Ever been to a music gig? Want to go again? Want to know who is worth seeing?
Music gigs and festivals is a blog dedicated to telling you where and when the coolest bands are playing in NY and the UK. In addition to this I will also be sharing reviews about gigs and festivals I have attended which are definitely worth checking out.
If you are looking for humor, charisma and great indie songs than We Are Scientists are your calling!
We Are Scientists are an indie rock band from California who are superb live. They always have a great stage presence and give an extremely energized performance which never fails to get the crowd going. In addition to this, the band are are very witty/ funny and always have hilarious on stage banter.
If you have not heard of this band but like "The Maccabees," "The Futureheads" and "Mystery Jets" than this is certainly a band for you. They have five albums "Safety, Fun, and Learning," "With Love and Squalor," "Brain Thrust Mastery," "Crap Attack," and "Barbara." Their most successful album to date has been "With Love and Squalor" which sold over 100,000 copies in its first 6 months.
Songs which I suggest you to check out are "Nobody move, nobody get hurt," "This Science is dead" and "That's What Counts."
Overall I have to say this is a gig not to be missed.
Tour dates
22nd July. Thekla - Bristol
23rd July. Wedgewood Rooms - Portsmouth
25th July. XOYO - London
27th july. Kasbah - Coventry
30th July. Manchester Gorilla - Manchester
31st July. 53 Degrees - Preston
Bastille, formed by singer/songwriter Dan Smith, is a four man band from South London.
If the likes of King Charles,Dry The River and Gabrielle Aplin are your calling, than this is a band for you. I first came across Bastille by chance when I stumbled across their single Flaws on youtube. After listening to more of their music I instantly became a fan.
Since stumbling across this relatively unknown band all those months ago, Bastille have come along way. Recognised for their talent and potential, Bastille's recently released single "Pompeii" went straight to number 2 in both the Irish and UK singles chart. They have also released an EP "Laura Palmer," and two mixtapes (featuring all covers) "Other People's Heartache Part 1" and "Other People's Heartache Part 2."
Their catchy indie/pop melodies will soon have you singing and bobbing along in no time. Combine beautiful harmonies with an instrumental mix of drums, bass, and keyboards and you will have yourself the sound of Bastille. Despite being relatively new to the scene, this band has already performed at a number of very large venues, such as Glastonbury and Blissfield Festival.
I was fortunate enough to see Bastille when they supported Emeli Sande at the iTunes Festival. As mentioned earlier, I am a huge fan of this band and so I was really excited to see them.
I thoroughly enjoyed their performance. Their evenings set list included: Icarus, Things We Lost, Overjoyed, Bad Blood, What Would You Do (City High Cover), Oblivion, Pompeii, Flaws, Of the Night (Cover). Dan Smith with his hair sticking on end, was great at working the crowd. His strong vocal ability tied with the groups enthusiasm was enough to have the crowd enraptured.
I urge you to give Bastille a chance, I think you will be presently surprised by what you hear. I was.
Tour Dates:
May 2nd. Liverpool City - Liverpool
May 17th. O2 Academy - Oxford
May 18th. The Great Escape - Brighton
May 27th. Evolution Festival - Newcastle
June 15th. Isle of Wight Festival - Isle of Wight Festival
June 22nd. Gold Coast Ocean Fest - Croyde
June 28th. Glastonbury Festival - Glastonbury
July 06th. Blissfields - Winchester
July 26th. The Secret Garden Party - Huntingdon
July 27th. Redfest - Redhill
Aug 2nd. Hertfordshire
Aug 4th. Leopallooza - Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Aug 23rd. Reading Festival - Reading
Aug 24th. Leeds Festival - Leeds
Sept 7th. Bestival - Isle of Wight
Sigur Ros is a ambient/ post rock band from Iceland. What makes this four piece band so good is the sounds they are able to produce. Recognised for their "ethereal sound,"Sigur Ros reminds me a great deal of Moby and Orbital . Lead vocalist, Jonsi Birgisson is able to produce an exquisite, gentle high pitched sound which goes perfectly with the classical, minimalistic sounds produced by the rest of the band.
Something to note about this band - Vonlenska. This term is used to describe the unintelligible lyrics sung by the band. Don't let this put you off however, despite not being able to sing along this will be one hell of a show to remember.
This gig promises to be one of the most surreal experiences you will ever encounter at a music gig. The response from the crowd ranges from pure anticipation and respect to awestruck and serenity. I urge you to buy tickets - I have!
Tour Dates:
30th June - Eden Project - Cornwall
30th Aug. Jodrell Bank - Cheshire
31st Aug. End of the Road Festival - North Dorset
19th Nov. Capital FM Arena - Nottingham
20th Nov. Brighton Centre - Brighton
21st Nov. Wembley Arena - London
A friend of mine recently told me about this band, and having never heard of them before I was eager to check em out!
Lord Huron are a truly fabulous American indie band from LA. In 2010 they released two EPs "Mighty," and "Into the Sun," and a debut album "Lonesome Dreams" in 2012. Songs definitely worth checking out by the band are The Stranger, Brother, and Time To Run.
I have bought my ticket to see them, I urge you to do the same. They are great.
Tour dates:
14th May. Scala - London
17th May. Thekla - Bristol
18th May. Brudenell Social Club - Leeds
20th May. Hare and Hounds - Birmingham
22nd May. King Tuts Wah Wah Hut - Glasgow
23rd May. Manchester The Deaf Institute - Manchester
Cold War Kids are an American indie rock band from California. Together this four piece, made up of Nathan Willett, Dann Gallucci, Matt Maust, and Matt Aveiro have released eight EPs and four albums. Starting in 2006 Cold War Kirs released their debut album "Robbers & Cowards," followed by "Loyalty to Loyalty," "Mine Is Yours," and then their most recent (April 2013) "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts."
I first came across this band many years ago when I heard their single "Hang Me Up to Dry" which I instantly loved. Another single which I adore by these guys is "Hospital Beds," which is actually also been covered by Florence and the Machine.
In terms of live performances, it is safe to say Cold War Kids' music and style has evolved over time. Expectations of their gigs; lead singer Nathan Willett dancing around like a maniac, shows selling out, songs from old and new albums performed.
Cold War Kids have certainly built up a large fan base (particularly in the states) over the years. With the new album it comes as a relief that these guys are not planning on quitting the scene anytime soon.
A$AP Rocky in an American rapper from New York. In 2011 he released a mixtape "Live. Love. ASAP" which he received huge support and positive reviews for. In January of this year (2013), A$AP Rocky released his debut album "Live. Love. ASAP" which went straight to number one in the Billboard charts.
In terms of new material, A$AP Rocky recently announced he was working on an instrumental album which he will release sometime this year, without notice.
With a background of violence and drugs from a young age, this rapper has certainly lived a turbulent life. Despite this however, A$AP Rocky continues to release chart topping singles about real life that people can't get enough of. His shows frequently sell out, so if you want to buy tickets I urge you to do so asap.
Tour Dates:
28th April. Prudential Center - Newark, NJ (Supporting Rihanna)
4th May. Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NY (Supporting Rihanna)
5th May. Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NY (Supporting Rihanna)
21st May. 02 Academy Brixton - London
22nd May. 02 Academy Brixton - London
23rd May. HMV Institute - Birmingham
25th May. Manchester Academy - Manchester
26th May. 02 ABC - Glasgow
12th July. Wireless Festival 2013 - London
23rd August. Leeds Festival - Leeds
With elements of Celtic, Balkan and Gypsy in their music, this scottish band are pretty unique. The John Langan Band is made up of John Langan on guitar, vocals and percussion, Dave Tunstall on double bass, and Alastair Caplin on fiddle.
I saw these three guys perform at the very low key "Folk Rising" event held in Camden, London this week. An incredibly upbeat band who evidently love playing together, this trio soon had the seated crowd bobbing their heads, and tapping their feet to the beat.
Although their set only consisted of a handful of songs (including Winter Song, Midgets on Acid), each one was roughly 5 minutes plus and was jam packed with different sounds and styles. What I found most endearing about this band is you were never quite sure what to expect next - what starts out as a pensive and acoustic track can instantly turn into a stomping yet highly rhytmic instrumental piece. I love it!
Over the years this band has built up quite the fan base and have recently released their debut self titled album "The John Langan Band." Check them out - this alternative folk band brings a lot more to the table than you could ever imagine.
Tour dates:
19th April. The Cornerhouse - Cambridge
23rd April. Russet Cafe - London
11th May. The Glue Factory - Glasgow
8th Aug. Mandstock Festival 2013 - Arco
I was fortunate to see The Lumineers live at O2 Academy Brixton, London last month with my friend. I cannot stress enough how fantastic they were. I have previously posted about The Lumineers: The Lumineers.
The evening started with support act Langhorne Slim, a country folk singer/songwriter from Pennsylvania, US. Langhorne Slim did a tremendous job of building the crowd up before the main headliner came on stage, and even came back on stage during The Lumineers set to accompany them for one song. Having never heard of this artist before I would certainly suggest folk fans to check him out - he was great!
Langhorne Slim (Support)
With the 5,000 strong crowd closing in around the stage, the atmosphere soon became electric with anticipation and excitement. As soon as the five piece folk band stepped on stage the party began! From start to finish, The Lumineers frontman Wesley Shultz had the sold out crowd eating out of his hand, and on their feet, singing and dancing along!
The evenings set list was: Submarines, I Aint Nobody's Problem, Flowers in Your Hair, Subterranean Homesick Blues (Bob Dylan Cover), Ho Hey, Classy Girls, Dead Sea, Slow It Down, Love, Love Love (new song), Charlie Boy, Stubborn Love, Big Parade. The encore: Morning Song, This Must Be The Place (cover), Flapper Girl.
Jeremiah Fraites, Neyla Pekarek, and Wesley Schultz together with the rest of the band delivered a flawless performance of upbeat, soulful and raw folk music. For me, one of the highlights of the evening was Wesley Schultz singing the first half of my favorite track "Slow it Down" all stripped back and acoustic.
Musicians to the core, this band is all about the music. As the crowd sang and danced in a frenzy to their hit single "Ho Hey" Wesley mid way told the crowd to "put away cameras and recording devices and just be human with us for a while." If anyone was on the fence about this band before that statement, it seemed clear they were sold! A huge cheer rang out from around the venue as people put away their phones/recorders and let themselves get lost in the music.
As the show came to an end, the crowds cheers and applause was huge. Wanting to show their appreciation (and hear more), the crowd knew they had just been treated to a joyous evening of live music.
If I ever get the opportunity, I will certainly buy tickets to see them live again. This group proved to London that they are by no means a one track wonder and are here to stay.
Pictures from the evening:
Langhorne Slim joining The Lumineers on stage
Tour dates:
7th June.CMAC - NY
8th June. Mountain Jam - NY
9th June. The Grovernors Ball Music Festival - NYC
Civil Twilight are an indie rock band from Cape Town, South Africa.
To date this trio have released two albums "Civil Twilight" and "Holy Weather." I first came across their music when their single "Quiet In My Town" featured in an episode of One Tree Hill.
If Paper Route, Vacationer, and Neon Trees are you calling, than Civil Twilight is a band for you.
Their music is a "perfect blend of atmospheric sound and hazy storytelling that
transports you to another place" - which makes them the perfect choice for a chill night of live music.
Although this band has yet to break into the mainstream music scene, do not be deterred. They have done a lot of touring and supported a number of great acts such as Florence and the Machine and Smashing Pumpkins. I would definitely urge you to check this band out.
I saw this band when they were supporting Bloc Party.
Theme Park with their catchy indie pop tracks and upbeat and cheerful lyrics are a great go to if your seeking feel good music. Miles Haughton, the lead singer of Theme Park, has a voice that to me matches that of Razorlight front man Johnny Borrell - in no way is this a bad thing. Joining Miles on stage are Loius Bhose, Oscar Manthorpe and his brother Marcus Haughton.
Despite the venue being jam packed Theme Park showed no nerves when appearing on stage. Having supported Bombay Bicycle Club on their tour, Theme Park did a great job of warming the crowd up. Despite being a relatively new band, there was a great number of people from the crowd singing along to Theme Parks singles.
I really enjoyed this band and their sound. Looking at them, Theme Park's style reminded me a lot of Bombay Bicycle Club, while their sound mirrored that of Vampire Weekend.
This band is sure to do well, and has proven a huge hit so far supporting Bloc Party on their UK tour. I would definitely check them out if I were you - your in for a treat.
Tour dates:
26th July. Kendal Calling - Lowther Deer Park
23rd August. Leeds Festival
23rd August. Leeds Festival
As some one who is originally from Birmingham I feel it is only appropriate I post about her.
Laura Mvula is a soul singer/songwriter, who despite only being signed late last year promises already to be someone to watch out for. So far Laura has released an EP "She," and an album "Sing to the Moon."
Although this girl is new to music scene I would urge you to check her out.
Tour dates:
30th April. Brighton Komedia - Brighton
1st May. Islington Assembly Hall - London
5th May. Oran Mor - Glasgow
7th May. Manchester Gorilla - Manchester
8th May. Glee Club - Birmingham
30th Sept. Queens Hall Edinburgh - Edinburgh
8th October. The institute - Birmingham
9th October. The Ritz - Manchester
Originally from Oxford, Foals have been a favourite of mine since I first heard their single "Cassius" on a night out all those years ago.
Over five years later Foals are continuing to release great indie music. I would add however their music has changed (and matured) a lot from their original material back in 2005. So far Foals have released several EPs and three albums; Antidotes, Total Life Forever, and the most recent - Holy Fire, which includes the singles "Inhaler" and "My Number." They have gone from strength to strength over the years, building up a strong fan base of teenagers and twenty somethings. In terms of seeing them live, expect packed crowds and mosh pits.
Tour dates:
3rd May. Terminal 5 - NYC
6th May. Upstate Concert Hall - NYC
13th June. Jilian's of Albany - NY
26th June. Glastonbury Festival - Pilton, UK
11th July. T In The Park - Glenrothes, UK
18th July. Latitude Festival - Beccles, UK
23rd-25th August. Leeds Festival/ Reading Festival - UK
