A one-line review of every gig I’ve been to in July and August 2025

This instalment got rather behind schedule while I was having a tricky summer, but anyway, my gig reviews are back, featuring, among others, Duran Duran in Exeter, The Human League in Halifax, Kaiser Chiefs, The New Eves, the Manics, Natalie Imbruglia off of Neighbours, and Andy Bell (the one from Erasure, not the one from Ride or Oasis)

So earlier in the year Duran Duran announced they were only doing two UK shows as part of their European tour, in Chelmsford, and at Powderham Castle, just outside Exeter in Kenton. I couldn’t go to the Chelmsford one cos I had the kids that week, so you know what happened next, obviously I bought a ticket for Exeter.

They were the first band I was a fan to the extent that I had a t-shirt, so I had to go. Lovely train journey, check into a hotel, mooch about the city, have a couple of beers in different pubs, and then miss the beginning of …

Nile Rodgers & Chic, Powderham Castle, Exeter, 3 Jul – … because the shuttle buses to the venue were stuck in country road single-file traffic trying to get there while I was busting for a piss. Niles and his band did their best to get the party started, with a hit-packed set that including stuff from Chic and other songs that Niles produced over the years.

[Nile Rodgers & Chic at Powderham Castle, Exeter]

Duran Duran, Powderham Castle, Exeter, 3 Jul – They opened with a deep cut from the first album and then by five songs in they’ve already broken out The Wild Boys, Hungry Like The Wolf, A View to a Kill and Notorious and basically you’ve had your money’s worth after twenty-five minutes. Great fun, a band in lovely form and seemingly very at ease with themselves these days.

[Duran Duran at Powderham Castle, Exeter]

And yes … Duran Duran subsequently announced they are doing a special Halloween show in Manchester and obviously I am going to that too.

Blancmange, Piece Hall, Halifax, 11 Jul – After this set a woman came up to me and said “You knew every word of that, we were watching you” so I might have been exuding some main character energy down the front, who can say?

[Blancmange at Piece Hall, Halifax]

Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Piece Hall, Halifax, 11 Jul – Such favourite songs of mine and so lovely to see him enjoying playing this material.

[Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey (L) and a massive red balloon at Piece Hall, Halifax]

The Human League, Piece Hall, Halifax, 11 Jul – Impeccably styled and performing their impeccable back catalogue. And Halifax is lovely.

[The Human League at Piece Hall, Halifax]

Disco 2000, Trades Hall, Walthamstow, 12 Jul – Floor-filler after floor-filler from the 1990s indie scene. I cannot recommend this night enough. Find the next ones here which include a gothy/alt Halloween one and a Christmas one.

October and the Eyes, Moth Club, Hackney, 17 Jul – She implied she normally had more of “the eyes” with her than just one bloke on guitar, but this was great – gritty and seedy and noisy.

[October and the Eyes at the Moth Club]

Stella Rose, Moth Club, Hackney, 17 Jul – I first heard MS.45 and Hollybaby when Spotify was foisting them on me and I loved them. It was only when I tried to find out more about her that I realised she was Dave Gahan’s daughter. Which means there are mixed nepo-baby feelings – clearly I liked the music on its own merit but would she have been pushed at me without the connection?

But anyway, she is a already a really good frontperson and the material is very strong. I imagine she could do without the pricks turning up head-to-toe in Depeche Mode merch though.

[Stella Rose at the Moth Club]

Outdoor gigs at Ally Pally are always really nice. They seem to sell them at a very comfortable capacity for the space, so it is easy to get down the front, and there are plenty of toilets and bars per capita. Lovely stuff. I also definitely did not fall down the hill at any point after a few beers.

[You can see my house from here … and We Are Scientists]

We Are Scientists, Alexandra Palace, London, 19 Jul – Their name always makes me think they are going to sound like Hot Chip, but they are more straight-down-the-middle guitar alt.indie than that. On paper I should really like them but they’ve never wowed me.

The Coral, Alexandra Palace, London, 19 Jul – One of those bands I have caught a few times in support slots and always really enjoy – a hits-packed set and they have a lot of great tunes I can sing along to even though I seldom play them at home. Singer seemed quite grumpy on the day though.

[The Coral at Alexandra Palace, London]

Kaiser Chiefs, Alexandra Palace, London, 19 Jul – Route one from Kaiser Chiefs on this tour: here is the whole of our debut album in order, which essentially means they open with seven banging hit singles, the bit of side two you don’t play so much, brief pause, restart with Blitzkrieg Bop and then play the other hits. Fantastic night, and Ricky Wilson is a very effective frontman still. I’ve already booked to see it all again next year.

[Kaiser Chiefs at Alexandra Palace, London]

The New Eves, Rough Trade East, London, 1 Aug – Playing their folk horror ritualistic debut album in full to launch it, one of the most intense live bands knocking around right now. I was too shy to go and get my copy signed.

Chris Moyles (DJ set), Audley End, the middle of effin’ nowhere, 2 Aug – I just assumed he would play loads of great 90s tunes and not try and make the afternoon all about him. Well, how wrong I was. And mate, if you think the crowd are boring and old and are being stiffed for over-priced beer … nobody is forcing you to take this kind of gig.

[Ash at Audley End, blowing away the lingering ego of Chris Moyles]

Ash, Audley End, 2 Aug – I maybe saw them somewhere on a festival bill in the 90s but I really enjoyed the energy they still have, they had more tunes I knew than I reckoned in advance, and Tim bought a little mini-me on at the end. Really enjoyed it and bought a ticket to go and see them again as a result.

[Awwwwwwwwwwww]

The Charlatans, Audley End, 2 Aug – A band I have seen more and more and more over the years, because each time I do I realise that I like them more than I previously realised, and it has become exponential. To be honest, as much as I love the Manics, I wasn’t that fussed about seeing them a third time this year at a venue difficult to get to, but the presence of Ash and the Charlatans on the bill immediately sealed the deal.

[The Charlatans at Audley End]

Manic Street Preachers, Audley End, 2 Aug – Oh and then they came on and I love them so much and I felt bad that I had even briefly contemplated not going to see this show.

I made my way to Brighton for Pride for the first time, and to mark the occasion “dressed up” in my more colourful “away” white kit.

Natalie Imbruglia, Pride on the Park, Brighton, 3 Aug – From that weird mid-90s period of time when everybody I’d ever had a crush on in an Antipodean soap opera suddenly started releasing credible records. I love her, she did a Chappell Roan cover, has at least one more big hit single than you remember, and still looks amazing.

[Natalie Imbruglia at Pride on the Park, Brighton]

Will Young, Pride on the Park, Brighton, 3 Aug – I don’t really have any strong thoughts about Will Young. Seems like a nice chap, can clearly carry a tune, and did a surprise cover of a Bats For Lashes song.

[Will Young at Pride on the Park, Brighton]

Andy Bell (the one from Erasure, not the one from Ride or Oasis), Pride on the Park, Brighton, 3 Aug – An absolute legend. I basically went because I enjoyed his solo show so much this year, I immediately bought a ticket to go and see him again, and enjoyed that so much I immediately bought a ticket to watch him again for a slightly frustratingly short set here. No Oh L’Amour or Sometimes? At a festival? Are you sure?

[Andy Bell (the one from Erasure, not the one from Ride or Oasis) at Pride on the Park, Brighton]

Anyway, then I became unwell and spent most of the rest of August not going to things, except for the DJ Steve Proctor Love and Dancing night at Walthamstow Trades Hall, which as ever was an essential night of going wild to 80’s tunes, sometimes in their original 12″ formats, although unusually on this occasion there were two brawls/security incidents and a dog on the dancefloor!

Find all of my one-line gig reviews here.