Author: Carl Byron Batson

Photographer, published poet, former party animal, body builder, grave robber to the stars and renowned chainsaw juggler, Carl can often be spotted on his Harley Davidson pretending to be in Terminator 2. He is also frequently seen in the press pits of old London town, camera in hand, avoiding being hit by bottles of wee and crippling his opposition with secret Kung Fu moves.

Sex On A Stick? – Brett Eldredge

The smash hit Love Someone got everyone in the crowd belting it out together, while Queen cover Crazy Little Thing Called Love led to a total explosion of the senses....

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Boots And Bombshells – Chase Rice Delivers The Future

Jack Daniels Showed Up followed, proving to be another instant crowd pleaser and was set to meet Jesus further down the set...

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Doing It Their Way- Elvana Deliver Christmas

Their mash-up of Rape Me and Love Me Tender was deliciously inappropriate but somehow worked incredibly well....

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Keeping The Faith – The Billy Bragg Election Tour

This sold-out show was a call to arms that there is another way, and that we can take a great leap forwards to a fairer, more equal society....

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Sweat Little Rock And Roller – Lauran Hibberd Gets Islington Steamy

She's a bobby socked stomping indie-slacker guitar thumper who's going to grind and slide all over 2020...

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Tap Tap Tapping – Larkin Poe Come A’mericana Knocking

Descendants of celebrated US writer Edgar Allen Poe, since forming Larkin Poe in 2010, Rebecca and Megan have proven a formidable duo both in and out of the studio....

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Rock And Roll Part ?? – The Struts Resurrection Of Glitter

Gary Glitter's chanting boomed around the auditorium, it really was like old times....

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No Plastic – Folking Fantastic

Returning this year with an ‘Outstanding’ A Greener Festival Award, Cambridge Folk Festival today furthers its sustainability commitment and announces the ban on single use plastics. ...

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Any Port in A Storm – Brothers Osborne Make Land

Drunken shanty renditions of Drank Like Hank would be heard throughout the streets of London into the early morning....

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Tatts Entertainment – Hanky Panky At The Great British Tattoo Show

An event that includes some truly great international inkers is one benefit of this tattoo convention, offering the chance to be inked by leading artists from across the globe....

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Jonesin’ For Home – Dale Watson Has A Sting In His Tail

Country music is a snake that started eating its own body. I suspect in that time, it will eat its own head. There’s no identity to the sound anymore. You used to know when you hit the Country...

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A Beer Drinking Fender Bending Duck-tailed Buckaroo

On CALL ME LUCKY, Watson sings with fondness about his girlfriend, rockabilly singer Celine Lee, on “You Weren’t Supposed to Feel This Good,” while “Mama’s Smile” would have been...

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Cherry Picking Names For The Folk Festival

Reacquaint yourself with folk legend Daoiri Farrell, with an ear pleasing All Star Celtic Session consisting of Michael McGoldrick, Donald Lunny, Niamh Dunne, Sean Og Graham, Donald Shaw and Robbie...

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Sticking It To The Lord

Along with certain aspects of beard trimming, it would appear the Lord was also dead set against tattoos, what a party pooper....

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Cracking Nuts Under The Apple Tree

Their music has an underlying groove combined with an earthy spirituality that makes you want to kick off your boots and dance around the nearest stone circle. ...

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Well Hi There Jazztronica

The new EP captures the essence of what made Xover so memorable while also pushing the Blue Lab Beats sonic into new territory. ...

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The Grabbing Girlis

Her constant refrain of ‘eat my *stuff* like lunch’ was wasted on me as I’d been snacking before the show....

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There Is A Fairy Light That Never Goes Out

The obvious musical comparisons are The Smiths and Morrissey’s early solo stuff, an influence which also makes itself known in their video imagery of canal walks, tower blocks and seaside towns on...

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Islington – Where The Alligators Grow So Mean

This wonderful intoxicating album of bluesy-cajun-jazzy mash unashamedly gargles with its influences from Irish, German, African and Native American....

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Desperately Seeking The Miraculous

Clad in black, with a grave yard bottle of Cherry B. Eyeliner tears streaked our faces as we listened to 'What Difference Does It Make'. Do you remember? Desperate Journalist takes us back there....

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Hair Of The Dog – Or Not?

Ferocious Dog shave the Mohawk and unleash the hell hounds on Highbury's Garage....

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Chewing Up A Banjo Plucking Storm

The Dead South show a sold out O2 Forum they aint no punks ...

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‘Please Don’t Be Dead’ Bags It Up In Blues

Fantastic Negrito Wins Best Contemporary Blues Album For "Please Don't Be Dead' at 2019 GRAMMYs...

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Don’t Be A Bitch At Christmas – Clownvis Takes Care Of Business

  dropcap style=”font-size:100px; color:#992211;”W/dropcaphat Christmas means to you ladies and gentlemen, I really don’t know. For me, it’s a time of deep reflection, a time to...

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The Perfect Gift – The Wedding Present Play Tommy

dropcap style=”font-size:100px; color:#992211;”A/dropcaps you will be aware music lovers, The Wedding Present have been playing a series of concert dates during 2018 to commemorate the...

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Revving Up For Christmas – Horton Gets Kinky

dropcap style=”font-size:100px; colour:#992211;”W/dropcape last saw Jim Heath playing London’s O2 Islington in the sad wake of Cramps drummer, Nick Knox’s passing....

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Ashley McBryde Wears Her Heart On Her Sleeve

Arkansas' rising Country star smashes Islington's Assembly Hall...

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Nick Mulvey “It’s In Your Hands”

Nick Mulvey to choose artists for cambridge folk festival...

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Arresting Motion – Cambridge Folk Festival Lives

It seems like just a few short weeks ago when, in the glorious heat of summer, we munched on succulent veggie burgers, supped fine ales and caught up with old and new friends alike. Each day we...

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Sexy As Folk – Cambridge Folk Festival 2018

With headliners First Aid Kit and Patti Smith, Cambridge Folk Festival has become far more than a meeting of beardy real ale connoisseurs with pewter tankards and mandolins....

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