Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival 2018 was recently held in the Nation’s capital. Having been in existence for a quarter century, the Festival has cultivated quite a following, drawing 200 teams from across North America. The sporting event hosts races in competitive, corporate, and community categories, and the Foundation raises funds to support local charitable organizations. The event is family […]

Shun Ng is the incarnation of joy. He plays his guitar with the enthusiasm of a novice and the intensity of a virtuoso. When he took to the stage at the Hojoko Tavern (The Verb Hotel) on April 3rd, the atmosphere was cold. People talked, uninterested in the drums and microphones set up before them. A couple arrived late, laughing […]

Birthdays is an underground venue in a bar in Dalston. Dalston is an area of London that seems to sport more mobile phone repair shops per head than any other part of the capital. It is real Eastenders country, although more grime than soap. Before the gig started, I had a chance to share a vodka and slimline with the […]

Words and photos are from Elissa Vinh, a photographer and writer based in Paris, France and London, England. An assertive, high-pitched scream from the audience filled the whole room as the band came up on stage. “We do it really soft”, Florist front woman Emily Sprague quietly replied in the microphone, alluding to her blend of calm folk and electronic […]

Rules Of Engagement by Ria Hall Every two years, one of the best arts and music festival in New Zealand takes place. Aptly called New Zealand Festival, the three-week extravaganza features the best international and national talent in theatre, film, and music, and the 2018 programs is the Festival’s most ambitious. On Saturday night, Kiwi singer-songwriter Ria Hall put on […]

Gig in a shop. Not a bad idea. Thirty years ago today, I was the Assistant Manager of an Our Price Music branch, which was a national chain of record stores in the UK that got rid of vinyl in favour of CDs and then got rid of those in favour of VHS and mobile phones. No wonder it no […]

 Big Wreck exploded onto Canadian radio stations in 1997, instantly proving themselves to be a new force with their debut LP, In Loving Memory Of… The album enjoyed success on both sides of the border, though in Canada the band was especially embraced. The record spawned four singles, several of which are still staples on Canadian rock stations. With […]

 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club was one of founding bands that revived the roots rock genre. Their style combines dirty blues riffs and tones that give a fervor for rebellion. The band has kept up with that theme since the their debut work in the late ’90s and has developed a dedicated fan base. And that’s who showed up for the […]

Omeara is a sprawling arts venue near London Bridge. The building was renovated just over a year ago by Mumford and Sons‘ Ben Lovett (although I suspect he got some builders to help him). The main hall, which is currently hosting a series of sold-out gigs, is a throwback to days gone past. It looks like the ballroom of The […]

2017 has been a crazy year for photographing bands. I’ve managed to get a whopping 277 of them in front of my camera. I also had some firsts – first time in a photo pit, first time shooting at a festival, first time a photo has been published, as well as my first of 40 articles for The Revue. I’ve […]

November was a busy month for London gigs. Many nights saw at least five bands playing in various places across the capital that The Revue would have loved to have covered. Here’s three of the best from the last couple of weeks. Cigarettes After Sex The Roundhouse I 20/11/2017 I No support act Cigarettes After Sex play at two speeds […]

Alexandra Palace was built in 1873 and is steeped in history. The huge arched building on top of a hill in North London looms over the neighborhood. Ally Pally was the place where the world’s first TV was transmitted, and it has been home to some epic gigs over recent years. With a capacity of nearly 11,000, the main hall […]

John Jacob Magistery first came to our attention in 2016 when they impressed us during a late-night set at The Rainbow. Their engaging lyrics and bursts of spontaneous energy on stage made them an obvious recommendation as a band to catch later that year at CityFolk Festival. The Montreal natives recently completed an EP, Harmoney, prompting a return visit to […]

A night of three faces of punk rock at Camden’s Electric Ballroom – from the haven of grunge punk to full on hardcore punk-rock with a diversion through the weird and wonderful, too. Saturday night in the heart of trendy North London could never be called dull. Scrap Brain DEMO by SCRAP BRAIN DIY grunge punks. Why write songs that […]

The Union Chapel is found in the middle of a Georgian terrace of houses and set back from Islington’s busy Upper Street. The venue is as it appears – a church with high-arched ceilings, lofted galleries, stained glass windows, and ancient pews and pulpit. It has, however, an upstairs bar and a stage where the altar would have been. The […]

Regular readers will know me as an indie kid. If I was pushed to give you my favourite genre, I’d plump for indie-dance, so tonight’s three-band lineup, including the mighty Chk Chk Chk, was right up my street. Anyone who has walked along Camden High Street may have noticed The Electric Ballroom. The iconic North London venue sits between the […]

Ramona Gonzalez’s project as Nite Jewel would make a fascinating Doctoral thesis. Like many independent musicians, her initial works flew under the radar, but her breakthrough came with 2012’s One Second of Love, which saw the LA-based artist go from lo-fi to ’80s dance clubs. The album was positively received (the album remains a personal favorite), and Gonzalez became a […]

Been a busy couple of weeks for my camera and earplug combo. Here’s a sample of where I’ve been in and around London. Music is very much alive and thriving in our capital city. Everywhere you turn there’s a band waiting for my camera and cynical commentary. Hopefully this won’t disappoint. In alphabetical order: Desperate Journalist  The Dome, Tufnell Park, […]

Anyone who reads my stuff on The Revue will know I tend to cover smaller indie bands, usually in Victorian pubs. However, a trip to The Water Rats in London’s King’s Cross gave me something very different to chew on. The Water Rats is a historical building. Bob Dylan made his UK debut in 1962 here, and Oasis performed their […]

In the Summer, I got some business cards printed. I had to choose 10 photos from the 1000s I’ve taken to go on the back of them. One of those had to be October Drift. I “discovered” October Drift playing a support slot for Echobelly in June. I was one of only two photographers who had turned up early and […]