

FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: CAREFUL WITH THAT SWORD, PENNY
You might have clocked the absence of a Fifty3 Fridays last week. I blame the King. Had it not been for the Coronation, there would have...
May 12, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: WORTHY WINNERS
A full house greeted the nine acts who gathered at Pilton Working Men’s Club on Saturday evening for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent 2023...
May 1, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: LIVING IT LIVE IN SE14
New Cross may not be the most glamorous location for a London music venue but the Amersham Arms has history on its side. A Victorian...
Apr 21, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: PLAYING CATCH UP
There are some weeks when there are simply too many worthy candidates for this modest weekly column. This has been one of them so I am...
Apr 14, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: DUSTING OFF “THE REAL THING” BY KATE WALSH
A welcome week’s break in Cornwall has meant a break from the norm of regular Fifty3 Fridays. On these occasions I like to dust off a...
Apr 8, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: GLASTONBURY EMERGING TALENT 2023 FINALISTS
It’s that moment you can’t wait for but almost dread. For the 30 Round 1 judges of the annual Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition,...
Mar 31, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: A TIME TO REFLECT
In a week which saw Boris Johnson appear before the Privileges Committee inquiry into whether he is incapable of understanding the...
Mar 24, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: AND NOW THE GLASTONBURY ETC 2023 LONGLIST
The waiting is over. From the many thousands of acts who entered the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2023, the organisers have...
Mar 17, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: THEY THINK IT’S ALL OVER?
I had planned to say a few words here in support of Gary Lineker today. But it appears that the news story that began on Tuesday when he...
Mar 10, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: ETC TICKED
Phew. Earlier today, I sent in my top three choices for this year’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition before the noon deadline....
Mar 3, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: SO LONG MOTTY
Though unrelated to music, I wanted to begin by marking the sad passing yesterday of football commentary legend, John Motson – Motty –...
Feb 24, 2023


FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: MAINLY NOT ABOUT THE BRITS
So, the BRIT Awards came and went, providing the occasional high, several lows, incoherent speeches, silly outfits, a surfeit of alcohol...
Feb 17, 2023

