Music for the month of August 2017

Our monthly round-up of

Leicester and Leicestershire’s music offerings.

See also: music for the month of July.

Too see other monthly reports for 2017, go to the Contents page on the main menu ↑

At the end of July we reported on the Simon Says.. festival

Our report took a long time to compile but it gives an overview of the many acts that performed on the festival’s several stages. Read about Music in July.

Saturday 12th August

A few days later we were at the Cosmopolitan Carnival event

This annual festival of the arts and music was spread across the centre of the city, from Jubilee Square to Humberstone Gate.

Read about Leicester Cosmopolitan carnival.

Later the same day we went to The Shed to see a band we like

The Lids did a really good set at The Shed.

This is a band we have reported on several times before.

The Lids is one of the bands from Leicester that is rising fast and increasing in popularity. Their music is very contemporary and always compelling.

Also on the stage that night was a band called Boarder.

We thought they were very good; well-played tunes backed by resilient vocals.

The Soundhouse

We were at the open-mic night on Tuesday 15th August.

There we saw Kevin Hewick. Also that night, two up and coming artists that go by the name of Dosnoirmavericks.

Kevin Hewick is a superbly good singer and highly celebrated song writer.

His work places him in the uppermost levels of Leicester’s musical creativity. Kevin sang his song A young man’s dream of revolution. Impressive. Incomparable.

Kevin told us that he had been in the studio recording some new material; that is something we are very much looking forward to. He finished his set with Uneasy Rider. Kevin’s lyrics are full of measureless passion. Seeing him perform is a privilege.

You might want to read our review of Hewick’s Touching stones Tasting Rain.

Looking back to another review of Hewick’s work we said:

Kevin Hewick’s 2013 album The Heat of Molten Diamonds was released by Pink Box Records. His album All Was Numbered was released in 2012, with eight tracks which were recorded between December 2011 and January 2012, through Hacienda Records. This is one of the outstanding song albums of recent times. An absolute must-have album for lovers of quality song writing and full-on music. Of all the albums I have listened to this year this one really stood out for me. It’s songs are poignant and full of impact. This album marks Hewick out as one of the great song writers and performers of Leicester. See Sean Tizzard’s review of Kevin Hewick. He wrote: ‘The new album, ‘The Heat Of Molten Diamonds‘, was released at the latter end of 2013 and it’s gathered positive reviews from a flurry of blogs, websites and print publications. I testify that it’s a fiver well spent.’

Dully Chowe of Dosnoirmavericks performed a set of their music with cart-loads of youthful energy.

These two young artists look like they will be a roaring success.

They have lashings of fire and enthusiasm and we look forward to seeing them grow and develop.

Marvellous.

Another of the many singers to perform at the open-mic tonight was Adam Heyes with guitarist Tom.

An incredibly good voice, his vocals were amazing and a very pleasing set of songs too.

Tonight’s show was compered by Poetman. Always a great pleasure to hear his songs, full of good humour and funny lines.

One artists we have not seen for a while was there tonight – Sam Beach. Nice to see him again.

25th August

Sophia Dady at The Shed. I went to see one of Leicester’s top singers. Her superb set tonight was delightful. accompanying herself on the keyboard, Sophia treated us to her beautiful voice. Her song eclipse was both evocative and moving. In many of her opriginal songs, Sophia writes lyrics that are lyrical and enchanting. She told the audience that she had been writings songs since she was 14. Her song Mountainside is from her recent EP.

By chance I found myself at Broood bar in King Street.  Playing there I found Dr. X.

I remember Dr. X. when they played with The Bobcats in February 2014. Keith Jobey said ‘Dr X is Markus Reeves and Art Pridmore. Markus uses a selection of vintage and home made guitars while Art plays a Cajun drum and adds backing vocals using a microphone fashioned from a beer tin.’ It was a really great set; the vibe was fantastic.

This bar was a bit of a discovery. Although not somewhere I would have gone I found it a  very nice place with a really good selection of drinks available. With an atmosphere like that it would be well worth going back to again.

If you want to check out Broood Leicester see this. There is an open-mic night each month.

See also:

Music for the month of July.

Metal, punk, ska and reggae – another round of Going to gigs in year gone by.

Simon Says… festival report 2017.