GIGS WarwicksWorcs February.qxp_Layout 1 19/01/2022 11:29 Page 2
Gigs
Live music from across the region...
Craig Charles hmv Empire, Coventry, Fri 4 February
Popular actor, comedian, author, poet, television presenter and DJ Craig Charles has been touring The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club since 2008, bringing live DJ sets to nightclubs, festivals and events throughout the UK. “The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club does exactly what it says on the tin,” explains Craig. “It’s high-octane good-time music. It’s two pounds of funk in a one pound bag. I play funk and soul music and try to mix it up. I play a lot of psychedelic soul, like Sandie Shaw’s version of Sympathy For The Devil and The Voices Of East Harlem’s Run Shaker Run. I also play more heavy beats, afro beats and the like.”
Mammal Hands Drapers’ Hall, Coventry, Thurs 3 February
Mammal Hands have scored a considerable hit with their hypnotic fusion of jazz and electronica. Comprising saxophonist Jordan Smart, pianist Nick Smart and drummer &
Simply Red Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Sun 13 February
Re-forming in 2015, with Mick Hucknall the only original member, British soul & pop band Simply Red have sold more than 50 million albums and racked up five UK Official Album Chart number ones since their inception in the mid-1980s. Expect to hear such classics as Stars, Holding Back The Years, Fairground and Money’s Too Tight To Mention, as well as songs from their latest album, 2019’s Blue Eyed Soul, the second release since their reunion.
tabla player Jesse Barrett, the band are also much admired for their pulsating live performances. They visit Coventry to play music from their latest album, 2020’s Captured Spirits, alongside favourites from previous offerings.
Jessie Lloyd
Martyn Joseph
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 18 February
Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thurs 3 February
“Islander rhythms, campfire country and defiant humour celebrate simple joys, while melancholy ballads chart a journey of blood, sweat and tears…” is how journalist Chris Lambie describes the music of Australian Aboriginal singer, social historian and cultural practitioner, Jessie Lloyd. Using intimate storytelling, moving harmonies and historical insights, Jessie takes audiences on a profoundly moving musical journey into the depths and diversity of Australia’s history, culture and identity.
Dubbed the ‘Welsh Springsteen’, Martyn Joseph is a mesmerising performer who boasts the rare ability to speak to the soul with his expressive and poignant lyrics. With a career spanning 30 years, 32 albums, more than half a million record sales and thousands of live gigs, Martyn is a unique talent whose passion for his trade always guarantees his army of dedicated fans an exceptional evening of musicmaking.
King King Birmingham Town Hall, Tues 22 February
King King’s five studio albums have seen the band establish themselves as major movers and shakers on the UK blues rock scene. Boasting a live show replete with soul and swagger, the boys are led by charismatic man-in-a-kilt Alan Nimmo, whose brother Stevie joined the line-up just in time to contribute to King King’s most recent album, Maverick. whatsonlive.co.uk 17
