The Wombats Live Review

On Sunday, whilst streaming music and absentmindedly checking all social media outlets, I came across an absolute gem:

@thewombats "London! We’re playing an intimate guest list only show Wednesday night. RSVP here: http://jukely.com/thewombats "

Of course as someone who saw The Wombats live at the O2 Academy Birmingham over seven years ago I couldn't help but feel this free gig was well worth going to.

So, with my friend in toe, we darted North to Nambucca on Holloway Road to ensure we could get entry. In hindsight there was absolutely no need to rush, but hey you never know what to expect when things are offered for free!!

As a very brief bio, The Wombats are an indie rock band from Liverpool. First hitting the music scene in 2003, the Wombats have released a number of great tracks, including the popular "Let's Dance to Joy Division" and "Moving To New York." To date they have released three albums, the most recent being "Glitterbug" which came out in April of this year. For more info on them, check out their website http://www.thewombats.co.uk/

Similar bands/styles to the Wombats are The Pigeon Detectives, The Kooks and Two Door Cinema Club.

Arriving on stage at 9.45 the crowd were well and truly fueled up on beer and ready to be entertained. And entertained we were. Playing a mixture of songs from their old and new albums, lead vocalist Matthew Murphy had the crowd well and truly pumped. In the hope of not coming across too 'old' it has certainly been a while since I have been on the cusp of such a wild/frantic mosh pit.

It is no surprise the crowds biggest reaction and cheers came when The Wombats played their two biggest (and most recognised) tracks, as mentioned above, Lets Dance for Joy Division and Moving to New York.

Overall for a last minute free gig I had an absolutely brilliant time. I would certainly pay to see them live...again! Despite it being over seven years between the two gigs I attended by the Wombats, both times I was treated to an excellent night of live music. Currently touring around Europe and then Australia, the Wombats will be back in the UK for Summer festivals (T In The Park, Reading & Leeds). I would certainly recommend seeing them live - their upbeat tracks and energetic set are the perfect mix for a fun night out.

Tour dates: 
July 4th. Godiva Festival - Coventry, UK
July 10th. T in the Park - UK
August 28th. Bramham Park - Leeds, UK
August 29th. Reading Festival - Reading, UK
August 30th. Leeds Festival - Leeds, UK
September 15th. Terminal 4 - NYC
September 28th. Rock City - Nottingham, UK
September 30th. Guildhall - Southampton, UK
October 1st. Alexandra Palace - London, UK
October 2nd. Cardiff University - Cardiff, UK
October 21st. Apollo - Manchester, UK
October 23rd. Mountford Hall - Liverpool, UK

For more information on tour dates please check out: http://www.thewombats.co.uk/tour/

Fleetwood Mac Live Review

So far this year I have managed to tick a number of things off my bucket list - one being 'see Ryan Adams live in concert.' Check.

Despite being a huge Ryan Adams fan however, there is one band that pips him to the post in my eyes; Fleetwood Mac - one of the best selling bands of all time. 

Anyone who is unaware of this band, I am sorry, but I have to ask, where have you been hiding for the last forty years? Forming together back in 1967, the story of Fleetwood Mac has been no means plain sailing. The core line up made of Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie has been constantly changing. With  stories of marriages, affairs, break ups, feuds and divorces plaguing the band, it is no wonder the core four have not remained constant over their 40+ year journey. There is one member however that has been present from day 1:  Mick Fleetwood. 

To date this band has released seventeen albums, the most successful one being Rumours (1977), which stayed at the number one spot in the US album charts for 31 weeks, and included 4 Top 10 US singles.

Although tickets to their show were easily the most expensive I have ever had to pay for a gig, it was 100% worth it. With no support act beforehand, Fleetwood Mac hit the stage and delivered a cracking show of their best singles for a solid 2.5hrs.

The evenings music was split out in several sections and included the following singles: The Chain, You Make Loving Fun, Dreams, Second Hand News, Rhiannon, Everywhere, I know i'm not wrong, Tusk, Sisters of the Moon, Say You Love Me, Big Love, Landslide, Never Going Back Again, Over My Head, Gypsy, Little Lies, Gold Dust Woman, I'm So Afraid, Go Your Own Way, World Turning, Don't Stop, Silver Springs and Songbird. 

It should come as no surprise these guys are awesome live. With over 40years behind them, they have had enough time to practice and get it right. Saying that, what impressed me the most was their fabulous stage presence and endurance. Aside from a very cool digital screen behind them which complimented their music entirely, the band kept things simple by ensuring the basics were right - it was obvious they put everything they had into each track. This in itself is phenomenal since they are all aged over 65. So yes, Fleetwood Mac, you've definitely still got it. 

For me the highlights were Stevie Nicks acoustic performance of landslide (a personal fav track of mine), Lindsey Buckingham giving it his all during his rendition of Big Love and finally Mick Fleetwood starting the 1st encore off with an impressive drum intro to 'World Turning.' 

The 20,000 strong crowd was treated to a great night of live music. The majority of the crowd were up on their feet and singing and dancing for the entire set. For me, what was so apparent, is how successful Fleetwood Mac has been in attracting fans of all ages. There were young kids, twenty somethings, and even the oldies - further highlighting why this band so rightly deserves the label of one of the biggest selling bands in all time.  

The reality is, after this tour (from the UK they are due to fly to Aus), who knows what Fleetwood Mac will do next. Have they got another album in them yet? I really hope so, but i'm not willing to place any bets on it just yet. With that in mind I am just so pleased I managed to see them live - and even better, all the core members were present. Without a margin of doubt, I would give this gig 10 out of 10. The overall vibe, stage presence, quality of music, and lighting effects were all flawless. So all I would say is if you do find yourself faced with the opportunity to see this band live, take my advice, buy the tickets. You can bet it will be well worth your time. 

Upcoming tour dates: 

8th June. Genting Arena, Birmingham - UK 

9th June. Genting Arena, Birmingham - UK

12th June. Manchester Arena, Manchester - UK 

14th June. Isle of Wight Festival - UK 

16/17tth June. SSE Hydro, Glasgow - UK

22/24/26/27 June. O2 Arena, London - UK 

30th June. First Direct Arena, Leeds - UK 

1st July. Manchester Arena, Manchester - UK

4th July. Genting Arena, Birmingham - UK 

5th July. First Direct Arena, Leeds - UK 

8th July. SSE HYDRO, Leeds - UK 

For more information regarding tickets and tour dates check out: http://www.fleetwoodmac.com/events

X Ambassadors

When I used to live about 30minutes from NYC I regularly blogged about bands and artists who were playing in the city (my fav venue being at the Mercury Lounge). It has come to my attention however, most of my recent posts and recommendations have been on bands playing in the UK. So, in an attempt to rectify this, I have posted about a band who are currently touring around the US, and who I also happen to absolutely love!

I introduce to you the X Ambassadors.

X Ambassadors is an American rock band from New York. Made up of Sam Harris, Casey Harris, Noah Feldshuh and Adam Levin, X Ambassador first hit the music scene in 2009 when they toured with a number of bands including LIGHTS.

You may find you have already heard a number of singles by X Ambassadors, since their work has featured in many popular american seasons such as Orange Is The New Black, Supernatural and One Tree Hill.

To date, X Ambassadors have released a number of EPs; self titled 'Ambassadors,' 'Love Songs Drug Songs' and 'The Reason.' The Reason is my personal favourite due to the tracks Free & Lonely, and Unsteady.In terms of albums, in 2012 they released their debut album 'Litost' and are due to release a second one (name yet to be disclosed) later this year.

I have yet to see this band live, but will most certainly be keeping an eye on their upcoming tour dates. If you are still on the fence, I should probably mention their touring alongside with the brilliant Milky Chance

Upcoming tour dates: 
22nd July - NYC. Summertage - Central Park.

For more of their American tour dates check out: http://www.xambassadors.com/tour

Previous Mumford and Sons Review (with current tour dates)

 An album launch party like no other.

Three times I have now seen this band, and they just keep getting better and better. In a previous post I wrote:

"I love everything about Mumford and Sons; their songs, their charisma, their attitude, and their voices. I have been fortunate enough see Mumford & Sons live twice, once at Glastonbury Music Festival and once in New York. They definitely didn't disappoint! Each gig was performed flawlessly."

After seeing them last night perform at the Roundhouse in Camden, London for the iTunes Festival, I can safely say this band is in my top three best live performances I have seen to date. As well as performing some of their well known and popular singles (Little Lion Man, The Cave, Roll Away Your Stone), Mumford and Sons performed many tracks from their newly released album (24th Sept) "Babel."

The evenings set list included:  Lovers' Eyes, Little Lion Man, White Blank Page, Not With Haste, Below My Feet, Timshel, Roll Away Your Stone, Lover of the Light, Thistle & Weeds, Ghosts That We Knew, Awake My Soul, Whispers in the Dark, Dust Bowl Dance.
Encore: Where Are You Now? I Will Wait, The Cave.

For me the highlight of the night was seeing Mumford and Sons do a stripped performance of Timshel (see short clip below). As soon as the four guys began their acoustic performance the crowd were in complete silence. It was incredible to watch the band at its simplest: just voices and emotion.

Another highlight for me was when they performed the new single "Where are you now" from their new album "Babel."   It was the first time I had heard this track, and I personally fell in love with it instantly. I found it to be an immensely emotional single that anyone could relate to.

It was safe to say the crowd had a great night too. The crowd was of all ages, but that is irrelevant, for as soon as the four men walked onto the stage the whole crowd went wild. The jam packed Roundhouse had an electric atmosphere - people singing, screaming, applauding and dancing along to all their songs (old and new) for the duration of their show.

Overall it was a brill night. If you get the chance you MUST see this band.

Tour Dates:
2nd June. MCU Park - Brooklyn, Coney island, NY (US)
3rd June. MCU Park - Brooklyn, Coney island, NY (US)
5-6th June. Gotr Seaside heights, Stopover, New Jersey (US)
28th - 30th Aug. Reading & Leeds Festival (UK)

For more information on their tour dates check out: http://www.mumfordandsons.com/

For more reviews on Mumford & Sons click on the following links:
Gentleman of the Road Review (2013)
Mumford & Sons (2012)

Sofar Sounds Secret Gig #3

As you may be aware I have been fortunate enough to attend a number of secret gigs at various locations around London, courtesy of Sofar Sounds. On 11th February I was once again lucky enough to go to a strangers (very cool) house in Stoke Newington and watch four fab bands play.

First up was Honey Blood. This Scottish duo, made of Tina Tweeddale on guitar/vocals and Shona McVicar on drums, classify their music as 'crunch pop' - a "blend of blustery vocals and swirling guitars."

These girls were actually due to perform at another venue later that evening, however before they dashed off we were treated to a three song set.  To hear their music check out their self titled album "Honeyblood." Tracks featured on the album include Killer Bangs and Super Rat.

For more information check out their Twitter page: https://twitter.com/yumhoneyblood

Next up were Elliot Galvin Trio. The great thing about Sofar Sounds is the opportunity to see a wide range of artists and bands of all different genres. This couldn't have been more true for the next band. 

Elliot Galvin Trio were fabulous. These three very understated lads took to the floor with their instruments and performed an absolutely flawless set. Elliot Galvin on piano, Tom McCredle on bass and Simon Roth on drums, incorporate classical, jazz and art into their music. The mastermind of this band, Elliot Galvin, composes all the bands material. To highlight how good these guys are, in 2014, they won the European Young Musician of the Year Award. 

Regardless to whether you listen to classical music or not, these tremendously talented guys are definitely worth your time. 

For more info about this band check out their Twitter page: https://twitter.com/ElliotGalvin

Next, and my personal favourite of the night: Jay Brown. Although Jay Brown, a singer from Northampton, usually sings with a band, she performed solo on this occasion. She played a number of tracks including Sun Comes Up, We Are The People and my personal fav, Diamonds.

Brown has already played at a number of large venues including Glastonbury in 2013 on the BBC introducing stage. She is definitely someone to keep an eye for in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed her set. Again, very understated, Brown's raspy/gruff vocals oozed rawness and emotion. If you, like me, are a fan of stripped back/acoustic music, than you will be a fan of Jay Brown.

For those of you who are Bastille fans, you may also recognise Brown from when she featured on the track "Forever Ever" with Kate Tempest.

For more info on Jay Brown, check out her website: http://jaybrownofficial.co.uk/

And finally but by no means least, Rozi Plain. This girl is hilarious - I loved her! Originally from Winchester, Rozi in an indie singer who has previously supported KT Tunstall and played at a number of festivals including The Green Man and End of the Road Festival. To date Rozi Plain has released two albums "Inside Over Here" and "Joined Sometimes Unjoined." During her set, Rozi sang Actually and Jogalong.

Rozi played a great set. Her dry sense of humour, accompanied with her upbeat and catchy tunes was the perfect finale to a brilliant night of live music. When listening to Rozi I was reminded a great deal of Tegan and Sara, for their similar music styles and distinct vocals.

For more info on Rozi Plain, check out her website http://roziplain.co.uk/.

Overall I had a great night of live music. If you haven't signed up, you are missing out. Here is the site if you are interested: http://www.sofarsounds.com/

Damon Albarn live

So it has occurred to me I had yet to review the gig I went to whilst on my travels in Australia....

On 16th Dec, I managed to get hold of free tickets to Damon Albarn's show at the Sydney Opera House, courtesy of my sister. I had already seen Damon Albarn live when he headlined at Glastonbury with Gorillaz. However, I was eager to see what he would be like going it alone

Just as a quick summary, Damon Albarn first ht the music scene in 1988 with his band Blur. It was not until 1990 however that blur got their big break. Despite their success, Blur have found themselves in the middle of media spats, bust ups, and rivalries (both in and out of the band). Saying that after taking a hiatus, Blur are due to release their eighth album "The Magic Whip." Another successful band Albarn has been a central force behind is the 'virtual band' Gorillaz. Working alongside Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz released their self titled debut album in 2003. To date, they have released four albums, the last being 'The Fall' in 2011.

Anyway back to the gig.

Starting the evening off with Spitting Out the Demons, Damon Albarn had the 2000+ seated crowd immediately up on their feet.  He has such a stage presence (laughing, smiling and jumping around) it is easy to see how he has become such a name in the music world. Saying that, I was relieved I wasn't sat too near to the front - Albarn had a tendency to sprout water all over the first few rows throughout the gig.

Albarn sang tracks that spanned across his 20+ year career by also performing tracks from his Blur and Gorillaz days.

For me the highlight was having De La Soul come out on stage to perform Feel Good Inc. As a huge  Gorillaz fan, it was awesome seeing the original guys rapping and singing it out on stage. Going by the crowd around me, my feelings were definitely shared.

The set list for the evening included: Spitting Out the Demons, Lonely Press Play, Everyday Robots, Tomorrow Comes Today, Slow Country, Kids With Guns, Three Changes, Hostiles, Photographs, Kingdom of Doom, You and Me, Hallow Ponds, El Manana, Don't Get Lost In Heaven, Out of Time, All Your Life. Encoure: End of a Century, Mr Tembo, Clint Eastwood, Feel Good Inc (ft De La Soul) and Heavy Seas of Love.

Overall I had a great night of music. If I am being honest, before the evening I was more excited about the venue itself, however, Albarn proved to be a great performer and delivered a hugely energetic and exciting show.

Damon Albarn currently has not upcoming live shows, however for more information please check out his website: http://www.damonalbarnmusic.com/tour/

Ryan Adams Live

On Friday 27th February, for my birthday, I headed to the Evertim Apollo. After years of being a Ryan Adams fan (and close monitoring of his UK tours via google alerts), I was finally able to see him live.

For those of you who are not aware of Ryan Adams - and yes, I do mean Ryan and not Bryan - he is an American singer/songwriter from North Carolina. Ryan first hit the music scene in the early nineties, and has to date released a staggering 14 albums and five EPs.

My particular favourite period of Adams' career thus far is when he sang with the Cardinals and released two albums "Cold Roses" and "Jacksonville City Nights." In terms of singles, Ryan Adams has had a number of great tracks, however the one that branched out to the largest audience was his cover of Wonderwall by Oasis. His cover even proved popular with Oasis lead singer Noal Gallagher who said "I never got my head round this song until I went to [see] Ryan Adams play and he did an amazing cover of it."

Anyway enough of the bio - lets get back to the gig. With any artist that has been around for over 10 years, the fan base was vast and diverse! There were young'uns and oldies, all wearing their leather jackets and excited for the performance ahead.

Supporting Adams that night was American singer and songwriter Natalie Prass. Natalie is a relatively new face to the music scene, only having just released her debut album in January of this year. Despite Prass' soft yet strong distinct vocals, her songs did very little to enrapture me. Overall I feel her performance did not do a great job in warming up the crowd. However saying that, I did feel Prass sang very well when she performed two duets with Ryan later in the evening.

It was clear by the cheers and applause from the crowd, they were ecstatic to see Ryan Adams. Dressed in his denims and standard mass of wild hair, Adams welcomed the crowd "That's right, its the weekend. Time to get sad." A man with a dry sense of humour, Adams seemed more than happy to take the mic out of himself and his 'depressed' fans! Even when a minor fight broke out near the end of his set, Ryan was able to keep up the banter and question how anyone could get so riled up to his music. Not one to be distracted, Ryan Adams soon got the show going again and announced 'Right, lets try another f***ing miserable song." Cue rapturous applause from the sold out crowd.

The set list for the evening included: Gimme Something Good, Let It Ride, Stay With Me, Dear Chicago, This House Is Not For Sale, Everybody Knows, My Winding Wheel, Dirty Rain, Magnolia Mountain, New York, New York, Kim, Two, My Wrecking Ball, I Just Might, I love You But I Don't Know What To Say, Your Fool, Oh My Sweet Carolina, La Cienega Just Smiled, Trouble, When The Stars Go Blue, I see Monsters and Come Pick Me Up.

What was great about this gig was seeing Ryan Adams perform some of his best singles for a solid two hours. The combination of great songs, banter and talent (vocals, guitar and harmonica) meant Ryan Adams was able to deliver a flawless night of bloody brilliant live music. He even was able to demonstrate his musical talent by singing an improv song "I ate something off the street" after overhearing a conversation from the crowd. A pure genius.

I am well and truly thrilled I can now scratch "see Ryan Adams live" off my bucket list. I would urge all fans out there to GO and see him live.

Upcoming gigs include: 
5th June - The Governors Ball Music Festival - NYC
4th July - Calling Festival - London

To see the rest of his tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/332590-ryan-adams/calendar

Milky Chance Review

A couple of weeks ago I headed over to O2 Shepherds Bush to see Milky Chance live. I have been a fan of this band for the last year and a half, and so I was ecstatic to get my hands on tickets.

Milky Chance, made up of Clemens Rehbein (on vocals) and Philipp Dausch (DJing), are a reggae psychedelic folk band (i.e. folk mixed with reggae electronics) from Germany.

Milky Chance has achieved great success from the very beginning. Their first single "Stolen Dance" was released in April 2013 and went straight to number 1 in many European countries such as France and Hungary.

The pair released their debut album "Sadnecessary" back in October 2013. If you haven't done so yet, I would highly recommend you checking it out. Personal favourites of mine include "Becoming" and "Down By The River."

Due to work commitments I sadly missed the support act: Kafka, a three piece band from Southampton.

So onto the main event; Kicking things off, the boys came out onto the stage in complete darkness and performed a 5 minute intro song. I thought this was great way to start - the dramatic, electric track mixed with reggae guitar beats seemed to really build up the atmosphere of the venue. After a 2.5 minute instrumental intro, the feeling of anticipation from the 4,000 strong crowd was finally answered when Clemens delivered the first vocals of the evening. And boy was the build up worth it! A man with such a distinct and raspy voice, Clemens, with his mass of wild hair, looked  completely relaxed and at ease out on stage.

For me another highlight was when the third man on stage (not entirely sure who he was) played a harmonica solo during two of their tracks (Loveland and a single that has yet to be released). The harmonica went down a treat and had the crowd going crazy. For me, the harmonica just added something extra to their already feel good tracks.

I will add this gig did leave me feeling a little unsure. There is no question these guys are talented - just listen to their album if you are not sure! No, what was missing for me was the signs of a fine tuned/ well oiled gig. The transition between songs were at times quite poor, with the stage often falling into complete darkness between tracks. Also, it wasn't until after the third track that Clemens  actually even said anything to the crowd. Don't get me wrong, I had a great night of live music. I just felt it took a good hour for Milky Chance to really get into their performance and get the party started. Negatives aside however, I did think the lighting and staging set up was brilliant. The two were completely on theme and further exposes the reggae influences in their tracks.

The set list for the evening was: intro, Stunner, Fairytale, Sadnecessary, Flashed Junk Mind, Given, Nevermind, Loveland, Sweet Sun, Indigo, Feathery, Running, Stolen Dance and the Encore: Down By the River.

Although I talk about some finer tuning needed to be made, I found the gig to be highly enjoyable. Going by their new track, these boys have kept to what they know, and for that reason I am excited to hear what new music they will be treating us to later in the year.

Upcoming tour dates: 
Sat 28th March. Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NYC
Tues 31st March. Webster Hall - NYC
Wed 1st April. Webster Hall - NYC

To see more dates for their North American tour check Tour Dates and tickets

For more information about Milky Chance check out their Twitter

Sofar Sounds (Secret Gig number 2)

Back in November you may remember me posting about a secret gig I attended courtesy of Sofar Sounds. If not, here is a reminder: Review

This week I was fortunate enough to get my hands on another set of tickets to another secret gig at another secret location in London.

On Tuesday, with my friend in toe, we headed to Swiss Cottage to see three local/talented acts, and boy were we in for a treat. Not only were the three acts completely different from each other but they were all awesome!

First off was Miss Baby Sol. What can say? Sassy, fun and uber cool, this girl sure can sing. With orange hair, impressive heal boots and a black jumpsuit, Baby was the perfect pick to start the night off. Baby, along with her guitarist, soon had the whole crowd swaying and clicking along to her soulful tunes.

Baby sang a number of her own singles including She Cries, Always and No No. Although bashful between songs, this girl oozed confidence as she sang her way through her set.

Miss Baby Sol (picture from @marina111288) 

With the support of Paloma Faith behind her, it is clear the Sofar crowd are not the only ones who think she has talent. To hear more from Baby check out her website: http://www.missbabysol.com/

Upcoming gigs: 
Sat 7th Feb. Passing Clouds - London

Next up, were the Irish foursome, The Riptide Movement .

Riptide Movement 

Riptide Movement, made up of lead singer Malachy Tuohy, drummer Gar Byrne and guitarists John Dalton & Gerald McGarry, are an irish rock band from Dublin. Having never heard of them before I was impressed to hear their album "Getting Through" went to number 1 in the Irish Charts last year.

I must say, as a huge fan of folk rock music, this band were right up my street. Having already supported The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park, it comes as no surprise these boys looked relaxed and comfortable performing to a living room full of 50 strangers.

When they played, I was reminded a great deal of a more upbeat and cheery version of Kodaline and The Coronas. Their set included singles "You & 1," "Glor" and "Skins & Bones." They are due to release their debut UK single "All Works Out" on March 9th, and I for one will be definitely downloading it.

Malachy Tuohy - Riptide Movement (picture from @marina111288)

Although Riptide Movement have no upcoming gigs, they have just played a sold out three day tour at the Islington. Watch out for these boys, I'm confident this is not the last we have seen of them. 

And finally, from soul, to folk-rock to....beat boxing. The last act, and by no means least, was Reeps One. 

I have one word; Wow! As someone who only ever finds herself listening to dubstep when out on the dance floor on a night out, I was completely mesmerised by the whole thing. Harry Yeff, or otherwise known by his stage name Reeps One, made beatboxing look a breeze. Joking with the crowd, Reeps One showed off his vocals, dubstep sounds and versatile beats. Having played at Glastonbury three times, supported the likes of Chris Brown and won the Vauxhall UK Beatbox Championships two years in a row, I am thrilled to have got the opportunity to see this guy live - it was like nothing I had seen before. 

Reef Ones website is currently under construction but here is the link anyway; http://reepsone.co.uk/

Overall I had an absolutely superb night of live music. Three very different acts, all known for their own style and genre, I was spoilt. I had a cracking night, and couldn't thank the brilliance of the Sofar Sound group enough. Again, if you haven't signed up, you are missing out. Here is the site if you are interested: http://www.sofarsounds.com/

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to you all. 

First off, apologies for the lack of reviews & posts recently. Due to a combination of living, working and travelling gig attendance has been low...but alas, that is all about to change.

Upcoming gigs include Milky Chance, Fleetwood Mac and my absolute all time fav, Ryan Adams. 

In the meantime please feel free to take a look around my blog. 

Sofar Sounds

For those of you who are unaware of  Sofar, than I urge you to check it out NOW!!

Sofar Sounds first began in North London in 2009, when three artists played to a room (usually a living room) of music lovers. Since its launch, Sofar has gone on to achieve great success - not only hosting events in London and other UK cities, but in 37 countries around the world (incl. Turkey, brasil, US, Ireland and Australia).

Such a great concept, it is not surprising Sofar has become so popular. The set up is very simple; after you register via their website and select the dates you wish to attend, you just have to wait for an email confirming your place. It is important to note that although Sofar try to give as many people the opportunity to attend  an event, they are hugely popular and so don't expect to get an invite after your first attempt.

If you are successful Sofar will then send you an email, two days before the event, with the address of the venue. What is exciting about this is you have no idea where this venue is (since it is someones house) or who is playing.

Previous  well known artists who have played at Sofar include: Dry The River, Bastille and George Ezra.

At the beginning of this month I was lucky enough to get tickets to attend a Sofar event in Hackney. A very cool venue (a warehouse converted into a home), myself and 100 other die hard music fans sat together and watched three great live acts - Beans on Toast, Too Many Ts and Gorgeous George.

A night full of live music, laughter and sing alongs, I really can't stress how fun the evening was. Check it out. I can promise it will be well worth your time.

Alt J - Music Review

On wednesday 25th September I headed to Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace) to see Alt j live.

I am a huge fan of Alt j and was absolutely ecstatic when I got tickets to see them. Alt J is an English indie rock band who first formed together in 2007. In 2012 Alt J had a fabulous year, winning the Mercury Prize and releasing their debut album "An Awesome Wave." Their follow up, and highly anticipated second album "This Is All Yours" was released last month (september) and went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts.

Starting the night off was british singer/songwriter Marika Hackman. Although she has a lovely voice, I will say all her tracks seemed a bit samey. Very sombre and chilled out I felt her style was a strange choice for the opening of an Alt J gig. One of the tracks she performed was Bath Is Black - check it out Here.

After hackman came Alt J - and boy was the 10,000 packed out crowd excited to see them. Arriving on stage surrounded by a haze of smoke, the guys started the evening with the lead single from their new album 'Hunger of the Pine."

The evenings set list included: Hunger of the Pine, Fitzpleasure, Something Good, Left Hand free, Dissolve Me, Matilda, Bloodflood, Bloodflood Pt.2, Ripe & Ruin, Tessellate, Every Other Freckle, Taro, Warm Foothills, The Gospel of John Hurt. Encore: Lovely Day. Nara and finally Breezeblocks.

I must say I was thoroughly impressed with the live performance of Alt J. Keeping things simple and singing both new and old tracks from their albums, the crowds attention was kept from start to finish. It was clear that Joe Newman's unique yet instantly recognisable vocals were just as strong live than they are on record. Accompanying the music was also an impressive light arrangement. The lights changed in time with the the music and seemed to perfectly reflect the theme of each song. Combine the lights, the music, and the four boys from Alt J and you have yourself the ingredients for a perfect live show.

For me, the highlight of the evening was hearing the guys perform my personal favourite track "Taro." Check out the video below for more...

This was easily one of the best gigs I have been to in sometime and I would definitely urge people to check them out. Later this year Alt J will be performing at the O2, and I can't stress enough, if you are interested then grab tickets soon because you can bet they will be sold out in no time.

Tour dates: 
16th Nov - Beacon Theatre, NYC
24th Jan - The O2, London    http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/AltJ-tickets/artist/1684909

Ben Howard - Live review

So its no secret, I am a huge fan of Ben Howard. On Thursday 4th Sept I headed to Hackney Empire to see Ben Howard live, for what would be my fifth time.

With his highly anticipated second album "I forgot where we were" due to be released on the 20th October, a lot of fans (myself included) were eager to hear what new material Ben had in store for us. While it was unknown whether Ben would play many of his popular hits, such as 'Keep your head up" and 'The fear," I was hopeful the new singles  "I forgot where we were" and "End of the affair" would make the set list.

The evening started with support act Nick Mulvey, who singles include "Fever to Form," "April" and "Meet Me There." As someone who is relatively unknown to the wider crowds, Nick did a great job of warming up the crowd.

Next up was the man himself, Ben Howard. Having already seen Ben Howard live 4 times, I can honestly say this was the most different of all the shows. Accompanied by his usual side kick India Bourne, Ben Howard was also supported by a band. With a lot more electronic elements thrown into his songs, it somehow felt less  personal and stripped back than previous performances. Still, I can't knock him, the delivery and vocal talent Ben Howard has remains brilliant, and an absolute pleasure to watch.

The set list was made up entirely of new singles from his upcoming album, apart from the encore which included the popular hits "Everything," "Black Flies" and "The Fear" -  a risk many artists would feel is too great to take. Ben Howard however can relax, if the cheers and shouts were anything to go by at the end of each song, the fans were in favour of the new material. In addition to playing "I forgot where we were" and "End of the affair," other songs included "Conrad," "In dreams," and "The Small Things." For me, The Small Things was a definite highlight - sang with conviction, it reminded me a lot of previous songs which we have all grown to love so much.

After hearing a preview of the new material, it is clear Ben Howard has kept to what he is good at - dark, highly emotional melancholy tracks. Overall, I had a great chilled night and can say without a hint of uncertainty I am stoked for the release of the new album. I will say though, if I am being entirely honest, I have preferred previous performances more. I found the extra band accompaniment  and stage flash lights were just unnecessary distractions - a man with an unbelievable voice that evokes that much emotion is more than enough to keep the crowd captivated.

For previous post and reviews on Ben Howard, check out: Ben Howard live @ Hammersmith Apollo or Ben Howard live in NYC or Ben Howard live in Dublin

Ben has recently announced a tour in december - check out for dates and ticket info: http://www.benhowardmusic.co.uk/  (please note all UK tour dates are now sold out)

Belinda Carlisle - Review

So I understand the demographic for Belinda Carlisle is not really that of the people that typically check out this blog but alas, I went, I saw, and as a result I will review.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Belinda Carlisle let me enlighten you. Belinda is an American singer who achieved great success in the 80's with the all-famale band 'The Go Go's.' In 1985 the Go-Go's ended, and as a result, Belinda forged out a hugely successful career as a solo artist. With hits including 'Heaven Is a Place on Earth,' 'Leave a Light On' and 'I Get Weak,' Belinda Carlisle is still performing and releasing material today.

Back in May, a day after I saw the Augustines, I headed to Indigo at the O2 (with my mum!) to see Belinda Carlisle live. Unsurprisingly the average age of the crowd was in their 50s - however don't think this meant the crowd were by any means quiet. By the end of the set it was safe to say every person (with the exception of the very old) were up on their feet singing and dancing along to Carlisle's most popular hits.

The set list for the evening included: Runaway Horses, (We Want) The Same Thing, Sun, I Get Weak, In Too Deep, California, Circle in the Sand, Valentine, Vision of You, La Luna, Summer Rain, Mad About You, Big Scary Animal, Live Your Life Be Free, Leave a Light On, A Woman and a Man, Our Lips Are Sealed, Heaven Is a Place on Earth, and finally Goodbye Just Go.

What I liked about Belinda Carlisle and her show, was unlike some of the acts today, she left it all very understated. Coming out on stage with just a tambourine and wearing all black, Belinda was able to sing and deliver her hits in a way that enraptured the crowd without being controversial, or inappropriate in any way. Miley Cyrus take note.

Overall, although I will be honest and say there are some more exceptional bands and artists currently touring, I did have a thoroughly enjoyable evening singing along to the hits that I grew up listening to with my family.

Augustines - review

This review is well overdue but here goes:

Back in May of this year I headed to the Institute in Birmingham to see The Augustines live on their European 'Walkabout' tour.

I have been a fan of this band for a very long time and so I was ecstatic to get tickets to see them live. The night began with the support act "Empire Divide," a five piece band from London. Although some of their material seemed pretty good (their music reminded me a lot of Civil Twilight) the sound system unfortunately just didn't seem to work and so at times it was very difficult to hear Niall Keels (lead singer). To hear tracks by this band check out, Velvet Sky.

After Empire Divide it was then time for the main act themselves. By the claps and cheers that broke out as soon as the band appeared on stage, it became clear the crowd were just as stoked as I was to be there - a great reflection of the following the Augustines have managed to build over the years.

For 2 hours, Billy McCarthy (wearing his trademark hat), Eric Sanderson and Rob Allen gave it their all and treated the sold out crowd to an absolutely fantastic night of live music. A band who seemed genuinely thrilled to be performing together, you couldn't help but believe McCarthy when he announced near the beginning of the show "This is it, the end of the walkabout tour...we've got a long night ahead..grab a drink...we're having a celebration."


The set list for the evening included: Headlong into the Abyss, Chapel Song, Cruel City, Augustine, Nothing to lose, Walkabout, Philadelphia, The Avenue, Weary Eyes, East Los Angeles, Now you are free, New Drink for an Old Drunk."

Although it is clear from this post I am a big fan of this band, it is difficult to not single out Billy McCarthy for his truly great stage presence, strong vocals and constant engagement with the crowd. It is with this in mind that the definite highlight for me was when McCarthy sang an acoustic version of The Avenue. No mics, no gizmos or gimmicks, just a man and his raw/emotive voice. The crowd absolutely loved it.

From the sweaty band members, to the whistling crowds, it was certainly a great night of live music. I would definitely urge you to check them out - you wont be left disappointed.

For more information regarding their albums and singles check out my previous post: Augustines

Tour dates: 

29th Sept. Bowery Ballroom - NYC
3rd Oct. Rough Trade NYC - Brooklyn, NY
29th Nov. Riverside - Newcastle
30th Nov. Queen Margaret Union - Glasgow
1st Dec. Cathedral - Manchester
3rd Dec. Wedgewood Rooms - Portsmouth
4th Dec. The Globe - Cardiff
5th Dec. Wulfrun Hall - Wolverhampton
7th Dec. Concorde 2 - Brighton
8th Dec. The Roundhouse - Camden, London

For more info check out: Augustines Website

Iron & Wine

Beautiful and pure. I am a huge fan of this artist.

Iron & Wine (Samuel Beam) is an American folk singer and songwriter, who to date has released five albums and several EPs.

In 2002 Iron & Wine released his debut album "The Creek Drank the Cradle." What makes me enjoy the music written, performed, recorded and produced by Samuel Beam is the accompaniment of guitars and banjos that features heavily in his music.

Following the success of his debut album, Iron & Wine released four more albums; "Our Endless Numbered Days," "The Shepherd's Dog," "Kiss Each Other Clean," and "Ghost on Ghost."

As well as five albums, Iron & Wine has released a number of great EPs including "The Sea & The Rhythm," "Woman King," and "In the Reins."

If singers such as Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and Tallest Man On Earth are your thing, than this is a man for you! An insanely talented singer, Samuel Beam is able to seduce the audience with his gut wrenching, softly sung, and highly emotive tracks. Check him out - he is certainly worth the effort.

Tour dates: 
June 21st. Smith Opera House - Geneva, NY

For further details check out: http://www.ironandwine.com/tour

Ellie Goulding Review

Ellie Goulding is an electroacoustic/ pop singer whose distinct, wispy and pretty unusual voice helps differentiate her from other aspiring singers of today. In 2010 Ellie Goulding won the Critics Choice at the Brit Awards which gained her a lot of positive attention, causing her already large fan base to grow. 

In March 2010 Ellie Goulding released "Lights" which went straight to number one in the UK album charts. The album includes many great songs such as Starry Eye, Guns and Horses, and The Writer.

With the success of "Lights"  Ellie Goulding re-released the album in November and renamed it "Bright Lights." The new re-released album includes six new songs and proves to be just as popular as Lights. Ellie Goulding recently revealed she would be releasing a second "more emotional" album sometime in 2013.

I was lucky enough to catch the end of Ellie Goulding's set at Glastonbury Music Festival and was pleasantly surprised how good she was live. Although she seemed pretty overwhelmed by the large crowd and said very little between songs, she still managed to give a great performance.

Since seeing Ellie Goulding live, she has gone on to headline at a number of big venues/festivals and even been chosen to sing for the White House and at Prince William's and Kate Middleton's Wedding.

Tour dates:
2nd March. Odyssey Arena Belfast - Belfast.
5th March. Nottingham Capital FM Arena - Nottingham
8th March. Liverpool Echo 2 - Liverpool
9th March. London the O2 - London
12th March. Theatre at Madison Square Garden - NYC
13th March. Theatre at Madison Square Garden - NYC

For more information about tickets and tour dates (European, Australia, New Zealand and N.American) check out: http://elliegoulding.com/live-dates/

Augustines

Augustines, made up of Billy McCarthy, Eric Sanderson and Rob Allen, are an American indie rock band from Brooklyn.

With an upcoming tour due to start in the next couple of weeks - it kicks off in Phoenix - and the recent release of their second album "Augustines" this band are certainly making an impression on the current music scene.

Their debut album "Rise Ye Sunken Ships" was a great album, featuring an array of good songs including "Chapel Song," "Strange Days" and "New Drink for the Old Drunk." The first single released from the album was "Book of James." When listening to this album it becomes evident that the boys have been through some pretty dark times, however what is good is their ability to use these painful experiences and convert them into great songs.

Their second album "Augustines" was released on February 3rd and although it is not quite on the same level as their debut it is still very good. Songs from this album worth checking out are "The Avenue," "Weary Eyes" and "Nothing To Lose But Your Head." Despite their great songs I have to admit the main driving force to liking this band is because of lead singer Billy McCarthy. His voice is something else - raspy and raw, he sings in a way that leaves you utterly convinced he means every word. If I was to compare him, in terms of performance style and voice I would straight away say Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem.

This band have received a string of great reviews from their previous tour dates and I would seriously urge you to check them out. If you are keen to see them I would advise buying tickets sooner rather than later as their shows often sell out.

Check out their website for further information on tickets and tour dates (incl. European) http://www.weareaugustines.com/tour/

Twitter: @WeAreAugustines

Miner

After listening to this band on repeat for the last week I have decided it is time to spread the word.

Although I would love to say I found this band purely on my own, alas this wasn't the case. No, I sadly have to give all the credit to the american TV show 'Hart of Dixie' which featured this band in last weeks episode.

So who are they? Well, Miner are a six piece folk band from Los Angeles who formed together last year (2013). Made up of mostly family members, the line up consists of Justin & Kate Miner (husband & wife), Jeremy Miner (brother), Amanda Koosed (cousin), Justin Krook and Dave Schechtman.

When it comes to their sound, Miner reminds me a great deal of The Lumineers and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics. Their upbeat, stomp-and-clap, catchy music is the perfect answer to providing that all important feel good factor. With a highly anticipated  debut album 'Into The Mountain' set to release on February 25th, I urge you all to check them out.

Here is the official video for their single 'Hey Love.'

Although they are only currently touring around the West Coast of America, I will be keeping a close eye on further tour dates and locations.

For more information check out their
           Web page: http://www.thisisminer.com/

           Twitter: @thisisminer

Gaslight Anthem Review

Gaslight Anthem, an American rock band from New Jersey, are one of my favorite bands.

This band has released three albums. "Sink or Swim," my favorite "The 59 Sound" and their most recent "American Slang." They have also just announced that they have began recording songs for their fourth album which they hope to release later this year. I personally feel "The 59 Sound" is the bands most successful album to date, due to their ability to combine rock n'roll with definte elements of hardcore, pop-punk and classic soul.

If you are a fan of artists such as Frank Turner, Bruce Springsteen and Brian Fallon, than Gaslight Anthem are a band you should check out!

I saw this band last year at the 02 Academy in Birmingham, UK. The two support acts Shark and Twin Atlantic, were nothing special and did little to warm up the crowd. Despite this, when Gaslight Anthem finally came onto the stage, the crowd instantly warmed up and sang along to all their songs. I have to admit, I was pretty surprised to see the wide mix of people that turned up to see them live.

The set which Gaslight Anthem performed was very good. They opened their gig with American Slang and progressed with the songs Great Expectations, The 59'  Sound, Boxer and Stay Lucky. I must add they gave an exceptional performance of Queen of Lower Chelsea and Blue Jeans & White T-shirts.

My personal highlight was watching the lead singer, Brian Fallon on stage. He looks completely in his element and sings with so much confidence and passion that the entire crowd is left captivated. 

The gig was very good and I would certainly suggest people to go and see them live.

Tour dates:
26th July. Hudson River Park - NYC
28th July. Hudson River Park - NYC
31st July. Upstate Concert Hall - NYC
8th September. The Paramount - Huntington, NY

For information regarding tickets or the rest of their tour check out:  http://www.songkick.com/artists/550811-gaslight-anthem/calendar?page=1