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/

Foals

This English indie rock band are great.

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.

If you like bands; The Maccabees, Bloc Party and Everything everything, than you are really going to like this five piece.

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

For information regarding tour dates (Australia, Europe and N.America) and tickets check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/525043-foals/calendar?page=1

Airborne Toxic Event Review

A seriously great band live.

On Friday 6th May I was fortunate enough to get hold of a ticket to see the Airborne Toxic Event live in NYC.

For more general info about this band click on the link.

I have to start by saying - I have never been to a gig quite like it. The band played at the Town Hall in NYC, and the layout was just like a theater. The band performed on the stage and the crowd were all seated in stalls - I was seated up on the balcony. Not only was everyone seated, alcohol was banned and the use of flash light photography and video was prohibited. With all these factors it definitely made it the most respectable gig I have attended (by far!).

The format of the gig was very good. There was no support band, just Airborne Toxic Event doing their thing. The gig was separated into two halves, with a fifteen minute interval between each part. For the first half the band performed their songs acoustically, and for the second half they played their more popular songs while rocking out on their electric guitars. 

Airborne Toxic Event definitely had the crowd going wild after their amazing performances of "Sometime Around Midnight" and "Changing." Although all the members of Airborne Toxic were great, the lead singer Mikel Jolllet certainly stood out. He had great charisma and at one point even ran into the crowd while singing.

Despite the crowd being seated, by the end the majority were standing and singing along. The finale was fantastic - a strong performance of innocence left the entire audience wanting to hear more.

If you get the chance to see them, do it!

Tour Dates:
12th May. Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ

For more information regarding tickets and tour dates, check out: http://www.theairbornetoxicevent.com/shows

Mikel Jollet

Anna Bulbrook

Maps & Atlases Review

I have previously posted about this band: Maps & Atlases.

On 6th March I was fortunate enough to see Maps & Atlases live at Dingwalls, Camden in London.

Supporting Maps & Atlases was The Physics House Band.

The set list for Maps & Atlases was: Pigeon, Winter, Artichokes, Old & Gray, Remote & Dark Years, Will, The Charm, Old Ash, If This is, Was, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Silver Self, Living Decorations, Fever, Solid Ground. Their encore consisted of: Daily News.

In terms of comparing this gig with others that I have been to I would have to give it an average score of 6/7. For me there were times when Erin Elders, Shiraz Dada, Chris Hainey and Dave Davison seemed to struggle to capture and hold the full attention of the crowd. Also the performances of their tracks just didn't seem to construe the true excellence that their tracks boast on record.

Despite my slight disappointment however I still had a great night of live music. When Maps & Atlases performed their single, "Silver Self" the crowd kicked into action and went positively crazy. In addition to this I thoroughly enjoyed their fantastic cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears.

Overall despite my initial disappointment of Maps & Atlases failing to live up to their full potential and my expectations, I still had a lot of fun. By the end of the night the sell out crowd seemed to be pleased and so I would say if you are a fan than definitely give them a go.

King Charles

This indie folk singer from London is awesome.

I first came across King Charles when he supported Mumford and Sons in NYC a few years ago. After seeing him perform live I was an instant fan. During his set I was particularly impressed with the performance of his single "Love Lust." Also that night King Charles accompanied Mumford and Sons during their fantastic encore performance of "Lady of the River." This talented artist not only can sing but can play the guitar, piano and cello.

Charles who is referred mostly by his stage name, King Charles, first went on tour in 2008 with Noah and the Whale, and Laura Marling. He has received quite the fan base over the years, and from my own experience I can say you won't be left bored. Not one to easily forget, with his wild mess/beehive hair do, handlebar moustache and old school quirky attire, this vibrant singer will have you tapping your foot to the beat by the end of his shows. 

Tour dates:
1st April. Rescue Rooms - Nottingham
2nd April. Colchester Art Centre - Colchester
3rd April. o2 Academy - Leicester
4th April. Waterfront - Norwich
5th April. Central Station - Wrexham
6th April. The Sugarmill - Stoke-On-Trent
7th April. Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton
8th April. The Kazimier - Liverpool
9th April. Leopard - Doncaster

For more information regarding tour dates and tickets check out: http://www.kingcharles-music.com/

Icona Pop

This duo are a force to be reckoned with.

Icona Pop, made up of Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt, are a Swedish DJ/ pop duo who incorporate electro, pop, indie and punk into their music. The theme of their music is to create sounds that allow people to "both laugh and cry at the same time."

Now based in LA/ NYC, this duo act are receiving rave reviews from all around the world. Their most popular single "I Love It" has featured in many hit television programs and commercials.

Artists that I am reminded of a great deal when listening to Icona Pop are The Naked and Famous, Solange, and Niki & the Dove. If you want to hear more of their stuff, check out their two EPs "Nights Like This," and "Iconic."

Tour dates: 
7th June. The Governors Ball Music Festival 2013 - NYC

For more information regarding tickets and the rest of their N.American and European tour, check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/4030766-icona-pop/calendar?page=1

Daughter

Indie folk at its finest.

Daughter, made up of Elena Tonra, Igor Haefeli, and Remi Aguilella are already achieving great things. Their debut single Smother has helped to build the bands already growing reputation by featuring on many popular tv shows including Skins and Vampire Diaries.

If artists Ben Howard, Bon Iver, and Keaton Henson are your calling than so are these. Personally lead singer Elena Tonra reminds me a great deal of a more 'deep and meaningful' version of Ingrid Michaelson.

 This band is due to release their debut album "If You Leave" on 18th March. If however you are unable to wait this long you can check out their EPs (released between 2010 - 2011) "Demos," "His Young Heart" and "The Wild Youth."

I really am a huge fan of this band I seriously urge you to check them out. If indie/ indie folk is your thing than Daughter will certainly tick all the boxes. Their soft vocals, eerie tones and painfully honest acoustic performances will have you truly enraptured.

Tour Dates: 
21st April. The Institue - Birmingham
22nd April. Liverpool Cathedral - Liverpool
23rd April. Oxford Town Hall - Oxford
24th April. Old Fire Station - Bournemouth
25th May. Victoria Park - London
30th - 1st Sept. End of the Road Festival - Salisbury

For more information regarding tickets and tour dates, check out: http://www.ents24.com/web/artist/159884/Daughter.html

Django Django

Four Londoners for you to check out.

Django Django are a British Rock band consisting of David Maclean, Vincent Neff, Jimmy Dixon and Tommy Grace. These four first got together back in 2009 when they met at Edinburgh College of Art.

In January of this year (2012) Django Django released their self titled debut album. Although it only reached number 33 on the UK Album charts, the band were nominated for the 2012 Mercury Prize. Songs that feature on this album include; my personal favourite "Default," "Waveforms" and "Storm."

I am a huge fan of this band, I urge you to check them out.

Tour Dates:
21st Dec. O2 Shepherds Bush Empire - London
7th Feb. O2 Academy Newcastle - Newcastle Upon Tyne
8th Feb. Manchester Academy - Manchester
9th Feb. O2 Academy - Leeds
11th Feb. O2 Academy - Glasgow
12th Feb. Rock City - Nottingham
13th Feb. 02 Academy - Liverpool
15th Feb. UEA - Norwich
16th Feb. O2 Academy - Birmingham
17th Feb. Cardiff University SU - Cardiff
19th Feb. O2 Academy - Bristol
20th Feb. O2 Academy - Bournemouth
21st Feb. Brighton Dome - Brighton
23rd Feb. O2 Academy Brixton - London
25th May. Victoria Park - London

For information regarding tickets and/ or tour dates check out: http://www.ents24.com/web/artist/120686/Django_Django.html

The Low Anthem

This seemingly unknown American indie folk band is definitely worth checking out if you listen to bands such as 'Iron and Wine,' and 'Tallest Man on Earth.'

The thing I particularly like about The Low Anthem is they have no intention playing any of their songs in the same way night after night. Since each of the band members play an array of different instruments, The Low Anthem are successful in achieving this goal and as a result continually perform great gigs.

Something that should also get a mention is the bands willingness to deliver a great show to their fans. For their gig in Boston on 10/21/11 The Low Anthem took their gig outside as they had not finished their set list by the time the venue had to close for the night. Its not often you hear bands willing to do this, so with this in mind I urge you to give this band a go and see them live.

Songs I recommend checking out are "Charlie Darwin," "To Ohio" and "The Horizon is a Beltway."

Tour dates:
27th October. Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, Pace University - NYC

For more information about their N.American tour or to buy tickets visit: http://www.songkick.com/artists/934168-low-anthem

The View

 I absolutely love this band.

The View are an indie band from Scotland who incorporates pop, folk, punk, acoustic and rock into all their songs. The View has yet to disappoint me when it comes to releasing great songs. On 6th March The View released "Grace," the first song from their third and recently released album "Bread and Circuses."

If you are into bands like The Holloways, The Courteeners, The Enemy and The Pigeon Detectives, than this band is for you. Their gigs would certainly be lively due to their incredibly upbeat tunes and catchy lyrics. I hope to see this band live in the future and would push for you to do the same.

Songs to definitely check out by this band are Wasteland, Same Jeans, and Superstar Tradesman.

  

Tour dates: 

23rd June. O2 Academy - Oxford
25th June. Wedgewood Rooms - Portsmouth

28th June. The Junction - Cambridge

For more information about tickets visit: http://www.ents24.com/web/artist/39119/The_View.html

The Drums Music Review

One of my fiends offered me a spare ticket which she had to The Drums in NYC- of course I couldn't say no; so I would just like to say a huge thank you for giving me a ticket to their sold out show.

The Drums support was Mathew Dear and all I will say is: Dreadful!!

Despite the awful support act, The Drums were able to save the night with their great performance. The Drums are a four piece indie rock band from Brooklyn, NY. In June 2010, The Drums released their debut album "The Drums" which includes the songs Lets go Surfing, Forever and Ever Amen, Down By The Water, and Best Friend. Their long awaited second album is due to be released in June of this year.

I had never been to last nights venue (the Knitting Factory) but I really liked it. I enjoy intimate gigs, although the venue was a bit of a mission to get to, it was a great place to see the band up close. The main room is small, with a bar on one side and a merchandise table on the other side. What I like most about small venues is the small amount of  hustle and bustle you have to go through to get a good view of the stage.

Surprisingly last nights crowd was very diverse, there were young children, older people, rockers, businessmen, people on their own, couples and families. Despite the various ages and styles of the crowd, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and danced and sang along to the music.  

To say The Drums are enthusiastic/energetic performers would be an understatement. The lead singer, Johnathon Pierce certainly gets taken over by the music as he waves his arms and dances flamboyantly around the stage. The Drums look every inch a true indie band with their vintage sweaters and shirts, denim jackets and skinny jeans, so combine this with their great song and you have the perfect mix for a great show.

Tour dates:
22nd April. Webster Hall - NYC
3rd June. Dot To Dot Festival 2012 - Nottingham, UK
8-10th June. Rockness 2012 - Inverness, UK

For more information about tickets and other tour dates visit: http://www.songkick.com/artists/162568-drums/calendar

Lead singer, Johnathon Pierce

The Drums live @Knitting Factory

Lykke Li Music Gig

 Lykke Li is a Swedish indie singer who first hit the music scene in 2008. Lykke Li incorporates pop, electronic, and indie rock into her songs by using many instruments such as violins, tambourines, trumpets, saxophone, and cellos. 

Lykke Li has recently attracted many indie fans due her to fantastic cover of "knocked up" by Kings of Leon. Lykke Li has two albums to date, her debut album "Youth Novels" and the recently released "Wounded Rhymes." 

If you like bands such as Robyn, Beth Ditto, Ellie Goulding and Bat for Lashes, than you should definitely check out Lykke Li. 

Lykki Li is awesome live. Her great voice, constant engagement with the crowd and continual dancing around the stage leaves the crowd wanting more. If you want an enjoyable night of good music than this is a gig for you.

Tour dates:
30th Oct. O2 ABC - Glasgow, UK
31st Oct. Manchester Academy 2 - Manchester,  UK
1st Nov. Roundhouse - London UK.

for more information on tickets check out: Lykke Li ticket info

Arcade Fire and Mumford & Sons Music Gig.

 Both these bands are awesome and a must see! Arcade Fire is an indie rock band made up of seven musicians from Quebec. They have released three albums "Funerals," "Neon Bible" and "The Suburbs" and won many prestigious awards, the most recent being "Best International Album" and "Best International Group" at the 2011 BRIT Awards. If you like bands such as The Strokes, Broken Social Scene and/ or The National, than Arcade Fire is a band for you. One thing that must not go unsaid is their excellent reputation for consistently delivering outstanding gigs. With this in mind I urge you to buy tickets quickly as they usually sell out fast.

The supporting acts for Arcade Fire are Beirut, The Vaccines, and Mumford & Sons. I have to admit that even if the headliner was rubbish I would still try to get tickets to this gig simply to see Mumford & Sons again!

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

Not only are these four Londoners great live singers, but they have great personality's which always come out during their shows. This is a band that can certainly work a crowd, to the extent that they had the whole crowd eating from their hand, creating a euphoric atmosphere. During both gigs Mumford & Sons performed their popular hits Sigh No More, Little Lion Man and The Cave as well as new material such as the unreleased song, Below My Feet.  

Since finishing their US tour, Mumford & Sons have been working on their next album - so I urge you all to get tickets to see them as it is certainly a gig not to be missed.

For more information about this gig, and to buy tickets visit: http://tickets.telegraph.co.uk/arcade-fire-tickets/hyde-park-london/30-june-2011/E-119489/

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White Lies Music Gig

This is a great indie rock band from London, UK. White Lies formed in 2007 but only started growing in popularity with the release of their songs "Unfinished Business" and "Death" in 2009. If you are a fan of bands such as The Klaxons, Editors, Interpol and Fear of Flying then this is a band you need to check out. White Lies have two albums, "To Lose My Life.." which hit number one on the UK Album Charts, and "Ritual" which was just recently released in January of this year. The lead singer Harry McVeigh has a very distinct voice which allows you to instantly recognize their songs. Generally their songs, although quite dark, are very uplifting and inspiring. 

Even though I have not seen this band live, I am an avid listener of their music and will definitely be looking to see White Lies live in the future.

 

Tour Dates:

26th Mar. Proud2 - London, UK. 

19th May. Terminal 5 - NYC.

8th Jul. T in the Park - Scotland, UK

13th Jul. iTunes Festival - London, UK.

For more information check out the site: http://www.songkick.com/artists/705077-white-lies/calendar?page=1

Run Toto Run Music Gig

A friend came across this band and told me to check them out. The first song I checked out by them was a cover of Bombay Bicycle Club's "Always Like This" and I thought it was pretty good. I then came across a cover of "Sleepy Head" by Passion Pit which I really liked.

Run Toto Run is a three piece indie electro pop band from Manchester, UK and reminds me a great deal of bands such as Kate Nash, Passion Pit and the Ting Tings. New to the music scene, Run Toto Run is a band that is worth looking out for. 

Tour dates (UK tour only):
10th March. The Harley - Sheffield, UK.
19th March. The Castle - Manchester, UK.
25th March. The Box - Crewe, UK. 
26th March. Radio Session - Manchester, UK.
1st April. Soundcontrol - Manchester, UK. 
21st May. Capesthorne Hall - Cheshire, UK. 
22nd May. Capesthorne Hall - Cheshire, UK. 

For more details visit: http://www.myspace.com/runtotomusic

Kele Okereke Music Gig

My number 1 band to listen to is Bloc Party, an indie rock band from London, UK. I started listening to this band in 2003 when I came across the song "Banquet" which is my favorite of all Bloc Party's songs. I have seen this band live and thought they were incredible. Watching them live was awesome as they performed their songs with so much energy that they had the whole crowd buzzed and the atmosphere was electrifying. The main performer of the band, Kele was definitely the natural performer and so when it was announced that the band were going on hiatus and he was going solo I was excited to see what he would do.

I have not been left disappointed. Kele Okereke released his first solo album "The Boxer" which includes the songs "Tenderoni" and "Everything You Want." Whilst I was at Glastonbury Music Festival over the summer Kele performed a great set. He sang both his own stuff and material from when he was in Bloc Party such as "Flux." This is definitely a gig not to miss out on.

Tour dates:
19th March. The Plug- Sheffield, UK
19th - 21st Aug. V Festival - Staffordshire, UK

The Airborne Toxic Event

 I am a huge fan of this band.

The Airborne Toxic Event is a five piece indie-rock band from Los Angeles. If you like bands such as Silversun Pickups, The Gaslight Anthem and The Bravery, than The Airborne Toxic Event are a band you definitely should check out.

To date, Airborne Toxic Event have released two albums; their debut self titled album "The Airborne Toxic Event" and "All at Once" (2011). It has recently been announced that they will be releasing a third album "Such Hot Blood" in April of this year - I cant wait!!

I have been fortunate enough to see this band live - to check out my review, click on the Link. I would highly recommend everyone to go and see them live, however I would stress that you should get tickets ASAP as tickets to their live shows frequently sell out.

 Tour dates:
4th April. Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
5th April. Academy 2 - Manchester, UK
8th April. Cockpit - Leeds, UK
10th April. Wedgewood Rooms - Portsmouth, UK
19th April. Dublin Castle - London, UK
20th April. Barfly - London, UK
21st April. Kings College - London, UK
22nd April. Koko - London, UK
2nd May. Pianos - NYC
3rd May. Mercury Lounge - NYC
4th May. Bowery Ballroom - NYC
5th May. Webster Hall - NYC
6th May. Town Hall - NYC


For more information see : http://www.theairbornetoxicevent.com/shows

Warpaint Music Gig

This fairly unknown band is definitely one to look out for. I am a big fan of this band and expect them to grow a lot in popularity as they start touring around more. This band is originally  from Los Angeles and have been together since 2004, however due to only touring around LA many people have never come across them. I randomly heard this band when their song "Shadows" was playing on the radio back in the UK. Their voices remind me of artisits like Cat Power and Zola Jesus, whilst their songs remind me of The XX. They have a very unique sound which can instantly recognized when listening to songs from their album "The Fool." This is certainly a gig I want to get tickets for.

Tour dates:
21st Feb. O2 Shepherds Bush Empire - Shepherds Bush, UK.
30th Mar. Brooklyn Bowl - NYC
31st Mar. The Bowery Ballroom - NYC

TV on the Radio Music Gig

I first heard this band when one of their songs was played on a One Tree Hill episode. After finding the name of the song and discovering who this band was, I checked out the rest of their album and really liked what I heard! What I especially love about this band is the number of different genres they cover - from electro to soul. This range of sound means it is difficult to get bored of this band as all their songs are all pretty different from each other.

Tour dates: 
13th April. Radio City Music Hall - NYC
11th August. Celebrate Brooklyn - NYC

Tickets go on sale Friday 2/18 at 11.00AM

Cold War Kids Music Gig

Great band! Great songs! I can only predict it to be a.....great concert!
Having had their song "Hang me up to dry" on my ipod for a very long time I will admit they have never really been high on my radar. However this soon changed when I came across the song "Hospital beds" which I had only ever heard sung by Florence and the Machine. I immediately loved their version and was eager to check out the rest of their songs, something which did not leave me disappointed.  

Tour dates:
20th Feb. Manchester Academy - Manchester,UK. 
21st Feb. The Garage - Glasgow, UK.
22nd Feb. O2 Academy Birmingham - Birmingham, UK. 
23rd Feb. Koko - London, UK.
24th March. Radio City Music Hall - NYC

To buy tickets visit: http://www.terminal5nyc.com/event/5654