Music

The Stables in Milton Keynes has announced details of an exciting new music week for young people taking place this summer. Running from 11-15 August, The Stables Music Week will offer five days of intensive, fun and creative music making at the popular arts venue, where young musicians can come together to share their love of music, play with other young people and be part of an exciting group exploring different kinds of music – everything from classical to jazz, from rock and pop to folk, as well as trying out new instruments and musical styles. They’ll also have the opportunity to make new connections with other young musicians and build their confidence, teamwork and communication skills. The week will culminate in an end-of-course concert in front of family and friends. The Music Week is for any young musician, aged 11-18, who plays an instrument. There is no minimum grade..

Now to the original stuff, and punk players The King Blues are back (March 8) with their boundary-pushing fusion of punk, ska, reggae, and hip-hop. Lyrically they are on-point too, offering politically charged anthems, and they don’t just talk (and play) a good game – activism is alive and well here, too. It’s still difficult to believe that two decades have passed since the debut album, Under The Fog was delivered, and since then they have delivered six UK top 40 albums and enjoyed plenty of sold-out tour success. They pressed the pause button back in 2012 when frontman Itch explored a solo career with a hip-hop influence, and that was a winner too; he went platinum in Australia for the single, Another Man. The band would reassemble three years later when they released the mini album, Off With The Heads, and a new album is currently being crafted. Go..

Proof that chocolate isn’t the only sweet thing to come out of Switzerland arrives in Wolverton on the first of the month, with The Hillbilly Moon Explosion (March 1). The veteran rockabilly players are perfect for the weekend; with enough rock and roll, swing and curl to give you a great time. Mix with the drink of your choice, and let loose. Multi-instrumentalist James Jay Lewis has been showing out as the bassist with Cast and guitarist with The Zutons, but the Liverpool-based talent will be flying solo when he visits the venue (March 7). Bristol four-piece Grandma’s House (March 8) bring their grunge and post-punk flavoured sounds to the local stage following the recent single release, Slaughterhouse. Ask for those that inspire their sound, and they’ll cite influences from Idles to Nirvana. Yasmin, Poppy, Zoë and Polly will shake up perceptions with a raucous show to shake your foundations...

February 6th marks the 15th anniversary since the music world mourned the loss of Sir John Dankworth. Pulse Music editor Sammy Jones remembers a unique man with a talent to match... John came from a musical family, but at odds with them, he favoured jazz, not classical. “That horrified them – it was like being interested in heavy metal in those days, your parents wouldn't exactly welcome it,” he told me. Focusing his attention on the clarinet, not even being called to serve in the army hindered his playing – he simply joined the army band. With service behind him, he auditioned for a ship about to sail to America, which needed its own band. A young Ronnie Scott auditioned with him, and they both got the job. “I had never been abroad in my life and all of a sudden I found myself in this mad Broadway atmosphere with..

When Finnish country types, Steve‘n’Seagulls (Feb 8) covered AC/DCs Thunderstruck they really captured imaginations. In the decade it has been on YouTube, it has racked up a whopping 179 million views, and with good reason – it’s immense. Go take a peek yourself. For all the novelty factor at play here, at the heart of the operation is a band of players who pack all of the punches. Bluegrass brilliance coming to The Craufurd Arms on February 8. Almost two years since they last played the venue – as support to fellow NYC bruisers Life of Agony – Madball will return on February 3. The hardcore aces have had a fair few players pass through the ranks since first making our acquaintance with their debut Set it Off some three decades ago, but you’ll still meet the gaze of frontman Freddy Cricien, and they’ve amassed a tidy catalogue from which..

'I'll be a tribute to myself if it pays more!' Rock stalwarts Stray make their Craufurd Arms return later this month. It’s early in the year, but frontman Del Bromham promises that 2025 will deliver ‘much of the same’ for the quintet – which means plenty more stage action. “We already have some festival appearances in the UK and Europe booked for over the summer... the Stray never ending tour continues!” Del told Pulse’s Sammy Jones. The Milton Keynes-based players are also hopeful they’ll be able to swell fans’ collections with the filmed release of their last date at The Stables, played back in November. “The venue was ideal for us to feature a couple of semi acoustic songs, so it was a slightly different show than the ones that we usually deliver.” With a stellar body of work tucked under their collective belt, there is no shortage of material..

Live Nation and Cuffe & Taylor are pleased to announce the return of Bedford favourites, Café Mambo Ibiza, as headliners for TK Maxx Presents Bedford Summer Sessions on Friday 11 July 2025. Having delighted Bedford audiences with unforgettable performances in 2019, 2021, and 2022, Café Mambo has cemented their place as a beloved part of the local live music scene. This latest addition previously announced headliners including McFly, Supergrass, The Human League, Simple Minds, and Rag’n’Bone Man. Tickets for the show will go on general sale on Friday, 31 January December at smmrsessions.com / ticketmaster.co.uk. Following celebrated shows in 2019, 2021, and 2022, Café Mambo Ibiza returns to Bedford Park on Friday, 11 July. Formed in 1994 by Javier Anadon, Café Mambo grew from humble beginnings on the coastal rocks of San Antonio into an international phenomenon, becoming a cornerstone of the vibrant ‘90s Ibiza scene. Synonymous with breathtaking sunsets..

Come shake a tail feather with the UK’s original, award-winning Tina Turner tribute …. aka Justine Riddoch and her talented cast. The live show will be coming to Milton Keynes, Stables, on Wednesday 26th February. When Tina burst onto the scene, she won the hearts of music fans from the outset, creating a fearsome reputation for her live performances – and those never-ending legs! Early hits River Deep – Mountain High, Proud Mary and Nutbush City Limits were just a taste of what was to come. We Don’t Need Another Hero, Simply the Best, What’s Love Got to Do With It, I Don’t Wanna Lose You and When the Heartache is Over  propelled her to stadium concert stardom. Supported by her super-talented band and dazzling dancing girls in sequins, feathers and diamonds, Justine is the ULTIMATE Tina (a National Tribute Awards winner since 2013). She’s got the looks, she’s got the moves, she's got the legs, but most of all, she’s got THE voice...

Beans on Toast; a nutritious meal for those on a budget, or a right earful of modern folk, depending on whether you get yours from a can, or from the stage! No stranger to these parts, Beans on Toast has spent nearly two decades writing simple songs about complicated subjects, and he'll be playing lots of those tracks when he returns to MK11 in Kiln Farm on December 5. The same week, Beans will release his new album, Wild Goose Chasers, the latest in a very long line of albums that are too numerous to list in the here and now. Aside from the music, Beans has written children's books and coloured up festivals here, there and everywhere – last year he delivered a speech for the Campaign of Nuclear Disarmament from the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury! Fans will be listening to a very different elpee from the Essex-based creative..

Grade 2 start the Christmas countdown at The Craufurd Arms, bringing the raw power of old school punk to the new generation. Signed to Hellcat Records (the label set up by Rancid's Tim Armstrong) is a nice place to be, and their second release on said label (but third album overall) is the eponymous 15-track delivery 'melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity and frustrations of Gen-Z youth.' “Like everyone else, 2020 left us properly f*cked off,” says frontman Sid Ryan. “Yet we were able to channel every ounce of that despair into every second of this record." The Isle of Wight natives will be seeing you on December 5. The Woodentops (Dec 10) have celebrated their four decade anniversary this year, and yet, 2024 has been particularly fruitful: '...the most loaded with fresh releases, remixes, film, collaborations and general newness in any..

Milton Keynes will officially begin its Christmas festivities this Saturday, 16 November, with its largest-ever Christmas Lights Switch-On event, taking place for the first time at the spacious car park adjacent to The Point. Organised by the MyMiltonKeynes Business Improvement District (MyMK BID), this year’s occasion promises an enhanced spectacle, featuring a star-studded programme, including popular social media personalities, local performers and a show-stopping finale. Festivities will commence at 2 pm, with family attractions, including funfair rides and roaming entertainers to engage visitors upon arrival. Hosting the main programme from 4 pm, celebrated magician and comedian David Allen – a Magic Circle member known for his appearances on ITV, BBC and the Discovery Channel – will bring his renowned charm and humour to the stage, promising to engage audiences throughout the event. Max Fulham, star of the MK Theatre’s pantomime and a social media sensation known..

A £1,500 bursary and a tailored programme of professional mentoring are being launched to give a promising young musician or band from Milton Keynes a significant boost in advancing their music career. The recipient of the bursary will gain £1,500 in funding, which can be allocated to a wide range of career-enhancing activities, including training, purchasing essential equipment, recording new music, marketing, promotion, or supporting a touring schedule. Beyond financial support, the bursary winner will benefit from a mentoring programme overseen by The Stables in Milton Keynes. This initiative will offer a comprehensive introduction to the music industry, with personalised guidance designed to fit the winner’s unique ambitions and career goals. Topics covered will include navigating the complexities of the music business, strategies for developing a marketable artistic identity, building and engaging a loyal fanbase, and generating sustainable income from writing, recording, and performing. The Fresh Sounds bursary scheme has..

Choice pickings at the Wolverton haunt this month include Laura Jane Grace and the Trauma Tropes (Nov 16). As a major figure in today’s rock scene both as a solo artist and the front person of Against Me!, which she founded in the late 1990s, Laura has released four solo offerings and seven albums with Against Me!, and in 2012 went public with her gender transition in the pages of music bible Rolling Stone. Detailing her journey in her music, she remains true to her earlier themes of outspoken political critique – environmentalism along with personal and social liberation – with a base in American music including country and folk-rock, but with a penchant for noise and anarchy. Eight years since landing on Earth, Henge (Nov 23) continue to delight with their music, which they say is 'Cosmic Dross,' and occupies the space between rave and prog rock that no-one..

Ramble On... 2024 has been quite the year for MK’s Southern Rock fuelled quartet, Ramblin’ Preachers. The release of their warmly received debut album, Sins & Virtues, making inroads into Europe, and some nice festivals have helped cement their standing as ‘ones to watch,’ and not here in the new city where that secret was given up a while ago, but further afield. “2024 has been truly mind-blowing,” picks up frontman Ross Connor, “We have played some amazing festivals and venues this year, including the stunning Blackpool Winter Gardens, and a massive high point was our recent trip to Germany. It was the first time we played in Europe and we loved it. “We have done some great support slots too, we’ve recently played with the incredible Greg Koch, The Cold Stares and Jared James Nichols...” Pulse was among a keen audience who caught Ramblin’ guitarist James stage sharing with..

If you like a good night out in the company of a group of imposters, you are in for a marvellous month at MK11, with tribute mobs en masse! A power-packed trio of trouble starts the month (Nov 1) with Rhyme & Reason 2024 bringing the best in edgy noise courtesy of Beast Decoys (Beastie Boys), Cy-prish Hill and The Machine Rages On. It's a Sure Shot for those of you who want to Take The Power Back! On the 'other' stage, the first of the month is Band-E-Oke time – your chance to grab the mic and let your voice boom with the backing of MK11's house band. There's a real Dead Ringer for Love, or at least a dead soundalike for Meatloaf (Nov 2), and Red Hot Chili Peppers UK (Nov 8) will take the MK11 assembly to a Higher Ground and the same evening, Just Radiohead will..