The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
ROCKTALK GIG GUIDE
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● A visit from Icicle Works frontman Ian McNabb will cap a big week of Green Hotel gigs.
The Liverpudlian troubadour is set to perform tracks from his latest album Utopian – the follow-up to 2018’s Our Future In Space – plus classics from his huge back catalogue in Kinross next Friday, with bookings £21.50 via Ticketweb.
Ian, 59, started out with psych rock trio Icicle Works in 1980, scoring a top 20 single with Love Is A Wonderful Colour in 1983. After five albums he split the band in 1990, briefly joining Wild Swans before re-emerging solo the following year.
He’s also put together a new live version of Icicle Works featuring ex-Black bassist Roy Corkhill, Waterboys keys man Richard Naiff and Dodgy drummer Matt Priest.
Kicking off the seven days at the Green tonight are rockers Guns N Roses Experience, before legendary blues guitarist Stan Webb, 74, lands at the Muirs tomorrow with Chicken Shack.
A key figure in the British blues boom alongside John Mayall, Cream and Free, Webb played with future Fleetwood Mac star Christine Perfect, later McVie, in the West Midlands-based fourpiece.
Webb dissolved the original band in 1974 but launched a new version the following year and he’s toured and recorded ever since with a flexible line-up. It’s £29.90 via Ticketweb.
The Kinross venue also has veteran Thin Lizzy tribute Black Rose checking in on Sunday at 2.30pm, then it’s Queen homage Flash on Thursday – Ticketweb again for bookings for both.
● Folk-rock troubadour Martin Stephenson plays Comrie’s White Church tomorrow.
Nowadays based in Easter
Ross, the Durham-born Daintees frontman’s recently been working on a 30th anniversary re-recording of his band’s classic album Salutation Road, originally a top 40 hit in 1990.
“We’ve done all the recording at Beetroot Studios in Airdrie but they’ve had Lewis Capaldi in and he booked it for a month to rehearse so we’re having to wait to get the mixing done,” says Martin, 58.
“That’ll take about two weeks next month and it’ll be ready after that. Our drummer’s from Hartlepool and the bassist and guitarist are from Newcastle and Sunderland, so Airdrie’s a handy place to work.”
The original album was recorded in LA with lavish record company backing – an irony not lost on Martin given both its lyrical concerns and his homespun approach. “Record companies want to break an artist, I can understand that,” he adds.
“People can still sing things like Shaddap You Face by Joe Dolce and be into Bananarama, but as a young person I was really intense. I didn’t care less about being famous or any of that rubbish. I was on a mission carrying my own songs, that was all I bothered about.
“I was the wrong person to try to make a pop star out of. Salutation Road was all about shipbuilding and pits, so it’s ironic that it was recorded in LA with a bunch of session musicians with curly perms. We should’ve done it with Lindisfarne in Gateshead.”
Martin’s being supported at Comrie by Italian songsmith Roberto Cassani. Tickets £15 via Eventbrite.
● Hardcore punk and metal’s on the bill as Springfest 2020 hits Church today.
Scottish outfits From Sorrow To Serenity, The Weight Of Atlas, Bearers,
Centrilia, Grievance, Catalysis, Bitterwood and Bad Milk have been lined up for the heavy-duty event. Doors open 3.30pm . Tickets £10 via Pink Emo Promotions online.
● Clarks has covers unit Miami Vince playing free tomorrow, a Cajun and zydeco session with Boogalusa on Sunday afternoon – it’s £6 from the venue, Assai and Grouchos – and rising stars Sean Findlay, The Medinas, The Bad Kissers and James Liandu on Thursday (tickets £7).
● It’s a full-on St Valentine’s rock massacre at Beat Generator tomorrow with high-octane covers faves Cherry Bombz and DJ Joe Digan. The party runs from 8pm until 2am, with tickets £6 from the band’s Facebook or £7 from Grouchos – pay at the door also available.
● Highland phenomenon Peat And Diesel have sold out Fat Sams tomorrow. The feelgood Stornoway trio filled Glasgow’s Barrowland in November and head for Dundee to promote Light My Byre, the follow-up to last year’s Uptown Fank.
● English punks Under, Edinburgh doom metallers Somaesthesia and Dundee’s own Indica and Blood Red Moon rock Conroy’s next Friday. Entry £5.
● Church has a free gig with eccentric industrial dark trancers Krow on Thursday plus Queequegs Coffin, Heart Of Hecate and Sofa Time.
● Cult noiseniks Messed Up Youth and Post Ironic State hit Conroy’s on Wednesday. It’s £6.60 via See Tickets.
● Number 57 hosts Cherry Bombz and Bedrock this weekend, with Wolftrain at Perth’s Letham Club tomorrow.