To those of a certain age and male – most of the audience here tonight in fact – Sonja Kristina was a poster girl for rock in the early 1970s. Pre-Stevie Nicks, pre-Debbie Harry. Interestingly she told me in 2015 that her sexual persona was only really exploited in 1975/6 during downtime after Curved Air went on a brief hiatus (My long lost Sounds poster dated from 1971 when she was voted “Best Female Vocalist”).

The band’s live dates are now a rare thing and new studio albums even rarer, the last one being in 2014. The setlist is also fairly stagnant but it’s the strength of the early songs that shine through given a new lease of life by the current band.

The first half highlights included the infectious groove of ‘Time Games’ (from 2014′s “North Star”) a great showcase, not least for a renegade from the Air Cut period Kirby Gregory. Kirby’s guitar (and Chris Harris’ bass) gave the overall sound an appealing robustness throughout.

Kirby once again excelled on ‘The Purple Speed Queen’ and the extended playout on ‘Back Street Luv’. (In spite of Sonja’s invitation to dance the latter failed to move bums from seats).

The guitarist was gracious enough to give me a potted history of his career after the gig, reminding me he made several albums with Stretch in the 1970s (with a Top 20 single in November 1975 ‘Why Did You Do It?’). He later practised in the NHS as a psychotherapist combining this with gigs after he rejoined Curved Air in 2012.

Robert Norton on keyboards and Grzegorz Gadziomski on violin got their showcases, the former on ‘Metamorphosis’ and the latter on ‘Vivaldi’ although the mid-section breakdown using loops went on a tad too long.

An early writer and broadcaster for GRTR! Peter Muir promoted Sonja’s less mainstream diversions on his Market Square label.

In the absence of a new Curved Air album readers would be well advised to investigate these albums including her collaborations with Marvin Ayres and Cloud 10/Acid Folk. The latter band featured Robert Norton whom she first met when he was delivering organic vegetables and who was persuaded to audition on a small piano in her home.

Sonja is a captivating performer and mixes a bohemian and earth mother vibe whilst remaining an underrated lyricist and understated singer. And, yes, she still sells her Hair photo on the merch stall.

Sonja’s enthusiasm and eclecticism – as much as her sexuality at a time of greater liberation for women in pop culture – will remain her legacy. I once called her the Helen Mirren of Rock: enigmatic, theatrical, sexy.

Fifty five years on this was a fitting celebration.

Armin / It Happened Today / Stay Human / Time Games / Melinda (More or Less) / Propositions / Easy / Screw / Marie Antoinette / The Purple Speed Queen / Metamorphosis / Vivaldi / Back Street Luv / Midnight Wire

Review and photos by David Randall

Featured Artist (Get Ready to ROCK! Radio) and interview

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 December 2025.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). First broadcast on 25 November 2025

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More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 1 December 2025

We feature all the artists selected in this sequence in 2025.

Featured Albums w/c 1 December 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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