A Concert For Andy Saturday Feb 4th 2012

So... A reminder that The Concert For Andy is this Saturday Night!!

At: The Great Hall in Blackheath Halls. Doors Open at 7PM

Tickets are still available online at http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/whats-on/upcoming-performances/blackheath-halls-events.2151.the-icarus-club-presents-a-concert-for-andy.aspx or call the box office on 020 8463 0100 , Or if you don't have a computer or a phone, there should be some last-minute tickets available on the night.

It's going to be a great night, celebrating the life of The Icarus Club's much missed frontman and compere, and it's also going to be a fantastic night of music.

Special Guests are: Benny Gallagher, Mishaped Pearls, The Portraits, The Carl Picton Cartel, Kristy Gallacher, Ben Butler, Bruise, Jack O'Brien, Still, Teddy Bazz, Maria Day. Beaj Johnson, Jason James Melville, The Intrepid Spaniels and Dapper Dan.

All proceeds to a really good cause, The Bexley And Greenwich Community Hospice.

See You There!

REVIEW - THE TOY HEARTS, Friday Night Special Blackheath Halls 23rd September + support Caleb, Kirsty Keogh, Sean Bennett

From the first strains of the opening number, Sweet Heart Of Mine, you realise that the Toy Hearts are no ordinary bluegrass band. Sisters Johnson, Hannah and Sophia, harmonise in pitch-perfect fashion and with fromidfable backing from highly-regarded dad Stewart (lately featured on Imelda May's More Mayhem album) on banjo, dobro and steel guitar, Howard Gregory on fiddle and the world's hardest -working bass player John Potter, this is a indeed a highly formidable line-up !

PREVIEW - Saturday Showcase Blackheath Halls 15th October featuring JOHN ALDINGTON + JOSEPHINE LLOYD + LUKE JACKSON

Our second Autumn Saturday Showcase at Blackheath Halls features three big Icarus favourites.

John Aldington's first taste of the musical highlife was, at the tender age of 16, sharing a stage and playing a Cream cover, I'm So Glad, with none other than David Bowie ! The next three decades saw John writing and performing regularly before taking a break, returning in 2009 to record a very fine album, Songs From The Garden which attracted some excellent reviews including one from the most venerable Mr. Toxic Pete:

"Songs From The Garden is almost a step back in time; it's open but expressive simplicity reminiscent of Sarstedt, Donovan, McLean and Rose. But, Aldington's very much on-the-money here with his wonderfully honest acoustic wares that also blend in the nuances of Fretwell, Rice and Young to result in a warmly enticing sound that's musically rich in emotion and loaded with meaningful lyrics - pretty cool stuff all-in-all!" - www.toxicpete.com

Couldn't agree more !


Josephine Lloyd is a wonderfully multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist performer who plays, in her own words, "...an intricate mish-mash of whatever I can get my hands on or find in my toy cupboard, e.g. tap shoes, kora, washboard, boomwhackers, harpsichord, electric violin, guitar, accordion, music box, symphony orchestra..." !  She's also a mighty fine and highly original songwriter who has attracted the attention of many a top reviewer:

"Isn't that like something you haven't quite ever heard before?! Very fine songs" - Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music 
"... absolutely sublime ... brilliant! " - John Kennedy, XFM Radio 

Luke Jackson has been an Icarus regular for over a year now and offers a refreshing alternative to the get-famous-quick brigade which currently profilerates within the music industry. Writing songs, playing many, many gigs up and down the country and building a fan-base may not seem very "2011" in some people's eyes but it clearly works for him and at just 16, he has recently opened for the likes of Paul Brady, Steve Knightley and Chris Wood as well has having a whole string of festival appearances over the summer. His powerful live performances never lack passion, conviction and confidence and the combination of his outstanding guitar playing and soaring vocals promise a very bright future. Catch him while you can !

Tickets as per usual are just £6, doors open at 7:30 pm. Click on the link below for tickets. See you there !

REVIEW - Saturday Showcase featuring JESPA, THE PORTRAITS, PETER ALDRIDGE

A great start to our Autumn season of Saturday Showcases at Blackheath Halls !

First up was Peter Aldridge, a very fine singer-songwriter from Lancashire. He was accompanied by two excellent compadres in guitarist Steve Ripley and double-bass player Seamus Heffernan, both providing a sympathetic musical backdrop to Peter's warm and resonant vocals which betray a great depth of emotion which is at times uplifting, as on London Town, at others chilling, as on the melancholy Stay With Me. The songs give a wonderfully genuine, mature and honest perspective from the point of view of someone who, while most definitely not a man-out-of-time, at least one who finds the ways of the modern world at best slightly curious and at worst utterly baffling, echoing views shared by many in 2011 !

Copyright Chris Underwood 2011

Next up were The Portraits, the brainchild of Jeremy and Lorraine Millington, who are steadily building a reputation as an utterly entrancing live act. Appearing alongside them tonight were Vincent Imbert (cello), Shemi Jones (violin) and Jessica Moncrieff (vocals) and they combined beautifully with Jeremy's piano playing (taking advantage of the Halls's luxuriant house Bosendorfer !) and Lorraine's soaring vocals to produce a sound that is gloriously uplifting and truly magical. One highlight (of many) was Welcome To The Real World, which showcased their talents to perfection with Shield and the final song in the set, Strong (on which Jessica's Spanish vocal was simply stunning) were close behind.

Copyright Chris Underwood 2011

Lastly tonight were Jespa, an outstanding acoustic duo featuring Anthony Shepherd (lead vocals/guitar) and James Pepper (backing vocals/various stringed instruments). Purveyors of "lo-fi pop folk" (in their own words !), they rattled through a set bristling with enthusiasm and gusto with no shortage of memorable hooklines and footstompin' rhythms as on 10 Long Years (see video HERE) or the bluesy Minnesota Son. They're not afraid to take on a ballad or two either and the bittersweet All My Love was simply excellent, with Anthony's emotionally-charged vocals exuding pain, anguish with a dash of hope that all is not lost !

For more information on tonight's acts, click on the links above and pay a visit to their websites - they'd appreciate it !

The next Saturday Showcase is on October 15th featuring three more Icarus favourites. Check back for more details soon.

TOY HEARTS on Bob Harris's show Sunday 4th September 2011

The fabulous Toy Hearts were live on Bob Harris's Sunday show on 4th September in the shape of three live tracks and a lengthy interview ! Not only that, but he's also played The Tear Stained Letter from their Femme Fatale release on his Thursday show last week.

The session was full of their trademark energy and dynamism and featured the ouststanding string-picking of Johnson snr. (Stewart) complementing Sophia and Hannah stunning harmonies. They're joined by "honorary Johnsons" Howard Gregory (fiddle) and John Potter (double bass). Their show for us on 23rd September (plugged very kindly by Sir Bob !) promises to be something special !

Listen again on BBC's I-player until Saturday via the link below (it's around 1hr 17 mins in):

Tickets for the 23rd September just £10 (click HERE)!

Check out the video for their single Captain also from the Femme Fatale album: