St Michaels Church Liverpool reviews by real event-goers
Reviews of St Michaels Church in Liverpool
Average rating:
Showing the latest reviews from all events held at St Michaels Church .
Review of Beautiful Blue Live - Steve PIlgrim
Friday 2nd September 2022. Steve Pilgrim at St Michael’s-in-the-Hamlet church in Aigburth, Liverpool.
This is quite a long review so if you want an executive summary here it is; buy the new Steve Pilgrim album, it’s called Beautiful Blue.
Steve has been on my radar for the best part of 20 years now. I first saw him play as the drummer in The Stands, who were supporting Paul Weller at the Royal Albert Hall and released an exceptional debut album and a distinctly average follow-up before calling it a day.
He then popped back into my consciousness when he replaced Steve White on drums in Paul Weller’s own band around the time of the 22 Dreams album (2008).
I subsequently found out that not only was he an excellent drummer but he was a superb singer/songwriter in his own right.
Bizarrely, the first time Linda and I saw him play such a set was in my mate Spanner’s kitchen about 4 years ago! We’ve seen him a few times since, playing smaller intimate gigs (though slightly bigger than a kitchen to be fair 😂) or supporting the likes of Stone Foundation. He even dedicated a song to my younger son (a doctor on the front line) during a virtual gig during first lockdown (more about that one later). In short, he’s a sweet guy and an accomplished musician.
Anyway on to last night’s gig. It was set in a small church in the Liverpool suburbs (near the Aigburth cricket ground that Lancashire sometimes use, for you sporty types). We didn’t realise it was actually still a fully functioning church (they have a wedding on in there today!) having assumed that it had been permanently converted into a gig venue. It’s capacity is only about 300 or so apparently. When we arrived bang on time for doors opening there was a queue stretching round the block comprised of about 298 people 😱. It turned out that the band had got stuck on the motorway and the soundcheck was running late.
Oh, it’s probably worth mentioning at this point that Steve, who we had only ever seen perform with just a guitar or occasionally accompanied by a double bass player, was this time backed by a full band, one of whom was the chap that has produced his wonderful new album, a certain Mr Paul Weller. Along with the fact that it was a seated gig (church pews mainly!), this might explain why everyone turned up so early. It was also basically Steve’s home town gig as well.
Thankfully we didn’t have to wait too long and it was lovely to see the aforementioned Spanner on the merch stand and another blast from the past in John Middleham.
I have no idea how we managed this but we ended up on the second row with a fabulous view of the stage. I think everyone else had either gone for a piss and joined the queue for the portaloos outside, or gone to the bar. Either way we weren’t complaining.
The support band were called The Sundowners. Two young ladies playing their guitars and harmonising beautifully. Linda thought there were shades of Joni Mitchell, and for me they sounded like what the Mamas and Papas would have sounded like without the Papas! We will be checking them out when we get home.
The MC for the evening was a female poet and after she had regaled us with a couple about her nan and her daughter (which were in parts hilarious and in other parts quite moving) she introduced Steve to the stage.
Initially it was just him and his guitar, and he opened with an older song called In the Morning, a beautiful heartfelt ballad. He then welcomed singer Rachael Jean Harris to the stage and they performed a song called Sunshine. Bloody Norah, what a voice!! Linda and I both said “Wow” at about the same time.
One by one he introduced the other band members onto the stage. I say stage, there wasn’t enough room to swing a cat. The previous evening in The Union Chapel in London they were augmented by a string quartet but there simply wasn’t the space to replicate that here. Drummer Jim Sharrock (Lightning Seeds), bass player Vicky Edwards, (who was a dead ringer for one of our friend’s daughter), Paul Thomas on flute and soprano sax, and Martin Smith on trumpet and flugelhorn. Two others were already known to me, Tom Van Heel (another member of the Weller band) on keys, and finally Paul Weller himself, on keys, guitars and backing vocals, who not only helped Steve enormously with his album etc but also very graciously kept out of the limelight for what was essentially Steve’s night. We even caught him discreetly checking out the support act which I know he likes to do. Being ‘down the front’ also allowed us to see the interaction between the players and PW regularly checked with the younger members of the band that they were okay. We both love that kind of thing and again, it is a mark of the man. Class.
The set list very cleverly allowed various band members to sneak behind the church for a quick spliff and so we were treated to a range of sublime sounds ranging from haunting acoustic ballads to full on rockers. Steve was obviously punting his new album but did include some old favourites as well, to our delight.
It seems churlish to pick highlights as the whole show was a delight from start to finish, and Steve was on top form, clearly buoyed by having a band with him, but here are a few.
Morning Skies, the title track from his last record, we have heard him play many times before, but with the addition of Rachael’s spine tingling vocal it was taken to new heights.
Love on Your Side. Another old one and the song I mentioned earlier that he dedicated to my boy. The lyrics really resonate with me and this was just Steve and PW and was amazing. I hadn’t realised that Paul actually co-wrote the song so even more chuffed about the dedication thing.
Test of Faith. From the new album. Steve has clearly been listening to a lot of Bill Withers, there’s a definite nod to Sweet Wanomi in this one and that is no bad thing. Weller has been a magpie for 45 years and is brilliant at it so Steve has obviously learnt from the master. As the great Robert Wyatt once said (about PW); “He makes new furniture out of old wood”.
Beautiful Blue and Lifeboat. We heard him play these two songs from the new album 3 or 4 years ago and they are both tender, beautiful tunes. Worth buying the album just for these two I would say.
Keep Falling Down. I love this one. Very Elvis Costello-ish.
Firecracker. I imagine St Michael’s will be setting up a roof replacement fundraiser after this one blew the existing one off the place! What a way to end the first part of the set and probably the highlight of the night for me!
Olive. The first song of the encore and the polar opposite of Firecracker (as Steve himself noted with a touch of irony and self deprecation). Introspective Nick Drake-ish song. Also on the new LP (ask your parents kids!).
Explode the Sun. “We have to remember there are some good and decent people around and lots of us” said Steve in his introduction to this song. Amen brother! This is an older song that is obviously a favourite of his, and ours, and this version was awesome.
And that was that. As Steve stated “It goes quickly doesn’t it?” to which Weller quipped “Life?” with a big cheesy grin on his face.
A quick after show chat with Steve and Spanner and some of the other musicians and their loved ones and other like-minded folk(not surprisingly PW didn’t come out and do the meet and greet and I don’t blame him!), and it was time to head back to Liverpool for us ready for a stupidly early train back to Scotland the next morning; a truly wonderful evening and we were so pleased for Steve that it all came together for him. He smashed it. They all did.
Please check out his album, Beautiful Blue. ✊🏻💙
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: Yes |
|||
Review of Beautiful Blue Live - Steve PIlgrim
Absolutely incredible evening, started off with a band called The Sundowners who were great singer/songwriter musicians, then Steve Pilgrim and band came on, beautiful music, lyrics and singing inc Rachael Jean Harris who was incredible with the harmonies and vocals with Steve Pilgrim. Paul Weller came on to play keys and guitar, you could see he really enjoyed himself and was an honour for him to play for Steve Pilgrim and support him on his album launch night. If you’ve not seen Steve Pilgrim before get out and see him, what a talent and all round very humble and talented musician he is, you really won’t be disappointed
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: Yes |
|||
Review of Beautiful Blue Live - Steve PIlgrim
The venue and atmosphere were just stunning. The ticket was well priced as was all merch and drinks. The staff were all really friendly and helpful and looked like they enjoyed the night as much as the audience.
Steve Pilgrim and his band were incredible, and the sound engineers were superb. The balance of sound for a live band in a church was perfect.
| Music | Venue | Prices | Atmosphere |
|
Would you recommended: Yes |
|||
321-340
