From hanging out with primates to early climate warnings, here’s a selection of his trailblazing programmes.
All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Martyn Jones.
The title of Voka Gentle’s latest album Domestic Bliss might imply contentment in confinement, but the London trio – twins Imogen and Ellie Mason, plus Imogen’s husband William J. Stokes – make it their mission to burst out of any container you care to put them in. The sisters face each other across a mound of electronic gadgetry Holy Fuck style, in cahoots with inventive guest drummer Ollie Middleton, while Stokes contributes guitar and vocals.
Freewheeling technicolour pop is the result – all buzzing synths, gang chants and surprise left turns. The harder-edged Creon I takes the punchy distorted stomp of Battles’ Atlas and runs off in a different direction. And thanks to an uncooperative guitar, TV Bra – a robo-pop shopping-channel ad for wearable tech – is a late setlist substitute adding gloss to an already strong team performance.
That support slots like this can be beneficial in helping to raise profile is borne out by GANS, whose dates with fellow Black Country outfit Big Special – in addition to a debut LP, Good For The Soul, released on Pete Doherty’s label Strap Originals – have evidently given them a platform for a headline tour of their own. Formerly a duo, drummer Euan Woodman and Tom Rhodes have now been joined by a third permanent member, Tommy Lawther, on saxophone and flute. “Mr Miles Davis!” exclaims Rhodes, announcing another sax solo.
First, the positives. GANS throw everything into their performance, to a largely rabid response; Woodman expertly whips up a moshpit occupied by energetic youngsters, while us older onlookers edge to the back and sides. They don’t take themselves too seriously, and react with cheery equanimity to botched beginnings. (Woodman audibly chastises himself for starting a new song at the wrong tempo; Rhodes aborts another with the declaration “That was live music!”) And a flautist prompting an excitable entanglement of flailing limbs is undeniably entertaining.
Otherwise, though, GANS come off as boringly generic. Their look – 80s tache, Aussie rules mullet, sportswear (swiftly shed) – is a familiar one to say the least, and it feels like they’ve given more thought to merch design than music. Their one-dimensional lad-punk songs do precious little to distinguish themselves from the sort of thing that Soft Play were doing over a decade ago, as Slaves, and their lyrics supposedly reflect grim societal realities but remain mired in tired cliches (closer The King’s Head in particular).
If there’s a glimmer of hope for the future (which includes a forthcoming second album), it’s late-set highlight Oh George, which draws on techno thump as well as punk attitude. Too little, too late to prompt a more generous re-evaluation, though – likewise the sight of students liberating gig posters from their frames as souvenirs on the way out.
GANS / Voka Gentle, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Wed 6 May
words and photos BEN WOOLHEAD
The Irish language rappers were leading the way midweek over Melanie C and Michael Jackson.
In the now-deleted X post, Hamill – who has also voiced the Joker character in various DC Comics projects – wrote that Trump “should live long enough to witness his inevitable devastating loss in the midterms, be held accountable for his unprecedented corruption, impeached, convicted & humiliated for his countless crimes. Long enough to realize he’ll be disgraced in the history books, forevermore.”
NEIL DIAMOND
Wild At Heart (Capitol/UMUSIC)
Wild At Heart is the final part of an album trilogy which draws on sessions from 2007 made by Neil Diamond with producer Rick Rubin. Under the latter’s guidance, Wild At Heart’s predecessors – 12 Songs and Home Before Dark – found Diamond stripping songs back, amplifying their emotional core, and returning to the creative roots that birthed Moods, his highly-rated 1972 album.
The presence of Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench – both erstwhile members of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers – backing Diamond on this latest volume in no way interferes with a broadly minimalist, overall successful approach. Shelve any fears of this album gathering offcuts best hidden from public consumption: from Wild At Heart’s title track to You Can’t Have It All, these songs of devotion and resilience are prime Neil Diamond from start to finish.
words DAVID NOBAKHT
Can’t see your favourite act in the flesh? There might be a solution – but not everyone’s a fan.
Colombian pop star Shakira has unveiled her official song for the 2026 World Cup.
The 49-year-old, behind hits such as Whenever, Wherever and Hips Don’t Lie, teased Dai Dai on Thursday as the anthem for this summer’s tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Shakira posted a one-minute video on Instagram from Brazil’s Maracana stadium to tease the track that is out on 14 May and also features Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
It marks Shakira’s second official World Cup anthem after Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) for the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
She also had the second theme song for the 2014 tournament with La La La (Brazil 2014) which she performed at the closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
Shakira, who has two sons from a former relationship with ex-Spain and Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, also sang Hips Don’t Lie at the 2006 closing ceremony in Germany.
Her country, Colombia, are playing at the 48-team tournament that runs from 11 June to 19 July.
The Total Eclipse of the Heart singer was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery in Portugal on Wednesday.
The Mandalorian and Grogu marks Star Wars’ return to cinemas for the first time in more than six years.
A court heard the Bake Off star was tailgating cars and speeding at nearly 100mph on the M25.