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For a band at times amazing on record, on this night, Austin, Texas’s finest sons got off to the slowest of slow starts. After an hour of dragging semi-acoustic whinging, Will Sheff and co suddenly sprang to life with a stunning final forty-five minutes, gathering their very best, most energetic songs and wringing every last drop of life from them. Rollicking versions of the loudest moments from latest record The Stand Ins combined with quality covers of Scott Walker’s ‘Black Sheep Boy’ and Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ dismissed the first misspent hour from memory, turning a previously nonchalant crowd into devoted fans.
Concorde 2, 12 November
3/5
Nick Aldwinckle

A teenage prodigy who had massive chart success at the age of 17 as vocalist/keyboardist with Spencer Davis Group
(‘I’m A Man,’ ‘Keep On Runnin’), Steve Winwood has a special place in the heart of a generation weened on the music of the late ‘60s and into the early ‘70s, as Winwood traversed the musical landscape playing with the seminal Traffic, Blind Faith and recording with artists such as Jimi Hendrix (on Electric Ladyland). His distinctive and soulful voice are intact as is his relaxed, bohemian vibe – there’s a casual look on stage, his band made up of exemplary musicians, but not too muso, playing a mixture of old favourites, hits and newer tracks. Winwood’s essential soul-funk grooves regularly hit the spot, as appreciated by a fantastic mix of old and new fans, and a well deserved standing ovation. A legend.
The Brighton Dome, 10 November
5/5
Jeff Hemmings

Victoria Nangle steps back on to the boards with trepidation.

I haven’t done a gig for a while. There, I’ve said it. I lost my bottle after a few scary shows and thought I’d take a breather, which is not really the best move in the world but was the one I decided to take. Really, I should’ve got back onto the horse and just gigged on through my bad patch and got better with experience. It’s what all the pros say – just keep gigging and you’ll get better. And beside it being a bad move on the front of grim determination, it actually makes you get worse if you take too big a gap. Like riding a bicycle, you never forget how to do it but if you haven’t straddled the saddle for a while your steering’s likely to be more than a little wonky. I’ve lined up an afternoon ride. I’m getting back behind those handlebars and it’s going to be on the nicest cycle path I know.
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Noah and the Whale’s debut album, Peaceful The World Lays Me Down, at times sails dangerously close to twee novelty, despite the strong songwriting and accomplished musicianship. Thankfully, tonight’s show dismisses these fears with a rousing performance that lends new vigour to their tunes. A formidable brass section and electric guitar fuses the folk sound of pastoral England to the swaggering frontier motif of a Sergio Leone Western, raising the game of ‘Five Years Time’ and ‘Give A Little Love’ to anthemic levels. Sadly, this doesn’t always work, with weaker numbers given undeserved prominence, but by and large this is a sophisticated, confident show.
Concorde 2, 7 November
3/5
Nick Aldwinckle