of the Sunset Strip to the Haight is a Dante-esque ascent," New Yorker Richard Goldstein could write of ...

Isaac Hayes: A Black Woodstock: Wattstax

Retrospective and Interview by James Maycock, The Guardian, 20 July 2002

Intro: This is about 1000 words longer than the version published by The Guardian. There’s much more on the concert, more quotations and more on ...

Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Kim Weston: Loud and proud: Wattstax

Retrospective and Interview by James Maycock, The Guardian, 20 July 2002

When Los Angeles erupted in the bloodiest racial uprising of the 1960s, the black citizens of Watts sent a message to the world, demanding that ...

Cody ChesnuTT, CeeLo Green, N.E.R.D., Iggy Pop: Shortlist showcase stumbles

Live Review by Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 31 October 2002

THE SHORTLIST PRIZE for Artistic Achievement in Music is out to rectify years of Grammy frustration, and as it attempts to become an American analogue ...

Porcupine Tree, Radiohead: Old and New Wave

Report and Interview by Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 7 November 2002

Underground movement nurtures new progressive rock bands and supports existing ones. ...

Music profile: The Christmas No 1

Retrospective by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 21 December 2002

For the first time in years, there are no Christmas novelty singles battling it out for No 1. Yet stars from Elvis to Kylie can't ...

Bob Dylan: Live 1975 The Rolling Thunder Revue

Review by Andy Gill, Uncut, January 2003

Twenty-two tracks from Dylan's legendary Rolling Thunder tour finally see official release. ...

Glut of rival ceremonies gives industry a sobering warning

Comment by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 14 January 2003

BEFORE ANYONE says a disparaging word about the Brits, as invariably happens around now. bear in mind that, compared with America's stodgy Grammys, they are ...

Pere Ubu, David Thomas: David Thomas brings Disastodrome! to UCLA

Report and Interview by Steven R Rosen, Harp, February 2003

IT'S LATE NIGHT in a Los Angeles motel room and a dog-tired, barefoot David Thomas is dining on broccoli and cognac. "There's plenty more where ...

Kylie Minogue: The Brits: Early night for wild things at alco-less pops

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 February 2003

THE DEPARTMENT for Work and Pensions has been plugging this year's Brit Awards with the happy promise "anything can happen at the Brits", but then ...

Coldplay, George Michael, Kylie Minogue, Ms Dynamite, Justin Timberlake: British Pop Acts Raise The Anti

Report by Phil Sutcliffe, Los Angeles Times, 22 February 2003

Celebrity dissent grows during U.K.'s music awards, as Coldplay's singer and Ms Dynamite protest an Iraq war. ...

The Clash, Joe Strummer: Joe Strummer: Tougher Than Tough

Obituary by Vivien Goldman, Spin, April 2003

Joe Strummer was the soul-rebel idealist who gave punk a cause ...

Captain Beefheart: The Captain's Conjurors: The Magic Band

Retrospective and Interview by Mike Barnes, The Wire, April 2003

With the 1982 LP Ice Cream For Crow, the legendary Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, laid the final incarnation of his Magic Band back ...

Glastonbury: It's a kind of magic

Memoir by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 June 2003

THE FIRST TIME I went to Glastonbury, I was 18. I drank a bottle and a half of Malibu a day, ran around barefoot trying ...

Jane's Addiction: Is this the band that saved rock?

Profile and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 July 2003

Groundbreaking rock band Jane's Addiction are back to inspire a new generation of fans. ...

Afel Bocoum, Oumou Sangare, Tinariwen, Ali Farka Toure: Various Artists: Le Festival au Desert

Review by Charlie Gillett, bbc.co.uk, September 2003

The Best Live Album Ever? ...

Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Neil Young: Farm Aid: Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, Ohio

Report by Kandia Crazy Horse, PopMatters, 23 September 2003

I WAS EATING Neil Young when the highest points of my sojourn to this year's Farm Aid benefit concert occurred: veteran Crazy Horse bassist Billy ...

Isaac Hayes: Various Artists: Music From The Wattstax Festival & Film

Review by James Maycock, MOJO, November 2003

ON 20TH AUGUST, 1972, Isaac Hayes was celebrating his 30th birthday. But Ike wasn't chilling at his gilded Memphis mansion ripping into a skyscraper pile ...

Jefferson Airplane: The End Of The Beginning: Jefferson Airplane at Altamont

Book Excerpt by Jeff Tamarkin, Helter Skelter Books, Summer 2003

THE VIOLENCE AT Altamont had begun before the Airplane even arrived, when a number of Hell’s Angels, who had been amassing near the stage, wantonly ...

Hal Willner and the Creation of the Modern Tribute Album

Profile and Interview by Steven R Rosen, LA CityBeat, January 2004

"SORRY," Hal Willner says, sheepishly. He has just been complimented — or so this writer intended — for being the father of pop culture's rampant ...

Busted, The Darkness: Brit awards: Yanks cannot raise a ripple

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 February 2004

WHAT the Brits really needed was a Nipplegate. ...

Barry Adamson & Russell Maliphant Company: Barbican, London

Preview by John Lewis, Barbican show programme, 8 April 2004

Featuring Barry Adamson Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra Russell Maliphant Company – Anna Williams, Marie Goudot, Flora Bourderon, Michael Pomero and Miquel de ...

Jolie Holland, Iron & Wine, Little Richard: Little Richard et al.: South By South West, Austin

Live Review by Sylvie Simmons, MOJO, May 2004

A marguerita-fuelled Glastonbury taking over a whole town for five days would have a hard time matching the glory and madness of this enormous musical ...

Morrissey: Meltdown Festival at Royal Festival Hall, London 

Live Review by Robert Sandall, Daily Telegraph, 14 June 2004

WITH MORRISSEY booking the acts on this year's programme – as well as performing three shows himself, including this, the opening night – the Meltdown ...

The unfortunate incident of the log in the night-time: Glasto on the box

Comment by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 21 June 2004

Caroline Sullivan will be enjoying Glastonbury from the safety of her sofa. She explains why she's delighted ...

Glastonbury: The Garden of Eavis

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 25 June 2004

Back in the mud again, our correspondent longs for her own en suite festival to avoid the wet clothes and cartwheeling tents. ...

Windsor 1974: The Forgotten Festival – I Was There

Memoir by Mark Hudson, Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2004

A world away from today's money-spinning Glastonbury, the Windsor Free Festival of 1974 was illegal, drug-happy and absurdly idealistic, recalls Mark Hudson ...

Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staple Singers: Wattstax

Retrospective by Richie Unterberger, MOJO, July 2004

THE BIGGEST soul concert ever was about to end in a riot. ...

The Band, The Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Dylan, Dexter Gordon, Diana Krall, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Spinal Tap, Talking Heads, The Who: 25 Essential Music DVDs

Guide by Nicholas Jennings, Inside Entertainment, September 2004

1. The Last Waltz THE BAND'S elegant swansong is the ultimate rock concert movie. Director Martin Scorsese's discreet camerawork and superb sound captures inspired performances from ...

The Band, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin: Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: Festival Express 1970

Retrospective and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages, September 2004

IT WAS THE Lollapalooza of its day – a week-long, three-date circus of a rock and roll tour featuring The Band, Buddy Guy, Janis Joplin, ...

50 Cent, Green Day, The Libertines, TV On The Radio, The White Stripes: Reading Festival: Richmond Avenue, Reading

Live Review by Simon Price, Independent on Sunday, 5 September 2004

And the name of the world's worst band is... ...

The Creation, Bo Diddley, The Electric Prunes, New York Dolls, The Stooges, The Strokes, Steven Van Zandt: Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival: Randall's Island, N.Y.

Live Review by Ben Edmonds, MOJO, October 2004

Forty-five bands plus Van Zandt's Boss defy failing weather and technology for New York's biggest garage rave-up. ...

Michael Franti: Various Artists: Reggae on the River

Film/DVD/TV Review by j. poet, Paste, October 2004

TWENTY YEARS AGO, the residents of Piercy, Calif., held a benefit concert to rebuild a community centre torched by a local arsonist. ...

Bob Geldof: Live Aid: The View From The Pitch

Memoir by Pete Paphides, The Observer, 17 October 2004

Nothing was going to stop a schoolboy fan of the Boomtown Rats making it to Wembley on that fateful day. Peter Paphides recalls every high ...

Bill Monroe, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Slim Whitman: Come On, Let's Go!: Elvis on the Hayride

Retrospective by Colin Escott, MOJO, December 2004

When Elvis joined the Louisiana Hayride in 1954, he changed music history forever. Colin Escott tells the wild, wild story. ...

Franz Ferdinand, Keane, Scissor Sisters, Joss Stone, The Streets: More Originality Please: The BRITS

Report by Gavin Martin, Daily Mirror, 10 February 2005

THE BRITS Awards Panel must be relieved that their 25th Anniversary coincided with a revival in the fortunes of new UK music makers. ...

Samuel Charters: Bluesthink

Report and Interview by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 18 February 2005

THE FIRST TIME Samuel Charters came to Memphis, it was in the fall of 1956. "I bought a car for a hundred and fifty bucks ...

Duane Allman, Southern Bitch: Apocalypse in the American Bush: R.I.P. Muscle Shoals Sound, Sheffield, Alabama

Essay by Kandia Crazy Horse, Perfect Sound Forever, April 2005

Feels so good inside myself Don't wanna move Feels so good inside myself Don't need to move –'Luv 'N Haight', Sly & the Family Stone ...

DC Talk, Jars of Clay: Christian Rock is on a mission

Report and Interview by Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 14 April 2005

It's about new audiences and a stronger genre, the promoter of Fishfest says. ...

Live8: Just Another Gig – With Added Feelgood Factor

Comment by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 1 June 2005

NEARLY EVERY A-lister worth the name is doing their bit, making Live8 the first truly all-star charity show since Live Aid. Madonna! U2! Coldplay! You ...

Pete Doherty: Glastonbury: Rubbing shoulders with stars after noodles and chips

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 June 2005

It is not Cannes, but our correspondent says she could have done with a yacht. ...

Coldplay, Bob Geldof: Live8: Less global jukebox, more local radio

Live Review by Kathryn Flett, The Observer, 3 July 2005

AS THE LIVE8 afternoon shift got under way, it was soon clear that, although the BBC must have been rubbing their hands at the prospect ...

Who Was The Gr8est at Live 8?

Live Review by Gavin Martin, Daily Mirror, 4 July 2005

Gavin Martin rates the event's top acts. ...

Lamb of God: Coming in Loud: Sounds of the Underground

Report and Interview by Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2005

The Sounds of the Underground tour screams into L.A., delivering what's new in metal. ...

Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock

Film/DVD/TV Review by Robert Sandall, Daily Telegraph, 22 September 2005

FOR ONCE, "legendary" really is the word. The performance by Jimi Hendrix and his band that closed Woodstock in 1969 has been cited as one ...

Terrastock Festival: Providence, Rhode Island

Report and Interview by Fred Mills, Harp, March 2006

THE SIXTH Terrastock Festival--that bastion of psychedelia, nu-folk and experimental music that grew out of Britain's revered Ptolemaic Terrascope magazine--will take place April 21-23 in ...

Embrace: Hear we go!

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 31 March 2006

We get the football anthems we deserve, says Pete Paphides. Can Embrace score a winner? ...

The World's Greatest Indoor Festival: Julien Temple's Glastonbury

Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 13 April 2006

THERE IS NO Glastonbury Festival this year — a fact that will, to be frank, be making the lives of about 120,000 people fairly bleak ...

Daniel Johnston: The Devil and Daniel Johnston: Barbican, London

Live Review by Tim Cooper, The Independent, 18 April 2006

IT HAS TAKEN 25 years, almost as many albums and a lifetime of loneliness and pain, but Daniel Johnston is finally emerging from underground cult ...

Serge Gainsbourg: Behold The Dirty Old Man

Report and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, May 2006

Fifteen years after he smoked his last Gitanes, Serge Gainsbourg goes international. ...

The Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave: Utah Saints: Sundance Music Festival

Interview by Steven R Rosen, Harp, May 2006

...

Lester Bangs, Big Star: Great Lig in the Sky: The 1973 Rock Writers Convention

Retrospective and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages, June 2006

ON MEMORIAL DAY weekend in May 1973, over a hundred of the leading rock writers of the day flew into Memphis, Tennessee, for 72 hours ...

Anohni (Antony & the Johnsons), Scritti Politti, Patti Smith: Latitude: Henham Park, Suffolk

Live Review by Robert Sandall, The Sunday Times, 17 July 2006

FESTIVALS HAVE a way of sorting out the truly great from the merely watchable, and so it proved at the weekend's Latitude event. ...

Kanda Bongo Man, Konono No. 1: Womad: Rivermead, Reading

Report by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 1 August 2006

THE MOST relaxed and family-friendly festival of the summer season, Womad again transformed a quiet corner of the Thames Valley into a bustling global village ...

Audio Bullys: Electric Gardens festival: Mount Ephraim, Kent

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 9 August 2006

IT MAY BE a reaction to the vacuum left by the dormant Glastonbury, but there has been an unprecedented explosion in small-scale boutique festivals this ...

The Killers, Oasis, Corinne Bailey Rae , Joss Stone, Take That, Amy Winehouse: The Brits 2007: Live and Everything

Report by Jude Rogers, Guardian Unlimited, 14 February 2007

LADIES AND gentlemen! Boys and girls! Pop spods and car crash-telly fans! The hour is at hand! Welcome, one and all, to the Brits blog! ...

The Cure, Oasis, Pulp, T. Rex: Top 5 Unforgettable Glastonbury Moments

Retrospective and Interview by Johnny Black, Music Week, May 2007

1. 19-20 September 1970: The very first Glastonbury It was a triumph of faith over common sense. Having snuck in for free to the Bath Festival ...

Damon Albarn: The serious side of monkey business

Report and Interview by John Lewis, The Times, 25 May 2007

Author's note: The completed version was edited down and most of Damon Albarn's quotes were removed. This 1600-word version, below, features many more quotes from ...

Rance Allen, William Bell, Booker T & The MGs, Isaac Hayes, The Mar-Keys, The Soul Children, Mavis Staples: Starting All Over Again: Stax's 50th at the Orpheum, Memphis

Live Review by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 28 June 2007

Glorious past and uncertain future of Stax on stage at the Orpheum ...

The Go-Betweens, The Saints: Brisbane's Pig City Festival

Report by Clinton Walker, Brisbane Courier-Mail, July 2007

THE QUEENSLAND Music Festival, which is launched next Friday with a dawn concert in Winton and runs for a fortnight till July 29, is an ...

The Clash, Tom Robinson Band, Steel Pulse, X-Ray Spex: Punks, Nazis, Skins and the Clash's Finest Hour

Retrospective and Interview by Ian Fortnam, Classic Rock, August 2007

Rock Against Racism: Tom Robinson thinks of it as "the punk Woodstock" and it was the moment that punk went overground and people's band the ...

Alison Hinds: Notting Hill Carnival: Alison Hinds ready to reign at Carnival

Report and Interview by Angus Batey, Daily Telegraph, 23 August 2007

'Roll It Gal' by Alison Hinds will be the song that rules this weekend's Notting Hill Carnival. Angus Batey meets the Barbadian star. ...

Led Zeppelin: Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones

Interview by Alan Light, MSN.com, October 2007

IT IS A ROCK and roll fantasy that most people had abandoned. On November 26 at London's O2 Arena, the three surviving members of Led ...

The Human Be-In

Retrospective by Joel Selvin, MOJO, Summer 2007

ALL THROUGH the previous year, word filtered out of San Francisco about remarkable happenings and a strange new community of youths gathering around the city's ...

Fatboy Slim's cooking up another monster festival by Loch Ness

Report and Interview by Gavin Martin, Daily Mirror, 1 February 2008

HE IS THE original funk soul brother and superstar DJ, the presiding expert in showing dance-floor filling crowds the world over how to have it ...

Kenny Chesney, Steve Earle, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave Matthews Band, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, The Pretenders, Neil Young: Farm Aid

Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, September 2008

"THIS IS OUR twenty-third Farm Aid," said John Mellencamp, "and when we started this thing, we were naïve enough that we thought we'd have this ...

Amy Winehouse, My Bloody Valentine: Bestival, Isle of Wight ***

Report by Rick Pearson, The Evening Standard, 8 September 2008

Still bloody loud and clear at Bestival ...

The Astoria: Share your beer-stained memories

Report by Ian Winwood, The Guardian, 13 January 2009

YOU CAN ALWAYS tell when a gig at the Astoria has just finished because you'll be greeted with the sight of 2,000 people spilling out ...

Jarvis Cocker, Michael Jackson: Eyewitness: Jarvis Cocker invades the stage at the BRIT Awards

Retrospective and Interview by Johnny Black, Q, May 2009

WITNESS: Various EVENT: Jarvis Cocker invades the stage at the BRIT Awards  DATE: 19 February 1996 LOCATION: Earl's Court, London.   ...

John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen: Pete Seeger's Birthday Concert: Madison Square Garden, NYC

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, May 2009

IN THE NEW biography The Protest Singer, folk music paragon Pete Seeger tells writer Alec Wilkinson that the single word he believes in above all ...

All Tomorrow's Parties: Breeders And Fans Strike Back II

Live Review by John Doran, The Quietus, 26 May 2009

I'M MORE appreciative of ATP than usual at the moment (and I'm usually damn appreciative of its quasi-utopian spread of music, guilt-free loafing and social ...

Anvil, Faith No More, Mötley Crüe: Download: Donington Park

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2009

IF HEAVY METAL is the working man's opera, to paraphrase Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, then Download is its Glyndebourne. ...

Various Artists: Woodstock 40 (Rhino)

Review by Barney Hoskyns, Observer Music Monthly, July 2009

WE ARE ALL so inured these days to the business of rock festivals – sponsored, multi-generational, beamed into our living rooms – that it's difficult ...

Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music

Film/DVD/TV Review by Barney Hoskyns, Uncut, July 2009

4-DVD, 2-Blue-Ray set comprising the original 1970 documentary of the ultimate rock festival, with two hours of new footage plus a new 50-minute documentary about ...

Woodstock's 40th Anniversary: An Interview with Michael Wadleigh

Retrospective and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The National, July 2009

FORTY SUMMERS AGO, a small group of young, long-haired American hippie capitalists were finalising plans to stage an ambitious outdoor music and arts festival in ...

Blue Roses, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Fever Ray, I Like Trains, Joe Gideon & The Shark, Grace Jones, of Montreal, Pet Shop Boys, Tricky, Wild Beasts, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Patrick Wolf, The xx, Thom Yorke: Latitude Festival Review: The Quietus Gets Saucy In Southwold

Live Review by Luke Turner, The Quietus, 24 July 2009

The Quietus bored by Yorke but tentage to Grace Jones, Pet Shop Boys and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at the driest wet festival ...

Led Zeppelin: I Was There: Nostalgic Recollections From Led Zeppelin's 1979 Shows at Knebworth

Book Excerpt by Dave Lewis, Then As It Was (Tight But Loose Publishing), August 2009

FOR THE THOUSANDS of fans who converged on Hertfordshire over the first two weekends of August 1979, Led Zeppelin at Knebworth was more than a ...

Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, Richie Havens, Santana: Woodstock's 40th anniversary

Retrospective and Interview by Alan Light, MSN.com, August 2009

Woodstock was a beginning, and it was an end. ...

Arctic Monkeys, Glasvegas, Ian Brown, Radiohead, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Radiohead, Ian Brown, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs et al: Reading Festival, Berkshire ***

Live Review by Nick Hasted, The Independent, 31 August 2009

Radiohead's modern jazz wrong-foots the crowd ...

No Fun Festival: Music Hall of Williamsburg, New York City

Live Review by Byron Coley, The Wire, September 2009

THE SIXTH New York instalment of the No Fun Festival was probably the last one in the US for a while. "Although," advises organiser Carlos ...

Country Joe & The Fish, Crosby Stills and Nash, Jimi Hendrix, The Who: Woodstock: Back To The Garden

Retrospective and Interview by Kris Needs, Record Collector, October 2009

40 years on, Woodstock's epochal celebration of music, peace and unleashed hedonism is being marked with an unprecedented deluge of audio and visual releases. KRIS ...

A Year In The Life Of The Brits

Report and Interview by Johnny Black, Music Week, March 2010

The BRIT Awards is, of course, a one-night-only affair. However, anyone paying attention to the ease with which the whole production flows, the clarity of ...

BRIT Awards

Retrospective by Johnny Black, Music Week, March 2010

THE BRIT Awards, about to celebrate its 30th anniversary, has become a cherished national institution, a must-see annual celebration of the most successful, enduring and ...

Billy Bragg, Alex Chilton, Flying Lotus, Hole, Muse, The xx: South by Southwest: Where The Weird Get Going

Report by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 26 March 2010

The freaks were out in force in Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest festival. Stephen Dalton revels in the music ...

The Barbarians, The Beach Boys, James Brown, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Jan & Dean, Billy J. Kramer, Jack Nitzsche, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Rolling Stones: The T.A.M.I. Show: Rock's Greatest Concert Movie Ever?

Retrospective and Interview by Richie Unterberger, Record Collector, May 2010

Richie Unterberger celebrates a legendary who's who of rock and soul royalty caught live in their prime, and now finally available on DVD. ...

The Magic Numbers

Interview by John Lewis, Hotline, August 2010

After a three-year hiatus, brother/sister quartet The Magic Numbers are back with their best album yet. John Lewis talks to them about Trinidad, Nigeria, Willesden ...

Emerson Lake & Palmer, Foreigner, UFO, ZZ Top: High LOL-tage: Mike Diver's classic rock adventure

Live Review by Mike Diver, Drowned in Sound, 3 August 2010

The other day our former overlord Mike Diver phoned up DiS HQ to belligerently demand we implement what he described as "the final phase" of ...

Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Cat Power, Suzanne Vega: The Lilith Fair Abides

Report by Maura Johnston, The Village Voice, 4 August 2010

A late-'90s fest returns with great ideas (the Lilipad!), throwback headliners, and terrible marketing. ...

Field Music, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., Pavement, Robyn, The Stooges, Paul Weller, The xx: A Trip To Oya In Oslo Via Pavement, Munch & MIA 


Report by Chris Roberts, The Quietus, 20 August 2010

IF YOU GO for a cigarette on the fourth floor balcony of the hotel, you see cruise-ships and boats flanking a floating stage, upon which ...

Guns N' Roses: Reading Festival, Berkshire

Live Review by Nick Hasted, The Independent, 28 August 2010

Axl flounders as Reading made to wait for its rock fix ...

Gregg Allman, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Elton John, Leon Russell: All Star's Concert For T Bone Is Well Done

Live Review by Jim Sullivan, Boston Herald, 18 October 2010

I FIRST SAW T Bone Burnett in 1975 when he was 27 and one of the less-known musicians on Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour. ...

The Beach Boys, Cristina, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Shakin' Stevens: Bob Stanley's guide to writing the perfect Christmas hit

Guide by Bob Stanley, The Guardian, 16 December 2010

From Elvis to Shakey, from Cliff Richard to Mark E. Smith, every pop star worth their salt has sung a song of Santa at some ...

The Monterey Pop House Band

Book Excerpt by Kirk Silsbee, 'A Perfect Haze' (Santa Monica Press), 2011

THE UNTOLD STORY of 1960s rock is the often-uncredited role that studio musicians played in the records that were the soundtrack to the era's youth.  ...

Lady Gaga, Muse: Spectacles: Muse and Lady Gaga

Report and Interview by Jude Rogers, The Word, January 2011

Muse pushed the envelope of live spectacle, while Lady Gaga was oddly intimate. Who won? ...

Pet Shop Boys on The Most Incredible Thing

Report and Interview by Sheryl Garratt, Daily Telegraph, 17 February 2011

The Pet Shop Boys have joined forces with Sadler's Wells on The Most Incredible Thing, a ballet based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. ...

Nirvana: Krist Novoselic and the beatification of Nirvana

Report and Interview by Keith Cameron, The Guardian, 5 May 2011

Once the enfants terribles of the Seattle rock underground, Nirvana have now been exalted by the city elders. Bassist Krist Novoselic talks about becoming a ...

Ten Years Of Eden

Retrospective by Johnny Black, Music Week, June 2011

ANYONE LOOKING for a dream come true probably wouldn't start in a hole in the ground in the remote hinterland of Cornwall. Nevertheless, that's what ...

DJ Kool Herc DJs his first block party

Retrospective and Interview by Angus Batey, The Guardian, 13 June 2011

DJ Kool Herc DJs his first block party (his sister's birthday) on 13 August 1973 at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, New York ...

Hip-Hop and Festivals: An Awkward Relationship

Comment by Ben Myers, The Guardian, 23 June 2011

When they get it right, rappers can rival stadium rock acts. But a mere gust of wind can expose how few MCs can hack festivals ...

Coldplay, U2: Glastonbury: Coldplay and U2 almost spoil the party

Report by Nick Hasted, The Independent, 28 June 2011

The headliners split the crowds, but this year's Glastonbury showed that the '70s dream lives on at Worthy Farm. ...

George Harrison, Ravi Shankar: With a Little Help from His Friends: George Harrison and the Concert for Bangla Desh

Retrospective by Harvey Kubernik, Rock's Backpages, July 2011

STEVE VAN ZANDT, May 2011, Lillehammer, Norway: "The anti-apartheid Sun City project (single, album, video, documentary, book, teaching guide) was a high point and a ...

"Retromania"

Comment by Simon Reynolds, The New York Times, 12 August 2011

1: 'NOW' POP WILL REPEAT ITSELF Museums, Reunions, Rock Docs, Re-enactments ...

Björk: Manchester International Festival

Live Review by Rob Hughes, The Word, September 2011

Björk's new live show: sci-fi, gothic soundtrack and head-scrambling visuals. Each song comes with an interactive app. ...

Kid Koala: "I always wanted to work on The Muppet Show"

Profile and Interview by John Lewis, Metro, 16 September 2011

Musician, cartoonist, graphic novelist, DJ, primary school teacher… Metro meets the many sides of Canadian polymath Kid Koala. ...

Adele, Beyoncé, Bon Iver, Kanye West: Will Bon Iver Be The Arcade Fire Of 2012? And Other Pre-Grammy Nomination Show Questions

Report by Maura Johnston, The Village Voice, 30 November 2011

TONIGHT'S GRAMMY nomination concert, airing at 10 p.m. on CBS, will not only jam-pack a bunch of performances by the likes of Lady Gaga and ...

Van Halen: Café Wha?

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, January 2012

"WELCOME TO Occupy Van Halen!," said a grinning David Lee Roth, as the band took to the stage of New York's tiny basement club Café ...

Wilco: The Bigger Picture

Interview by Rob Hughes, The Word, March 2012

Music, pop-up stores, all-ages art, cabaret: Wilco's Solid Sound Festival is "what we can't get across in a live two-hour show" ...

Chic, Friendly Fires, Grace Jones, Kelis, Lana Del Rey, Stooshe: Kelis, Grace Jones, Lana Del Rey, Chic, Friendly Fires et al: Lovebox Festival, Victoria Park, London

Live Review by Jude Rogers, The Guardian, 18 June 2012

...

Paul Weller on the 100 Club

Interview by John Lewis, Metro, July 2012

Paul Weller has a long relationship with the 100 Club – not just as a performer but as a teenage punter. ...

Duran Duran, Paolo Nutini, Snow Patrol, Stereophonics: Duran Duran, Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini, Snow Patrol: Olympic Concert, Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Nick Hasted, The Independent, 28 July 2012

Snow Patrol, Simon Le Bon and Ricky Gervais's beard strike a chord ...

The Band, Levon Helm: Love for Levon: Izod Center, New Jersey

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, October 2012

LEVON HELM wasn't exactly a household name. But when the former drummer and vocalist for The Band died in April after a long battle with ...

Fairport Convention: Fairport's Cropredy Convention

Live Review by Mike Atherton, Record Collector, November 2012

IN MIDDLE ENGLAND, an Oxfordshire field came back to life to celebrate the 45th anniversary of folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention, whose acoustic set launched this ...

Bon Jovi, Coldplay, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, The Who: 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief: Madison Square Garden, New York

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, December 2012

IT MIGHT HAVE been the single greatest gathering of talent for a rock show – or it might just have been, as Mick Jagger put ...

Jennifer Lopez: Superstar of the Caspian

Report and Interview by John Lewis, Baku, Winter 2012

Jennifer Lopez brought her spectacular show to Baku recently and talked to Baku in her trailer afterwards about glitz, glamour and hype. ...

Gavin Bryars, John Cage, Lol Coxhill, The Portsmouth Sinfonia: The Avant-Garde's Woodstock: The International Carnival Of Experimental Sound, 1972

Book Excerpt by Dave Thompson, 'June 1st, 1974', 2013

Excerpt from the book June 1st, 1974: Kevin Ayers, John Cale, Nico, Eno, Mike Oldfield and Robert Wyatt – The Greatest Supergroup Of The Seventies ...

David Bowie: Bowie at Live Aid

Retrospective by Phil Sutcliffe, Q, January 2013

EVERYBODY REMEMBERS that Queen stole the show at Live Aid, but it's only insiders like "event co-ordinator" Pete Smith who know how David Bowie saved ...

Kraftwerk: Is Kraftwerk still a functioning pop group?

Comment by Ben Thompson, Daily Telegraph, 6 February 2013

On the eve of Kraftwerk's eight sell-out concerts at Tate Modern, Ben Thompson tries to give comfort to the ticketless. ...

David Bowie: Who is David Bowie? A Guide to the V&A retrospective

Report by Sean O'Hagan, The Observer, 16 February 2013

As a blockbuster exhibition, David Bowie is, gets under way at the V&A, Sean O'Hagan dissects the pop icon's influences – and reveals the ideas ...

Elvis Costello, D'Angelo, Kat Edmonson, Prince, The Roots, The Waterboys, Wendy And Lisa: The Music of Prince: Carnegie Hall, New York

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, March 2013

PRINCE HAS long been considered a gold standard as a singer, guitarist, stage performer, and producer. He's such a singular force, though, that he hasn't ...

David Bowie: Highlights of David Bowie Is: V&A, London

Review by Kate Allen, Rock's Backpages, 25 March 2013

I'VE NEVER been a Bowie-phile, but after visiting the David Bowie is exhibition at the V&A last week, it's difficult not to feel as though such ...

The Rolling Stones will reign supreme until there is a new counterculture

Comment by Paul Morley, The Observer, 31 March 2013

The new generation is blocked from moving on creatively, not only by the baby boomers but also their own inertia. ...

Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, Booker T. Jones, John Mayer, Keith Richards: Crossroads Guitar Festival: Madison Square Garden, New York

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, April 2013

Two nights. Nine-and-a-half hours. Thirty-three guitar players (more or less). Ninety-one songs. ...

Michael Lang (2013)

Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages Audio, 9 October 2013

The man who produced the Woodstock festival talks about the importance of its name; moving to the town in 1968; the major figures around town: The Band, Bob Dylan and Albert Grossman; the notable people and places in the vicinity, including Jimi Hendrix, Tim Hardin and Fred Neil; the relationship between town and festival; his Just Sunshine label and its abiding cult signing Karen Dalton; the town's incestuousness; the Bearsville label and studio, and Todd Rundgren; the 1994 festival... and Woodstock today.

File format: mp3; file size: 65.2mb, interview length: 1h 07' 55" sound quality: ***

David Bowie: David Bowie is: V&A, London

Review by Nicky Charlish, Culture Wars, 9 November 2013

Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, the Thin White Duke, The Man Who Fell to Earth, the man of seemingly endless identity changes. David Bowie has been ...

Nick Drake, John Martyn: Solid Air: John Martyn and Nick Drake

Report and Interview by Nick Coleman, Independent on Sunday, 10 November 2013

JOHN MARTYN and Nick Drake have just tipped up backstage at an Oxford College Commemorative Ball. It is 1973. The older, newly-successful man, Martyn, is ...

Boy George, Duran Duran, Bob Geldof, George Michael, Sting, U2, Midge Ure, Paul Young: A World Of Dreaded Fear: Band Aid's Unforgivable Crimes

Retrospective by Wyndham Wallace, The Quietus, 10 December 2013

Band Aid raised awareness of a disastrous famine, as well as huge sums of money to try ease it. But, one year ahead of its ...

Tom Waits: The Bridge School Benefit, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California, October 27, 2013

Live Review by Jaan Uhelszki, Uncut, January 2014

In which a failed restauranteur — specialities: eel, donuts, fish scales — repays his debt to Neil Young. Lucky day! ...

Cheap Trick, John Fogerty, Foo Fighters, Stevie Nicks, Queens Of The Stone Age, Rick Springfield: The Sound City Players: Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC

Live Review by Alan Light, MSN.com, February 2014

"THAT ROCK fantasy camp shit?," screamed a shirtless Taylor Hawkins. "This is it right here!" The Foo Fighters drummer – taking a rare turn standing ...

Reverend Gary Davis, Brownie McGhee, Cousin Joe Pleasants, Sonny Terry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Muddy Waters: The Folk Blues and Gospel Caravan, 1964

Retrospective and Interview by Johnny Black, Blues, April 2014

LEGEND HOLDS that on October 22, 1962, a van set out from London, headed north. In that van were Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian ...

Semibreve festival: Braga, Portugal

Report by Wyndham Wallace, The Quietus, 3 November 2014

Wyndham Wallace reports from Braga on a weekend of eye-opening, ear-bending, mind-broadening performances at Portugal's premier digital arts festival. ...

Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias, The Durutti Column, The Fall: Into The Valley! The Deeply Vale Festival

Retrospective and Interview by Rob Hughes, Uncut, January 2015

1978. Hippies and punks come together at an idyllic free festival near Rochdale: "It was a really transformative moment!" ...

Eric Clapton, The Doors, Kim Fowley, John Lennon, Little Richard, Yoko Ono: The Domino Effect: How One of Toronto's Most Iconic Rock Concerts Almost Never Happened

Retrospective by Juliette Jagger, Noisey, 13 April 2015

FOR MANY, the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival of 1969 is the stuff of legends. For some, like famed rock promoter and pop culture icon ...

Kate Tempest: The Great Escape festival, Brighton

Live Review by Nick Hasted, The Independent, 18 May 2015

Kate Tempest stands out proudly in midst of hustling between scattered venues ...

Mac DeMarco, Ride, Savages, Patti Smith: Field Day: Victoria Park, London — an embarrassment of riches

Report by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, 8 June 2015

The festival market grows ever more crowded, but east London's clued-up shindig keeps getting it right, with FKA twigs, Patti Smith, Ride and many more ...

Kanye West: A Triumph of Kanye West's will

Live Review by David Bennun, Intelligent Life, 28 June 2015

"RAP IS THE new rock'n'roll. We the rock stars. And I'm the biggest of all of them." ...

Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger: Elijah Wald: Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan and the Night That Split the '60s

Book Review by Peter Stone Brown, CounterPunch, 3 July 2015

THIS YEAR IS the 50th Anniversary of Bob Dylan armed with an electric guitar, taking the stage at the Newport Folk Festival, backed by a ...

James Brown, William DeVaughn, Skip Mahoney & the Casuals: Celebrating the "Godfather of Soul" the best way they know how

Report and Interview by Geoffrey Himes, The Washington Post, 16 July 2015

LAST SUMMER, when the James Brown biopic Get on Up opened on movie screens, jazz bassist Christian McBride organized an all-star concert at the Hollywood ...

Suicide: Requiem For A Scream: Suicide's 'Punk Mass'

Live Review by John Calvert, The Quietus, 16 July 2015

IN HIS PRE-SHOW ADDRESS, frothy punk minotaur Henry Rollins is telling a story, which of course he's pretty good at. A formidable, not to mention ...

William Onyeabor, Sinkane: Ahmed Gallab: "I want to make people feel the joy of being alive"

Interview by John Aizlewood, The Evening Standard, 14 August 2015

Ahmed Gallab is all set to blow minds at David Byrne's Meltdown festival, and he hopes his hip sound will inspire youngsters back in his ...

Richard Dawson, St. Vincent, Super Furry Animals: Green Man festival, Glanusk Park, Brecon Beacons — home-town heroes and hot tubs steal the weekend

Live Review by Laura Barton, The Guardian, 24 August 2015

Super Furry Animals take Saturday with a gloriously long set, while a dazzling St Vincent proves that Green Man just gets better with age ...

Björk on Iceland: "We don't go to church, we go for a walk"

Interview by Laura Barton, The Guardian, 16 November 2015

Björk used to walk across the tundra singing at the top of her lungs. John Grant left America for its rocky grandeur and Sigur Rós's ...

Peace and harmonies: Christmas songs still have the power to bring us together

Retrospective by Peter Silverton, The Independent, 16 December 2015

Even in the age of the digital download, compilations of festive music still have an impact, and this is why. ...

Ronnie Lane's Escape To The Country

Retrospective by Max Bell, Classic Rock, 31 December 2015

When Ronnie Lane quit the Faces, he swapped starry lead singers and showbiz bullshit for a new life down on the farm, and a new ...

David Bowie, Lady Gaga: Lady Gaga's David Bowie tribute didn't do either artist justice

Comment by Maura Johnston, The Guardian, 16 February 2016

Gaga has Bowie's shapeshifting abilities and a strong voice, but the late star's legacy was ill-served by the hectic megamix she performed. ...

David Bowie: The David Bowie tribute concerts

Review by Caryn Rose, Live Nation TV, 5 April 2016

LAST JANUARY, when promoter Michael Dorf announced that he'd finally received permission from David Bowie to be the subject of his annual tribute benefit concert, ...

PJ Harvey et al: Field Day, Victoria Park, London

Live Review by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, 13 June 2016

A lineup including Skepta, Deerhunter, James Blake and PJ Harvey prove more than able to banish wet weather blues with warm and powerful performances. ...

Burt Bacharach, GoGo Penguin, Grace Jones, Kamasi Washington: Grace Jones et al.: Love Supreme Jazz Festival, Sussex

Live Review by Nick Hasted, The Independent, 7 July 2016

Burt Bacharach, GoGo Penguin and Esperanza Spalding are other highlights ...

Drake, Green Day, Sting: American Music Awards: anti-Trump sentiment peppers pop's timid party

Report by Maura Johnston, The Guardian, 21 November 2016

Usually the awards show is a chance for those who turn up to walk away with a gong, but this year several acts and presenters ...

Kate Bush: Not Drowning But Waving

Interview by Jim Irvin, MOJO, January 2017

Forty years into her career, Kate Bush is still looking for fresh ways to exhaust herself. Before The Dawn, her run of 22 live shows ...

Why I made a 15,000-mile trip to a jazz festival when I don't even like jazz

Report by Tim Cooper, The Evening Standard, 10 March 2017

THIS WEEK I made a round trip of 15,000 miles to go to a jazz festival on the other side of the world.  ...

Talking about a new generation … festivals ditch the "heritage acts"

Report and Interview by Edward Helmore, The Observer, 16 April 2017

Why the rock gods of the past are headlining elsewhere as they are dropped from line-ups at US music events ...

John Grant's North Atlantic Flux festival, Hull

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 May 2017

The American singer-songwriter played a rapturously received selection of barbed ballads at his own boutique festival. ...

The Music Festival That Time Forgot: Inside Steve Wozniak's US Fest

Retrospective and Interview by Erik Himmelsbach, Los Angeles, 28 June 2017

In 1982 Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak put on the US Festival, drawing huge bands and massive crowds. But its biggest claim to fame is how ...

Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains: Pink Floyd at the Victoria & Albert Museum

Review by Chris Charlesworth, Just Backdated, July 2017

AT THE START of the V&A's Pink Floyd exhibition there is a photograph of the first ever van that transported the four-man group and their ...

The KLF: KLF's Welcome to the Dark Ages: What time is chaos?

Report and Interview by Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 26 August 2017

Twenty-three years ago, Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty topped off a bizarre, brilliant pop career by burning £1m. Now they're back to commemorate it with ...

Salt-N-Pepa, Vanilla Ice: I Love the '90s: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 October 2017

It may have been a carnival of naff nostalgia, but thousands of middle-aged ravers came to party like it was 1995. ...

Prince: My Name Is Prince: O2, London

Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 27 October 2017

I HADN'T anticipated the sudden pang of sadness as I walked in and saw all those gaudy, gloriously naff outfits. My eyes went straight to ...

Where's the Love In, man?: The mystery of London's legendary lost Love In Festival of 1967

Retrospective by Jon Newey, Flashback, Summer 2017

In July 1967 the biggest gathering of psychedelic groups ever held in the UK up to that point took place at London's Alexandra Palace right ...

Neil Young: Roxy – Tonight's the Night Live

Review by Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 23 April 2018

The songwriter opened a legendary L.A. club in 1973 with an incredible performance that spotlighted his classic album. ...

Whitney Houston, Courtney Pine, Simple Minds, The Special AKA, Sting, Stevie Wonder: When Pop Went Political: Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute

Retrospective and Interview by David Burke, Classic Pop, June 2018

IT WAS A PARTY staged to express solidarity with the world's most famous political prisoner, while concurrently expressing vehement opposition to an overtly racist system ...

The Special AKA: When Pop Went Political: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Tribute Concert

Retrospective and Interview by David Burke, Classic Pop, June 2018

IT WAS A party staged to express solidarity with the world's most famous political prisoner, while concurrently expressing vehement opposition to an overtly racist system ...

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The National, Cat Power, Patti Smith, St. Vincent, The War on Drugs: All Points East: Victoria Park, London

Live Review by Tim Cooper, Louder Than War, 4 June 2018

Saturday 2nd June: The National, The War On Drugs, Future Islands, Warpaint, Cat Power Sunday 3rd June: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Patti Smith, St ...

Brian Eno: In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Brian Eno, musician, artist, producer, thinker

Interview by Larry LeBlanc, Celebrity Access, July 2018

IT IS APPARENT that there's no measure in contemporary culture to absolutely gauge Brian Eno. His staggering command of several creative disciplines places him alongside ...

When Eurovision came to town

Report and Interview by Tim Cooper, Little Atoms, 12 July 2018

In 1993, as war raged in the Balkans, the Eurovision circus descended on the tiny Irish town of Millstreet. It was with the emergence of ...

U2: How do U2 fill the O2? They send for Stufish

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 October 2018

Stufish Entertainment Architects has made spectacular sets for the rock band, as well as Elton and Beyoncé. Stephen Dalton sees how ...

Joni Mitchell: Martyn Atkins (dir.): Joni 75 – A Birthday Celebration

Review by Simon Warner, Rock's Backpages, March 2019

IT WAS A little ironic that the only live breath that Joni Mitchell exuded at her own 75th birthday celebration extinguished a single candle on ...

Mac DeMarco: From Coachella to Dreamland

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 17 May 2019

The Canadian indie rocker is curating a one-day festival in Margate ...

Bob Dylan: A Subterranean Bicentennial Road Movie: Scorsese's Rolling Thunder Revue

Film/DVD/TV Review by Mick Gold, Rock's Backpages, 13 June 2019

WHEN ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese was posted on IMDb, I clicked on Full Cast & Crew and scanned the ...

Jack Bruce: Sunshine Of Your Love: A Concert For Jack Bruce

Film/DVD/TV Review by Tony Burke, Morning Star, 5 November 2019

IN 2015, A DAY before the first anniversary of his death at the age of 71, an all-star cast of musicians gathered at London's Roundhouse ...

Lou Reed: At Alice Tully Hall (January 27, 1973)

Sleeve notes by Ed McCormack, Legacy Recordings, 2020

I WROTE REGULARLY for Rolling Stone for over a decade – when it really meant something to write for that publication. I spent a lot ...

Extreme Noise Terror, The KLF: When the KLF and Extreme Noise Terror outgunned the Brits: what happened next?

Retrospective and Interview by Ian Winwood, Daily Telegraph, 18 February 2020

TONIGHT, THE 02 Arena in London will host the 40th edition of the BRIT Awards. Presented by Jack Whitehall and featuring appearances from Rod Stewart ...

Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel: Simon & Garfunkel and the battle of Central Park: Inside the concert that tore them apart

Retrospective by Ian Winwood, Daily Telegraph, 3 June 2020

IN THE SUMMER of 1981, Paul Simon received a call from the Long Island concert promoter Ron Delsener. The 44-year-old Tri-State impresario was speaking on ...

Peter Gabriel, Genesis: The shambolic Genesis reunion that saved Peter Gabriel from financial ruin

Retrospective by Ian Winwood, Daily Telegraph, 6 August 2020

Womad crippled Peter Gabriel, so his former bandmates offered to keep the bailiffs away. If only they could remember how to play together…  ...

Miles Davis: Miles Ahead

Retrospective by Jon Newey, Jazzwise, September 2020

Fifty years ago this month Miles Davis played the biggest gig of his career when he brought his groundbreaking Bitches Brew band to the 1970 ...

The 5th Dimension, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King: Stevie, Gladys, Nina … Summer of Soul uncovers a festival greater than Woodstock

Retrospective and Interview by Stevie Chick, The Guardian, 15 July 2021

As the US boiled with violence, 1969's Harlem cultural festival nourished spirits with soul, jazz and gospel. Now, Questlove has turned lost footage of it ...

Bob Dylan: Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan

Review by Liz Thomson, The Independent, 19 July 2021

Dylan, now 80, shattered expectations with this mesmerising livestream concert ...

Kendrick Lamar: Glastonbury Festival

Live Review by Patrick Clarke, The Quietus, 28 June 2022

Kendrick Lamar might not be our saviour, but his headline slot at Glastonbury 2022 is a staggering demonstration of how an embrace of complexity and ...

ABBA: Voyage

Live Review by Chris Charlesworth, Just Backdated, February 2023

"I CAN'T believe it," sang the Who in A Quick One. "Do my eyes deceive me?" ...

The 1975, Billie Eilish, Sam Fender, The Killers: Reading Festival: from Billie Eilish to Rina Sawayama, the kick-ass Barbies outshine the dull Kens

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Evening Standard, 28 August 2023

It still has its gender imbalance issues but the women on the bill this year were the ones not to miss. ...