MUSIC

The sounds of summer

Traditionally, it’s bird song that you hear in Campbell Park, but in the coming weeks, our feathered friends will be up against some stiff competition from the world of chart-bothering players who will be entertaining the masses on the green, green grass of the new city. Sammy Jones has the lowdown on the big gigs...

Who: Craig David presents T5S with Ella Henderson, Nathan Dawe & Emily Nash When: Friday, July 22

Forged in his Miami penthouse, TS5 began its days as the most exclusive pre-party around, and though Craig is now based back on British soil, TS5 has evolved into a worldwide success.

In a career more than two decades long Craig has kept dance floors humming and venues pumping with his ace ability at bringing the tunes, whether collaborating or out on his own.

His new album ‘22’ is a celebration of those 22 years on the music scene and you’ll be able to hear some of those tracks at this date too.

We still remember watching Craig David on his first visit to Milton Keynes where we caught him on stage with the John Dankworth Jazz Orchestra many years ago. We interviewed him then, and we’ve interviewed him since and he remains one of the nicest blokes in the business. And musically? He’s the gift that just keeps on giving.

Beat mash up: Rewind, Fill Me In, Ain’t Givin’ Up, When The Bassline Drops, 16, Who You Are

Craig David

Who: Rag'n'Bone Man with Jade Bird and Charlotte Jane When: Saturday, July 16

In 2017 Rag'n'Bone Man’s colossal debut album Human turned him into a household name. The release smashed into the top spot on the album chart the week of release (eventually going 4 x platinum) and became the fastest selling album by a male artist for the decade!

But with that voice and song pedigree to match, it’s not such a surprise...

A little over a year ago and the man who made face tattoos cool (we always said they could be) returned to the fray with Life By Misadventure, which offered up the fabulously catchy, brilliant rock track All You Ever Wanted.

We’re hoping to stow away in the flight cases after the Campbell Park gig so we can see him at The Fonda Theatre in L.A. later in the year. What an awesome, intimate date that will be. Mind you, MK is going to be sweet too.

Who: ABBA Symphonic with Joe Bygraves When: Friday, July 15

Everyone knows the songs, but you’ve probably not heard them delivered quite like this; with leading star performers from the West End production of Mamma Mia! and a quite brilliant rock band, together with a full orchestra.

Frankly, it’s enough to put everyone in the mood for dance, and when you get the chance...well, you know what happens then.

You can dance, you can jive, in fact ABBA Symphonic demands it.

Split with the Money, Money, Money and say Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! a ticket. You’ll be pleased you did.

Top of the Pops: Voulez-Vous, Super Trouper, Lay All Your Love On Me, Chiquitita, I Have A Dream, Does Your Mother Know

Who: Paloma Faith with James Morrison and Katie Kittermaster When: Sunday, July 17

The inimitable Miss Faith brings some glamour to the central MK site as part of The Age of Optimism tour.

The double platinum, BRIT Award winner is an all round ace these days; putting her music aside, she has coached others to success on The Voice and The Voice Kids, and has a flourishing acting career - including showing out in the Batman prequel series Pennyworth as Bet Sykes.

“Acting is like a holiday for me,” she laughs, “It’s so nice to do something collaborative, and also play someone totally not like me. Sykes is kickass, doesn’t give a toss. Whereas I’m super sensitive to what everyone is feeling. When I am Bet I get to kill people and beat them up without sentimentality!”

But this MK visit is all about the music - and there are five albums of material to choose from.

Fellow BRIT award-winner James Morrison is the special guest. Earlier this year, he issued his Greatest Hits album.

Not for James just a boring gathering of old songs though - he reworked and refreshed all of his familiar tracks, as he explained: “Many of my songs over time have taken on a new life of their own: new emotions, new meanings and new feels both from the way I perform then and in the way my band has played them. I’ve also become a better singer and inhabit the songs in a different way now.”

Crowd pleasers: (PF): Picking Up The Pieces, Can’t Rely On You, Only Love Can Hurt Like This (JM): You Give Me Something, Wonderful World

Paloma Faith Who: Reggae Land 2022 with Julian Marley & The Uprising and Shaggy When: Saturday July 30 & Sunday, July 31

This is the ultimate in line-ups with Julian Marley & The Uprising and Shaggy topping a bill that is rich in great stuff, with others including Chaka Demus & Pliers, Inner Circle, The Duelers and Third World. And Musical Youth and Aswad and David Rodigan.

And Dub Pistols Soundsystem and Gentleman’s Dub Club... and plenty more.

It’s not every day you get to enjoy Bob Marley’s son doing his thing on your doorstep and he’ll be fresh from dates in Switzerland, France and Italy when he takes control here. It’s going to be something else – and a chance to surely hear the new track Don’t Ruin My World (Soil of Life) at the show.

Enjoy a weekend of wow-some with the absolute best. Book the Monday off work now or regret later.

Music to groove to: (JM): Boom Draw, Awake, Just in Time (Shaggy): It Wasn’t Me, Boombastic, Tease Me (Aswad): Don’t Turn Around and too many more to list

Who: Steps with Louise Redknapp, Liberty X, Gareth Gates & Dean McCullough When: Friday, July 29

Be honest, everyone loves a bit of Steps and if you say you don’t, you are fibbing!

Claire, Fay, Lee, H and Lisa were on fire in the noughties and then called time on their feel good fun – have racked up 10 smash hit singles and three multi-platinum albums. But 2017 saw the quintet get back down to the business of musicmaking and they’ve since delivered two new elpees to sate their still ravenous audience.

Expect the perfect blend of old meets new when they stage step in Campbell Park.

Ready with the moves: 5, 6, 7, 8, Tragedy, One For Sorrow, Better Best Forgotten, A Hundred years of Winter, Heartbreak in this City

Julian Marley

To book for ABBA Symphonic, Rag‘n’Bone Man or Paloma Faith visit: lphconcertsandevents.co.uk To get tickets for Craig David, Steps or Reggae Land head to jbmmusic.com

Return of the riffs!

Nebula make their first appearance at The Craufurd Arms

Fans of the hard and the heavy are in for a month of marvellous stuff at The Craufurd Arms, and things start the way they mean to go on; with supersized riffs and grooves at the hands of Orange Goblin, writes Sammy Jones.

The last time we spent the night in the company of the DIY daredevils they were on the road with Corrosion of Conformity in a pre-pandemic world. Can you remember that far back?!

The heavy hounds are now eyeing up their 30th anniversary which is only a couple of years away. What a party that is going to be!

But what’s the secret to their success?

“We obviously argue and disagree occasionally, but there has always been a mutual respect in the band,” reckons frontman Ben Ward, “We’ve never taken ourselves too seriously and always maintained a sense of humour, which you need in the music business.”

Always rough and ready, the London-based noise makers visit the Wolverton music hub on Friday, July 8, with support from King Creature and Blind River.

The midweek hump will be strangely absent on Wednesday, July 20 when Nebula makes their Wolverton debut. 1999s debut player To the Center was issued through Sub Pop Records, but after several elpees the band went on hiatus in 2010. It’s fair to say that they didn’t rush back; only pooling their resources again in 2017, although founder Eddie Glass and longtime bassist Tom Davies are now joined by Mondo Generator drummer Mike Amster.

The desert psychedelic fuzzsters are on the road in support of their new opus, Transmission From Mothership Earth, which is on its way to us courtesy of the Heavy Psych Sounds label.

If I didn’t shop at HPS I’d possibly have a decent bank balance, but they have so much magnificent vinyl with all the colours of the rainbow I can’t help myself... It’s a sweetie shop for record heads.

Nebula are always a mighty proposition, but this show will deliver double deliciousness – with the welcome return of The Atomic Bitchwax.

It could be around seven years ago that AB last stormed through the Keynes, but they left their mark with one of the most balls-tothe-wall rock ‘n’ roll evenings in memory.

From New Jersey to the new city, Chris Kosnik, Bob Pantella and Garrett Sweeny will blow your mind. If you know your musical ‘family trees’ you’ll know that they are all former or current members of the magnificent Monster Magnet, and the Bitchwax are just as splendid.

It’s the opening date of their UK tour, and we need to set the audience appreciation bar high.

We’ve waited a long time to get gigs like this back on local soil, so let’s enjoy the Saturday night vibes in a midweek setting.

See you down the front.

The Atomic Bitchwax

Orange Goblin

Want some more?

Other shows worth checking in for this July include American death metal deliverers Gatecreeper, who play The Craufurd on Sunday, July 10 with support from Urne and local noise bringers Casketfeeder.

The UK’s youngest Nirvana tribute also happens to reside in these parts, and Nerdvana will be playing to the converted at The Craufurd on July 22, with The Black Prince in Northampton also on a bustling live itinerary a week later.

With other dates including Birmingham, Cambridge, Sheffield and Scotland, it smells like a busy summer ahead... > Book in: thecraufurdarms.com

Our Man in the Bronze Age will be joined by Project Noise, Space Pistol and Kayner for their show at MK11 in Kiln Farm on Friday, July 29.

If you’ve not yet checked out the current OMITBA album Hexed Endeavours, it is a thing of noise-ridden beauty, so get to it. That gold vinyl too... > Event tickets: mk11kilnfarm.com