Now it’s time for a trip back in time, not to the 90s straight away, but the heady days of 2005…
Hard-Fi, 3rd July @ Pryzm, Kingston
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of debut album Stars of CCTV, Hard Fi played the album in full.
The band played hit after hit after fantastic album track. There were five singles released from this album of 11 tracks and many of the tracks in between sound like they could have been, like Unnecessary Trouble sandwiched between Tied Up Too Tight and Better Do Better.
Sharing fond memories of Kingston, singer Richard Archer regaled us with stories of his time here while at Kingston University.
Hard To Beat is one of my favourite songs from the 2000s and sounded fantastic in the middle of the set.
Overall, Hard Fi sounded fresh and exciting and I forgot for a while which decade we are in!
From Pryzm to Circuit
That was my last ever gig at Pryzm. After closing for the summer, rising from the ashes like a phoenix was a refurbished and renamed venue – Circuit.
On my first visit to Circuit, it didn’t seem all that different. But looking around, I started to notice the subtle changes. The speakers on each side of the stage that had often blocked my view were raised and hanging from the ceiling. The shards that hung from the ceiling rose creating a ‘pryzm’ had been removed. The seating areas appeared to be raised and better arranged though I didn’t really explore these. The sound is great though, and that’s probably the most important thing.
Bryan Adams, 3rd September (late show) @ Circuit, Kingston
Along with the tickets there were instructions that phones would have to be locked up in Yondr pouches on arrival and released at the end of the show. So a phone-free show. This would be interesting. I’m not sure whether the intention was to stop people watching through their phone screens or to stop snippets of the new album leaking out, but I found it strangely disorientating. I had no way of telling the time but saw someone with an analogue watch that I could read from afar. I’d been warned not to rely on my phone for any payments so I’d taken my credit card (which lives in my phone case) out and tucked it in my pocket. No checking messages or doom scrolling while waiting for the show to start. Old school.
I’d last seen Bryan Adams here at Pryzm in 2019 doing a short best of set while he was in the middle of an arena tour. This time, he played his new album Roll With The Punches in full while doing a Q&A with the audience. It emerged that this album was on Bryan’s brand new and independent record label, Bad Records, which gave him more creative control. Fans clearly travelled for the show, and they asked when he was planning to return to play in Lebanon and Portugal and various other locations.
Generally though, without a curator gathering questions in advance, the audience ask stupid questions. Bryan Adams was a great compère, answering sensible questions and shutting down anything that had already been asked or didn’t warrant an answer.
With the album being released just days before, I figured the audience were hearing most of the songs for the first time and it was interesting hearing some of the origin stories or inspiration. Felt like a different vibe to the greatest hits and it would need a few listens to really grow on us.
Unusually for me, I left during the last song. I wasn’t sure what the queues would be like having 1000 people waiting to have their phones unlocked all at once, but I didn’t want to wait to find out!
Lola Young, 17th September @ Circuit, Kingston
From a best-selling artist to a younger, up n coming one.
Lola Young’s single Messy has been a radio favourite this year. I think it’s a great song, so I wanted to see what she was about. Last year I saw Anne-Marie at the same venue, and found myself as one of the only adults in the room not accompanying one or more teenagers. This time I did come along with a teenager, which definitely helped blend in amongst all the other youngsters. Lola Young is 24 and fairly local as she is from Croydon and studied at the BRIT school, reflected in her fan base her tonight.
On the eve of the release of her third album, I’m Only F**king Myself, Lola Young played a bunch of new songs with lots of energy and a powerful voice. The finale was a rousing rendition of Messy, the only song from the previous album, with boisterous audience participation. Lola introduced her bad and seemed overcome with emotion at times.
A few days later, Lola Young was reported to have collapsed on stage and cancelled the rest of her tour. She is immensely talented but has been open about her struggles with mental health so I hope she gets the help she needs and comes back stronger.
Read: Kingston Gig Life 2025 – part 1
Read: Kingston Gig Life – part 3
Blue Roses Fanzine 2.0 