So it looks like Lazy Ukulele has gone past the 2000 views mark - how crazy is that!
My exams are over, so life can return to normal (ish). I'm constantly coming across overwhelmingly good music so I've got some some really cool posts lined up. I've also got some ridiculously exciting stuff coming up regarding magazines and gigs - watch this space for it all to be revealed. I can't wait to get back in to the habit of bogging regularly again.
To celebrate the fact that people actually read my ramblings on here, let's dance to Disclosure's new track with Alunageorge ... not my usual style but I'm so hooked on this.
A massive thank you again to the people who check out my blog
My blog was viewed 206 times yesterday in 10 different countries. What the hell?! To put that into perspective, the average is usually about 20 views a day. Back in May, it was just me viewing it!
This is amazing. All hail the power of twitter!
Please feel free to comment or contact me in whatever way, shape or form! I'd love to hear what you think about my blog or what kind of music you're in to. Are there any bands that I should be listening to?
Things are really busy at the minute with my A level exams and revision etc etc, but from February onwards I've got quite a few gigs planned so I'll be more active on here.
It's no secret that Birmingham, or B-Town as it's now been named, has become the new hotspot for great indie music. Birmingham is starting to lose its reputation as chav central and is instead becoming an indie kingdom. There are so many phenomenal bands emerging from B-Town, bringing heaps of vintage style straight from the streets of Digbeth and fresh new indie sounds to the current music scene.
At the Rainbow Warehouse on the 22nd of December, the best of Birmingham's up and coming bands played a show to a bunch of crazy Brummie hipsters. Birmingham promoters and Counteract Magazine presented a gig with Heavy Waves, Wide Eyed, Junnk, Jaws, special guests Swim Deep and headliners Peace. Without trying to sound overly sentimental or cringey, the show really did feel special and will no doubt go down in history. It was a proud moment for all the Brummie fans and the bands who came together to celebrate B-Town's success. I was stupid enough to get there late, so I missed the first three bands. However, from the atmosphere of the crowd and the general reaction after the gig it's obvious that they were great. This wasn't any ordinary gig. The bands prior to Peace weren't treated like your average support band; each band received the respect they deserved. The fans weren't there just for Peace, but were there to support each and every local musician. I hadn't given Jaws a proper listen previously, but since seeing them at Btownstock (as the gig was rightfully named on twitter) they've really grabbed my attention and now I just can't get enough. Their music is so chilled out. There's a real tropical vibe to their tunes with what I can only describe as a 'whatever' kinda tone to the singer's voice. Their latest single, 'Surround You' is one of my favourites, and is a real 'surfer-dude' type track.
The crowd swayed in a trance-like state to Jaws' trippy tunes. The same can definitely not be said for Swim Deep's performance. In true Brummie style, everyone went absolutely insane. From the moment they came on stage, there were screams in appreciation for each member, an overwhelming sound of people singing along to the chorus' of their favourite tracks, an insane amount of moshing and a crazy amount of crowd surfing. The band themselves seemed overwhelmed by it all, and Austin said "I guess the B-Town hype is real." It certainly is. Almost every lyric of 'Beach Justice,' 'Orange County,' 'King City' and crowd favourite 'Honey' were sung back to the band. 2013 is so gonna be their year.
The crowd was growing bigger in anticipation for Peace. Everyone was getting sweatier and more and more up for it by the second. Eventually, Peace came on sporting some Christmassy attire. Douglas was wrapped in some Christmas tree lights and Harrison was wearing some dangly snowman earrings. Amazingly, they still managed to look ridiculously cool. I have been to an awful lots of gigs, but not once have I been to one where the barriers at the front have been crowd surfed to the back ... What?! The barriers between the manic fans and the band were being trampled on and were eventually lifted and crowd surfed to the back. It goes without saying that everyone vibed SO hard to every single track; even the especially new track that they'd never played live before! 'Bloodshake' was a definite crowd pleaser.
Even though it's a shit-hole, I'm so proud to be from Birmingham. Btownstock has made me genuinely excited about what 2013 will bring. I have no doubt at all that we'll be hearing so much more from everyone on the bill of this very special gig, especially Swim Deep and Peace.
I've just been told that the Interview I did with Swim Deep back in November is going to be used in the February edition of Brum Notes, rather than just on the website. I'm really excited to have a big piece in a printed magazine. ALSO my editor is looking into me catching up with the band again so I can update the interview. Since I met them, they've recorded the album, played some more shows and had their next single aired on the radio, so there's lots for to add and change ... exciting!
Haim have been announced as the winners of the BBC Sound of 2013. The three girls from LA are all sisters, and make music that has been compared to Fleetwood Mac and the like. Perhaps I'm just bitter that Peace didn't get the title, but Haim just don't do it for me. I'll admit that they're talented, but I just don't get that excited feeling rushing through my body followed by an overwhelming instinct to click repeat and tell everyone about them when I listen to them. I actually find them annoying, and I just can't put my finger on why. In the video for 'Forever,' the lead singer does this over exaggerated short breathe thing and it just irritates me and makes me feel like they're just trying to be that cool hippie girl band that have no limits. I suppose it's at least refreshing to see a girl band that's far from similar to the diabolical girl bands around the minute like Little Mix and Stooshe.
Time will tell if 2013 will be Haim's year; they've got a lot to compete with. Have a listen and see what you think - maybe you'll find them more interesting than I do.
I hope you celebrated as much as I did (or maybe not as much - I definitely felt the consequences this morning). We have SO much to look forward to this year in terms of music. It's time to update your iPod and fill it with all the superb bands that are really gonna make it big this year.
With institutions like NME and the BBC predicting their sounds of 2013, I thought I'd do my own...
Lauren's Top 10 Ones to Watch in 2013!
1. Coming in at no.1 is, with no surprise, PEACE. 2013 is going to be the year that Peace dominate. The 13th of this month will see the release of their new single 'Wraith.' Their psychedelic mix of sounds that logic says shouldn't sound right together makes them such an interesting band. With their vintage mix 'n' match style, uber cool personality, fantastic live presence and phenomenal tunes, these Brummie rock stars have got everything covered.
2. It's again no surprise that at no.2 are the Brummie boys that make up Swim Deep. Their newest single, 'The Sea' was aired on Huw Stephens' show recently, and oh my god it's good ... like really really good. Their music takes me out of boring Birmingham and puts me on a sunny beach, dancing like a lunatic to their trippy tunes. Their debut album will be released later this year; I have no doubt at all that it will be unbelievably amazing.
3. Palma Violets are inevitably going to gain even more positive attention this year. They're a new band and yet they've made the front cover of NME twice! They've been labelled as the next 'Libertines.' I just hope that they don't get big headed or complacent, or even crumble under the pressure. I love their music, and if they stay true to themselves they'll be an awful lot more people lovin' their stuff.
4. Tame Impala have admittedly been around for a while, but it's clear that after their latest album 'Lonerism,' which topped a load of album of the year type charts, that they're getting the recognition that they deserve. The Aussie's will be entering 2013 with a huge amount of new fans. I reckon they'll be all over the festival scene, wowing everyone with their 70's hippe style tracks. I feel like I'm in one of Noel Fielding's dreams when I listen to them.
5. 2013 will see the release of Bastille's highly anticipated debut album. They're fantastic live, and their simple yet effective indie-pop tracks are so great. They've got a pretty strong set of fans already, but I've got no doubt that as soon as that album is released, they'll become everyone's new favourite band.
6. It's been announced that Tom Odell has won the highly respected Brits Critic's Choice Award. I've actually seen Tom live without realising! He was one of the support acts for Jake Bugg a few weeks ago. He's got a beautifully pure voice and he's a great musician - a deserved winner! If the previous winners are anything to go by (e.g Florence and Adele), Mr Odell will soon be a household name.
7. Chvrches were placed at no.5 on the BBC sound of 2013. They're like a reeeeeally slowed down and calmer version of Crystal Castles. I love Lauren's (great name) voice; it's pure and girly and sounds great in contrast to the electro sounds. You'll hear a lot about this Scottish trio this year, I'm sure.
8. If Morrissey used Dubstep, he'd sound a lot like King Krule. He's only 18, but he's really talented. It's really to hard to pigeon hole him into a specific genre - he's totally original. There's a bluesy type rhythm to his darker Jamie T-esqye style of singing with occasional dubstep techniques - wow.
9. TOY are like a colourful Joy Division. They're not revolutionary in terms of genre, but you can't deny their talent. Their music just seems to draw me in and keep me in a trance like state. They remind me an an awful lot of The Horrors - in a good way.
10. Last, but my no means least is Splashh. I saw them support Spector earlier this year, and they were superb. It's really rare to get a support band that really grab your attention and don't make you wish that their set will hurry up and end. It's like being transported back to the 90s with their grungy and distorted sounds. They're really really cool.
Birmingham’s own Cannon Street were the first to open for Glaswegian favourites, Admiral Fallow. There were awe struck faces all round as their effortless, spine tingling, haunting harmonies echoed through the room, accompanied by a lone acoustic guitar. While their songs are exceptionally mature and somewhat dark, their personalities are refreshingly young and fun. It was hard to keep up as they energetically spoke about cats, pet earplugs and dragons.Cannon Street’s unique sound, remarkable talent and effortless ability to make a crowd laugh and smile no doubt proves that the success they deserve is inevitable. These two beautiful sisters are definitely one to watch.
Olympic Swimmers
Fellow Scottish rockers, Olympic Swimmers were the next on. Vocalist Susie told us about a traffic crisis that almost meant that Admiral Fallow wouldn’t have been gracing the stage! The news that Admiral Fallow had recently played a show in their hometown to a couple of thousand fans put some pressure on the crowd to given them the best welcome Birmingham could offer. With that in mind, there was foot tapping and subtle head-banging to the atmospheric indie rock of Olympic Swimmers. Susie’s folk-like vocals, with a certain feel of The Cranberries, over a classically indie sound complete with fast paced guitars makes for a great sounding band.
Admiral Fallow
After a frustrating nine hour drive down from Glasgow, Admiral Fallow successfully made it on to the stage where they were greeted with a very warm welcome. The band was humbled that anyone outside of Scotland would actually spend their Monday night at their gig – it was a Monday night well spent! There was a great atmosphere in the room as the audience enjoyed their relaxing, folksy tracks. Admiral Fallow aren’t like any ordinary band; their range of instruments, including a clarinet and a flute, along with beautiful harmonies between Louis Abbott and Sarah Hayes in their thick Scottish accents makes Admiral Fallow a unique and interesting band with a great live presence. From the slower tracks like ‘Tree Bursts’ from their latest album, with an Elbow-esque sound, to the faster tracks like ‘Squealing pigs,’ with an instrumental reminiscent of Mumford and Sons, the willing audience were completely engaged and enjoying every minute.
Admiral Fallow
In their inevitable encore, it was time for some crowd participation as they sang along to a favourite, ‘Isn’t This World Big Enough??’ The atmosphere of the whole gig was so warm; a perfect cure for a hideously cold Monday. Admiral Fallow’s humble characters and humorous interactions with the crowd left everyone with a gleaming smile. The talented indie folk five piece are welcome back to Birmingham anytime soon!Photographs by Jonathan Morgan.Published version here
There is absolutely nothing I love more than going to concerts. Since the last update i've seen
The Vaccines (see below)
Boat to RowA lovely and remarkably talented band, but I couldn't help but feel that their music was more 'background music.' Brum Notes (one of the magazines I write for) hosted the gig so I felt like it would be wrong for me to miss out. Their music would be perfect if you're on a comfy armchair with a good classic novel and a glass of red wine, not standing in hot cramped room.
Admiral Fallow
This was a last minute thing because Counteract didn't have a reviewer. I knew their first support act, Cannon Street because I'd seen them at the Oxjam festival. They are truly unbelievably talented.
Admiral Fallow were great too. Spontaneity is always a good thing!
Jake Bugg
I'll be getting my review of Jake published in Brum Notes, yay!
Peace + Swim deep + more (aka Btownstock)
THE BEST GIG EVER
I am so proud of Birmingham. Everyone went absolutely insane!
It’s been an immensely successful year for The Vaccines. The band didn’t succumb to the inevitable pressures surrounding the dreaded second album, and instead produced a second work of indie art. The rightfully titled ‘Coming of Age’ appropriately reflects the bands own growth in maturity musically. Birmingham welcomed them with opened arms when they played at the O2 academy nearing the end of their UK tour.New Yorkers, DIIV were the last to support The Vaccines in an attempt to warm up the continuously growing crowd. They successfully eliminated any aggravating boredom that was taking over the fans as they anxiously awaited their teenage icons. DIIV’s 70s psychedelic and 80s new wave sounds infused with a generous helping of 90s grunge echoed throughout the academy, grabbing the attention of the audience.Chaos ensued as soon as The Vaccines took to the stage. To say ‘the crowd went wild’ would be a gross understatement. From the word go, the crowd were fist pumping to ‘No Hope’ and going downright crazy for ‘Wreckin’ Bar.’ The sing-alongs to the slower songs, ‘Wetsuit’ and ‘A Lack of Understanding’ wouldn’t have been out of place in a football stadium! As if the crowd weren’t sweating and bruised enough, after emphatic screams of ‘The Vaccines,’ they came back for an incredible encore where favourites ‘Bad Mood,’ ‘Wolf Pack’ and ‘Norgaard’ caused even more enjoyable havoc.The Vaccines are such a timeless rock ‘n’ roll band; it’s borderline impossible not to let the infectious rhythms of their indie anthems take over your body. Like the rock and roll stars they are, their whole set was energetic from start to finish and they performed with effortless style. Boys, you may be no Frankie Avalon, but you are without doubt somebody’s hero.Front man, Justin Young, interrupted the set to tell us how the last time they’d played in the main room at Birmingham’s O2 academy they were the first of four support bands. This just amplifies how much they’ve grown as a band in just two years. With an arena tour announced for spring next year, The Vaccines are only going to get bigger and better.Published in Counteract Magazine
I met Jack, the organiser of Chazzstock, after the Vaccines gig, and he'd amazingly sorted me out with a back stage pass. Ever since Chazzstock things have been really crazy and it's thanks to Jack that I've been able to do all of this. Thank you so much!
A couple of years ago, I'd be the crazed fan waiting in the freezing cold at the stage door for hours after a gig. Now, I get to chat with fantastic musicians and have intelligent conversations with them, rather than just melt and awkwardly ask for photos (although I couldn't resist getting a photo with the guitarist, Freddie).
I look pretty dishelved from moshing all night!
Freiddie (left) Jack (right)
I met Charlie's mum which was really special. It was really moving to hear that this gig was the first she'd been to since he passed away, and the last concert she saw him play was at the o2 in Birmingham when Ou Est Le Swimming Pool supported La Roux. It's weird to think that I was at that gig too. She seemed so genuinely grateful that I went to Chazzstock and she thanked me for my review of the festival too. What a really brave and lovely lady.
All in all, it was a really amazing night. The gig itself was, as always, phenomenal. The Vaccines still remain in my top 5 live band ever. I'm still bruised, battered and aching but at least I'm not covered in my own and other people's sweat any more. That's what gigging is all about! I'll be writing a review of it for Counteract Magazine so stay tuned.
I just can't get enough of Peace's upcoming single. It's music like this that makes me proud to be from Birmingham. Every part of this well written track just seems to work perfectly; from the outrageously catchy intro to the familiar screeching guitar sounds typical of Peace, it makes my ears feel satisfied! Whenever that chorus comes on, I just have an overwhelming urge to scream the lyrics, turn it up to full volume and dance the night away, repeating it over and over again. Any song that can do that is quite simply a gem.
Peace are a really incredible band and possibly even revolutionary. Their headline show on the 22nd of December could not come sooner. They'll be playing a special Christmas show at the rainbow with all of the B-Town buddies; it's definitely going to be a night to remember.
Just a quick note to say thanks for the awesome interviews with both bands they were really great. And both bands seriously happy with them.
Cheers,
Kev
Kev has PR connections with both bands so I've been in contact with him a lot recently. I can't even describe how pleased I am that the bands liked the interviews!
Counteract were fortunate enough to catch up with Jamie Berry, front man of the relatively local indie band, The Traps, after their show at Birmingham’s trusty ‘ole favourite pub, The Flapper. The Flapper has been a local to this indie four piece for a while and Jamie went as far as calling the venue a “stalwart of the Birmingham music scene.”I quizzed Jamie about the band. “We’ve been together for about ten years actually but in different guises. We’re all from Shropshire originally. We met at school and we’ve just gone from there and have been together ever since.” It was clear to see from their incredibly tight performance that this band has been together for a while. This gig was the official launch for their latest track, ‘Moving Pictures.’ With an undeniably catchy guitar riff along with Jamie’s oxymoronically soft yet edgy vocals, it’s no wonder why it had such a great reaction from the crowd. “We’ve released stuff in different bands before but as The Traps, this is our first official release. About a year and a half ago we just decided we were going to make a record. Moving Pictures was the second track that we wrote for it. We wrote it together just in the rehearsal room; I wrote the melody and the lyrics.”I asked Jamie about specific influences behind the track. “At the time we were really into Phoenix. We were listening to their ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’ record a lot and we just liked how they seemed like an indie band making a pop album with big songs on it. It didn’t seem like there were many bands around at the time doing the same thing. The production of it is really great. We felt that this fitted with what we were trying to do so that was a big influence.” The Traps can definitely be seen as a band making big songs. Their music can be described as ‘grown-up’ indie as their tracks seem to have a carefully thought out structure as well as being performed professionally. I felt as though as I was watching a fully fledged rock band in the midst of their world domination tour rather than an up and coming band in the basement of a local pub.It’s inevitable that four musically aware guys are going to have different tastes. “We like all sorts of different. I think that’s important because it makes everyone think differently. We don’t get stuck in one way of doing things necessarily. I think that’s important for any creative process really. You should take influences from all kinds of creative projects.”Not only have these guys got a great set of music, but they’ve also got their own record label where they’re humbly helping up and coming bands make it. “It’s called Speech Fewapy records. We’ve got a couple of bands singed to it at the moment and we’re releasing our own stuff via the label as well. Tom Peel’s on the label.” Tom peel was The Traps’ first support act of the night. We laughed together as we reminisced about his set, however not in a mocking way, but with a general sense of awe. The only words we could muster were “unique” and “cool.” Tom Peel; singer songwriter/musician/comedian. He’s pretty much indescribable; you most certainly need to check him out. “His second EP will be out soon,” Jamie informed me. “We’ve also got a guy called Greg Bird and Flamingo Flame who has an album out now off the label which is really exciting. A band from Birmingham called The Bombergs is also on the label and we’ve worked with a band called Black Heart Generator from Birmingham too. We just wanted to help make stuff happen for artists we really liked; artists that we feel want to do something out of the ordinary.”I righty assumed that releasing their own stuff from their own record label would have an impact on how things happened. Jamie told me the pros and cons. “It gives you a lot more independence I suppose. I mean, obviously money is always a problem when you‘re releasing stuff yourself but in terms of creative freedom it’s superb. I don’t have any experience of being in a band that’s been signed to another label so I don’t know what the flipside of it is.” February will see the release of their debut album, produced by Rob Jones; the man behind The Voluntary Butler Scheme who were coincidentally The Traps’ second support act. “We’ve done a lot of jamming together; we’re like Kindred spirits. He’s superb.” The Voluntary Butler Scheme, complete with saxophones and trumpets really caught the attention of the crowd with the jazzy yet indie-pop sounds. Rob and his trumpet even made an appearance during The Traps’ set.Seeing as though they’re a pretty local band, I chatted to Jamie about the current indisputable B-Town hype. “I really like Peace and Swim Deep; they’re really good bands. I think it’s nice that there’s a focus on Birmingham if that’s the case. From my time of playing in this city, there’s always been a really rich vein of great bands. I’m quite surprised that it’s taken so long for the focus to come on to this city. A lot of bands who I know and thought would really do something kind of slipped away and haven’t really done much. In particular those two bands are great; I don’t know a great many others, although I did hear a band called Jaws and thought they were really good.” Although astonishingly different from Swim Deep, Peace and the like, in the sense that they are so much mature in style, sound and lyrics, perhaps The Traps can jump on the B-Town bandwagon and finally get the recognition they deserve.Is this truly The Traps’ time to shine after being together for so long? “It’s hard to say really. It’s always hard to tell if it’s your moment to shine. The thing for the four of us is just that we really love playing the music that we’ve created. We’re immensely proud of the album and we’ve had a great experience making it. We just want to do it justice as much as possible.”This is such an exciting time for The Traps as they’ve got a lot lined up! “They’ll be a new single called Calypso, which is the title track of the album, which comes out in January and will get national radio coverage and that sort of thing which is exciting. We’ve actually started making the second album which has about 13 or 14 tracks already written. The plan is to just get in and record it as soon as possible.”With a new single, a debut album and another album in the pipeline, we’ve got a lot to look forward to from this promising band. I wish them all the very best!Check out the published article in Counteract Magazine
Counteract were lucky enough to catch up with The Ghosts, minus Ian Palmer (drums), after their show at one of Birmingham’s more intimate venues, The End. They concluded their first UK tour in style as infectious synth pop riffs flew from the keys and driving dance beats were dropped left right and centre. Birmingham definitely enjoyed the show. The Ghosts enjoyed themselves too, “apart from the fact I had smoke in my eyes; I couldn’t see a thing,” explained Alex Starling; front man of The Ghosts. Don’t worry Alex, we didn’t notice.“We’re like ABBA” was the response I got from Alex Starling when I asked the band how they’d come together. He jokily implied the coupled relationship between himself and Dan Whiffin (guitar), and between Alex Sharman and Rayna Ferner (both on keys). Dan however would definitely be victorious in a battle of the facial hair against Benny Anderson with his magnificent horseshoe! On a serious note, Alex Starling explained how the band formed; “Ian was recommended to me by Charlatan’s drummer, Jon Brookes… Me and Dan have been friends for a while and we’ve been in bands together in the past.” It’s obvious that the talented musicians that make up The Ghosts have all had past experiences in the industry as their performance was exceptionally professional.So how did this superb five piece spend their last day of their tour? “We spent the day at Q studios and did an acoustic session for them, and then we went to Kerrang! studios where we met Duff McKagan (Guns and Roses)” Alex starling told me. He dedicated a song to Duff on request during their set as he liked their “rockier stuff.” If legendary icons such as The Charlatans’ drummer and now Guns and Roses’ bassist like their stuff, then The Ghosts have got to be doing something right!It turns out it’s not the band’s first time in Birmingham as this gig was somewhat of a homecoming. Starling informed me that Ian is a local Birmingham guy! It just so happens that it’s not the first time for Alex Starling either; “I spent some time in the Midlands when I was younger.” He joked that he’d “moved around a lot through school life because [he] was naughty.” He told me how his Irish family travelled around a lot (although not actually Irish travellers) and he ended up at a school in Wolverhampton.Throughout the summer, The Ghosts have played gigs and festivals all over the place, including the infamous Chazzstock, or as Reyna misquoted, “Chavstock.” “I’d love to go to a festival called Chavstock” she laughed. Chazzstock was held in Wolverhampton in homage of the late Charlie Haddon of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool who tragically committed suicide back in 2010. Ou Est Le Swimming Pool was in fact Alex Starling’s old band! Among Alex Starling and The Ghosts, other bands including Tribes, The Horrors and The Vaccines played tribute to their late friend at what turned out to be a really special event.Prior to the interview, Jack Bissel, the organiser of Chazzstock, told me to ask Alex Starling how he had “got done by [Jack] with a super-soaker and a Krispy Kreme doughnut.” I was extremely intrigued – I had to get to the bottom of this! It’s clear that Jack Bissel and Alex Starling have got an ongoing love hate relationship, full of friendly banter. Alex told me his side of the story; “I pelted Jack with 12 Krispy Kreme doughnuts while he was fast asleep.” “So an assorted dozen then” Alex Sharman interrupted. “He’s so stupid that he didn’t even realise.” This donut war happened between the two whilst on tour with Ou Est Le Swimming pool. Jack tried to get revenge, but according to Alex his doughnut throwing skills weren’t up to scratch. I was even treated to an impression of Jack as Alex did a limp throwing action. “He’s a lovely guy, but as some people might say, he throws like a girl.” When you thought this conversation couldn’t get any weirder, Jack also tried to get Alex with a “supersoaker” or as Alex called it, “a tiny water pistol.” “I tipped one glass of water over him and he was more soaked than I was.”I wanted to know if there had been any similarly crazy antics on The Ghosts’ tour. “I had a bath last night that was pretty wild” Reyna told me. “Well it was in Vodka” joked Alex Starling. Dan then showed me a video of Alex riding around the Kerrang! studios earlier that day on a miniature bicycle. Erm, rock on Alex?!What can we expect from the Ghosts next? Alex Starling informed me that “the next album is ready and written and we’ll hopefully be releasing something in the New Year. We’ll be having some time off too because Alex (Sharman) is having a baby!” After the success of their debut album, ‘The End’ I can’t wait to see what the next album brings.The Ghosts are such an exciting new band. Their album showcases heartfelt lyrics about love and loss with a surprisingly upbeat backing track complete with new and electrifying sounds. These talented musicians make for a superb live band. I wish them all the very best in the release of their next album and the best of luck to soon-to-be dad, Alex Sharman.Take a look at the published version in Counteract Magazine
The Ghosts’ first UK tour came to an end at one of Birmingham’s smaller venues, The End, after their release of their critically acclaimed debut album, titled ‘The End;’ what a suitably fitting turn of fate! The indie-electro-pop five piece performed at one of Birmingham’s more intimate venues to a crowd much smaller than they deserve, although this was somewhat of a homecoming for local Midlands man, Ian Palmer; the drummer of the band.The Ghosts are made up of Alex Starling, former member of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool and lead vocalist, New York trained jazz drummer Ian Palmer, Canadian Keys and Violin player Rayna Ferner with Dan Whiffin on guitar and Alex Sharman also on keys. Together, they have created atmospheric synth-pop at its very finest. The band was flawless and extremely professional and immensely captivating in their performance.
Alex dedicated one track to Guns and Roses’ Duff McKagan as they’d met him earlier in the day. Alex introduced it by saying “This one’s for Duff … I’ve always wanted to say that” which prompted laughter from the crowd!There wasn’t one person who couldn’t be seen singing along, dancing or at the very least tapping a foot to the band’s singles, ‘Ghosts’ ‘Enough Time’ and latest single ‘Underrated.’ With Alex’s unique vocals over a driving dance beat and a generous helping of electronics, these brooding synth pop hits could get anyone dancing!
Following such a high quality performance, it’s not hard to imagine The Ghosts playing gigs at much larger venues in the not too distant future. This band are destined for greater success.Photographs by Jonathan Morgan.View the published article at Counteract Magazine
No one can describe Dog is Dead as well as they can themselves. The indie pop five piece from Nottingham explain their music to be “an original blend of harmonious, indie-pop in the disco, with a cheeky jazz hint.” After the recent release of their critically acclaimed debut album, ‘All Our Favourite Stories,’ Dog is Dead took to the road on their UK headline tour. The second night saw some of Birmingham’s indie-lovers treated to a real party of a show.The support act, singer songwriter Beans on Toast, definitely succeeding in warming up the crowd. Everyone listened intently to his refreshingly honest lyrics about politics, current affairs, love and drugs, accompanied by his acoustic guitar. As well as being very Frank Turner-esque, Beans on Toast had a lot more humour in his lyrics and the stories he told between songs. Beans on Toast was very memorable, and truly amazing (or should I say ‘MDMAmazing’).From the moment Dog is Dead took to the stage, the crowd were energetically dancing along to incredibly indie guitar riffs and infectious baselines. One of the best things about Dog is Dead is their flawless harmonies. During one of their slower songs, ‘The Well’ the bad gathered together and sung out to the crowd accompanied only by an acoustic guitar; it was a beautiful moment! In the inevitable encore, the crowd went wild for ‘Glockenspiel Song’ as they chorused almost every lyric and riff with passion. There were even shouts of “Trev” in appreciation for the saxophonist. There was a fantastic atmosphere throughout as the fans enjoyed every great indie-pop anthem.All in all, Dog is Dead are a terrifically fun and young band with tonnes of energy, which made for a really fun night. Birmingham definitely enjoyed the party.Photograph by Andy Hughes.I've had my first review published in Counteract Magazine wooooo. Have a look here
I've just had the privilege of coming across my beautiful best friend's blog. Nicola is the blonde bombshell that always appears in my photos after all the gigs and festivals we go to together. I couldn't ask for a better assistant (an official title makes us both sound more professional) but more importantly a better friend to squeal about the latest indie heart throbs or obsess over our new favourite bands.
You should definitely check out her blog now. She's a budding fashionista and she's got heaps of effortless indie style - if only I could be as fashionable as her.
With applications to Universities on the go along with an
obscene amount of gigging, things have been pretty crazy recently; hence the
lack of activity on here.
I’ve had a pretty amazing month or two though! At the last
update I did, I’d just interviewed the Ghosts. Since then I’ve seen:
Dry
the River
The
Killers
The
Traps
I also got to interview The Traps which was beyond cool
(another famous-ish contact to add the list haha). After their gig downstairs,
I interviewed the lead singer outside in the beer garden (although it wasn't much of a garden). It was such an amazing interview and I’m unbelievably happy
with how it went. I recorded it on my phone so it would be easier to transcribe
but oh my god it’s SO embarrassing listening back to myself. I sound annoyingly
obnoxious and I’m like ‘ha yar totally cool’ every few minutes. The venue was so
cool, I loved the Flapper. After the interview, I celebrated with copious amounts of vodka and a good dance to Nirvana and System of a Down – what a great
fucking pub.
Spector
(best gig ever)
Mystery
Jets
I’ve saved the best news till last. Last week, I interviewed
Swim effing Deep OMG. Before their gig supporting Mystery Jets at the HMV I got
to meet Austin and Higgy. I left sixth form early to go to Town because I had a
plan of getting them all individual presents. Luckily I changed my mind because
I realised that was kind of weird. Instead, I got them one of those cute iced hearts
from the German Market with ‘Birmingham’
written on it. It’s funny because while I was at the German Market, I walked
past Austin and Higgy who of course had no idea who I was (yet) but
nevertheless I smiled at them like some crazed fan girl. I don’t think they
recognised me later on … or maybe they did and were like why is that weird Cheshire
cat interviewing us.
After a bit of an issue with phone malfunctions, I finally met Max
the tour manager, who was interestingly French and looked a bit like Hagrid,
and he led me and Nicola (the blonde girl in all the photos aka my best friend
and assistant) to the Old Crown pub in Digbeth. By that point I was at the brink
of fainting with nerves/excitement. There was no need to be nervous at all; it was all
so amazing. Austin, Higgy and their friend were eating pizza just being cool. Nicola videoed it all so I technically have a video of Higgy eating
haha … creepy but kinda cool. The whole situation was really surreal because I love their music so much. They've clearly got personalities worth loving too. I can't believe how genuine, funny and intelligent they were. Incredible band, incredible interview. I love what I do so much - I get to meet amazing people without coming across as a crazed stalker - fucking brilliant.
In just 5 months this blog has received 1000 views! Thank you whoever you are.
It means a lot that people are taking the time to read what i'm putting up here!
To celebrate, here's a song that i've been listening to 24/7 x x x x x
I had such a great night last night. If you remember, a couple of posts ago, I said that I was going to see The Ghosts? Well I did, and they were fantastic. It was in a teeny tiny room which made it even more special.
Remember Chazzstock? Well, the organiser of Chazzstock contacted me to say that I could interview Alex (lead singer of The Ghosts) after the gig and gave me his phone number! I have a famous person's name in my phone book ... (okay so he's not an A list celebrity but still). Jack (organiser of Chazzstock) ended with this comment: "make sure you ask Alex how he got done by me with a supersoaker and a Krispy Kreme donut x" This made for a very amusing conversation with Alex and a hilarious conversation via twitter after the gig ... look here. I didn't need to be as nervous as I was! I ended up in the band's dressing room with almost the whole band! I'm really happy with how it went. Alex was so so friendly which really helped. I can't wait to get it published and hopefully I won't ruin Alex's career in the meantime.
So the infamous gig season has started. I've already been to three and i'm worn out! I've got so many more which means MANY reviews will be coming your way.
Bastille were absolutely amazing last week. I'd been looking forward to their gig for ages and I was definitely not left disapointed; especially as I got to meet half of the amazing Swiss Lips (fantastic support act) and Dan from Bastille himself.
Remember The Carpels? Well, they supported Reverend at the Makers at the o2 academy last week. I was looking forward more to The Carpels than I was for Reverend and the Makers, but I was pleasantly surprised; I enjoyed The Revs way more than I thought I would, despite the fact I looked completely out of place in a sea of 'proper' men (they all looked like they were members in Bikers groups - tattoos, the hair, the piercings, the leather jackets etc).
Ian McClure did an impromptu gig outside the academy once the main show was over. It was such a special moment, and he didn't get nicked (major bonus seeing as though we were surrounded by riot vans). Watch this video (it's not mine - all credit to 'I am Birmingham').
On Wednesday, I saw Dog is Dead - great band with loads of energy! I'm not as in to their music as a lot of the people there were, but it was still a great gig nonetheless. A highlight was one of their support acts, Beans on Toast (yes, the act is really called Beans on Toast). Beans on Toast is made up on one witty, talented, amazing man (or should I say MDMAmazing)...
NB - It's always the same two faces in these pictures, so just to let you know, I'm the Brunette.
Thanks for reading to the end! That was a long one
Stay tuned as reviews of ALL these gigs will be uploaded and published asap x
Picture Book has got to
be one of the most exciting yet desperately underrated bands around at the
moment. New York born brothers, Dario Darnell
and Lorne Ashley, have had a whirlwind of a year. After their debut EP release
in January earlier this year, they caught the attention of the masses,
including Coca Cola, as they played a show remixing and reworking songs on the
fly. After showcasing their true talents as they cleverly re-interpreted Mark
Ronson’s and Katy B’s song, ‘Anywhere in the world’ they were handpicked to
play shows in conjunction with the Olympics along with other big names such as Dizzee
Rascal and Katy B.
Their second EP, ‘Songs About Aimee’
was released on 15th October, produced by the band themselves and
remixed by House legend, Tony Senghore. I don’t know about you, but I find that
House music typically has hollow and generic lyrics that don’t really mean
anything at all. Picture Book on the other hand, don’t just write music that’s
easy to dance too, but their songs are works of lyrical genius’.
The tunes on ‘Songs About Aimee’ are
cleverly written and structured; The EP takes you on a journey with the band,
travelling through the cycle of familiar feelings during a relationship. The
first track ‘Being in Love (For the First Time)’ discusses those infamous
butterflies that you get in the pit of your stomach when you fall in love and
the stage in the relationship where their annoying little habits are for now,
what makes them perfect. The brother’s atmospheric harmonies over a driving
techno beat makes for a perfect pop hit.
‘In my head’ is the lead single on
the EP. With a noticeably darker tone, but still in keep with the familiar
techno beats and infectious melody, the track goes through the stage where
their annoying habits are making you ‘despise’ them. Although you’d rather say
it to them, it’s best to keep them ‘In your head.’
‘Why Are We Wasting Our Time’
discusses how the ‘summer romance has died’ and, as the press release perfectly
puts, ‘articulates the inner strength that is needed to acknowledge the end of
a relationship.’ This track hits you with a sudden burst of heavier beats that
instantly makes you want to get up and dance.
At the End of the EP, we’re back to the
butterfly feelings of hope for a future relationship after we’ve established
that there’s ‘Nothing Wrong With Saying Goodbye’ despite how painful it might
be at the time. This track is much softer, slower and delicate, complete again
with beautifully atmospheric harmonies.
I hope to and inevitably expect to
hear much more from these talented brothers in the near future. Their cleverly
written songs are easy to relate to and easy to dance to; I’m struggling to
think of a more perfect combination.
There really has been
a huge bout of new music recently, with new bands emerging left right and
centre. Admittedly, most of these bands belong to the ever growing ‘hipster’
movement. However, The I.D are a refreshing post-punk four piece based in London.
Their sound is raw and unrefined good old fashioned guitar rock complete with
typically ‘punky’ heavy riffs.
The heavy and
distorted guitar along with the alluringly deep vocals in ‘Age Anti Age’ is Joy
Division-esque and reminds me somewhat of their song ‘Shadowplay.’ ‘Age Anti
Age’ moves into a horrendously catchy chorus with a more upbeat melody that you
will, without doubt, be singing all day long. Ian Curtis-esque vocals and
catchy choruses seem to be a theme throughout all of their available tracks.
There’s even a really cool and extremely arty video to accompany ‘Age Anti Age’
– this band have got everything sorted.
‘Bloodsweat and
Honour’ and ‘Own Designed Love’ fall into the category of songs that just need to
be blasted through your bedroom walls at full volume, and when your parents
come and tell you to turn that racket down, you’ll be there with your ‘teen
angst’ face on, air guitar-ing and fist pumping to the infectious punk anthems.
Both will be available on iTunes on October 29th.
The band introduced
themselves to me as "a Swiss born, two Welsh cakes and a good lad from Reading
who sometimes plays chess"; so a witty personality to add to their well written
music – what could be better?
Keep an ear out for
this band; they’ve got real potential!
You can see an edited version of this review in this weeks issue of Tellin Tunes You'll need to skip to the reviews section
Cannon Street
Olympic Swimmers
Admiral Fallow
Admiral Fallow
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