- Live Reviews
In 2015 Chorusgirl released their self-titled debut album of power pop tunes in a Lush, The Breeders, The New Pornographers style with crunchy, distorted guitars. This rapidly became a favourite only missing out my Top Ten lists due to its end of year release date.
The band are a four piece with songwriter Silvi Wersing on lead vocals who after being the bass playing, backing vocalist for other bands decided that this chorus girl could pick up a guitar and form her own band. She did so with Udo Westhoff on bass, Michael Boyle on drums and Diogo Oliveira on lead guitar.
Tonight's stage uniforms are plain white T's for the band. Silvi starts a 'Girls of 1926' solo before the rest of the band crunch into the chorus 'We were girls of 1926 all buttoned up, mischief, high kicks'. The bouncy pop of 'No Moon', 'Shivers' and 'Dream On, Baby Blue' ricochets around the venue, with Diogo's twangy, sliding guitars and with Silvi pogo-hopping around the stage.
The excellent single 'Oh, To Be A Defector' causes an outbreak of individual style dancing down in front of the band. The short but very sweet set finishes with 'This Town Kills'.
Chorusgirl have just finished a short tour with Tigercats and their self-titled debut album is recommended .
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
Overlooking the Market Square in Nottingham, the Chameleon Arts Cafe is almost too cool for a music venue. It contains cafe-style distressed furniture, beers(craft, of course) served in bottles and cans only, aged wide-board wood flooring and a large amount of facial hair!
Tonight at the Chameleon it's a three band show headlined by Telegram. First up is Blonde Bunny who describe themselves as 'Melodramatic pop/ Future-prog'. They have a trippy dub rhythm section and a singer with an amazing Billy Mackenzie (The Associates) style vocal range . 'How do you cope, hope ?' has a great Stone Roses style backing with soaring, squealing, sliding guitars over the top. Tracks 'Loreta' and 'A Rate' are also available on their Soundcloud page.
Jesuits are a four piece from Bristol with a Sonic Youth/ early Smashing Pumpkins sound topped with a dressing of psych rock. There's a rock solid rhythm section which allows the guitars to crash and squeal over the top. One track finishes with both guitarists kneeling in front of their amps and guitars squealing away. Single 'Dinner Jazz' is a standout track and they are currently recording their debut album.
Telegram released their excellent single ' Follow' in November 2013. The album 'Operator' (which was a recent 6 music album of the week) contains the single and was finally released a few weeks ago. Their sound consists of tunes at the trashy, thrashy end of glam, with a touch of Television. They combine this with a look which would be the resultant musician smoothie if you were to throw The Strokes and The Ramones into a juicer. It makes an attractive and contemporary musical package.
The minimal ceiling lighting (courtesy of B&Q) combine with a couple of white light strobes, which flicker constantly throughout the show and serve to highlight the band and their black skinny jeans. There were some great tunes. The aforementioned 'Follow' with Oli Paget-Moon's punchy bass. ‘Regatta’ where Matt Saunders’s Welsh origins are apparent in his vocals. 'All of this rat tat ta-tatting' and the new single 'Taffy Come Home'. There's a cover of Bowie's 'Heroes' and they finish the set with the last track on the album, 'Folly', which ends in a mass band thrash as Jordan Cook's drums crash around the twin guitars.
I expect people will be talking a lot about Telegram in 2016.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
Support tonight comes from local band Keto who despite a nervous start provide an half hour of lo-fi atmospheric tunes with Chan Marshall (Cat Power) style vocals from Leah Sinead.
Bob Mould arrives at a sold out Rescue Rooms for the first night of a UK tour in support of new album 'Patch The Sky' which will be released in March.
As the initial roaring feedback fades, Bob accompanied by his regular rhythm section of Jason Narducy (bass) and Jon Wurster (drums) blast into 'Good Idea' followed by ' Changes' which immediately gets the audience on his side, both tracks are taken from 'Copper Blue' the debut Sugar album which was NME album of the year for 1992. Skip forward 20 years for 'The Descent' and 'I Don't Know You Anymore' from the excellent recent albums 'Silver Age' and 'Beauty & Ruin' which have seen Bob back at the height of powers, fusing the heavy power-pop tunes and melodies and smothering it all with a generous dollop of distorted guitars. New single ' Voices In My Head' and the other new tracks played tonight happily appear to follow this trend.
Bob congratulates Nottingham of being a UNESCO City of Literature “ I'm a word guy myself, which you can hear when I'm not being loud on the guitar”, and I can confirm that tonight's show is the most chest-thumping, ear-splitting LOUD one I've been at in years. There's little respite between tracks either as Bob says”Gotta get this done before the disco starts” referring to the 10 o'clock curfew for the club night.
'Hoover Dam' which is another treat from 'Copper Blue' and 'The War' get more audience shout- alongs. There's a new slower track, a strummy, dreamy number which might be called 'Losing Sleep'.
For the encore the musical clock winds back to the mid 1980's and Bob's time in Husker Du. The middle-aged moshpit kicks in at the start of 'Flip Your Wig', and keeps going through 'Hate Paper Doll' , 'Something I Learned Today' and finally ' Makes No Sense At All'.
Just like the cover of 'Beauty & Ruin' as the young man from Husker Du ages disgracefully into the writer of tunes of driven guitars and killer melodies, tonight a grinning Bob Mould appears to be thoroughly enjoying his own silver age.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
Blaenavon are a band on the rise, and the three-piece showed no signs of slowing day with a sold out show at The Lexington earlier this week.
Although there’s nothing entirely groundbreaking about their out and out indie sound, their songs demonstrate the reason why some publications are labeling a band to watch for 2016.
With only a handful of EP’s to their name, they played a highly energetic 40-minute set where each song was more hotly anticipated than the last. Although most hecklers seemed to be friends of the band, they took the show in their stride opening with Hell is My Head and closing with their cult-hit Prague, two tracks that are well worth checking out.
If you’re fan of classic 00’s indie bands than they are more than likely the band for you, so make sure you catch them next time they’re in town.
Support came from the irrepressible Isaac Gracie, and the easily forgettable Waylor.
8/11
- Live Reviews
Even if you’ve never thought of yourself as much of a folk/Americana fan, then think again with The Lone Bellow. Half way through their most recent UK tour, they hit The Horn in St Albans for a sold out show fresh from a show in London at the Islington Assembly Hall.
Hailing from New York, they’re a band not naturally defined to one genre, however if you’re eager for a good foot tapping session then you’re likely to be in the mood for this group of talented musicians and the song writing talents of lead vocalist, Zach Williams.
Their hour and a half set featured songs from their first two albums, including their latest album Then Came The Morning produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner. The sold-out crowd seemed to love each and every minute of the band’s soulful tunes and melodic arrangements full of emotion and captivity and their faith was returned. Fan favourites included singles Then Came The Morning, Green Eyes and a Heart of Gold and Fake Roses which were all met with various levels of woops and hollering. If you weren’t much of fan prior to the evening you certainly were by the end. They teased at more UK shows later in the year with The National, so keep your eyes peeled and ears close to ground and make sure you see them next time they’re in town.
Support came from Joseph, a trio of sisters from the Pacific Northwest, who lit up the stage with their soulful harmonies. Well worth checking out.
The Lone Bellow played;
- I Let You Go
- If You Don't Love Me
- You Can Be All Kinds of Emotional
- Take My Love
- Marietta
- The One You Should've Let Go
- Heaven Don't Call Me Home
- Watch Over Us
- Teach Me to Know
- To the Woods
- Fake Roses
- (New Song- Untitled)
- You Don't Love Me Like You Used To
- Diners
- You Never Need Nobody
- Green Eyes and a Heart of Gold
Encore:
10/11
- Live Reviews
The Seattle three piece headed to Oslo, in Hackney ahead of the release of their third album Who Sold My Generation for a psychedelic sold out show. Arguably sounding better than they do on their 9/11 album. Read our review here.
Rattling through their hour long set with little much as a ‘fucking London hey’ to the crowd in the palm of their hand, they debuted some new songs and showcased some tried and trusted material. Much to the delight of the sweaty punters each song out did the last, with piercing guitar wailing to the extent that it got you wondering how you ever missed his band in the first place?
No Cops, Puppet on a String and Power Child all provided some particular highlights, but overall you can’t fault their performance and energy that they bought to the sold out show. If you weren’t a fan before seeing them, you certainly will be now.
Support came from The Cult of Dom Keller who only need a one word review- sensational.
10/11
- Live Reviews
Ahead of the release of their debut album in April, indie-pop outfit Eliza and the Bear are embarking on one of those UK tours that takes them to all the towns that their unlikely to visit again any time soon. Who else really needs to do a show in Falmouth? Saturday (January 23rd) saw the turn of St Albans, Hertfordshire at the premier city venue, The Horn. Enter Shikari, Friendly Fires and The Subways just a handful of local bands that have graced the stage here in previous years.
The first sold out show of the tour saw them play through what’s bound to be every song from their debut album to a lively crowd of 170 very sweaty people. Predominately overly sweaty teenagers in the midst of their ‘every gig is the greatest gig I’ve ever been to’ phase. In this case, they would have a good point though.
Opening with previous EP hits, ‘Lion’s Heart’ and ‘Light It Up’, they strolled through their set with relevant ease. Needless to say they’re a slick operation, with each song more perfected than the last. It’s easy to draw comparisons to Mumford & Sons and The Lumineerswith their upbeat, folky, indie-pop sound, but don’t be put off. Whilst their lyrically they may not shake you to your core, unless your 19 or younger, they’ve still got some foot stomping woah-ohs in their locker that are well worth a listen. It’s merit to them that they are able to produce a number of high quality songs whilst other bands around them struggle to imitate anything near as good.
Soaking up all the energy from the crowd, their penultimate song saw them break out in to the more familiar ‘Friends’ before concluding with a crowd pleasing ‘It Gets Cold’. If tonight’s show is anything to go by these boys are going to be big, so see them now as it’s unlikely you’ll ever see them in such a small venue again.
Support came from teenage solo act Kloe, and Slowlights. Missed the latter, the former- not so good.
9/11
By @thejoeeley
- Live Reviews
On the drive in from Halifax towards the pretty little market town of Hebden Bridge, the full scale of the devastation caused by this winter’s floods could only be imagined by the thousands of sandbags still piled up along the side of the road. Thankfully, the fabulous Trades Club was unaffected, being enough distance from the river that burst it’s banks, aswell as being on a first floor position.
Add this to the fact we were still digesting the terrible news of Bowie’s passing, and it’s fair to say we were in desparate need of some entertainment and cheering up. Personally, I couldn’t think of a better start to the gigging year than the artists who created 2 of my top 10 albums of 2015.
Essentially, this was the same 4 people on stage for both performances, with Rozi and Kate swapping bass guitar when it was their turn in the spotlight, supplemented with Neil on electric guitar lead and Jamie on drums.
Rozi, wrapped up like a polar bear, started the show quietly and without fanfare, and this was politely appreciated by the cold audience. First song from last years magnificent Friend album, Actually, was next up and the live version was given a new dimension with the guitar effects pedal and a more lively electric feel. Rozi was her usual subtly eccentric self, telling a story about the last time her usual band were in town, they bought a second hand coat from one of the shops and they now pass it around for 2 weeks at a a time. After wishing the town good luck with its clean up effort and recovery, she said goodbye and hoped we enjoyed the main act who were waiting upstairs....
10 minutes later of so, the same 4 wandered back on stage, this time with Kate front an centre with a banjo strapped on, and we were treated to an hour or so of last years gorgeous release Bashed Out.
Obvious highlight was single Silver John, although Magic Spell, Spores All Settling, Vitamins and Misunderstanding ran it close in what was like a beautiful recital in an increasingly warm club. Even the girls took a couple of layers off towards the end, although this just accentuated the bitter cold night as we spilled out into it.
It was a lovely start to this challenging year so far, and if the rest of the year carries on in this vein, it will be one to remember.
Keith
- Live Reviews
First gig of the year, a free one at the excellent pub venue The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch, curated by DIY Music.
As a new year comes around you begin to wonder if we should cut down on the number of gigs we go to but all sense of pulling back on the gig-going was dispelled on the first crashing guitar chord of 3-strong band Trudy.
Lead singer wore a Strokes T-shirt. The opener to the first number suggested we were in for a Girl Band/Rolo Tomassi scream-fest, but things mellowed slightly as this band produced an excellent set with overtones of various vocal styles from Bombay Bicycle Club to Elvis. The lead singer/guitarist could perhaps be best summed up as an angry Sweet Baboo. Excellent harmonies too from the bass player and sticks-man who contributed to the vocals throughout.
Next up was Willy J Healy, accompanied by guitar, bass and drums. Willy introduced himself slightly lamely as Willy J Healy & Friends 'because we haven't thought of a band name yet'. But a together band they certainly are in Maccabees/Strokes style. Willy gave humorous ad-libs between songs. Highlight was Subterraneans, s song with excellent slide guitar.
Bruising took the stage next. With an energetic female lead singer they put you in mind of Joy Formidable. Their jerky rhythms made this band a female Brakes. Downside was the highly repetitive guitar riff from the guitarist who seemed reluctant to use anything other the top end of the fret board.
Finally the main attraction Diet Cig. A two piece from New York State. Think White Stripes in reverse. Drummer Noah Bowman took control of the room from the first beat of the set, providing the backbone throughout. The female singer Alex Luciano belted out her vocal in the style of Molly from Alvvays resulting in this pair producing an excellent blend of rockin tunes, culminating with her crowd surfing while playing her guitar during the closing number
Si n Sally
- Live Reviews
On the backdrop for tonight's show is a depiction of the Michael Faraday Memorial, which for those unfamiliar with it is a large steel box consisting of shaped panels built in the 1960's in commemoration of Michael Faraday whose inventions resulted in practical uses of electricity. The memorial is situated outside the Elephant & Castle tube station in South London and Mr Faraday was born nearby. The location is also significant to The Maccabees as their latest chart-topping album 'Marks to Prove It' was recorded at their studio which is also found in the area.
For the first night of this UK tour the band come onstage to a mix of screams and cheers (indicating the age and mix of sexes in the audience) and crash straight into the title track of the new album as an arc of blue strobes light the venue and give the memorial an eerie deep blue calming glow which is in contrast to the general chaos which is happening in the crowd.
The inclusion of a trumpet on 'Feel to Follow' and a slowed introduction to 'Something Like Happiness' introduces a more subtle feel compared with the recorded versions and show that The Maccabees have more in their locker than just the kick and rush of some other indie guitar bands. Another thing which differentiates them is the vocals of softly-spoken Orlando Weeks who thanks us for coming ,“ this is the first chance we've had to play these tracks in front of our fans, Maccabees fans”. His vocal on 'Spit It Out' starts as a whisper and gradually builds and builds until the triple guitars and hefty, driven drumming by Sam Doyle end the track as a full blown thrash-out. 'Silence' and ' River Song' two tracks from the latest album get their live debut tonight and are given a solid reaction from the crowd, who save their best sing-alongs for the older material such as 'Precious Time', 'No Kind Words' and 'Can You Give It'.
For the encore there's the contrast of the folky strumming of 'Toothpaste Kisses' and the instantly recognisable punchy, staccato introduction to 'Pelican' which finishes the night with a final bout of chaos in the crowd, and Mr Faraday's inventions and memorial glowing.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
This gig was Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation’s first ever UK show. The Swedish psyc-popsters play out tonight in Dalston promoting single ‘Take Me Beyond’ and forthcoming album ‘Horse Dance’, both out now. Chatting to a friend before the gig, having just interviewed the band he said how refreshing JO+L are; wide eyed optimism, ambition and refreshing enthusiasm in promoting their new material.
Support act 'The Wharves' were a true joy. Clearly well-rehearsed and technically tight, the three girls have a close rapport with one another. 'Warpaint' like intricate finger picking guitar and encaptivating vocal harmonies make it hard to decipher who is actually singing. They are together in their sound, their only hesitation coming between songs when bass player Gemma Fleet endearingly chats merchandise and encourages the crowd to step forward, to which we are more than obliged.
The lights dimmed for the headliners to almost pitch black darkness with just the bands own projections filling the stage, the mood changing significantly from the light hearted and well lit girl trio support with the expectation of something mesmerising. For the next half hour we were being asked to get lost in their world and go on a journey. After a nervy start due to some technical issues the band found their stride, lead singer Josefin Öhrn standing almost motionless with trade mark hair swept across her face, the most animation coming from their lead guitarist Fredrik Joelson with Will Sergeant style military attire.
The band's sound is entrancing, driving psychedelic rock. I saw comparisons with my London psych favourites 'TOY' and fellow Swede's 'Goat'; who the band has toured their homeland with. Tribal style chanting with Incoherently low mix vocals over ambient driving guitars is a great sound and JO+L had all the pieces in place that gave the aforementioned carte blanch to let an audience let go and become transfixed in a sound.
Unfortunately tonight I just didn't get to that place. I couldn't find traction; their ambition was defeated by the intimate nature of the Shacklewell where the attentive audience's gratitude was shown with muted applause and polite mumbling. If this was the eleventh hour at a festival I could be there with them and I feel a little cheated I'm not. New single 'Take me Beyond' was the definite show stopper and for me shone as the more pop evoked elements of this clearly talented band could be seen... despite the low lighting.
Tom
- Live Reviews
When my 14 year old daughter asked me to book tickets for the gig way back in July, I did so slightly ignorant to the appeal or indeed popularity of Chvrches and who their following actually were.
Well roll on several months, and most of the tour is sold out, including 2 nights at Manchester’s 2000 capacity Albert Hall. One of Manchester’s newest venues, and in my opinion one of their best due to the height of the stage which affords a great view from wherever you may stand.
The night was cold, wet and dark (is there any other kind in Manchester ?) but the atmosphere inside the venue was akin to a Christmas party night with large groups of guys and girls using this gig as the start of a heavy weekend.
When the diminutive Lauren Mayberry took centre stage just after 9pm, against a black backdrop studded with white light pinpricks, the crowd went berserk, and this was rewarded with Never Ending Circles from second album Every open Eye. Although not a huge departure from debut album The Bones of What You Believe, the synth pop format just seems expanded and more, er, sythny, but with just as many fabulous tunes.
We Sink was the next tune, from debut album, and the noise was turned up a notch as the familiarity of the song really got the dance floor bouncing.
The simple stage arrangement - just 2 sets of keyboards/laptops stage left and right manned by fellow Scots Iain Cook and Martin Doherty was occasionally supplemented by a mobile drum kit which Lauren played.
The band alternated songs between their 2 albums, and the talk with the crowd was minimal I guess not to interrupt the party atmosphere, although when Lauren brought a slushy on stage with her towards the end, she was encouraged to down it in one.
Just an hour into the performance and the band left the stage, but seemingly not a soul left as we hadn’t yet heard the favourite tune yet...
First encore was the rather downbeat and sombre Afterglow, which Lauren almost apologised for, before launching into everyones favourite The Mother We Share and the crowd made the most of it as we knew it was the last tune of the night.
A genuinely joyous night of great pop tunes, enjoyed by everyone young and old, and not a guitar in sight...
Keith
