Paul Bridgewater

Jan 4, 2025 | thelineofbestfit.com | Paul Bridgewater

The song was originally created at the 2023 Sounds from a Safe Harbour festival in Cork by Ólafur Arnalds and a choir of visiting musicians that included French. Many of those involved in the original performance came together last night to close The Tommy Tiernan Show including Arnalds and Jófrídur Ákadóttir (JFDR), Kate Ellis, Sandrayati Fay, Steph French, Dermot Kennedy, Louise Leahy, Memorial, The Staves, Ye Vagabonds and Christ Van Der Ven.

Oct 14, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | Paul Bridgewater

Founded by producer, presenter and promoter Oli Wilson - son of the late, great Tony – it picks up where his father’s In The City left off. For two decades, Wilson Sr’s groundbreaking festival became known for putting bands in front of the London-centric industry figures and sealed Manchester’s reputation as England's second capital for music. Beyond the Music posits a more sustainable aim: what if such an event could capitalise on the differences between Manchester and London?

Oct 3, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | Paul Bridgewater

Across a series of well-produced showcases and an expansive symposium at Bogotá's Delia Zapata Olivella National Arts Center, the event – affectionately known as BOmm – also helps composers, musicians, producers, agencies and promoters discover new opportunities in the music business. Talks and panels cover everything from AI's continuing use in music creation, the need for new spaces to perform music, and how to market playlists.

Jul 12, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | Paul Bridgewater

While the 76-year-old Nicks peppers her set with (sometimes quite rambling) stories of her early days in music, trademark shawls, and remembrances of lost friends, it’s the songs that stand out above all else. With a throwback setlist that includes little from outside her first two solo records and the Fleetwood Mac back catalogue, Nicks’ husky voice - slowed down just a little over the years - finds a cushion in her heart-on-sleeve plaudits for her life, bandmates and the audience.

Apr 18, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | Paul Bridgewater

Her eleventh album works through the loss, anger and mess that follows a break-up, with a cast of tortured poets – not just Swift but the men and women in her creative universe - as well as a knowing wink. It’s a through line that comes together pretty well – I can’t remember a Swift album that felt so locked into its over-arching theme since 1989. Squint and it sometimes feels like a smart update on Red's best moments but it's definitely not a retread.