LIVERPOOL TAKEOVER AT THE PHIL
The Philharmonic Hall is a fabulous place to see live music of all sorts. It is, of course, associated with classical music and its own fabulous orchestra, but it hosts music of all genres in both its main gorgeous hall and in the smaller Music Room. Over the years, they have hosted some of the biggest names in the music world, but for me, the venue goes to another level when it features a local artist doing a hometown show.
With this in mind, next weekend is promising to be really special, with MT Jones and Bill Ryder-Jones both doing headline shows on Friday 13th November and Sunday 15th respectively.
Bill is obviously well established now, but for MT Jones, the fact that he can headline his own show just shows how rapid his well-deserved rise has been. It is great to see that the show is being promoted with the lovely team at the Jac, who have worked closely with Mikey since his very earliest shows.
His debut album Joy was released earlier this year, and it has been non-stop ever since. The album perfectly showcases the gorgeous soul sound that those of us who have been following MT Jones from the start know and love.
Making the Phil gig even more special is the fact that his beautiful songs will be made even more glorious through the backing of musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. It promises to be a special night and a lovely moment for an incredibly talented artist who deserves every success.
Just two nights after the MT Jones show, the stage will be taken over by Bill Ryder-Jones. I’ve been a huge fan of Bill’s since his days in The Coral, and since leaving the band, Bill has gone on to establish himself as a well-respected artist in his own right while also becoming a producer of some renown.
Bill has never been predictable, and his first record after leaving The Coral was the beautiful If. If was written as the soundtrack to Italo Calvino’s novel If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller and is an absolutely gorgeous work, full of cinematic-style soundscapes interwoven with Bill’s usual melodic mastery.
The gig will take place 15 years to the day since the album was first released, and Bill will be playing it with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he originally recorded the album all that time ago. The album will be performed in full for the first time, and Bill will also be playing other songs on the night, including some from the brilliant lechyd Da.
I dare any other city to conjure up two such special nights with artists of this calibre in one weekend. It is a fine example of why we are a City of Music.
