Guardian Music — Royal Festival Hall, London"I don't really like politics that much, so it doesn't get much of a look-in," says Neil Hannon before proceeding to play a moving song about the Good Friday agreement. Poor old political songwriting: so often held at arm's... more info

Totally Fuzzy — jeffen said... BILLY BRAGG - Mermaid Avenue Demos http://musicruinedmylife.blogspot.com Thanks go out to: TOTALLY FUZZY for helping keep good blogs alive. Visitors who leave COMMENTS, which absolutely keep good blogs alive. NEW MP3MIX said... Chery... more info

Guardian Music — Purcell Room, London"If you wanna play the blues, you gotta pay some dues, cause it ain't coming easy," sings Bettye LaVette during her second Meltdown performance of the evening. You can say that again. The Detroit-raised soul singer, now 64, has ha... more info

Guardian Music — Royal Festival Hall, LondonI'm not familiar with the opening numbers of tonight's set from Teddy Thompson and his band – and nor are many people, as he has taken the bold step of playing his new album, which is not out yet, in its entirety.You migh... more info

Guardian Music — Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonCajun music, says Michael Doucet of Beausoleil didn't exist before the marketing men branded it in about 1980. Long before that Beausoleil were already creating, out of Lafayette, Louisiana, what Doucet prefers to call Fre... more info

Guardian Music — Purcell Room, LondonNaming your band after your musical hero – in this case the legendary American old-time singer Ola Belle Reed – is dangerous; but this five-piece New York ensemble have no need to worry about doing their namesake justice. Rich... more info

Guardian Music — Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonNo room for self-conscious angst here. This is the real unfettered, youthful thing – a group with an authentic voice and some creative nerve, proving, against the trend, guitar music has more to say. Field Music have ins... more info

Guardian Music — Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonRichard Thompson had been, in the words of a friend working on the Meltdown team, "like a kid in a candy store all day" about this gig.No wonder. Including the festival curator, there were half a dozen guitar gods up on st... more info

Guardian Music — Royal Festival Hall, LondonPaolo Nutini channels more voices than the late Doris Stokes, and all of them were present at this one-off concert for Meltdown. The singer, still only 23, began inflected with Ray Charles, took in along the way in no parti... more info

Guardian Music — Royal Festival Hall, LondonThree years since his belated breakthrough into the mainstream, the cult of Seasick Steve shows no sign of abating. These days, the former hobo is more accustomed to playing the Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park than the stre... more info