FIFTY3FRIDAYS: YOU’RE GORGEOUS
It seems every band who had a reasonable hit or two in the past 50-odd years is finding it increasingly easy to come out of the woodwork, reform or reissue, or simply celebrate an anniversary. The cute ones then get to appear on The One Show, sell out their tour and get booked for a summer festival or two. This phenomenon appears to happen almost weekly and it is no surprise in that nostalgia is always in vogue. It may explain why boy bands of yore resurface with a brand-new
16 minutes ago
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: A TRIUMPH OF FRAGILE CREATURES
Ever been to a gig where you can come away with a reading list? Wednesday night with Hannah Rose Platt at The Other Palace, London was as erudite as it was entertaining. The evening saw the return of the singer-songwriter and storyteller extraordinaire to the intimate space of the niche theatre’s studio, having made such an impression here with her full band in February 2024 . Tonight was more of a stripped-back affair as Hannah, accompanied by husband and bassist Freddie Dr
Jan 23
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: A MAD WORLD
Ever wished that lie-in you promised yourself for New Year’s Day had actually happened and that you’d then stayed in bed for the last 16 days? It seems that the already mad world we lived in during 2025 has taken a sharper turn towards insanity with geopolitical developments ramping up daily over the past two weeks. Internationally, a Trump dominated agenda: Venezuela, shadow vessels, Iran, Greenland, AI, while over here failed politicians rush to join Reform, political comme
Jan 16
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: SONNEN BLUME – TRACK BY TRACK
I came across the music of Sonnen Blume when the mysterious artist submitted “Satellite” to Fresh On The Net which went on to be voted as one the week’s Fresh Faves . I was very taken with the song and included it last month in a short round-up of some of my favourite tracks from 2025. “Satellite” is the lead track from a self-titled collection released by Sonnen in November, bringing together songs written over the past 10 years. It is as impressive a debut as I have hear
Jan 12
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: GLASTONBURY REVISITED
Oh dear, the year is flying by. This New Year’s Day joke is already out of date. The theme of our first Fifty3Friday of the brave new year is even less topical. As my voluntary hiatus got in the way of writing about my time at Glastonbury 2025, I thought it might be an idea to include some highlights today as a sign-off to 2025 [OK but 2 days late – Ed]. In truth I get anxious just thinking about writing about Glastonbury let alone actually getting around to doing it. I've h
Jan 2
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: BOXING DAY PLAYLIST
In last Friday’s column, I shared seven songs that stood out for me in 2025. I’ve added another 35 to create my Boxing Day Playlist 2025.
Dec 26, 2025
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: HERE ARE SOME I MISSED EARLIER
Why ‘tis the season of those ‘best of’ lists. Yet in a year when I hardly wrote anything, it seems a bit of catching up is required before making any pronouncements about favourite records of 2025. So, let’s chew over some of the songs I have not had the pleasure of bringing to your attention until now and see what lands. This process will continue and end beyond today's post with a Boxing Day Playlist. At least that’s the plan… Photo by Gerome Bruneau We’ll start with a nam
Dec 20, 2025
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: NOW ON INSTAGRAM
Ever the Johnny-come-lately, last week I thought it was about time I opened an Instagram account -@TonyHardyFifty3. That bit was easy. Working out what to do with it will take a bit more time but most if not all the artists I have ever written about have an Insta page so it is much easier to tag them to point out I have just said something nice about their new single. Doing so on X has become a complete pain and after a longer break from publishing this column than I had inte
Dec 5, 2025
FIFTY3FRIDAYS: A TRIUMPHANT RETURN
This might be the first edition of Fifty3Fridays since May but today’s headline is all about a return to the stage by a very special artist after a 13 year break. More of which soon, but before we get to it, where in the world are we, James? Well, Friday night found me at the mid nineteenth century Anglo-Catholic church of St Matthias in Stoke Newington, North London. This in itself presents a profound public transport challenge, especially when you have decamped to Haslemere
Nov 30, 2025
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: GLASTONBURY EMERGING TALENT 2025 RESULTS
All Glastonbury ETC Final photography kindly by Rick Mav After being offline since mid-November, other than two posts to support the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2025 , Fifty3Fridays is back with a resume of who made it through to the live final and who won. Readers may recall that I downed the music writing tools as we contemplated the enormity of a house move after almost 35 years in our Kingston home. The column made a brief return in January to announce ETC 202
May 2, 2025
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: GLASTONBURY ETC 2025 LONGLIST IS OUT
Fifty3Fridays on a Wednesday? From the many thousands who entered its prized Emerging Talent Competition 2025 in January, Glastonbury...
Mar 26, 2025
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: GLASTONBURY EMERGING TALENT COMPETITION 2025 ANNOUNCED
Glastonbury Festival’s EMERGING TALENT COMPETITION is back for 2025 , with supported from PRS for Music and PRS Foundation once more....
Jan 23, 2025
