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When you have five albums, a Grammy nomination, and sellout arena shows behind you, where do you go from there? How do you propel yourself over those final few hurdles and hit that next level? Needtobreathe now face that problem – a quality problem, sure, but a problem nonetheless Read more…
UPDATE: TMMP has been reborn! This video has the full story:
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Lovers of old-school, no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll, stick around. Monster Truck have everything you need.
From scuzzy riffs to sleazy, wah-drenched leads and full-pelt energy, opener Why Are You Not Rocking says it all: Monster Truck are all about keeping it hard, authentic, and real. Sittin’ Heavy as a whole is all about doing whatever the hell you like, without giving in to the siren call of conformity – and in a world increasingly driven by Read more…
Since 2007, 2000 Trees has evolved into one of the UK alternative music scene’s most treasured institutions. Combining a fiercely independent ethos with a super-positive DIY attitude and the backing of many brilliant musicians, this festival is not one to miss. For TMMP, the lineup alone is absolutely mouth-watering.
Eclectically-minded music buffs are guaranteed to find themselves satiated at 2000 Trees. Diversity is key at big events, and Read more…
This wasn’t so much a show as a celebration. Judging from the pre-show chatter, Therapy have been very sorely missed – and when their set came around, it was easy to see why. Before that, Thirty Six Strategies opened the night up with a set that was cool and passionate, although to be totally honest the music felt too safe. That may seem an odd word to use in the context of punk-oriented rock, but the fact is that thousands of bands are pursuing exactly the same direction as Thirty Six Strategies right now. As instrumentalists, TSS are good, and their lyrics hint at tough, hard-knock experiences – but given that no two life experiences are precisely the same, it would be awesome to hear those experiences expressed in an idiosyncratic way with a generous helping of weirdness.
It’s one thing to refuse to conform to the standards of mainstream society – but it’s a whole other game to break away from the standards of literally everyone else, and forge your own 100% individual path. That’s where the best, most timeless and relevant music gets made – and Thirty Six Strategies certainly have the potential to push into that area.
Triggerfinger were explosive, and one of the most Read more…
I love seeing musicians progress in leaps and bounds – and Andy Ruddy has done exactly that. The last time I saw him live, Andy Ruddy seemed reserved and nervous – but both qualities have now been completely eliminated, replaced by a confident and strong yet still warm and approachable presence. With a strong stage show, great songs in the singer-songwriter vein, and an album on the way, 2015 is looking very good indeed for Andy Ruddy.
Martin Harley is a local legend, and it’s almost criminal that Read more…
As a music venue embedded into Stamford Bridge (the stadium called home by Chelsea F.C.), Under the Bridge was an appropriately unique venue for this unique show. An industry showcase set up by trade paper Music Week, networking hub MusicConnex, promoters ILUVLIVE, and south coast music school BIMM, it goes without saying that the high-profile nature of this show inevitably brought its own special set of performance pressures. A quality showcase set has the potential to push an act to the next level, while a duff performance can see a band crossed off “Ones To Watch” lists in the blink of an eye.
On top of the potential for mind-freezing attacks of performance anxiety, this was not Read more…
Although The Tens do possess plenty of heart, balls, and swagger, they’re currently still at the stage where their instruments own them, rather than the other way around. With more practice (as in “Spending more time beating the living crap out of their instruments” rather than “Studiously woodshedding a path to NoSoulVille”), the Tens will eventually become serious hard-rocking badasses. For now, though, they still need more time to develop.
Kagoule started off sounding like Placebo’s musical test-tube baby (a really cool move) before Read more…
UPDATE: TMMP has been reborn! This video has the full story:
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Of all the shows I caught during Independent Venue Week, Jamie Lenman’s Saturday night acoustic set at the Boileroom in Guildford most effectively captured the community spirit celebrated by IVW. Intimate, emotional, and packed with Lenman fans old and new, it was a genuine experience made truly special by Read more…
Noel Gallagher scarcely needs an introduction – but given that some people out there are unaware of Paul McCartney’s existence, maybe he will soon. Gallagher has a well-deserved and hard-earned reputation as one of the best songwriters of an entire generation – a phenomenon who emerged as a Read more…
I have no excuse for missing most of Gold Phoenix’s intense garage-rocking set. I’m just a bad person.
The Greasy Slicks, on the other hand, are good. As a matter of fact, they’re more than just good – they’re fucking immense. Flat-out fucked drums, flamethrower guitars, and Read more…