YĪN YĪN & LONG SWORDS

NAC gets its dancing shoes on for an evening of Dutch psychedelia.

Wild Fields Day One

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS & WRECKLESS ERIC

Another year, another great gig from Stiff Little Fingers

PISS KITTI, OI NAH & AMOURETTE

Pica Pica, Pica Pica and Voodoo's deliver another great night of properly good rock music.

GRAPHIC NATURE, BIND. & VAST SLUG

Rumours of the death of guitar music in general and metal in particular have been exaggerated. Again.

HOT MULLIGAN & BEAUTY SCHOOL

Time to get emo-tional in a hot and heaving Waterfront

NIK KERSHAW & SEB WESSON

Great set from an 80s icon

MODERN COLOR, BUG BATH & OVERSIZE

Better - far better - than staying in to watch the football.

UUHAI, HEDRA & SETTLEMENTS

Mongolian folk-metallers that put The HU in the shade

HIS LORDSHIP & SNAKEMILK

Take That at Carrow Road or garage rock ‘n’ roll from His Lordship at the Arts Centre? It’s pretty obvious where Pavlis is gonna end up.

FAT DOG & BOROUGH COUNCIL

There’s high expectations of Fat Dog but they deliver and then some.

A CERTAIN RATIO & ELLEN BETH ABDI

Post-punk/punk-funk legends prove themselves worthy of their status... and then some.

THE FALL & RAVENOUS HOUNDS

Ex-Fallers show the pretenders what it is all about.

THE HIVES & BAD NERVES

The Hives still deliver the goods to a rocking LCR.

Guana Batz, Graveyard Johnnys & Stage Frite

An early nite but it’s a cracker.

Yard Act & Gustaf

Funky, post-punky rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well. And Pavlis didn’t mention The Fall once.

CROWBAR, INHUMAN NATURE & KULK

Heavy music is alive and well.

Echo & The Bunnymen and Erica Nockalls

Not as legendary as the reputation suggests and McCulloch thinks but far from bad. Erica Nockalls was superb, however.

Gilla Band and The Psychotic Monks

Two challenging and inventive bands, one of which Pavlis falls in love with, the other of which he fails to connect with.

999, L.O.A.D. & Hotwired

Good sets from 999 and L.O.A.D. but Hotwired killed it.

PERSONAL TRAINER, KLITTENS & REAL FARMER

Pavlis goes Dutch and it is good, very, very good.

SlamDunk Winter Jam Tour

SlamDunk bring four bands to Norwich and it is mostly very good indeedy.

SBT (SARABETH TUCEK) & MONICA GUARNIERI

A brilliant set from an amazing band.

FUMING MOUTH, CELESTIAL SANCTUARY, HOUR OF REPRISAL and FINAL NAIL

Another evening of polite, genteel, relaxing death metal and grindcore at the Waterfront Studio.

SPANISH LOVE SONGS, HEART ATTACK MAN & SUDS

Is it too early to declare set of the year. Yeah, Spanish Love Songs were that good!

Gogol Bordello, Peat & Diesel and Puzzled Panther

Gogol Bordello deliver but are put in the shade by the amazing Peat & Diesel

Skinny Lister + Life Aquatic Band + The Molee Shakes

Skinny Lister had an absolute ball delivering a set that is high on energy and audience participation. They are greeted like returning heroes. Almost all of the audience mouth along word perfectly to all of the songs, even those from one month old, new album Shanty Punk

ClownSmashEverything - Quickening

ClownSmashEverything are back and smashing it.

Obituary

An evening of clean, wholesome, melodic pop this most certainly wasn’t. It was however good deathly fun.

STREET SOLDIER, NEGATIVE FRAME, NO RELIEF & FINAL NAIL

Fierce, heavy, intense but Pavlis left feeling slightly disappointed.

MONDO GENERATOR, ACID THRONE & RED EYED CULT

FEMME DÉ, RAVE ON THE DOLE & SHOELACE FOR THE BUILDER

Another great night at a great venue courtesy of of Pica x4

THE HU & TAU AND THE DRONES OF PRAISE

Who would’ve thought Mongolian folk-metal and Irish psych-folk-drone would make for such a fun evening?

TERROR, GOING OFF & HOUR OF REPRISAL

"intense hardcore hits Norwich for a visceral, cathartic and most of all FUN Monday night"

CARCASS, UNTO OTHERS & CONJURER

The grindcore legends and their openers deliver the goods in feral fashion.

Dead Kennedys & Piss Bath

Maybe a bit punk-rock cabaret for the purists but damned good fun nevertheless.

THE QUIREBOYS & BLACKBALLED

It may be a new chapter in Quireboys history but by the gods they still rock. 

DESIRE MAREA – ON THE ROMANCE OF BEING

A true work of art that has left Pavlis gobsmacked.

EELS & THE INSPECTOR CLUZO

Well worth venturing out to Anglia Square on a wet and uninviting night.

BENEFITS – NAILS

Abrasive, visceral, eloquent and poetic protest noise for the 2020s.

GINA BIRCH – I PLAY MY BASS LOUD

Damned good stuff on the post-punk legend’s debut solo album

OTHER HALF, SHORT FICTIONS, SPIRIT FOUNTAIN & FEASTS

Other Half, Short Fictions and Feasts take things to another level. Pavlis is blown away.

THE STEVE HILLAGE BAND & THE UTOPIA STRONG

Epic psych-prog from one of the originators.

Stiff Little Fingers - The Slim Jim Phantom Trio

..it’s March so it must be time to see Stiff Little Fingers in Norwich!

APHRA, SASHATHEBAND, DH TEMPLE & CHLO ATLANTA

A great intro to a new night of up-and-coming musical artists.

Synth East - NIK COLK VOID, FINLAY SHAKESPEARE and ROBIN “MOLTEN MODULOR” VINCENT & STEVE DAVIS

A great night of challenging, inventive electronic music. Here’s hoping Synth East 2023 wasn’t a one-off and it will be back next year. 

LUKE WRIGHT’S THE REMAINS OF LOGAN DANKWORTH

A brilliant, at times astonishing, performance from East Anglia’s very own alternative Poet Laureate.

BLACK STAR RIDERS, MICHAEL MONROE & PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS

Opus Kink - Vanity Fairy

Norwich Rock Festival Day THREE -FALSE HEADS, CHICANES, COLLARS & SUDS

Norwich Rock Festival Day TWO - CASSELS, A-TOTA-SO, FEASTS & TAKEDA

Norwich Rock Festival Day One - DITZ, EAT YOUR OWN HEAD, TRUTHTELLER & KAMENSKO

THE SWEET & KIRA MAC

A blockbuster of a ballroom blitz!

Hugh Cornwell

Pavlis isn’t digging it but the final five songs make it all make sense.

UK SUBS, L.O.A.D, HALFWITS & RAWBOTS

Another fine night from the glorious old warhorses of British Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll. 

FUCKWOLF - GOODBYE ASSHOLE

THE UNDERTONES & THE EXTONS

On another eventful day in UK politics, The Undertones deliver just the escape our Pavlis needs.

BONNIE TRASH – MALOCCHIO

Perfect for Halloween but a damnably fine listen at any time.

THE SKIDS & THE ALPHABETAMINES 

Pavlis went with low expectation but enjoyed a damned fine night of poppy, punky, rock

PREY DRIVE, DARKO & KAVES

Another glorious night at Voodoo’s, with a line-up that recalls the glory days of the much missed Owl Sanctuary.

PETROL GIRLS, SHOOTING DAGGERS & FEMME DÉ

A night of high-energy, cathartic music that provided a safe space for everyone regardless of gender, sexuality or race and what more can one want, really?

FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS, PET NEEDS & TRUCKSTOP HONEYMOON

The headliners weren’t for Pavlis but the supports were AMAZING.

OFF! - FREE LSD

Hardcore supergroup delivers a corking jazzcore OST that works as a standalone album.

KING BUFFALO - REGENERATOR

Decent if unremarkable album for those that like their prog a little on the heavy side 

PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS & GHOST WOMAN

21st Century Psychedelia hits NAC. As Membranes once said, everyone’s going triple bad acid, yeah!

THE RUMJACKS, THE MISTAKES & MICK O’TOOLE

Glorious celticskafolkpunkrock on a balmy night in Norwich. Gotta be better than a Tory hustings, right?

OTHER HALF, WE BLESS THIS MESS & I SAID GOODBYE

Three great acts put on a great show for a great cause.

RAD PITT – PITT HAPPENS

THOUGHTCRIMES – ALTERED PASTS

EUPHRASIE COLLECTIVE PRESENTS BUG TEETH, DH TEMPLE & BROADS

So, yeah, however hard I try I just end up getting myself in knots and have no idea how to describe this other than life affirmingly superb.

MOOR MOTHER – JAZZ CODES

This is an intriguing, exciting album. Challenging in places, it is less confrontational, less jarring, less experimental noise than earlier material such as debut LP Fetish Bones.

MARC VALENTINE – FUTURE OBSCURE

Look, I know I am biased but this album is an instant classic. Buy it. Better yet, go see Marc and band, supported by the very marvellous Carol Hodge, at Voodoo Daddy’s on 16th July then buy it. You will not be disappointed.

FLORAL IMAGE, SHE’S IN PARTIES & BEN AULD

Chances are that those at Glasto won’t see anything better than tonight’s headliners.

THE MISSION & SALVATION

Less than perfect sound but a glorious celebration of 36 years of The Mission.

SEPULTURA, RAGING SPEEDHORN & CAGE FIGHT

MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP – SWEET MELODY

Dat Brass

Dat Brass, not bad but it didn’t ignite for Pavlis.

PETROL GIRLS - BABY

OTHER HALF, CHURCH GIRLS, APHRA & SUDS

By the time they close with Tiny Head, what could easily have been a disaster has been turned into a massive TRIUMPH.

PEANESS – WORLD FULL OF WORRY

On this album, Peaness don’t do many thing particularly new but by heck they do it well and the songwriting is of an exceptional standard.

CONFIDENCE MAN & MIND ENTERPRISES

What Confidence Man do is some distance from my usual tastes but – as with Self Esteem –the music is different and strange enough to appeal to me whilst being dance-oriented pop enough to appeal to the mainstream and keep this crowd groovin’ like loons.

THE MEFFS, RATS AS BIG AS DOGS, SUPRACELESTIALS, STUDY OF US, NOVEMBER

EAT YOUR OWN HEAD – NECK-DEEP IN THE BLYTH

These guys can play – hell, these guys can play – but, like the very best math-rock, prog and jazz, technique never takes precedence over the song.

RIDE & BDRMM

Ride are fantastic and this has been one of the best gigs I have seen so far this year.

SKUNK ANANSIE, MORGANWAY & HOLOCENE

CARL PALMER’S ELP LEGACY

This was a fine display of extremely talented musicians playing technically complicated music not just for the sake of showing off their chops but because they enjoy it.

TEENAGE FANCLUB & FRØKEDAL AND FAMILIEN / BLACK WATER COUNTY

THE LOVELY EGGS, ROB AUTON & THE BUG CLUB

ROMERO – TURN IT ON!

CROWS – BEWARE BELIEVERS

Another cracking album and I can’t wait to see ‘em blast it out live.

Ho99o9 - Skin

THE ALARM & DAVE SHARP

DREAM WIFE, PRIMA QUEEN & SWIMSUIT COMPETITION

RICKY WARWICK AND THE FIGHTING HEATS, THE VIRGINMARYS & THE HOWLING TIDES

WIDOWSPEAK – THE JACKET

CLOWN SMASH EVERYTHING, CAROL HODGE BAND, DYNAMITE AND DINOSAURS & RAWBOTS

OH HIROSHIMA – MYRIAD

....have created a sound that is wholly their own and it is IMMENSE.

GREEN LUNG & TORUS

GAFFA TAPE SANDY, DAMP MATCHES, ANNA’S BONES

CATCHER – THE FAT OF A BROKEN HEART

SEA POWER – EVERYTHING WAS FOREVER

NOVA TWINS & KID BOOKIE

THE STRANGLERS & RUTS DC

Norwich Rock Fest Day Three - ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY, RAD PITT, TOO PISTE & RAVE ON THE DOLE

Norwich Rock Fest Day Two - ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION, EAT YOUR OWN HEAD, JOMO TUUN & SETTLEMENTS

Norwich Rock Fest Day One - CLT DRP, SLEEMO, DR CLYDE & JØRA THE FØRTUNETELLER

THE ORDER OF THE TWELVE – LORE OF THE LAND

DUB PISTOLS & SPACEHOPPER

COLLAPSE THE SKY – WHITE FLAGS

DAWN OF SOLACE – FLAMES OF PERDITION

OUR SUBVERSIVE VOICE PRESENTS STEVE IGNORANT’S SLICE OF LIFE

CAROL HODGE – THE CRIPPLING SPACE BETWEEN

NINE BELOW ZERO & DAVE THOMAS

BORED! – FEED THE DOG

OTHER HALF, KULK & SLEEMO

GLITTER SHOP, LAMBRINI GIRLS, BUG TEETH, BLUE SUNDAY & FUZE

THE SECRET HELICOPTERS – AN IMAGINARY SOUNDTRACK FOR AN IMAGINARY FILM

WEEDPECKER – IV: THE STREAM OF FORGOTTEN THOUGHTS

ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS – RAISE THE ROOF

COCKNEY REJECTS - JACK THE LAD

SLEEMO - FLEAS - SWING AND A MISS

WONK UNIT - YUR MUM - I SAID GOODBYE

PORRIDGE RADIO - DANA GAVANSKI

SELF ESTEEM - KELLI BLANCHET - SOFT LAD

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS - KULK

Washing Machine 10TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

DEAD MEN WALKING – FREEDOM, IT AIN’T ON THE RISE

Kulk - We Spare Nothing

CLOWN SMASH EVERYTHING, SETTLEMENTS, GLITCHERS & VAST SLUG

I’ve said before that Clown Smash Everything combine the very best elements of hardcore, metal and desert rock.

Wild Paths - All over Norwich

Norwich seemed to shift on its axis just a little for the weekend, offering up one giant playground that not only changed the city but celebrated it. Meticulously curated, Wild Paths presented an astonishing (both in number and quality) array of acts

The Velveteers - Nightmare Daydream

Nubiyan Twist

Tonight’s show is a mix of what I expected - superb musicianship from a group that is tight as hell, jaw dropping solos, complex rhythms, warm and rich vocals

EAT YOUR OWN HEAD, OTHER HALF & DR CLYDE

All three bands enjoy themselves and the audience were well up for it too. The dancing and moshing was non-stop and I’m pretty certain everyone left with a smile on their face.

SLEEMO - DEGRADATION EP

Indigo Raven - Looking for Transcendence

A thoroughly listenable, contemporary take on doom, fans of dark, heavy music should give this a spin.

The Primitives

If the world were fair, The Primitives would be selling out the LCR, like some of their near contemporaries.

Cock Sparrer & Crashed Out / Hung Like Hanratty & Jack The Lad

What a night......

The Wildhearts & Those Damn Crows 10/9/21

Kaves, Black Rose & Escaping Today

A Great evening from three local bands that deserve your attention

Bob Vylan

Ohhms

Cutout Joconde - Compost Mentis

Coloursøund - Coloursøund II

Bethan Nia - Ffiniau

THE NOVUS - Thaleia Standing

Bachelor - Doomin’ Sun

Birds of Hell, Pin Ups and Aphra

Gladboy, Floral Image & Hex Friends

Abkehr – In Blut

Holding Absence - The Greatest Mistake Of My Life

Teenage Fanclub - Endless Arcade

BSÍ - Sometime Depressed...But Always Antifascist

Alan Vega - Mutator

BaitHead - Baitest Hits

The Alarm - WAЯ

Crazy Arm - Dark Hands, Thunderbolts

Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark

Blanck Mass - In Ferneaux

Drones - Our Hell Is Right Here

Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth

Reuben - Racecar Is Very Fast

Sleemo - Heavenly Home ( I’m In Your Mind)

Other Half - Big Twenty

Skinny Lister - Down On Deptford Broadway

Millie Manders & The ShutUp - Telling Truths, Breaking Ties

Mega Emotion – Move Motherfucker / Lady Di - I Know You Know I’m Perfect

Seether - Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum

Mountain Tamer - Psychosis Ritual

Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts - Nowhere To Go But Everywhere

Turtle Skull - Monoliths

Cry Out – More Echoes Of A Question Never Answered…Why?

Creeper - Sex, Death And The Infinite Void

The Aces - Under My Influence

Bo Ningen - Sudden Fictions

The Dears - Lovers Rock

THE LOVELY EGGS - I AM MORON

Just great

THE QUIREBOYS & BLIND TIGER

The Quireboys do nowt new. They aren’t pushing the boundaries of music. What they do is play good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll with tinges of country and blues and they do it bloody well. For a rocking night out, go see the Quireboys. They will not disappoint.

SHE MAKES WAR - AND PEACE

HAEST - ANOMIE

GAFFA TAPE SANDY, HEX FRIENDS & SLEEMO

Tonight has been exhausting, in a good way. Three great bands playing to a young ... and passionate crowd. How could it get any better?

Beak> & The Hysterical Injury

THE HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN

You know you have witnessed a great gig at the Arts Centre when the security have been clappin’ and hollerin’ with as much, if not more, enthusiasm as anyone opinion the audience!

THE BLOODSHAKE CHORUS & THE MEN THAT WON’T BE BLAMED FOR NOTHING

What a night.

CLOWN SMASH EVERYTHING, I SAID GOODBYE & SUCKING GRUNTS

Musically, Clown Smash Everything are hard, fast, heavy and intense, combining the best elements of hardcore, metal and desert rock.

Wild Paths Festival

What a weekend see Pavlis' journey, suffice to say ...his closing words "Here’s hoping there is more of the same next year (and that I manage to get my bike fixed between now and then). Kudos to Ben and the team for putting it together."

Wild Paths Festival

Was Wild Paths 2019 a success? Well, you had better believe it. With its incredibly ambitious goals for a first year, booking a ridiculously rich array of artists and venues, but by galvanising a fantastic team of organisers and volunteers, somehow Ben Street had pulled it off – four days and nights of remarkable shows that reinforced Norwich's position on the musical map, and gave the city's music fans plenty to talk about for months to come. Thank you, Ben.

Black Flag

Michael Monroe - One Man Gang

Classes - The Perfect Ending

..borders on great and well worth a listen

Swedish Death Candy - Are You Nervous

Ah I wanted to like this

Matt Watson - Alive, Alive Oh

Well he convinced me, initially I sceptical

IGGY POP - FREE

See what Pavlis made of Free

New Model Army - From Here

The music is the classic NMA mix of punk, post-punk, folk, metal and soul but is also thoroughly contemporary and timeless

Jambinai - Onda

Pi$$er - Wretched Life

Part Chimp + Other Lady + Lady Di

Altered Images + Pin Ups

HANK - Live In a Cold War Bunker

Sisters of Silents - Featuring VanityFair, Big Teeth, & Milly Hurst

.. this has been a cracking evening showcasing three great local performers and some interesting, amusing and unusual film making

BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH & THE REVOLUTIONARY MINDS AND PIERS HARRISON-REID

The words are, of course, powerful and thought-provoking but this is more about having fun than preaching Will also definitely make a point of seeing local acts Piers-Harrion Reid

The Undertones

With a 25 song main set and five song encore, picking highlights is next to impossible

THE UNTHANKS

The Unthanks take folk music, even in its apparently most traditional of forms, and take it to places new and exciting to deliver a captivating show

The Wildhearts - Massive Wagons - Towers of London

Picking standout tracks is nigh impossible but I have to go for Everlone, the mighty Caffeine Bomb and My Baby Is A Headfuck.

MEMBRANES - WHAT NATURE GIVES… NATURE TAKES AWAY

This is a thoroughly original, utterly enthralling album that deserves a place in your collection.

Casual Nausea - Demons

A month and dozens of plays after I first heard it, it just keeps getting better.

Drahla - Useless Coordinates

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - End of Suffering

CAROL HODGE, DAMSEL & LILY-ANN REEVE

SLEEPER - THE MODERN AGE

I’d rather listen to something unutterably awful - so bad that it makes me want to rip my ears off - than something that is merely okay. For better or worse, Sleeper’s first album in 21 years is, well, okay.

PIZZATRAMP - GRAND RELAPSE

On first impressions, Pizzatramp are one of those bands that play at a billion miles an hour with no finesse or sense of melody. That impression is wrong.

A CERTAIN RATIO  - ACR : BOX

At times difficult but, also, at times, utterly brilliant.

SARAH DARLING, LIV AUSTEN & VIC ALLEN

Whether with the band or solo, Darling has this audience spellbound and eating out of her hand

SKINNY LISTER, WOOD BURNING SAVAGES & TRAPPER SCHOEPP

Skinny Lister Almost as soon as they start their set, I stop taking notes, I am too busy bouncing around. The Wood Burning Savages …..bordering on the brilliant Trapper Schoepp ...is simply high quality Americana for the most part

THE OCCASIONAL CEILIDH BAND - ALL OUR OWN WORK

The fifteen - mostly instrumental - songs have their roots in old school English folk

Carol Hodge - Hold On To That Flame

Sometimes, something comes along out of blue that is just so damned good that it just has to be shared

LAU

Lau are, to paraphrase a Guardian review, one of the most musically adventurous bands exploring the outer edges of folk

Earth Messiah - Ouroboros

They do what they do with some style and their songwriting is a notch or two above most metal bands

DE STAAT & 45ACIDBABIES

To say that De Staat have a diverse sound taking in a wide range of genres is, if anything, understating it.

LUCIA, THE LANES, HEX FRIENDS, HONEY & CURRENT BOND

I first saw Lucia support Sleeper at this very venue. I was blown away then. If anything, they have come back stronger....

Incisions Incisions

is there really room for punk in 2019?  Yes, punk has a place. And this is a bloody fine example of modern punk.

Hen Ogledd - Mogic

Ah man, this is a difficult review to do

The Sonic Dawn - Eclipse

The songs are well structured and pleasant, in a bucolic, verging on cosmic Americana, kinda way.

Algiers & Sink Ya Teeth

Algiers - 2019 has started with an absolute bang with tonight’s show… Sink Ya Teeth Tonight, the sound isstill the 80s inflected, hard electropop that I have fallen ...

FAINTEST IDEA, NOSEBLEED & CASUAL NAUSEA

Casual Nausea their sound takes in early Crass, Paranoid Visions and Subhumans, with maybe a touch of Half Man Half Biscuit in some of the guitar lines Nosebleeds The live show is, if anything, even better than that LP. On record, to me at least, the band come across as old school Rock ‘n’ Roll colliding with maximum R ‘n’ B Fanitest Idea Faintest Idea do deliver a cracker of a set,,

Quireboys & Bad Touch

DUCKING PUNCHES, SPANISH LOVE SONGS & WE BLESS THIS MESS

From the off, the crowd are putty in Allen’s (Ducking Punches) hands and the band can do no wrong

UK Subs & Members

The Subs are still one of the best - and certainly one of the most reliable - live bands to come out of punk.

MAARJA NUUT & RUUM, ARHAI

It all gels incredibly well and it is clear that the duo are enjoying playing together.

Theatre Of Hate

So what did I think? Well, it was good but not excellent and I can’t really put my finger on why I did not enjoy it more.

Killing Joke & Turbowolf

I have been waiting for this gig for over thirty years

Caravan

Goat Girl + Sneaks

Last Great Dreamers - 13th Floor Renegades

Hologram Teen - Between the Funk and the Fear

Death Valley Girls - Darkness Rains

She Makes War + Ezifreak

Black Honey + PINS + Russo

She Makes War - Brace for Impact

Crowbar + Ingested + Nervewrecker

The Pearl Harts + Kulk + Telling Truths

Tim Loud - Salvation

James - Living In Extraordinary Times

Teksti-TV 666 ‎– Aidattu tulevaisuus

Dream Nails + Peach Club

Slaves - Acts Of Fear And Love

The Regrettes + Aphra + Gladboy

FolkEast Festival 2018 (Day 1)

The Alarm - Equals

HANK

The Creepshow

Sink Ya Teeth - Sink Ya Teeth

The Adicts

Zero UK - Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell

The Once - Time Enough

A Wilhelm Scream

Sink Ya Teeth

Anda Union

Sunday Sessions

The Thinking Men

Norwich Punk & Alternative Festival

Viv Albertine

Mary Chapin Carpenter

Revenge of the Psychotronic Man - That Was Just A Noise

The Buzzcocks

Bobby Funk - Avocado Stains

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Sparkle Hard

A Hawk And A Hacksaw

Faintest Idea

Tibetan Night Terrors

Nosebleed - Scratching Circles On The Dancefloor

Sleeper

Pony Up presents Shiners

The Wolf Number

Sacred Sounds Night

The Breeders - All Nerve

The Vagaband - Something Wicked This Way Comes

HANK - Slopes EP

Bob Log III

Dingus Khan

Stiff Little Fingers

Lloyd Cole

Amenra & Boris

Bad Apples/Birds of Hell

Black Moth - Anatomical Venus

Revenge of the Psychotronic Man

New Scientists

ClownSmashEverything

The Wolf Number

Hookworms - Micro Shift

The Lovely Eggs - This Is Eggland

They Might Be Giants - I Like Fun

The Quireboys

UK Subs

Shed Seven

Eddie And The Hot Rods

No Future - Matthew Worley

T'Pau

The Icicle Works

The Tubes/ Burn The Headlines, Young States

The Rezillos

The Lovely Eggs

Wire

Dub Pistols - Crazy Diamonds

Cadillac Three - Legacy

British Sea Power

The Alarm

Norwich Sound & Vision - Peace

Subhumans

Wooden Arms - Trick Of The Light

Intastella feat Jah Wobble - The Rise and Fall of a Northern Dubstar

Feeder - The Best Of

Gogol Bordello - Seekers and Finders

Psychedelic Furs

Marc Almond - Shadows and Reflections

Wolves In The Throne Room - Thrice Woven

Amadou & Mariam - LA CONFUSION

Peter Perrett - How The West Was Won

Magoo 25

Various Artists - This Is The Sound Of Sugar Town Volume 2

Madonnatron - Madonnatron

Ride - The Weather Diaries

The Vapors

Ian Hunter

Sham 69

Melt-Banana

Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind - Super Natural

Lula Pena

Royal Trux - Platinum Tips + Ice Cream

Mt Wolf - Aetherlight

Maarja Nuut

The Mission

The Comet Is Coming

The Unthanks - Diversions Vol. 4 - The Songs And Poems of Milly Drake

Hawkwind - Into The Woods

Guided By Voices  - August By Cake

Chris T-T - Best Of

Daniel Lanois

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Damage And Joy

Ofeliadorme - Secret Fires

British Sea Power - Let The Dancers Inherit The Party

Wire - Silver/Lead

Real Estate - In Mind

Hauschka - What If

Hippo Campus - Landmark

Billy Bragg and Joe Henry

The Dillinger Escape Plan

King Creosote

UK Subs and Discharge

Jay Ducker - Country Sober

Audio Obscura and the Sound Celestial Orchestra - Western Wind

Ideal Surreal and Howlback Hum's Xmas Party

Slade

Jona Lewie

Sofar Secret Gig #4

Ricky Warwick and the Fighting Hearts

Steve Ignorant's Slice of Life

The Low Anthem

Afro Celt Sound System

Honeymoon On Mars

Anda Union - Homeland

Teen Brains - Translucent

Norwich Sound & Vision 2016

Skinny Lister - The Devil, The Heart & The Fight

Tim Muddiman and the Strange - Paradise Runs Deeper

Wonk Unit - Mr Splashy

Matt Watson - The Endless Shipwreck

King Creosote - Astronaut Meets Astroman

The Besnard Lakes

The Besnard Lakes @ Norwich Arts Centre

The Besnard Lakes take things into another dimension

Daisy Victoria - Animal Lover EP

9/10

The Wedding Present - Going, Going...

7/10

The Dickies @ The Owl Sanctuary

An absolute triumph.

Claws - Daydream EP

8/10

Ninth Paradise - Two

8/10

NAH @ The Owl Sanctuary

A wholly cathartic experience

Revenge of the Psychotronic Man - Colossal Velocity

7/10

Jambinai - A Hermitage

8/10

King Harvest & The Weight - Maps

6/10

Linton Kwesi Johnson @ NAC

An engaging, entertaining 75 minutes

Broken Back @ the Adnams Spiegeltent

Just about perfect

Dead Buttons - Some Kind Of Youth

7/10

Wild Life @ Norwich Playhouse

Go see it.

Chris T-T - 9 Green Songs

7/10

She Makes War @ Open

All in all, a damned good evening

Nikolai Galen @ Norwich Playhouse

This is a brave concept

Kate Jackson - British Road Movies

8/10

Minor Victories - Minor Victories

6/10

Graham Nash - This Path Tonight

6/10

Mike Peters @ the Waterfront

A damned fine evening’s entertainment.

The Posies - Solid States

8/10

Shonen Knife @ Norwich Arts Centre

A band that every music fan should see

Molotov Jukebox @ Waterfront

Some of the most carefree dancing I've seen

The Dowling Poole - [One] Hyde Park

9.5/10

The Quireboys @ the Waterfront

Decent songs and great, understated playing

The Raudive - Future Transmissions

9/10

The Duke Spirit @ NAC

I find my attention wandering..

Molotov Jukebox - Tropical Gypsy

9/10

Faintest Idea - Increasing The Minimum Rage

9/10

Louis Barabbas - Gentle Songs of Ceaseless Horror

9/10

Shonen Knife - Adventure

8/10

Stiff Little Fingers @ the Waterfront

One of the best live bands around.

The Cut II @ Open

Three local bangers.

James - The Girl At The End Of The World

9/10

Superglu - Horse

10/10!

The Ukrainians @ NAC

It has to be said that there are similarities to Gogol Bordello

She Makes War - Directions of Travel

10/10

Elevant - There Is A Tide

9/10

Wild Nothing - Life of Pause

8/10

Anda Union @ NAC

Simply, utterly compelling.

Flowers - Everybody’s Dying To Meet You

8/10

Folk That @ NAC

Haiku Salut, Inlay, Mat Riviera, True Adventuers & Tom Eagle

Islam Chipsy & EEK @ NAC

Ends my live music year on a high

Broads - Hellas

8/10

UK Subs @ the Waterfront

As gigs go, it doesn't get much better.

The Cut @ Open

A good night all round

Blanck Mass @ NAC

An immense, immersive sound

Jamie Woon - Making Time

8/10

Radkey - Dark Black Make Up

10/10

Postscript - If Not For You

9/10

Lanterns On The Lake - Beings

8/10

The Magic Band @ NAC

Sonically challenging

Ducking Punches - Fizzy Brain

9.5/10

NAH @ The Owl Sanctuary

Exhausting and punishing and cathartic but also thoroughly entertaining

Micachu and the Shapes @ NAC

Pony Up bring three bands to NAC

Steve Ignorant @ The Owl Sanctuary

He may be 57 but the righteous anger still burns

Michael Monroe @ the Waterfront

I've waited years for this and I wasn't disappointed.

Norwich Sound & Vision Day Three

A grand finale to a wicked weekend

Norwich Sound & Vision Day Two

Day two in full effect

Norwich Sound & Vision Day One

First day of the marathon that is NS+V

Bald Wife @ Norwich Playhouse Bar

A great return

The Twilight Sad - Òran Mór Session

8/10

Mercury Rev - The Light In You

9/10

Stray Birds @ NAC

Bright stars of Americana deliver another great set.

Slime - Company

5/10

Richard Hawley - Hollow Meadows

5/10

Backyard Babies - 4our x 4our

9/10

On the road with Last Great Dreamers

What's it like to go on tour with a band? We found out.

Gravy Records Summer Party @ NAC

Hannah Lou Clark, Emily Winng, Edward Jakenssen & Superglu

The Franklys @ The Owl Sanctuary, Norwich

If there was any justice, the Owl would’ve been rammed full.

Giorgio Moroder - Déjà Vu

6/10

Neil Young - Monsanto Years

9/10

Lower Dens - Escape From Evil

6/10

Ducking Punches/Horse Party@ OPEN & NAC

Two venues, six bands, a fair amount of walking.

Chameleons Vox @Waterfront, Norwich

This is a very strong set, full of excellent songs

Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls @ Open, Norwich

Far from unbearable, Wonder(ful) stuff at Open

The Nightingales - Mind Over Matter

10/10

Bad Grammar & CLAWS @ NAC, Norwich

Guitars at NAC

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress

GY!BE's fifth may not be their best but is a fine album none-the-less.

Cinerama - Valentina

Interesting take on a Wedding Present classic

Belle and Sebastian @ Open, Norwich

Enthralling set from Belle & Sebastian, at Open

Django Django - Born Under Saturn

Almost certainly a future classic

Swervedriver - I Wasn't Born To Lose You

The sound is woozy and wonky.

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - The Most Important Place In The World

An exceptionally strong album

Simple Minds

Simple Minds are alive and kicking at UEA

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat // The Most Important Place In The World

Wells & Moffat deliver their second classic album.

Swervedriver // I Wasn't Born To Lose You

90s shoegazers return with a decent album that can show more contemporary nu-gazers and dream poppers a thing or two.

Django Django - Born Under Saturn

Django Django storm back with an early contender for album of the year.

Courtney Barnett

One of the best shows so far of what is already a good year for gigs

The Ramonas

Anyone who does a Henry VIII rap can’t be bad.

Port Isla

Decent performances at Open

Ward Thomas

Polished country pop for the line dancers.

Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

Both timeless and absolutely current.

She Makes War

She Makes War nails it at OPEN.

SuperGlu

Best new band of 2015? Don't bet against it.

Quireboys & Burning Crows

A bit of what you fancy at The Brickies

Nai Harvest - Hairball

Next time out, a bit of variety wouldn’t go amiss.

Villagers - Darling Arithmetic

Likeable if unexceptional.

Addison's Uncle - I'd Like To Tell A Story

A fine album from another decent local band that promises much.

Father John Mistry - I Love You Honeybear

This has the rock press in raptures. I don’t get it.

Elevant - Dreamface

Addison's Uncle - I'd Like To Tell A Story

Local band deliver a promising debut.

She Makes War

Pavlis meets the DIY queen of Gloom Pop

Marla @ Open

EP launch from a band to watch.

The Unthanks - Mount The Air

The Unthanks confound this reviewer's expectations and produce the natural successor to Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden.

The Grazing Saints - Selene

Local band The Grazing Saints turn in a debut of swamp-psyche-blues-rock bordering on greatness.

Addison's Uncle, Feral Mouth, BeauBowBelles & Pirate Joe @ NAC

Sold out NAC for an evening of stomping folk, country, swing and Americana.

Darwin & The Dinosaur - A Thousand Ships

Decent debut from a local band that deserves our support.

The Grazing Saints, Dr Clyde, Little Red Kings & Graham Horne at Open

Dr Clyde steal the night.

Rats As Big As Dogs - Attract

Third EP from BSE Rock City's RABAD.

Grin By Growl - Foreward For Tune

Promising stuff from another promising young band from Norwich

Hard Skin @ The Owl Sanctuary

OI! Oi! Oi! Oi without the baggage of the racism, bovver and Garry Bushell.

UK Subs, Marksmen & Dogtown Rebels at The Waterfront

Harper turns 70, and looks like he'll keep going for ever.

Ruts DC & Freedom Faction at The Waterfront

The best rhythm section to come out of punk is back, and as good as ever.

BK & Dad, Popop, The Pearl Harts, Hannah Lou Clark, Wintering // NAC, 10.12.14

Gravy (re)launches in style

Girl In A Thunderbolt - Own Your Bones

Following a brief hiatus, this is a triumphant return from Norwich's own Girl In A Thunderbolt.

Neil Young - Storytone Reprise

Two discs, two distinctly different interpretations of the same set of songs.

She Makes War - UEA

One woman supergroup

Bad Apples, Mire & Chasing Creation - B2

Where is everybody? Bad Apples deserve a much bigger audience than this.

Deathcrush, Rats & Miss Fortune - Epic

No wave industrial noise that is sexy? Hells, yeah.

Superfood - Don't Say That

Well crafted but uninspired and uninspiring Britpop pastiche.

Jon Hopkins - Asleep Versions EP

More fascinating folktronica from Jon Hopkins

Broads - Care & Handling EP

Intriguing stuff from a local chap

Hookworms - The Hum

Hang on, this could get trippy.

The Specials

A good gig but not the classic I expected.

Mimas, Collider & Dad Rocks!

Another great night courtesy of Wombat Wombat.

Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers // OPEN 21.10.14

Taiko drummers show that bug drums can be as subtle as they can be thunderous

Scott Walker & Sunn 0))) - Soused

Music for pleasure? Not if Scott Walker has anything to do with it.

Simple Minds - Big Music

Almost lives up to the title. As enjoyable as it is pompous.

Inspiral Carpets - Inspiral Carpets

Pleasant enough, but unlikely to set the world on fire.

Norwich Sound & Vision 2014

Three days and nights of music makes Pavlis a happy but tired punter

DZ Deathrays - Epic

Support bands overshadow the headliners.

Twilight Sad // Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave

Not perfect but the Sad nearly hit the sweet spot on album four.

Tilting Sky All Room Takeover // Waterfront

18 acts in three rooms...too many acts, too many rooms, too little time.

Killamonjambo // NAC, 22.08.14

At their skanking, skatistic best.

Acid Mothers Temple // Epic, 19.08.14

An enthralling, entertaining noise.

She Keeps Bees // Eight Houses

This will be an album that I will be revisiting for some time.

Glen Matlock // Voewood, 17.08.14

I’ll do my damndest to be back for longer next year.

The Dickies // Owl Sanctuary, 14.08.14

Old punks hit the spot.

Last Great Dreamers // Crash Landing In Teenage Heaven

Second album from the long lost but soon to return cult dandies of Rock 'n' Roll

Cerebral Ballzy, Bloody Knees & Volunteers // Epic 05.08.14

Punk most definitely ain't dead.

Goat // Commune

Mysterious bemasked septet rock out with a deliciously psychedelic take on world music.

Esben & The Witch // A New Nature

Distinctly Gothy, distinctly good,

Expire // Epic, 31.07.14

Hardcore will never die.

That Fucking Tank // Owl Sanctuary, 26.07.2014

Loud and hot.

Pony Up Summer Party Vol II // NAC, 25.05.14

Another great night, thanks to Rosie and Pony Up

Ward Thomas // From Where We Stand

Slaves, Bald Wife & Long Balls // Epic, 18.07.14

Three duos blow Epic apart.

Kiran Leonard, Let's Eat Grandma & Claws // Epic, 15.07.14

Promising, intriguing, entertaining. The youngsters are taking over.

The Thinking Men // NAC 11.07.14

Four local acts ranging from promising to bordering on great.

Rainbow Girls, Marty O'Reilly & Vagaband // NAC 10.07.14

Stomping at the rainbow, waiting for the next show.

Twin Atlantic // Great Divide

They want the arenas and by crikey this makes it obvious.

Charlie Simpson // Long Road Home

Simpson goes folk-rock. Not for fans of Busted or Fightstar

Mondegreens, Amazon Blu, In Memoriam & Vanilla Fuzz // Epic, 02.07.2014

Young bloods do themselves proud

King Creosote // From Scotland with love

Manic Street Preachers // Futurology

BK & Dad, The Grazing Saints & Colossus // Epic, 21.06.2014

Feel the noise!

Pony Up // NAC, 07.06.14

Saturday night at the Arts Centre and Pony Up presents five acts for three quid.

Night Engine, Keep Up, There's Someone In The Pond & The Rumble // OPEN, 02.06.14

A Monday night and we’re here at OPEN for four promising groups.

Thumpers, Cut Ribbons & Mega Emotion // Epic, 31.05.14

Why such a small turn out for such a great show?

Antlers // Familiars

I should love this but it just left me frustrated.

New Model Army // The Waterfront, 27.04.2014

The old dogs teach the young pups a lesson.

Blood Red Shoes // Waterfront 29.04.2014

Tired but mostly happy.

Horse Party // Cover Your Eyes

A stunningly good debut from lynchpin of the Bury St Edmunds scene.

Wilko Johnson // Waterfront 01.03.2014

A legend delivers.

Boy Jumps Ship, Go.Fly.Win & Avosetta // NAC 27.02.14

Two very good bands, poor turn-out.

Asgeir // In The Silence

The sound is a folky post-rock, sharing roots with Sigur Ros, Of Monsters & Men and Mugison, albeit with a large dose of Talk Talk.

Xaviers, BK & Dad and The Day The Robots Came // NAC, 21.02.2014

Another Saturday and another mostly excellent Pony Up night at the Arts Centre.

Casual Sex + Long Balls // Epic, 20.02.2014

Great show, poor turnout.

Royal Blood & Tigercub // Waterfront, 18.02.2014

Reasonable show from a promising band that needs a longer set.

Basia Bulat // Tall Tall Shadow

Well crafted, well played but ultimately a little too middle of the road to truly excite.

Eagulls // Eagulls Partisan Records

Gothy post-punk is in rude health.

Heart of a Dog, Wooden Arms & Cove Hithe // NAC - 13.02.2014

BFR and Elevator Music presents an evening of alt.classical and alt.folk.

Young Fathers & Law // NAC - 08.02.2014

Second Pony Up hits the target.

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra // Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Every Thing

Seventh album from Constellation's most interesting if challenging band. Hard listening but rewarding.

Stray Birds // NAC 06.02.2014

Americana that almost made me through my on-existent ten gallon hat in the air and shout yee-haw.

Pony Up Launch Party // NAC - 01.02.2014

From Twee Off, here's Pony Up. Five acts for three quid. Bargain.

Gravy Showcase // Norwich Arts Centre - 25.01.14

Local label Gravy Records presents a showcase with five bands, three in the auditorium and two playing all electric-acoustic sets in the bar.

Drugstore, She Makes War & Buoys // NAC - 13.12.13

What would numerologists make of wombat wombat's combined 13th birthday and Christmas celebration falling on the final Friday 13th of 2013? Luck, fate or just one of those things? Who knows, this was a great night.

Quasi & Girl In A Thunderbolt // NAC - 12.12.13

Death to the beige. tweeOFF is dead. Long live Pony Up.

Mogwai // Rave Tapes

Post-rock heroes hit the peaks with their most consistent album yet.

Snowbird // Moon

For full satisfaction, ignore the players and concentrate on the music.

YUCK, Polterghost & Mega Emotion // NAC - 20.11.2013

A mixed evening thanks perhaps to prescription drugs (but no beer)

UK Subs // Waterfront 16.11.2013

Old (& not so old) punks rock out

Esmerine // Dalmak

Esmerine add Turkish & Middle Eastern influences to their already beguiling post rock

Antlered Man // OPEN 08.11.2013

Another storming performance from AM.

Norwich Sound + Vision // Day Three - 12.10.2013

Feeling the fatigue but feeling the noise.

Norwich Sound + Vision // Day Two - 11.10.2013

Day two and starting to feel a little frazzled

Norwich Sound + Vision, Day One // 10.10.2013

Should've been to the gym and got fit. NS+V is here again...

New Model Army // Between Dog And Wolf

A welcome return from one of the least fashionable but most passionate bands that these islands have produced. Brings back happy memories of human pyramids at 80s festivals without relying on past glories.

Saltland // I Thought It Was Us But It Was All Of Us

Solo project of the star in the Constellation collective.

Rokia Traore, OPEN // 21.05.2013

Good songs, great band, funky, groovy, rocking but didn't quite hit the spot for Pavlis.

Van Dyke Parks // Songs Cycled

VdP celebrates his 70th birthday in some (not entirely convincing) style.

Dingus Khan, OPEN // 17.04.2013

Why would anyone stay at home and watch TV when they could be at Open for a quadruple header at £6 in advance?

Public Service Broadcasting // Inform Educate Entertain

PSB inform, educate and, above all, entertain.

Antlered Man // OPEN - 04.04.2013

'Surrounded By The White Men' demonstrates the strength of AM’s mix of brutal, crunching hardcore

Stiff Little Fingers, Waterfront // 20.03.2013

Old punks and folk rockers of the world unite, Ed Tudorpole and The Men Tey Couldn't Hang are back and supporting Stiff Little Fingers.

Laish // Obituaries

Weird folk pop. Promises much but let down in places by weak vocals.

Bromheads // Choro

Dumb but fun punky, garage rock 'n' roll from the truncated Bromheads Jacket.

Mogwai // Les Revenants OST

Post-rock soundrack to a French TV series stands alone as a classic album

Of Monsters And Men, UEA // 03.03.2013

Cracking show from Iceandic award winner and his protégés.

Bloody Knees & There's Someone In The Pond // Olive's - 09.02.2013

Great gig, strange venue.

Negative Pegasus, Balaclava Kid & Dad and Star Fields // NAC - 22.02.2013

Noise, glorious noise. Another top night courtesy of Wombat Wombat & NAC.

Thurston Moore & Michael Chapman // NAC, 02.02.2013

Brilliance from a veteran of the '60's folk scene meets less than brilliance from a veteran of '80's No Wave.

Rick Redbeard // No Selfish Heart

Phantom Band vocalist goes solo to great effect.

The Joy Formidable & We Are Animal // Waterfront, 23.01.2013

Muse without the wankiness supported by a(nother) tribute to the Beta Band.

Blood Red Shoes & Wet Nuns, Arts Centre // 21.01.2013

Cracking gig by great bands. Shame about the stage divers.

Sonic Youth // Smart Bar Chicago 1985

One for the Sonic Youth aficianado rather than for the newcomer.

Wombat Wombat Twelfth Birthday Party // NAC - 14.12.2012

Wombat Wombat celebrates twelfth birthday in (dark) style.

Lau // Arts Centre, 13.11.12

Leftfield, slightly twisted, contemporary folk trio.

Bellowhead // OPEN, 09.11.12

Disappointment from the folk Madness...

Norwich Sound + Vision // 13.10.12

Pavlis reports on Day three of NS+V

Norwich Sound + Vision // 12.10.12

Day two and tiredness starts to set in...

Norwich Sound + Vision // 11.10.12

Pavlis at the first night of Norwich Sound + Vision 2012.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor // Allelulujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!

Pavlis ascends but doesn't bend with GY!BE.

Dogan Mehmet // Outlandish

One for fans of the Mumfords and world music...

The See See // Fountayne Mountain

West Coast psychedelic country rock from Detroit, Aukland, Malmo and Leeds, not feeling the Love.

Toy // Toy

The debut album from the Horrors approved Toy. Anyone for a game of "spot the indie/alternative influence"?