The Wombats Live Review

On Sunday, whilst streaming music and absentmindedly checking all social media outlets, I came across an absolute gem:

@thewombats "London! We’re playing an intimate guest list only show Wednesday night. RSVP here: http://jukely.com/thewombats "

Of course as someone who saw The Wombats live at the O2 Academy Birmingham over seven years ago I couldn't help but feel this free gig was well worth going to.

So, with my friend in toe, we darted North to Nambucca on Holloway Road to ensure we could get entry. In hindsight there was absolutely no need to rush, but hey you never know what to expect when things are offered for free!!

As a very brief bio, The Wombats are an indie rock band from Liverpool. First hitting the music scene in 2003, the Wombats have released a number of great tracks, including the popular "Let's Dance to Joy Division" and "Moving To New York." To date they have released three albums, the most recent being "Glitterbug" which came out in April of this year. For more info on them, check out their website http://www.thewombats.co.uk/

Similar bands/styles to the Wombats are The Pigeon Detectives, The Kooks and Two Door Cinema Club.

Arriving on stage at 9.45 the crowd were well and truly fueled up on beer and ready to be entertained. And entertained we were. Playing a mixture of songs from their old and new albums, lead vocalist Matthew Murphy had the crowd well and truly pumped. In the hope of not coming across too 'old' it has certainly been a while since I have been on the cusp of such a wild/frantic mosh pit.

It is no surprise the crowds biggest reaction and cheers came when The Wombats played their two biggest (and most recognised) tracks, as mentioned above, Lets Dance for Joy Division and Moving to New York.

Overall for a last minute free gig I had an absolutely brilliant time. I would certainly pay to see them live...again! Despite it being over seven years between the two gigs I attended by the Wombats, both times I was treated to an excellent night of live music. Currently touring around Europe and then Australia, the Wombats will be back in the UK for Summer festivals (T In The Park, Reading & Leeds). I would certainly recommend seeing them live - their upbeat tracks and energetic set are the perfect mix for a fun night out.

Tour dates: 
July 4th. Godiva Festival - Coventry, UK
July 10th. T in the Park - UK
August 28th. Bramham Park - Leeds, UK
August 29th. Reading Festival - Reading, UK
August 30th. Leeds Festival - Leeds, UK
September 15th. Terminal 4 - NYC
September 28th. Rock City - Nottingham, UK
September 30th. Guildhall - Southampton, UK
October 1st. Alexandra Palace - London, UK
October 2nd. Cardiff University - Cardiff, UK
October 21st. Apollo - Manchester, UK
October 23rd. Mountford Hall - Liverpool, UK

For more information on tour dates please check out: http://www.thewombats.co.uk/tour/

Fleetwood Mac Live Review

So far this year I have managed to tick a number of things off my bucket list - one being 'see Ryan Adams live in concert.' Check.

Despite being a huge Ryan Adams fan however, there is one band that pips him to the post in my eyes; Fleetwood Mac - one of the best selling bands of all time. 

Anyone who is unaware of this band, I am sorry, but I have to ask, where have you been hiding for the last forty years? Forming together back in 1967, the story of Fleetwood Mac has been no means plain sailing. The core line up made of Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie has been constantly changing. With  stories of marriages, affairs, break ups, feuds and divorces plaguing the band, it is no wonder the core four have not remained constant over their 40+ year journey. There is one member however that has been present from day 1:  Mick Fleetwood. 

To date this band has released seventeen albums, the most successful one being Rumours (1977), which stayed at the number one spot in the US album charts for 31 weeks, and included 4 Top 10 US singles.

Although tickets to their show were easily the most expensive I have ever had to pay for a gig, it was 100% worth it. With no support act beforehand, Fleetwood Mac hit the stage and delivered a cracking show of their best singles for a solid 2.5hrs.

The evenings music was split out in several sections and included the following singles: The Chain, You Make Loving Fun, Dreams, Second Hand News, Rhiannon, Everywhere, I know i'm not wrong, Tusk, Sisters of the Moon, Say You Love Me, Big Love, Landslide, Never Going Back Again, Over My Head, Gypsy, Little Lies, Gold Dust Woman, I'm So Afraid, Go Your Own Way, World Turning, Don't Stop, Silver Springs and Songbird. 

It should come as no surprise these guys are awesome live. With over 40years behind them, they have had enough time to practice and get it right. Saying that, what impressed me the most was their fabulous stage presence and endurance. Aside from a very cool digital screen behind them which complimented their music entirely, the band kept things simple by ensuring the basics were right - it was obvious they put everything they had into each track. This in itself is phenomenal since they are all aged over 65. So yes, Fleetwood Mac, you've definitely still got it. 

For me the highlights were Stevie Nicks acoustic performance of landslide (a personal fav track of mine), Lindsey Buckingham giving it his all during his rendition of Big Love and finally Mick Fleetwood starting the 1st encore off with an impressive drum intro to 'World Turning.' 

The 20,000 strong crowd was treated to a great night of live music. The majority of the crowd were up on their feet and singing and dancing for the entire set. For me, what was so apparent, is how successful Fleetwood Mac has been in attracting fans of all ages. There were young kids, twenty somethings, and even the oldies - further highlighting why this band so rightly deserves the label of one of the biggest selling bands in all time.  

The reality is, after this tour (from the UK they are due to fly to Aus), who knows what Fleetwood Mac will do next. Have they got another album in them yet? I really hope so, but i'm not willing to place any bets on it just yet. With that in mind I am just so pleased I managed to see them live - and even better, all the core members were present. Without a margin of doubt, I would give this gig 10 out of 10. The overall vibe, stage presence, quality of music, and lighting effects were all flawless. So all I would say is if you do find yourself faced with the opportunity to see this band live, take my advice, buy the tickets. You can bet it will be well worth your time. 

Upcoming tour dates: 

8th June. Genting Arena, Birmingham - UK 

9th June. Genting Arena, Birmingham - UK

12th June. Manchester Arena, Manchester - UK 

14th June. Isle of Wight Festival - UK 

16/17tth June. SSE Hydro, Glasgow - UK

22/24/26/27 June. O2 Arena, London - UK 

30th June. First Direct Arena, Leeds - UK 

1st July. Manchester Arena, Manchester - UK

4th July. Genting Arena, Birmingham - UK 

5th July. First Direct Arena, Leeds - UK 

8th July. SSE HYDRO, Leeds - UK 

For more information regarding tickets and tour dates check out: http://www.fleetwoodmac.com/events