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/

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

Kings of Leon Review

LOVE LOVE LOVE this band!

Kings of Leon are a four man American rock band from Tennessee. Although they first formed together in 1999 it was not until 2008 that they got their first big break. Their big break came from the two BRIT awards they won from the success of their platinum selling album "Only By Night." This album includes their three number one singles, Sex Is On Fire, Use Somebody, and Notion.

To date, this band has released five albums; "Youth & Young Manhood," "Aha Shake Heartbeat," "Because of the Times," "Only by the Night," and the most recent (back in 2010) "Come Around Sundown." Although this group have been on hiatus for the last couple of years, they are doing a series of gigs over the next upcoming months, and are also due to release a sixth album "Mechanical Bull," sometime this year.

I have seen Kings of Leon twice, once in Manchester and once in Hyde Park, London.  For me seeing them play in Manchester on their sold out UK tour two years ago was the most memorable experience. I was originally put off by the price of the ticket and the size of the venue (absolutely massive!) when I was buying the tickets. Shockingly, although I was quite far back from the stage, and the arena was filled with hundreds of fans, the atmosphere was not only electrifying but intimate as well.

I have to admit I have never a seen a crowd of such magnitude become so wild and excited during a gig before. The reception that the band received when they first stepped out onto the stage was so great that it was five minutes until the band could even begin singing.

Considering the gig was only an hour and a half the crowd was certainly spoiled by the number of great songs they got to hear. When I saw them in Manchester their set list was flavorless and included Crawl, Taper Jean Girl, Molly's Chamber, Red Morning Light, Fans, California Waiting, Milk, Closer, Four Kicks, Charmer, My Party, Sex is on Fire, The Bucket, On Call, Cold Desert, and Use Somebody.

What made their performance even more memorable for me was the amount of effort and passion they put into each of their songs.The band seemed in both shock and gratitude by the response the crowd gave them. When it came to the encore, Kings Of Leon ended their show with four more songs including Knocked Up and Manhattan. I was generally gutted when the gig came to an end because the time seemed to fly by.

The quality of the music and talent shown by Kings of Leon was so high that the lack of on stage props and extras did not matter. I would certainly say this is a gig not to be missed.

If you wish to read my review of their live peformance at Hyde Park, check out: http://musicgigsnfestivals.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/kings-of-leon-hyde-park-review.html

Tour dates: 
12th June. The 02 Arena - London
13th June. The O2 Arena - London
24th June. Manchester Arena - Manchester
25th June. Manchester Arena - Manchester
9th July. LG Arena - Birmingham
10th July. LG Arena - Birmingham
14th August. Boucher Playing Fields - Belfast
15th August. Bellahouston Park - Glasgow
17th August - V Festival

For more information about their European dates and to buy tickets check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/2847-kings-of-leon/calendar?page=1

We Are Scientists

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

For more information about tickets and tour dates check out: http://nme.seetickets.com/tour/we-are-scientists?src=id1nmenewsrhsgtngtn

Marina and the Diamonds

This Welsh indie pop singer/ songwriter is certainly one to watch out for! Marina and the Diamonds was first noticed after coming second in the BBC Sound poll list in 2010. Her stage name, Marina and the Diamonds, comes from the lead singers full name, Marina Diamandis, and the Greek translation of her last name. When asked, Marina replies, "I'm Marina. You are the diamonds."

In 2010, Marina and the Diamonds released her debut album "The Family Jewels" which went to number five in the UK album charts. Her second album "Electra Heart," which includes the singles "Rdioactive" and "Jealousy," was released in April this year and went straight to No.1 in the UK charts.

Despite Marina's deep vocals, it seems her unique fashion sense gets her more noticed. When asked, Marina describes her style to be a mix of "vintage, cheerleader and cartoon."

Since hitting the music scene, Marina has been touring around and promoting her album. She has had many successful performances including the Isle of Wight Festival, Glastonbury Festival and Leeds Festival. After the success of their "Family Jewels Tour," Marina and the Diamonds are certainly a band you should check out.

Tour Dates
29th May. Rumsey Playfield, Central Park - NYC


For more information regarding tickets and tour dates (N.American ) check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/709564-marina-and-the-diamonds/calendar?page=4

Fleetwood Mac

There is nothing wrong with a bit of old school. I truly love this band. 

Although this Brisith-American rock band first got together in 1967, it has by no means been a smooth and happy ride. This group has gone through everything including number one hits, sell out tours, solo careers, divorces, break ups and fights. 

Despite their rocky track record there is no question however this band is amazing. Their top hits include Rhiannon, Landslide, Dreams, Go Your Own Way, Chains and Tell Me Lies. 

Recently Stevie Nicks announced that Fleetwood Mac would be getting back together once again and touring in 2012. In addition to this, there are rumours that another album will be released. 

To date, Fleetwood Mac have released over twenty albums. "The Dance," being their reunion album, was released in 1997 and their most recent album, "Say You Will," was released in 2003. Although their are many albums, the groups' members have changed constantly over the years. 

John McVie and Mick Fleetwood have been the most constant members in the band, being present for practically the entire Fleetwood Mac journey. The lead vocalists Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks are the next prominant members in the group, however Christine left the band in the 90s and has yet to announce whether she will be re-joining the other members for the tour in 2012. Today Fleetwood Mac consists of John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

Although they have had their fair share of ups and downs this band is full of great muscians, and would be truely awesome to see live. I will certainly be trying to get tickets to their tour - but a hint to you all - buy tickets as soon as they are released as their 2009 tour tickets sold out in just twelve minutes.   

Tour dates:
8th April. Madison Square Garden - NYC
24th April. Prudential Center - Newark, NJ
24th Sept. The O2 Arena - London
29th Sept. LG Arena - Birmingham
1st Oct. Manchester Arena - Manchester

For more information regarding (all) tour dates and tickets check out: http://nme.seetickets.com/search?q=fleetwood%20mac&browseOrder=Soonest&pageSize=30&pageIndex=1 and http://www.ticketmaster.com/Fleetwood-Mac-tickets/artist/735087

David Gray

David Gray is an English folk rocker singer/ songwriter that first hit the music scene in 1993. Since then he has released a number of albums including 'A Century Ends," "Flesh" and "Sell Sell Sell." Despite all these albums, Gray didn't become popular until 2000 when he broke into mainstream pop and released the album "White Ladder." White Ladder included many popular songs such as This Years Love, Babylon and Sail Away.

In 2002, David Gray released yet another album called "A New Day At Midnight" which went straight to number one in the UK album charts. After the success of this album Gray went on a three year hiatus, only to return in 2005 with the release of the album "Slow Motion."

If you like artists such as Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee and Counting Crows than this is a band for you. David gray not only has a fabulous voice, but the ability to simply pick up a guitar and belt out a flawless acoustic number. I have seen David Gray live and was very impressed. If you like gigs where you are guaranteed a solid performance with a chilled and mellow atmosphere, than this is for you. 

Tour Dates:
6th March. Islington Assembly Hall - London, UK

For more information or to buy tickets visit: http://www.songkick.com/artists/539549-david-gray

Other Lives

I am a HUGE fan of this American indie band from Oklahoma. This band, who originally went by the name Kunek, has to date released two albums; their debut self titled album "Other Lives" and "Tamer Animals."

This band, over the years, has built up quite the strong fan base. Having toured with the likes of Rosebud, Radiohead, and Bon Iver, this band have certainly not gone unnoticed. Although this band has yet to become mainstream, don't be put off, their music is amazing. 

Songs to definitely check out by this band are"Black Tables," "Tamer Animals" and "Desert."

For this gig you should expect acoustic performances, very little interaction and a band that uses an assortment of different instruments. Although the music of the Other Lives is certainly not upbeat or even dance worthy it is both powerful and hypnotic, and will leave you feeling moved and transfixed.

Other lives are currently embarking on their N.America tour and will be heading back to the studio to begin work on their third album, which they hope to release sometime in 2013. 

If the music from the twilight saga is your calling, than this band is for you. Deep, dark and incredibly indie, I urge you to give em a go! They really are very good. 

Tour dates:
28th November. The Bowery Ballroom - NYC
29th November. Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY

For details regarding tickets and the rest of their N.American tour check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/2353203-other-lives/calendar?page=1

Bon Iver Review

I absolutely love this band.

Bon Iver is an indie folk band who first formed back in 2007. The bands debut album "For Emma, Forever Ago" was released in 2007 and includes the tracks "Flumes," "The Wolves (Act 1 and 11)," "Skinny Love" and "Lump Sun." In June 2011 Bon Iver released their second album "Bon Iver." This album proved to be equally as successful as their first, with over 100,000 copies sold during its first week in the US alone.

If you like bands such as Fleet Foxes, Tallest Man On Earth, and Iron & Wine, than this is a band for you.

I have been hoping to see Bon Iver live for a number of years now, so when I was fortunate to get tickets to their Manchester gig I was ecstatic. Having got there early enough, I was able to get prime standing position (3 people from the very front) and boy was it amazing.

I can say without any doubt that this is by far one of the best live performances I have ever seen. The vocal and musical ability demonstrated by the band was breathtaking. The set list for their manchester performance was; Perth, Minnesota (WI), Brackett (WI), Towers, Flume, Creature Fear, Hinnom (TX), Wash, Woods, Calgary, Blood Bank, Holocene, Lisbon (OH), Beth/rest. For the encore, they performed; Skinny Love, and For Emma. (I was a little disappointed they didn't perform their hit single "Wolves").

With all nine members in their positions, this hour and half gig was everything I hoped. True to their album, the sounds created by the band were intense and highly emotional. Justin Vernon was fabulous - a great character who had the entire arena crowd eating from the palm of his hand. He put everything into each song, and created awesome banter between tracks,

I can't stress how truly magnificent this show was. If you have the chance please check them out - they are definitely worth it. For me the highlight of the show was Bon Iver performing skinny Love and Flume - two great singles, and personal favourites of my mine.

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

Florence and the Machine

If you have not heard of Florence and the Machine, then where have you been?

Florence and the Machine are an indie pop band from the UK. They first hit the music scene in 2006  and have since gone from strength to strength. The band debut album "Lungs" which includes the songs "Dog days are over" and "You've got the love," reached number one in the UK and was one of the best selling albums of 2009 and 2010. Their latest album "Ceremonials" was released in October of this year and reached number one in the UK and Irish charts and reached the top 10 in the US. Songs to definitely check out from this album include "What the Water Gave Me," "Shake It Out" and "Never Let Me Go."

I am a huge fan of this band and have been lucky enough to see them live twice. Both times I was not left disappointed and would definitely look to see them live again. I would easily give their gigs 10 out of 10, since Florence Welch has an amazing voice, great stage presence and a brilliant ability to work the whole crowd. I will warn you though, Welch does constantly jump up and down on the spot during her songs - something that many people can get irritated about. If however you can get past the jumping this gig is definitely a must see!

Tour dates:
4th December. Westpoint Arena  - Exeter
5th December. The O2 -  London
9th December. AECC - Aberdeen
10th December. Liverpool Echo Arena - Liverpool

For information regarding tour dates and tickets, check out: Florence and the Machine tickets and http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Florence-The-Machine-tickets/artist/1362337

Ed Sheeran

This is a pretty interesting guy...and talented too!

Ed Sheeran is a singer/songwriter from West Yorkshire. In 2009 Ed Sheeran played 312 gigs and had to resort to 'sofa surfing' due to having no money. However, Sheeran got his big break in February 2010 when he got noticed by rapper Example, who invited him to tour with him.

Things just kept getting better for Sheeran when in 2010 his already growing fan base rocketed in response to his self posted YouTube videos. Not only did his videos gain him attention, but the likes of Elton John, Rio Ferdinand and the Independant newspaper were all eager to sing his praises, putting Ed Sheeran firmly on the radar for someone to watch out for.

Ed Sheeran performed 5 times at this years Glastonbury and received great reviews. There is no question about it, this boy is on the road to stardom..and you should get tickets NOW!!!

His debut single "A team" reached number 3 in the UK charts after its first week of release and his debut album "+" which was released on 19th September 2011 topped the UK charts for a number of weeks.

In 2012 Sheeran continued his success by receiving Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist, and British Breakthrough of the year. He also recently supported Snow Patrol on their US tour, something that helped build his name and fan base drastically.

 Tour dates
18th - 19th Aug. V Festival - Weston Park, UK
13th Oct. HMV Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
14th Octt. HMV Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
15th Oct. HMV Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
16th Oct. HMV Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
17th Oct. HMV Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
19th Oct. Brighton Center - Brighton, UK
20th Oct. Newport Centre - Newport, UK
21st  Oct. BIC - Windsor Hall - Bournemouth, UK
22nd Oct. Pavilion - Plymouth, UK
24th Oct. Oasis Leisure Centre- Swindon, UK
26th Oct. Rivermead  - Reading, UK
28th Oct. The Ballroom - Birmingham, UK
29th Oct. The Ballroom - Birmingham, UK
31st Oct. Capital  FM Arena - Nottingham, UK
1st Nov. O2 Apollo - Manchester, UK
2nd Nov. 02 Apollo - Manchester, UK
3rd Nov. 02 Apollo - Manchester, UK
5th Nov. Doncaster Dome - Doncaster, UK
6th Nov. Doncaster Dome - Doncaster, UK
7th Nov. Hull Arena - Hull, UK
8th Nov. Empress Ballroom - Blackpool, UK
12th Nov. Usher Hall - Edinburgh, UK
14th Nov. Barrowland - Glasgow, UK
15th Nov. Barrowland - Glasgow, UK
16th Nov. Barrowland - Glasgow, UK


To buy tickets or for more information regarding the rest of his European and UK tour check out: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Ed-Sheeran-tickets/artist/1560779#artist_table_focus

Bombay Bicycle Club Review

I am a huge fan of this band. 

A popular alternative rock band from the UK, Bombay Bicycle Club are someone you should definitely check out. 

Since winning Channel 4's "Road to V" competition in 2006, Bombay Bicycle Club has continue to fins success and achieve great things. To date, this band has released three albums; "I had the Blues but I Shook Them Loose" (2009), "Flaws" (2010) and "A Different Kind Of Fix" (2011). 

Last year I was fortunate enough to see Bombay Bicycle Club live in New York. For a ticket priced at $10, this gig was an absolute bargain, and I loved how small the venue was. Bombay Bicycle Club was playing at the Mercury Lounge, which is just two long rooms; one filled with a narrow long bar which leads into an equally small room with a stage in it. I have never been to such an intimate gig before, but it was great as I was literally only an arm’s length away from all the action. It’s not often that there is no hustling through a crowd to ensure you have a spot where you can see the band.

I was surprised with the crowd – despite being aware you had to be over 21 to enter, it wasn’t a young crowd at all. I also found that apart from the immediate crowd of people by the stage, people were very subdued and vacant. This did not seem to affect Bombay Bicycle Club however, as when on the stage they transformed from these nerdy looking boys into becoming indie musicians that seriously rocked out on their guitars.  

I was unsure before the gig to how Jack Steadman’s (the lead singer) voice would be during a live show, something I certainly didn’t need to be. His riveting, deep and wavering voice translated into his songs just as well as they do on their albums. His voice simply allowed more emotion to be transferred into each of the songs, which made them seem even more powerful when listening to them. Due to the waver in his voice however, there were times when the bass and the drums drowned his voice out, but this only happened on a few occasions. Something that was more noticeable however was the use of base guitars and drums, which surprised me as they seemed more of an indie-rock band than their more recent label as an acoustic folk band.

One thing however I did find was how awkward this band seemed. Between songs only Steadman ever spoke, and he either thanked the crowd for coming out, or simply said nothing and went straight into the next song. Despite being one of the quickest concerts I have ever been to, the energy given by the band was high throughout and the quality of the performance was such that you were left wishing to hear more.

Songs they sang included, Cancel on Me, Magnet, Lamplight and my absolute favorite Always Like This.

I would give this gig a rating of 7.5/10. I had a great time and they delivered a great performance, although comparing it to a band, such as Mumford & Sons, it was not quite there! I will add though, I was impressed that all the members happily hung around the bar at the end of the show and talked to fans for a little bit, something many bands don’t often do.

Tour Dates:
30th July. Webster Hall - NYC
12th August. Hyde Park Closing Ceremony - London, UK
24th August. Reading Festival - Reading, UK
25th August. Leeds Festival - Leeds, UK

For more information regarding N.America tour dates and tickets, check out: http://www.bombaybicycleclubmusic.com/live.php


Previous Blog entry regarding Bombay Bicycle club: http://musicgigsnfestivals.blogspot.com/2011/02/bombay-bicycle-club.html

Kate Nash Music Gig

I have seen many great bands perform over the years. For every gig that I go to I go through the same feelings of excitement and anticipation beforehand. I love to see how each gig varies by the type of crowd it attracts, who is supporting, how good the band is live, and whether they can work a crowd or not.

I have experienced many gigs, from moshing to the Fratellis, standing in an intimate gig watching The National, to standing in a crowd of 100,000 to watch Faithless. Despite all these great experiences however there are the occasional disappointments, one being when I saw Kate Nash live at Glastonbury.

I really liked Kate Nash's debut album "Made of Bricks" as it included many great songs like Birds and Foundations. After the release of this album, Kate Nash continued to release a number of great tracks and personal favorites like Merry Happy and Mouthwash. However after the tour of her first album, it was reported that Kate Nash had a "proper breakdown." Since her return at the end of 2009, Kate Nash seems to have not only changed her appearance, but the style of her songs. I am not really keen on her new songs or her second album "My Best Friend is You."

When I saw Kate Nash live she mostly sang songs from her second album which was the first disappointment for me. Next, I disliked how Kate Nash constantly swore and repeatedly told the crowd to wake up, and at one point even told us to not be so "F****** shy" - not the best way I feel to work the crowd!! In addition to this, I found her performance very uncomfortable to watch as she seemed to shout her songs, rather than sing them.

Overall I would have to say give this gig a miss!

Nash is currently touring around the UK. To see her tour dates visit: http://www.ents24.com/web/artist/94689/Kate_Nash.html

Colbie Caillat

I saw Colbie Caillat not too long ago and sadly I was a little disappointed.

Colbie Caillat is a singer-songwriter from California who first hit the music scene in 2007. She has two albums 'Coco' and 'Breakthrough' and is due to release her third on the 12th July. Her hit singles include "Bubbly," "The Little Things," and "I Never Told You."

One of my friends is a HUGE Colbie Caillat fan and so they persuaded me to go with the them to see her live in NYC. Although she is a great singer and has a number of great tracks, I felt her gig was missing something. 

Despite their being packed crowd, I felt the gig lacked any real atmosphere and excitement. She didn't do  much in terms of work the crowd - rather she just sang her songs and smiled a lot. Compared to gigs that I have been to, like Mumford & Sons and Imogen Heap, I would have to say Colbie Caillat would not be on my list of artists/ bands to see again.

Overall I would give this gig  low rating- your not missing out on anything by not going...sorry!

Tour dates:
30th May. Paramont Theater - NY
2nd June. Rumsey Playfield - NYC

For more information regarding tickets and her North & South America tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/258548-colbie-caillat/calendar?page=1

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Switchfoot

Switchfoot are an American Rock Band from San Diego, California.

Although predictable, I will admit I only became aware of Switchfoot when I watched "A walk to Remember." Just like everyone else my favorite song from the movie was "Dare You To Move" which ranked #73 on the Rhapsody list of the Top 100 Tracks of the Decade.

Swtichfoot to date have released six albums "The Legend of Chin," "New Way to Be Human," Learning To  Breathe," "The Beautiful Letdown," "Nothing is Sound," "Oh! Gravity," "Hello Hurricane" and the recently releaed "Vice Versa."

In addition to their huge selection of great songs, Switchfoot are known to be pretty great performers who can rock any venue. Although I have yet to see them live myself, Switchfoot have been around since the 1990s and are by no means strangers to touring - these boys know how to put on a great show. 

Expect front man, Jon Foreman, to crowd surf. Expect a sell out crowd. Expect a crowd of rockers of all ages, and finally expect a great night of live music.

Tour Dates:
21st June. Isle of Wight Festival 2012 - Isle Of Wight, UK

6th August. Darien Lake Performing Arts Center - Darien Center, NYC

For more information regarding tickets and their US and European tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/442995-switchfoot/calendar?page=1

Zola Jesus

This Gothic rock singer is definitely worth checking out.

I will say however, this gig should be avoided if you dislike deep and meaningful songs, aka what many refer to as depressing music! I'm personally a huge fan of 'meaningful' music and so when I came across Zola Jesus I was certainly not deterred. I will add though that Zola Jesus is quite out there/ quirky!

Many have labeled Zola Jesus' music as Gothic, however when asked she explains her goal is to create something new and avoid the limitation of getting 'labeled.' There is no doubt however that Nika Roza Danilova (the singer of Zola Jesus) has incorporated a certain degree of darkness and horror into her songs.

When she was younger, Nika trained in Opera singing, which certainly comes across strongly in her songs through her very distinct, powerful and even haunting voice. Don't be put off however, this is by no means a bad thing. The use of her strong vocals make her songs become even more passionate and powerful to the listener. 

Zola Jesus gigs leave you with the feeling of mystery which I feel perfectly reflects the tone of her songs. Also  with her years of opera training it is clear to see why Zola Jesus has such a great voice when singing live.

Tour dates:
10th May. Solomon R. Guggenheim - NYC
12th July. Latitude Festival 2012 - Suffolk, UK

For further details regarding Zola Jesus' US and Australian tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/2373357-zola-jesus/calendar

The Kooks

I love, love, love The Kooks!

I saw this band live last year and had a great time. The Kooks are an indie pop band from Brighton, UK and first hit the music scene in 2004. The Kooks have to date released three albums "Inside In/ Inside Out," "Konk" and "Junk of the Heart."

Popular songs by The Kooks include She Moves In Her Own Way, Shine On, Oo La, Seaside, Do Ya Wanna and Naive.

I saw this band in Hyde Park London where they were one of the main acts (other acts included The Killers) to perform at the Hard Rock Calling. Due to them playing in a Park the atmosphere was unreal. Luke Pritchard (lead singer) is not only a great singer with a sexy voice, but a great energetic performer who has the ability to get the entire crowd singing and dancing to all their songs. With their collection of feel good songs, it comes to know surprise that The Kooks have attracted a large fan base over the years. With this in mind I would therefore suggest you buy tickets to see this awesome British band soon as tickets will sell fast.

Tour dates:
27th May. Northern Lights - Clifton, NY
29th May. Rumsey Playfield - Central Park, NYC
20th May. Rumsey Playfield - Central Park, NYC
7th September. Wembley Arena - London, UK (supporting Noel Gallagher)

For more information regarding tickets and their North America and Europe tour dates check out; http://www.songkick.com/artists/349047-kooks/calendar?page=1

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