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.
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter