Fiona Shepherd

3 weeks ago | scotsman.com | Fiona Shepherd

Cynthia Erivo: I Forgive You (Verve Records/Republic Records) ★★★Little Simz: Lotus (AWAL) ★★★★Finn Wolfhard: Happy Birthday (AWAL) ★★★Azamiah: Two Lands (Floating World Records) ★★★★Musical theatre superstar Cynthia Erivo may not have won the Oscar for her acclaimed depiction of Elphaba in Wicked but she’s got her Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards to keep her warm at night. She also has an urge to express herself which can only be met through songwriting.

3 weeks ago | scotsman.com | Fiona Shepherd

Pulp: More (Rough Trade) ★★★★Back in their Glastonbury-headlining mid-Nineties pomp, Pulp were Sorted for E’s & Wizz. Thirty years on, frontman Jarvis Cocker returns to the same source of inspiration to write comeback single Spike Island, despite never having attended the notorious Stone Roses show.

3 weeks ago | scotsman.com | Fiona Shepherd

Lionel Richie, Hydro, Glasgow ★★★ Let Lionel Richie start by saying I love you. There is arguably no swifter way to get a full house onside. Following a thunderous band overture of Hello, the veteran performer rose through a blanket of smoke, a clichéd showbiz entrance befitting the cheesiness of the song. And thus the soul pop cabaret of the Say Hello to the Hits tour commenced. Richie mock-choked on his mention of his 50 years in music.

3 weeks ago | scotsman.com | Fiona Shepherd

Iggy Pop, Academy, Glasgow ★★★★★Iggy Pop is remarkable. This garage rock legend is living proof that rock'n'roll can keep you young, as long as you can navigate that tricky drugs, excess and general nihilism period to emerge miraculously unscathed. Sometimes it feels like he will always be with us, leather-bound and Teflon-coated. But the audience at this show were conscious of the occasion, that this may well be the last chance to see Iggy in Glasgow.

3 weeks ago | scotsman.com | Fiona Shepherd

Nessa Barrett, Academy, Glasgow ★★★Good times for touring social media pop stars and their teenage female fans. Last week, Youtuber Tate McRae sold out the Hydro with her slick to the point of mechanical Miss Possessive show and now New Jersey TikTok personality Nessa Barrett graces Glasgow with two dates on her Aftercare world tour. Barrett’s setlist was peppered with song titles such as S.L.U.T., P*rnstar and Babydoll but her vibe was more dainty burlesque than commanding dominatrix.