So Knebworth again. He came. He saw and he fucking conquered. Some (might say!) that you shouldn’t go back to Knebworth, but to hell with expectations and rules. Liam’s always swaggered to the beat of his own drum anyway. When it comes to Knebworth, as the man says himself ‘This is history – part 2!’

Let’s cast our minds back to the Platinum Jubilee weekend in June. I was at Knebworth reviewing the one and only Liam Gallagher. When he announced that he would be performing at the iconic Hertfordshire venue, 26 years after Oasis did THAT gig, there were a few rumblings from naysayers, but predominantly, there was a real sense of anticipation and the excitement was palpable.

Experience the Epic: Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22 Documentary

LG sold out two nights and his huge back-to-back shows saw him perform in front of 170,000 adoring fans. Whether you were there or not, ‘Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22’ will make you feel like you were there.

This brand new documentary film directed by Toby L , who has also worked on film projects for Bastille, Olivia Rodrigo and Damon Albarn offers an intimate insight into Liam and his team’s preparations for Knebworth.

It follows Liam as he heads back to the hallowed ground of Knebworth. This intriguing film showcases tracks from the gig interspersed with backstage footage which includes interviews, soundchecks and more.

There’s also commentary from his band members and fans. It’s an absolutely fantastic watch for both Liam stalwarts and a new generation of LG fans. Some of them weren’t even born at the height of the band’s success.

The Unwavering Devotion to Liam Gallagher’s Knebworth 22 Gig

It cleverly offers several different perspectives of a selection of fans who are going to the gig and the gargantuan impact that Liam has on their lives, many of whom have travelled far and wide to watch the iconic gig.

There’s little Audrina, an absolute demon on the ukulele who has thankfully recovered from cancer, the hugely passionate Aya who is missing her biggest exam at college in Belgium to go to Knebworth, Simon who’s taking his entire family of three generations to the gig and has an Liam-themed pub in his garden – the list goes on.

One fan cancelled his honeymoon in Jamaica to go, another used her life savings to go watch Liam and another has sacked off his job to go. After all, this was going to be the biggest gig of the year, why let weddings/money/your boss get in the way?! They clearly are all channelling the spirit of LG with a ‘zero fucks’ attitude.

Liam Gallagher’s Journey to Knebworth 22 and the Resurgence of Live Music

Everyone has a story (Morning Glory!) and it’s heartening to see the magnitude of how Liam, Oasis and his solo music have touched so many people. There’s some throwback footage from the 90’s, including footage from Oasis making their TV debut on ‘The Word’ from 1994.

At the beginning of the film, we see Liam flying over Knebworth in a helicopter and you really get a feeling of how up for it he is. This has been a long time coming. He says that he just wants to get on the stage ‘like a caged animal’ commenting that he ‘just wants to fucking let rip you know what I mean?’.

After the live music industry had been devastated by Covid-19, the return of gigs and festivals has never been more important and Knebworth was the pinnacle of this.

Even Liam admits that he didn’t think they would get back to ‘doing arenas let alone Knebworth’. Both nights had a fantastic lineup of support acts on the bill including Kasabian. All of which were hand-picked by Gallagher to join him for the two nights he played at Knebworth.

Kasabian’s Serge makes a cameo commenting on how music is ‘bringing people together’ and there’s also insight on Liam and his musical legacy from the likes of Melvin Benn (the promoter and MD of Festival Republic), Sam Eldridge (Liam’s Co-Manager who with Debbie Gwyther who have collectively helped shape Liam’s career and have been instrumental to the success of the Knebworth gigs) and band members – keyboard player Christian Madden and guitarist Mike Moore.

There are some funny anecdotes, Liam genuinely can’t remember certain aspects and places of Knebworth after performing there with Oasis in the ’90s. ‘I’ve never seen it in my fucking life!’ he remarks whilst marvelling at the expansive Knebworth landscape ‘Fucking hell, it’s big Debs!’.

C’mon You Know!

Some of the fans interviewed in the documentary were there and unequivocally have a slightly less than hazy recollection of that summer’s day and explained why they wanted to go back for as Liam calls it Knebworth ‘Part 2’. Without a doubt, this gig was really important to them to be part of the story and of Knebworth’s heritage.

Some things are always the same, the Oasis tee shirts, the bucket hats (although Liam admits he doesn’t think the fashion (of the ‘90’s) ‘was all that’. But Liam looked resplendent in a pristine white parka on Friday and looked equally cool the following day.

Whilst this documentary doesn’t show any of the footage of any Oasis tracks, the music that is included stands on its own merits, with tracks like ‘More Power’, a beautiful track from 2022’s ‘C’mon You Know’ (his third solo album) the epic ‘Wall of Glass’ from 2017’s ‘As You Were’, ‘Shockwave’ from 2019’s ‘Why Me? Why Not.’, ‘Everything’s Electric’ (which was co-written by Dave Grohl) ‘Better Days’, ‘The River’, ‘More Power’ and more.

Liam was joined by the legendary Stone Roses guitarist John Squire as the colossal gig drew to a close. It wasn’t John’s first rodeo at Knebworth having also appeared at the venue with Oasis back in 1996. This is sadly not included in the documentary, but it was truly a special moment for the elated crowd.

Liam Gallagher is a captivating performer with a charismatic stage presence, he sings as if his life depended on it and the gig at Knebworth was truly a magical and ‘biblical’ experience.

He’s a powerhouse in a parka, and this documentary not only showcases his craftsmanship and prowess as a performer, but it emphasises how instrumental live music is and what it means to us all.

Of course, it’s not just about Liam’s story, it’s about all of us. How we are all enjoying a moment in time, a song, an album and a gig. We’re all here for the same reason – the music. As Liam says ‘That’s what it’s all about, bringing people together’.

Omission of Oasis tracks aside, what’s clear is Liam’s passion for his music, the gig and his fans. He wants to do the best gig he can whether it’s for 100 fans or 100,000 fans. He is a man of the people and admits he is giving the fans ‘what they want’.

When it comes to Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22, as LG says himself ‘Do you want to know what’s going on – check this shit out!’

Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22 will be in cinemas worldwide from Thursday 17th November for a limited time only.

The Cure’s live shows are always bewitching, intoxicating and dynamic and their gig at the Nelson Mandela Forum in Florence, Italy was no exception. If you have ever been fortunate to go and see The Cure live, you will know that the set is always super long, but it’s a unique and fulfilling sonic experience.

The Cure Delivers Electrifying Performance with The Twilight Sad

The band were ably supported by the Scottish rock band The Twilight Sad, who performed tracks like ‘Kill It in the Morning’, ‘There’s a Girl in the Corner’ and a superb cover of Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Keep Yourself Warm’.

This wasn’t The Twilight Sad’s first rodeo touring with The Cure and they put on an impressive set that entertained the crowd.

The staging was incredibly atmospheric, before The Cure came on stage, a cacophony of rain could be heard over the speakers which added a real sense of anticipation to the proceedings.

Robert Smith and the band kicked off their set with a brand new song that has been incredibly well-received by fans throughout their European tour.

‘Alone’ a soaring, dramatic track that really draws you in is a triumph and showcases Smith’s prowess as an exemplary songwriter with lyrics like ‘The fire burned out to ash and the stars grow dim with tears’.

This, coupled with two other tracks that were interspersed between deep cuts and evergreen classics made the band’s set an absolutely electric affair. The new tracks form part of a forthcoming and highly-anticipated album by The Cure which frontman Robert Smith has hinted will be entitled ‘Songs of the Lost World’ and has indicated will be ‘the doomiest thing we’ve ever done’.

The long-awaited album (their first since 2008’s ‘4:13 Dream‘) is rumoured to be comparable to the likes of 1989’s ‘Disintegration’.

However, as is the case with The Cure, where there’s dark, there’s also light which could be found in tracks like the joyful ‘Friday I’m in Love’ which really set the crowd alight. ‘Lovesong’ was a huge triumph as was the post-punk anthem ‘A Forest’ which was haunting and heavenly in equal measure.

The Cure Dazzles Fans with New Tracks and Iconic Hits

Another new song from ‘Songs Of A Lost World‘ included ‘I Can Never Say Goodbye’ an emotional track which was a tribute to Robert’s brother who sadly passed away.

Highly emotive, this deeply personal track really resonates with anyone who has ever lost someone they love with touching lyrics like ‘‘Something wicked this way comes, to steal away my brother’s life’.

‘Endsong’ was a stunning exhibition of the band’s super musicality and stage presence. The pioneering and introspective track was performed under a blood moon on the big screen.

Those looking for a back-to-back showcase of The Cures’ most loved, seminal rock ’n’ roll hits were not disappointed with tracks like ‘Lullaby’, ‘Close To Me’, ‘Just Like Heaven’, ‘Hot Hot Hot!’ which was a tour debut, ‘Pictures of You’, and ‘In Between Days’. This was an exemplary set that showcased their impressive body of work.

Every band member put on a first-class and dynamic performance which included a welcome return of Perry Bamonte back to the band. Bassist Simon Gallup put on a high-octane and exuberant performance showing why he’s one of the best bass players in the business.

A force of nature and one of the most compelling and intriguing frontmen in music, Smith is a charismatic and captivating performer, his vocals remain as impassioned as ever before and haven’t changed since the band’s inception in the late seventies.

One of the highlights was the closer ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ which was a euphoric and dazzling rendition of one of the band’s best-loved hits.

The Cures’ gig in Florence was an electrifying and unmissable experience, with the band proving once again how incredible they are on stage.

Mesmerising and captivating; there are probably not enough superlatives to give The Cure who put on one of their best-ever performances in Florence.

Photo credits: Mauro Melis and Emma Harrison

Almost 22 years since the release of the debut hit album ‘One Touch’, the Sugababes are back and they mean business.

Further to their electrifying performances at Glastonbury, Victorious and a myriad of other festivals earlier this year, the iconic and original trio made up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy are on tour for the first time in ten years since they last toured as MKS (Mutya Keisha Siobhan)

With stellar support from rising star Kara Marni who put on a fantastic display which included ‘Trippin’ – a monster of a track that samples Amerie’s ‘1 Thing’. ‘Over You’ and a very heartfelt rendition of Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’.

Kara gave a well-rounded and captivating performance and really helped pave the way to get the party started for a fantastic night of live music.

An elated crowd welcomed the Sugababes to the stage who kicked off proceedings with a sultry and cool rendition of ‘Push the Button’ which was followed in quick succession with ‘Red Dress’ and the brilliant ‘Hole in the Head’.

The trio have always been renowned for their impressive harmonies and their supercool attitudes, track by track, this was a masterclass in pop perfection with every member giving a high energy and an accomplished performance

Hit after hit, the girls showcased their epic back catalogue of their best-loved hits which sat effortlessly alongside some deep cuts and tracks from their MKS days which included ‘Flatline’ and ‘Love Me Hard’.

The Sugababes elated the crowd with tracks like ‘Ugly’, an emotional ‘Too Lost In You’, an impassioned rendition of ‘Stronger’ and ‘2 Hearts’.

One of the highlights of the set was a cover of Sweet Female Attitude’s ‘Flowers’, which was followed by ‘Round Round’ and the electrifying ‘Freak Like Me’. The band closed the set with fan favourite ‘About You Now’ which really set the 02 Academy in Bournemouth alight.

Melodic and magnificent in equal measure, the Sugababes effortlessly showed their pop pedigree thanks to their top-notch performance skills and their captivating and endearing stage presence.

Photo credit @BLAYKE

The End Of The Road festival has been captivating festival goers since its inauguration in 2006, thanks to its quaint location in the heart of the countryside on the Dorset/Wiltshire border, its boutique vibes and its carefully curated lineup of music.

Located at the scenic Larmer Tree Gardens, this festival offers a wide range of musical talent on offer and has been instrumental in showcasing talents like Tame Impala, Father John Misty, Sleaford Mods, Little Simz and more.

Thursday

With an eclectic lineup over four days, Thursday saw Texan psychedelic trio Khruangbin provide a cosmically delicious performance that was atmospheric and exhilarating in equal measure. The Houston band effortlessly fuses together an intoxicating mix of psychedelia, Middle Eastern soul, jazz-funk, reggae dub and more.

There were rousing renditions of tracks like ‘August 10’ and ‘Maria También’ as well as some electric interpretations of Dick Dale’s ‘Miserlou’, Spandau Ballet’s ‘True’ and a funk-laden version of Tina Turner’s ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’.

Another standout was post-genre American artist Sudan Archives who put on a dynamic and well-rounded performance playing her fiddle with a dizzying panache.

At the close of ‘NPBQ’ she hollers that she just ‘wants to have her ti*tties out’, the excitement for the first night of ‘End of The Road’ is clearly palpable and is rubbing off on everyone, especially Brittney Parks.

Friday

Friday saw performances from Seattle indie-folk rockers Fleet Foxes, and London-four piece Automotion who put on a high energy and compelling performance complete with impressive driving guitar work.

Mali’s Tinariwen which included some pretty nifty guitar work from leader Ibrahim Ag Alhabib who cut a resplendent and majestic figure and got the crowd going with his undulating rhythms.

Post-punk rockers Porridge Radio put on a passionate yet vulnerable display at the Garden stage, but it was the magnificent Soccer Mommy who was the standout act of the night with her candid storytelling and shoegaze-driven guitars that drew in quite the crowd over at the Big Top stage.

‘Bones’ was an absolute triumph, but the overall set was a dreamy waltz through Allison’s impressive body of work.

The genre-gnarling members of Black Midi served a typically avante-garde, frenzied and vociferous set over at the Garden stage. Their rock opera album Hellfire was performed almost in its entirety asking the crowd to vape collectively to create a smoke machine effect – and why not?!

Fleet Foxes were a worthy headliner for Friday, they sounded fantastic and their harmonies were rich and deep in equal measure.

This was an intricate and impressive performance and was absolutely worth waiting for after Covid halted their plans to play at last year’s festival.

The set was stellar in every way, with the inclusion of ‘Can I Believe You’, ‘Phoenix’, ‘Drops in the River’ amongst others.

Saturday

Saturday saw solid performances from the likes of Kevin Morby, The Magnetic Fields, The Weather Station, Los Bitchos and more. Alabaster Deplume added a serene and celebratory vibe to Saturday’s proceedings.

Without a doubt, the endearing Perfume Genius was a magnificent addition to End of the Road. Despite worrying about falling over (don’t talk about it – thoughts become things and all that jazz!) he strutted like the peacocks that have been walking around the Larmer Tree Gardens for years!

An abundant and accomplished performance, Hadreas is akin to a flamboyant Vegas showman, especially with the electrifying ‘Queen’.

Of course, it was the magnificent Pixies that drew the largest crowd of the festival thus far. Kicking off proceedings with an exhilarating rendition of ‘Gouge Away’ closely followed by ‘Debaser’, ‘Hey’, ‘Planet of Sound’ and the ultra-savage ‘U-Mass’.

Whilst the newer material was well-received, it was those classic Pixies hits that got the crowd going. The influential indie-rock pioneers showcased their incredible back catalogue with vigour, panache and class.

Sunday

From Kurt Vile & The Violators and Lucy Dacas to the brilliant Yard Act and Willie J Healey, Sunday was yet another monumental day of music at End of The Road.

Bright Eyes provided an impassioned and emotional performance with heartfelt tracks like ‘Lover, I don’t have to Love’, ‘Bowl of Oranges’ and ‘Persona non grata’. Melodic and melancholic in equal measure, Conor still managed to captivate the audience despite a few digressive interludes.

Aldous Harding closed Sunday at the Garden Stage in a magical and ethereal way. An emotional and hypnotic performer, you truly feel a sense of serenity when listening to her sing and her whole set is a remarkable and thrilling affair.

Harding along with several other spell-binding and riveting acts showcased once again why the End of the Road has endless appeal and is one of the most visionary, culturally-rich, enlightening and exploratory festivals in the UK.

Victorious has gone from being an under-the-radar late summer festival to one of the major players in the UK festival scene.

Music Festival has always boasted some of the most eclectic lineups in live music and has previously seen acts like Rudimental, Royal Blood, Manic Street Preachers, The Charlatans, Years & Years and Blossoms.

The festival site is just a stone’s throw from the seafront at Southsea and is renowned for attracting festival-goers of all ages.

This musical extravaganza is one of the highlights of the UK festival calendar and this year saw the likes of the Stereophonics, Becky Hill, Paolo Nutini, Bastille and Sam Fender performing to a sold-out crowd.

One of the best things about Victorious is that there’s something for everyone, whether you are into indie, pop, folk or dance, there’s certain to be a huge selection of acts that you will be adding to your ‘must-watch’ list.

Friday

Scottish rockers Primal Scream kicked off the entire Victorious Festival 2022 with a storming set which included some of their most-loved tracks like ‘Movin On Up’, ‘Country Girl’ and the infectious ‘Rocks’. Bobby Gillespie and the band were on fine form and proved their live credentials once again with a fantastic set in the sunshine.

The Common stage also saw great performances from Anna Calvi, Soak and Self Esteem, but one of Friday’s highlights was from indie rockers James (who we reviewed in Porto earlier this year) who provided a stellar set which included ‘Come Home’, ‘Sit Down’, ‘Beautiful Beaches’ and of course the festival classic ‘Sit Down’ which was one of the entire weekend’s highlights.

Naturally, Tim Booth was at his flexible best, dancing as if his life depended on it as well as crowd surfing twice. Luckily, the crowd didn’t let him down, and neither did he.

Tim and the rest of the band were on top form, although the omission of tracks like ‘Say Something’ and ‘Laid’ were slightly disappointing, but when you have a back catalogue as extensive as James, something has always got to give!

Bombay Bicycle Club were on their unusual top form with a jam-packed collection of songs which included ‘Eat, Sleep, Wake’, ‘Shuffle’ and their reflective cover of Selena Gomez’s ‘Lose You To Love Me’.

Friday’s headliner was the incredible Stereophonics who are no strangers to the Victorious stage. Their set was pretty much the same as what the guys played when they supported Pearl Jam at BST Hyde Park earlier this summer and was a masterclass in performance from frontman Kelly Jones and the band.

Fans were treated to rousing renditions of hit after hit which included favourites like ‘Maybe Tomorrow’, ‘The Bartender & The Thief’, ‘Pick a Part That’s New’ and ‘Just Looking’ as well as tracks from their last album ‘Ochya!’ which came out earlier this year.

Friday night’s festival was closed out with a spectacular firework display which provided a colourful and thrilling end to a high-octane night of music.

Saturday

The second day of the Victorious Festival is always a pretty stellar one and Victorious 2022 was no exception.

It saw some incredible performances from the Sugababes (which coincided with the Royal Navy carrier HMS Prince of Wales passing by – is this royal approval or a mere coincidence?!), We are Scientists and Irish rockers Inhaler who delivered an energetic and dynamic set with tracks like ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ and ‘When It Breaks’.

Another Victorious veteran came in the shape of Ocean Colour Scene which included some epic guitar playing from Steve Cradock who was resplendent in a cricket jumper, looking effortlessly cool as always.

The set from Ocean Colour Scene was first class and was packed full of their most-loved hits which included ‘The Riverboat Song’ ‘One for the Road’, ‘The Day We Caught The Train’ and ‘Hundred Mile High City’.

Saturday also saw performances from The Wombats, White Lies, Declan McKenna all of whom served electrifying sets to the enraptured crowd.

Bastille’s set was first class and with tracks like ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Flaws’ and of course ‘Pompeii’, it’s easy to see why.

Paolo Nutini was another Saturday headliner, it was difficult to choose between Bastille and Paulo who delivered an incredibly strong set that effortlessly demonstrated his capabilities as a lyricist and vocalist.

Fans were not disappointed with his setlist, but the omission of ‘New Shoes’ in its entirety did ruffle a few feathers from those wanting to hear it live. However, Nutini’s set was a well-rounded, crowd-pleasing affair and was a strong way to close Saturday for Victorious.

Sunday

The Libertines kicked off day 3 of Victorious with a bang, this is a band that doesn’t disappoint. Fans were treated to a set list chock full of favourites which included ‘Up The Bracket’, ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’ ‘What Became of the Likely Lads’ and ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ which really got the crowd going.

One of my favourite things about this band is the chemistry between Pete Doherty and Carl Barât – both of which put on stellar vocal performances throughout their short but sweet set.

Sunday also saw some superb performances from Sam Ryder who closed with a spectacular rendition of  ‘Spaceman’, Editors, Amy MacDonald and Metronomy who dazzled the crowd with tracks like ‘Right On Time’ and ‘Love Letters’.

Whilst there’s no doubt that the Castle Stage was heaving with fantastic performances, two of the standout performances from not just the final day of music, but from the entire festival came from the Castle Stage and the Acoustic stage from Embrace and James Walsh respectively.

Both acts were absolutely incredible; showcasing their impressive back catalogues as well as effortlessly including newer tracks, with world-class sets that truly charmed the crowd.

Embrace who have just released their 8th studio album ‘How To Be A Person Like Other People’ were on fire and fans were treated to sublime performances of ‘Gravity’, ‘Ashes’ ‘Come Back To What You Know’ amongst other beautiful tracks.

James Walsh (Starsailor) has a voice that you could listen to for hours. His understated, intelligent and heartfelt performance had the crowd in the palm of his hands.

His sincerity and tenderness when delivering a song are second-to-none and he has a very special quality that is both captivating and endearing in equal measure.

Songs like ‘Alcoholic’ and ‘Silence is Easy’ are absolutely exquisite and it was a real pleasure to hear them performed with just a guitar in such an intimate setting.

Sunday was one of the busiest days of the festival and with a lineup of Becky Hill, Anne-Marie and Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the Castle Stage, it’s easy to see why.

All three acts provided an energetic and exhilarating set which got the crowds on their feed. Nothing But Thieves provided a rockier end to the pop proceedings with a barn-storming set which included ‘Impossible’ and ‘Real Love Song’.

Suede was one of the final acts to perform on the main Common stage with frontman Brett Anderson delivering hit after hit like ‘Metal Mickey’,‘Animal Nitrate’ and ‘Trash’ before closing with ‘The Beautiful Ones’.

His commitment to delivering a high-octane performance cannot be denied, but he did bizarrely have something close to a meltdown mid-set when he started telling members of the crowd to ‘f**k off’.

Sam Fender’s star continues to rise, not only did he receive huge plaudits for his performance at Glastonbury, but this year alone, he’s supported both The Rolling Stones and The Killers proving that he’s quite possibly one of the biggest musicians in the UK right now.

In a fantastic set of almost 90 minutes, Sam treated the gargantuan crowd to tracks like ‘Seventeen Going Under’, ‘Will We Talk’, ‘Getting Started’  ‘Saturday’, and of course ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ which closed Victorious 2022 accompanied by an electrifying display of colourful pyrotechnics which culminated another amazing weekend of live music down on the south coast.

Photos courtesy of Victorious festival