Of Monsters and Men Review

This indie band certainly lived up to all expectations. 

I have been a fan of Of Monsters and Men for a long time and so knowing I had secured a ticket to their sold out gig in Birmingham made me ecstatic! (See previous post for more info about the band: Info)

Being a band full of individuals who can play an array of instruments, it came as little surprise that their music live was even more incredible than when hearing it on cd. With this ability, Of Monsters and Men are able to combine their diverse skill set to produce and deliver songs that just keep the crowd wanting to hear more. The evenings set list mostly consisted of singles from their debut album "My Head is an Animal" - although they did perform a very good cover of Skeletons  by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. 

One thing I did find ever so slightly disappointing was the lack of  'oomph' Nanna Himarsdottir and Ragnar Porhallsson seemed to have. Despite their impressive singing and continual chat with the audience, I felt they were just going through the motions. Dont get me wrong it was still a great gig and I thoroughly enjoyed myself; but comparing them to the likes of Mumford & Sons and Editors, I would say they came up slightly short. 

But anyway, enough of the negatives - with the combined effort from all (5) members the entire venue was soon filled with singing and clapping (see pic below). This gig definitely had a great atmosphere, and I would certainly recommend everyone to see them. 

Tour dates: 
3rd March. Norwich  UEA - Norwich, UK
5th March. O2 Sheoherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
6th March. 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
7th March. O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
7th June. The Governors Ball Music - NYC
2nd July. 02 Academy - Bournemouth, UK
3rd July. De La Warr Pavilion - Bexhill-On-Sea, UK
11th July. T in The Park - UK
17-18th August. V Festival - UK.

For more information regarding tickets and (N.American and European) tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/3631016-of-monsters-and-men/calendar?page=1

http://musicgigsnfestivals.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/of-monsters-and-men.html

Final goodbye on stage 

Of Monsters and Men performing 

Entire crowd getting into the show 

Goodnight Lenin Review

I saw this band from birmingham when they supported Dry The River at the HMV Institute.

Before seeing them I can honestly say I had never heard anything about them or their music. Although a relatively unknown band, Goodnight Lenin has grown quite the fan base, with gigs frequently selling out. In addition to performing at gigs, Goodnight Lenin have been playing at a number of festivals including the Wood Festival and Glastonbury.

I really enjoyed these boys performance. A folk-esq band with the enthusiasm and spirit of Mumford and Sons when they perform, these boys definitely deserve a chance. With strong vocals and a vast array of instruments there was nothing dull about their set. When listening to the boys I was reminded a great deal of Low Anthem - in terms of both vocal and music style.

Give them a go - you may be pleasantly surprised.

Tour Dates:

20th Nov. The Castle - Manchester 

21st Nov. The Bodega - Nottingham 

23rd Nov. The Great Gatsby - Sheffield 

26th Nov. Kasbah - Coventry

27th Nov. The Boileroom - Guildford 

28th Nov. The Cookie Jar - Leicester 

29th Nov. Sebright Arms - London

1st Dec. Birmingham Cathedral - Birmingham 

2nd Dec. A Nation of Shopkeepers - Leeds

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