GIGS December WarwicksWorcs.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2021 11:40 Page 1
Gigs
Live music from across the region...
Mica Paris Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 11 December
One of the UK’s finest and most respected singers, Queen of Soul Mica Paris visits Coventry in support of her most recent offering, Gospel. Weaving together new material, timeless gospel classics and contemporary versions of hit songs, the record was released to great critical acclaim in December 2020 and shot straight to the top of the UK R&B album charts.
Damon Albarn Damon Albarn’s eclectic musical style and observational lyrics have made him one of the UK’s most influential and consistently interesting musicians. Founding member of Blur, Gorillaz and The
Good, The Bad & The Queen, he’s the recipient of six Brits, two Ivor Novello Awards and a Grammy. This stripped-back solo set sees Damon performing tracks from his new album, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows, as well as selected favourites from across his songbook.
St Agnes Fountain
Theon Cross
Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Sat 4 December
Drapers’ Hall, Coventry, Fri 3 December
Comprising Fairport Convention's Chris Leslie and the BBC Radio Two Folk Awards’ ‘best duo’ of 2009 - Chris While and Julie Matthews - St Agnes Fountain bring their annual Christmas tour to Worcester, presenting a show that blends sparkling musicianship and heartfelt renditions with a healthy smattering of festive-season humour.
Award-winning tuba player and composer Theon Cross transcends traditional genre conventions with his heady brew of low end theory combined with strains of jazz, dub, hip-hop, soca, grime, and various other sounds from the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. His new album, Intra-I (meaning ‘within self’), is described as ‘synthesising the diversity of his musical art and experience to deliver an essential message to a world gripped by tribulation’.
hmv Empire, Coventry, Tues 7 December
The Brand New Heavies Leamington Assembly, Sat 4 December
Pioneers of the London acid jazz scene, The Brand New Heavies have been responsible for some of the UK’s biggest R&B and soul tracks (think Dream On Dreamer, Never Stop, Dream Come True and Midnight At The Oasis). Boasting 16 top-40 singles and more than two million album sales, the band currently features vocalist Angela Ricci and founding members Simon Bartholomew and Andrew Levy.
The Bootleg Beatles Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Mon 13 December
Formed in 1980 from the cast of the musical Beatlemania, the Bootleg Beatles remain one of the most popular tribute acts in the country, despite the emergence of numerous rivals. Their ongoing success is down to the accuracy of their portrayal of the Fab Four, not only managing to look uncannily like them but also sounding incredibly authentic. An evening in their company offers a nostalgic but vital journey through the Beatles years, as ‘John’, ‘Paul’, ‘George’ and ‘Ringo’ transform from happy-go-lucky mop-tops to bearded, drug-addled hippies. whatsonlive.co.uk 15
