MAYER WAKEFIELD has reservations about the direction of a play centered on a DVLA re-training session for three British-Pakistani motorists
Rodgers, the ringmaster, has them dancing in the aisles
MIK SABIERS just soaks up the atmosphere of joyous abandon
rodgers
New releases from Steve Knightley, Jupiter & Okwess, Jason Palmer, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Driver, Kin'Gongolo Kiniata, Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey, Dan Sealey, Simin Tande, PAZ
JOHN GREEN relishes photography that unfolds a longstanding and poetic relationship with Leeds
A uncomfortably misogynistic authorial voice that sometimes seems to lack insight troubles FIONA O’CONNOR
MARY CONWAY is disappointed by a production that panders – if inadvertently – to Western prejudice against China
JOHN GREEN is fascinated by a history that excavates the enormous role played by agricultural workers in recent times
ALEX HALL recommends a book that places empirical evidence at the heart of understanding racism
Nile Rodgers and CHIC
Meltdown Festival
Royal Festival Hall
★★★★
It’s the opening night of this year’s Meltdown — the world’s longest running artist-curated festival — and standing centre stage in the spotlight in the Royal Festival Hall is none other than musical maestro and producer extraordinaire Nile Rodgers.
Rodgers, following in the footsteps of David Bowie, Robert Smith, MIA, Robert Wyatt and many more, is in charge of curating this year’s festival, bringing together an eclectic selection of music and events on London’s South Bank.
And on this opening night he treats the audience to an anecdote-filled welcome and walk through some of the highlights of his career from being inspired by Bryan Ferry, partying with Madonna, facing strikes in France, recording with Bowie and sweeping up for Sinatra all framed under the aegis of “I write ensemble music.”
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MIK SABIERS leaves The Itch gig rejuvenated and energised
MIK SABIERS detects a serious message beneath the fun and frenzy of a classic 1980s Grebo scene band
