
7 minute read
MUSIC
Solstice stage step for Willen Hospice
Alittle over a year ago, we spoke with Solstice’s founder and guitarist Andy Glass about his band’s current standing. Having recently celebrated their 40th anniversary, the group was buzzing with the response, from fans and media alike, to their first album in eight years or so.
“We are humbled by the response,” Andy had told me, “... this album really does seem to resonate with people and I couldn’t be happier. The support has been truly inspiring.’
Sia had reinvigorated the band, and the plan was to take the music to their masses.
“We have a bunch of great shows lined up for 2021, fingers crossed!” he said.
But someone, somewhere clearly forgot to entwine those fingers, and the first six months of the year were spent holed up at home.
“2021 was full of joys and frustrations for the band,” Andy says looking back over the shared annus horribilis.
“We started the year with Sia already out and plans in place for rehearsals and gigs to promote it. Of course, they were scuppered by restrictions and it wouldn’t be until June that, for the first time, the new lineup could get in a room together… what a joy that was!”
Solstice took to the stage for four gigs during the summer. Their hometown show at The Craufurd Arms was the first live date we had been able to attend in six months. It was a glorious return to live music in general, and a welcome chance to hear Sia sounded out before its admirers.
“It felt like a new band… the vibe was just magical!” Andy remembered.
“We captured a lot of content during those summer shows allowing us to release a steady stream of content and that’s helped bring the music to new ears and will hopefully attract some of those new listeners to shows this year.”
And while 2021 might have been the musical equivalent of ‘nil points’ at the Eurovision, the band is keen to get in the van in 2022; Solstice has more shows in the diary for this year than they’ve had since 1985!
Festivals are looking tasty too, and they figure on line-ups for HRH Prog xii in Great Yarmouth (joining the likes of Pendragon and Steeleye Span), the Cambridge Rock Festival (they’ll headline the Emerald Stage), and they join The Martin Barre Band and Karnataka at the inaugural Soundle weekend as a headliner.
Provided we are allowed out to play, 2022 is looking good. And local fans of the band will be able to indulge soonest – Solstice’s first gig of the year is taking place at MK11 at Kiln Farm, on February 13.
Solstice at play - Andy Glass and Jess Holland
It’s a special show with monies raised helping to swell the coffers of Willen Hospice.
“It’s a gig close to our hearts and our homes,” Andy said, “We’re delighted to be playing a fundraiser for the Hospice. Their incredible work will have touched, or will touch so many of us in Milton Keynes.
“This is an opportunity to give something back, while enjoying an evening of great music.”
Ebony Buckle will also play the date. The Aussie-born singer-songwriter now calls
Grey matter work out
The Craufurd Arms knows how to rock out, of course, but Wolverton’s music hub knows how to give the grey matter a workout too; its Quiz Night is back in play every Thursday.
The interactive keypad event is a great chance to enjoy a few drinks while showing off your general knowledge.
The winners of the ‘last man standing’ bag free drinks, and the overall winning team take a £50 cash prize.
The venue also has some nice new merchandise for you to add to your spring clothing collection – but the puppy is not included!
Visit craufurdgarms.bigcartel.com
Pic: James Westlake
London home and will be performing tracks from her Disco Lasers album.
Solstice drummer Pete Hemsley is getting twice the stage time at the gig; he’ll be opening the show by playing material from his solo album, Beauty of Time.
“We really hope local people will take time out to join us at MK11 and help make this a magical evening and tribute to Willen Hospice,” added Andy.
Check in with mk11kilnfarm.com for tickets.


Shooting a legend

Photographer Richard Hedge is used to shooting musicians, in the best sense of course, but it’s not every day that one of his all-time greats appears on the local stage.
Iron Maiden are usually found filling stadiums and headlining the biggest rock festivals around the world, so when The Craufurd Arms welcomed founding member bassist Steve Harris with his side-project British Lion recently, it was a hot ticket.
Richard had the best seat in the house – stage front, camera in hand documenting the occasion, as our pictures show.
“The heavy galloping bass sound of Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris has been a cornerstone of my musical listening life for nearly forty years, however I have only ever seen them perform at large festivals and arenas in front of thousands of fans, so it was an amazing experience to see Steve perform in such an intimate space,” Richard told Pulse.
“It was the full Harris too, prowling the stage with his trademark bass, singing along to every word with his foot on the monitor and peering down the fretboard firing bass bullets into the crowd ably assisted by the supreme musicianship of his colleagues.
“Imagine being in the same room as Beethoven as he tinkled the ivories; that’s how special it was.
A truly memorable performance that will live long in the memory for everyone who attended.”
You can see more of Richard’s work by tapping to rmhphotography.co.uk

British Lion pics: Richard Hedge
Say you will be there
Frank Turner reckons that Will Varley is ‘one of the best songwriters in the UK,’ and he is spot on.
Active for years, Will released his most recent album, The Hole Around My Head in October, which is helping to swell an already mighty fan base.
The press bumf says his songs ‘seem to transcend themselves, marrying vivid imagery, politics, emotion and surrealism to capture his musings in a way that is quite remarkable,’ declaring him ‘a source of truth in a world gone mad,’ which is right on the money.
If you’ve never experienced Will’s observational musical aces previously, click on YouTube or fire up Spotify. Do it now. Then, when he’s won your ears over too, go and grab yourself a ticket for his MK11 show on Thursday, February 3.
The Dutty Moonshine Big Band visits the Kiln Farm venue on February 5 as part of Independent Venue Week.
Calling them a live Electronic Dance act doesn’t even scratch the surface when it comes to this 13-piece collective.
DMBB is crammed full of jazz trained musicians, but while they pay homage to the

Will Varley genre of days gone by, jazz they are not – they are loud, fast paced, heavy bass players with an infectious stage energy. The pandemic saw their headline tour pulled, but they still put out an album, and in the iTunes chart they went to battle with Lady Gaga and Run The Jewels over the top three positions, which is pretty awesome. This party of players is just the thing to perk up an otherwise dull and boring Saturday night at the start of February. Tickets to see the multi-genre unstoppable force at play are £19.50.
Tap to mk11kilnfarm.com to book in for either date.

Got a gig? A new release? Something else everyone needs to know about?
Send music submissions for consideration to Sammy Jones: Sammy@pulsegroupmedia.co.uk
Sean Grant and the Wolfgang will represent Buckinghamshire as part of the Herts, Beds, Bucks, Cambs and Northants package of promising artists about to head out on Project: Leave The Capital.
The vinyl EP and UK tour ‘will highlight what can be achieved away from the label millions, harnessing a DIY attitude for passion, not profit.’
The tour launches at Bedford Esquires on February 5, before calling in at Stoke Underground, Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton and London, wrapping up at MK11 in Milton Keynes on March 5.
“It feels like we’ve won the Premier League and we’re going out in an open top bus,” Sean said.