John Shuttleworth [08/02/25]

March

Mike + The Mechanics [12/03/25]

April

Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds "Spirit Of Man" Tour [09/04/25]

Exit North [24/04/25]

May

The Rocky Horror Picture Show [07/05/25]

June

REW!ND Festival [14/06/25]

Bat Out Of Hell [30/06/25]

The Beach Boys "Sounds Of The Summer" Festival [20/07/25]

August

Echo & The Bunnymen [09/08/25]

Penkridge Open Air Festival (DAYS 2&3) [23/08/25-24/08/25]

October

Nik Kershaw [01/10/25]

November

Nik Kershaw [08/11/25]

Adam Ant [20/11/25]

Gary Numan [29/11/25]

This blog brings you photographs of various artists, photographed by Weather, followed by Weather's honest

reviews about the events attended.

In starting this blog, he hopes to encourage people to persue dreams, do what makes them happy and to treat themselves once in a while. He hopes to also lend a helpful ear, eye and hand for others who are unsure about who they're going to see and/or going to gigs&shows.

He hopes you enjoy this blog!

October 1st 2023 was the first day I'd see him live. I remember travelling with my mum and sister from Stoke-On-Trent to Chester, then having the British classic fish & chips in a pub before walking down the road and queuing for the show. We were the first of four people there, as we met a Kershaw super-fan named "Josh", who told us he was attending every UK show in the tour, as well as confirming that my favourite song would be performed. We queued outside for just over an hour, before we were let in and my sister and I rushed to the front row at the second we got the chance.

This would be my first experience in the front centre of a show, as I'd spent years somewhat hiding in the front left corner.

The wait time quickly passed and I soon found myself clapping and cheering as a men entered the room and walked onto the stage holding an acoustic guitar. Seb Wesson. The crowd were underwhelming during Seb's performance, to say the least, it was only a short, acoustic act at the end of the day, but I honestly loved his performance. His interaction with the audience was a key to his confidence, alongside his big smiles and thoughtful songs. It was a calming start, but the audience wasn't impressed. At times, I was the only person who clapped or cheered!

The audience soon became louder and lively after Wesson has finished and Nik Kershaw eventually took the stage. I can't exactly remember what the show started with, giving this blog's being written almost 2 years later, but if I were to assume, I'd guess something along the lines of "Wide Boy". Nik performed hits various albums, and I remember he dedicated one song to the young people in the audience, after him asking me if I was my sisters father (which I found quite funny). I didn't know all of his songs and was clueless on his later works performed like "Wounded", but he made the night perfect even to a clueless person. He didn't interact with the audience much, that doesn't seem to be his thing. But with his big smiles and energetic performance, he made the night worth while.

After the show, I waited for the place to empty before leaving, so my sister and I watched the PA team pack everything up. It was then that staff members were chucking Nik's picks into the remaining audience. It was then my sister happened to catch one of them. This made us both overjoyed as we left the venue with not only merchandise (which I'd bought before the show started), but with a 'legends' guitar pick.

Months later, my sister handed the pick to me and told me I could keep it, but it is both of ours, which I agree'd to so it'd stay safe in my collection. I take that pick with me to places where I need some luck sometimes and it somehow helps me to push through.

That night was the start of my intense gig-attending and I've since seen Nik Kershaw 3 times since (and I have 3 more dates in 2025).

Now, I'm not much of a people person, but I've learned that if I'm in the front row, I'm not really bothered or overstimulated by the people around me. This was handy at the event, as I'd got in early in the disabled queue and took to the front centre as quick as my legs would let me.

The audince throughout was lively and full of all different generations. I thought. being 19, I was on of the youngest there, but I quickly found out that there were even toddlers there! And as shocked as I was, it did make me smile that parents or relatives were bringing their children to such a fun event.

It started off slow with Red Box, but by the time Kim Appleby danced upon the stage, the audience was loud and energetic enough to dance and sing for th next hours as different artists came up to play. My favourites were Go West, Kim Appleby, Altered Images, Nik Kershaw and Banarama. I wont deny that I screamed when "Robert De Niro's Waiting" was performed near the end of the night.

I did well in the crowd until Nik Kershaw had closed his set, but I did leave the crowd due to overstimulation. Now is where I add that I was with my mother and little sister. I decided to buy food because it had been a long day, and the food was great quality (though I was shocked by the price of it!). My mother and I also had a coffee which was lovely (my sister had a coke), and then we headed to the merch tent once we'd finished eating.

There wasn't much in the merch tent, just a few wigs, tutu's and party items along with "Lets Rock" t-shirts and random band t-shirts on a rack. I saw a OMD shirt and was tempted to get it, but sadly didn't as I was drawn to a Lets Rock tee with the shadows of WHAM! printed on. Once we finished in the merch tent, I spent the rest of the festival sitting on the grass, listening to the closing acts.

This section is based off of my own experiences and wha I've had to do to get the help/access that I need because I am disabled and neurodivergent.

I hope any information and/or advice here is helpful for those who need it, and if further information is needed then feel free to contact myself via instagram or my manager on email, if I can't/don't get back to you.

INSTAGRAM: andonisweatherofficial

EMAIL: MichelleBrennan@Weathermusicrecords.com

Upon arriving, we entered an exhibition. We could see photographs of how Sakamoto had made his then recent album and even saw a video about it too, so everyone could all see and hear what he did. He'd managed to take ordinary sounds from outside from the outside and forests and turn natures beauty into a musical masterpiece.

We wandered around and looked and I already had a tear in my eye. What was just projections on white sheets to the norm was somewhat a spiritual and melancholically beautiful sight.

We were soon escorted into a black room by a member of staff. This room had one light in the middle, a red light, that shone above a square. We all sat in chairs and were handed VR (virtual reality) headsets that were fitted to our heads (and mine didn't fit. Funny). I sat in silence, before I suddenly saw Ryuichi in front of me. He sat behind his classic piano, playing tunes that everybody would know if you named it. "Forbidden Colours", people know that from his film "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence"!

His plan was that we'd be ghosts during this performance and he'd be 'alive'. He had planned this whole thing out before he passed. I won't lie again, I had to hold my headset in place because I was in tears. I still am whilst writing this. My headset kept slipping down, my makeup had smudged, but I felt a sense of honour that I was somehow in his spiritual presence.

We had the chance to walk around to look at him more and most people did, but I couldn't move from my seat. I was frozen. I, in fact, did feel like a ghost and couldn't take my eyes off of him.

The show unfortunately came to an end and I wish it didn't. We were escorted out and I honestly didn't want to leave. We all gave Sakamoto a round of applaus before leaving and goig on our ways.

After the show, I explored Manchester with my mother (who had come with me) and we decided we'd visit a Japanese place to eat, giving Sakamoto was Japanese (and Japanese food is lovely). We came across Itzu, a place near Piccadilly station, and the food there was outstanding. I won't go into too much detail, however, because this isn't a food blog. But I'd recommend it to anyone in that area.

Days after that magical day, I found out Yuka Fujii was possibly at KAGAMI on the day I was there. I often think about that. If the event wasn't magical to the heavens already, her being there made it a bit more.

I'm writing this in June 2025 and I'm still not over that day. That whole experience. Typing about it has brought tears to my eyes and I'll never forget it. Thank you, Ryuichi and to the people of KAGAMI. They honoured him beautifully.

Rest in peace, Ryuichi Sakamoto and rest in peace Yukihiro Takahashi.

If you seek any advice for shows, whether that be disabled access, how to contact venues or how an overall show could be, or anything else, then scroll down to "GIG ADVICE".

If you'd like to see the reviews of artists I've seen/events I've been to, then scroll down until you see an artist you like! (You may see a lot of NIK KERSHAW content as I've seen him a lot).

If you'd like to see the total of shows I've been to since my first ever, then scroll down to "CONCERT TOTAL".

This blog is still 'under construction' so if you see anything wrong or odd that you need to report, then comment on which section or get in contact with myself on instagram and I'll fix it.

INSTAGRAM: andonisweatherofficial

2017

Hazell Dean

2018

Absolute Bowie

Palaye Royal (2018 - 2021)

2019

N.N.N (Black Futures)

Shinedown (2019 - 2022)

Alter Bridge

The Raven Age

2020

Counterfeit

Yungblud

Wargasm

STONE

NOISY

2021

The Darkness

Massive Wagons

2022

The Stranglers

The Ruts DC

Asking Alexandria

09.3.6

2023

Duran Duran

Jake Shears/Scissor Sisters

LIA LIA

Porcupine Tree

Magma

KAGAMI

Nik Kershaw (2023 - 2025)

Seb Wesson

Crywank (2023 - 2024)

Theo Van De Hoff

COMMUTED

Madness

The Lightening Seeds

2024

Orchestral Manouvres In The Dark (OMD)

Walt Disco

Martin Kemp

Bananarama

eXTC

Altered Images

From The Jam

Go West

Jason Donovan

Kim Appleby

Red Box

Squeeze

Neol X

Black Lace

Peter Coile

Beard Snax (2024 - 2025)

Absentine (2024 - 2025)

Midge Ure (2024 - 2025)

Indian Electric Company

Bad Manners

the Spontanes

2025

John Shuttleworth

Gloomy Bluette

Mike + The Mechanics

Roachford

Jeff Wayne's War Of The World's "Spirit Of Man" Tour

Exit North

Sweet Billy Pilgrim

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tony Hadley

Heaven 17

Toyah

Tiffany

T'Pau

The Doctor (from Doctor & The Medics)

Bat Out Of Hell

Now, if you've seen this section, you're probably thinking "But you've only been to one music festival, Weather". And to that, I say "a man can dream". I intend to atteend more in the future, this is just the start.

My mum and I set to Margate at 9AM, it was a 4 hour journey via train and whilst trying to get to the station and then having to walk through London to go to another station (a fancy one at that) and THEN having to walk to our hotel after arriving in Margate, it took just over 4 hours overall. We then settled into the Yarrow Hotel, a fancy hotel, and set off to get a taxi at 4pm so we'd arrive at Dreamland by half-past-four for disabled access.

This is where a big issue took place. The hotel had booked a taxi, but said taxi didn't arrive until almost 5pm! Turns out we'd been booked into the worst taxi place in the area for some reason. But I won't complain too much because even though we arrived late, at least the taxi wasn't a no-show.

We arrived at Dreamland closer to 5pm and were let in bang on 5pm. The queue for the even went up the street, around the corner and... a lot further, but I couldn't see. The audience walked in a single file through their areas (general admission, disabled, VIP, accessability platform, etc), past barriers and were soon greeted by security who scanned tickets, checked any bags and let us all in. My mum and I felt lost walking around Dreamland, there was so much to see and do. Statues everywhere, rides, food stalls, colourful floors and 80s music being blasted from multiple small speakers scattered around the park.

Eventually, we found the performance area and I 'bolted' towards the stage to get to the front row, my favourite row. I'd like to give my crutches credit, as they helped to push me forward as I rushed.

My mum got drinks whilst I excitedly waited alongside thousands of others for an hour before the show started. In comes Gertcha! A Chaz & Dave tribute band (see why I quoted their song now?) who started off the event with a comically brilliant performance full of hits and puns. I never listened to Chaz & Dave much, but for a man who didn't know a word, I loved their performance. However, they were quickly 'topped' as the legend herself Toyah danced her way onto the stage once they finished. I definitely screamed at somepoint and if my eyes would widen 10x bigger, they would have. She radiated the sun and was so sweet, telling everybody she loved them between songs, dancing energetically and belting her vocals so loud and proud. After Toyah, there was Tiffany. I know one Tiffany song and, if I'm being honest, I wasn't too much of a fan of her performance. Her vocals seemed hoarse and she spent most of her performance on the left of the stage (her left, my right), so I couldn't actually see her. However, "I Think We're Alone Now" sounded iconic nontheless. After Tiffany, there was T'pau who was iconic with her saxophone player and has made me want to listen to her more. Her and Toyah both radiated the sun with fashion and icon and I adored them.

I was buzzing all day for Nik Kershaw. I was listening to his music all day and trying to guess what his setlist would be, as well as dressing in an outfit inspired by his Radio Musicola era. My gear for the day was: crutches, headphones, phone, umbrella, portable charger & cable and, the most important item, a polaroid camera. I figured I'd test out taking live polaroids, like people did in the 70s/80s. However, it didn't go very well because it rained.

Nik was one of the later artists to come onto the stage.