Category: Live Music

Live + Interview – Olympia at Patterns Brighton

Posted in Interview, Live Music, Review

Olympia / Ciaran Lavery, Patterns Brighton, 11th September 2019

Fast making a name for herself as a respected songwriter and performer, Olympia – aka Olivia Bartley – is back on the road touring worldwide with her new album Flamingo. I caught up with her before her show at Patterns in Brighton and, as well as chatting about the London congestion charge and the lure of the fairground rides on the pier, we talked about her love of music, playing live and creating something new…

How did it all start for you and what keeps you going in the music business?

I loved playing music, I used to download Joni Mitchell tabs off the internet and I would just play. I didn’t know guitar, I’m self-taught and I would just experiment. It was like an itch trying to play what I thought I could hear and that led me here. Now I know a little bit more and it’s like the more you know the less discovery there is so I think what drives me is I’m curious about everything, I still have that sense of discovery, like what if I try this and this and this…

So what happened was I was playing in Melbourne and a musician found one of my songs, she was quite popular and she just went on social media and said ‘what do you all think?’ and it sort of started an avalanche and here I am. What keeps me going is that I can only do it when I’m excited. I’m not in it for the money or the women!

Is social media generally a good or bad thing for you, it sounds like it helped you get started?

I do have periods when I’ll just turn all the apps off my phone. It can be great or a necessary evil but I think that you’ve got to look after your mental health so if you’re not feeling great you shouldn’t feel you have to look at it.

You’ve been out a lot already on tour this year and you’ve got more dates coming up. How do you deal with that, what are the highs and lows?

The good thing is you work so hard every day towards making it happen and those hours on stage are the most important and the most joyful, you do all of it just for that – to be playing every day, because in Australia the population’s smaller so you don’t get to play every night like you would here. It’s so great to be playing every day and I feel my fingers getting harder and my skills getting better. I do feel tired but I feel that it’s a privilege.

When you toured with Julia Jacklin you definitely picked up lots of new fans in the UK. How did that come about, did you know each other already?

I hadn’t met her before, we have mutual friends and they kept saying ‘you’ll love each other’ and she’s great. It felt like Julia was really generous in spirit and it was so wonderful of her to take me on tour with her.

You’ve been to Brighton before – do you get to see much of the places you play while you’re there?

I’m lucky because I’ve been to Brighton a few times, it started with The Great Escape. Brighton’s very like Melbourne and I always feel instantly at ease here. Tomorrow we head to Paris then Amsterdam, Berlin, then Reeperbahn Festival before we do an Australian tour.

How different are the crowds at festivals from gigs?

It’s so different. It’s great to have an audience who probably would never have heard you before, it’s so varied, what I love about festivals is summer and the openness, especially where there’s one stage where people come and sit and they’re often just music lovers open to new things.

When you’re writing is it always from experience or drawn from things you see?

There’s a great quote ‘Writing is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, the only reason I do it is because I’ve done it before and I know that I’ve done it’. My writing is things I’ve collected from the world, usually a metaphor or visual metaphor… I saw this picture of red honey from Utah, so what had happened was this beekeeper thought ‘I’ll just save money and feed my bees sugar’ and he got candy canes because bees love sugar and it ruined the honey and every bee in Utah. We have such an effect on each other as people that you sort of shape each other, if you’re with someone long enough you can become a bit of each other and I thought about that and it became the song Honey but it’s more about humans than bees.

Lastly, you recently did an industry workshop giving advice to new and emerging artists – is there a definitive piece of advice?

I loved doing it, I have a lot of young artists contact me and my main thing is ‘Get ready to work’. We’re all different but I can just say for me I need to write 9-5, don’t wait for inspiration, it’s not a burden, if you feel good or feel bad just write through it because it’s not just your craft, it’s also getting better at the skills of writing… read books that no-one’s reading, listen to bands no-one’s talking about…

Great advice and if you haven’t heard Olympia yet, definitely take on board the bit about listening to new things. The gig later that night was one of the most enjoyable I’ve been to in a while…

Opening up the evening, newly local Ciaran Lavery proved that one man and his guitar is all that’s needed to hold the attention of the crowd. With a cluster of beautifully written songs and chats about his childhood, the set felt like an intimate gathering of friends, and kudos must go to the listeners for just listening and not providing the usual humdrum of background conversation that infects so many gigs, particularly support slots. With a feel of Leonard Cohen in a seaside town, Ciaran will be one to look out for on the Brighton circuit.

Heading straight into a set filled with hypnotic psych pop tunes, Olympia drew the audience deeper into an already happy and relaxed atmosphere. Mixing tracks old and new, her hints to the nostalgia of music past are clear to hear but take on a new twist that brings things bang up to date. With inter-song tales of sharks in the bath and intriguing all hours visits received by a neighbour, the ambient mood continued as the band worked their way between two different setlists for added surprise (to them as much as us), an end of set cover of Rock n Roll Suicide an added bonus.

The songs on Flamingo get better with each listen. From the New York new wave feel of Star City to the quieter tones of Nervous Riders and a personal favourite in Shoot to Forget (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs fused with Alvvays), the album is a grower and a welcome addition to any record collection. The Australian scene has thrown out some really cool and competent musicians over the past few years with the aforementioned Julia Jacklin, Nice Biscuit and King Gizzard (not forgetting their Lizard Wizard) to name but a few – undoubtedly Olympia has joined the list of artists ensuring that it remains very firmly highlighted on the map of new music you should ignore at your peril.  

For more from Olympia and Ciaran Lavery just follow the links here

Words, interview and photos by Siobhan

13th September 2019

 

Live – Lucia at Bridge of Allan Library

Posted in Live Music, Review

Lucia, Bridge Of Allan Library Stirling, 8th September 2019

Far from the days of being hushed by the librarian, the brilliant Get it Loud in Libraries project brings live music to regional libraries, particularly in areas away from the usual big venues, allowing people of all ages to access some great music in a very different environment to the norm. The scheme also provides opportunities for young people to gain practical experience in the music sector by getting involved with the event management and marketing of the gigs.

With a keen eye for new talent, the project has put on an impressive roster of artists including BC Camplight, Fontaines DC and The Orielles. Yesterday the fabulous Lucia paid a visit to Bridge of Allan Library in Stirling. Alan Campbell was there to capture their performance amongst the paperbacks for us; gallery below.

You can find out more about Get it Loud in Libraries here

Connect with Lucia and watch their recent performance of Flames at Kendal Calling below

Photos by Alan Campbell

9th September 2019

Victorious Festival 2019 (Portsmouth)

Posted in Festival, Live Music, Review

Victorious Festival, Southsea Common, 23rd – 25th August 2019

Once again, Victorious Festival managed to entice a huge range of artists to play by the seaside at its late summer bank holiday weekend gathering. The line up is so varied that there really is something for everyone and it manages the family friendly tag with ease. As well as offering showcase spots to local emerging artists, Victorious pulls in some big players, both current and long established acts. Seemingly growing every year and now running across three days, this year’s headliners encompassed the eclectic bunch of Two Door Cinema Club, Rudimental and New Order. Across the myriad of stages and activities, no genre was left unturned and with a weekend filled with blazing sunshine, this looks to have been one of the busiest years ever. Here are our highlights from Saturday.

A long road trip from home, West Lothian indie four piece The Snuts have been much lauded as ones to watch and had some early singalongs going on, clearly a widespread fan base on their hands already. South coast blues pop trio Hooli graced the Seaside stage with a chilled set and plenty of local support; probably the only UK festival stage with passenger ferries running along the river on the other side of the wall.

Another rising young artist, Casey Lowry, brought his own brand of catchy trop pop tracks to the table. A suitably sunshine feel to the songs as he and his band breezed through their set, his initial suspicions that everyone would leave after ten minutes to see All Saints were soon allayed.

And so to a long established festival favourite and Victorious returner, the infectiously happy Tim Burgess. Having played here with The Charlatans two years ago, Tim returned for a solo set backed by his other bandmates The Anytime Minutes (also making waves in their own right as Average Sex). A mix of songs old and new put a smile on everybody’s face, I’ve never seen this man do a set that isn’t feel-good and full of energy – a sound booking for a show of any size.

Arriving onto the Common stage, Damon Gough aka Badly Drawn Boy looked slight bemused by the size of the crowd, asking if he was at the right festival. His performance is always understated but doesn’t take long to remind you exactly why he should be here. Over the years he’s written some beautiful songs and it was great to hear tracks from one of my favourite films and soundtracks About a Boy in amongst the set.

Considering the numbers there and the fairly intense heat, the atmosphere across the site was a happy one with areas for comedy and kids’ activities, a village sized merch and shopping square and a wide choice of reasonably priced food vendors. There was even space to dance by the castle in your wedding dress if you felt the urge…

Drawing one of the biggest crowds I have ever seen at any stage at Victorious (Castle stage is the second largest but must have outnumbered the main stage here), man of the moment Lewis Capaldi received a rapturous welcome from an all ages audience. His 7pm slot must surely have been booked some time ago; there’s no doubt he could have headlined and still had people watching him from as far as the eye could see. Capaldi’s self-disparaging songs of love and heartbreak combined with his imperturbable sense of humour look set to see him continue his rise to the top.

Difficult to follow… until you realise that next up is The Hives, Sweden’s incorrigibly wonderful rock ‘n’ rollers who hit the stage with such force that you knew the party had just moved to a different level. From Come On and Walk Idiot Walk to the inevitable closer Tick Tick Boom, it wasn’t hard at all to see why The Hives are still so popular, 20 years of mayhem and still going strong.

Headlining the Castle stage, Bloc Party provided the perfect way to end the evening, playing their landmark debut album Silent Alarm in full and no doubt creating waves of nostalgia for many of those present in the process. The tracks more than hold up over time, Bloc Party were never your bog standard indie band and the intricacy of the songs is clear to see, She’s Hearing Voices and Banquet personal favourites that it was an absolute pleasure to hear live again. Stunning.

The end of a long day but still these guys on security were having the best night, checking that everyone was ok while throwing synchronised dance moves to the sounds of Rudimental closing up the Common stage in the background – thanks to all involved for another memorable festival, see you next year.

No doubt Victorious 2020 will be even bigger and better – early bird tickets are already available here.

Words and photos by Siobhan

26th August 2019

 

Instore – The Murder Capital at Resident

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

The Murder Capital, Resident Brighton, 22nd August 2019

Promoting their debut album When I Have Fears, The Murder Capital are playing a run of record shop instores, last night visiting Brighton’s Resident. There has been much talk of their part in the new Dublin punk scene and comparisons therein but it’s wrong to lump them into a category; this record is a stand-alone piece of work and brings the rawest of tunes to the table. The album title is taken from a Keats’ poem that begins ‘When I have fears that I may cease to be before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain’ – the fears and vulnerability we all have of not achieving what might have been. The tracks are dark and compelling, the drumming phenomenal. A modernised hybrid of Joy Division, Killing Joke and a smattering of Theatre of Hate, this is not by any means background music.

The band’s performance is similarly intense, from the turbulent Green and Blue to the pin-drop poignancy of the beautiful On Twisted Ground, they protract a reaction that I’ve seldom seen at this kind of event. The great thing about instores is that you get to see a band up close in a small, intimate setting; they can feel very personal but it’s not like being at a gig. Usually. This time though it is, and being able to create that kind of emotion-filled atmosphere in a shop on a sunny Thursday evening is really something quite special.

Keats’ sonnet ends with the lines ‘Then on the shore of the wide world I stand alone and think till love and fame to nothingness do sink’. Far from sinking from fame, The Murder Capital are stepping ever closer towards its epicentre; it will be interesting to see what comes next, that’s for sure.

You can buy When I Have Fears and check out more from The Murder Capital here and find all the wonders that Resident has to offer here.

Words and photos by Siobhan

23rd August 2019

Live – Dry Cleaning + Social Haul at The Prince Albert Brighton

Posted in Live Music, Review

Dry Cleaning / Social Haul, The Prince Albert Brighton, 8th August 2019

Having heard little of their music but many recommendations I finally had the opportunity to see Dry Cleaning on the Brighton leg of their tour. With so much hype surrounding a band it’s easy for expectations to fall short – that certainly wasn’t the case here.

I also have to confess to having been fairly ignorant about the support band, Social Haul. So as they took to the stage it was a welcome surprise to see that one third of the band was Leigh Padley,  also one third of the mighty Traams, whose Wikipedia entry ‘a British indie rock band which formed in Chichester’ I’ve always considered to be a line unlikely to be repeated. Social Haul’s 11 song set was packed with energy and short, piercing segments of post punk. The Albert was deservedly already busy and it was more than worth getting there early. I hope to see more of Social Haul and redress my ignorance.

And so to Dry Cleaning and a collection of articulate spoken word tracks with occasional inflections of caustic sarcasm, this is absorbing storytelling rather than pithy poetry. The juxtaposition of the softly spoken lyrics against a background of bouncy riffs is close to hypnotic and the by now packed crowd were suitably impressed. The band seemed genuinely surprised by the scale of the positive reaction but it really was more than warranted; they’ve managed to achieve something that stands out and it’s hard to think that they’ll be playing venues of this size for much longer. Look out for their new EP Sweet Princess due for release next week; currently available to pre-order on limited edition cassette on Bandcamp.

Dry Cleaning are touring across the UK throughout August, be kind to yourself and go along to see them.

For live dates and more information you can find Dry Cleaning here and the elusive Social Haul here

Words and photos by Siobhan

9th August 2019

 

Live – Imarhan + YSNBWATID at The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth

Posted in Live Music

Imarhan / You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons, The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth, 5th August 2019

Another great booking from The Wedgewood Rooms saw Algerian Tuareg desert rockers paying a visit to Portsmouth on Monday. The band mix meditative desert blues with elements of psych and funk and, with two critically acclaimed albums already under their belt, are surely heading for wider recognition. No doubt the crowd will have been boosted by adding local psych distortion stalwarts YSNBWATID to the bill, a popular inclusion on any local line up. Photo gallery and links to both bands’ pages below…

You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons

Imarhan

Check upcoming live dates and hear more from the bands here
Imarhan    You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons

Photos by Hannah Mesquitta

8th August 2019

Live – Shonen Knife + Thee Sopwith Camels + Paul Groovy at The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth

Posted in Live Music, Photography

Shonen Knife / Thee Sopwith Camels / Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience, The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth, 25th July 2019

Last Thursday saw cult Japanese band Shonen Knife bring their Sweet Candy Power tour to The Wedgewood Rooms. Mixing 60s’ pop with pure punk, the trio are long established exponents of an energetic, infectious performance and have a great live reputation. It’s always good to see local acts on the bill and support on the night came from two favoured Portsmouth bands in the shape of Thee Sopwith Camels and Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience. Check out our gallery below…

Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience

Thee Sopwith Camels

Shonen Knife

You can find more from all 3 bands via the links here:
Shonen Knife    Thee Sopwith Camels    Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience

Photos by Hannah Mesquitta

30th July 2019

Instore – Heavy Rapids at Assai Records Edinburgh

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

Heavy Rapids, Assai Records Edinburgh, 20th July 2019

2019 has seen Heavy Rapids crowned as the winners of the Record Store Day unsigned competition, receive plaudits from a vast array of people and airplay from several radio stations. Winning this competition means their debut EP Cash in Hand has been created on 500 violet coloured vinyl records and distributed across the UK via Record Store Day / Sound Performance / Proper Music Group.

The EP includes four fast-paced and energetic songs – Going Down, Infected Nightmares – Frankenstein, Hurricane E and Paisley Pattern. To enjoy best, play at a suitably high volume, on repeat!

Saturday saw Heavy Rapids launch the EP at Assai Records in Edinburgh, a record store which is located in the heart of Edinburgh and in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The store has some very friendly staff and a brilliant selection of all kinds of vinyl, books and T-shirts. This was my first time visiting the store and I’ll definitely be visiting again in the future to pick up some more records.

The band played through the entire EP, and a few extra songs, to a crowded store that enjoyed the performance and who were then quick to snap up copies of the limited edition EP.  A collector’s item it would seem, as the band appear to be gaining more and more popularity and have several gigs planned for the rest of the year.

To purchase a copy of the EP and to find out more about Heavy Rapids, please visit their website

You can find details for Assai Records and browse their online store here 

Words and photos by Alan Campbell

22nd July 2019

Festival – 2000 Trees 2019 (Cheltenham)

Posted in Festival, Live Music, Review

2000 Trees Festival, Upcote Farm Cheltenham, 11th – 13th July 2019

Picture if you will a farm in rural countryside, transformed into an award winning festival location where you can walk the length of the site in 10 minutes, catching big names and new music, choosing from the best selection of festival food around and taking in the friendliest atmosphere you’re likely to encounter. No need to worry about carrying or losing money as the cashless system works a treat, just have your wristband scanned to pay. Families, fancy dress, diehard punks and metal-heads, they’re all here and they’re all having a brilliant time. You can only imagine the amount of work and preparation that goes on behind the scenes because the team and volunteers at 2000 Trees have thought of everything and everyone – artists, crowd, vendors, security – the whole crew seem to love being here. It’s a beautiful setting and there’s more diversity in the types of music on offer than many people realise.

2019’s event even brought the sun out of hiding, along with an enormous string of new and established artists. Whether it’s to catch a favourite band or discover a new one, 2000 Trees is a massive recommendation. Just be aware that when you’ve been once it’s very hard to not pick it up as a habit that’s hard to kick. Here are some highlights from Friday from a huge selection of what went on this year…

Deux Furieuses getting the day off to a solid start on the Axiom stage – powerful riffs and no holds barred drums belying the fact that they are only two.

Fresh from playing a string of sold out shows together, Gouge Away (The Cave) and Slow Crush (Neu) filled their respective marquees, with both receiving a great crowd reaction.

Lice have gained a well deserved reputation for their live performances and this was no exception – a stand out set of satirical art punk on the Neu stage which saw some excellent bookings this year.

You have to have your photo taken and take some of your friends by the Trees sign – it’s the law.

Carnage in The Cave. Bringing Belgian noise rock and their very own language, Raketkanon are not to be missed live; for fans of vocalists crowd surfing in doughnut inflatables, this is not the time to forget your earplugs.

Time out to recharge the batteries at the beautiful Forest acoustic stage with a chilled set from locals Watercolours and some indie psych back at the Neu stage from Indigo Lo.

2000 Trees crowds are the friendliest crowds – it’s not compulsory to have an inflatable handy in the food queue.

A long way from home, Australia’s Hands Like Houses pulled in a big crowd on the main stage who provided an equally big UK welcome.

Still on the main stage, the classic mix of 2000 Trees and Pulled Apart by Horses – always a pleasure to see them individually; together is hard to beat. Stage jumps, circle pits and a guitar accompanied dive into the crowd are what Trees is all about.

Everyone welcome, dress code whatever you please. (By the way, any discarded rubbish disappears after each set, kudos to the litter picking / recycling team).

Really happy late afternoon vibe for Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly – packed marquee too at the Axiom.

Fast becoming firm favourites on the indie punk scene, Heavy Lungs put on a frenetic show, catch them in a smaller venue while you can, this time the Neu stage grabbing the spotlight again.

So, with this year’s 2000 Trees all packed away, it seems fortuitous to think a long, long way ahead and be aware that next year’s is already in the making. 9th – 11th July 2020 – put it in your diary, you won’t regret it.

Early bird tickets are available now.

Words and photos by Siobhan

15th July 2019

 

 

Live – The Howlers + Dog of Man + B Spanks at The Hope & Ruin Brighton

Posted in Live Music, Review

The Howlers / Dog of Man / B. Spanks, The Hope and Ruin Brighton, 30th June 2019

Kicking off Sunday night at The Hope and Ruin, B. Spanks put on an impressive one man show, vocally reminiscent of the Pete Shelley school of sardonicism and with a definite nod to the nostalgia of DIY new wave – one to keep an eye out for.

Next on, Brighton locals Dog of Man brought infectious psych punk hooks, much laughter and talk of Stormzy and sweaty men to the table. If Violent Femmes had switched the xylophone on Gone Daddy Gone for an accordion it might have sounded like this. They’ll be back at The Hope and Ruin for their album launch party on 16th August if you want to hear for yourself.

Headliners The Howlers have been making waves on the live circuit with their aggressively energetic shows and have been on my must see list since catching them at Icebreaker and Portsmouth Psych Fest earlier in the year. Recent single La Dolce Vita has helped to cement their reputation as an important part of the new UK underground scene.

Desert rock, garage rock, call it what you will, The Howlers are a force to be reckoned with live, a heady mix of frenetic drums and twanging guitar befitting of a modern day western soundtrack – A Fistful of Reverb in the making perhaps.

There’s still a chance to catch the band on their current run of tour dates throughout July in Nottingham (5th), Manchester (6th), Sheffield (19th), Portsmouth (20th) and Hull (30th). Get along if you can and definitely watch this space – it looks like this is the start of something special.

Further details on live dates and other news from The Howlers here

Words and photos by Siobhan

3rd July 2019

 

Live – Hey Colossus at The Loft Portsmouth

Posted in Live Music, Review

Hey Colossus, The Loft, Southsea, 7th June 2019

Hey Colossus have been melting minds for 16 years now, and I’m led to believe that this is their first time playing in Portsmouth. It’s chucking it down with rain outside, but The Loft is absolutely rammed with eager punters tonight. The temperature is rapidly rising, and by the time the sextet hit the stage, most of us are already drenched in sweat. This is going to be good.

Tonight’s 10 song set draws chiefly from the band’s last four studio albums – Four Bibles (2019), The Guillotine (2017), Radio Static High (2015) and In Black and Gold (2015) – with an unreleased song thrown in for good measure. Sisters and Brothers gets things off to a steady start before the three pronged attack of new tracks, Four Bibles, Palm Hex / Arndale Chins and Memory Gore bring a heaviness and groove that sets the tone for the rest of the evening.

Hop the Railings deviates slightly by adding the motorik pulse of krautrock legends, Can, to proceedings before unreleased track Medal brings the noise once again. After that, it’s just one giant slab of noise rock after another, and the band really start to hit their stride.

Frontman Paul Sykes is clearly enjoying himself as he dances around and uses his microphone stand to engage with audience members filming on their phones. The rhythm section consisting of bass player, Joe Thompson, and drummer, Rhys Llewellyn, are the tight driving force that makes this band one of the best around. The addition of Chris Summerlin (Grey Hairs, Kogumaza, Haress) to the three guitar line-up adds another dimension of well-crafted tone and volume that ensures that last song, Back in the Room, is a bona fide skull crusher to end the night on a high.

Hey Colossus have worked incredibly hard to get where they are today, and they’re on a roll at the moment. Go see them in a small venue like this before they become colossal.

Setlist:

Sisters and Brothers
Four Bibles
Palm Hex / Arndale Chins
Memory Gore
Hop the Railings
Medal
Black and Gold
Experts Toll
Wired Brainless
Back in the Room

You can find more tour dates and the latest news from Hey Colossus here

Words by Ryan Howarth
Photos by Hannah Mesquitta

11th June 2019

Festival – Utopia (Brighton)

Posted in Live Music, Review

Utopia All-Dayer, The Green Door Store, Brighton, 8th June 2019

After a successful first year in 2018, the Utopia all-dayer was back with a vengeance at the weekend. Brighton’s much loved Green Door Store was transformed with psychedelic light projections by Innerstrings and played host to a great selection of live music throughout the day.

Prior commitments meant that I had to skip the opening acts but I’m reliably informed that Buddha Blood and Rainn Byrns got things off to a flying start and, having seen Mystic Peach before, I can vouch for the quality of their live performance. Happily, I arrived in time to catch Public Body – made up of familiar faces from other Brighton bands, their combined forces result in some infectious post punk tunes and drew a good crowd still early in the day.

Next up, John Myrtle proved a popular choice with a definite 60s lilt to his stories within songs. From How Can You Tell If You Love Her to Cyril the Slug, everyone was pretty much captivated from start to finish.

It’s rare to have an event like this without at least one act dropping from the bill and sadly Kagoule were unable to play as planned on the day. Disappointing as they’re always on point live and also, when you only have two females on the line-up, it’s a damn shame to lose one of them.

Nonetheless, no complaints about their replacement as local duo Skinny Milk were drafted in at the eleventh hour and played a blistering set as expected, an excellent substitution.

Beachtape’s fuzzy indie tracks have seen them become an established feature on the Brighton scene and continued support for them is apparent with tracks old and new in Slow and Fix It Up equally well received.

Much anticipation for new project Nancy turned out to be well deserved. Another familiar face on the local circuit was preceeded by the rest of the band set up on stage and a single mic stand placed strategically in the crowd. With live appearances starting to pop up, the mystery frontman has been revealed as Tigercub’s Jamie Hall but, make no mistake, this is a far cry from heavy grunge and ripped jeans territory. More akin to The Cramps mix of raucous punk and laid back lounge swaying, Nancy raised the pace and atmosphere in the venue to a different level; one to watch for sure.

Always compelling live, Hotel Lux bring a turbulent hybrid of post-punk and pub rock, lyrics writhing in humour of the bleakest variety. They were a big favourite on the day and it’s not hard to see why. Dystopian disdain at its best, Hotel Lux never disappoint.

And so to the headliners, Heavy Lungs. The band launched straight into Half Full and Jealous; the crowd launched straight into a mosh pit. Reminiscent of early Killing Joke, the Bristol four piece lived up to their reputation for providing a raw assault to the senses and a certain ordered chaos throughout the room. It’s a positive note to end the day on, the last charge of the party brigade before curfew.

I can’t fail to mention the impeccable timing throughout the day. Despite having 10 bands to accommodate and relatively short gaps between sets, everything ran to schedule, almost to the second (having the set times projected onto the wall between acts is also a stroke of genius). Add to this a nicely assorted mix of artists on the line-up and a really friendly crowd and Utopia can tick off their second successful outing on their way to becoming a regular event on the  Brighton music calendar.

Words and photos by Siobhan

10th June 2019

Alternative Escape Festival 2019 (Brighton)

Posted in Festival, Live Music

Alternative Escape, Brighton, 9th – 11th May 2019

Every year, The Great Escape brings a heap of music to venues and makeshift spaces across Brighton (not to mention a swarm of confused looking industry types with oversized lanyards, trying to find the nearest pub and referencing 6 Music loudly in every second sentence in case you didn’t understand how serious they are). If you prefer to catch a glimpse of what the city’s regular DIY scene is like, or simply can’t afford the ticket price, The Alternative Escape traditionally runs parallel, offering mostly free access to some of the best local and visiting bands, plus there are a few free main festival events in public spaces. This year, the Alt Escape shows were limited amidst rumours of hefty fees being charged for use of the title but thankfully the showcases continued under other names. It’s impossible to even come close to seeing everyone on your wish list but here’s our photo gallery with 12 of the best to look out for.

The Nude Party at East Street Tap

Los Bitchos at Jubilee Square

White Room at Beyond Retro

Nice Biscuit at Casablanca Jazz Club

The Cosmics at Casablanca Jazz Club (plus header photo)

BDRMM at The Hope & Ruin

Ugly at Beyond Retro

Average Sex at Beyond Retro

The Slaughter House Band at East Street Tap / Hare & Hounds

Italia 90 at The Admiral

Mint at The Richmond

False Heads at The Richmond

Photos by Siobhan

13th May 2019

Portsmouth Psych Fest 2019

Posted in Festival, Live Music, Review

Portsmouth Psych Fest, The Wedgewood Rooms, 4th May 2019

Making a welcome return this weekend, Portsmouth Psych Fest stormed into its third year with an event packed with another amazing array of artists. Throughout Saturday, eighteen acts played across the main stage in The Wedgewood Rooms and its more compact counterpart in the Edge of the Wedge, hosted by local collective Calamity Cratediggers. Kicking things off at the Edge, Fat Earthers, The Howlers and Number 9 gave us a glimpse into how diverse the day was going to be, from psych-punk to desert rock to 60s’ infused psychedelia all in the first few hours.

Over on the main stage, Drusila impressed once again with their unapologetically 80s’ tinged electronic dance tracks – big things ahead for this local duo surely.

With the room transformed by vibrant liquid colour projections from visual artist Inner Strings and psych mascots in the form of graffitied mannequins by street artist My Dog Sighs, the scene was set for poetry-fused guitar tunes from Freya Beer, melodic indie-pop from Mystic Peach and the unlikely but irrepressibly fun blend of Cumbian psych provided by Los Bitchos.

Back at the Edge, Japanese Television were a joy to hear and see, the self-proclaimed space surfers proving that lyrics aren’t always a necessity. Sleep Eaters continued the momentum, a great live band bringing Americana flavoured garage to the table, followed by post-punk four piece Egyptian Blue.

Space age psych up next from Brisbane’s Nice Biscuit, just about managing to squeeze everyone onto the stage, easily managing to impress.

Picking up the pace, Brighton’s GURU produced the most animated set of the day with plenty of crowd interaction and discordant tunes galore.

Over on the main stage, Black Country, New Road gave a more sombre performance pulsated by dark set vocals, before the costumed krautrock-influenced beats of Snapped Ankles lightened the mood and continued the mystery behind the woolly headed noise-lords.

Concluding proceedings at the Edge of the Wedge, Scalping provided some heavy techno-punk before handing over to the grittily wonderful world of Glasgow’s Sweaty Palms, an intriguing melee of cowboy hats, garage guitars and saxophone worthy of any stage headliner.

The last two acts on the Wedgewood Rooms stage completed the eclectic mix. Brooding shoegaze over industrialised visuals from The KVB followed by an energy filled set from indie rockers Yak brought the festival to a suitably intense close.

Joining the legion of psych fests up and down the country, Portsmouth has firmly staked its place amongst the more established events. The line ups every year so far have been solid from start to finish. When tickets go on sale for next year there’s really no need to wait for announcements on who’s playing; just buy one and thank yourself later.

Keep up to speed with Portsmouth Psych Fest here

Words and photos by Siobhan 

7th May 2019

Live – Suede + BC Camplight at Brighton Dome

Posted in Live Music, Review

Suede / BC Camplight, Brighton Dome, 23rd April 2019

Suede… the story behind the band’s rise, fall and emphatic comeback has been told many times. Still, there’s an intrigue as to what they might do next. With latest album The Blue Hour released last year and a huge tour underway, one thing’s for sure – Suede are far from done yet.

Opening support on this tour has largely come from the much lauded BC Camplight. The man behind the tunes and the piano is US born singer-songwriter Brian Christinzio; his tale of starting a new life in the UK, gaining a record deal then being deported before winning back his right to live here sounds like a fine set of lyrical fantasy but in this case is all true. Having had to pull a couple of dates through illness, it was good to see him back and well, providing an eclectic start to the evening with tracks from his latest album Deportation Blues.

The anticipation for Suede’s arrival on stage is met with a suitably atmospheric outpouring of smoke and dramatic lighting, from which the band emerge to the strains of haunting new track As One. The capacity crowd, many of whom have been there since doors, are rewarded with an ample dosage of songs spanning an incredible 30 years. It’s not long before some older material surfaces in the set – We Are The Pigs and So Young reminders that there is a back catalogue here worthy of its place in the music history books. As a frontman, Brett Anderson appears to have fallen into Neverland as his endless energy and off stage excursions seem no less enthusiastic than they ever were.

Anderson gives a thank you to the crowd, rightly noting that without a great crowd it’s hard to have a great gig. And the respect is clearly mutual; there are moments where he talks to the audience or during stripped back songs (Everything Will Flow / Europe Is Our Playground) that you could hear a pin drop, no background chat, no need, still it’s a welcome change to the annoying conversational hum that often accompanies performers. But then Suede have never been your average band. Oddly labelled with the Britpop tag in the early days, their refusal to conform has seen them become something of an institution on their own terms, an institution that puts on a show to be remembered as it turns out.  After a quick break, the band return to finish the evening with a huge singalong to The Beautiful Ones followed by closing track Life Is Golden, a track that Anderson says he wrote for his son but which it is likely everyone there is happy to take as a message for themselves. From the start, Suede were something a bit different, something a bit special. Turns out they still are.

Click here for remaining tour dates and all things Suede related

More from BC Camplight here

Words and photos by Siobhan

25th April 2019

Instore – Fontaines DC at Rough Trade East London

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

Fontaines DC, Rough Trade East London, 17th April 2019

The last year has seen Fontaines DC morph into the band that everyone’s talking about. Promoters are selling out live dates months in advance and desperately seeking venue upgrades; the Dublin five piece have already been announced as one of the headliners for Rockaway Beach Festival in 2020 – some achievement this early in their career (by way of comparison, 2019’s headliners were Maxïmo Park, Gary Numan and Echo and the Bunnymen).

Inaugural album Dogrel was released into the world a week ago; a sharp and unrelenting reflection of the times we live in – an upward nod to the poets of the past, an incredulous sneer at the capitalists of the present. Fontaines DC will be a heavy presence on the touring scene throughout 2020 and come into their own in a live setting. If you can find a date that hasn’t sold out yet, grab a ticket while you still can. 

Gallery from their packed instore at London’s Rough Trade East this week below…

Keep up with the latest news from Fontaines DC
Dogrel is available now on Partisan Records – watch the video for Big here

Words and photos by Siobhan

19th April 2019

Live – The Slow Readers Club at The Haunt Brighton

Posted in Live Music, Review

The Slow Readers Club at The Haunt Brighton, 9th April 2019

With 3 albums under their belt and an ever growing following, it’s surprising that this is The Slow Readers Club’s first year as a full time band. They’re certainly making the most of their new situation, currently working their way through a massive 48 day tour, arriving last night at The Haunt in Brighton.

And so, as the strobe lights kick in to the sound of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love under The Haunt’s huge glitterball, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d turned up on 70s’ disco night. However, as the members of The Slow Readers Club take to the stage things come crashing up to date with the writhing pulse of Lunatic, an instant crowd pleaser. Next up is Lives Never Known – reminiscent of John Foxx’s Europe After the Rain, it continues a steady stream of singles and album tracks spanning The Readers’ career so far.

The band are a long way from their home town of Manchester but it doesn’t seem to matter where they play, they take an army of loyal fans with them. Having seen them play festivals at both ends of the country in Glasgow and Portsmouth, I can attest to the fact that the chants of ‘READERS! READERS!’ never dim wherever they are. There are people in the crowd who are following them around on as many dates as they possibly can, seeing their favourite band and catching up with friends old and new at the same time.

As the songs continue through the popular Supernatural, Start Again and Lost Boys to closing track On The TV, there is no let up in enthusiasm and the crowd respond in kind. It’s a clever juxtaposition created between hard hitting lyrics and ridiculously catchy riffs that make this a band to take notice of. The Slow Readers Club have always sounded like they were made to fill arenas and have a fan base dedicated enough to make sure they don’t regret that decision to make this their full time career. Catch them while you can.

Check the latest news on releases and live dates from The Slow Readers Club

Word and photos by Siobhan

Live – IDLES + Crows at Brighton Dome

Posted in Live Music, Review

IDLES / Crows, Brighton Dome, 29th March 2019

Some years ago, with a bit of time to kill at a festival, I wandered into a marquee to see what was going on. Even pre-IDLES’ mania, the band clearly had a strong following. Joe gave a shout out to ‘our bassist who can’t be here tonight’ and the crowd started chanting ‘Dev! Dev! Dev!’ It was loud, chaotic, late in the day and, not knowing who they were or any of their names, I thought they were yelling ‘Dead! Dead! Dead!’ A bit taken aback that this seemed like a shout of joy, I wondered what I’d stumbled into. It turned out that joyful shouting was pretty appropriate as things became clearer and I came out at the end with a chance encounter having turned into a festival highlight.

Fast forward to March 2017 and an army of people trying to find tickets for their sold out show at 100 capacity venue The Albert in Brighton, coinciding with but presumably booked way before the release of Brutalism. A night to remember, new fans picked up along the way and the start of widespread acclaim for the five piece now described by The Guardian as ‘Britain’s most necessary band’. It’s to their credit and fits with their ethics that their sold out show at Brighton Dome was booked with the same promoter and drew the same crowd (just with about 1700 of their friends joining in this time).

Opening up on the night, Crows made their second trip to Brighton in a week. Giving a formidable performance as always, their songs filled with brooding darkness had the crowd onside straight away. The support slots on this tour will doubtless open them up to a new audience and, with their long awaited debut album Silver Tongues picking up positive reviews and plaudits, perhaps it’s finally time for Crows to get the wider recognition they deserve.

With the instantly recognisable percussion and bass of Colossus filling the room, IDLES took to the stage to a huge welcome roar. If anyone had concerns that the band couldn’t scale up the usual chaos and interaction of their shows they would have been kicked straight into touch. The larger venue served only to magnify what’s gone before; a wider stage for Joe to pace, longer guitar leads to allow the forays into the crowd to go further, a bigger crowd to surf. Second up, Well Done lightened the mood and had the Dome jumping and singing along in full voice.

With no let up in pace and energy from the band or the crowd, we were treated to tracks old and new; Mother, Never Fight a Man with a Perm, Exeter and Samaritans all firm favourites and each sounding great. Despite the continuous mosh pit and conveyor belt of surfers, the atmosphere was good-humoured and offered up a bit of much needed positivity in a climate where oppression has been all too prevalent lately.

Where IDLES go from here is anyone’s guess. Right now they are more than holding their own as their reputation and following continue to soar and things don’t look like slowing down any time soon. Defining IDLES sound and ethos isn’t easy but their album titles do a decent job – Brutalism and Joy as an Act Of Resistance sum them up pretty well. Another step on the upward journey of chaos, another night to remember. Well done indeed.

See what else IDLES and Crows are getting up to here

Words and photos by Siobhan

1st April 2019

 

Instore – Crows at Resident

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

Crows, Resident Brighton, 24th March 2019

I first saw Crows back in 2015 opening for Slaves; one of a bunch of bands on the circuit with a buzz surrounding them, you had to wonder which ones would stick around and hold people’s interest. Since then, I’ve seen them play tiny venues and huge festivals and there’s never any let up in the intensity of their performance or their propensity to spend half the set in amongst the crowd. Playing in a record shop was never going to be any different and their instore at Brighton’s Resident was as untamed as ever. A very fine way to spend a Sunday evening.

Their newly released album Silver Tongues is a force of nature, bringing to mind strands of Killing Joke, PIL and The Birthday Party. It’s hard to choose a standout track as the quality runs right through but Empyrean and new single Wednesday’s Child would be up there for certain.

Crows will be giving another instore performance tonight at Rough Trade Nottingham before heading out on the road supporting IDLES on a string of sold out shows (Silver Tongues is released on Joe Talbot and Mark Bent’s label Balley Records), followed by headline dates of their own in April and May. If you have any chance of getting along to see them, don’t miss it.

Get the latest news on releases and tour dates from Crows here

Words and photos by Siobhan

25th March 2019

 

 

Instore – Drenge at Resident Brighton

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

Drenge, Resident Brighton, 28th February 2019

With the release of their third album, Drenge are well and truly back in business. The Loveless brothers have just completed a string of instore appearances at record shops across the UK, playing electro-pop versions of tracks from Strange Creatures under the banner of Drenge Philharmonic. It’s been an interesting diversion from the usual acoustic instore performances that tend to abound and a chance to see Drenge in a different light. A far cry from the mayhem of their regular shows but it would be great to see Drenge take this version of the band on the road in the future. For now, mayhem is reinstated with live dates booked in March and April which will doubtless be well worth an evening of your time. Strange Creatures is dark, fierce and addictive; it’s been a long wait but some things are worth waiting for.

Gallery below from their final instore stop-off at Brighton’s Resident:

Strange Creatures is available now and you can get the latest news from Drenge here. Upcoming tour dates as follows (with support from The Wytches):

March

27th – Glasgow, King Tut’s
28th – Northumbria, Institute
29th – Manchester, o2 Ritz

April

1st – Cambridge, Junction
2nd – London, Electric Brixton
3rd – Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
5th – Bristol – SWX
6th – Birmingham – o2 Institute

Words and photos by Siobhan

1st March 2019