The Everyday Gig Review Roundup (November '21)

We’re back at it again with our November live music roundup. Here at The Everyday, we’re sending out our most music-obsessed writers to a club, pub, basement, field or… church? Near you to unearth the UK’s newest gems.

First on the bill, Richard Nally briefly loses his grip on reality but finds God while watching Jon Hopkins’ ephemeral blend of classic composition and techno at St George’s Bristol. Without a pause for breath we’re up in Birmingham with our very own Opinions Editor Adwoa, sampling the sweet soul delights of local talent Madi Saskia at the Hare and Hounds. Reno Charlton samples some Bad Medicine when she goes to check out Bon Jovi tribute act Con Jovi, we watch an exclusive screening of a film to accompany Modern Nature’s new album release, and culture editor Kerry Mead is bowled away by Black feminist punks Big Joanie.

Jon Hopkins: Polarity Tour @ St George’s Church, Bristol. Thurs 4th November 2021.

Jon Hopkins @ St George’s Bristol.
Credit: Riichard Nally

Words and images by Richard Nally

St George’s, located just off Park Street in the heart of Bristol, is a fantastic place to see an artist like Jon Hopkins. World-class acoustics from this Georgian hall give him the space to confidently deliver his critically acclaimed mix of ambient techno and piano-based music. Hopkins is a classically trained musician with Grammy and Mercury prize nominations and has collaborations with Eno and King Creosote to name a few. His most recent work, Music for Psychedelic Therapy, lasts the same amount of time as the average ketamine trip and is composed to accompany psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Therapy is a fitting word for what I'm to experience tonight. Shortly after taking our seats the lights go out as cheers sweep toward the stage to greet Jon Hopkins, appearing through artificial mist that’s being pumped over the stage.

A single light casts Hopkins’ shadow across the room to the balcony up to my right, his piano a silhouette in the mist as he starts caressing the keys with the opener Scene Suspended; it’s a gentle, immediately absorbing, beautiful opening. He takes his time while layering up his next composition; strings from violin, cello and guitar ease their way in, effortlessly entwining, taking us deeper into this pool of sound. In front of me sit two women with identical blond bobs, between these beacons I watch intently with goosebumps, the first of many times tonight. I find myself following his piano notes like stepping stones through this soundscape; the piano now loud and distorted, reverberating with affects, the strings now frantic – it's almost overwhelming. Visually too, with the lights now illuminating the cloud of mist encompassing the space with colour; it’s a sensory treat.

As the first crescendo of the evening crashes down the strings give way to spacious, considered thumps, as Hopkins, now an eerie figure in the fog behind his decks, eases the first course of ambient techno forward. This again is done with care, as if we are being looked after – “I’ve got you” the music seems to say – and gently we find ourselves starting to move, heads nodding as the levels rise.

Time has flown by with Hopkins manipulating the crowd between trance-like states with moments of near elation before bringing us back down again with more soothing calming keys and strings. It’s so fucking good – I am being lifted and gently placed back down, energised and calmed over and over – it’s music therapy (I’ve only had one beer by the way).

We are now primed for what happens next: we are in the palm of his hand as familiar sounds from his previous album, Singularity takes the stage, the lights now jolting in bolts through the mist over our heads. I glance over my shoulder to see if anyone else is up for it and we are up, quickly the room is filled with shapes as we turn St George’s into a full-blown nightclub; the once house of God is now an all-out house of techno. Jumpers, corduroy and flannel shirts are discarded throughout the room; whoops and cheers, thumping beats and elation as we do what feels like the only thing that matters in the world right now – we dance, we dance hard, and we’re loving it.

We could happily continue this way all night but the music comes tumbling to an end. Hopkins stands at the front of the stage to say thank you but the crowd knows what's going on. Not one person is ready to leave, feet pounding the wooden floors as we resiliently stand firm and continue cheering – our calls are answered swiftly as the encore picks up the pace, the baton being handed to the track Everything Connected, as this discerning crowd are treated to an extended period of ambient electronics. I close my eyes from time to time and feel awash with the energy in the room, like one entity, our bodies moving in the darkness under the storm-like cloud of lights flickering overhead.

Eventually, the beats float gently away; retreating as once again piano takes the stage, strings finding their way back as Hopkins brings a soothing calm to us once more – the room now is incredibly quiet, everyone hushed and still, understanding this is the end and taking in every last keystroke, every draw of a string. It’s spine-tinglingly good.

Jon Hopkins continues his UK tour until 23rd November. Buy tickets here.

Madi Saskia @ Hare and Hounds, Birmingham. Sat 6th November 2021.

Words by Adwoa Owusu-Barnieh

On Saturday 6th November, Birmingham’s finest Madi Saskia supported the one and only jazz pianist Ashley Henry at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, Birmingham.

Anyone familiar with the talent within the Birmingham music scene should know about Madi Saskia. A tour de force at the tender age of 22, Madi Saskia has been described as a ‘young person with an old soul’. Performing on home soil, Madi’s set is short, sweet, and intimate.

Pouring her real life experiences into her lyricism, Madi Saskia’s performance captures the audience’s full attention. With unreleased songs like ‘All I Want is You’ and ‘Speechless’, bearing witness to Madi Saskia’s set makes me take her past heartbreak and wear it as my own. The crowd is silent listening to Madi’s angelic vocalising of the repetitive lyric “All I want is you.” The lyrics are delivered empathetically. Whether or not you can relate to the feelings of lovelessness and longing Madi Saskia presents, her voice elicits those feelings deep within you.

Despite the heartbreak and lovelessness that dominates Madi’s set, her rapport with the audience is funny and light. Madi banters with us, reminding the audience that she is a nice person (which I can confirm, she is lovely), before going into her final song ‘Speechless’. The crowd draws closer to the stage, lost in Madi Saskia’s new age soul brilliance. Her delicate voice admits “You’ve got me speechless, you’ve got me so lost for words.” The vulnerability at the root of Madi Saskia’s music resonates with the audience, and it is a delight that her lyricism can take the pain of her own heartbreak and transform it into a balm for her listeners.

A big supporter of other musicians, Madi Saskia thanks her band consisting of: Emmanuel Galloway on drums, Sandile Phansi on keys, and Matt Thompson on bass guitar, as well as the Hare & Hounds for hosting . Madi Saskia’s performance does well to warm the audience up for Ashley Henry’s set, which she watches with excitement amidst the crowd.

If I could change anything about Madi’s set, I would have it last longer. Her wonderful voice and charming stage presence is heart-warming to experience. The audience clearly agrees, with many taking the time to approach her after her set to give their compliments on her talent. Madi Saskia’s performance leaves the audience wanting more.

At only 22, Madi Saskia’s set suggests that she has a long and fruitful career ahead of her. The next few years are set to be great for Madi, full of R&B, soul, and whatever creativity flows out from her as she grows.

Con Jovi @ Purity Venue, Wolverhampton. Saturday 13th Nov 2021.

Words by Reno Charlton

As someone who goes to see a lot of tribute bands, I’ve become accustomed to seeing the tribute artists doing their best to look just like the real deal. Of course, this does add to the experience, but for me, it is more about the sound than copying the appearance.

When I heard there was a Bon Jovi tribute playing at Purity Venue in Wolverhampton City Centre on Saturday 13th November, I was eager to go. I’d not had the chance to see this particular band before – Con Jovi. As a huge fan of the real band in the 1980s, I was interested to see if they could take me back in time with their sound. I have to say, I was not disappointed.

The venue itself is excellent for gigs in my opinion. It has not been open for long, and this was my first visit to this new and unique rock and live entertainment club. Situated in the heart of the city, it has some really unusual features including an indoor gaslit alley with seating where you can simply chill out, a stylish VIP area, and plenty of tables and seats around the main stage. Moreover, the drinks were cheap and plentiful, so we set ourselves up for a fun night of cocktails and great music.

When the band first stepped out onto the stage, I was surprised by just how un-Bon Jovi-ish they looked. As I said earlier, appearance is not my priority when it comes to tribute bands, but I did wonder whether I had come to the wrong gig, and they were going to erupt into rap music covers. To my delight, and that of the Bon Jovi fans I had brought along with me, this was indeed the right band, and they gave an excellent performance.

Con Jovi rocked the stage as they belted out hit after hit, and the lead vocalist, Carl Wilkes, had a tremendous voice as well as excellent stage presence. There was plenty of space around the stage area at Purity, and he was quick to take to the floor and engage with the audience during the performance – something that delighted some of the female fans that had come along to watch the band!

While the big 80’s hair might have been lacking, the rock vibe and distinctive sound of Bon Jovi was most certainly evident. With big hits ranging from Blaze of Glory, Bed Medicine, and It’s My Life, Con Jovi had the audience belting out the songs with them. Of course, when they covered the iconic ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ the audience was whipped into something of a frenzy.

This is definitely a band worth seeing for all fans of Bon Jovi and classic 80’s rock. The guys nailed all their performances, and despite the limited turnout that evening, the atmosphere at the gig was awesome.

You can sample the sound of the band here.

Film Screening and Album Launch of ‘Island of Noise’ by Modern Nature

November 13th at The Social, London

Words by Kerry Mead and Jasmine Hartshorne Khan

Formed in 2018 by guitarist Jack Cooper, formerly of Ultimate Painting, alt-rock band Modern Nature create beautiful pastoral, jazz tinged music firmly rooted in English tradition and our shared lived experiences on this small island. On November 19th Modern Nature released their new album Island of Noise. During the week of the album release a film created to accompany the album was screened at various venues around the country in partnership with Caught by the River. We went along to see it and hear Cooper in conversation at The Social in Soho, London.

The first thing to strike us as we settled down to watch the film was how much of a welcome change it is in these days of shuffle play and Spotify to sit in silence in a public space with strangers and listen to a whole album from start to finish. We were taken on a technically stunning, emotional journey. Enigmatic, powerful trumpets, soft, harmonic vocals and creative woodwind elements accompanied a montage of evocative natural scenery. Everyday images and familiar landscapes, mainly empty of humans, were subtly strung together creating shapes and patterns which flowed with the avant garde atmosphere of the music. The images captured dynamic, beautiful moments of movement, contrasting those in cities with those in nature, sedimenting layers acting as conduits for the music to flow through like water.

In conversation after the film, Cooper reveals, unsurprisingly, the music and film were mainly created during the 2020 lock down. He talks about the inspiration behind the album title: a quote from The Tempest, ‘Be not afeard, the island is full of noises’, alongside his creative process, how the film and music have been heavily influenced by his move from London to the countryside in early 2020, feeling shipwrecked during lock down, and his intention to try and reclaim our sense of Englishness; ‘We’re stuck here now. I think people are looking for elements of Englishness or Britishness they can be proud of … Englishness has been co-opted by the right, but it belongs to all of us’.

Not available to stream anywhere, you can experience Island of Noise by buying the limited edition boxset, which includes Island of Silence, an instrumental reimagining of the album and a book featuring poetry from Robin Robertson, contributions from biologist Merlin Sheldrake, Richard King and illustrator Sophy Hollington.

Big Joanie at Lost Horizon, Bristol. November 19th.

Words by Kerry Mead

Big Joanie, in their own words, are a ‘Black, feminist punk band’ who emerged from the heart of the London DIY punk scene in 2013 and released their debut album Sistahs in 2018. I discovered Sistahs in late 2019 and it became interwoven with many of my memories of 2020, listened to on repeat during lock down park walks, providing a much-needed kick-up-the-arse reminder of the existence of sisterly and socially conscious community and support when the outside world felt far removed from my shrunken horizons. Not to mention how good their mix of feminist surf punk with sepia tinges of 60s soul sounds. I literally dived at my laptop and pressed ‘buy tickets’ as soon as I found out they would be playing a one-off gig at Lost Horizon, Bristol, on 19th November.

The live music I’ve seen in 2021 has been pretty amazing so far, but Big Joanie stepped in and popped on their crown on Friday night to become regents supreme. Late to the venue (as ever) I missed the support act, but arrived in plenty of time to catch Big Joanie’s full set. Surprisingly, Lost Horizon was nowhere near full capacity, but the rapt crowd, you could tell, were fans through and through, and more than filled the pink-bathed cavernous space with a packed-room atmosphere.

Immediately we are introduced to Big Joanie’s effortlessly cool command of the stage and their instruments, the warmth of their humour and strength of their politics. After opening with New Year we are taken through a set that spans much of Sistahs, some new tracks from their upcoming second album and a couple of blinding covers. As well as a driving, hard rock cover of No Scrubs, their version of Solange’s Cranes in the Sky, released as a single in 2020, is a treat to hear live. As it’s opening primeval heavy drum beat kicks in I’m reminded of how they elevate the already beautiful original by bringing a dark undertone of foreboding and grim, sombre acceptance of the grief of a breakup with a rawness lacking in the polished original.

Other highlights of the set include Used to be Friends, dedicated to Keith Starmer (I feel you Big Joanie) and the full unleashed punk energy of Down Down and It’s You in stark contrast to the raw emotion of more downtempo tracks like Cut Your Hair. The set is slightly marred by a slight echo and distortion of the sound quality, but in spite of this the strength and clarity of Stephanie Philips’ vocals shine through. Live, Big Joanie are a three point exchange of poised yet emotional energy, which builds through their exchanges of shared harmonies and crescendos, sweeping up the whole room and carrying us with them, leaving us energised and uplifted once they exit the stage.

Bring on 2022 and more Big Joanie.

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