November 2024
Steph's Boss Strings
10/11/24 15:16
On Tuesday I went to Leaf, on Bold Street, to watch a Steph Strings gig. I’d never seen her play before—she said during the show that it was her first time in Liverpool (but she had played in the north west, including Manchester, before supporting someone). I can’t actually recall how or when I discovered her and so am not sure if it was from an Insta or Spotify algorithm. However I was introduced to her I thank them/it. I’ve been listening to her stuff via Spotify and following her exploits on Insta for a few months and it was great to she was to play Leaf and I soon got me a ticket.
Liverpool were playing at home in the Champion’s League which made the transport in a bit of a worry—as it always is for home games. It turned out that I had no probs getting in at all. I checked out the stage times and Steph was due on at 9pm, so I headed into the Vines to watch the 1st half of the Reds vs Xabi’s Leverkusen, partly so I could just see at least some of the game, but also because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to sit or not following my severe MS leg fatigue at my last gig. So I left at half time when the score was 0-0 and got to Leaf before Steph went on. It turned out that the gig was pretty full but there were plenty of chairs and in fact many of the audience were sat on the floor to watch. I opted for a chair as I was unsure about the spectacle of me periodically trying to stand up from the floor.
Steph came on just after 9. She play’s unaccompanied with just her guitar and a stomp box or foot tambourine thingy. Her songs and playing are exemplary and she gets the crowd going both with her performance and her stories between the songs. She even managed to get everyone singing or clapping along with her through patient instruction to a willing—and able—audience. I got my phone out to take a couple of pics and was greeted by notifications that Liverpool were winning 2-0. Cool! She plays the guitar effortlessly using lots of clever techniques—even channeling Jeff Healey a couple of times. By the time the gig was over everyone was mightily impressed and happy with the night’s gig—and I found Liverpool had won 4-0. Although I’d missed what must have been an excellent second half, I was glad I’d not missed the gig. Yes, Steph was that good.
If you get the chance to see her do. Although I guess she’ll be playing more in her native Australia for a while now. I’m not sure what Steph’s surname actually is, unless it really is Strings and it’s the best example of nominative determinism ever. I dare say I could Google it. But hey I’m not bothered. Have a listen to her on Spotify (or wherever you can). I’ll put some links below.
Spotify
Liverpool were playing at home in the Champion’s League which made the transport in a bit of a worry—as it always is for home games. It turned out that I had no probs getting in at all. I checked out the stage times and Steph was due on at 9pm, so I headed into the Vines to watch the 1st half of the Reds vs Xabi’s Leverkusen, partly so I could just see at least some of the game, but also because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to sit or not following my severe MS leg fatigue at my last gig. So I left at half time when the score was 0-0 and got to Leaf before Steph went on. It turned out that the gig was pretty full but there were plenty of chairs and in fact many of the audience were sat on the floor to watch. I opted for a chair as I was unsure about the spectacle of me periodically trying to stand up from the floor.
Steph came on just after 9. She play’s unaccompanied with just her guitar and a stomp box or foot tambourine thingy. Her songs and playing are exemplary and she gets the crowd going both with her performance and her stories between the songs. She even managed to get everyone singing or clapping along with her through patient instruction to a willing—and able—audience. I got my phone out to take a couple of pics and was greeted by notifications that Liverpool were winning 2-0. Cool! She plays the guitar effortlessly using lots of clever techniques—even channeling Jeff Healey a couple of times. By the time the gig was over everyone was mightily impressed and happy with the night’s gig—and I found Liverpool had won 4-0. Although I’d missed what must have been an excellent second half, I was glad I’d not missed the gig. Yes, Steph was that good.
If you get the chance to see her do. Although I guess she’ll be playing more in her native Australia for a while now. I’m not sure what Steph’s surname actually is, unless it really is Strings and it’s the best example of nominative determinism ever. I dare say I could Google it. But hey I’m not bothered. Have a listen to her on Spotify (or wherever you can). I’ll put some links below.
Spotify
Comments
1993 was a Most Excellent Year
02/11/24 14:31 Filed in: music
On Bluesky a couple three weeks ago I saw one of those ‘Post 20 albums/books/films/cheeses/bus routes that you were kinda into.’ I eschewed the cheese one (for now) and went for the album one. Twenty albums is damn difficult. Could have swapped a few, but I’m happy with my list: even if I went for a few Greatest Hits ones (earlier REM, Status Quo, and Queen). To be fair they were played to destruction (Queen in my early teens and REM in my later ones).
Well to cut to the chase these were my twenty albums covers in the order they were released. There really could and should have been some more blues and Motown albums (Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, the Temptations and Four Tops, then there’s Pink Floyd, Teenage Fanclub etc). Maybe I’ll make it 40 rather than twenty. We’ll see.
Beatles - ‘Rubber Soul’ (1965)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - ‘Are You Experienced’ (1967)
Rolling Stones - ‘Exile on Main Street’ (1972)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ (1979)
Status Quo - ‘12 Gold Bars’ (1980)
Queen - ‘Greatest Hits’ (1981)
Dire Straits - ‘Alchemy - Live’ (1984)
Robert Cray - ‘Strong Persuader’ (1986)
REM - ‘Eponymous’ (1988)
The Waterboys - ‘Fisherman’s Blues’ (1988)
The Stone Roses (1989)
Counting Crows - ‘August and Everything After’ (1993)
Cracker - ‘Kerosene Hat’ (1993)
Chuck Prophet - ‘Balinese Dancer’ (1993)
Radiohead - ‘The Bends’ (1995)
Ryan Adams - ‘Heartbreaker’ (2000)
Wilco - ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ (2002)
The Jayhawks - ‘Rainy Day Music’ (2003)
Frank Turner - ‘England Keep My Bones’ (2011)
The Decemberists - ‘The King is Dead’ (2011)
Not a bad listening list I reckon—and 1993 was definitely a most excellent year.
Well to cut to the chase these were my twenty albums covers in the order they were released. There really could and should have been some more blues and Motown albums (Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, the Temptations and Four Tops, then there’s Pink Floyd, Teenage Fanclub etc). Maybe I’ll make it 40 rather than twenty. We’ll see.
Beatles - ‘Rubber Soul’ (1965)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - ‘Are You Experienced’ (1967)
Rolling Stones - ‘Exile on Main Street’ (1972)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ (1979)
Status Quo - ‘12 Gold Bars’ (1980)
Queen - ‘Greatest Hits’ (1981)
Dire Straits - ‘Alchemy - Live’ (1984)
Robert Cray - ‘Strong Persuader’ (1986)
REM - ‘Eponymous’ (1988)
The Waterboys - ‘Fisherman’s Blues’ (1988)
The Stone Roses (1989)
Counting Crows - ‘August and Everything After’ (1993)
Cracker - ‘Kerosene Hat’ (1993)
Chuck Prophet - ‘Balinese Dancer’ (1993)
Radiohead - ‘The Bends’ (1995)
Ryan Adams - ‘Heartbreaker’ (2000)
Wilco - ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ (2002)
The Jayhawks - ‘Rainy Day Music’ (2003)
Frank Turner - ‘England Keep My Bones’ (2011)
The Decemberists - ‘The King is Dead’ (2011)
Not a bad listening list I reckon—and 1993 was definitely a most excellent year.