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Month: May 2012

Interview: Wheatus

Say Wheatus to most people and one track instantly springs to mind, but there’s much more to a band that holds a special place in most people’s hearts. Speaking to frontman and founding member, Brendan Brown, he tells of some of the changes the band has gone through and what life is like having such a hit song.

First of all, can you explain a little about the new DSD format in which your latest releases have come in?

It’s undecimated audio which means it isn’t rounded off like PTM formats which you get on CDs and MP3s. DSD maintains the integrity of the sound through the harmonic range and is really a lot better quality. The last two records we made were something of a steep learning curve for us. Making a record on DSD is really quite different but I think we’re definitely getting there.

You’re now releasing material independently. How does the experience differ from that of being on a major label?

We were on a major label when the cracks were really beginning to show. I’ll never forget one meeting we had where the US sales for the first week came in at 19,000, just failing to break that psychological 20,000 barrier that they were so concerned with, and I said, “Does anybody have information on the downloads we’ve had on Napster?”. They just looked at me as if to say “What’s Napster?” and that’s when I knew we were in trouble. We were in a technology company that had failed to move onto the next level and therefore wouldn’t remain a technology company for much longer. It was upsetting but unsurprising that they didn’t release the second album. We could have been making Sgt.Peppers and they would have scoffed at it. We got off the label at just the right time – just before the shit really hit the fan.

You’re also offering fans a ‘pay what you want’ service as far as downloads go. Why do you think the sales of physical music has declined and do you feel that this is the way forward?

It certainly is the way forward and with vinyl formats too. That’s also why we’re offering DSD as it matches the quality of vinyl but you can play it on your computer. I don’t think when they switched over to CDs that they realised they weren’t delivering an actual mechanical representation of the analogue sound wave. I think the sound of CDs and Mp3s is inferior and this is an overall upgrade for the music industry, if they see the opportunity.

Looking back on the success of  ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ and the recent time it enjoyed in the UK Top 40, why is it do you think that people still connect with and have a special place for that song?

Well, the real answer is that I don’t know but my father put forth something that seemed to make sense. He said no matter what year it is, no matter what generation, every kid goes through the cycle of feeling like an outsider looking in, unless you’re one of the very select lucky few, and that’s why people still relate to it.

Has the success of the song changed your approach to writing and even created any problems for you as a songwriter?

I still have the perspective of us being a struggling band. We did have a hit and there’s no downside to that unless you make one out of it. The initial principle of trying to have a song everybody knows – mission accomplished. I don’t see that as a downside especially today where so much music comes and goes and good stuff is forgotten as quickly as it’s released. I’m proud to have something people revisit and engage with.

What does the future hold for Wheatus?

I’ve been working with our drummer (Kevin Garcia) and bass player (Matthew Milligan) for seven years now, and that really is the core of the band now. I think the goal is to get better what we do live, so people are satisfied and feel like they’ve got something out of the show. Our new album is shaped like first one, but with different topics and colours, I think it’s a definite return to form in that respect. The next set of songs will be called the Valentine EP and they’re set for Valentines Day 2013, but that’s a soft goal and things can happen which may prevent that.

Wheatus have over 44 new songs that are available to download on their website and will be adding to it soon with even more new material. ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ has also featured in a US documentary called ‘Bully’ which will be shown in the UK later this year.

The recording of this interview can be found here.

Wheatus – Teenage Dirtbag

 

Poorest budgets eaten up by food

Research reveals that the UK’s lowest income homes are being forced to spend a disproportionate amount of their weekly expenditure on food shopping. The average household in the UK spends 11 per cent of its weekly expenditure on food.  However, 20 per cent of households (those on lower incomes) are actually forced to spend proportionately at least 30 per cent more of their current weekly food spend than the national average.

The research, released by supermarket chain Morrisons, found that 5.2 million households – already defined as living in poverty1 – spend 15.5 per cent or more of their total weekly outgoings on food and non alcoholic drinks alone: up from 14.5 per cent in 2007.  Unfortunately, the experts warn that this inequality is only set to worsen if the increasing rise in the general cost of living continues to outstrip wage increases.

The analysis, conducted for Morrisons by John Glen, Senior Lecturer in Economics at Cranfield School of Management, highlights:

– A one-parent family with a family income of less than £237 per week spends 15.6 per cent of their total expenditure on food per week. If that expenditure was at the national average level of 11 per cent, they would save £11.18 per week
– If a one-parent family was to reduce their weekly food expenditure by just 1 per cent, from 15.6-14.6 per cent of total expenditure, they would be able save £2.47 per week
– In April 2011 the basic pension in the UK was increased by £4.75 per week. If a single pensioner reduced their food expenditure from 18 per cent of their total weekly expenditure to 14.8 per cent of their total expenditure, the saving on their weekly food spend would be equal to the increase in state pension they received in April 2011
– A four-person family with a household income of £13,000 spends 16 per cent of its total expenditure on food per week. If its expenditure was at the national average level of 11 per cent, it would save £14.57 per week
– If a four-person family was to reduce their weekly food expenditure by just 1 per cent, from 16-15 per cent of total expenditure they would be able save £3.06 per week
– A single pensioner on a state pension spends 18 per cent of their total expenditure on food per week.  If that expenditure was at national average level of 11 per cent, they would save £10.35 per week

He continued: “These findings make for worrying reading. In today’s stretched financial society, the disproportionate food spend in low income households means that there is simply less money left in the pot for all the other things families need to pay for such as bills, clothing and fuel.

This is an economic problem society has been facing on an increasing level, particularly over the last four years. Since 2007, food inflation has increased by 26 per cent and with wages rising by only 8.5 per cent over the same period the problem is obvious. If food inflation continues to exceed a rise in wages, this issue is only set to get worse for those households living on low income.”

The number of households living on a low income has been increasing over the past thirty years. Between 1979 and 2009, the proportion of households in the UK living on a low income increased from 13.7 per cent to 22.3 per cent – an increase of 5.8million people2.

Sarah Willingham, money saving expert, commented: “Whilst the average household spend of 11 per cent of outgoings a week on food may not be totally achievable for everyone, being aware of it, at least as a key figure in your expenditure, can help in planning and budgeting.”

Richard Hodgson, Morrisons Group Commercial Director, added: “In these tough economic times it’s worrying to see the effect that the necessity of buying food is having on those households with a limited income – and it’s a situation which, certainly in the short-term, is not set to improve.

“We know that shoppers are finding it tough to make their budgets stretch far enough at the moment.  However, budgeting shouldn’t mean having to compromise when it comes to the supermarket shop.

“We believe that the weekly shop should be as affordable as possible for everyone and that all of our shoppers should be able to enjoy tasty, nutritious and varied meals.  This research was invaluable to us when developing our new M Savers range of everyday grocery essentials such as apples, baked beans and washing up liquid.”

Morrisons has launched its new M Savers range to offer shoppers a range of groceries to help them save money without compromise. Featuring a range of basic products, such as teabags and soup, as well as household essentials, such as dishwasher tablets, the range is available in store now.

Sarah Willingham has some top tips for people shopping with their food spend in mind:

Sarah’s Supermarket Saving Tips

– Make sure you always go armed with a shopping list.  Don’t be tempted to buy things ‘on offer’ that you simply won’t use or don’t need
– Don’t forget to look up and down when browsing the aisles so you can get a clear picture of all product options – don’t just go for the nearest product at eye level
– Never go shopping on an empty stomach!  Sounds obvious but many of us do and you end up buying more, or purchasing things that you don’t need
– Be aware of the supermarket layout: offers are often to be had at the end of the aisles, but sometimes you can seek out bargains elsewhere. And don’t be tempted by impulse buys at the checkout!

Morrisons has created a range of easy to cook recipes using the M Savers range, which can be found at www.morrisons.co.uk/msavers.

As a challenge to Morrisons new range, I am planning a roundtable meal where I will be cooking 10 of my lucky guests a variety of different (and exciting) dishes by attempting to only use M Saver products. A follow up of my meal will available shortly!

Live: The Temper Trap

17th May 2012

The Ritz

5/10

Roughly seven songs into The Temper Trap’s ninety minute set tonight comes a tap on the shoulder. “Have they played ‘Sweet Disposition’ yet, mate? We got in late, and my girlfriend’s worried we’ve missed it.”

These days, the ideal for an ostensibly ‘indie’ band, when backed by plenty of promotional expenditure, is for their debut record to meet with a unanimously positive reception. Back in 2004, Franz Ferdinand saw their self-titled debut meet with universal acclaim – and rightly so – and the hugely-successful first forays of the likes of Vampire Weekend and White Lies in more recent years have very much laid the template that any other fledgling band should be aspiring to.

What isn’t necessarily as desirable an outcome is having one single so huge and all-encompassing that not only does your album live in its shadow, but it becomes the yardstick by which all future work is compared. This isn’t to say that most young bands wouldn’t kill for a huge, anthemic single that hit the big time – and I’m sure The Temper Trap didn’t mind when it allowed them to play to thousands of people at their own shows and many more times that at festivals – but, you have to wonder, will this band ever escape the shadow of ‘Sweet Disposition’?

I’m not sure whether or not they’re trying to compensate, but of the first eight songs the band play tonight, only one is lifted from their first LP, Conditions. On paper, it might seem like a brave attempt to forge forward, a resounding display of faith in the strength of the new material, but ultimately it’s a little too testing for the audience. One thing I’ve learned from a few years of pretty heavy gig-going is that the only people who get truly excited about the airing of new tracks are the truly hardcore, and whilst I’m sure there are some big Temper Trap fans in the house, the bulk of tonight’s sold-out Ritz crowd seem like casual observers. As much as they might enjoy the occasional preview of next week’s self-titled sophomore album, playing a set dominated by as-yet-unreleased songs is always going to test the limits of the audience’s patience.

Herein lies the problem of not releasing a record in sufficient time to give your fans the chance to hear it and become familiar with the songs. Anyone who was at Reading or Leeds festival in 2009 will know that the main reason Arctic Monkeys’ headline set bombed was because they deemed it sensible to play a slew of tracks from a record that had been out for 4 days – even the hardcore Monkeys fans were probably too pissed to care and more interested in hearing ‘The View from the Afternoon’.

The Temper Trap don’t help themselves tonight by leaving out of the set their biggest non-Disposition hit – ‘Fader’ – and the reaction that the likes of ‘Science of Fear’ and the set-closing ‘Drum Song’ elicit serves only as a reminder of how the show might have panned out, if only the band had paid a little more heed to what their loyal, paying followers wanted to hear. This isn’t to say that The Temper Trap won’t be a good record; what it is to say, however, is that when your audience are totally unacquainted with your new album and react with feverish enthusiasm to your older stuff, maybe it’s best to give the people what they want.

The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition (live)

Live: The Cribs

12th May 2012

Academy 1

9/10

Ryan Jarman’s keen to play down the adulation that’s already coming his way just four songs into the set. “We’re just three weirdos from a garage in Wakefield, man!” Of all the weirdos from garages in Wakefield, these three are almost certainly the only ones that can count many thousands of people amongst those who are so heavily emotionally invested in their music. On the release of their third, breakthrough record, Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever, Q Magazine called them “the biggest cult band in the UK”; the first 2 records, lo-fi, scuzzy and wonderfully rough and ready affairs that they were, had secured a zealous fanbase that spread far beyond the small Yorkshire town they set out from. They proceeded to take about as drastic a left turn as any band in their position could; unannounced, Johnny Marr turned up to a number of dates on their 2008 NME Awards Tour headlining run, and before the year was out, the former Smiths axeman was a fully-fledged member, contributing significantly to the following year’s fourth LP, Ignore the Ignorant.

A badly-misguided single release to tie in with their summer festival appearances in 2010, the erratic Housewife, provided incontrovertible evidence that Marr’s honeymoon period was over, and his amicable departure followed soon after; for the Cribs hardcore, dismayed by the cleaner, more commercial sound of Ignorant, this could only be a good thing, and when the announcement came that the literal band of brothers would record their next album between a Wakefield garage and a basement in Portland, Oregon, hopes were raised that the band’s next full-length effort could signal a return to their DIY glory days.

Such optimism wasn’t totally wide of the mark. The fabulously-titled In the Belly of the Brazen Bull, released just five days before tonight’s show, is not without its callbacks to The Cribs’ punkier past – scintillating opener ‘Chi-Town’ and latest single ‘Come On, Be a No-One’, both centred around Ryan Jarman’s screamed vocals, wouldn’t have gone amiss on the band’s debut record. That isn’t to say this isn’t a band that won’t evolve any further; ‘Anna’ and ‘Jaded Youth’, both aired tonight, take the band’s traditionally screechy guitars and marry them with the pop aesthetic that really reared its head on Ignorant, while the brooding ‘Back to the Bolthole’, stormy drums underpinning yearning vocals, proves that The Cribs can be anthemic without needing to have the audience jumping and screaming as one.

That said, there’s really no getting away from the fact that the jumpy-and-screamy domain is the one in which The Cribs truly excel live. The chorus-driven shoutalongs of ‘I’m a Realist’ and ‘Men’s Needs’ receive the evening’s most fervent audience reaction, but the impressively whole-hearted response to the more melancholy likes of ‘It Was Only Love’ and ‘Another Number’ – the latter of which so iconic with the Cribs ultras that the crowd shout the outrageously simple seven-note guitar riff back at the band – proves that there’s an emotional depth to this band that so many of the indie also-rans that they’re so often, and so wrongly, lumped in with are completely devoid of.

The evening’s highlight comes late in the set. ‘Be Safe’ is probably the greatest thing the band have produced so far, taking the screechy guitars and impassioned vocals that are near-essential for a Cribs track and, in a stroke of sheer inspiration, accompanying them with an apparently nonsensical poem written and read by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, who appears tonight by way of projected film. The subsequent arrival of Marr, apparently unable to resist the opportunity to play in front of a sold-out hometown crowd, treats fans to the best of both worlds where the back catalogue’s concerned. Polish, assurance and calculation are all conspicuous by their absence in the average Cribs live show, but there’s certainly no shortage of excitement – is this as close as a band with such a punk aesthetic will come again to the mainstream?

The Cribs – Come On, Be A No-One

Live: The Heartbreaks @ Ruby Lounge

The Heartbreaks
The Ruby Lounge
6th May
3 and a half stars

The Heartbreaks took to the small stage of the Ruby Lounge on Sunday the 6th May; for what also doubled as their debut album, Funtimes launch party. The energy of the four young males certainly overwhelmed the intimate venue. The rowdy crowd threw their arms and alcohol in order to praise this quirky quartet, as if they were their lifelong idols. In fact, this band is fairly new and the ensemble of their members relatively young. Too young to be considered anyone’s idol, but give it time. Their fan base is established and rapidly growing; and looking at what they have already achieved, the possibilities of their success are endless.

The set was noticeably short and lasted roughly 45 minutes. For exams, quality not quantity is emphasized and I would like to think that it applies here. The quality of the performance would get them a first class degree (from The University of Manchester, not Manchester Metropolitan).

It is difficult to listen to their music without recognising the influence of Morrissey. ‘Liar, My Dear’ is reminiscent of ‘The Last of the International Playboys’ and the opening riffs of ‘Delay, Delay’ play homage to ‘First of the Gang to Die’. That said, Morrissey must have recognised the potential within these young boys; and, last year they embarked on a prestigious support slot with him.

As an attractive, charismatic lead singer, Matthew Whitehouse must struggle to receive attention from fans, especially females. Kindly, his band mates left the stage to allow him some limelight, boosting his ego a little. He sang an acoustic version of ‘Jealous, Don’t You Know’ in which his emotion poured out though the raw vocals.

Concisely named ‘I Didn’t Think It Would Hurt to Think of You’ was the energetic finale, and proved a crowd favourite, leaving the audience singing along and the tune whirling on repeat in our heads for the remainder of the evening.

The Heartbreaks – Liar, My Dear

Live: Sounds From The Other City

Sounds From the Other City
Chapel Street
6th May
4 Stars

Returning for the seventh year in a row, Salford’s Bank holiday bash has improved immeasurably from its humble beginnings while still retaining the quirkiness that made it such an intriguing prospect in the first place. The day began at Islington Mill, where early birds were presented with the bewildering sight of a dance troupe in costumes that Noel Fielding would probably like to borrow, while on stage a mustachioed woman played recorder over Casio beats. It was all getting a bit Nathan Barley, so we made a a quick sortie to the Old Pint Pot for a few tinnies by the (surprisingly clean) canal before returning to see Fear of Men. Despite being dogged by sound issues, the group valiantly performed a charming blend of Doo-wop vocals and Dinosaur jr. style riffage to a sympathetic audience.

The day then seemed to disappear as we rushed between Chapel Street’s pubs and churches, taking in the visceral, bluesy thrills of Stalking Horse, Lazer Dream Eyes’ mid 60s garage racket and a very trippy soundtrack set from experimental rockers Islet. However the real highlights came later on, with a mesmerizing hour of downbeat, jazzy electronica from Greek duo Keep Shelly in Athens, who expanded their line up with Drums, Double Bass and Guitar to great effect.

Back at the Old Pint Pot, Brooklyn glitch-hop producer Shigeto impressed his audience of beat-freaks with a set that mixed dextrous MPC manipulations with some mind-boggling live drumming, culminating with a bowel-quaking Hudson Mohawke remix that rattled the foundations of this usually quiet local boozer. We rounded off the evening in the Mill, where a room was converted into a Hacienda-style disco playing the greatest in early 90s house and rave tunes to a delighted crowd who weren’t quite ready to go home yet.

Live: A Place to Bury Strangers

10th May 2012

Sound Control

7/10

It’s not unusual for the name of a record to reflect its sound; The Beatles’ Revolver sowed the seeds of the psychedelic rock revolution, Nirvana’s Bleach is as sonically caustic as the substance it describes, and The Vaccines’ debut What Did You Expect from a Bunch of Privately-Educated Careerists Other Than An Insipid Collection of Piss-Weak Rip-offs? pretty much speaks for itself. On the same tack, the last full-length effort from A Place to Bury Strangers, Exploding Head, is a startlingly accurate summation of the live experience they offer.

A three-piece from Brooklyn, New York, the band’s live shows are often spoken of in the same breath as other such decibel-mongerers as My Bloody Valentine and Mogwai – the Washington Post called them “the most ear-shatteringly loud garage/shoegaze band you’ll ever hear”. Tonight’s their first Manchester date in nearly 2 years and with only the EP Onwards to the Wall released since, on which the band opted to smooth over some of the rougher edges and generally played it disappointingly safe, the set looks likely to be dominated by older material.

There’s certainly plenty of it – Exploding Head‘s ‘It Is Nothing’ is a particularly blistering highlight – but in addition to tracks from Wall, the band incorporate a generous preview of forthcoming LP Worship. Unfortunately, the fact that the EP material sounds much more abrasive played live means it’s difficult to know whether Worship really will turn out sounding as epic as it does tonight, with extended instrumental sections, but it certainly inspires hope for long-term followers.

What isn’t in doubt is that the band remain on rare live form – tonight they play in Sound Control’s surprisingly intimate ground floor bar, and there’s no skimping on the volume, dry ice or stage antics, particularly from bassist Dion Lunadon, who moves from playing atop a speaker stack to closing out the set amidst the crowd. Musically, they rarely deviate from their own tried-and-true formula, but when the live performances are this exhilarating, it’s difficult to care.

A Place To Bury Strangers – So Far Away

Live: Bombay Bicycle Club @ The Empress Ballroom, Blackpool

Bombay Bicycle Club
Empress Ballroom, Blackpool
27 April
3 and a half stars

A Brit-pop bubble blew its way to Lancashire’s premier seaside resort on Friday evening. The grand setting of The Empress Ballroom became the home to BBC’s somewhat cultish following – a crowd which seemed largely unsuited to Blackpool’s encircling amusement arcades. E-numbered youngsters and middle-aged Merlot suppers alike were offered the potential for euphoric renditions of the bouncy Bombay tunes by the grand, high-ceilinged setting.

The main feature of this performance was reliability. The assembled audience was treated to a fine mix of Bombay. In a practiced set comprising of songs from all three of their albums, the band wound up the gears in a stable and pleasing manner. The folky charm of catchy classics like ‘Ivy & Gold’ were suitably infused with a younger batch, including the stand-out ‘Lights Out, Words Gone’. The audience left warm, waltzing into the streets of Blackpool with the funky piano riff and clever harmonies of vocalist Lucy Rose in the encored ‘Shuffle’ resonating amongst them.

However, there was a certain lack of sapphire on show in this Bombay performance. Unlike the chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling, the band themselves still required that sparkle to connect them with the whole audience. It was only once or twice that the group broke between songs to attempt to nullify what can be a cold barrier between stage and dance floor. Bombay Bicycle Club are certainly a talented band at the forefront of the Brit-pop music scene. However, there was a soft and rehearsed nature to this performance that perhaps left people a bit too satisfied. Musically this was a confident and clean performance. Yet, you wished at times for a bit of Blackpool tack to infect this airbrushed North London quartet to see what the assembled crowd could gain from a roughed up, improvised, and ultimately more engaging, BBC.

Bombay Bicycle Club – How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep

Preview: Download Festival

Download
8th-10th June
Donington Park

Tickets: £200 w/ camping

Whilst competition in recent years has led to a, perhaps, watered down line-up for Download, this year sees its rock/metal festival dominance restored. Boasting headliners Black Sabbath, Metallica playing the black album in full and, surprisingly, The Prodigy, as well as one of the strongest undercards in a fair while, Download looks ready to slay this year.

Covering just about all of rock and metal, you can pluck any sub-genre you like and find it on display this year. Fancy some old-school thrash, well there’s Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax. Want to blast out some classic rock, go see Slash, Europe and Sebastian Bach. Even the obscure is covered, with Ghost, Opeth and Devin Townsend covering the death metal/prog crossover geeks, Skindred satisfying the ragga metal demand and Tenacious D and Steel Panther sorting the laughs.

Atmosphere wise, it’s just like any other large festival; loud, crammed and for the most part jolly; though there may be a few more shouts of “SLAYER!!!” at 5am. But really, who cares about the line-up. When you throw all the above in the mix with Soundgarden, Dropkick Murphys, Kyuss Lives!, Rise Against and Machine Head, who’d be turning this one down?

Visit the Download website for more details.

Preview: Hideout Festival

Hideout
29th June – 1st July
Zrce Beach, Isle of Pag, Croatia

Tickets: £99 with camping

Having enjoyed a sell-out debut in 2011, Hideout Festival returns to Croatia’s beautiful Dalmatian coast this summer, boasting another enticing line up featuring the likes of Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Art Department, and Julio Bashmore (as well as not-so-special guest Skrillex). This year’s boat parties appear equally alluring, and feature, among others, Manchester’s own Zutekh and Drop the Mustard as hosts (though the Crosstown Rebels’ party looks set to be a high point).

Along with its sublime line up, the prospect of the festival’s sublime location is a considerable draw; most people would probably take the white pebbles and clear waters of Zrce beach on the sunny Isle of Pag over a field of shit in Yorkshire. At £99 per ticket for three days of sublime music, Hideout promises to be superb value for money, especially in comparison to many UK festivals (£195 for a Secret Garden Party ticket is, frankly, absurd), and cheaper than some of its high-profile Croat contemporaries such as Soundwave and Outlook.

Set to become a mainstay on the overseas festival circuit, Hideout can surely equal anything a UK festival can offer, and then some.

Visit the Hideout website for more details.

Preview: Latitude Festival

Latitude Festival
12 – 15 July
Henham Park, Suffolk

Weekend tickets: £175
Day tickets: £75

For those of you still bitter about Glastonbury’s obligatory year off, Suffolk’s Latitude festival might just be your best bet.

Now in its sixth year, Latitude has rightly made a name for itself in the festival calendar. This year the line-up includes headliners Bon Iver, Paul Weller and Elbow, among other favourites like M83, The Horrors, The War on Drugs, Battles, SBTRKT and Wild Beasts.

Music not your thing? Well, probably don’t go. But if music is your thing and you’re in the mood for something different, Latitude’ll probably have it covered. Their comedy tent this year will house Tim Minchin, Jack Dee and Reginald D. Hunter, and apart from that there’s the poetry, cabaret, dance and film tents, as well as art exhibitions and late-night DJ sets in the woods.

Since it’s pretty family-friendly, you might need to be prepared to act sober on cue, but don’t let it put you off. Complete with neon sheep and extensive arts events across the site, there’s more than a weekend’s worth to get involved with.

Visit the Latitude website for more details.

This year's Latitude line-up.

Preview: Parklife Festival

Parklife Weekender
9- 10 June
Platt Fields Park, Manchester

Weekend tickets: £64.50 

Only a few weeks left now until what will most likely be the third-annual sold out Parklife Weekender here in Manchester. On June 9th and 10th, Platt Fields Park will be home once again to the two days of debauchery coupled with this year’s stacked lineup. No doubt, well-known names like Nero, Dizzee Rascal, Justice, and The Flaming Lips will draw crowds, but it’s the names in smaller print on the flyer that have most people talking.

Newer arists like Tom Vek , Delilah, and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs are destined to have successful performances based off the buzz around them while DJs such as Annie Mac and electronic music artists like Gold Panda will be the main sounds coming off the stages.

With what appears to be an immense list of dance and heavy hitting music, Noah and The Whale are definitely the wild card in the mix. Granted, their oh-so-catchy ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.’ will more than likely reel in those interested in a good old fashioned sing-along if Azealia Banks’ “Imma ruin you, cunt” doesn’t do the trick.

Kudos for good planning if you managed to get a ticket and look forward to what promises to be a great weekend.

Visit the Parklife website for more details.

Preview: Vans Warped Tour 2012

Vans Warped Tour UK
10th November 2012
Alexandra Palace, London

Tickets are on sale now for £40 + booking fee.  

The Vans Warped Tour is one of the biggest travelling festivals in the US with bands including Asking Alexandria, All Time Low, Enter Shikari and Paramore to name but a few.

But the tour often received criticism for only touring across the pond and European fans have been pretty pissed off to say the least. But 14 years since the last UK date of a Warped Tour, it’s back and promising to be bigger than ever.

While only one band has been announced so far – Sheffield metal mob Bring Me The Horizon – if the US dates are anything to go by, it will not be a letdown. It is also the only appearance in the UK of the Steel City metallers of 2012 as they are busy working on their follow up to critically acclaimed 2010’s There is a Hell, Believe Me…

Love or hate BMTH, the reason to buy a ticket is that there will be many more bands announced within the next few weeks or months and with the hype of a Vans Warped Tour date being so high, the tickets, on sale now, are bound to be like golddust.

Visit the Vans Warped Tour website for more details.

Preview: Hop Farm Festival

Hop Farm Festival
29 June– 1 July
Paddock Wood, Kent

Weekend tickets: £162
Day tickets: £65 

After last year’s amazing line-up, with the likes of The Eagles, Morrissey and Prince on show, it’s safe to say I was a little excited to see the line-up for 2012. And how do you follow such a line-up of legends? Well, Hop Farm just bring in some more, but this time a little more left field.

We still have a healthy mix of legendary artists, with the main headliners consisting of Peter Gabriel and the New Blood Orchestra, 70 year old Bob Dylan and Suede. However, there are so many other artists which have me staring at the poster, mouth open. Everything from the iconic Patti Smith to the weird and wonderful world of Gary Numan and if you prefer something a little more bluesy My Morning Jacket should suffice.

Having only been established 5 years ago, it’s very impressive to see how many big names are gathered in this charming field in Kent. Hop has taken things back to basics, making the festival experience all about the fans. With no sponsors or VIPs it’s all about the music, and my gosh what music there is.

Visit the Hop Farm Festival website for more details.

Preview: Reading and Leeds Festival

Reading/Leeds
24 – 26 August

Tickets: from £197.50 for weekend + camping

And so, to another August bank holiday weekend and the youthful anarchy of the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Another awe-inspiringly unoriginal line-up from FestivalRepublic, but who’s actually complaining? This year sees stalwarts such as The Cure, Foo Fighters and Kasabian headlining the steadfast festivals; the latter drawing some distinct criticism from certain blogging circles. However, it’s the reforming of At the Drive-in that has arguably stolen the spotlight this year. The post-hardcore royalty of Cedric, Omar et al will eloquently hit the NME/Radio One stage on Reading’s Saturday and Leeds’ Sunday. Make sure you don’t miss out on these true masters of their art.

One thing is for sure, FestivalRepublic know how to throw a scintillating party. Apart from the disastrous Kings of Leon set of 2009; these age-old curators have a strong judgement in providing rock n roll crowd pleasers. If you want new-age, avante garde electronic sounds produced by an ugly bastard hiding behind a laptop, then you’re probably better heading elsewhere. Maybe to one of those new European dance festivals full of art-school students that seem to keep popping up. But if you want to hear gritty rock n roll music, sodden from the British summer torrential downpours while pissed as a parrot, then the Reading and Leeds Festivals will certainly not fail to please.

Visit the Reading and Leeds websites for more details.

Preview: Bloodstock Festival

Bloodstock
9th-12th August
Catton Hall

Tickets: £115 w/Camping

Perhaps this is the most niche festival you’re going to see on these pages, but Bloodstock, at least for the metalest of metalheads, is holy ground.  The independent ‘true metal’ festival has been going since 2001 and has recently managed to pull in biggish names. This year, they’ve bagged Alice Cooper for this spot, as well as Behemoth and an as yet unrevealed headliner – we’ll have to wait until 6PM on the 6th June to find that out.

Others on this heavy, heavy line-up include Testament, Dimmu Borgir, Watain and Hatebreed as well as Orange Goblin, Corrosion of Conformity and Anvil further down the ranks. Whichever way you look at it, there’s going to be little to no chance of delicate numbers all weekend.

Much smaller than your average festival, Bloodstock delivers what it promises. A small, tight-knit festival where, if you like the music, you’re bound to run in to somebody you know at every turn.

Visit the Bloodstock website for more details.

Preview: Optimus Alive Festival

Optimus Alive
13-15th August
Lisbon, Portugal

Tickets: £103 with camping

Only five years since its inception, Optimus Alive is fast becoming one of Europe’s biggest festivals. This really can come as no surprise, considering that The Cure, The Stone Roses and Radiohead have already been penned in as headliners this year.

Okay, there is more than your fair share of standard landfill indie, and criticisms can come with regards to the cheesy nature of the bill, as Noah and the Whale, The Kooks, and Snow Patrol find themselves on the main stage. Nevertheless, the line-up possesses more than enough big name attractions.

Electronic heavyweights come in the form of Justice and Caribou, whilst respectable riffs come from The Kills and The Maccabees. More electro-pop is scattered across the three days as Metronomy, SBTRKT, Santigold, and Sebastian display the depth of talent on show at the main stages throughout the weekend. Throw into the mix the £103 ticket price and the nigh-on guarantee of great weather, you’d be mad to miss it.

Choosing your summer festival destination is undeniably one of life’s toughest decisions. Even so, if you want a week in the sun, away from the pilled up Eastern European destinations, Optimus Alive must be the choice.

Visit the Optimus Alive website for more details.

Preview: Y Not Festival

Y Not Festival
3 – 5th August 2012
Peak District

Festivals are great experiences; there are people who see 30 bands over 3 days and those who see about 3 all weekend. Regardless of what category you fall into, the cost of major festivals can be a bit much, but when a weekend ticket with camping is just £75, why not?

With headliners The View, The Wombats and The Scientists, there is a great mix of established acts, as well as those on the cusp of breaking through. There is, as ever, an eclectic mix, from the solid crowd pleasers like The Pigeon Detectives, to the raw blues spirit of acts like Vintage Trouble – making sure there’s something for everyone at this charming little festival. And even if you just want to get pissed in a tent for a weekend, Y Not is a lovely place to go and do so in the beautiful Peak District greenery. From August 3rd-5th all this goodness will be going on, and even if you’re going to a big festival, Y Not is just unbelievably tempting, and with no Glasto this year maybe these smaller festivals will get a bit more attention.

Visit the Y Not Festival website for more info and how to get tickets.

Live: Blood Red Shoes

5th May 2012

Academy 2

8/10

Blood Red Shoes got themselves into a spot of bother recently. Drummer Steven Ansell – not known for shying away from giving an opinion – voiced some forthright, and absolutely accurate, concerns about the negative influence of successful bands making ‘safe’ music, naming You Me at Six as a prominent offender. The Twitter backlash from Six’s Bieber-esque army of followers was as vitriolic as it was swift.

For me, the incident epitomised everything I like about Blood Red Shoes. They emerged as a DIY band from Brighton’s punk scene, but aren’t afraid to be ambitious, both on record – see their new one – and in terms of popularity. They’re happy to wear their influences – predominantly American – firmly on their sleeve, and they’re where they are today because of 8 years of prodigious touring; there’s been no leg up from money or undue press attention. In an age where rock n roll posers have become the norm, a band this genuine is a tragically rare commodity.

Tonight’s the latest in a long line of Shoes shows at the union, and their first since third record In Time to Voices dropped; I’m intrigued to see what effect the new songs will have on the band’s traditionally frenetic live dynamic. The answer’s very little. Their first two records remain healthily represented – their formula of very loud rock songs with poppy hooks and melodies, instigated on the first LP and perfected on the second, was devised with live shows firmly in mind. Only the new tracks that keep the tempo sufficiently high make the cut – the hip hop groove of ‘Cold’ and the simmering-verse-into-explosive-chorus of the title track amongst them. It’s a tad disappointing – the evening’s one mellow moment, the inclusion of the shimmering ‘When We Wake’ from their second album, only serves as a reminder of how spectacular the epic newie ‘The Silence and the Drones’ could have been, whilst the overlooked ‘Two Dead Minutes’ is surely destined for live-stapledom, its woozy harmonies giving way to explosive guitars half way through, like a grungy Fleetwood Mac.

The move to bigger venues is a natural step in the promotion of a record as honest in its aspiration as In Time to Voices, but it’s hard not to miss the edge the barrierless rooms lent these shows; tonight’s crowd is lively, sure, but still a far cry from the days of twenty-odd people leading a midset stage invasion in the Academy 3.

Minor quibbles aside, this is still about as blistering a live show as you’re going to find in 2012, as evidenced by incendiary closer ‘Je Me Perds’ almost taking the roof off. If you’re into 80s-obsessed, synth-ridden pop music, you’re sadly very well catered for these days. But if you fancy a good old-fashioned rock show? There’s always Blood Red Shoes.

Blood Red Shoes – Cold

Live: Ladyhawke @ Ruby Lounge

Ladyhawke
Ruby Lounge
2 May
3 stars

Dressed in an oversized paisley flannel shirt, Doc Martens and skinny jeans, the blonde-headed natural beauty in front of me could have been plucked straight from any vintage shop from within the Northern Quarter.

The bombshell I speak of is New-Zealander Pip Brown, better known as Ladyhawke. As she stepped out onto the tiny stage, I noticed that she oozes talent and lacks the pretentiousness which entombs the Oldham-Street-goers quirky souls. This down to earth aura is probably why she is so easy to chat to; and why she has “been thrown out of my own gigs countless times from the scary security” who don’t realise that she is actually a starlet.

After reading several reviews, I expected to witness a dull and lifeless performance, owing to her supposed shy nature. Ladyhawke graced the small stage of Ruby Lounge on the 2nd May and this gig was the complete opposite of what I expected. It left me wondering if others before me had been watching the same Ladyhawke as me.  She appeared comfortable and at ease from the offset, often engaging with the audience and joining in with the crowds’ chants.

Ladyhawke performed effortlessly yet impeccably. The upbeat, electro pop songs ‘Paris is Burning’, ‘Magic’ and ‘My Delirium’ were instant crowd pleasers. Forthcoming material went down a treat and did not lose the crowd’s attention, probably due to a combination of their catchy nature and Ladyhawkes’ captivating stage presence. Pip said “I have really enjoyed doing this album taster tour and I will be back playing bigger venues very soon!”

Her new album Anxiety is set for release this month. If this performance is anything to go by, I envision that certain songs will be played repetitively within the indie club scene.

Ladyhawke – Paris Is Burning