A long ago sold-out evening at the Portland started with Near Jazz Experience playing a set that explored the seemingly limitless possibilities of a jazz trio; with drums and hefty electric bass providing the foundation for multi-instrumentalist Terry Edwards, mainly on saxophone (sometimes two at once!), melodica and pocket trumpet. Together they produced a super-tight rhythm driven sound varying from complex up-tempo pieces to the more wistful new single ‘Afloat’. The audience were happy to join the celebration of their addictive sound by playing along with percussion shakers (which I think were mostly handed back at the end…)
There was a time when a music line-up would often feature a comedian or poet (John Cooper Clark, Attila the Stockbroker, John Shuttleworth et al) and The Nightingales have maintained this tradition for their shows; on this tour it was cult legend Stewart Lee performing a relaxed and hilarious 20 minute act drawn from some of his 1988 club routines. Much-loved and appreciated, he certainly made his mark and left the audience wanting more!
The Nightingales continue to be a formidable live attraction with an energy and commitment that doesn’t diminish with time. Tonight playing an hour of continuous songs with no let-up for audience interaction or appreciation; it was a fully immersive experience. They have an immense back catalogue to draw on but also still release new material with album ‘Perish The Thought’ just out and featured single ‘Chaff’ being one of the highlights tonight.
Dynamically supported by spiky guitar and incisive bass and the superlative drumming and duelling vocal from Fliss Kitson, the lyrics and vocal demands of founder member Robert Lloyd draw you into their special and unique world. A a bit like listening to the late Mark E Smith, it is an onslaught on the senses. From the noise fuzz of ‘Real Gone Daddy’ to the punching art-rock of ‘Best of British Luck’ and the timeless sentiment of relative oldie ‘Company Man’, tonight showed that the Nightingales continue to push against the barriers.
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.