Category Archives: Blog

Holy, Holy- The ultimate tribute band?- Birmingham Academy

Posted on June 30, 2015 by garylongden

When tribute bands first started to form, I was scornful. I began to watch a few, some were good, some were not. Then a friend pointed out that you don’t go along to a Beethoven concert and report: ” It … Continue reading →

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Live at the Brixton Academy- Simon Parkes

Posted on March 25, 2015 by garylongden

A riotous life in the music business As a teenager I learned the gig going ropes in London. The Hammersmith Odeon, Rainbow Theatre Finsbury and Wembley Empire Pool (as was) became regular haunts, as well as occasional visits elsewhere. It … Continue reading →

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A Doll’s House, Sutton Arts Theatre

Posted on February 7, 2015 by garylongden

This production is the latest example of the bold programming by Sutton Arts Theatre. Straight plays always have to work harder to win an audience than other theatrical genres, and period writing has to work harder still. Yet “ A … Continue reading →

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You Tube Channels- Sarah Collins

Posted on January 18, 2015 by garylongden

As a poet, I regularly watch the You Tube postings of poets, famous, and not so famous, yet no poster has fascinated me more recently than Sally Collins, a singer. I don’t know much about Sally. She seems to come … Continue reading →

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King William 4th Pub Alrewas

Posted on November 14, 2014 by garylongden

I was fortunate to be invited to perform at a Staffordshire acoustic music event in Alrewas on Wednesday. The host was Barry Hunt, an Elford based professional musician with a formidable reputation as a guitar teacher, songwriter and performer. Like … Continue reading →

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Derby Demo 5 Rocks The Dog for Christmas Dec 5th & 6th

Posted on November 5, 2014 by garylongden

Derby Demo returns for its fifth consecutive year, and its third consecutive year at The Hairy Dog PH in Derby, moving to new, larger space at the venue playing on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th December 2014 with different bills … Continue reading →

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Book Reviews

Posted on October 30, 2014 by garylongden

Cedar Across the World – Barbara Bridgford Spiritualism and Mediumship tends to polarise opinion. Some dismiss it as invention, yet the numbers who attend Spiritualist Churches, and Psychic events are such that those in support have significant numbers too. Many … Continue reading →

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British Female Pop Stars of the 1980’s

Posted on September 8, 2014 by garylongden

The third instalment in my occasional series which has become widely read, much to my delight , and surprise. For the avoidance of doubt, this piece includes those solo British singers who came to prominence in the 1980’s, who have … Continue reading →

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The Cornbury Festival

Posted on July 9, 2014 by garylongden

The posh festival. That is what I read prior to my first visit. So it proved. Behind the posh festival tag lies a much more intriguing sub-plot of “toff wars”, with Cornbury promoter and impresario Old Etonian Hugh Philimore falling … Continue reading →

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Lines- Phil Binding

Posted on May 20, 2014 by garylongden

“Stories of Railway Folk and other important people” Some dismiss poetry as esoteric, ethereal, and divorced from the everyday. Those doubters would be well advised to consider Phil Binding’s debut collection. Binding was a railwayman in the days of British … Continue reading →

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