Concert Review Leo Sayer Can’t Stop Loving You Tour Philharmonic Hall Liverpool

After almost 60 years of life on the road this talented singer songwriter from Shoreham-by-Sea, Leo Sayer, brought his final ‘Can’t Stop Loving You’ UK tour to the Philharmonic Hall in an unbelievable performance tonight, he not only wowed his packed-out audience, but most certainly made them ‘feel like dancing’ and they did just that.

Leo, now an unbelievable 78 years old, wearing an all-white ensemble entered the stage with a  background of blue sky and white clouds moving across a large screen, and he showed no signs of slowing down whatsoever as he darted around the stage, still acting boyishly. He and his amazing 4 piece band from around the UK, Steven Reid Williams on keyboards, Richard Hammond on bass, Elliot Henshaw on drums and Dave Day on guitars performed a superbly exuberant high energy show which delighted the audience with many of his fabulous hits.

Leo Sayer first began his music career co-writing songs with David Courtney before he soon bounded into the charts and our lives after appearing on TV in the early 1970’s with an unforgettable look as a Pierrot clown wearing heavy make-up, singing “The Show Must Go On' and the single went to number two on the UK singles chart, followed by his infamous number 1 UK hit ‘When I Need You’ followed by his fabulous Grammy Award-winning song, 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” in 1978, and from then on his singing and songwriting career has continued with both single and album chart successes of which ‘Just A Boy’ was one.

Early in his career in 1976 he also recorded ‘I Am The Walrus,’ ‘Let It Be’ and ‘The Long And Winding Road’ for the Beatles-themed concept film ‘All This And World War II.’

During the concert Leo chatted to the audience discussing his career alongside photos popping up on the big screen behind him depicting his life and career, and he changed into a rock and roll black ensemble for his second half performance. He explained with great sadness and fondness of his friendship with Dolly Parton and that she asked him to write a song for her sister Stella ,which he did, called ‘Stormy Weather’ and it reached number 4 in the USA Country Charts. His songs have been sung by other notable artists, including Cliff Richard, Roger Daltrey, and Three Dog Night. 

During the performance Leo sang many hits including, ‘Train’, ‘Just A Boy’, ‘Don’t Wait Until Tomorrow’, ‘Moonlighting’, ‘I’m A One Man Band’, ‘Have You Ever Been In Love’, ‘Raining In My Heart’, ‘When I Need You’, ‘I Feel Thunder In My Heart’, ‘Dancing The Night Away’, ‘More Than I Can Say’, ‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’, and ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ and he skillfully played the harmonica to accompany many of his songs so beautifully.

The evening delivered a fabulous night of superb vocals and bandmanship, for the audience and we thank you Leo for transporting us back in time. The audience had a wonderful evening, one never to forget. 

Fans may also be excited to learn that Leo’s autobiography titled ‘Just A Boy’ is scheduled for a worldwide publication in early 2027.

You can check out remaining tour dates and venues on Leo Sayer's official website https://www.leosayer.com/

Reviewer: Jill Mather 

On:  08/11/26

Concert Review Jennifer Vaudrey Philharmonic Hall Music Room Liverpool

Liverpool has never been short of talented singer-songwriters, but in a city where musical reputations are so often built on the past, there’s something refreshing about an artist determined to establish a voice of her own. Liverpool-born Jennifer Vaudrey, whose influences range from Joni Mitchell to Stevie Nicks, arrived at the Philharmonic Music Room to launch Time Like Water, an album of personal reflections, emotional honesty and songs drawing upon several decades of popular music. Accompanied by a band featuring Liverpool Americana favourites The Jesse Janes, alongside additional guitar, drums and keyboards, Vaudrey had assembled a talented group of musicians capable of bringing her songs to life. The combination promised an evening of rich harmonies, accomplished playing and thoughtful songwriting, and it certainly delivered.

Appropriately, Vaudrey opened with ‘River’, the first track on the new album. A song inspired by Liverpool and her father, it immediately established the deeply personal nature of her songwriting. There was something particularly fitting about beginning an album launch in her home city with a song that celebrated both place and family. Another new composition, ‘Storms’, followed, before ‘Broken’ introduced a distinctly Fleetwood Mac flavour to proceedings. With its echoes of the melodic West Coast sound associated with Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, it was an early indication of how comfortably Vaudrey’s music sits within that particular singer-songwriter tradition. Vocally, Vaudrey frequently recalled both Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, combining something of Nicks’ earthy, expressive delivery with the warmth and melodic clarity associated with McVie. It was a particularly appealing combination, especially on songs that drew upon Fleetwood Mac’s distinctive blend of folk, rock and West Coast pop. Yet there was enough individuality in her phrasing and delivery to prevent the comparisons from becoming merely an exercise in nostalgia. ‘Holding on to You’, written back in 2014, took things in a more deliberately country direction, demonstrating that Vaudrey’s musical influences extend beyond the folk-rock sound that characterises much of her work. It also provided an interesting contrast between her earlier songwriting and the material from Time Like Water. 

The arrangements were stripped back for ‘Calling’, a song from her debut EP, with only the women remaining on stage. Accompanied by Claire Jones’s beautifully judged keyboard playing, the performance allowed the vocals and harmonies to take centre stage. It was a reminder that, impressive as a full band can be, sometimes the simplest arrangements are the most effective.

There was plenty of warmth and humour between songs, too. Vaudrey revealed that ‘Blue Shadows’ had become something of a running joke among the musicians, with its title suggesting that it might just as easily be a song about the trials and tribulations of supporting Everton. In Liverpool, of course, such a suggestion was always going to raise a smile.

Another early composition, ‘Goodbye Mister’, had an unusual origin, having been written as a university assignment. Its melodic sensibility and the interplay between the vocals and instrumentation demonstrated Vaudrey’s understanding of the classic singer-songwriter tradition. That a song originally composed as part of an academic exercise should still find a place in her live repertoire says something about its enduring appeal.

Perhaps the evening’s most unexpected musical departure came with ‘Piece by Piece’, a love song inspired by the Bee Gees. Built around a disco beat, it brought a welcome change of pace and demonstrated Vaudrey’s willingness to step outside the more familiar folk and country-influenced territory. 

The emotional centrepiece of the evening was undoubtedly ‘Time Like Water’, the title track of the new album. Vaudrey introduced it as the most vulnerable song she had ever written, a reflection on the fluid, unstoppable and ever-changing nature of our existence. With the female voices combining in harmony, it recalled the emotional directness and delicate beauty of Anna McGarrigle’s composition ‘Heart Like a Wheel’. It was a particularly affecting moment, the kind of song that relies not on musical grandstanding but on the ability of the words, melody and voices to communicate something deeply human.

The main set concluded with ‘Hide Away from Love’, another song from her debut EP, bringing the evening full circle by connecting the artist she is today with the songwriter who first began releasing music more than a decade ago.

An appreciative audience wasn’t about to let her leave without an encore, and Vaudrey returned with ‘I Remember’, another deeply personal composition inspired by her father. Having opened the evening with a song connected to him, it provided a touching sense of symmetry. The final number was a cover of The Band’s ‘The Weight’, an inspired choice given the Americana influences running through the evening. Its communal spirit and opportunities for shared vocals made it a fitting way to bring proceedings to a close.

The musicianship was another considerable strength. The Jesse Janes, featuring sisters Kate McCusker (vocals and fiddle) and MaryRose McCusker (vocals), alongside Tom Crofts (guitar) and Andy Ashton (bass), brought their characteristic Americana sensibilities and beautifully blended harmonies to the arrangements. They were joined by Chris Mckearney on guitar, Jacob Naylor on drums and Claire Jones on keyboards, completing a versatile ensemble equally comfortable with intimate ballads, country-inflected numbers and more rhythmically driven material.

Particularly impressive was the way the musicians knew when to step back, allowing Vaudrey’s voice and songwriting to take centre stage. With a friendly, appreciative audience and a relaxed atmosphere, this was an album launch that felt more like a celebration among friends than a formal presentation of new material. Vaudrey’s musical influences were readily identifiable, but rather than simply reproducing familiar sounds, she used them as a foundation for songs rooted in her own experiences. Time Like Water may reflect upon the passing of time and the changes life brings, but on this evidence, Jennifer Vaudrey is an artist whose songwriting continues to develop and mature. An enjoyable, heartfelt evening that demonstrated the enduring appeal of well-crafted songs, expressive vocals and musicians who clearly enjoy playing together.

This was a one-off show presented by Liverpool Acoustic. Full details of their upcoming events can be found here, https://liverpoolacoustic.co.uk/

Reviewer: Adrian Cork 

On: 04/11/2026

Theatre Review The Haunting of Hill House Playhouse Liverpool

This is one play, by Stef Smith, based on the novel by Shirley Jackson, where the premise is in the title. A rambling mansion in California is occupied solely by a housekeeper who has promised the late owner she will look after it for as long she is able. She is unbothered herself of reports of ghostly happenings but a time-served paranormal investigator is determined to identify what is happening and two young women have answered his advertisement for assistants. The son of the owner who has been living for years in Europe has decided to come over to join them, knowing something about the dark history of the house, which includes two deaths.

Not long after everyone has arrived and retired to their rooms, things start happening but this is not your average ghost story because one of the young women has her own dark secret and the motivations of the investigator extend beyond simple curiosity. The mood is certainly more akin to Daphne Du Maurier than Dennis Wheatley with both the psychological and past revelations reminiscent of a darker version of an Agatha Christie country house story.

The basic plotline is very simple but what really creates the atmosphere and holds the audience, is the astonishing staging and effects, coupled with some fine acting. There are echoes of ‘The Woman in Black’, with loud bangs and black outs but this is all done quite stylishly. Paranormal happenings with the lights on are also very convincing (note. extreme resistance here to give away spoilers). Ultimately though, this play is as much a psychological thriller as a ghost story and there are deep, haunting memories in characters’ back stories which have nothing to do with the house or the paranormal, but which are never-the-less triggered by the deeply unsettling scenario.

An important strength of this play is that the characters are credible and are seen to go on their own separate journeys. The two young women are complete opposites; Theo, played by Sophie Lenglinger, is a bright and confident, a stylish dresser and up for some excitement. Eleanor, played by Clancy Ryan dresses conservatively and has a shy, retiring personality. As events progress, we see both women undergo radical changes, each interacting differently with Luke, the son, played by Robin Morrisey. None of them leave as the same person in which they arrived. Dr. Montague, the investigator, for quite some time has the aura of a detached academic but he is holding something back.

Special mention must be made of Mrs. Dudley the housekeeper, played with complete emotional detachment by Sian Howard. This character provides virtually the only element of humour in the entire play, telling each guest to carry their own bags and when asked politely for the most basic favours replies that she does do requests. Her manner maybe slightly caricatured but it sets the scene that she looks after the house alone and has every desire to keep it that way.

Director Martin Constantine has made full use of all the powerful changes in lighting and special effects, with actors on numerous occasions appearing just seconds after a blackout in other rooms, sometimes in different emotional states, adding greatly to the paranormal atmosphere. There is a cinematic quality to the brilliant use of front and backscreens, coupled with projections, variously enabling rooms to quickly transform into other parts of the house (with some changing of props) or simply presenting powerful animations to chilling music or scary sounds. This play is as powerful a visual stage experience as you are likely to see anywhere, anytime some.

This is a genuine thriller and an awesome visual experience with an ultimately sophisticated underling story. The set is remarkable and the ending will stay with you.

https://thehauntingofhillhouse.co.uk/

Reviewer: John Waterhouse

On: 3rd November 2026.