Top 10 Gigs of 2025

Always a difficult choice at the end of the year, but one that is getting a bit easier as each year passes. Enforced abstinence does mean that whilst it is not stopping me from going to gigs, I have become a little more selective in what I choose to go to. Pre-gig meets in pubs have been part of the process for decades and still is. The problem really comes with the Festival type events where the beer is/was (for me at least) an integral part of the day's proceedings. That kind of rules some things out for me... Rebellion for example.

So, the pool of gig experiences this year is a little shallower than in previous years, but here goes... in no particular order.

1. The March Violets Oslo Hackney London 25th June 2025.

Reviewed in greater detail (here), this was my first time of seeing the March Violets after liking them for 40 years! Some bands somehow just slip the net like that. But, it was worth the wait as they put in a great performance to a surprisingly thin audience (in number terms... not a physiological observation) on a very hot summer's night. No hits as such, but all of the big tunes were there as well as tracks from their excellent 2024 album 'Crocodile Promises'. They have UK dates booked for 2026.

The March Violets

(Oslo, Hackney 28th June 2025)

2. Hugh Cornwell The Islington Assembly Hall 13th November 2025

In an unintentional continuation of a gothic theme, next on my random list is Hugh's gig in Islington, a night of the undead as after a mere 45 years he unleashed 'Nosferatu' upon his audience. More can be read here. It is an album that I have always loved (in fact the top of the pile of all of the band's solo and spin-off efforts). Most of the crowd knew what to expect, but I did notice a few whose facial expressions suggested patient endurance of the experimental stuff whilst waiting for the hits! Even to my ears, and I know the album like the back of my hand, there were some bits in there that were reminiscent of The Fast Show's 'Jazz Club'! I hope that some of his earliest solo material still works its way into his sets going forward... perhaps in place of  'Bring on the Nubiles'... 'Wired' and 'White Room' survived through to the Dover gig in December so that's a start.

Hugh Cornwell

(The Islington Assembly Hall

13th November 2025)

3. Sex Pistols Dreamland Margate 23rd August 2025

This was really more of a day out than a run of the mill gig. An opportunity to enjoy a late summer day by the sea in the company of friends. The gig was really the icing on the cake. The Stranglers played a great festival set before the main attraction took to the stage. I like the Pistols and the 'Bollocks' album, but I have never really gone much out of my way to see them. I was at Finsbury Park for 'Filthy Lucre' but didn't bother with subsequent gigs... Shepherds Bush, Brixton Academy and the like. The same goes for the recent gigs, but I did want to see them once and this presented an ideal opportunity. I like the fact that the three Pistols involved in this project are asserting their right to perform the music that they created in '76/'77, in the face of noisy Lydon protests from the sidelines. Is Frank Carter a good fit?... I dunno, but then again how on Earth do you put in Lydon's place??

More on this one here.

Sex Pistols

(Dreamland Margate 23rd August 2025)

4. Tom Robinson Band Corn Exchange Hertford 13th August 2025

This perhaps was the one (more here), the best gig of the year. It wasn't the most raucous (the average age of the audience was the highest of the year) and the singer/bass player was forced to sit for most of the gig thanks to a troublesome hernia. Those facts notwithstanding....

It was the most positive, uplifting gig of the year as punk's premium activist went through TRB's impressive back catalogue. At a time when a far right minority feel empowered in this country, Tom's set was a much needed shot in the arm. Power in the darkness indeed!

Tom Robinson Band

(Corn Exchange Hertford 13th August 2025)

5. The Vapors & Ombudsmen Record Junkee Sheffield 15th March 2025

Promoting their new album 'Wasp In A Jar' The Vapors played a handful of gigs in the UK. Support for two of these gigs, in Manchester and Sheffield, came from Manchester's Ombudsmen. These grass roots dates made for a fun weekend of loading gear in and out, soundchecks and poor food! I know that the support appreciated the exposure that came with playing with a name band. Surprisingly, they were better received in Sheffield than in their own town. Having said that, Ombudsmen's experimental/Devo-esque set is a world away from the new wave/mod tinged music that a Vapor's audience were perhaps anticipating. Still winding up elements of an audience is no bad thing is it? Just ask The Stranglers!

More words here.

6. The Stranglers Roundhouse Camden 1st November 2025

Much anticipated Stranglers tour, albeit a small, nine date affair, seemingly in keeping with their declared intent to knock the touring marathons of previous years on the head. Great to hear 'Pin Up' in the set, but I am sure that for me and for a significant proportion of the audience, the run away highlight of the show was a closing rendition of 'Mean to Me'. Great stuff.

A typically poor photo from me (but it does get in all four members!).

The Stranglers

(The Roundhouse, Camden, London 1st November 2025)

7. Gary Numan Cambridge Corn Exchange 26th November 2025

Reviewed here. For someone who sang 'Keep your revivals', Numan pulls off a revival with the best of them. Tragically, what was initially intended to be a 45th Anniversary celebration of his 1980 No.1 album 'Telekon' unexpectedly evolved into a tribute tour following the tragic death of Gary's brother, John Webb, two days into the schedule. Of all of the 'classic album' tours that Numan has done, this was the best yet, delivered with an edge for which the sudden loss of John may or may not have been a contributing factor.

Gary Numan

(Cambridge Corn Exchange 26th November 2025)

8. The Courettes Concorde 2 Brighton 16th November 2025

Not my usual fayre, but a happy discovery this year. An unusual but most welcome choice by Hugh of support for his Nosferatu tour. Stylish, noisy and fun!

The Courettes

(Concorde 2 Brighton 16th November 2025)

9. Ruts DC MAH Cambridge 6th December 2025

Just as Moderna provided the required booster to the Pfizer vaccine back in the dark days of COVIC-19, Ruts DC's gigs in London and Cambridge in December offered a much needed booster to the TRB gig back in August. A further dose of intelligent music to challenge an alarming rise in intolerance and hatred was in order in the wake of certain events of last summer. As ever Ruts DC delivered it.

Segs's shirt choice of the evening neatly summed things up in one word... 'Resist'.

10. 999 Monkeys Music Club Hamburg 25th July 2025

Gunta and I have been following this band for 40 years now, but this summer was the first time that we had travelled over to Europe to see them. This was the second of two shows we took in (the other being in Dusseldorf). More here, but suffice to say that the band went down a storm with their German Crew!

999

(Monkeys Music Bar, Hamburg 25th July 2025)

The Vapors and Ombudsmen Manchester And Sheffield March 2025

Last weekend was a little different. The band our daughter Mo is in, Ombudsmen, had two gigs straddling the Pennines, with a Friday night in her adopted home city of Manchester and a Saturday gig over the county line in Sheffield. This opportunity was a part of The Vapors album launch tour for their fourth studio album, 'Wasp In A Jar'.

Gig No. 1 was at 33 Oldham, a bar venue in Oldham Street in the city's vibrant Northern Quarter. Myself and Gunta arrived at the venue at about the same time that The Vapors entourage drove up so we were alble to assist with the loading in, I ably assisted to the extent that a hernia and a first floor venue would allow! I am still amazed that a four piece band have so much stuff!

The only concern on the day was whether Mo, who issues vocals, would make it in time for a quick soundcheck, as she was working through to six o'clock and had to get back into Manchester from Stockport. Make it she did and there was some time for a sound check, although the sound from the stage would be a critisism of the night. 

Ombudsmen's set was comprised of material from the first two E.P.s plus two new songs, 'Sugar Fantasy' and 'Temporary Cemetery' from the forthcoming album. It's fair to say that a Vapors' crowd are not a natural audience for the punk/psych tinged material that the band play. This fact notwithstanding, each song was well received throughout the venue. One exception appeared to be one Vapors fan who positioned directly in Mo's eyeline who rolled his eyes throughout. Shame, he was the only dissenter really, perhaps at some point it will dawn on him that it is not 1980 anymore!

The Vapors put on a good show, with a set that offered all that the casual fan would have ever wanted plus a liberal helping of material lifted from the new album (but of course it was an album launch gig!). The gig ended with full paced versions of 'Letter From Hero' and 'Here Comes The Judge'.... and just for a moment it was 1980 again. The eyeroller would have approved.

After a breakfast in bed (sold on the website of the boutique hotel that we stayed in as a decadant luxury, but in reality an acknowledgement of the fact that there was not enough room available in the building to swing a cat, let alone serve food!), we drove across to Ombudamen HQ in Burnage to collect an amp and other random bits and pieces of stage equipment before driving over Snake Pass into White Rose territory for gig No. 2. 

This was only my second visit to Sheffield (back in 2008 I stayed with Doug Kerr prior to a Stranglers gig in Manchester). My understanding of the town was sadly limited to hills and The Human League! Unlike in Manchester, where the industrial heritage is still plain for all to see in the form of beautiful redbrick converted mills, Sheffield's considerable contribution to the Industrial Revolution is far less conspicuous (I guess that this is due to the differences in the industries that the cities excelled in). I only saw a couple of industrial units whose signage indicated that they were in the business of steel, oh and a pub called 'The Bessemer' (a vessel/process for converting iron into steel). I assume that the foundries and forges of old have long gone and what modern steel production happens somewhere away from the city centre. Happy to be educated on this.

Prior to heading to the venue, we looked for a drinking venue. At half past one, the pubs in the centre are heaving and we end up in an 'All Bar One' which happened to be occupied by multiple groups of women of our age, all glammed up and necking prosecco and gin like it's fast going out of fashion. It was likely to get lively in town tonight!

Back to the venue, 'Record Junkee', a music shop/record shop by day and venue by night looked very promising, albeit with a very small stage! More lugging gear and we were in. Tonight's soundman seemed to be more on the ball during Ombudsmen's soundcheck and this payed dividends at the gig. The crowd were visibly a carbon copy of the Manchester crowd, but with a difference. They appeared to be much more receptive to what Ombudsmen were trying to convey. As mentioned, I am sure that this was at least part due to better sound. The tunes weren't lost in an overall muddy sound like the previous night. Maybe it was just down to differences between a Manchester and Sheffield crowd. I have no idea, both are musical cities... it is not as though Sheffield is starved of bands, nothing could be further from the truth, but the difference was quite stark. At the end of the gig a few Fred Perry'd punters complemented the band on their set which was great to hear and maybe this will open up a few oppurtunities for them to come back to Sheffield.

On behalf of Ombudsmen, thanks to Mike, Owen and of course The Vapors for a great weekend!

The Vapors soundchecking in Sheffield.

Ombudsmen are back at 33 Oldham in Manchester on 29th March for the launch of their own album, 'Liquid Assets' which is released on 28th March.

Ombudsmen In Manchester Friday 22nd March 2024

 

Should you be at a loose end in Manchester on Friday (The Stranglers have a night off!) you could do worse than see Ombudsmen at The Old Abbey Taphouse in Manchester supporting VEE VV.

Ombudsmen The Lexington London 18th February 2024

This then was Ombudsmen's third gig in the capital and their biggest yet. A birthday gig for Christopher Plummer, the audience travelled for the occasion (many braving the current vagaries of our public transport system to make it up to North London). Ombudsmen were second on after 'College Boy Haircut'. The sound on the night was good, the band having enjoyed a soundcheck, a luxury that they have not enjoyed at some of their gigs to the detriment of some shows.

The set was essentially a run through of the material on their two E.P.s, 'Fizzy Milk' and 'Terms & Conditions Apply' (both are on Spotify). John, the bass player assured me that new material is being worked up and will appear on a further E.P. release before too long. 

Before the gig Mo told me that she was very nervous, said in slightly earthier terms I may add. This was by far the biggest audience that the band have played to to date, by my reckoning 150 people or so. Once on stage though there were few signs of nerves although that can be difficult to tell as the singer stands stock still throughout... only movement of the eyes and mouth confirm an existence of vital signs!

Mo Andrews and John Bardsley (Ombudsmen)

The Lexington London

18th February 2024.

(Photo: Paul Jenner)

With this larger audience, I took some moments to look around me. Here we had a situation where the audience were not primarily made up of friends and relations of the band, so to see strangers genuinely getting into the band was quite a thrill. 

The elders look on.

(Photo: Paul Jenner)

After 30 minutes in the merch booth the band had to hot foot it back to the M6 and Manchester to be up for work in the morning. But hey, they are young, they can do these things. I on the other hand cannot! 

Loved the day, very proud of Mo and the band and it was great to spend the evening with Owen, Jac and Peej. And thanks to Christopher for putting the thing on and giving such encouragement to new, young bands!

'Take Everything'

The Lexington London

18th February 2024.

Ombudsmen Hope And Anchor Islington London 2nd November 2023

 

This is the second time that our daughter has had the honour of playing in one of the most hallowed gig spaces in the UK... at least in my old eyes! However, she takes it all in her stride.

So, this then is the second London gig for Manchester based four piece, Ombudsmen. A planned date at the Dublin Castle fell victim to a planned rail strike earlier in the year. On this occasion I was gutted to be absent as work commitments had taken me to Copenhagen for the two days spanning this gig. The gig line up was the same as the Hope gig that took place in March of this year, the difference being that that gig was a matinee and this was an evening affair. 

On this return date they have more product to promote, an E.P. CD entitled 'Terms & Conditions Apply' (available from https://ombudsmen.bandcamp.com/album/terms-conditions-apply ).

I did note this week that Kid Kapichi have adapted the same 'Neighbourhood Watch' logo for their new album, but Ombudsmen got there first. The adaptation was done by Mo Andrews and captures the band rather well, but then again I am a little biased in my view here!

'Terms & Conditions Apply' move the band ever forward from their first E.P. 'Fizzy Milk'. Both E.P.s are played in full in this Hope & Anchor set. Both of these E.P.s appear on Spotify too.

It is very difficult to apply labels to the band as they do not fit neatly into a defined genre, as much as a musical cliché as that may sound. There are elements of punk, electronica, funk, psychedelia and dare I say it... prog in their multi-layered tunes. The bass drives the songs whilst the guitar brings an urgency to the proceedings, a sound that compliments the vocals. Of the vocals, Mo's vocal styles vary across the set, I can hear Ari Up, a bit of Grace Slick on the somewhat psychedelic 'Yourself Is Everywhere' as well as a liberal measure of Lene Lovich. 

The band play quite regularly in the Manchester area as well as further afield with recent gigs in Liverpool, Bradford and Nottingham. Hopefully, more London dates will come their way and hopefully, if that is the case, I can arrange my time better such that I am in the same country when they next play there.

Anyway, here is the gig in full. Once again I am very indebted to Lee McFadden for sharing this recording. Cheers!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-rPc8IFCvDc

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-Desf0w15TJ

Ombudsmen Hope And Anchor Islington London 26th March 2023

 

Having got over the disappointment of the cancellation of the scheduled gig at the Dublin Castle in Camden, Ombudsmen's London debut was upon us in the form of a Sunday matinee gig at the equally prestigious Hope & Anchor on Islington's Upper Street. A hallowed venue in my opinion having played host to pretty much every band that I have ever been into, including The Stranglers, The Damned, 999  and The Specials. To stand in that small subterranean space is to absorb something of London's musical heritage of the past 50 years! And lo and behold, that's Mo on the stage as one of Manchester's Ombudsmen.

'Shifting Sands' by Ombudsmen

Hope & Anchor, Islington, London

26th March 2023.

The band have been building up something of a live reputation in Manchester in particular (they supported Scott Lavene last week), but also in Liverpool and other towns in the North West (Huddersfield and Blackpool come to mind). 

They play a set of original material that draws in influences from Devo (just listen to 'Solon's Marble' and you will see where I am coming from to post punk (I can hear early Factory era Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in the intro to 'Take Everything'. Other reviewers have likened the bands sound to kraut rock pioneers such as Neu!. I know that such comparisons are very pleasing for Mo, who is a big fan!

'Solon's Marble' by Ombudsmen.

The band are not afraid of experimentation in their songs with frequent tempo changes unexpected experimental breaks. Mo has adopted a static stance on stage which is a good counterpoint to her moments of let's say more aggressive vocals.

'Fake It' by Ombudsmen.

Many thanks to the taper who was happy to share this recording with me. Much appreciated!

WAV: https://we.tl/t-zqNInuU7mm

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-snkdeT3wvW

The bands current E.P., 'Fizzy Milk' can be found on Spotify.

Ombudsmen Lion's Den Deansgate Mews Manchester 27th January 2023

 

With sufficient stage time under her belt now, Mo has relented and is comfortable for Mum and Dad to be in the audience! The Ombudsmen play another central Manchester gig at the Lion's Den Bar in Deansgate Mews once again supporting Vee VV. I am looking forward to seeing that steely gaze!