This blog is moving and will be made better, please bare with me for details!
thanks
Monday, March 19, 2012
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Do not resist this one!
Review of Silent Resistance E.P ‘A Thousand Voices’
Everyone is aware of the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’; a handy piece of advice which should be taken into account with Silent Resistance’s E.P‘A Thousand Voices’, do not judge this E.P by its artwork, you will be misled into thinking you are about to listen to heavy metal screamo, which is entirely not the case.
The predominately Leicester based rock, loosely ‘metal’, band released ‘A Thousand Voices’ in 2010 as their debut E.P. Silent Resistance have recently finished their 2011 touring with a set at OXJAM in Leicester, and have also been seen supporting the likes of Glamour of the Kill and Yashin, from which they have obviously drawn musical inspiration from.
The first track on the E.P is not really a track at all, more of an introduction or, as it is titled, a ‘prelude’ of things to come. The sound of pouring rain indicates that the following tracks are not going to be about butterflies and double rainbows, but simply builds up an eerie intensity making what follows more of an anticipated event rather than just the next song; which, after having such a dramatic intro, luckily does not disappoint.
The second song on the E.P is ‘Death Stare’ which digs its teeth straight into the listener with an intense guitar riff, and mild screaming to start. The high energy start turns into whispery blunt vocals accompanied by additional screaming before picking up to even more kick-ass instrumentals working perfectly with the melodic chorus sung by vocalist Ryan Tailor.
Silent Resistance’s token ‘slow song’ is track number six on the E.P titled ‘Demons (They come for me)’ which combines some screaming with, but is mainly, a harmonious lyrical track complemented by powerful drumming from Danny Lodge and some more excellent riffs from guitarists Jai Flannery and Alex Roddis, of course being given depth by the always underappreciated bassist, who in this case is, Dan Slipper.
Although collectively and individually the debut E.P is a fantastic one, some parts which contain attempted ‘growling’, as it is put in metal terms, should have been omitted. It doesn’t add anything to the songs it is featured in and also does not come across well on the E.P; nevertheless the energetic, hair raising, self-confessed face melting instrumentals, sporadic screaming and strong, passionate vocals are enough to make this E.P an epic addition to any rockers music collection, and provides a taster of even better things to come.
Silent Resistence’s E.P ‘A Thousand Voices’ is available from http://www.silentresistance.bigcartel.com
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
This is The Blackout!
And You WILL Find Out That They Put On A Hell Of A Show.
Recently deemed best live rock band in the UK by Kerrang! magazine, The Blackout had a lot to live up to when they played at the Birmingham O2 academy on November 4th.
Gig-goers often have a mixed view of having three support bands before the headliners. For one thing it takes more energy, and for another it delays who you really came to see. In this case however the crowd were not disappointed by the late addition of Page 44. The Brummy rockers were already psyched to play the gig in their home city, but with the added positive reception they received during their set, their home ground did them proud. The upbeat music partnered with well sung lyrics by Adam Vygus showed that Page 44 were perfect for a starter band, sufficiently warming the audience and getting them ready for more.
Canterbury were next on the line up, the band from Basingstoke were definitely eccentric, undeniably unique, pushing personalised sticks of rock as part of their merchandise. They managed to keep up the vibe that Page 44 had left. Unfortunately, the band’s instruments (though well played) drowned most of the vocals out. Nevertheless the audience seemed to enjoy what Canterbury were handing them, and their enthusiasm definitely could not be faulted.
Third and final support of the evening, continuing with the theme of British rock band goodness, was We Are the Ocean. Previously seen with The Blackout at the Nottingham mini festival, Hit The Deck, earlier in the year. One thing everyone will immediately notice about the rock/metal Londoners is that lethargic is not a word in their vocabulary. As soon as this band hit the stage it was like having a shot of adrenaline to the heart whilst drinking pure caffeine. Front man, Dan Brown, is borderline insane as he makes it his mission to immerse himself in the crowd completely by standing on the barrier, running through the crowd and surfing on them. The technical problems the band faced at the beginning of their set, suffering from some feedback, did not deter them from putting on an awesome show, maybe too great to be supporting anymore as they definitely wore most of the crowd out.
Finally, the ones we had all been waiting for, The Blackout. The audience progressively started to chant ‘We are the Dynamite’, the title of the band’s first album and a chant featured on the track ‘Tick, Tick, Boom’ on that album. The music stopped, the house lights went down, and ear drums definitely burst with the shrill screams of hundreds of what were mainly teenage fan-girls. Straight away blasting off their set with the energy pumping track off their latest album ‘Hope’, ‘This is our Time’. The crowd surged in a desperate reach for the barrier, some danced, and some jumped - whatever the movement, no one on the floor was still. The six-piece from Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales, recently spoke to Kerrang! magazine about the struggle it took to make the album ‘Hope’, having to partake in the Pledge for Music scheme to raise enough to fund their third album; however after a fantastic reception of the new album, at festivals and whilst on tour, it seems that The Blackout may have just put their troubles behind them in the climb to rock stardom.
The night’s set list consisted of a mixture of material, though heavily balanced towards their new album, being the ‘Hope Tour’. The band threw in a few tracks from the rest of their discography: the offensive yet brilliant ‘I’m a Riot? You’re a f*cking Riot!’ from their mini-album ‘The Blackout! The Blackout! The Blackout!’; ‘Spread legs not lies’ from their first album ‘We are the Dynamite’; and a few popular tracks from the album that really launched them onto the scene, ‘Children of the night’. The best thing about seeing The Blackout live is the onstage personality and audience interaction. Some bands will sing their songs and get off stage, with this band it is obvious they belong on that stage and enjoy it whilst they are. Adding various crowd-involving gimmicks to their set, such as getting everyone in the standing area to crouch down during a part of ‘Save Our Selves’, which with a room filled with people is not easy! When all had obeyed the order, not a moment sooner, they were then told to stay down until the music kicked back, and when it did, they were then instructed to ‘Jump the f*ck up!’ causing the walls of the venue to vibrate.
Co-front-man Gavin Butler’s, vocals were outstanding - from the speedy upbeat lyrics to the melodic vocals of the slower tracks, every note hit and could not be criticized throughout. Similarly, though less harmoniously, screamer Sean Smith managed to keep his yelling top notch all night, giving the heavier depth the band needs to separate them from the generic pop-punk bands of today.
The rest of the band tend to shy away from the spotlight and can therefore get slightly over-looked with such strong frontmen. Nevertheless the guitar riffs from James Davies and Matthew Davies were definitely hair-raising, especially the solo in ‘The Devil Inside’, with their completely flawless playing deserving certainly more praise than they receive. Rhys Lewis accompanied and bettered the guitar playing further by adding deep bass all the way through. Last but certainly not least on the drums, Mr Gareth ‘Snoz’ Lawrence; always sporting a massive grin, he gave his all-pounding, kick ass percussion to every song, keeping the smile whilst doing so. The chemistry between this band, and the fact they are all good friends just enhances the experience of seeing them live, with no false modesty; after every show the band graciously thank the crowd as they are reminded of the uphill battle they had to get where they are today. Where they will be tomorrow will only be so much better with the sheer talent and charisma they have in their hands.
Are The Blackout the best live rock band in the UK? From the show at the Birmingham O2 academy, without a doubt; make sure you buy (not steal) their albums and catch the next tour - it will blow your minds!
The Blackout’s fourth album Hope is available on iTunes, HMV, Amazon and from the band’s website www.theblackout.net
Saturday, October 22, 2011
The Breakdowns
| Viva Los Breakdowns! |
The Breakdowns, made up of Joe (lead singer/ guitarist), Matt (lead guitarist), Adam (bassist) and Owen (Drummer), formed in 2007 with a vision of bringing back classic rock and roll.
The bubble-gum rockers released their self-titled debut album in 2008 on the Spanish record label ‘ROCK INDIANA’. Although the album held some great tracks the band were not happy with the overall vibe of the record, feeling that it did not reflect them in the way they had imagined their first album would. Despite this, it gave them the amazing opportunity to tour in Spain where they have collected an expansive ever-growing fan base.
In 2009 the band were asked to play the Summer Sundae festival in Leicester, excited by the break they, being the classic rock stars at heart, released a double sided 7’’ vinyl ‘Hey Veronica/ Some Kind Of Wonderful’ to mark the occasion. Leader Singer, Joe, said: ‘It was a dream of ours to release a piece of vinyl, kinda ace!’
The band are currently touring the UK with English rock band Terrorvision, who reformed in recent years after a long hiatus, a band The Breakdowns have admired since a young age. Supporting their idols the band stepped up their game, physically blasting everything they have to give to the audience; receiving an excellent reception at each gig they play.
The Breakdowns’ future looks bright with more dates supporting Terrorvision, a Spanish tour and talk of a track of theirs maybe appearing on an American movie soundtrack. They are also already in discussion about their next album, the lead singer said: ‘A new album will hopefully be out next summer, and the next one is going to be even better; there are no bands around today writing heartbreak pop like we do.’
The Breakdowns’ new album is now available from iTunes and www.rockindiana.com
Young Guns at Birmingham HMV institute 15th September
It was clear to anyone that attended the signing earlier that evening that Gustav, as tweeted, was still not 100% better after being ill; however this did not stop the British rock giants coming out to say hello to the large fan base they have built up over the last couple of years, for which the fans were appreciative.
The first of the three support bands of the evening were Aussie rockers ‘Dangerous’, unheard of to most if not all of the crowd they gave more than they got. Pulsating high energy tunes throughout the venue they soon inspired high energy feedback from the crowd. The lead singer immersed himself into the crowd several times, breaking down the literal and metaphorical barrier between band and audience. The crowd were seriously warmed up for the next support after these guys left the stage.
Next on were ‘The Xcerts’ who failed to stand up to the raw energy put out by ‘Dangerous’, their tunes more mellow compared and stage presence to match. It seemed from an audience perspective that the people who organised the support line up wanted to ‘chill’ everyone out, which, although is better for security, puts a damper on the gig experience. Perhaps in a different line-up they would have shone to their full potential, but the self-advertised distorted pop band did not manage to keep up with the rock displayed in this particular gig.
The last support and last chance to get the audience going was American pop rock band ‘Every Avenue’, who were clearly the most renowned support on this tour, judging by the noisy reception they received from a previously restless crowd. The band, although they haven’t really broken out of supporting yet, managed to get their lyrics sung back to them by most of the audience, people danced, ‘Every Avenue’ absorbing every ounce of energy the crowd were exerting, only increasing their enthusiasm, bettering their performance. Perhaps this gig proved that they do have the capability to make it on their own as opposed to supporting.
After much anticipation the main attraction graced the stage, from the first beat of the snare ‘Young Guns’ killed it; smashing songs from their album ‘All our Kings are dead’ such as ‘Stitches’ and ‘Sons of Apathy’ all getting a great response from their fans.
Gustav Wood, lead singer, confessed to suffering from slight delirium brought on by cough syrup, this did not affect his vocals; however the multiple technical problems did put a damper on the what would be a flawless epic performance from this amazing band. Most did not let this stop them moshing out and singing along.
The highlight of the gig was hearing them blast out nearly the whole of the ‘Mirrors’ E.P their best work as some may argue. The ‘Mirrors’ E.P contains so powerful lyrics, fist pumping beats and outstanding riffs, if these tunes ever vanished from the ‘Young Guns’ set list it would be a tragedy, as each track is pure musical genius.
Sweat was definitely brewing; every part of this band makes you want to jump and scream, their songs infectious, their audience interaction inspiring and their stage presence immense.
‘Young Guns’ went from the support band nobody knew to one of the best British rock bands on the scene, and taking their Birmingham performance into account, they are going to be sticking around for a long time.
Words By Gemma Harling
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Fright Night
A Vampire movie that doesn’t suck
Tampering with an original is always dangerous territory; however with Marti Noxon, one producer and writer of the hit TV series ‘Buffy the vampire slayer’, writing the screenplay it was sure to be a hit with vampire fanatics everywhere.
Firstly, this film is not a replica of the original, know this when you walk in and Fright Night (1985) will not be betrayed in your mind and the film (2011) will not disappoint. It is simply the same story told and presented in a way to suit the present, with humour and language adapted to fit with today’s society.
Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) is shocked to discover his burly mysterious new neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell) is in fact a blood thirsty vampire on a ruthless killing spree in their suburban neighbourhood outside of Las Vegas. It becomes Charley’s mission to take this vampire down before he gets to his mother (Toni Collette) and girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots). To do so he attempts to enlist the help of alleged vampire expert Vincent Price (David Tennant) who’s tough image is more of an illusion than his Vegas show.
Not since ‘Scream’ have humour and horror fit so well together in one film, the balance of gore and giggles was perfect, making the remake enjoyable to those of all tastes and ages, 15 and over of course. The addition of ‘Superbad’ and ‘Kick-ass’ star Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Ed excelled the laughter from those who recognised him from previous roles, but also from those who had never experienced the McLovin before.
The new craze of everything being in 3D usually goes one of two ways, it can either be spectacular adding depth and new levels to the film or it can seem obvious and tacky. Fright Night pulled off 3D very well, the occasional blood splatter flying towards the audience and added depth made watching the film more of an experience rather than just a viewing.
Colin Farrell’s performance could be compared to that of ‘bad’ Angel (Angelus) from Buffy, the sexy broody muscleman who is also a merciless killer, is portrayed flawlessly by Farrell, and his biceps. David Tennant obviously channelled the likes of Russell Brand and Johnny Depp for the character of Vincent Price. The alcoholic (not-so) bad-ass rock star type was a new look for Mr Tennant, famous for his light-hearted bubbly depiction of Doctor Who; nevertheless he brought sass and humour to the role doing the part justice.
Compared to the original the acting and effects are far superior but it is the tackiness of the 1985 version that makes it such a timeless classic that people love and remember; BUT, to reiterate, do not go in to compare or else you will not enjoy this fabulous modern take on a great story, only find fault with how it does not follow the original. Fright Night proves that vampires are finally biting back into the world of decent cinema.
Fright Night released in cinemas on September 2nd.
Words by Gemma Harling
Tampering with an original is always dangerous territory; however with Marti Noxon, one producer and writer of the hit TV series ‘Buffy the vampire slayer’, writing the screenplay it was sure to be a hit with vampire fanatics everywhere.
Firstly, this film is not a replica of the original, know this when you walk in and Fright Night (1985) will not be betrayed in your mind and the film (2011) will not disappoint. It is simply the same story told and presented in a way to suit the present, with humour and language adapted to fit with today’s society.
Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) is shocked to discover his burly mysterious new neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell) is in fact a blood thirsty vampire on a ruthless killing spree in their suburban neighbourhood outside of Las Vegas. It becomes Charley’s mission to take this vampire down before he gets to his mother (Toni Collette) and girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots). To do so he attempts to enlist the help of alleged vampire expert Vincent Price (David Tennant) who’s tough image is more of an illusion than his Vegas show.
Not since ‘Scream’ have humour and horror fit so well together in one film, the balance of gore and giggles was perfect, making the remake enjoyable to those of all tastes and ages, 15 and over of course. The addition of ‘Superbad’ and ‘Kick-ass’ star Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Ed excelled the laughter from those who recognised him from previous roles, but also from those who had never experienced the McLovin before.
The new craze of everything being in 3D usually goes one of two ways, it can either be spectacular adding depth and new levels to the film or it can seem obvious and tacky. Fright Night pulled off 3D very well, the occasional blood splatter flying towards the audience and added depth made watching the film more of an experience rather than just a viewing.
Colin Farrell’s performance could be compared to that of ‘bad’ Angel (Angelus) from Buffy, the sexy broody muscleman who is also a merciless killer, is portrayed flawlessly by Farrell, and his biceps. David Tennant obviously channelled the likes of Russell Brand and Johnny Depp for the character of Vincent Price. The alcoholic (not-so) bad-ass rock star type was a new look for Mr Tennant, famous for his light-hearted bubbly depiction of Doctor Who; nevertheless he brought sass and humour to the role doing the part justice.
Compared to the original the acting and effects are far superior but it is the tackiness of the 1985 version that makes it such a timeless classic that people love and remember; BUT, to reiterate, do not go in to compare or else you will not enjoy this fabulous modern take on a great story, only find fault with how it does not follow the original. Fright Night proves that vampires are finally biting back into the world of decent cinema.
Fright Night released in cinemas on September 2nd.
Words by Gemma Harling
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Talulah Blue
As seen on Britain’s Got Talent, the rising burlesque sensation Talulah Blue, from Leicester, proves to Amanda Holden and the whole of the United Kingdom that she is much more than just a ‘nice bum’.Exposed to dancing from a young age Talulah Blue fell into the organisation of various Burlesque shows, showcasing talents such as Anna Fur Laxis. Although the shows were successful, Talulah’s observation of Burlesque performers quickly grew into the ‘want’ to perform herself; however nerves kept this inevitable star from putting her stiletto mark on the world of Burlesque for a further three years. As soon as she hit the stage in late 2010 Talulah’s passion flared, her dances radiated elegance and poise making her an instant success.
As a designer, the costuming portion of Burlesque is Talulah’s first priority, the art form presents an opportunity for performers to express their creative abilities, an aspect Talulah finds crucial to being a successful performer, she said: “Looking the part hides a lot of other flaws when dancing”.
Miss Blue recently appeared on the hit UK show Britain’s Got Talent, where she performed her now legendary white fan dance in front of the judges and the nation, American judge and former Baywatch star, David Hasselhoff, said: “This is why I left America. You certainly have talent! I found that very charming, very sexy and very entertaining”. The graceful fan dance reflected the classic side of burlesque proving the art is more than just ‘glorified stripping’.
As well as a reputable dancer, Talulah is also an established business woman, creating and selling various hand crafted burlesque themed items and accessories, such as pasties and feather fans, executed with delicate detailing. Items are sold on her own website (www.talulahblue.com) that she herself regularly updates with new items and performance details.
Talulah Blue will be performing at the Dragstalgia event at Santa Pod Raceway in Wellingborough taking place on July 16th-July 17th. The event, in association with Milkcow Magazine, will feature drag racing, classic cars, live music and Burlesque. Talulah will be performing on the Saturday evening along with other performers such as Aurora Toxique and Emmanuelle Claire. Tickets start at £14 advance.
For more information and tickets for Dragstalgia visit the event’s page on the Santa Pod Raceway website www.santapod.co.uk.
There is no sign of Miss Blue slowing down until she has conquered the burlesque scene. This British star will soon charm the world round to the intoxicating effects of the art, creating a storm wherever she goes.
To book Talulah Blue as a performer visit her website at http://www.talulahblue.com/ or visit her Facebook page.
For more information and tickets for Dragstalgia visit the event’s page on the Santa Pod Raceway website www.santapod.co.uk.
There is no sign of Miss Blue slowing down until she has conquered the burlesque scene. This British star will soon charm the world round to the intoxicating effects of the art, creating a storm wherever she goes.
To book Talulah Blue as a performer visit her website at http://www.talulahblue.com/ or visit her Facebook page.
Words By Gemma Harling
Photograph by Mohawk Visuals (Paul Needham)
Exam break
I apologise to those who read my blog for the lack of updates, I was revising and doing my exams, now they are over it is all gravy and to tide you over here is an article about Talulah Blue the burlesque dancer seen on Britain's Got Talent this year.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Yashin, LYU and We're Not Worthy at Lock 42 in Leicester, 17th March
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus made the Lock 42 crowd ‘Stand up’ and take notice on 17th March, during their shared UK headline tour with Yashin.
The first support of the evening were the pop-punk Leicester based band We’re Not Worthy. The issue of technology adjustments often arises with support bands, usually the first; the vocals tend to be drowned out by the overly loud instrumentals. We’re Not Worthy’s starting performance suffered as a result of this, although their talent and enthusiasm was immediately apparent. As the band’s set progressed they were able to play their great easycore tracks with confidence and passion. We’re Not Worthy are not signed to a record label as of yet, however judging by their performance on their home turf they will go far with their musical careers.
Next to take to the stage were LYU. The alternative rock band from Birmingham were not phased by the small size of the venue, their exhilaration was as massive as their raw instrumentals which were accompanied by the talented vocal performance of LYU frontman, Tom Hill. The fresh lively tracks performed by LYU warmed the Lock 42, occasionally inspiring spurts of dancing within the audience despite the band being fairly unknown. The band were truly able to prepare the crowd for the frenzy that would occur when the next band and the first of the two headliners, Yashin, took to the stage.
Yashin, the screamo alternative rock band from Glasgow were undoubtedly the heaviest band of the evening and the most energetic. Pumped up on adrenaline the six-piece band found it hard to be contained by the tiny Lock 42 stage, both vocalists often standing on the speakers dominating over the Leicester crowd. The heavy screamo vocals performed by Kevin Miles were complemented by softer pop punk vocals from Harry Radford, giving the band a fresh lively sound. The strong instrumentals inspired the braver audience members to create a mosh pit which dominated most of the venue’s floor, some truly mental rockers sporting bloody noses when leaving the pit. Although Yahsin were generally heavier than the other bands on the line-up the crowd took to their sound with great exhilaration, hyped up and ready for the final offering of the night.
The American rock band, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus were highly anticipated by the crowd, most of the audience being at the gig predominantly for the Florida rockers. It had been a while since the band toured in the UK, however their absence only made the fans more loyal and eager to hear them blast out some amazing tracks. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus were mellower compared to the band that played before, motivating the crowd members to dance and jump rather than thrash and mosh. Lead vocalist, Ronnie Winter, took a casual stance whilst singing, simply enjoying performing at the gig on St Patrick’s Day. The music played by the other band members was incredible, but did not over power the vocals. Whether it was the small venue or their general attitude, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus seemed to lack the energy Yashin had displayed earlier that evening. Despite this their performance did not fail to impress the fans who sang along to every lyric, eyes glazed with adoration of the band they had missed. The most popular track of the evening was the ballad ‘Your Guardian Angel’, the majority of the audience united to harmoniously sing the song with Ronnie, one girl sitting on someone’s shoulders, in a festival style manner, to get a better look during the track. The band finished their set with the track ‘The Grim Goodbye’.
On the whole the music itself was outstanding, the instruments were played with technical accuracy and talent, however the gig suffered slightly by the lack of energy portrayed by some of the bands. The crowd did not let this stop them from appreciating The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’s, Yashin’s, and the supports’ performances, leaving them wanting more.
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| Ronnie White, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus lead |
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus made the Lock 42 crowd ‘Stand up’ and take notice on 17th March, during their shared UK headline tour with Yashin.
The first support of the evening were the pop-punk Leicester based band We’re Not Worthy. The issue of technology adjustments often arises with support bands, usually the first; the vocals tend to be drowned out by the overly loud instrumentals. We’re Not Worthy’s starting performance suffered as a result of this, although their talent and enthusiasm was immediately apparent. As the band’s set progressed they were able to play their great easycore tracks with confidence and passion. We’re Not Worthy are not signed to a record label as of yet, however judging by their performance on their home turf they will go far with their musical careers.
Next to take to the stage were LYU. The alternative rock band from Birmingham were not phased by the small size of the venue, their exhilaration was as massive as their raw instrumentals which were accompanied by the talented vocal performance of LYU frontman, Tom Hill. The fresh lively tracks performed by LYU warmed the Lock 42, occasionally inspiring spurts of dancing within the audience despite the band being fairly unknown. The band were truly able to prepare the crowd for the frenzy that would occur when the next band and the first of the two headliners, Yashin, took to the stage.
Yashin, the screamo alternative rock band from Glasgow were undoubtedly the heaviest band of the evening and the most energetic. Pumped up on adrenaline the six-piece band found it hard to be contained by the tiny Lock 42 stage, both vocalists often standing on the speakers dominating over the Leicester crowd. The heavy screamo vocals performed by Kevin Miles were complemented by softer pop punk vocals from Harry Radford, giving the band a fresh lively sound. The strong instrumentals inspired the braver audience members to create a mosh pit which dominated most of the venue’s floor, some truly mental rockers sporting bloody noses when leaving the pit. Although Yahsin were generally heavier than the other bands on the line-up the crowd took to their sound with great exhilaration, hyped up and ready for the final offering of the night.
The American rock band, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus were highly anticipated by the crowd, most of the audience being at the gig predominantly for the Florida rockers. It had been a while since the band toured in the UK, however their absence only made the fans more loyal and eager to hear them blast out some amazing tracks. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus were mellower compared to the band that played before, motivating the crowd members to dance and jump rather than thrash and mosh. Lead vocalist, Ronnie Winter, took a casual stance whilst singing, simply enjoying performing at the gig on St Patrick’s Day. The music played by the other band members was incredible, but did not over power the vocals. Whether it was the small venue or their general attitude, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus seemed to lack the energy Yashin had displayed earlier that evening. Despite this their performance did not fail to impress the fans who sang along to every lyric, eyes glazed with adoration of the band they had missed. The most popular track of the evening was the ballad ‘Your Guardian Angel’, the majority of the audience united to harmoniously sing the song with Ronnie, one girl sitting on someone’s shoulders, in a festival style manner, to get a better look during the track. The band finished their set with the track ‘The Grim Goodbye’.
On the whole the music itself was outstanding, the instruments were played with technical accuracy and talent, however the gig suffered slightly by the lack of energy portrayed by some of the bands. The crowd did not let this stop them from appreciating The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’s, Yashin’s, and the supports’ performances, leaving them wanting more.
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| Yashin Vocalists |
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Glamour of the Kill- Leicester 24/02/2011
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| Photo By Gemma Harling |
Glamour of the Kill, Shadows Chasing Ghosts and Forever Living Dead at the Sumo in Leicester.
The venue may not have been big but Glamour of the Kill did not let the four walls of the Sumo in Leicester, on the 24th February, stop them from causing havoc amongst their fans.
There was a late start to the gig which left many antsy and eager for the first support band, Forever Living Dead, to come on. The usually four piece band apologised to the Sumo audience for the absence of a member who had left the band fairly recently, causing the remaining members to rethink and rework their tracks. Despite this Forever Living Dead were able to start the evening on a high. The enthusiastic music the band projected helped warm a static audience, although they did not receive the reception they perhaps deserved due to the time the crowd had to wait. The Leicestershire based alternative rock band impressed with their instrumental control and sound, however it would have benefitted from some technical tweaking as the lyrics were lost amongst the over powering amplifier. The band’s performance at the Sumo was amazing under the circumstances, however being on home turf they could not disappoint their local fans by cancelling. When the Forever Living Dead have replaced the missing member or refigure their songs appropriately to fit the remaining trio, their performance will be lifted to another level as they already have the potential to impress rock lovers.
The second and announced, ‘official’ support of the Glamour of the Kill’s UK tour were Shadows Chasing Ghosts. The screamo/ rock band from London were not shy about making noise. The small size of the venue did not hinder their passion for being loud and at times insane. Frontman Trey Tremain got up close and personal with many fans almost swinging at them from the metal roof beams. Although the lyrics were lost among the volume of scream vocals, the band projected energy all around the dingy Sumo basement. The floodlights highlighted the faces of the audience; brightening the room and making the crowd come alive. Moshing started during Shadows Chasing Ghosts’ set which, in such a confined space, was violent and mental. The band encouraged the audience to get involved by clapping to the beat and head-banging to the heavy instrumentals, truly fulfilling their duty as a support band to warm up the room ready for the headliners. Technically the music was astounding, the guitar riffs and solos from Matt Jones and Damien Cummins were sharp and electric, accompanied by the strong drum beats from Danny Coy and the depth of bass played by Danny Green. Shadows Chasing Ghosts were well received by the Leicester audience, most of the crowd were out of breath by the end of their set, but ready for more.
The headliners, Glamour of the Kill, came on stage for their ‘The Summoning tour’, to a chorus of screams from the Leicester crowd. The rock-pop/metal band from York take on the appearance of a stereotypical heavier band, tattoo clad and clothed in black; however the band’s sound was ‘softer’ than what was expected, after their support choice was fairly heavy. Glamour of the Kill combined the perfect amount of lyrical singing and screaming in order for the crowd to join in. Vocalist, Davey Richmond, remained strong throughout the entire set, voicing the band’s lyrics clearly and with enthusiasm whilst also controlling the bass guitar. All band members contribute to the vocals at some point during the set, giving a sense of chemistry and equality amongst them, unlike some bands where the frontman hogs the spotlight, this sense of isolation was not present between Glamour of the Kill. Lead guitarist Mike Kingswood shredded incredible guitar solos which were only amplified by riffs of other guitarist Chris Gomerson, and beats from drummer Ben Thomson all three adding the intense, superb music to the band’s tracks. The audience were extremely active for Glamour of the Kill, jumping, thrashing, moshing, head-banging and singing at every opportunity, the long wait they had seemed insignificant now the band were on stage.
The relatively short set list of eleven songs seemed popular with the audience, their fans’ passion to move being relentless until the end. The benefit of a smaller venue is that the crowd get a true sense of a band from a close perspective, which is what they received from Glamour of the Kill. The songs all had a sound more upbeat than their names, they played tracks such as ‘A Hope in Hell’, ‘Lost Souls’ and ‘Rise from your Grave’, morbidly titled yet surprisingly buoyant. Ending the set with a more optimistic track, ‘Feeling Alive’ which applied to every crowd member after this adrenaline fuelled performance.
Glamour of the Kill have a sound that belongs in bigger venue and judging by their set in Leicester it may not be long in the future before they dominate a larger stage.
The venue may not have been big but Glamour of the Kill did not let the four walls of the Sumo in Leicester, on the 24th February, stop them from causing havoc amongst their fans.
There was a late start to the gig which left many antsy and eager for the first support band, Forever Living Dead, to come on. The usually four piece band apologised to the Sumo audience for the absence of a member who had left the band fairly recently, causing the remaining members to rethink and rework their tracks. Despite this Forever Living Dead were able to start the evening on a high. The enthusiastic music the band projected helped warm a static audience, although they did not receive the reception they perhaps deserved due to the time the crowd had to wait. The Leicestershire based alternative rock band impressed with their instrumental control and sound, however it would have benefitted from some technical tweaking as the lyrics were lost amongst the over powering amplifier. The band’s performance at the Sumo was amazing under the circumstances, however being on home turf they could not disappoint their local fans by cancelling. When the Forever Living Dead have replaced the missing member or refigure their songs appropriately to fit the remaining trio, their performance will be lifted to another level as they already have the potential to impress rock lovers.
The second and announced, ‘official’ support of the Glamour of the Kill’s UK tour were Shadows Chasing Ghosts. The screamo/ rock band from London were not shy about making noise. The small size of the venue did not hinder their passion for being loud and at times insane. Frontman Trey Tremain got up close and personal with many fans almost swinging at them from the metal roof beams. Although the lyrics were lost among the volume of scream vocals, the band projected energy all around the dingy Sumo basement. The floodlights highlighted the faces of the audience; brightening the room and making the crowd come alive. Moshing started during Shadows Chasing Ghosts’ set which, in such a confined space, was violent and mental. The band encouraged the audience to get involved by clapping to the beat and head-banging to the heavy instrumentals, truly fulfilling their duty as a support band to warm up the room ready for the headliners. Technically the music was astounding, the guitar riffs and solos from Matt Jones and Damien Cummins were sharp and electric, accompanied by the strong drum beats from Danny Coy and the depth of bass played by Danny Green. Shadows Chasing Ghosts were well received by the Leicester audience, most of the crowd were out of breath by the end of their set, but ready for more.
The headliners, Glamour of the Kill, came on stage for their ‘The Summoning tour’, to a chorus of screams from the Leicester crowd. The rock-pop/metal band from York take on the appearance of a stereotypical heavier band, tattoo clad and clothed in black; however the band’s sound was ‘softer’ than what was expected, after their support choice was fairly heavy. Glamour of the Kill combined the perfect amount of lyrical singing and screaming in order for the crowd to join in. Vocalist, Davey Richmond, remained strong throughout the entire set, voicing the band’s lyrics clearly and with enthusiasm whilst also controlling the bass guitar. All band members contribute to the vocals at some point during the set, giving a sense of chemistry and equality amongst them, unlike some bands where the frontman hogs the spotlight, this sense of isolation was not present between Glamour of the Kill. Lead guitarist Mike Kingswood shredded incredible guitar solos which were only amplified by riffs of other guitarist Chris Gomerson, and beats from drummer Ben Thomson all three adding the intense, superb music to the band’s tracks. The audience were extremely active for Glamour of the Kill, jumping, thrashing, moshing, head-banging and singing at every opportunity, the long wait they had seemed insignificant now the band were on stage.
The relatively short set list of eleven songs seemed popular with the audience, their fans’ passion to move being relentless until the end. The benefit of a smaller venue is that the crowd get a true sense of a band from a close perspective, which is what they received from Glamour of the Kill. The songs all had a sound more upbeat than their names, they played tracks such as ‘A Hope in Hell’, ‘Lost Souls’ and ‘Rise from your Grave’, morbidly titled yet surprisingly buoyant. Ending the set with a more optimistic track, ‘Feeling Alive’ which applied to every crowd member after this adrenaline fuelled performance.
Glamour of the Kill have a sound that belongs in bigger venue and judging by their set in Leicester it may not be long in the future before they dominate a larger stage.
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| Photo By Gemma Harling |
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| Photo By Gemma Harling |
Friday, February 25, 2011
Kerrang Relentless Tour- Birmingham O2 Academy
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| Photo By: Gemma Harling |
‘The Young & The Hopeless’ gathered in Birmingham for the Kerrang Relentless Tour 2011 to see the amazing line-up this year’s tour had to offer.
‘Girls and Boys’ crammed into the O2 Academy in Birmingham on the 17th February for the annual Kerrang Relentless tour featuring pop punk titans Good Charlotte, alongside Four Year Strong, Framing Hanley and The Wonder Years.
First to take to the stage was the late addition to the line-up, The Wonder Years. The pop punk band from Philadelphia did not feature on the tickets for the gig; however this did not affect their attitude or performance. As soon as the house lights went down the band were ready to wake the restless audience, pumping tracks that, although unknown to most of the crowd, caused movement on the O2 Academy floor. The band ended their set grateful for the audience’s response to them and generally enthusiastic to have performed as part of an amazing line-up.
Next the Nashville rock band, Framing Hanley, strolled onto the stage to the accompaniment of high pitched screeching. Tattooed frontman Kenneth Nixon has become a popular favourite with the female fans, most of his vocals being inaudible above screams; those that could be heard were powerful. The majority of the set seemed rushed due to the long line-up, the band pushed song after song, making the most of the short time they had. Despite the hastiness the band performed songs from both of their albums creating maximum reception from mainly the female audience, yet the male proportion also seemed to enjoy the set. The instrumentals of the band were at their peak, intense guitar playing, particularly the chilling riff at the beginning of the Lil Wayne cover ‘Lollipop’, accompanied by strong drumming for their entire performance.
Third band of the night was Four Year Strong, yet another American band who took control of the Birmingham audience. The band turned out to be extremely popular with the crowd sparking surges of energy, causing the heavier rock fans to mosh and crowd surf. Although they too are described as a pop punk band, Four Year Strong performed tracks which were a lot heavier than the usual songs in the genre. The band definitely packed a punch both lyrically and musically, leaving the crowd hot and ready for more.
Lastly the colossal pop-punk-rock band from Maryland, Good Charlotte, stormed the stage. The unofficial ‘headliners’ of the tour have gathered a massive fan-base over their nearly 15 years of performing, the majority of the rock fans inside of the Academy had announced that they were there to see Good Charlotte, and received more than the show they were expecting. The ‘Introduction to Cardiology’ announced the arrival of Good Charlotte onto the Birmingham stage before driving straight into ‘The Anthem’; fans surged forward at a chance to get on the barrier to be closer to the American rockers. The band performed tracks from all five of their albums, including the most recent addition, Cardiology, which was released late last year. The music from Benji, Paul, Dean and Billy reflected the true pop-punk sound the band are known for. Joel’s vocals remaining strong throughout the night, blasting old and new tracks stirring the audience to a frenzy of pushing, moshing and crowd surface, to the point where the O2 Academy barrier was feeling the full force of the Good Charlotte fans. ‘Keep your hands off my girl’, ‘The River’ and the new ‘Sex on the Radio’ were just some songs the band played as part of their impressive set.
It was clear to the crowd that the band considered their audience interaction as important as their musical performance. The Madden twins charming all of the girls in the room with claims of seeing many attractive women in Birmingham, only hyping the female audience members up to submit the same energy as the male members. All the time joking and laughing, looking genuinely thrilled to be playing their music to Good Charlotte veterans and first timers. It is often a rare thing to see a band with as much energy as Good Charlotte had as late on in the tour as the Birmingham date was. Although the majority of the spotlight was on Benji and Joel, the band have amazing chemistry and love for old pop-punk values similar to bands such as Blink-182 and Green Day. Instead of going off for an encore Good Charlotte took requests of older songs before ending the night with ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’.
Those who did not come to see Good Charlotte left loving them. The charisma Good Charlotte possesses is something that a lot of new bands lack; they have not forgotten that the fans are as important as the music they play, the albums they put out and merchandise they sell.
The Kerrang Relentless Tour 2011 had a line-up which got the blood pumping and the sweat dripping of every crowd member, setting a bench mark for the 2012 tour.
‘Girls and Boys’ crammed into the O2 Academy in Birmingham on the 17th February for the annual Kerrang Relentless tour featuring pop punk titans Good Charlotte, alongside Four Year Strong, Framing Hanley and The Wonder Years.
First to take to the stage was the late addition to the line-up, The Wonder Years. The pop punk band from Philadelphia did not feature on the tickets for the gig; however this did not affect their attitude or performance. As soon as the house lights went down the band were ready to wake the restless audience, pumping tracks that, although unknown to most of the crowd, caused movement on the O2 Academy floor. The band ended their set grateful for the audience’s response to them and generally enthusiastic to have performed as part of an amazing line-up.
Next the Nashville rock band, Framing Hanley, strolled onto the stage to the accompaniment of high pitched screeching. Tattooed frontman Kenneth Nixon has become a popular favourite with the female fans, most of his vocals being inaudible above screams; those that could be heard were powerful. The majority of the set seemed rushed due to the long line-up, the band pushed song after song, making the most of the short time they had. Despite the hastiness the band performed songs from both of their albums creating maximum reception from mainly the female audience, yet the male proportion also seemed to enjoy the set. The instrumentals of the band were at their peak, intense guitar playing, particularly the chilling riff at the beginning of the Lil Wayne cover ‘Lollipop’, accompanied by strong drumming for their entire performance.
Third band of the night was Four Year Strong, yet another American band who took control of the Birmingham audience. The band turned out to be extremely popular with the crowd sparking surges of energy, causing the heavier rock fans to mosh and crowd surf. Although they too are described as a pop punk band, Four Year Strong performed tracks which were a lot heavier than the usual songs in the genre. The band definitely packed a punch both lyrically and musically, leaving the crowd hot and ready for more.
Lastly the colossal pop-punk-rock band from Maryland, Good Charlotte, stormed the stage. The unofficial ‘headliners’ of the tour have gathered a massive fan-base over their nearly 15 years of performing, the majority of the rock fans inside of the Academy had announced that they were there to see Good Charlotte, and received more than the show they were expecting. The ‘Introduction to Cardiology’ announced the arrival of Good Charlotte onto the Birmingham stage before driving straight into ‘The Anthem’; fans surged forward at a chance to get on the barrier to be closer to the American rockers. The band performed tracks from all five of their albums, including the most recent addition, Cardiology, which was released late last year. The music from Benji, Paul, Dean and Billy reflected the true pop-punk sound the band are known for. Joel’s vocals remaining strong throughout the night, blasting old and new tracks stirring the audience to a frenzy of pushing, moshing and crowd surface, to the point where the O2 Academy barrier was feeling the full force of the Good Charlotte fans. ‘Keep your hands off my girl’, ‘The River’ and the new ‘Sex on the Radio’ were just some songs the band played as part of their impressive set.
It was clear to the crowd that the band considered their audience interaction as important as their musical performance. The Madden twins charming all of the girls in the room with claims of seeing many attractive women in Birmingham, only hyping the female audience members up to submit the same energy as the male members. All the time joking and laughing, looking genuinely thrilled to be playing their music to Good Charlotte veterans and first timers. It is often a rare thing to see a band with as much energy as Good Charlotte had as late on in the tour as the Birmingham date was. Although the majority of the spotlight was on Benji and Joel, the band have amazing chemistry and love for old pop-punk values similar to bands such as Blink-182 and Green Day. Instead of going off for an encore Good Charlotte took requests of older songs before ending the night with ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’.
Those who did not come to see Good Charlotte left loving them. The charisma Good Charlotte possesses is something that a lot of new bands lack; they have not forgotten that the fans are as important as the music they play, the albums they put out and merchandise they sell.
The Kerrang Relentless Tour 2011 had a line-up which got the blood pumping and the sweat dripping of every crowd member, setting a bench mark for the 2012 tour.
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| Photo By: Gemma Harling |
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| Photo By: Gemma Harling |
My Chemical Romance- Birmingham LG Arena
The 'Young and Loaded' Killjoys gathered in Birmingham to see My Chemical Romance detonate the LG Arena on the 13th FebruaryDie-hard fans queued for hours in the cold and wet weather conditions for a chance at being on the barrier at the second date of My Chemical Romance’s British leg of the tour.
After giving their UK fans three taster dates late last year, My Chemical Romance returned for their World Contamination tour, causing a riot at the LG Arena in Birmingham.
The first support of the evening were the Derby rock trio, Lostalone. The band score big when American bands tour the United Kingdom, having supported both Paramore and 30 Seconds to Mars in the past. Being the first support most of the audience remained frozen in their place as they were still adjusting to getting into the arena. Despite this, the band did not lack in their performance. The music was ‘technically’ amazing, the riffs and solos performed by lead singer Steven Battelle were astounding, blasting through the speaker with a remarkable effect; Battelle’s guitar playing was backed up and enhanced by bass guitarist Alan Williamson, and drummer Mark Gibson. The trio’s chemistry was reflected through their incredible instrumentals. Lyrically, Lostalone’s songs all had a similar sound and as a result it was hard to differentiate between them. Regardless of this Lostalone projected enthusiasm into the arena, setting the crowd up for the second support.
The second, and more mental, support were The Blackout. The insane post-hard core/hard rock band from Merthyr, Wales, did not hesitate to give a shot of energy straight into the veins of every single My Chemical Romance fan seated or standing. They started their set by singing/screaming their ‘Best in Town’ track ‘STFUppercut’; this high energy song seemed to get the crowd’s blood pumping as pushing and moshing started on the arena floor, shortly followed by Sean Smith leaping from the barrier into a sea of hands, frantically trying to grab any part of the Welsh singer. Gavin Butler performed the softer rock lyrics with Sean Smith screaming, or singing into a special effects microphone, as heard in their new single ‘Higher and Higher’, which was played for, and participated in by, the Birmingham audience. The single is from the band’s up-coming album ‘Hope’ which will be released in April. The Blackout’s sound, though heavier than Lostalone’s inspired movement and dancing in a lethargic audience. The combination of Sean’s humour, during the set he shot himself in the head and fell flat on his back on stage, Gavin’s powerful vocals and the rest of the band’s musical talents made The Blackout a perfect support band, providing the crowd with a taste of what they were going to receive from My Chemical Romance.
Suspense was kept behind a black curtain; eager fans starting chants of ‘M-C-R’ as images of the band were projected onto the two large screens either side of the stage. When the moment of ‘Look Alive Sunshine…’ arrived, a riot of mainly female audience members erupted, each one screeching pushing forward in a desperate need to get to the barrier. After the Dr Death Defying introduction the curtain fell to the floor revealing the band’s silhouettes seen amongst an array of colourful lighting. Once criticized for being too dark, My Chemical Romance proved that those days of obscurity were far behind them.
Front man Gerard Way, sporting his Killjoy red hair colour, gave an inspirational vocal performance. He mixed the soft ballad notes of slow songs such as ‘Cancer’ with the heavier rock tracks such as ‘Vampires will never hurt you’. Gerard flirtatiously played with the predominantly female audience by emphasizing thrusting dance moves, licking his hand, blowing kisses and acting slightly risqué during the questionable noises in the Danger Days track ‘DESTROYA’; all of these actions being gratefully received by a mass of screaming females.
The band’s bassist Mikey Way failed to break a smile during the set, taking a broody stance for the whole of the show. Guitarist Frank Iero seemed to be back to his usual on-stage antics, jamming with a passion and appreciation for his art and talent. Ray Toro was able to shred insane guitar solos without moving an inch, however his facial expression of a fixed smile conveyed his joy at being back doing what he is passionate about after the large break the band took between albums. New drummer Michael
The first support of the evening were the Derby rock trio, Lostalone. The band score big when American bands tour the United Kingdom, having supported both Paramore and 30 Seconds to Mars in the past. Being the first support most of the audience remained frozen in their place as they were still adjusting to getting into the arena. Despite this, the band did not lack in their performance. The music was ‘technically’ amazing, the riffs and solos performed by lead singer Steven Battelle were astounding, blasting through the speaker with a remarkable effect; Battelle’s guitar playing was backed up and enhanced by bass guitarist Alan Williamson, and drummer Mark Gibson. The trio’s chemistry was reflected through their incredible instrumentals. Lyrically, Lostalone’s songs all had a similar sound and as a result it was hard to differentiate between them. Regardless of this Lostalone projected enthusiasm into the arena, setting the crowd up for the second support.
The second, and more mental, support were The Blackout. The insane post-hard core/hard rock band from Merthyr, Wales, did not hesitate to give a shot of energy straight into the veins of every single My Chemical Romance fan seated or standing. They started their set by singing/screaming their ‘Best in Town’ track ‘STFUppercut’; this high energy song seemed to get the crowd’s blood pumping as pushing and moshing started on the arena floor, shortly followed by Sean Smith leaping from the barrier into a sea of hands, frantically trying to grab any part of the Welsh singer. Gavin Butler performed the softer rock lyrics with Sean Smith screaming, or singing into a special effects microphone, as heard in their new single ‘Higher and Higher’, which was played for, and participated in by, the Birmingham audience. The single is from the band’s up-coming album ‘Hope’ which will be released in April. The Blackout’s sound, though heavier than Lostalone’s inspired movement and dancing in a lethargic audience. The combination of Sean’s humour, during the set he shot himself in the head and fell flat on his back on stage, Gavin’s powerful vocals and the rest of the band’s musical talents made The Blackout a perfect support band, providing the crowd with a taste of what they were going to receive from My Chemical Romance.
Suspense was kept behind a black curtain; eager fans starting chants of ‘M-C-R’ as images of the band were projected onto the two large screens either side of the stage. When the moment of ‘Look Alive Sunshine…’ arrived, a riot of mainly female audience members erupted, each one screeching pushing forward in a desperate need to get to the barrier. After the Dr Death Defying introduction the curtain fell to the floor revealing the band’s silhouettes seen amongst an array of colourful lighting. Once criticized for being too dark, My Chemical Romance proved that those days of obscurity were far behind them.
Front man Gerard Way, sporting his Killjoy red hair colour, gave an inspirational vocal performance. He mixed the soft ballad notes of slow songs such as ‘Cancer’ with the heavier rock tracks such as ‘Vampires will never hurt you’. Gerard flirtatiously played with the predominantly female audience by emphasizing thrusting dance moves, licking his hand, blowing kisses and acting slightly risqué during the questionable noises in the Danger Days track ‘DESTROYA’; all of these actions being gratefully received by a mass of screaming females.
The band’s bassist Mikey Way failed to break a smile during the set, taking a broody stance for the whole of the show. Guitarist Frank Iero seemed to be back to his usual on-stage antics, jamming with a passion and appreciation for his art and talent. Ray Toro was able to shred insane guitar solos without moving an inch, however his facial expression of a fixed smile conveyed his joy at being back doing what he is passionate about after the large break the band took between albums. New drummer Michael
Pedicone has yet to be invited into the bond that is My Chemical Romance, in spite of this he proved to the fans that he could blow them all away with his drumming of old and new My Chemical Romance tracks.
The amalgamation of tracks from all four albums appealed to all phases of My Chemical Romance fans, from the old to the newer, every audience member loved each second of the New Jersey rockers’ massive twenty-one song set, including the encore.
The amalgamation of tracks from all four albums appealed to all phases of My Chemical Romance fans, from the old to the newer, every audience member loved each second of the New Jersey rockers’ massive twenty-one song set, including the encore.
With hints of a festival appearance this year, My Chemical Romance will definitely back to contaminate the UK once again, and by the reception from the Birmingham audience, the UK are eager to receive another dose of My Chemical Romance.
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| Photo of Ray By: Gemma Harling |
Photographs of Gerard and Mikey Way by Andy Watson
© 2011 by Drw-Images
Andy Watson's Website: http://drw-images.co.uk/
© 2011 by Drw-Images
Andy Watson's Website: http://drw-images.co.uk/
Friday, January 21, 2011
Have you had 'That Sunday Feeling' on a saturday? Rock City in Nottingham did on 15th January 2011.
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| Joe from That Sunday Feeling |
That Sunday Feeling, Go-X, Paint This Town, Hey! Alaska and A Far Cry From Innocence.
Sticky underfoot with the stench of the stale beer and body odour already hanging in the claustrophobic air of the infamous Rock City ‘Basement’, the generous sized audience were prepared for a full night of what the five British rock bands were willing to give.
‘A Far Cry From Innocence’ successfully damaged the hearing of many teens with their insanely loud ‘screamo’ lyrics and heavy instrumentals, which were unable to be contained inside of the basement walls. Although at times the music itself was great the mic was a little too loud for the capacity of the crowd and the size of the venue, making most of the actual ‘lyrics’ inaudible. With such a short time on stage it is hard for a band to showcase their music and band personality at the same time, although ‘A Far Cry From Innocence’ were extremely lively and partially engaged with the audience, there were obvious big time fans or friends in the crowd causing the band to divert their attentions more towards them. This aside the crowd gave an enthusiastic reception to the borderline metal band, and the size of the venue did not deter the true rockers from forming a mosh pit in the centre of the room lasting until the band’s final song. Technical modifications would have made A Far Cry From Innocence’s set more enjoyable; however they were able to fill the venue with energy and readied the audience for the rest of the acts.
The second band, ’Hey! Alaska’, had played Rock City previously when they supported Madina Lake, the alternative rock band from Chicago. The transition from Main Stage to the basement must have been an uncomfortable adjustment; however ‘Hey! Alaska’, the pop punk band from Middlesbrough, seemed to manage to not let the size of the stage bring their spirits down. The heavy growling ‘screamo’ dial being slightly turned down from the last band, ‘Hey! Alaska’ mixed the melodic pop punk vocals from guitar/vocalist Jamie with the ‘screamo’ from lead singer Luke. Right from the start ‘Hey! Alaska’ were dominating the stage, throwing picks and jumping to the barrier whilst blasting some massive tracks, echoing off the basement walls. The instrumentals mainly reflected the true pop-punk sound with the occasional hints of harder rock and almost soft metal at times. ‘Hey! Alaska’ truly managed to separate themselves from just being one of the five other groups that night, acting as if it were an arena tour they were headlining’ giving their best and the audience appreciated it.
Third on the massive running order of the basement antics was ‘Paint this Town’, the band, who looked surprisingly young to be already performing at Rock City, presented the crowd with even a less heavy more pop-punk sound. The growling was now obsolete. Proving to be more upbeat than the first two bands, ‘Paint This Town’ had caused the moshers to freeze and the jumping to start, catching the attentions of the less heavy music inclined to uncover their ears. The band had not travelled far being based in Nottingham, making Rock City almost their home ground. Their passion was apparent from the minute they set up; they were obviously ready to headline their own tour but seemed equally as happy to be sharing the spotlight with the other bands. ‘Paint This Town’ performed a cover of ‘Poker Face’ that Lady Gaga would be envious of. The band are definitely a great listen and an unsigned band to watch out for. By the end of the set their efforts were visible through the sweat they had worked up whilst playing. Promising to come back to Nottingham again in March ‘Paint This Town’ will undoubtedly have some reoccurring audience members.
The first thing most of the crowd would have noticed about the next band, ‘Go-X’, is that the lead singer must be insane. As soon as he took to the stage he claimed he would pay for the mic stand if he broke it during the set, and then he went out of his way to break it, perhaps this was his ‘music persona’. It was almost as if the music stirred something inside of him to become a destructive hyperactive individual, accompanied by the well played music from the slightly more sane members of the band. Very audience wary lead singer, Josh, frequently jumped to the barrier to get ‘up close and personal’ with the fans, which they seemed to enjoy. The crowd fed off Josh’s energy only to be hyped up more by the band’s music. The mixed genre sound reflected pop-punk on caffeine, the adrenaline injected tracks were spurted out faster than a child on coffee, even though the lyrics were blurred at that speed the overall sound of the band was something that is not heard often and may even be new to some ears. ‘Go-X’ undeniably have the presence and personality to survive as a band. Josh even introduced himself to barrier dwellers after their set, making the band come across as approachable which always scores points with the fans.
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| Josh from Go-X |
Last but not least, the ‘headliners’ of this tour, although they shared the same amount of time on stage as the other bands. ‘That Sunday Feeling’ are the modern definition of a pop-punk band, their energetic beats and riffs had everyone jumping, dancing and, those who were familiar with them, singing along. Technical difficulties affected this band more than the other, with one member attempting to use a wireless amp connector which failed to work. Confidence is something that the band, especially the lead singer was not lacking, there was definitely an air of self-love that was apparent when the band got into their set, and perhaps this enabled the band to perform at their best. This aside they performed very well, not losing the appetite to perform even when looking a little worn out. The music was fantastic, and the crowd was even treated to a mini drum solo. The solos were lacking in the whole of the evening which made a drum solo from ‘That Sunday Feeling’ refreshing. The band were extremely popular, fans shoving one another to get to the barrier when the lead was stood there. They let their fans down at the end of the night by not coming back for an encore song even though the crowd was excitedly chanting ‘T-S-F’. Due to the venue’s ‘HeyHeyHey’ club night there was a curfew which meant if the bands were to sell their merchandise to fans an encore had to be sacrificed. Generally the crowd were not dissatisfied by the band’s performance and would most likely; judging by the screams, see the band perform again in the near future.
All of the bands performed at their best, perhaps trying to shine through the massive line-up of five bands. The timing for each to showcase their band was perhaps too short and rushed. Despite this the music was electric, some band members were eccentric and there was the occasional guitar riff or refreshing drum solo which really lit-up the dull Rock City basement.
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| Jack from A Far Cry From Innocence |
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| Luke from Hey! Alaska |
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| Andy from Paint This Town |
Saturday, December 4, 2010
30 Seconds to Mars at NIA Birmingham 1st December 2010
Weather Forecast: Heavy snow with chances of a ‘Hurricane’
The US rockers 30 Seconds to Mars cause a storm at the Birmingham NIA, 1st December 2010.
The band has had a mammoth year with two world tours, a Download festival performance, winning a MTV EMA award for Best Rock Band and a MTV VMA award for Best Rock Video. Nothing could have stopped 30 Seconds to Mars in their attempt to make 2010 year of the Echelon, and the biggest year of their musical career. Was it just one step too far?
The US rockers 30 Seconds to Mars cause a storm at the Birmingham NIA, 1st December 2010.
The band has had a mammoth year with two world tours, a Download festival performance, winning a MTV EMA award for Best Rock Band and a MTV VMA award for Best Rock Video. Nothing could have stopped 30 Seconds to Mars in their attempt to make 2010 year of the Echelon, and the biggest year of their musical career. Was it just one step too far?
First band of the evening was a trio from California, Funeral Party. The indie/ rock band were not originally on the bill to support 30 Seconds to Mars; therefore a surprise to most of the audience. Funeral Party had a similar sound to 30 Seconds to Mars but lacked in on-stage personality affecting the reception they received from the still spectators. Being an unknown and unexpected addition to the line-up, the band did not receive the positive response they were hoping for.
The next band was the announced support which, by the greeting they received, was very popular with the Birmingham crowd. Enter Shikari (ΣΠΤΣR SHΦΚΔRΦ), post-Hardcore rock ravers from St Albans took the NIA stage, strobe lighting and techno beats at the ready. Stirring mosh-pits as they played tracks such as, ‘Sorry You’re Not a Winner’ and their newest single, ‘Destabilise’. Vocalist, Roughton 'Rou' Reynolds, climbed up the lighting stand at the side of the stage and ran around like a man possessed as the band truly warmed the crowd which, he himself claimed, was their job. Enter Shikari played earlier this year at the Reading and Leeds festivals managing to fill the NME tents; therefore they were certainly able to play before an arena sized crowd, keeping their charisma whilst performing. With adrenaline pumping through their veins, the audience was now ready for 30 Seconds to Mars.
After the long interval the ‘cult’ were ready for their leaders to arrive on stage. Intense drumming could be heard from behind the white curtain complemented by flashing lights darting around the hidden stage. This wait seemed to drag on longer than needed; the anticipation in the arena was already high without this added delay. Finally the curtain was pulled down, revealing an electric blue haired Jared Leto to the hungry crowd. ‘Escape’ opened the set followed by ‘Night of the Hunter’ two tracks off their most recent album ‘This is War’. Those who had not seen the band tour earlier this year would perhaps not have noticed that Jared’s vocals were slightly off when it came to the next song, ‘A Beautiful Lie’, the title track of their second album. It was clear, however, to those who had seen them previously, that a year of none stop touring has affected Leto’s voice; the normally hair-raising notes were not being reached. It also seemed that the audience were asked to do the bulk of the singing, giving Leto time to recover. Jared’s voice had either been temporarily damaged by illness or touring fatigue, nevertheless he turned up and performed to his fans which some lead singers would not have done.
For what he lacked, that night, in vocal ability he made up for in onstage personality; acting as a true leader, commanding the seated to stand and the standing to go crazy. As part of Jared’s get fit scheme he made the entire audience jump to every song, adding in the occasional pumping of fists to work the arms.
The drumming from Shannon Leto was as impressive as it always has been; his passion visible through his art. Shannon was able to give the ordered audience something to jump to. Tomo Miličević gave a great performance on lead guitar, sometimes joined by Jared to produce the classic and new riffs of 30 Seconds to Mars.
Later in the set Jared took to the stage solo, playing some of the older 30 Seconds to Mars tunes acoustically, ‘Echelon’ and ‘Capricorn (A Brand New Name)’ both tracks from their self-titled album. He then went off on a tangent playing Lady GaGa’s ‘Bad Romance’ acoustically, encouraging all to join in with the cover; Jared achieved inspiring vocal diversity when singing this chart hit.
A patchy ‘The Fantasy’ ended the set before the encore; Leto stopping many times to tell the crowd to go crazy, whilst sounding slightly out of breath when performing the track. At the end he stood center stage under a spotlight, acting as a volume switch to the audience’s screams. Raising his arms made them louder and lowering his arms made them quieter. Leto then had fun with this power rapidly waving his arms up and down, screams distorted as he exited the stage.
The band returned to perform two songs for their encore, the first was ‘Hurricane’, before which Jared mentioned the banning of the highly controversial new video for the song, comparing it to the news which shows explicit scenes every day. The last song of the evening was the popular ‘Kings and Queens’. Jared invited several members of the audience to join the band onstage to create the unity the song reflects.
Although this gig seemed like a puddle reflection of the tour earlier this year, the band did well with creating an exceptional atmosphere. The lighting effects used added to the dramatic appearance of the set, which also included a giant model of their triangle ‘This is War’ symbol. Nothing has changed Leto’s charisma and audience interaction; however a break for the band is well overdue.
The next band was the announced support which, by the greeting they received, was very popular with the Birmingham crowd. Enter Shikari (ΣΠΤΣR SHΦΚΔRΦ), post-Hardcore rock ravers from St Albans took the NIA stage, strobe lighting and techno beats at the ready. Stirring mosh-pits as they played tracks such as, ‘Sorry You’re Not a Winner’ and their newest single, ‘Destabilise’. Vocalist, Roughton 'Rou' Reynolds, climbed up the lighting stand at the side of the stage and ran around like a man possessed as the band truly warmed the crowd which, he himself claimed, was their job. Enter Shikari played earlier this year at the Reading and Leeds festivals managing to fill the NME tents; therefore they were certainly able to play before an arena sized crowd, keeping their charisma whilst performing. With adrenaline pumping through their veins, the audience was now ready for 30 Seconds to Mars.
After the long interval the ‘cult’ were ready for their leaders to arrive on stage. Intense drumming could be heard from behind the white curtain complemented by flashing lights darting around the hidden stage. This wait seemed to drag on longer than needed; the anticipation in the arena was already high without this added delay. Finally the curtain was pulled down, revealing an electric blue haired Jared Leto to the hungry crowd. ‘Escape’ opened the set followed by ‘Night of the Hunter’ two tracks off their most recent album ‘This is War’. Those who had not seen the band tour earlier this year would perhaps not have noticed that Jared’s vocals were slightly off when it came to the next song, ‘A Beautiful Lie’, the title track of their second album. It was clear, however, to those who had seen them previously, that a year of none stop touring has affected Leto’s voice; the normally hair-raising notes were not being reached. It also seemed that the audience were asked to do the bulk of the singing, giving Leto time to recover. Jared’s voice had either been temporarily damaged by illness or touring fatigue, nevertheless he turned up and performed to his fans which some lead singers would not have done.
For what he lacked, that night, in vocal ability he made up for in onstage personality; acting as a true leader, commanding the seated to stand and the standing to go crazy. As part of Jared’s get fit scheme he made the entire audience jump to every song, adding in the occasional pumping of fists to work the arms.
The drumming from Shannon Leto was as impressive as it always has been; his passion visible through his art. Shannon was able to give the ordered audience something to jump to. Tomo Miličević gave a great performance on lead guitar, sometimes joined by Jared to produce the classic and new riffs of 30 Seconds to Mars.
Later in the set Jared took to the stage solo, playing some of the older 30 Seconds to Mars tunes acoustically, ‘Echelon’ and ‘Capricorn (A Brand New Name)’ both tracks from their self-titled album. He then went off on a tangent playing Lady GaGa’s ‘Bad Romance’ acoustically, encouraging all to join in with the cover; Jared achieved inspiring vocal diversity when singing this chart hit.
A patchy ‘The Fantasy’ ended the set before the encore; Leto stopping many times to tell the crowd to go crazy, whilst sounding slightly out of breath when performing the track. At the end he stood center stage under a spotlight, acting as a volume switch to the audience’s screams. Raising his arms made them louder and lowering his arms made them quieter. Leto then had fun with this power rapidly waving his arms up and down, screams distorted as he exited the stage.
The band returned to perform two songs for their encore, the first was ‘Hurricane’, before which Jared mentioned the banning of the highly controversial new video for the song, comparing it to the news which shows explicit scenes every day. The last song of the evening was the popular ‘Kings and Queens’. Jared invited several members of the audience to join the band onstage to create the unity the song reflects.
Although this gig seemed like a puddle reflection of the tour earlier this year, the band did well with creating an exceptional atmosphere. The lighting effects used added to the dramatic appearance of the set, which also included a giant model of their triangle ‘This is War’ symbol. Nothing has changed Leto’s charisma and audience interaction; however a break for the band is well overdue.
Words By: Gemma Harling Photographs by: The NIA Birmingham
Photos available from the NIA Birmingham's Official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/niabirmingham
Photos available from the NIA Birmingham's Official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/niabirmingham
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