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Get off the platforms! Fight American fascism!

I WAS VERY VERY ILL

And had to cancel the back end of the London shows. Sorry for messing up your New Year. If it’s any consolation mine was worse. These dates have now been rescheduled.

1. NEW MERCH

Along with WAXFACE’s usual line of Stewart Lee merch there are new for 2025 t-shirts and hoodies on the Man-Wulf theme, all of the highest quality. I’d wear them myself but I’d look arrogant. Waste the money your Nan gave you for Xmas here

wax-face.com/stewart-lee

2. MAN-WULF BY THE PRIMEVALS

Glasgow’s garage punk veterans The Primevals announce a new single as featured in the new Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf upcoming U.K. tour.
There are 3 versions
Side a I’m The Man-Wulf
Side b I’m The Man-Wulf (long nail edit)
Plus a 9 minute I’m The Man-Wulf (long nail version) (I LOOOOOVE THIS!!)

Vinyl sides a&b released on a 7” 45 in January.

https://primevals.bandcamp.com

3. BASIC LEE IS ON NOW TV

https://www.nowtv.com/ie/watch/entertainment/collections/ultimate-comedy/asset/stewart-lee-basic-lee…/A5EK6949itCVNKaChrDXN

You’ll have to subscribe though.

Here is a thorough, and not entirely positive, review from a thoughtful young man on Youtube, still better than most pro-critics.
https://youtu.be/kdOYgqCzJ4s?si=1uIZBn8tMWsAiS0h

4. STEWART LEE VS THE MAN-WULF

John Mackay & Sally Homer, in association with Debi Allen/Curtis Brown present
STEWART LEE vs THE MAN-WULF BRAND NEW SHOW

UK TOURING THROUGHOUT 2025

NB: TICKETS FOR THESE SHOWS WILL REMAIN AT THE ADVERTISED PRICE. SURGE PRICING IS IMMORAL AND TICKETMASTER AND OASIS ARE WANKERS, ENCOURAGED BY SUCCESSIVE TORY CULTURE SECRETARIES IN THEIR CRIMINAL ENDEAVOURS.

In this brand-new show, Lee shares his stage with a tough-talking werewolf comedian who hates humanity. The Man-Wulf lays down a ferocious comedy challenge to the culturally irrelevant and physically enfeebled Lee. Can the beast inside us all be silenced with the silver bullet of Lee’s unprecedentedly critically acclaimed style of stand-up.

STEWART LEE vs THE MAN-WULF Opened at Leicester Square Theatre in December 2024 the new show will tour to UK cities throughout 2025.

I AM VERY PLEASED WITH HOW THIS SHOW IS SHAPING UP

January 2025

Thursday 30th January 2025 – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS
Friday 31st January 2025 – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS

February 2025

Saturday 1st February 2025 – National Centre For Early Music, York – TICKETS
Saturday 1st February 2025 – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS
Monday 3rd February 2025 – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS
Tuesday 4th February 2025 – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS
Wednesday 5th February 2025 – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS
Thursday 6th February 2025 – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS
Friday 7th February 2025 – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS
Saturday 8th February 2025 – Playhouse, Oxford – TICKETS
Monday 10th February 2025 – The Marlowe, Canterbury – TICKETS
Wednesday 12th February 2025 – Chelmsford Theatre, Chelmsford – TICKETS
Thursday 13th February 2025 – De Montfort Hall, Leicester – TICKETS
Friday 14th February 2025 – De Montfort Hall, Leicester – TICKETS
Saturday 15th February 2025 – Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe – TICKETS
Sunday 16th February 2025 – Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe – TICKETS
Tuesday 18th February 2025 – The Lowry, Salford – TICKETS
Wednesday 19th February 2025 – The Lowry, Salford – TICKETS
Thursday 20th February 2025 – The Lowry, Salford – TICKETS
Friday 21st February 2025 – The Lowry, Salford – TICKETS
Saturday 22nd February 2025 – The Lowry, Salford – TICKETS

April 2025

Tuesday 1st April 2025 – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – TICKETS
Wednesday 2nd April 2025 – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – TICKETS
Thursday 3rd April 2025 – New Theatre, Peterborough – TICKETS
Friday 4th April 2025 – Palace Theatre, Southend – TICKETS
Saturday 5th April 2025 – Palace Theatre, Southend – TICKETS
Sunday 6th April 2025 – Palace Theatre, Southend – TICKETS
Tuesday 22nd April 2025 – Royal & Derngate, Northampton – TICKETS
Wednesday 23rd April 2025 – Royal & Derngate, Northampton – TICKETS
Monday 28th April 2025 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Tuesday 29th April 2025 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Wednesday 30th April 2025 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS

May 2025

Thursday 1st May 2025 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Friday 2nd May 2025 – The Mach Arena, Machynlleth Comedy Festival – TICKETS
Saturday 3rd May 2025 – The Mach Arena, Machynlleth Comedy Festival – TICKETS
Sunday 4th May 2025 – The Mach Arena, Machynlleth Comedy Festival – TICKETS
Tuesday 6th May 2025 – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool – TICKETS
Wednesday 7th May 2025 – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool – TICKETS
Thursday 8th May 2025 – Playhouse, Leeds – TICKETS
Friday 9th May 2025 – Playhouse, Leeds – TICKETS
Saturday 10th May 2025 – Playhouse, Leeds – TICKETS
Monday 12th May 2025 – Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton – TICKETS
Thursday 15th May 2025 – King’s Theatre, Portsmouth – TICKETS
Friday 16th May 2025 – The Forum, Bath – TICKETS

July 2025

Saturday 5th July 2025 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Sunday 6th July 2025 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Sunday 6th July 2025 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Saturday 12th July 2025 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Sunday 13th July 2025 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Sunday 13th July 2025 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS

September 2025

Monday 8th September 2025 – Lighthouse, Poole – TICKETS
Tuesday 9th September 2025 – Lighthouse, Poole – TICKETS
Wednesday 10th September 2025 – Hall For Cornwall, Truro – TICKETS
Thursday 11th September 2025 – Northcott Theatre, Exeter – TICKETS
Friday 12th September 2025 – Northcott Theatre, Exeter – TICKETS
Saturday 13th September 2025 – Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil – TICKETS
Sunday 14th September 2025 – Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil – TICKETS
Tuesday 16th September 2025 – New Theatre, Cardiff – TICKETS
Wednesday 17th September 2025 – New Theatre, Cardiff – TICKETS
Thursday 18th September 2025 – New Theatre, Cardiff – TICKETS
Friday 19th September 2025 – New Theatre, Cardiff – TICKETS
Saturday 20th September 2025 – New Theatre, Cardiff – TICKETS
Wednesday 24th September 2025 – Hippodrome, Darlington – TICKETS
Thursday 25th September 2025 – Gala, Durham – TICKETS
Friday 26th September 2025 – Theatre Royal, Glasgow – TICKETS
Saturday 27th September 2025 – Playhouse, Edinburgh – TICKETS
Sunday 28th September 2025 – His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen – TICKETS

October 2025

Friday 3rd October 2025 – Aberystwyth Arts Centre – Great Hall, Aberystwyth – TICKETS
Tuesday 7th October 2025 – Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes – TICKETS
Wednesday 8th October 2025 – Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes – TICKETS
Thursday 9th October 2025 – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – TICKETS
Friday 10th October 2025 – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – TICKETS
Saturday 11th October 2025 – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – TICKETS
Wednesday 15th October 2025 – Grand Theatre, Swansea – TICKETS
Thursday 16th October 2025 – Grand Theatre, Swansea – TICKETS
Friday 17th October 2025 – Bristol Beacon, Bristol – TICKETS
Saturday 18th October 2025 – Bristol Beacon, Bristol – TICKETS
Tuesday 21st October 2025 – Storyhouse, Chester – TICKETS
Wednesday 22nd October 2025 – Storyhouse, Chester – TICKETS
Thursday 23rd October 2025 – Opera House, Buxton – TICKETS
Friday 24th October 2025 – Opera House, Buxton – TICKETS
Saturday 25th October 2025 – The Baths Hall, Scunthorpe – TICKETS
Wednesday 29th October 2025 – Cast, Doncaster – TICKETS
Thursday 30th October 2025 – Cast, Doncaster – TICKETS
Friday 31st October 2025 – Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate – TICKETS

November 2025

Saturday 1st November 2025 – Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate – TICKETS
Sunday 2nd November 2025 – Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate – TICKETS
Monday 3rd November 2025 – Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS
Tuesday 4th November 2025 – Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS
Friday 7th November 2025 – The Anvil, Basingstoke – TICKETS
Saturday 8th November 2025 – Rose Theatre, Kingston – TICKETS
Sunday 9th November 2025 – Rose Theatre, Kingston – TICKETS
Tuesday 11th November 2025 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Wednesday 12th November 2025 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Thursday 13th November 2025 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Friday 14th November 2025 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Saturday 15th November 2025 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Monday 17th November 2025 – Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – TICKETS
Tuesday 18th November 2025 – Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – TICKETS
Wednesday 19th November 2025 – Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – TICKETS

5. SNOWFLAKE/TORNADO

Stewart’s 2019 touring show Snowflake/Tornado, which was originally broadcast as a BBC Special in Autumn 2022 is now available to buy or rent “on demand” from www.mediagarageproductions.com

Both shows also appear to be free as part of the current Amazon Prime rosta, but buy them from us to defeat American fascism.

We are currently preparing a physical release of these shows but it’s got delayed as I got pneumonia and have been bogged down in picking through a wealth of possible, and very exciting, audio extras, where the material worked much better than in the broadcast show itself.

6. FESTIVAL STAND-UP SETS 2025 (the usual 30 mins greatest hits shit)

24th May 2025 Bearded Theory, Derbyshire

Iggy Pop, The Manics, Thee Sisters O’ Mercy, Yard Act, Left Field, Throwing Muses, The Selecter, The Lovely Lovely Eggs, my pals Asian Dub Foundation, Cool distaff Japanese Ramones Shonen Knife, Beans on Toast, dub legends Zion Train, Angeline Morrison, Miki Berenyi from The Lushes and more TBA.
www.beardedtheory.co.uk.

More TBA

7. INDETERMINACY IN YORK

Steve Beresford, Tania Chen and I are having another one-off crack at John Cage’s randomised avant-garde experiment Indertminacy, with me doing the reading and them twanging and banging, in York on Satirday 1^st of Feb at the NCEM at 3.30, price £15

https://ncem.co.uk/events/indeterminacy/

‘Indeterminacy was a 1959 double LP on the Folkways label by John Cage and David Tudor. Cage read ninety of his stories, each one, whether long or short, lasting one minute. Unheard by Cage, Tudor simultaneously played the piano and other things in another room. One day, pianists Tania Caroline Chen and Steve Beresford were listening to this record and decided that they would like to do their own version. They hit on Stewart Lee immediately as the first choice to read the stories. He is an excellent stand-up comedian and is very interested in experimental music. The trio’s version is usually forty minutes. The players are in the same room but do their best to not hear Stewart’s reading. They play music on and in a piano and use other small sound sources. This event will highlight the sewage pollution of the River Derwent SSSI in Malton and Norton, North Yorkshire, by Yorkshire Water, North Yorkshire Council and the Environment Agency. To see the data for sewage spills in Malton and Norton, visitmaltonsewer.co.uk. The gig is dedicated to the memory of trombonist Alan Tomlinson (1947 – 2024) who famously performed an improvised trombone solo standing in the Yorkshire Water sewer in Brawby in 2013.’

8. MY SISTER HAS CO-AUTHORED A BOOK – THE VERSATILE PRESENTER (it isn’t about me, obviously)

You might be interested to know that my sister, Kirstie Hawkes, and friend, Richard Pascoe, have co-authored a book.  It is called ‘The Versatile Presenter: master 12 styles, get the response you need’. It will be available from Thursday 6th February on Amazon, other online retail sites. They, like me, make a living out of standing up and presenting ideas to strangers.
The book addresses the same professional problems I encounter, but it solves them calmly and rationally, rather than with alcohol, late nights, and crying. The book’s central thrust concerns adopting personae in business presentations. Gliding admirably between high culture and low culture without judgement, seeking reflections of Jung’s archetypes in sources as diverse as Mr Miyagi’s Karate Kid antics, Bill Mantlo’s Rocket Racoon from Marvel comics’ Guardians of The Galaxy, and Mhairi Black’s SNP speeches, The Versatile Presenter might appeal to those of you that want to become business presentation gurus.

https://makingpresentations.co.uk/the-versatile-presenter-book

9. SAVE THE PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA

The future of the iconic Prince Charles Cinema in London’s West End is under serious threat!

They say; “We are beyond disappointed that our landlords, Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their ultimate parent company Criterion Capital, have demanded the inclusion of a break clause in our new lease. This could leave us homeless with only 6 months’ notice should they receive planning permission to redevelop the cinema.

Losing The Prince Charles Cinema would mean losing not just an iconic cultural institution, but also an engine for the economy of the West End that brings people from all over London and the surrounding area to watch films, shop and eat and drink. This would have repercussions way beyond the building itself.

The Prince Charles Cinema was opened in 1962 as a live theatre before becoming a cinema in the mid-sixties. Under our stewardship the cinema, which receives no public subsidy, has become known for its unique range of programming spanning the history of cinema. At a time when cinemas continue to close throughout the world, we are happy to buck the trend with our thriving and fiercely independent offer.

We feel that this demand amounts to a clear attempt by Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their ultimate parent company Criterion Capital to use their significant financial resources to disregard our legal entitlement to a new lease, and bully us out of the building once the existing one ends in Sept 2025.”

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

10. TICKET TOUT ACTION

Six months in and the Labour Gvt are taking real action against ticket tout resale wankers like Viagogo and Stubhub, which subsequent Tory culture secretaries blocked, Sajid Javid saying touts were ‘legitimate entrepreneurs’ and the only people bothered by resales were ‘the chattering middle classes’.

Read all about it https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/10/uk-music-industry-government-crackdown-ticket-touting

11. MATTHEW SWEET’S STROKE GO-FUND ME

There’s a lot going wrong everywhere right now, but power-pop genius Matthew Sweet had the misfortune of having a stroke in America in December.
If the sound of Sweet thrills you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipMWruDIscY or if you ever laughed at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HF3x67VK9o send him some money. It’s no fun being an unwell artist in America.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-matthew-sweets-stroke-recovery

12. PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL IS FUCKED

Peterborough Cathedral is totally fucked man. Help out here.

https://peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/giving/

13. I ARROGANTLY RECOMMEND SOME HAPPENINGS

BOHMAN BROTHERS Those crazy sound-art absurdists have a stack of February dates from February 1st.

1st XYZ, Brentford, London https://www.instagram.com/p/DDy5wJKgFqi/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

6th Royal Albert, New Cross, London: Adam’s regular concert series (not a Bohman Brothers gig) @BohmanBrothers twitter for info

20th John Marshall Hall, Christchurch, Blackfriars, London: Horse Improvised Music concert series (not a Bohman Brothers gig) https://horseimprovclub.wordpress.com/

21st Asylum Studios, Woodbridge tbc https://www.asylumstudios.uk/info

22nd Fisherman’s Chapel, Leigh-on-Sea https://konsztruktingsoundz.co.uk/project/1085/

VANESSA BELL – MILTON KEYNES GALLERY –  23^rd Feb 2025

A World Of Form And Colour. Thorough retrospective on the hot Bloomsbury freak. Vanessa Bell (1879–1961) was a pioneering modernist painter and founding member of the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of influential English artists, writers and intellectuals in the first half of the twentieth century. This exhibition – her largest-ever solo show – provides an in-depth overview that includes drawings, paintings, ceramics and furniture. Bell’s pioneering work was at the forefront of British abstraction. At the same time, she helped to create conditions in which artists, including women, could flourish. This involved organising the ‘Friday Club’ for artists to meet and co-founding the experimental design collective, Omega Workshops. Collaboration formed an essential part of Bell’s approach to art, including with her sister, the writer Virginia Woolf, and the artist Duncan Grant. https://mkgallery.org/event/vanessa-bell/

EVELYN DE MORGAN – W’HAMPTON ART GALLERY – 9^th MARCH 2005

https://www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk/whats-on/edm/

Stew says, “This late Victorian visionary’s work can come across a bit Advanced Dungeons and Dragons ™ ®, but that probably tell us more about how she anticipated, or even influenced, the populist art of the future. I have a real soft spot for her. Her partner William De Morgan, initially of Stoke Newington, was also a proto-science fiction author, and ceramicist, whose decorative tiles pop up in the oddest places – there may be some in a once swanky pub near you.  Anyway, the last time EDM had her own exhibition was 1907 so get on down, and get some lovely Gray Pays & Bacon from the Great Western Pub by W’hampton Station while you are at it”

They says, “Featuring thirty artworks, Painted Dreams reveals De Morgan’s progression as an artist and her technical mastery as one of the most impressive artists of the late Victorian era. Discover De Morgan’s exploration of challenging subjects and painterly responses to enduring social and political issues of the day, such as feminism, inequality, war and pacifism. Painted Dreams revisits the historic 1907 show, reuniting several of De Morgan’s most significant works in Wolverhampton. The original exhibition was a remarkable achievement, challenging Victorian prejudices and the notion that being a professional artist was a male occupation and unsuitable for a woman of De Morgan’s class. Her ability to layer contemporary issues into mythological tales was well received, with one reviewer for the Wolverhampton Express and Star describing the pictures as ‘painted dreams’. Painted Dreams presents De Morgan as a pioneering artist who explored new, challenging subjects that delved into the fundamentals of human existence. The artworks are displayed in chronological order to show the progression of De Morgan’s talent as an artist and demonstrate her painterly responses to enduring social and political issues of the day, such as feminism and inequality, mental health and the impact of war. By recreating De Morgan’s 1907 solo show as faithfully as possible, Painted Dreams highlights a career that has been historically overshadowed by her male contemporaries.  The exhibition is curated by Sarah Hardy, Director of the De Morgan Museum, and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The exhibition is a partnership between the De Morgan Foundation and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The Gallery is funded by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation, and City of Wolverhampton Council.”

TIRZAH GARWOOD: Beyond Ravilious, Dulwich Picture Gallery London, until 26 May 2025. 

https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/about/press-media/press-releases/first-major-exhibition-of-modern-british-artist-tirzah-garwood-among-2024-highlights-at-dulwich-picture-gallery/

The first major exhibition devoted to the artist and designer Tirzah Garwood (1908–1951) since 1952. Best known until now as the wife of Eric Ravilious and as the author of the autobiography Long Live Great Bardfield, Garwood excelled as a fine artist and printmaker. Her diverse and enchanting works are gems of the mid-20th century.

DISCHARGE Black country D-beat deadbeats

FEB 2^nd – Bristol Fleece

THE GENTLE SPRING Former Field Mouse Michael Hiscock returns from his French fastness as The Gentle Spring, semi-acoustic indie-pop in hand.

7 Feb 2025 – Edinburgh, Leith Depot
8 Feb 2025 – Glasgow, Glad Cafe

THE FALLEN LEAVES Mod-punk veteran assassins

FEB 28^th Bristol Thunderbolt, MARCH 1^st Guildford Holroyd, 8^th Brighton Hope & Ruin, 22^nd London Hope & Anchor, MAY 3^rd Stockton-On-Tees Volume, 4^th N’Castle Billy Bootleggers, 31^st London Dublin Castle, June 8^th Southsea Edge of The Wedge, SEPT 27^th London Dublin Castle.

LAURA CANNELL Fenland dronemadchen

FEB 1^st London King’s Place

ITHELL COLQUHOUN – BETWEEN TWO WORLDS Tate St Ives, Feb 1^st – May 5^th. 

Coincidentally, I have a routine about Ithell in the new show!

“The first major exhibition of visionary artist Ithell Colquhoun. One of the most radical artists of her generation, Ithell Colquhoun was an important figure in British Surrealism during the 1930s and 1940s. An innovative writer and practicing occultist, Colquhoun charted her own course, investigating surrealist methods of unconscious picture-making and fearlessly delving into the realms of myth and magic. Colquhoun explored the possibilities of a divine feminine power as a path to personal fulfilment and societal transformation. Her understanding of the world as a connected spiritual cosmos brought her to Cornwall, where she deepened her creative explorations, inspired by the region’s ancient landscape, Celtic traditions, and sacred sites. This landmark exhibition of over 200 artworks and archival materials traces Colquhoun’s evolution, from her early student work and engagement with the surrealist movement, to her fascination with the intertwining realms of art, sexual identity, ecology and occultism. It culminates in a room dedicated to Colquhoun’s interpretation of the Tarot deck – her most accomplished fusion of her artistic and magical practice. Explore Colquhoun’s enthralling, multi-layered universe through writings, drawings, paintings, early theatre projects and mural designs, many of which have never been shown publicly before. The exhibition will debut at Tate St Ives in February 2025, journeying to Tate Britain from June to October 2025.”

THE MAGPIE ARC Fabulous young British country-folk-rock act on the road, augmented by the mighty guitar legend Martin Simpson

FEBRUARY

Friday 7th – International Arts Centre, Leicester Buy Tickets

Saturday 8th – Indoor Festival of Folk, Cecil Sharp House, London
The Magpie Arc, Edgelarks, The Bookshop Band, Sam Carter, Frankie Archer and “The Guv’nor” of folk rock Ashley Hutchings in conversation with Matthew Bannister Buy Tickets 

Sunday 9th – Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea Buy Tickets

Monday 10th – Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester Buy Tickets

APRIL

Thursday 17th – The Glasshouse, Gateshead Buy Tickets

Tuesday 22nd – The Phoenix, Exeter Buy Tickets

Thursday 24th – Chapel Arts, Bath Buy Tickets

RICHARD DAWSON Unmitigated art-folk genius, and funny with it

FEB 14^th London Rough Trade East, 15^th Brighton Resident Music, 17^th Bristol Rough Trade, APRIL 23^rd & 24th M’cr Stoller Hall, 25^th Kendal Brewery Arts, 27^th Leeds City Varieties, 29^th London Clapham Grand, MAY 1^st Cardiff Gate, 2^nd Notts Metronome, 17^th Gateshead Glasshouse, 20^th Edinbro Pleasance, 21^st Glasgow St Lukes, 22^nd L’pool Philharmonic, 23^rd Brighton St Georhe’s , 24^th Folkestone Quarterhouse.

CHUCK PROPHET  Chuck’s last live tour was one of the greatest rock and roll shows I ever saw – real huckster guitar slinger stuff that they don’t make anymore. The Mount Rushmore of sandblasted country noir is on the road here again in 2025. Don’t miss. Honestly.

FEBRUARY

19th – Oxford – The Bullingdon
20th – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
21st – Manchester – Yes Pink Room
22^nd – Newcastle – The Cluny
23rd – Glasgow – St Lukes
24th – Sheffield – Greystones
25th – Leicester – The International
26th – Nottingham – Metronome
27th – Cambridge – Portland Arms
28^th – Norwich – Arts Centre

MARCH

1st – Hassocks – Mid Sussex Music Hall
2nd – Bristol – Lantern
3rd – Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
4th – Southampton – 1865
5th – London – The Garage

NAPALM DEATH Birmingham’s grindcore godparents

MARCH

4^th – Dublin Academy
5^th – Glasgow Galvanisers’ Yard
6^th – Newcastle Uni Union
7^th – London Electric Ballroon
8^th – Liverpool Academy
9^th – Birmingham Institute

EX-EASTER ISLAND HEAD Groovy mininalists

MARCH 8^th London ICA
APRIL 20^th Colchester Arts

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS Indefatigable punk progenitors

MARCH 11^th Brighton Concorde, 12^th Nottingham Rock City, 14^th M’cr Academy, 15^th N’castle City Hall, 17^th Glasgow Barrowland, 18^th York Barbican,

THE LOFT I never saw Pete Astor’s pioneering indie-folk-rock janglers The Loft, like an English middle class mid-60s Dylan with a post-punk rush, first time around, though I saw the Weather Prophets loads, and regular doses of Astor solo over the decades have been pleasurably unavoidable. But I am thrilled at the possibility of this, and new recordings show the band on great form.  Age suits them it seems.

MARCH

13^th – M’cr Gullivers
14^th – B’ham Castle & Falcom
15^th – Nottingham JT Soar
20^th – Ramsgate Music Hall
21^st – Bristol Thunderbolt
22^nd – London Lexington
23^rd – Brighton Prince Albert
27^th – Leeds Lending Room
28^th – N’castle Cluny 2
29^th – Glasgow Mono

NIGHTINGALES/MEKONS/STEWART LEE

April 4^th – Signature Brew, Haggerston, London. I host an album launch show by two underground legends both with new albums out!

HAWKWIND 2025. Another implausible trip for the psychedelic survivors, Dave Brock still imperious, even from his octogenarian stool.

APRIL

17th – Gateshead Glasshouse
18^th – Guildford G Live
19^th – Bournemouth Pavillion
20^th – B’ham Symphony Hall

MAY

9^th – Aylesbury Waterside
10^th – Liverpool Auditorium
11^th – M’cr Bridgewater Hall
23^rd – Sheffield City Hall
25^th – Cambridge Corn Exchange
26^th – London Barbican

THE ICEMAN AT TABERNACLE GALLERY, NOTTING HILL, LONDON

April 28^th – 4^TH May

Anthony Irving Iceman (aim) says, “aim is surfacing from deepest Dorset for his first London show which is taking place at the Tabernacle Gallery in Notting Hill. Here is a group of paintings from the previous 10 years selected by aim himself. There is also a series of more recent paintings based on The Iceman’s ground-breaking Lecture at the Bill Murray Club in September 2024 where The Iceman explained his Block melting work in the form of an academic lecture. All aim’s paintings are based on the live performance and relational work of The Iceman who has spent his adult life melting Blocks of ice for reasons that escape most people. The Iceman and aim are one and the same person. Humanly speaking, they coalesce as Anthony Irvine.“The Blocks live on”-that is the Iceman’s mantra and now aim’s as well. aim’s paintings have been described in numerous ways. He looks forward to hearing more adjectival phrases to describe his work during this run. aim is sometimes labelled as an ‘outsider’ artist because of the raw energy of his painting style and the idiosyncratic subject matter. But aim himself simply describes himself as a “painter with clear aims.” Although in one sense the pieces could be described as obsessional self-portraits,in another sense they are paintings of ‘Everyman’ and “’Everywoman’ in life’s struggles and joys. Taking a leaf from Andy Warhol’s dictum that Business is the best kind of art to heart,The Iceman will be clearly delineating the prices of individual paintings. He will also be offering a wide spectrum of aesthetic merchandise for sale at bargain prices: Postcards, Posters, his ’75 braimnd new paintings’ art Book, his “Melt It! Book”,etchings, engravings, signed block photocopies on authentic fax paper, Melt It Badges and even his children’s book, “Lockdown Melter”, will all be available for purchase. Truly there is something for everyone. The Iceman will have a padlocked cash box on site and provide his own security for his priceless paintings and all goods. aim hopes visitors enjoy viewing his insightful canvases. The opening do is at 7pm on 29^th April 2025 [Thank you to “Music Business Associates” for kindly sponsoring the refreshments for that event] The Iceman/aim will be in the Tabernacle Gallery in person every day of the run. But he will not be shaking anyone’s hand, for health and safety reasons, due to the freezing effect of such a gesture. *Thank you to Artcetera, Bournemouth who generously supply aim with free quality cut-offs of mounting board upon which to paint. **FYI The Iceman’s Blockbuster Documentary film “Melt It!The Film of the Iceman” is due to be released this year 2025”

https://iceblocked.co.uk/aims-selections-taimbernaimcle-gaimllery-28th-april-4th-may/

MACHYNLLETH COMEDY FESTIVAL The greatest comedy festival in the world. Book your bell tent now to avoid disappointment. I am doing MAN-WULF 3 times, John Shuttleworth is on, Celya AB etc etc. Make sure to see Ben Moor’s Three Thing Day. May 2^nd-4^th. Once visited, never forgotten.  DON’T TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT OR YOU WILL RUIN IT!!!!

https://machcomedyfest.co.uk

SAMANTHA CRAIN Heart-rending Choctaw country-folk

MAY
19^th Brighton Green Door
20^th London Neon 194
21^st M’cr Gullivers

THE NIGHTINGALES Birmingham post-punk leg-ends hit the road again. When will it end?

MAY
21^ST Leeds Brudenell
22^nd Newcastle Think Tank
23^rd Glasgow Stereo
24^th M’cr Deaf Institute
25^th B’ham Castle & Falcon
27^th Bristol Exchange
28^th Brighton Chalk
29^th Cambridge Junction
30^th London Oslo
31^st Swansea Bunkhouse

ALSO —–

The Nightingales release their first studio album since 2022’s much-praised ‘The Last Laugh’. Celebrated in the Stewart Lee-narrated film King Rocker of 2020, where the curtain was raised on the magic of the “long serving punk/alternative rock volunteer” (The Quietus) Robert Lloyd, The Nightingales are as pertinent as ever as they release a poignant tirade on modern times heralded, quite rightly, as ‘The Awful Truth’. Released on April 4th on Fire Records, their new album ‘The Awful Truth’ is a modern mutant music hall interpretation of the day’s news, a haunting jolt into realism narrated with all the angst of an insistent, slightly dishevelled late-night newscaster.  BUY A BUNDLE HERE. https://thenightingales.org.uk

LEN PRICE 3 Durable punk-mods

JUNE 18^th – 229 London

MILLIONS OF DEAD COPS / MDC American hardcore heroes

AUG 4^th – New Cross Inn, London

14. IN OUR LAMENTATIONS 2025

Barre Phillips (Jazz bassman, 1934)
Bob Grover (Brighton Piranha, 1956)
Riro (Japanese sea otter, 2007)
Nora Orlandi (Spaghetti symphonist, 1933)
Ed Askew (Acid folkie, 1940)
Tony Slattery (The vile blows of the world made him reckless, 1959)
David Lynch (He erased our heads, 1946)
Landy Randerson (Museum access pioneer, 1949)
Garth Hudson (Bandolier, 1937)

15. A GOOD PIECE ABOUT ‘ANTI-WOKE’ COMEDY BY SOMEONE CALLED BEC SHAW

https://heterosexualnonsense.substack.com/p/comedians-obsessed-with-wokeness