Lael Neale

My university chum, Pete, with whom I have recently become reacquainted, asked me a few weeks back if I'd like to go with him to see Lael Neale playing live at The Castle Hotel on Oldham Street.

Now, I'd never heard of Lael Neale, but I do like Pete, and I also like the Castle, so I said yes. (Although the gig was eventually moved across the road to the (slightly) larger Gullivers. I guess she's more popular than she realised!)

This evening, Pete and I met up for dinner at Evuna, and then walked 'round to the venue. The support was playing when we arrived, which was just this guy playing interminable piano nonsense, punctuated, surprisingly, by one excellent guitar track. 

Anyway, it turned out that this chap was Lael Neale's musical partner, as they took the stage together for the main event.

To be honest, it was a very mixed bag. There was some stuff that was reminiscent of - and as bad as - Nico's 'The Marble Index', but then some songs, mainly the ones with Lael playing guitar, that were good.

On balance then, a bit of a 6/10, but including some 8/10 material in there.

Pete and I stood towards the back, just behind the mixing desk, next to this image of John Cooper Clarke, one of Salford's finest.