Monday, May 26, 2025

Concert Review: Simple Minds, Soft Cell and Modern English Perform in Phoenix

From left, Charlie Burchill, Erik
Ljunggren and Jim Kerr on May 25.
Photo credit: Charles Edington
Alive & Kicking Tour 2025

Who: Simple Minds, Soft Cell, Modern English

Where: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ

When: Sunday, May 25, 2025

Next: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on May 27; Moody Center in Austin, Texas on May 30; and other North American dates continuing through June 22, 2025

Information: 

https://www.simpleminds.com/tour/#dates



Review by Robert Kinsler



Simple Minds performing at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ
on Sunday night, May 25, 2025. Photo credit: Robert Kinsler


Simple Minds has embarked on the band's most ambitious North American tour in four decades, and based on the Scottish troupe's stop in Phoenix on Sunday night, the so-called "Alive & Kicking Tour 2025" is one of the most aptly-titled music tours in memory.

Jim Kerr in Phoenix on May 25.
Photo credit: Kim Kinsler


For 90 glorious minutes the seven-member troupe thrilled on an especially warm evening at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre with a mix of original material blending art rock, new wave, alt rock and synth pop into a signature sound that sounds as fresh and relevant today as it did in the 1980s. Impressive visuals  including visually stunning graphics that displayed on the rear and side projection screens  enhanced the concert.

With founding members Jim Kerr (lead vocals) and Charlie Burchill (lead guitar) leading the charge, the band's 18-song set built momentum from the time Simple Minds took the stage at 9:12 p.m. Opening with an explosive version of the band's 1983 worldwide hit "Waterfront," Kerr's powerful vocals were in artful sync with the song's luxurious arrangement. 


Simple Minds drummer Cherisse Osei in action.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler


Other early set highlights included the arena-minded rocker "Speed Your Love to Me" bolstered by Cherisse Osei's fantastic drumming, "Let There Be Love" with Kerr going into the crowd to sing the sentimental song, the evocative "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" adorned with Burchill's atmospheric fret work and Sarah Brown's backing vocals, and the hard-charging electronica art rocker "This Fear of Gods."

From left,  Jim Kerr and Sarah Brown. Photo credit: Robert Kinsler


Late set standouts included the sweeping "Promised You a Miracle," a powerhouse drum solo courtesy of Osei, a beautifully nuanced take on "See the Lights" showcasing Kerr's incredible lead vocals, and an extended version of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" that featured a lengthy crowd sing-along.


Jim Kerr impressing with his top-tier vocals.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler


The encore included the soulful "Book of Brilliant Things" featuring Brown on lead vocals, and the one-two punch of the synth-swept "Alive and Kicking" and the anthemic rocker "Sanctify Yourself." The other members of Simple Minds include bassist Ged Grimes, acoustic guitarist Gordy Goudie and keyboardist Erik Ljunggren  all of whom whose talents contributed to a great set.


Modern English / Photo credit: Robert Kinsler


Opening the night was British band Modern English (seen above), whose current line-up includes original members Robbie Grey (lead vocals), Michael Conroy (bass, vocals), and Stephen Walker (keyboards). Over the course of 30 minutes the English outfit performed a mix of great new and old material. The Neo-punk rocker "Long in the Tooth" off the band's most recent album (last year's 1234) was especially powerful, while takes of their classic 1980s material (the reflective "Hands Across the Sea" and the set-ending "I Melt With You") also resonated with the audience.


Soft Cell / Photo credit: Robert Kinsler


Next up was Soft Cell, the English synth-pop duo founded by vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo scored a dozen top 40 hits in the United Kingdom, but is best known in the U.S. for their hit "Tainted Love," the latter delivered via an extended version in Phoenix. Other highlights included the electronica techno opener "Memorabilia" (featuring snippets of several Madonna hits), the catchy "Purple Zone" with a lovely chorus and dance-minded "The Night" (the latter a cover of the Four Seasons' 1972 hit).



Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Paul Weller announces new covers album 'Find El Dorado' out July 25

Check out this exciting news about the forthcoming release of Paul Weller's next album, "Find El Dorado," an ambitious collection of cover songs set for release on July 25. And be sure to listen to the great new advance track "Lawdy Rolla" via the link below...Robert Kinsler


PAUL WELLER ANNOUNCES NEW COVERS ALBUM FIND EL DORADO

OUT JULY 25 AND RETURNS TO WARNER RECORDS/PARLOPHONE RECORDS

 

PRE-ORDER FIND EL DORADO HERE

 

NEW SINGLE “LAWDY ROLLA” / “PINBALL” OUT NOW

LISTEN AND PRE-ORDER 7” VINYL HERE


Photo credit: Dean Chalky

May 21, 2025 (Los Angeles, CA) — Paul Weller announces the release of Find El Dorado, a deeply personal new album of reinterpretations, out July 25th on vinyl, CD and digital. Click HERE to pre-order.  Drawing on a lifetime of listening, the record sees Weller revisit songs that have long lived in the back of his mind—now reimagined with fresh meaning and a sense of reverence. “These are songs I’ve carried with me for years,” Weller says. “They’ve taken on new shapes over time. And now felt like the moment to share them.”


The release also marks a new chapter in Weller’s storied legacy. As a defining figure in British music who has sold approximately 11 million albums in the UK alone throughout his incredible career, Weller makes a welcome return to Warner Records/Parlophone Records, the label behind his critically acclaimed run of albums from 2015 to 2019 which include Saturns Pattern, A Kind Revolution, True Meanings, JAWBONE - Music From The Film and Other Aspects - Live At The Royal Festival Hall.


If it’s possible to get lost in music, Weller shows that you can also find yourself in it. Find El Dorado is less a covers album and more a map of his emotional and musical DNA. From the quiet melancholy of Ray Davies’ “Nobody’s Fool” to the shimmering ache of “El Dorado,” these are songs that shaped his inner world—and now, through a mix of intimate arrangements and standout collaborations with the likes of Hannah Peel, Declan O’Rourke, Robert Plant, Seckou Keita, Amelia Coburn and Noel Gallagher, he’s passing them on. This is Weller at his most reflective, offering listeners a rare glimpse into the music that made him, and a reminder that great songs never age, they just evolve.


Two songs from the album are released as digital singles today: Track 1 is “Lawdy Rolla,” which was originally by an obscure French studio band called The Guerrillas, who featured African jazz star Manu Dibango in their ranks. A video for “Lawdy Rolla” will be released later this month, listen to the track and watch the visualizer HERE. The second track, and arguably one of the most familiar on the album, is Brian Protheroe’s beautiful 1974 hit “Pinball,” reimagined here with a hauntingly evocative saxophone contribution from Weller band memberJacko Peake.


Find El Dorado track list - and the artists that originally recorded them in brackets

1. Handouts in the Rain (Richie Havens)

2. Small Town Talk (Bobby Charles)

3. El Dorado (Eamon Friel)

4. White Line Fever (The Flying Burrito Brothers)

5. One Last Cold Kiss (Christy Moore)

6. When you are a King (White Plains)

7. Pinball (Brian Protheroe)

8. Where there’s Smoke, There’s Fire (Willie Griffin)

9. I Started a Joke (Bee Gees)

10. Never the Same (Lal and Mike Waterson)

11. Lawdy Rolla (The Guerrillas)

12. Nobody’s Fool (The Kinks)

13. Journey (Duncan Browne)

14. Daltry Street (Jake Fletcher / PP Arnold)

15. Clive’s Song (Hamish Imlach)


Find El Dorado will be available in the following formats: Double black 180g vinyl LP. D2C exclusive Coke Bottle Green double vinyl LP. Amazon exclusive double black vinyl with alternative artwork. CD and digital album available from all DSP’s.



Find El Dorado was produced and arranged by Weller band guitarist Steve Cradock. The album was 

engineered by Steve Cradock and Charles Rees and recorded at Kundalini Studio and Black Barn Studio. Mixes by Charles Rees and Steve CradockGeoff Pesche mastered the album at Abbey Road Studios. Arrangements by Hannah Peel.




Follow Paul Weller:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | X | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | PRESS MATERIALS


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Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Pure Imagination Festival 2025 Recap: Cheap Trick, Matisyahu, Arrested Development, The English Beat and more

Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander 
at Pure Imagination Festival.

Pure Imagination Festival 2025

Who: Cheap Trick, Matisyahu, Arrested Development, The English Beat, Kelsey Waldon, Ponderosa Grove, Bird and Byron, more

Where: Watson Lake Park in Prescott, AZ

When: Saturday, May 17, 2025

Information: pureimaginationfestival.com



Review by Robert Kinsler

Photography by Daryl Weisser


Before catching Cheap Trick's headlining performance at the Pure Imagination Festival in Prescott, AZ on Saturday night, I hadn't caught the beloved Rockford, Illinois-spawned outfit since their appearance at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles back on Sept. 12, 2013 (read my review of that event HERE). Over the subsequent dozen year span, Cheap Trick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 2016) and marked the band's 50th anniversary (in 2023). I'm old enough to remember running out when I was in high school to purchase their self-titled debut album on cassette tape in 1977, drawn to the group's sound that somehow blended melodic rock and punk with 1970s hard rock stylings in the service of top-tier songwriting. Between the early 1980s and 2013, I caught the band a number of times at both major concert venues and even at relatively intimate club shows. But until Saturday night I had never seen Cheap Trick at a festival.

Cheap Trick lead guitarist Rick Nielsen 

To say how much I was impressed with Cheap Trick's 90-minute appearance on the Dells Stage at Pure Imagination would be a definite understatement. Singer-guitarist Robin Zander, lead guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Daxx Nielsen (Rick Nielsen's son replaced original drummer Bun E. Carlos in 2010) delivered a master class on how to entertain a festival crowd while showcasing the band's timeless brand of power pop.

Cheap Trick, from left, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, drummer
Daxx Nielsen and singer-guitarist Robin Zander


Opening with the propulsive rocker "Hello There," the band proceeded to play one favorite after another for the enthusiastic crowd. Early standouts for this listener included the powerful rocker "Big Eyes," soaring anthem "If You Want My Love," fiery punk rock-paced "He's a Whore" and seldom-played "Borderline" (the latter a track off the band's Todd Rundgren-produced 1983 album Next Position Please). 

Bassist Tom Petersson


Concertgoers were later treated to high-octane takes on many of Cheap Trick's best-known songs including a cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame," an emotional reading of the power ballad "The Flame" showcasing Zander's high-reaching tenor, freewheeling "Dream Police" and an encore highlighted by a rousing run through "Never Had a Lot to Lose," "Surrender" and "Goodnight." 

Cheap Trick drummer Daxx Nielsen


Cheap Trick's mighty turn capped a full day of diverse performances delivered across three stages. 


The FBR's Tim Hunter, on left, with Malarie McConaha


The day started with a stripped down version of the Nashville, Tennessee band The FBR appearing on the Entry Stage. The husband and wife team of Tim Hunter and Malarie McConaha played a mix of originals and covers; a highlight was an affecting performance of their "Deadman's Highway" from the band's debut album Ghost with the two musicians utilizing strong guitar playing and Hunter's blues harmonica shadings on the song.


From left, CheekTones' Nick Canuel, Drew Hall and Don Cheek performing on the
Entry Stage at the Pure Imagination Festival


Following up on the Entry Stage was Prescott's own CheekTones, featuring lead vocalist-guitarist Don Cheek, lead guitarist-vocalist Drew Hall and bassist-vocalist Nick Canuel playing a mix of Cheek's songs and classic rock favorites. Highlights were a take on the Crosby, Stills & Nash classic "Long Time Gone" as well as Cheek's buoyant "Beside That Train" bolstered by Hall's sharp magic on the fretboard and wonderful vocal harmonies from the trio.


Brothers Will Belcher (lead vocals, guitar) and Kenny Belcher (drums) of The
Hawthorne Experience rocking on the Lakeside Stage in Prescott, AZ


Kicking things off on the Lakeside Stage was the Tucson-based trio Hawthorne Experience. The Will Belcher-fronted threesome has a sound blending reggae, rock and blues. Memorable selections included the psychedelic-tinged original "Disbelief" and artful cover of Sublime's "Slow Ride."


Dutch Holly's Jen Juniper, on left, with Tres Ikner at the festival


I was not familiar with the Arizona-based duo Dutch Holly before I caught them on the Dells Stage on Saturday afternoon, but their dreamy sound built around MIDI programming, hypnotic rhythms, plaintive vocals from singer Jen Juniper and live musical layers from keyboardist-guitarist Tres Ikner was perfectly suited to the beautiful setting.



Pijama Piyama
, pictured above, was a six-member collective that brought their original blend of Cumbias, Salsa, Frank Zappa experimental sonics and Spanish language songcraft to the Lakeside Stage. 





Following that 30-minute set, Los Angeles trio Kids In America, pictured above, brought a melodic modern rock sound to the Dells Stage. The band impressed with the infectious single "Feels Like Heaven" and dance-minded "My Escape."


Singer Blake Bird 

Guitarist Nick Byron


Bird and Byron is a Nashville-based group featuring singer Blake Bird and guitar master Nick Byron that thrilled across a 35-minute set at Pure Imagination. Bird is an amazing vocalist and his falsetto-anchored voice soared on mesmerizing originals including the soulful ballad "I'll Always Be There" and more uptempo sortie "By My Side," as well as a heartfelt cover of Dr. Dog's "Where'd All The Time Go?"


Ponderosa Grove singer Candace Devine, on left, with lead guitarist Drew Hall.


Ponderosa Grove performed on the Dells Stage on the same day the popular Prescott-based band released their sophomore studio album (Two Trips Around The Sun). The six-member group used the occasion to perform cuts from that new release, along with older material well known to Ponderosa Grove fans. The 55-minute set allowed plenty of time to perform the far-flung likes of the shimmering "Waterline," beautiful "I'm Sorry" and gospel-tinged "Save My Soul." I continue to be impressed by how the collective taps into the best roots rock of the 1970s while bringing a modern-day warmth and authenticity to their sound.

Kelsey Waldon at the Pure Imagination Festival


Kelsey Waldon is a Kentucky native whose sound is rooted in traditional country and Americana stylings. Armed with a rich voice and real life-mining lyrics, the songstress impressed across her 45-minute set. Among her strong tracks was the uptempo "Traveling the Highway Home," new single "Falling Down" from her forthcoming album Every Ghost (due June 20), and the set-ending Hazel Dickens-penned country ballad "Ramblin' Woman." 


Gone Gone Beyond performing on the Dells Stage


Gone Gone Beyond brought a luxurious soundscape to the Dells Stage, performing original material that blended indie rock, Americana and folk courtesy of the vocal and musical strengths of the group. The soulful ballad "Riptide," rootsy "Little Moon" and gorgeous "Gravity" were among the highlights. 


Dave Wakeling of The English Beat



Antonee Fire Class of The English Beat


The English Beat launched their set with the catchy "Rough Rider" and from there the popular six-member troupe never looked back. Led by founding member, singer-guitarist Dave Wakeling and vocalist Antonee First Class, the English Beat's surefire blend of reggae, ska, New Wave and good vibes turned the grassy field in front of the Lakeside Stage into a fun-filled dance floor. Energetic takes on Wakeling's hits scored with both the English Beat and General Public in the 1980s hit their mark; "I'll Take You There" (a solid reworking of the Staple Singers gem), "Tenderness," "Save It For Later" and the set-ending "Mirror in the Bathroom"  


Speech (rapper Todd Thomas) of Arrested Development


Arrested Development brought its positive and progressive style of hip hop to Prescott, with Speech (rapper Todd Thomas) leading the four-member ensemble through an hour of feel good sounds. Highlights included the opener "Give a Man a Fish," the gospel-tinged "Let Your Voice Be Heard" and the melodic classic "Ease My Mind."

Matisyahu performing on the Lakeside Stage in Prescott, AZ


Matisyahu is an American artist who has crafted a singular sound blending spiritual themes with hip hop, rock, reggae and beatboxing sounds. His well-received set on the Lakeside Stage included material from across his career, including the reflective "Shadows of My Heart," confessional "Surrender" and the anthemic "One Day."

I have been to countless music festivals since attending the US Festival in 1983 and I continue to be impressed by the Pure Imagination Festival, which provides a mix of diverse artists and cultural-minded activities for everyone - including children - to enjoy in the most beautiful of natural settings. 


Below is a gallery of additional photographs taken by Daryl Weisser on May 17.


From left, Peg Millett, Susann Hutchinson and Barbara Palguta
of the Western Heritage Museum

 

Singer-guitarist Kelsey Waldon performing with her band at Pure Imagination


Singer-guitarist Robin Zander of Cheap Trick


Concertgoers at the Pure Imagination Festival in Prescott, AZ

Candace Devine of Ponderosa Grove during the band's
performance on the Dells Stage


Cheap Trick's Robin Zander at the Pure Imagination Festival




Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen during the band's headlining set






Friday, May 16, 2025

Toby Keith's Classic Album, "Honkytonk University," turns 20; Watch Remastered Videos in HD + Immersive Dolby Atmos

Check out news on today's 20th anniversary reissue of Toby Keith's "Honkytonk University" via the official media release below. For more on the artist's incredible legacy, read my review of Toby Keith's memorable headlining performance in Irvine, CA in August 2011 HERE...Robert Kinsler


TOBY KEITH'S CLASSIC ALBUM, HONKYTONK UNIVERSITY TURNS 20

 

VIDEOS FOR TRIO OF HITS “AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS,” “BIG BLUE NOTE” AND “HONKYTONK U” REMASTERED IN HD

 

ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE IN IMMERSIVE DOLBY ATMOS®

Los Angeles – May 16, 2025 - Released on May 17, 2005, the late Toby Keith's ninth album Honkytonk University turns 20 this week. To mark the occasion, the classic, platinum-selling album has been made available in immersive Dolby Atmos®, mixed by preeminent engineer Mills Logan. Concurrently, the videos for the album’s trio of country hits –  “Big Blue Note,” “Honkytonk U” and the No. 1 smash, “As Good As I Once Was” - have been remastered and can now be enjoyed in HD.


Listen and view here: https://tobykeith.lnk.to/HonkytonkUniversityPR

 

As the recent TikTok surge of the album’s “As Good As I Once Was” illustrates, music lovers of all ages continue to discover and embrace Keith’s music. Twelve years into his career, Honkytonk University sprung from a conversation around Keith’s support for Oklahoma University. “I want my kids to go to OU, and I’m tight with some of the people there,” Keith said at the time. “Over the holidays somebody asked me if I went there and I said no ... I graduated from the school of hard knocks. I went to Honkytonk U. It just sounded like a title.”

 

Keith wrote that song by himself – as he did one other on the album (“She Left Me”) – and he's credited on the other 10 songs as well. Frequent collaborators Scotty Emerick and Dean Dillon share co-writing credits, and Keith produced the album with DreamWorks/Nashville head James Stroud.

 

The aforementioned “Big Blue Note,” written with Emerick, is one of several standouts. “I’ve never written anything quite like it,” Keith said. “It’s just one of those things that happens to you as a songwriter. You’re going to write enough of them that one’s going to end up psychedelic.”

 

Regarding “As Good As I Once Was,” which went on to be a six-week No. 1, 3x platinum, and was BMI’s “Song of the Year” for 2006, Keith called it, “Probably my favorite song on the album. I can always tell when I’ve got a special one as soon as I get done.”

 

That predictive ability likely comes from earning a doctorate at Honkytonk U.

 

ABOUT TOBY KEITH

Bursting on to the country music scene with his solo-penned first single “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Toby Keith began stacking hits through a succession of label permutations, all of which built to the Sept. 1, 2005 launch of his own label, Show Dog Nashville. Keith released 14 albums during that final phase of his career, cementing his place as one of the most prolific self-directed creative forces in country’s modern era. All in, Keith amassed 42 top 10 hits, 33 No. 1s, more than 44 million albums sold, 100 million BMI performances, and more than 10 billion streams, largely on the strength of his own songwriting and producing. He was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame shortly before his passing in February 2024. Among his many accomplishments, the New York based all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame (2015), the National Medal of Arts (2021), the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2021) and BMI Icon (2022) were his most treasured.

 

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