‘It’s been a while since we passed through these parts,’ Kid Creole points out. ‘How many of you were here in 82? Your age is showing.’ Two of the Coconuts weren’t born when he played Rock City. August Darnell, 67, looks ten years younger, and still sports a natty purple zoot suit, with frequent change of hat. The band take the stage at full throttle, pumping through a strong Stoolpigeon, a terrific I’m A Wonderful Thing, Baby (‘this is from my egotistical years’) among others. The brilliant Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy (which does a bit of crucial foreshadowing in my most recent novel) is the highlight. The Coconuts, in their Hawaiian skirts, are as flirtatiously entertaining as the 82 incarnation. The six piece…

Public Service Broadcasting hardly sound like the quintessential live act. Their albums could double as the soundtrack to an installation or documentary. 2015’s impressive album The Race for Space was recently followed by an album with a less commercial but no less worthy concept. Every Valley charts the rise and fall of the Welsh coal mining industry between the 1950’s and 1980’s. Founder J. Willgoose, Esq. on guitar, is joined by Wrigglesworth on drums and newest member J F Abraham on bass. Each also plays sundry other instruments. They could be three bespectacled secondary school teachers. Willgoose, from the back of the crowded floor, resembles newsman Robert Peston, giving enthusiastic, polite introductions. Illness forced me to miss them last year, but I was determined to…

An extended version of my review for the Nottingham Post. Lambchop are a melancholy, mesmerising band. The Nashville group rarely tour, even in tonight’s stripped down trio version. I’m sure I wasn’t the only person there who’d waited over twenty years to see them. Indeed, they’re my main reason for buying a ticket for Green Man this year (not that I needed much encouragement), before this tour was announced. Frontman Kurt Wagner sets up the laptop which will supply synths and drums. ‘I’ll be checking my email throughout the performance.’ Before opening with Writer, he tells the crowd, ‘It’s just us now, we can’t rely on governments’. The set mixes songs from delicious recent album – possibly their best – Flotus, with its mild Krautrock…

Stuart Cosgrove’s 2016 Detroit 67: the year that changed soul is primarily about Motown (the label was based in Detroit until 72) and, as such, complements Nelson George’s classic history of Motown, Where Did Our Love Go? the rise and fall of the Motown sound. Like that book, there’s a lot about The Supremes (this was the year that Florence Ballard left the group). There’s also plenty about my favourite Motown group, The Temptations, although, curiously, he doesn’t mention that the classic five line-up recorded and released one of the (possibly the) best Motown live albums that year, Temptations Live! Another odd omission is that, according to the introductory essay in the 1967 box of the Complete Motown Singles (my companion listening while reading this),…

This is an extended version of the review that appeared in Saturday’s Nottingham Post with a few added comments about the election. Quite a coup for Glee and promoters Cosmic American Music to get Bruce Springsteen’s bass player on election night. Tallent is the only remaining original member of the E Street Band (unless you count the boss himself). A youthful 67, Garry might seem old to be launching a solo career, but Bruce isn’t touring. And no expense is spared. The Tennessee Terror has brought along renowned singer/songwriter Kevin Montgomery to open for him. Montgomery, whose dad used to partner Buddy Holly, pays tribute to Holly with ‘Heartbeat’ (especially touching for my companion, who used to write for the series) and a lovely ‘Flower…