John Shand | Music & Other Spheres Posts

November 6, 2017 / Theatre Reviews - Archive

Qudos Bank Arena, October 19 5/10 Perhaps it depends on expectations. If the tie-up between Toruk – The First Flight and James Cameron’s movie Avatar breeds anticipation of a gripping story you will be disappointed. I’ve had cheese pretzels with more narrative content. If it leads you to expect magical…

November 4, 2017 / Album Reviews - Archive

ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES (Universal/Caroline) 8/10 Late-career artists in search of inspiration can do worse than revisit what made them fall in love with music in the first place. It has certainly worked for Van Morrison, whose 37th studio album sees him drenching himself in the blues all over again…

November 3, 2017 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Venue 505, September 2 8/10 When it’s like this it rearranges your very molecules for you. You walk in from a world defined by time, cost and practicalities, and suddenly all priorities are reset. Jay Rodriguez’s huge sound on a tenor saxophone immediately declares – insists! – that this being…