Saturday 25 June 2016
Saturday 23 April 2016
letlive., Tuffnell Park Dome, 22/04/2016
When a band like letlive. travel over 5000 miles to play four small UK shows, you don't take your chances on missing out. Tonight, these five LA Soul Punx play the first of three sold out London shows, and it's looking to be a rowdy one from the start.
Getting the rowdiness started tonight are Brummy three-piece punk unit, Youth Man. They're loud, they're reckless and as Jason Butler himself says of the support later that evening, they're everything letlive. were when they started out. It's obvious from the energy Youth Man put into their little time in the spotlight that they care about what they're doing and they want to succeed with it. With songs like Pigs and Fat Dead Elvis already sounding deadly, all they need is word of mouth to get them to the places they deserve to be.
Naturally, letlive. are the ones who steal the show tonight. They play the old, the new and the even newer. Day 54, The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion and the very rarely played Lemon Party make raucous appearances and Younger and 27 Club are sounding gnarlier than ever. But of course one of tonight's highlights is Muther. Muther is arguably one of this band's best songs, not only for the crowd to indulge in but the band too. Mid-song Jason takes a moment to address the females in the audience with an empowering little speech about no matter how under-represented they are in a "man's world" they "don't owe any man shit" and that as a band, letlive. will always support that. It felt poignant and in the songs that follow female crowdsurfers adorn the stage one-by-one hugging Jason and thanking him. Jason receiving hugs is a common theme for the rest of the night with as many males going in to hug their hero; one guy even gets a selfie or two! The touching moments continue, especially as Jason breaks from his own lyrics to sing a verse of When Doves Cry, a tribute to the late Prince. Good Mourning, America is another highlight of the night; the crowd bounce and shout back every word of the two week old song, leaving the band astonished at the overwhelming love and support they have in the room tonight.
The whole band are faultless throughout the set and are brimming with happiness and appreciation for the experience they having. Before leaving the stage Jason says "we are not letlive, us and you together, that is letlive." and nothing has ever been more obvious.
Getting the rowdiness started tonight are Brummy three-piece punk unit, Youth Man. They're loud, they're reckless and as Jason Butler himself says of the support later that evening, they're everything letlive. were when they started out. It's obvious from the energy Youth Man put into their little time in the spotlight that they care about what they're doing and they want to succeed with it. With songs like Pigs and Fat Dead Elvis already sounding deadly, all they need is word of mouth to get them to the places they deserve to be.
Naturally, letlive. are the ones who steal the show tonight. They play the old, the new and the even newer. Day 54, The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion and the very rarely played Lemon Party make raucous appearances and Younger and 27 Club are sounding gnarlier than ever. But of course one of tonight's highlights is Muther. Muther is arguably one of this band's best songs, not only for the crowd to indulge in but the band too. Mid-song Jason takes a moment to address the females in the audience with an empowering little speech about no matter how under-represented they are in a "man's world" they "don't owe any man shit" and that as a band, letlive. will always support that. It felt poignant and in the songs that follow female crowdsurfers adorn the stage one-by-one hugging Jason and thanking him. Jason receiving hugs is a common theme for the rest of the night with as many males going in to hug their hero; one guy even gets a selfie or two! The touching moments continue, especially as Jason breaks from his own lyrics to sing a verse of When Doves Cry, a tribute to the late Prince. Good Mourning, America is another highlight of the night; the crowd bounce and shout back every word of the two week old song, leaving the band astonished at the overwhelming love and support they have in the room tonight.
The whole band are faultless throughout the set and are brimming with happiness and appreciation for the experience they having. Before leaving the stage Jason says "we are not letlive, us and you together, that is letlive." and nothing has ever been more obvious.
Sunday 28 February 2016
Enter Shikari, Alexandra Palace, 27/02/2016
Enter Shikari never expected tonight to happen. A small genre-defying band, from a little place like St Albans, headlining the legendary Alexandra Palace, in front of 8500 people? It's stuff that only occurs in the most wild of dreams. As Rou Reynolds himself says tonight "this is a hobby that has got seriously out of hand!" That it has, and this is no dream to be slept through. This is reality and this is one of the most incredible gigs Alexandra Palace will have been home to in a long time.
When you get to headline such a large venue, you get to take a few of your pals out to play with you and tonight that means Arcane Roots open. Possibly the most underrated rock band on the scene right now, they play a tiny set which includes the epic Resolve and fan favourite If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves. Following them are the recently reformed The King Blues. It's obvious Twitch and co. are chuffed to be here as they pour passion into every song they sing. They're received with open arms and it is the perfect way to welcome this band back. Final support of the night comes in the form of America's favourite pop-punk kids The Wonder Years. Absolutely smashing the scene at the moment, the boys race through their set and the crowd are left buzzing from head to toe.
At 9pm the light's fade to black and a spotlight scours the crowd whilst a mangled voice sets the scene for tonight's show. Excitement ripples through the crowd and finally Enter Shikari burst into life on the stage to thunderous chants of "and still we will be here, standing like statues." Instantly the surround sound takes over everyone's senses and it's clear everyone is having the time of their lives. They play a huge setlist which consists of everything from Sorry You're Not A Winner, to Mothership, The Jester, Solidarity, Arguing With Thermometers, Anaesthetist, The Last Garrison and Torn Apart. They even throw in a Hospitalised remix at the end of the night. However, the most magical moment of the evening is when Rou takes to his piano on top of the sound desk and treats everyone to Dear Future Historians... It's truly moving, and even features some confetti, and it's a moment that proves what a powerful and special band Enter Shikari are.
Tonight not only see's Enter Shikari headline a massive room but it sees them bring massive production too. The surround sound is only the start of this; the graphics which accompany the likes of Destabilise, The One True Colour and Redshift are incredible. They consist of old-fashioned dancers, stunning nebulae, politicians heads being melted and torn apart and of course, Gandhi makes a special appearance which ends up in a mass sing-a-long to Angels by Robbie Williams... Don't ask! Not only that but Phillis McCleavland makes a comeback to inform us that listening to Bruno Mars kills thousands of brain cells and David Cameron has upgraded to being questionable with warthogs now too. It is obvious hours of hard work and passion (and a little bit of humour) has gone into the production of tonight and it makes the night even more magical.
Talking about tonight could go on forever, so let's just leave it at this: Enter Shikari melted 8,500 people's faces off tonight. They entered minds, deepened roots and proved themselves to be one of the best live bands of this generation.
When you get to headline such a large venue, you get to take a few of your pals out to play with you and tonight that means Arcane Roots open. Possibly the most underrated rock band on the scene right now, they play a tiny set which includes the epic Resolve and fan favourite If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves. Following them are the recently reformed The King Blues. It's obvious Twitch and co. are chuffed to be here as they pour passion into every song they sing. They're received with open arms and it is the perfect way to welcome this band back. Final support of the night comes in the form of America's favourite pop-punk kids The Wonder Years. Absolutely smashing the scene at the moment, the boys race through their set and the crowd are left buzzing from head to toe.
At 9pm the light's fade to black and a spotlight scours the crowd whilst a mangled voice sets the scene for tonight's show. Excitement ripples through the crowd and finally Enter Shikari burst into life on the stage to thunderous chants of "and still we will be here, standing like statues." Instantly the surround sound takes over everyone's senses and it's clear everyone is having the time of their lives. They play a huge setlist which consists of everything from Sorry You're Not A Winner, to Mothership, The Jester, Solidarity, Arguing With Thermometers, Anaesthetist, The Last Garrison and Torn Apart. They even throw in a Hospitalised remix at the end of the night. However, the most magical moment of the evening is when Rou takes to his piano on top of the sound desk and treats everyone to Dear Future Historians... It's truly moving, and even features some confetti, and it's a moment that proves what a powerful and special band Enter Shikari are.
Tonight not only see's Enter Shikari headline a massive room but it sees them bring massive production too. The surround sound is only the start of this; the graphics which accompany the likes of Destabilise, The One True Colour and Redshift are incredible. They consist of old-fashioned dancers, stunning nebulae, politicians heads being melted and torn apart and of course, Gandhi makes a special appearance which ends up in a mass sing-a-long to Angels by Robbie Williams... Don't ask! Not only that but Phillis McCleavland makes a comeback to inform us that listening to Bruno Mars kills thousands of brain cells and David Cameron has upgraded to being questionable with warthogs now too. It is obvious hours of hard work and passion (and a little bit of humour) has gone into the production of tonight and it makes the night even more magical.
Talking about tonight could go on forever, so let's just leave it at this: Enter Shikari melted 8,500 people's faces off tonight. They entered minds, deepened roots and proved themselves to be one of the best live bands of this generation.
Wednesday 27 January 2016
In The Moment: HANNI EL KHATIB
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| Photo credit: Bobby Hundreds |
His sound is a heady fusion of blues, garage and pure rock and roll. It's groove and grizzle grounded in earthy old school riffs yet it's flavoured with freshness. It's the sort of sound that makes you lose your inhibitions and become absolutely lovestruck. Think of the first time you heard The Dead Weather or The Black Keys, and then imagine that with a sexier edge and a dirtier vocal. That's Hanni El Khatib and you should be very excited about him.
Listen to: Fuck It You Win, Two Brothers, Human Fly
Monday 18 January 2016
Redshift by Enter Shikari
IT'S 2016 AND ENTER SHIKARI ARE BACK WITH A BRAND NEW TRACK YAYYYYYY!
Okay, so now we've all fangirled let's take a proper look at the brand new banger that Redshift is. It's been one whole year since the epic The Mindsweep was released and in that time the boys have been away touring, chilling and working on new music all in preparation for their biggest UK tour ever. That kicks off in just under a month by the way, so get your tickets now! Redshift was dropped early last week and it is huge. It is classic Enter Shikari in subject matter in that it focuses on the amazing aspects of nature in relation to human kind. It is powerful, celebratory and spine tingling. One thing Redshift is is a little bit softer, it's a like a little lullaby only it contains a bone rattling kind of breakdown that Shikari do so well. Let's face it, we could praise this single for paragraph after paragraph, but we'll shut up now and let you feast your ears and eyes on the stunning video below.
Okay, so now we've all fangirled let's take a proper look at the brand new banger that Redshift is. It's been one whole year since the epic The Mindsweep was released and in that time the boys have been away touring, chilling and working on new music all in preparation for their biggest UK tour ever. That kicks off in just under a month by the way, so get your tickets now! Redshift was dropped early last week and it is huge. It is classic Enter Shikari in subject matter in that it focuses on the amazing aspects of nature in relation to human kind. It is powerful, celebratory and spine tingling. One thing Redshift is is a little bit softer, it's a like a little lullaby only it contains a bone rattling kind of breakdown that Shikari do so well. Let's face it, we could praise this single for paragraph after paragraph, but we'll shut up now and let you feast your ears and eyes on the stunning video below.
"Your skin and bones, heart and mind, are made from the remnants of stars that died"
Slaves, Kentish Town Forum, 14/01/2016
On the evening of the 14th January 2016, a big freeze is due. The biting, nipping, stay-in-bed kind of cold us Brits find homely is descending fast much the way tonight's 2000+ Slaves fans are upon Kentish Town Forum. At long last, some 7 months+ since tickets for tonight's show were snapped up, Slaves will headline one of the capital's coolest venues and it is bound to be the warming up London needs right now.
As promised before the rescheduling of tonight, support is provided by Spring King and Wonk Unit and boy, are they little headliners in their own right. Ones to watch, Spring King, are up first and the four piece race their way through as many songs as they can in their short slot. They've found a winning formula which is recognisable yet super fresh, causing the crowd to ripple with a buzz that's rare to find for a support act. It's Wonk Unit however who really get tonight's party started. Self-proclaimed underground punk heroes, "Daddy Wonk" and his vast crew spill across the stage and bring excitement in the form of songs about nans, horses and builders. The crowd below instantly doubles in size and becomes a sea of mayhem; It's pretty clear that this is the Wonk Unit effect.
When the lights finally fade to black, the Vengabus horn sounds and the Vengaboys classic We Like To Party blares through the speakers. On dance Isaac and Laurie to One Direction rivaling cheers and it's clear Slaves are here to slay. And slay they do. From The Hunter, to Sockets, to Where's Your Car Debbie?, the duo play faultlessly and it's a true vision to behold. The amount of energy between them is visceral and as they bounce off each other electricity is created to run riot through everyone in the room. It's evident in new song Hypnotise, and B-side In Dog Years Your Dead, that Slaves can't fail in pleasing the crowd. Both burst with trademark Slaves riffs and rhythms and both are winners with everyone in the room. What's more is that Isaac is playing these shows after dislocating his shoulder again (the reason these dates were postponed originally) in the two days previous. Stupid or brave, tonight it doesn't matter because he and Laurie are killing it. As staple closer Hey comes to the end, the pair jump on each other with glee. David Bowie's Heroes plays as they leave the stage and it is obvious to everyone here that Slaves are truly unstoppable.
Wednesday 16 December 2015
In The Moment: THE BAY RAYS
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| Photo credit: Dik Ng |
Little is known about The Bay Rays. With just over 300 likes on Facebook and minimal results about them as a band when Googled, you'd think they didn't exist. After a little more searching however, you'll come across their soundcloud and it's here you'll find the infectious Get Together EP. Listening to that is exactly how your love affair with them will start and it's also what will get you dancing like no one is watching. But who exactly are The Bay Rays and what are they about? Well, for a start they're Max, Harry and Anthus and here they are to tell you a little more...
In ten words, who are The Bay Rays?
We're a British garage-rock/punk three piece from Kent.
What made you guys start the band and want to play music?
We all grew up together as close friends and the inspiration for the band came after Harry and Max went on a road trip across America. On this trip we met a lot of musicians who were playing in small bars and they clearly loved doing what they were doing. We were tired of being in other bands where every little detail is over thought and over analysed, it saps the fun out of things and goes against the reasons as to why you wanted to be in a band in the first place. We wanted to start something new where we wrote tunes that we have fun playing, I think you get enjoyment out of watching anybody who is doing something they love, its infectious. A lot of that is lost with bands these days because before they have even got on stage they are already worrying about what other people are going to think of them.
If you could tour with any two bands, who would they be and why?
Arctic Monkeys – They are constantly evolving and making amazing music. They are also incredible live.Alabama Shakes – incredible musicians and very passionate about what they do. Brittany is probably the best front person in a band at the moment.
Why should people go and check you out?
We pride ourselves on being a really good live band, its so disappointing when you love a track and then you see that track live and its not very good! We are also inclusive as people and that is the case at our shows. Its important for us to make sure that when people come and see us play they feel like they are at the best party in town and leave feeling like they’ve been part of something they want to experience again.
Listen to: Five More Miles
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