Redbrick
Editors – Tamara Roper & William Franklin
Live Reviews
Music 11
4th November 2011 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Music Diary 4th – 10th
Laura Marling
Birmingham Cathedral 29/10/2011
Friday 4th
Arctic Monkeys LG Arena
Katy Perry NIA 26/10/2011
Anna Calvi HMV Institute
Jenna Kirby Critic
Welcome to the fascinating world of Candyfornia. And trust me, you will get lost in it. The show was kicked off by two support acts, in the shape of quirky Swedish electro-pop artist Oh Land, and LA-based DJ, Skeet Skeet, who got the crowd pumped with his chart remixes. Her reputation for putting on an unforgettable show may have preceded her, but when she finally arrived on stage, Katy did not disappoint. She performed all her catchy pop hits, such as the career-starting I Kissed a Girl and California Girls, which closed the show in a huge explosion of colour while Perry fired whipped cream out of a bazooka at the crowd. Just when you'd start to think that the show was all about the spectacle, Katy would remind us of her talent with beautiful stripped-back vocals on ballads such as the tearjerking Not Like the Movies and The One That Got Away (her latest single and the subject of her celebrated appearance on the X Factor). Katy was full of life, funny and undeniably entertaining, something quite considerable see-
ing as it was her 115th show of the world-wide tour. Highlights were her witty anecdotes and banter with the audience, including pulling one poor topless soul up on stage and rewarding him with a kiss. This naughty behaviour continued, especially with the suggestive hand gestures that accompanied her rendition of Peacock. The show itself boasted a huge array of theatrical features, with an intricate candy-themed set, loads of backing dancers (dressed as clowns, gingerbread men, mimes...the list goes on), fireworks, a trapeze, and a candyfloss cloud that Perry flew around the arena on while playing guitar and singing Thinking of You. Katy didn't disappoint on the fashion front either – in fact, during her performance of Hot 'N' Cold, she managed no less than seven candy-themed outfit changes. It goes without saying that she looked absolutely gorgeous in the flesh too, leading many to question just how she manages to have such a hectic tour schedule and pull off such amazing shows while still looking incredible. No wonder she is so many people's girl crush of choice.
Maria Lunn Critic
As Laura Marling took to the stage to offer a haunting rendition of I Was Just a Card, taken from her newest album, A Creature I Don't Know, the audience at Birmingham Cathedral fell to a serene hush. Indeed, Laura's entirely acoustic set had an enigmatic quality that is rarely found among many modern artists. While her chosen attire of a simple grey jumper and a full-length black skirt was as sparse as her set, Laura confidently proved, equipped with just a microphone and her trusty acoustic guitar, that she can truly command the stage. What she lacked in on-stage chatter, she certainly made up for in the sheer quality of her music, and it was exciting to hear a mixture of both old and new material. She performed a track, Night Terror, from her debut album, where her honeyed vocals blended with an impressive showcase of whistling skills making an atmospheric and somewhat hypnotic performance. I was obviously not the only one in the audience who sat entranced, as the song was met with a unanimous eruption of applause.
We were then treated to a rendition of a new, as of yet unreleased track, Pray For Me. As is typical of Laura's work, this song was loaded with searching and poetic lyrics, such as 'I cannot love, I want to be alone', conveying a depth of feeling that belies her 21 years. The performance had an organic quality, as the intimate surroundings of the Cathedral hall combined with Laura's ethereal vocals and lulling guitar. Unfortunately, Laura stuck to her trademark policy on encores. No matter how much the crowd cheered and called, Laura remained steadfast in the backroom. In fact, the only disappointing feature of the afternoon was that it didn't last longer. This was a performance given by an artist truly in her element. With her graceful poise and flawless vocals, Laura gave a precise and polished performance, that, at times, I felt even surpassed that of her already brilliant recorded material. Seeing Laura live proves why she remains a steady favourite among critics and I for one, await her new material with eager anticipation.
Saturday 5th Lacuna Coil HMV Institute
Sunday 6th Tinie Tempah LG Arena
Glen Campbell Symphony Hall
Monday 7th Ghostface Killah HMV Institute Stevie Jackson Glee Club The Rifles O2 Academy 3
Tuesday 8th
Within Temptation with Anneke Van Giersbergen O2 Academy
Wednesday 9th Bon Iver O2 Academy
Thursday 10th
The Damned 35th Anniversary Tour O2 Academy