Retro Man Blog & Retrosonic Podcast's Favourite Gigs of 2024 with Photos & Videos

All photos copyright Retro Man Blog

Welcome to this selection of some of our favourite gigs of 2024. There were some super shows this year, from intimate solo performances in churches to full-on orchestral shows and of course the usual raucous Rock 'n' Roll gigs in classic venues. Please click on the highlighted band name for links to access our videos from the relevant shows and I've added links to various corresponding reviews in our archive too.

1. Love Revisited with Johnny Echols - Shepherds Bush Empire

 For review with photos and videos check out our Retro Man Blog feature here

2. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Camden Electric Ballroom

3. The Prisoners - The Roundhouse, Camden

For review with more photos from the show, check out the feature here

4. Bill Ryder-Jones - "Iechyd Da" Live at The Barbican

5. Lenny Kaye & Friends Play Nuggets - 100 Club, London

Check out the feature here for review and more photos and videos

6. The Woggles, The Len Price 3 & The Galileo 7 - 100 Club, London

See more photos and videos from the show at our Retro Man Blog feature here

7. The Blue Aeroplanes - Lafayette, London

For review with photos and videos from the show check out the Retro Man Blog feature here

8. Michael Head - St. Pancras Old Church, London

9. Love Revisited with Johnny Echols - The Stables, Milton Keynes

10. Indochine - Rough Trade East, London

See more photos and videos from the show at our Retro Man Blog feature here

11. Altin Gun - The Troxy, London

12. Elephant Stone & Karma Sheen - The Lexington, London

Check the feature here for review with photos and videos

13. The WitchDoktors, The Phobics & Damage - The Half Moon Putney

14. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band - EartH Hackney

For review with photos and videos from the show, check out the feature here

15. The Damned - Waterside Theatre Aylesbury

16. Lalalar - The Garage, Islington

See photos and more videos from the show at the Retro Man Blog feature here

17. Michael Head - Rough Trade East, London

18. Ruts DC - ElectrAcoustic at 100 Club, London

For feature on ElectrAcoustic Vol. 3 check out the the Blog archive here

19. Bill Ryder-Jones - Islington Assembly Hall

20. Robyn Hitchcock - Foyles, London

For original videos from most of the shows above, please check out our Retromanblog65 YouTube channel, you can subscribe for free here. All photos and videos copyright Retro Man Blog.

Elephant Stone & Karma Sheen - A night of Sitar heavy Psychedelia at The Lexington London May 3rd 2024

Friday night, saw the triumphant return of the Montreal based Elephant Stone to London to treat a packed out Lexington to their very own emotive and exotic brand of Eastern-tinged Psychedelia, all thanks to the excellent Bad Vibrations Promotions. We've followed band frontman, Sitar maestro Rishi Dhir since we first saw him and guitarist Robbie MacArthur in their previous incarnation, The High Dials at the Metro Club in London way back in 2004 and were there at Elephant Stone's London unveiling, here at the Lexington in 2011. Then there was a stunnng show by Rishi's side-project MIEN at the Moth Club too - a superb band featuring Alex Maas from The Black Angels and Tom Furse of The Horrors. All of this, not to mention Rishi's guest appearances with some of our favourite bands such as The Soundtrack of Our Lives and The Brian Jonestown Massacre for example, means he has achieved an almost godlike status in the Retro Man Blog household! 

 

 

This was the last night of the short U.K. leg of a European tour mainly to promote their excellent new album "Back Into The Dream" which is almost nailed on as album of the year already and it's only just into May. However, for me the only downside with the record (as excellent as it is), was that I thought it lacked enough of Rishi's trademark Sitar - concentrating instead on atmospheric layers of guitars and keyboards. However, no such worries for the gig tonight - Rishi takes the stage and sits cross-legged on his elephant blanket with Sitar very much present and opens with a raga that leads into the brilliant "Heavy Moon". Robbie's guitar playing is immense, coaxing transcendental sounds and textures from his array of foot pedals - just sublime, but when it comes down to it he is also a master of a damn catchy riff, the kind that sticks in your head for days after. Drummer Miles Dupire-Gagnon and the multi-instrumentalist Jason Kent, who handles keyboards, guitar, bass and backing vocals are both excellent and help to bring the often intricate songs on record to life and there's a nice chemistry between all four members.

 

 

It's a superb set and my personal highlights included The Who-like mini-Rock-opera "The Imajinary Everybody Nameless In The World" which condenses "Tommy", "Quadrophenia" and "A Quick One" into one fantastic, mind-bending eight minute masterpiece and Rishi's bass is worthy of The Ox himself. With a lot of the emphasis on Rishi's sitar playing, it's easy to overlook just what a fantastic bassist he is and this musical tour-de-force proves it. There's even another little nod to The Who with a sneaky reference to "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand" in the fantastic "Going Underground". I was blown away by a superb medley of the Sitar led groove of "Sally Goes Round The Sun" from their self-titled album which snakes into "Darker Time Darker Space", "The Court and Jury" and "Land of The Dead" from the excellent "Hollow" LP. The Teenage Fanclub and Big Star influence, which first became apparent on the 2012 track "Hold Onto Yr Soul", is still present on the latest album with the heart-breakingly gorgeous "On Our Own" which tonight is absolutely sublime. Another one of my highlights was the French language "La Fusée du Chagrin" which rockets along at some pace, powered by a driving bassline and some stunning duelling guitar between Robbie and Jason. There's so much to take in during the eclectic set, there are strains of the melancholic Baroque sound of The Left Banke, the pastoral melodies of The Zombies "Odessey & Oracle", 60's Psychedelia and Fuzzed up Garage Rock Nuggets. But there's also the World Music element along with the British 90's Indie Rock, Shoegaze and Dream Pop movements - In fact, Elephant Stone could have an album in pretty much any genre of your record collection. 

 

 

 

I have to mention the support act Karma Sheen, who were the perfect warm-up to Elephant Stone, an eye-catchingly colourful and exotic mash-up of King Khan & The Shrines and Jimi Hendrix with their groove laden Hindustani infused Prog-Psychedelia. Led by the charismatic frontman Sameer Khan who alternates between some wicked guitar playing and an Indian Selecta Harmonium, their danceable, hypnotic songs went down a storm with the crowd. They also have an impressive multi-instrumentalist in their ranks who played a small scale sitar like a guitar along with keyboards and theremin. Definitely a band to keep an eye on and I'd certainly recommend catching them play live if you get chance - certainly a joyful and uplifting experience. 

 

 

For more videos of the show please subscribe to our Retro Man Blog YouTube channel. Please do kindly check out the highlighted links throughout the feature for further information to support the bands. All photos and videos copyright Retro Man Blog 2024.

Retrosonic Podcast Episode 53 "Play It Cool" featuring 20 superb new releases from Jah Wobble, Pascal Comelade & The Limiñanas, Elephant Stone, Jim Jones All Stars and more...

Welcome to Episode 53 of Retrosonic Podcast, featuring 20 superb new songs by some of our favourite international Bands and Artists from as far afield as Canada, Sardinia, France, America, Sweden, Indonesia, the U.K. and Turkey. The episode is out now so please search and subscribe to Retrosonic Podcast at Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts or direct from our SoundCloud site below: 

Retrosonic Podcast · Episode 53 "Play It Cool"

Tracklisting & Links

Big Boss Man "Do The Backstroke"

Jim Jones All Stars "Gimme The Grease"

Melody Fields "In Love"

Jah Wobble (featuring Jon Klein) "Fashion World"

Pascal Comelade & The Limiñanas "Le Riffifi Brille en Jaune"

Pete International Airport (featuring Rachel Goswell) "Tic Tac" (Anton Newcombe Remix)

Elephant Stone "Lost In a Dream"

Les Kitschenette's "Breuvage del Amor"

Crayola Eyes "Blacker Than Coal"

Jetstream Pony "Sixes & Sevens"

Hipbone Slim & The Kneejerks "Hey Catalina"

Gaye Su Akyol "Love Buzz"

def.fo "Play It Cool"

Spiders "Hanging On The Telephone"

Palooka 5 "Chetsworth Motel"

The Sound of Pop Art "Beach Life"

The Hangee 5 "Never Have You Ever"

Tiny Flaws (featuring Florence Joelle) "Hazy Recollection"

The Masonics "It's Time That I Moved On"

The Guy Hamper Trio "Cowboys Are Square"

Please click on the highlighted band names above for links to their official web-sites for further information and details on how to purchase the excellent music featured in this episode. For more details on our featured record label, Spinout Nuggets, please check out their official web-site here and their Bandcamp site here.

Allie Beaudouin's new book "Between It All" is available from Amazon here. You can see the live video of Allie joining dad Mick Head on stage in Tokyo for a superb version of "Broken Beauty" from the Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band album "Dear Scott" at our YouTube channel here. 

Thanks to all featured Bands and Record Companies, Lee from Spinout Nuggets, Shauna from Shameless Promotions, John Johnson and of course all listeners and subscribers. The Retrosonic Podcast archive is available at SoundCloud, Spotify, iTunes and Apple Podcasts. It would be very much appreciated if you could please like, subscribe, follow and share. Many thanks! This episode's cover star: Tom Powell of def.fo Photo Copyright: John Johnson For more details on John Johnson's excellent photography, which includes cover art for Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band, please check out his Facebook page here.

Elephant Stone: New Album "Elephant Stone" Out Now!

Elephant Stone - Photo courtesy Crash Avenue Management

Montreal's Elephant Stone have just released their second album entitled "Elephant Stone" and it's already vying with The Fallen Leaves' excellent "If Only We'd Known" as my favourite album of the year so far. Elephant Stone were formed in 2009 by sitarist/bassist Rishi Dhir following the break-up of the highly rated High Dials. As one of the most sought out sitar players in the Psychedelic music scene, he has recorded and toured with The Black Angels, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Horrors, The Soundtrack of Our Lives and many more. In 2009, the band released their debut album, "The Seven Seas". Brilliantly melding Rishi’s obsession with the perfect pop song and the trippiest raga, "The Seven Seas", was warmly embraced by the global Indie/Psych scene and short-listed for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. 2010 saw the release of "The Glass Box E.P.", a 5-song suite of inspired Power-Pop and Psychedelia, a supporting slot on the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s North American tour, European/UK tours with sold-out dates in London and Berlin, and festival appearances at Iceland Airwaves, Osheaga and SXSW.

Now 2013 sees them back with a stunning multi-layered album that just grows mightier with each listen. First track "Setting Sun" is a strong opener, built around an insistent guitar riff it sets the tone perfectly for what is in store. "Heavy Moon", the new single, is underpinned by squalling backwards guitar and the main tune is carried by the bass and vocals. It has the discordant feel of "154" era Wire, where they kind of make you work a bit, forcing you dig around in the layers and red-herrings of feedback to find your reward. "Masters Of War" is an uptempo rocking number, with the guitar motif riding beautifully over swelling keyboards with shades of early R.E.M. in places. Elephant Stone, although often touted as a Psychedelic band, have far more eclectic influences than the usual Sixties sounds that may originally spring to mind. Of course, Rishi's use of the sitar and more traditional Indian music adds a thoroughly unique aspect to their sound, but they also encompass British Beat bands, The Zombies, and on occasion (as their choice of band name suggests...) Brit-pop and the so called "Shoe-gazing" scene of Ride and My Bloody Valentine. Then we have "Hold Onto Yr Soul" which shows another side, where Teenage Fanclub and Big Star spring to mind. "A Silent Moment" starts off with a Brian Jonestown Massacre style atmosphere which then melds beautifully into Indian chanting and tabla. It's a mantra, it could flow for ever but with this album, the band have decided to stick to a more concise format, and each song is cut back, nothing outstays its welcome. "Looking Thru Baby Blue" is a beautiful song, with a magical chorus and great guitar riff, it's one of the highlights of the album. If it was released as a single I think it would be regarded as an equal to Edwyn Collins' "Girl Like You" as a left-field pop gem.

 

Rishi at The Lexington, London by Steve Worrall

Then the Sitar finally makes a welcome, starring appearance on the swirling "Sally Goes Round The Sun" but the great thing about Rishi is his versatility with the sitar. It's not all traditional Raga styles, as here he uses the instrument in a short 2 two minute blast of instrumental perfection. "Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" was previously released as a single, and it quickly established itself as one of my tracks of 2012. A faultless piece of harmonic psych-pop bursting with melody and heart-tugging lead guitar. The swaggering "The Sea Of Your Mind" is more of a coming together of Elephant Stone's musical philosophy as you get it all in eight and a half minutes of blissful music. Here the guitars battle with the sitar and the traditional rhythms mesh with the rock drums to create a wonderful maelstrom of textures. The album closes with "The Sacred Sound" with it's slightly treated vocals and string arrangement calming things down to provide a warm and thoroughly satisfying end to a quite remarkable, uplifting record.

2013 will see the band tour the world, spreading their Psychedelified-Hindie-Rock mantra, spending most of April on a tour of the US and Canada with The Black Angels, check out the band's official Elephant Stone web-site for full details on venues and dates.

Elephant Stone is:

Rishi Dhir: Vocals, Bass & Sitar

Gabriel Lambert: Guitar & Backing Vox

Stephen Venkatarangam: Keyboards, Bass, Sitar & Backing Vox

Miles Dupire: Drums

You can read a review of the band's last London show on the Blog here. Check out more information on the band at their management company Crash Avenue or at the band's official web-site. We also play a track from the new album on the latest Episode of Retrosonic Podcast, you can listen to or download for free direct from the Retrosonic Soundcloud site.

Thanks to Jeffrey at Crash Avenue and Rishi. 

Retrosonic Podcast Episode 7: "Because I'm in love with Cathy McGowan"

Welcome to Episode 7 of Retrosonic Podcast. Steve from Retro Man Blog and Ad from The Jetsonics play a selection of Punk Rock, Soul, Garage Rock, Psychedelia, Mod and weird stuff...Generation X praise Rock 'n' Roll, Denim bury it...The Stranglers old versus new, there's classic New York sleaze from Wayne County & The Electric Chairs, Heavy Mod from The Loop and some groove from the Soul President. Hear a Stiff Records classic by Graham Parker and The Rumour and discover the Slightlydelic Garage Rock of The Hypnotic Eye. There's Southend's finest in the highly rated Eight Rounds Rapid and Wilko at Koko. Plus there's Hindi-Rock raga from Elephant Stone, the atmospheric guitar sound of The November Five and sausage based mayhem from King Salami & The Cumberland 3...And yes, we do manage to squeeze in our now traditional Graham Day track, this time a soulful slice of genius from The Prisoners. All this plus the usual waffle, reminiscing and news about the Hipsville Weekender and the "Locations" Art Exhibition featuring Gaye Black (Advert), David Apps from Artificial Designs and Lynne Blackburn and Ian Bailey from Hippo Screenprinters.

If you liked the bands and are interested in any events featured in the news section then please kindly take the time to click on the highlighted links and check out their web-sites to investigate further...Many Thanks! Steve & Ad.

 

Don't forget all previous Retrosonic Podcast Episodes are still available and as well as the regular shows there are various Special Editions featuring interviews with a wide range of personalities. The Fallen Leaves "Simple Songs for Complex People" a story in two parts, is a must for any music lover.  TV Smith from The Adverts treats us to an exclusive live acoustic session, Mattias Bärjed takes us on a journey from the Nymphet Noodlers to The Soundtrack of Our Lives, his successful movie and TV soundtrack work to his brand new band Free Fall. We have some demo versions and unreleased tracks from Mattias Hellberg's forthcoming album, JC Carroll from The Members takes us on a little Punk Rock trip and there are exclusive unreleased solo songs from Ian Person from The Soundtrack of Our Lives. There are also special reports on various music related topics such as the Swedish music scene  which includes interviews with Ann-Sofie from Spiders, Bruce from MUG Music store and Wayne Lundqvist-Ford from the Gothenburg based Ice Cream Man Blog. There are looks into the contemporary Mod scene, Paul Slattery's adventures in Rock and Roll Photography and much more...

Elephant Stone Live at The Lexington London October 18th

Here's some photos of the wonderful Elephant Stone at The Lexington on October 18th. 

Led by Rishi Dhir, previously with The Datsons, with their extremely underated album "See!" and then the excellent High Dials, Elephant Stone actually eclipse both bands with their exotic and sublime music. Rishi switches effortlessly between guitar, bass and most importantly, the Sitar! It's a wonderful sight and sound to behold, especially on the perfect hypnotic layers of the raga freak-out "Don't You Know".

Rishi Dhir of Elephant Stone - Photo by Steve Worrall

It's not all about Rishi though, as the whole band are superb, especially Gab Lambert and Greg Paquet's inventive, chiming guitars - each song is packed full of riffs, textures and surprises along the way. Bobby Fraser's keyboards add an underlying atmosphere and it's all driven along by Jules Pampena's excellent drumming and harmonic backing vocals.

The set is way too short, not through any fault of the band, and just as they are building up a head of steam it's all over due to the 11pm curfew. It's frustrating as I could have watched and listened to the band all night, However, they did play wonderful versions of my two favourite songs "How Long" and new single "Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" so I can't have too many complaints, I guess!

Elephant Stone at The Lexington - All Photos by Steve Worrall

Unfortunately, the U.K. Tour is nearly over but you can catch the band at Stereo in York Thursday October 27th and then finally at the Dulcimer in Manchester on Friday October 28th. I would thoroughly recommend you going along if you have chance as you might regret missing them.

Check their website and Facebook pages for future tour and record news, I for one, am looking forward to their return already!

"Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" - Elephant Stone's new single available as FREE download now...

You can download the A-Side of Elephant Stone's new single "Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" 

just click HERE

It's a taster for the upcoming European tour dates in the Autumn. The track is pure summer pop perfection, packed full of melody with a beautiful shimmering guitar riff intro.

The best things in life are free alright..!

10/13-10/15 Iceland Airwaves

10/18 London @ The Lexington w/ Koolaid, Hall of Mirrors and the See See

10/20 Cardiff (SWN Fest) @ Clwb Ifor Bach w/ Herman Dune

10/21 Carlisle @ The Brickyard w/ Kontiki Suite

10/22 Edinburgh @ The Bongo Club w/ Delta Mainline

10/25 Nottingham @ Chameleon Arts Cafe w/ Cult of Dom Keller

10/26 Liverpool @ The Kazimier w/ By The Sea

10/27 York @ Stereo

Elephant Stone UK Tour October 2011

Canadian band Elephant Stone, featuring ex-Datson 4 and High Dials sitarist/bassist Rishi Dhir, have just announced a U.K. tour in October. They will also make an apperance at Iceland's Airwaves Festival, with dates in Sweden and other destinations yet to be confirmed.

10/13-10/15 Iceland Airwaves

10/18 London @ The Lexington w/ Koolaid, Hall of Mirrors and the See See

10/20 Cardiff (SWN Fest) @ Clwb Ifor Bach w/ Herman Dune

10/21 Carlisle @ The Brickyard w/ Kontiki Suite

10/22 Edinburgh @ The Bongo Club w/ Delta Mainline

10/25 Nottingham @ Chameleon Arts Cafe w/ Cult of Dom Keller

10/26 Liverpool @ The Kazimier w/ By The Sea

10/27 York @ Stereo

I am really excited by this news, I'm yet to see Elephant Stone but saw The High Dials a couple of times when they came to London and to witness Rishi's sitar playing live was a wonderful experience. Their debut album "The Seven Seas" and "Glass Box" E.P. haven't been off the digital "turntable" for weeks since I was reminded of the band after their recent support slots with The Soundtrack of Our Lives in New York. I have also discovered, in their beautiful track "How Long", as close to pop perfection as I think I'm ever going to find!

Elephant Stone is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Rishi Dhir, a founding member of Montreal pop/psych veterans The High Dials, and sitar player for basically every outlaw psych band out there (Black Angels, The Earlies, Hopewell, Brian Jonestown Massacre…). They have supported the Brian Jonestown Massacre and Teenage Fanclub, and toured throughout North America and Europe.

 

In 2009 Elephant Stone released their debut album, The Seven Seas. Expertly melding Rishi’s obsession with the perfect pop song and the trippiest raga, The Seven Seas, was warmly embraced by the global indie-scene and long-listed for the coveted 2009 Polaris Music Prize. 2010 saw the release of The Glass Box EP, a 5-song suite of inspired power-pop/psych classics, a support slot on the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s North American tour, an inaugural tour of Europe with sold-out dates in London and Berlin, and showcases at both CMJ and M for Montreal.

2011 is shaping to be an even busier year as they prepare for an upcoming US tour, showcases at CMW/SXSW, a new record, and their return to UK soil.

Elephant Stone is:

Rishi Dhir: vocals, bass, sitar, guitar

Bobby Fraser: keyboards

Gab Lambert: guitar, bass, backing vocals

Chris McCarron: guitar, bass, backing vocals

Jules Pampena: drums, backing vocals

The band have been recording a new E.P. with Jace Lasek (Besnard Lakes and The Seven Seas producer) at his Breakglass Studios in Montreal. The songs were recorded live to 2" tape with a lot of sitars, tablas, backwards guitars and drones. Hopefully it will be available as a digital download to coincide with the U.K./Euro tour.