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 Lo-Fi elctro duo ROYKSOPP talk to Mad Dogs Katie Shevlin

Norwegian lo-fi electro duo Royksopp do not often enough grace UK shores; when they do, however, it is an event not to be missed. We caught up with Torbjorn Brundtland, one half of duo, to discuss Royksopps past present and future.

Royksopp ticked all the boxes with their latest album, Junior (released last spring after four years of writing and recording), seeming to find the right balance between their new passion for lyrical accompaniment and the gripping yet serene instrumentals that first gave them fame with Melody AM back in 2001.
Royksopp fans will be familiar with vocalist Karin Dreijer Andersson as she has featured on several of their tracks in the past. Listening to her distinctively haunting vocals on the current single, This Must Be It, it's easy to understand why the duo hold her in such high regard.

"You know those marker pens you used to have as a child at school?" asks Brundtland. "..and how you always wanted to use the silver and gold markers because they somehow made you feel rarer, stronger? Well, Karin is the gold marker to our music..."

Brundtland makes it clear that despite their infrequent visits here, they do have a fondness for the UK. He reminisces over their first London gig, remembering the crowd's enthusiastic reaction:

"It was then we knew we were going to be around for a while.

This proved accurate, as it has been over a decade since the pair first burst onto the already vibrant music scene in Bergen, Norway. He admits that they miss the friendly competition Bergen offered.

"Sometimes I would get this sting of envy when I listened to another producer's track because it was so awesome, but then that negative feeling turns into a positive feeling as it motivates you to make something better."

This prompts me to question whether there has been any competition between him and Royksopp’s other half, Svein Berge, but he dismisses the possibility of this ever becoming an issue.

"We have been friends since childhood, we see ourselves as one whole.

Junior is soon to be followed by its ambient counterpart, Senior. Brundtland insists that Senior is exactly that, a counterpart, and not a follow-up.

"Junior and Senior are progressions from our earlier material, a mixture of the two previous albums. We want to have a sound, a distinct identity, but it would be sad to find a solution and stay there forever. Curiosity is our driving force.

Royksopp are proud of their increasing musical maturity, which becomes evident with this pair of albums, bringing into focus the apparent want to create both outgoing and introverted music. Brundtland says creating two different albums was no conscious decision, insisting that the writing "..just went in two directions..."

It is down to this kind of development that Royksopp have maintained their status as one of the truly innovative outfits of their genre. Their music, while energetic and lively, has always had a sombre layer: a thoughtfulness that has helped them avoid the label of cliche, and it remains as powerful and engaging as ever.


Words : Katie Shevlin
 Arctic Monkeys | Nottingham Arena | 22 Novenber 2009

Now before we begin, let me explain. If eagle-eyed nit-picking of this show seems in some way unfairly biased, it's because it is.

Ever since this cocky four-piece riot act set the British indie scene alight all those moons ago with an e.p of just five tracks, including the now legendary tracks Mardy Bum and Fake Tales Of San Francisco, and disco kids nationwide traded in their "trakky bottoms tucked in socks" for "knackered converse", there has been a constant humming inside my pessimistic brain.

After a somewhat shambolic headline slot at this years Leeds festival, where the Monkeys separated themselves from a loyal, 70 000 strong, eager fanbase (more than the NME separates itself from anything even slightly "uncool" at the drop of a hat) by showcasing 90 per cent of their latest album Humbug, truth be told, I wasn't expecting to be blown away.

But lets jump back about 40 Minutes...

Formed in 1998 by Queens Of The Stone Age's Jesse Hughes and goliath Josh Homme, enter: Stage Right, Eagles Of Death Metal.
Baring all the trade-mark cliches you'd expect from a novelty RAWK act, (ie: Moustaches, Flying V guitars, over-zealous frontman, ripped denim shorts and never-ending fret-wanking solos) its fair to ask yourself what such a corny cock-rock outfit from Palm Desert, CA is doing in Nottingham on a cold November evening. Well, the answer may come in some shape of a new-found bro-mance between the former Mr Brody Dalle and these four Sheffield Scallies.

Having manned the decks for Arctic Monkeys' latest long-player out in the Nevada Desert (and in a shed in Suffolk!), its probably just a friendly "thank you" from the Monkeys troup that the Eagles find themselves playing to over 100 000 people over the last few days, and tonight. In between crowd chant sing-a-longs and machine-gun guitar posing, little can be said for the blandness of the songs. All of which, kind of morph themselves into versions of their singles I Want You So Hard and I Gotta Feelin'. Leave the jokes to Tenacious D, gents.

Well, at least Welsh Josh liked 'em.

Apart from dressing up as characters from Wizard of Oz and Proper English Gents at award ceremonies, the Arctic Monkeys have never been ones to go all "Muse-y" with fireworks or elaborate stage sets. Tonight is no THRILLER, as Im sure none of the other dates on this tour will be. But one thing is a sure shot: The Monkeys let the music do the talking.

As corny as this may sound, this is what they've always been good at, if not, the best at. From seeing them in a crummy local pub wayyy back in 2002, to support slots for We Are Scientists and Maximo Park, to headline slots at London Astoria and Bournemouth International Centre, there as never been a need to "beef up" the show with anything other than two guitars, a bass, a drumkit, and a scowling Northern vocal. No theatrics. No gimmicks. Best stripped bare.

Five songs into tonights sweat-fest, crowd swaying, steam rising from a mob down the front, men hugging men, and pretty girls dancing on seats, comes the moment everyone has been waiting for: I bet you look good on the dance floor, as simple as a song could ever be, STILL gets tonights 10 000 punters jumping wildly for the rafters.
Sing-along after sing-along, single after single, fan favourite after fan favourite, the Monkeys' performance is absolutely flawless, and dont even get me started on Matt Helders being the best drummer since Dave Grohl swapped his sticks for strings.

Brianstorm. The View From The Afternoon.Cornerstone.If You Were There, Beware. Every song greets like a razor-sharp punch to the face, without the need for ducking or diving, all whilst cheeky frontman Alex Turner spits his vile humour through the mic, sans guitar.

After sixteen tracks of pure break-neck spite, the Monkeys just walked off the stage, Ala Strokes style. But no lights went up, no announcements followed, no balding roadies started rolling cables. I was about to witness my first ever Arctic Monkeys encore. REJOICE, oh lord!

Winding down the crowd with Flourescent Adolescent and Favourite Worst Nightmares 505, the Monkeys cheerfully thank the baying crowd for "Having them, again" and do what they do best.....no gimmicks, just wave and say goodbye.

the full set-list was as follows:

1.Dance Little Liar
2.Brianstorm
3.This House Is A Circus
4.Still Take You Home
5.I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
6.Potion Approaching
7.My Propeller
8.Crying Lightning
9.The View From The Afternoon
10.Cornerstone
11.If You Were There, Beware
12.Pretty Visitors
13.The Jeweller's Hands
14.Do Me A Favour
15.When The Sun Goes Down
16.Secret Door

Encore:
17.Flourescent Adolescent/Mardy Bum/Flourescent Adolescent cont.
18.505


words : franc botha
pic courtesy of Sophie Jarry



 ALESHA DIXON | IPSWICH REGENT | 9TH NOVEMBER

Ipswich Regent is completely packed out and a large chunk of the crowd consists of a huge mish-mash of males and females, both young and old... with some of them wearing fluffy tiaras: Of course, who else could it be, but resident Strictly Come dancer and pop royalty Alesha Dixon.

This was to be a night that would deliver more pink glitter and shimmying than you could shake a stick at. Having shot to fame fairly recently from the relative obscurity of the old Misteeq era, to todays dizzying fame leading to her being dubbed "a national treasure" by mister misery himself, Gordon Brown.

Tonight, Dixon doesn't seem to be at all nervous about a sold out show, and oozes confidence.

Tonight, it seems for Dixon is all about "...proper show...".

Taking to the stage after a couple of fresh-faced support acts: Elvin, a Hoosier's-esque jaunty four piece, and acoustic singer songwriter Nicol, Dixon graced the stage clad in a rather distracting glittery playsuit, cabaret style, on a giant swing and flanked by a carefully choreographed troupe of dancers in top hats and oiled chests. Even though its chart toppers Breathe Slow and The Boy Does Nothing that capture the baying crowds attention the most, Dixon really shows off her talent rapping on re-vitalised Misteeq songs, and tracks taken from previous long-players.

Lipstick and reggae number Knock Down, are received to rapturous applause, whilst the entire performance tonight is slickly delivered with some pretty impressive dance routines. Time and time again, Dixon has proved that she is the one girl who sure knows how to own a pop stage, and tonight is no exception.

Jeni Gibbs
 Levi's Ones To Watch | Kurran and the Wolfnotes + ExLovers + Little Death | 22/10/09

The final installment of Octobers string of Levis Ones To Watch residences stepped up to the crease in Sohos Borderline on Thursday 28th. This gaff has played host to an imposing list of whos who of big names in music from the last decade, including REM, The Libertines and was the scene for Oasis' Cigarettes and Alcohol video. So history dictates this venue to be a proprietor of a good gig, and the folk at Levi's didn't disappoint with their intoxicating line up. All three bands on display bowled in and smashed a pulsating night of juxtaposing music styles that left a packed audience astonished.

With the night being billed as joint headliners, you kinda felt for the support band, but the rapturous Little Death kicked off, and proved they weren't there to play second fiddle to no one and got the night started with a pulsating set. The four piece dark indie rockers thrashed out a stormy and haunting set that created a sultry riot and ripped up the dance floor.
With a teasing combination of sounds, consisting of blizzards of pixies-esq guitar licks and andronicus-style Americana, these guys produced a show stealing set. Stand out track Pteradactyl sums up just how brilliant they've nailed this genre and left a panting audience craving more of their infectious idiosyncratic sound.

First headliners on the night were the latest edition to the growing list of sumptuous new folk bands. The last 18 months has seen the introduction and success of bands such as Noah and the Whale and Mumford and Sons, and tonight Kurran and the Wolfnotes staked their claim to join this elite of vibrant and flourishing British folk bands. Their country tingling alternative folk is combined with emotive lyrics and hypnotic and sincere vocals. Their harmony drenched sounds and catchy pop rifts make this five piece such an exciting force. Their latest single Whatabitch is worth looking out for.

Second headliners ExLovers closed the night with a soul melting set that championed the notion quiet is the new loud. This London five piece has had a pretty busy year, notching up an impressive string of support slots for the likes of Emmy and the NME Tour, add the copious air play that BBC Radio 6 have been throwing their way and its easy to see why these guys are considered the next big thing. Their set dished out a glorious double helping of wistful, melody led guitar pop sounds, topped with acoustic hooks and delicate boy-girl harmonies. This heartful mix of chiming guitars and hushed voices gently ushered us through a dreamy alt pop journey.

Levis Ones To Watch residences return in November to invade East London with a five night showcase, with headliners including Crystal Fighters, Marina and the Diamonds and The Whip.

Jordan Worland
  Ellie Goulding | Little Boots | 29 October 2009|Cambridge Junction

The Junction in Cambridge played host to a fascinating musical juxtaposition last Thursday night. In so many ways Little Boots and Ellie Goulding are very much a like, great sound, great stage presence, heck they even look fairly similar. That juxtaposition I'm witling on about, lay in the fact that Little Boots rode into 2009 on a tidal wave of media hype, with critics loudly hailing her to be this year's biggest commercial success.

Alas, as the year draws to an end the success encountered by Little Boots aka Victoria Hesketh, has been more of a slow wood burner than the forest fires predicted. Compare this then to Welsh singer songwriter Ellie Goulding who started the year unsigned and is ending it in a blaze of electronic glory and a ever growing reputation. Added to on Thursday night via a sensual set of her unique brand of addictive folk, dubstep, electronic pop.

On a night dominated by two of the hottest breakthrough female emergences of the year, young Swede Erik Hassle stepped up as support and delivered a set to remind us electro pop chic doesn't have to be delivered via a female artist.

A young guy with big hair and even bigger talent captivated an audience made up of people who had categorically never heard of him. Well played sir. The Stockholm wunderkind mixes synths and electro stylings with a mournful quality that you'd associate with REM. Up coming single Hurtful mixes soaring vocals, melodies and climatic choruses that epitomise Hassles soul based sound.

Up next was the blissful Goulding. This was my first sample of the Welsh songstresses subdued pop nectar and it tasted sweet. Her creative flow of mixing acoustic and folk sounds with dubstep and synth based electronica resulted in 45 minutes of musical entrancement with elegant poetic sounds in droves.
Working with producer Starsmith, an outfit packed with keyboard and synth wizardry and an ability to conjure up Soulwax levels of greatness on remixes has had an obvious impact on Gouldings sound. Turning acoustic tunes into epic pieces of electro pop that will make you listen hard.
There's a downbeat take on the electro pop girl angle purveyed by the likes of La Roux this year and a great deal of this is down to Gouldings mournful, entrancing voice. Gouldings unique voice adds such depth, her ability to belt out such rhythmic melodies and harmonies create a blissful sound and phrases to great effect.

I mentioned how this year could be somewhat of an anticlimax given all the hype surrounding Little Boots as the next big thing, yet there was no doubt who the sold out crowd were waiting for. Watching the gig and seeing how well it was being received makes it hard to understand just where this year hasn't quite delivered what many predicted it would for Hesketh. Further it would be wrong to blame Hesketh's talent or ability for this because, as tonight proved, she has bundles of genius and capacity.
Her set mainly centred round the album Hands, with a quick stint into a couple of new tracks and concluded with biggest hit Remedy.
Credit where credit is due, Little Boots set was packed with energy and charisma and rallied the audience into an electro pop riot. Beneath the costumes, fake lashes and crazy lights there is a lot of depth within her lyrics and songwriting that were the foundations for why she is credited so highly by so many.

Jordan Worland
 Wet

Wet is a stylish shooter from Bethesda Softworks where you play as assassin Rubi Malone. The game features acrobatic diving, shooting and sword play. Wet has a insane body count and a blood soaked story that spans from America to Japan. The game feels like a B movie with its 70's inspired sound track and has the voice talent of Eliza Dushku, Malcolm McDowell and Alan Cumming.

Game play is very fast and and there are plenty of new skills for Rubi to learn and new weapons for her to master. As Rubi dual wields everything but her sword she can fire at multiple targets. This works well with you aiming at one and auto-targeting the other racking up the bonus points. I loved being rewarded for racking up points with fast, consistent and stylish kills, on that note I have to mention rage mode where everything goes crazy and you literally see red. When this happens its time to kill absolutely everything that moves as fast as you can!

The highlight has to be jumping from car to car on a freeway shooting in slow motion, But falling from a exploded plane with no parachute while filling enemies full of lead comes a close second. After playing this game honestly felt if they could make films with this much action I might get off my 360 and go to the cinema. Wet is out on the 360 and the PS3 now.
 Levis Ones to Watch | 19th October |+ Mirrors + Turboweekend + Lunar Youth +

With the bench mark set pretty darn high last week, the second instalment of this months Levis Ones To Watch confronted the good folk of Camden Barfly with a night of extrovert and innovative new sounds.

First up, a band drafted in from the other side of the North Sea. Danish electro rockers Turboweekend are the glorious end product of Copenhagens underground pop/rock collaboration mated with the increasingly popular and diverse electronic club scene kicking off in the city.

If I'm honest, I approached these guys with apprehension, after all my only other experiences of Danish bands have been Alphabeat and Aqua, hardly ringing endorsements. Yet this 3 trios dark, modern disco with a touch of the sublime created sleek and sexy sounds that soon had all us observers hooked.
Stand out track Holiday was bursting with euphoric dancefloor punchiness and apocalyptic dimensions, whilst other tracks experimented with sombre romantic melancholy notions and supernatural vibes.
With out doubt Turboweekend proved to be as rapturous as any new band this year.

Lunar Youth may have been late additions to the line up but this clearly didn't faze the London trio as they calmly and profoundly delivered a set full of slick, sheen pop that captivated and entertained the engrossed crowd.
The soulful melancholic sound created by these guys was a combination of thrashing and echoing guitars, mixed with cascading synths topped with an entrancing growlish lead vocal from Simon Berlin.
The imagination and poetry of this group crafted and transformed all in attendance to a glorious other place, where a cool breeze ruffled our hair whilst the sun lit up our faces, a place where these guys' lyrics (ranging from heartbreak, romance and life) combined with up lifting rhythms made the picture perfect backdrop. Stand out track Venus in Blue Jeans with its soulful and romantic echo emphasises this perfectly.
To quote the group stood behind me, "...This lot are definitely gonna be massive....

Coming our way - 20th October - Portland Arms, Cambridge

Headliners tonight were a Brighton quartet who have been causing huge stirs on the south coast. Modern pop-noir dream wave band Mirrors smashed out an edgy and moving set that fully justifies the excitement and hype surrounding these guys.
Taking to the stage dressed in sharp tailored suits reminiscent of The Jam, their attire served as a visual for their unique style of electro pop, being swarve, neat and slick. The dimming of the lights and the artistic projections that reflected the tone of the set heightened the electronic exuberance. The aesthetics mixed with the sounds created a feeling that goes beyond a gig, this was an experience.
All of this would of course mean nothing if the band were merely style over substance, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Through the creative use of synthesizers and electronic drums, the Mirrors created an entrancing set gripping echoes, thumping beats and emotive pull. Stand out track Fear of Drowning was full of heart felt emotive lyrics and emphasised the gripping nature of their sound.
Frontman James New was the proverbial icing on the cake with his mesmerising vocals and moves, reminiscent of Joy Divisions Ian Curtis. Whilst their sound could be filed next to Tears for Fears and Depeche Mode in your Spotify playlist there is definitely a modern kick that makes this band so addictive.

The final Levis Ones To Watch gig for October hits the Borderline on Thursday 22nd, get involved…

Jordan Worland
 Levis Ones To Watch | 08/10/09 | Citadels + Ou Est Le Swimming Pool + Dansette Junior

The Levis Ones to Watch bandwagon has a fine repertoire of serving up some of the freshest, liveliest new bands out there. With past shows consisting of the likes of The Kooks, Late of the Pier and more recently Friendly Fires all testaments that Mr Strauss' music connoisseurs know how to spot quality newbies.

Last Thursday saw the commencement of the October batch of gigs showcasing their latest variety box of up and coming acts that are promising to light up 2010.

Kicking off proceedings in Londons lovable east-end boozer cum indie hangout The Macbeth were Dansette Junior. The Kentish Town three piece have formulated a musical coalition, mixing rock, electro and pop to blistering results. Their energy, personality and impromptu light smashing incident ensured an instant riot of an impact. Once they had their audience hooked, they banged out an energetic and feisty mix of beats, baselines and funk reminiscent of LCD Soundsystem, that left the crowd fired up and gasping for more of their unique concoction of analogue synths, computer geekery and hypnotic lyrics.
Stand out tracks Drums and Bass with its fusion of comic lyrics and electro catchy beat and Taking over amplified the sharp edge and energetic outlook that defines this trios sound.
Being snapped up by Columbia records recently means that an album should be on the cards early in 2010, and hopefully some dates in East Anglia to boot, a definite group to keep an eye out for…

Next to run the new music gauntlet were a band as exciting and gripping as any I've witnessed all year, not to mention clear front runners in the coolest band name conceived since Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong competition.
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool dished out an enthralling, mesmerizing set of bittersweet, 80s inspired, electro kick ass pop that justified why they are surrounded by so much hype. The secondary school level of French tact in the name is all but part of the hypnotic act with the three-piece actually hailing from London. The mix of synth based tunes and catchy baselines united with Pet Shop Boys inspired vocals equates to a formula for a revolutionary sound of insane and pumped electro pop. Pleasuring the crowd with dead cert future infectious classics Jacksons Last Stand and Dance The Way I Feel it became painful obvious why these guys graced three stages at Glastonbury this year and have support slots for La Roux next month. An absolute have to see live band.

If you Google the name of the headline act youd come across a fantasy adventure two player board game where good fights evil. After scanning the synopsis it becomes evident that the game is rather dry, unbelievable and rather rubbish. A description that could never be used to describe the band of the same name. London trio Citadels provided a sensual and different vibe to close the evening with their mixture of soulful, multi-instrumental synth cerebral power pop.

The majestic and poetic set emphasized the inevitable comparisons made between them and the psychedelic rock of The Flaming Lips, yet their unique and seamless flow of synths, melodies and harmonies creates further perceptions of them being a thrilling and moving modern Fleetwood Mac.

Animated front man Stef Ferguson shares vocal responsibility with the angelic Lucy Taylor on keyboards and flute and the cocktail of feelings their music provokes leaves you standing in awe. In Shake Taylor enchants us with a composed and beautifully haunting experience that Ferguson rightly describes as, "making your balls tingle". From here the unpredictable yet perfectly motioned exchange of instruments to create crashing rhythms and vibes continues into the bands most recent single Golden Islands. The track, along with the rest of the set, continues our unconscious and seductive drift into the uplifting and spaced out state of mind that the Citadels music creates and what makes this talented trio so unique. Without doubt, these guys are simply future stars.

Jordan Worland
 Bombay Bicycle Club | Norwich Waterfront

As indie four piece Bombay Bicycle club return to Norwich it is clear by the army of youthful fans eagerly awaiting the band to grace the stage at Norwichs acclaimed Waterfront venue, that tonights gig has been no less than earnestly awaited.

With current album I had the blues but I shook them loose, proving a massive success with indie lovers around the country, the band did no less than dazzle with a captivating set from start to finish. With lead vocalist Jack Steadman springing into forthcoming single Magnet, the powerful guitar riffs and distinctively cool vocals leave the crowd hyped and in high spirits, before becoming entranced in the compelling second release single Dust on the ground with subtly to start, frontman Steadman bursts into trembling tones of "It's that ancient love, which you won't outgrow" with a distinct connection with the crowd, who respond by chanting the lyrics filling the room with energy.

The standout track of the night Always like this combined jaunty melodies, distinguishing bass and epic crowd participation throughout the chorus with buzzing echoes of like this as Steadman belts out I can't believe it, it's always like this.

Undoubtedly the beat will have been somewhat a challenge for us to stop humming, yet the band continued the set with remaining album tracks including Autumn and What If, every one as effortlessly brilliant each time.

As they draw to a close and leave the stage, we are left astounded at the storming set. Bombay Bicycle Club surely wowed on every level as expected.

Lauren Bridgeman
pic: Rhian Brighton
 Bombay Bicycle Club | Rescue Rooms | Nottingham | 28 September 2009


A new city, a new life. Tonight in this Mad Dog's first ever Nottingham gig, (not Feeder for the freshers party…). Playing in one of the cities smallest venues comes a perfectly balanced show of beautifully played indie songs and manic guitar performances.
Supported by Birmingham's Tantrums and speedy Flashguns, capturing all the hearts of the cool haired kids, the spotty dresses and the vintage jumpers alike.

After a highly acclaimed debut, London Bicycle riding Bombay boys wow the crowd with an intense yet subtle set. Playing singles Dust On The Ground, Magnet and Always Like This, Bombay's finest prove that they are clued up when it comes to timeless performances and songs.

Rhian Brighton
 Mud, Sweat and Beers - SECRET GARDEN PARTY 2009

Emmys not so great, but Jarvis is Cocker-hoop at Cambridgeshire's secret summer love-fest....

Summertime, and the living is easy... at least for those in the know. For four days in July, the Secret Garden Party in Huntingdon reminds us how festivals should be: creative, fantastical and fun.
Leave your inhibitions at the entrance - this gloriously eccentric celebration of imagination and music requires your full participation.

Unlike Glastonbury, V and Reading, SGP is about so much more than the music, and everyone wants to join in: the cool green lake entices you to skinny-dip, science demonstrations and the conspiracy camp challenge your scepticism, and let's be honest, when faced with mud-wrestling, who could resist?

Everyone's in fancy dress, from toddlers in tutus, to golden gladiators, and theres a massive spirit of inclusion. People sit on hay bales under oak trees, randomly striking up conversations with strangers - except no-one's a stranger here, you're all guests at a gorgeous garden party for grown-up kids.

And with burlesque samba dancing better than the Notting Hill Carnival, nipple tassles on sale in the Fairy tent and Bob the Dying Ukelele stealing the show in the many-instrumented Fancy Toys' set, festival goers – or gardeners, as they are known - would be hard-pressed not to gorge themselves on hedonism.

With fewer big names playing, the music experience is much more relaxed and wide-ranging than at the big festivals. Think of a music genre and it seems to be represented: funky afro-flamenco from Demanchena; The Resonators' British ska sound; Scandinavian skiffle from girl band Those Dancing Days - and a clutch of DJs providing heady dancing into the night.

And apart from the disappointment of Toots and the Maytals being billed but not booked' the sound experience delivers more than the sum of its parts. No need to spend ages organising which stage to rush to or co-ordinating with mates where to meet up - SGP takes a different approach to partying. Yes, there is The Great Stage - this year it looked like an open serpent’s mouth, in keeping with SGPs Babylon and Eden theme - but everywhere you turn, there are intimate music tents, impromptu performances, even a calypso funk band in a tree! Not to forget the cycling piano (and who could?)

No, the down-the-rabbit-hole surrealism of SGP feeds your senses and treats you to unexpected delights in relaxing surroundings. Beautifully arrogant pretty-boys Sreaming Lights thrash out intense brilliance a la Joy Division, and Golden Silvers glitter in the Wild Things tent on Friday evening, feeding fans with True Romance, ready for their walk up the hill to see besuited, bespectacled Jarvis Cocker, whose performance is assured and energetic. No Pulp, pure Cocker, vocally on top form for songs from his second album, Further Complications, and urging the stage invaders to "...please be careful" – truly a man of the (yes, you’ve guessed it) common people.

A very groggy Saturday morning sees festival-goers shocked into consciousness by the incongruous purity of operatic Bell'Aria performing in what had been a rave tent the night before. The Living Room offers a gentler wake-up call to late-rising guests, with squishy sofas, chandeliers and Marmite-oozing crumpets, as Foxes gives an acoustic set reminiscent of early Lennon/McCartney. Friendly San Franciscan band Still Flying urges a Saturday afternoon Great Stage invasion for the kids, and reviewers' favourite, Peggy Sue, bangs the drum for Florence-lovers.

Meanwhile, bizarre events continue: mud-wrestling revellers swim the evidence away in the lake as flu-recoverer Charlie Fink struggles through Noah and the Whales' Five Years Time; party-goers pimp their costumes to the drum-led dancey musak of Sweet, Sweet Lies and jugglers, fire-swingers and hula-hoopers listen to DJs playing late-70s Bowie. Oh, and of course, there's a man with a giant carrot on his head watching VV Brown murder The Smiths This Charming Man.

The SGP gives other UK festivals a masterclass in understated spectacle and as darkness fall, a magical floating sky-drop of fireworks and Chinese lanterns heralds the burning of the Tower of Babel DJ dance-floor, where just hours earlier, crowds were jumping in unison to MGMT's Time to Pretend.

As the floating pagoda explodes in the middle of the lake, diabolo dancers perform to the fiery flamenco and blazing metal of Rodgrigo y Gabrielas guitars, and the punters suddenly understand the Head Gardeners seemingly strange choice of headline act - everywhere you look, misty-eyed festival goers sway in time, arms around friends they've only just met, and the SGP becomes their Woodstock, their Pinkpop, their very own love-fest.

Subdued party-goers emerge the next morning to an overcast sky and an impromptu performance of Welcome to Facebook and Sweatshop Sweaters underneath an oak tree by Alex the Poet. As the day unfolds, mellow rock-steady at the World Music stage vies with the toe-tapping funk of the excellent Roots Union in the Small World tent; a sombrero-wearing audience chants the lyrics to Pablo by Yearner Babies; a blue-painted fellow climbs the badger tree while revellers form a human pyramid beneath him.

Late afternoon, and anti-folk heroine Emmy the Great turns in a tight if somewhat lack-lustre performance of her sweet-and-sour lyrics, although the 14 year old boys gazing adoringly from stage front are happy to ignore the irony of First Love.

Dance-offs and sock-wrestling continue amidst late afternoon drizzle and the four day festival closes with a magnificent set by 70s' soul legend Geno Washington, whose Give It Up and Knock on Wood have rude boys braving the pelting rain, hippies sharing their final beers and ageing punksters seeing it through to the final curfew.

The following day, gardeners pack up their tents to return to the real world, exhausted yet strangely rejuvenated.
The Secret Garden Party 2010. will be held 22 – 25th July – I've already booked my ticket!

Words : Georgia-Blue Townshend
Pic : Francois Botha
 Final Fantasy - The Gate - Cardiff - 02/08/2009

The vibe in The Gate tonight is a compelling mixture of "gig" and "intimate gathering of old friends". The venue is a converted church, with the musicians in place of a Priest, an audience in place of a congregation, and a large empty square of laminate flooring in the middle – a space which slowly fills with people opting to leave their seats and sit at the feet of Sweet Baboo, Mariee Sioux, and the incredible Owen Pallett.

Sweet Baboo (aka Stephen Black) strolls on stage first and slaps everyone to attention immediately with his quirky and up-beat mixture of folk and bluegrass. Stephen has already made a name for himself, from being asked to play bass for Gorkys Zygotic Mynci to assembling the backing band for Daniel Johnston's Cardiff show during his European tour.

Heavily influenced by the likes of The Beach Boys and Johnston himself, Sweet Baboo brings his own imaginative lyricism and harmony to the bluegrass tradition, with song themes including: possessed cats, that time he only bought yellow and black clothes, and how good he is at dancing. A metre away from me Owen Pallett is woo-ing and whistling his praises.
A few more individuals creep out of their seats and join the floor, cracking open bottles of wine and pouring glasses for one another. It's about now that Mairee Sioux takes her place.
To describe Mairee Sioux as one continuing the traditional folk song-writing style of Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell wouldn't quite hit the mark, but it begins to paint a picture of what she's all about. Mairee Sioux is a rare gem within her genre, fingers picking and crafting beautiful melodies whilst her lyrics spiral into myth and fantasy with intricate detail. Lyrically akin to Joanna Newsom and vocally akin to Mirah, she evokes a well deserved rapturous applause after every song.
People have now taking the seat relocation to the extent of taking the cushions off the pews and placing them amongst the growing crowd at the foot of the stage (a mere three steps higher than the floor itself). Sweet Baboo and Mairee Sioux weave through the crossed legs and wine bottles and join the floor.

Owen Pallett walks on stage, clad in tight black jeans and a Mayhem t-shirt, looking more like a spectator at a Locust gig than a remarkable one-man orchestra. Hailing from Ontario, Pallett is a man noted for his orchestral and string arrangements for the likes of Arcade Fire and Beirut, he is a man who won the Polaris Music Prize in 2006 but graciously gave most of the money away to bands he felt needed funding. The "band" Final Fantasy essentially consists only of Owen (Leon Taheny is also credited as drummer and engineer), which makes it all the more impressive to watch him build beautiful melodies and rhythms at tonight show, looping them together to create a sound you would expect to emanate from a full ensemble.

Pallett showcases his imaginative and poetic song-writing, heavily laced with poppy hooks and remarkable vocal capability, seemingly effortlessly. Palletts genuine outlook when playing gigs is to put himself in a position where he is "more of a whore than an entertainer", emphasising that he is here to play what the crowd tonight want to hear. He is one who, indeed, plays to please. So much so that when he was told that after an hour, he had to wrap up with one final song, he leads the The Gates thirsty congregation out into a car park opposite the venue after the gig to play three more songs.
Theres excited murmuring, gravel crunching under feet as his disciple follow him to the corner of the car park. Silence settles. We stand in total darkness except for the dull glow of a street light. “Let’s keep it special,” he says, before launching into This Lamb Sells Condos. Beautiful.

words : Emma Garland
pics : Chris Hillier

 AC/DC Wembley Stadium 26th June 2009

Despite their having been a staple of the summertime schedule since the 1970s, forking out the extra cash to witness a stadium rock show is still a risky business. Perhaps the ultimate statement of musical excess, large capacity gigs can, at their worst, represent the death knell for dinosaur acts struggling to muster up their former potency, with performances that leave the attendant audiences cold, distant and wanting for home. At their best however, stadium shows are quasi-religious experiences, congregation and artist alike enraptured in the sheer volume of capacity and music, where, as the mighty Zeppelin once mused "all are one, and one is all". Fortunately, AC/DC's appearance at Wembley Stadium proves to be the latter in the most glorious way possible.

Physically, in rock and roll terms, AC/DC should be well past their prime. Indeed, they are probably one of the oldest touring bands still on the circuit, with members pushing 60 years old. But as Rock and Roll Train erupts onto the stage (literally represented by a giant train crashing through the wall of Marshall cabs positioned behind the group), the only indication of the Scots/Aussie rockers' near pensioner status is some lines on faces and guitarist Angus Young's receding hairline. The aforementioned axe-man must be on crack cocaine – it's the only plausible explanation for his ridiculous amount of energy which never shows signs of flagging throughout the two and a quarter hour marathon set of all the band’s greatest numbers.


Jumping from Thunderstruck to Back in Black to Dirty Deeds… to Whole Lotta Rosie with fantastic frequency, it would seem that the rockers are trying to destroy the vocal chords of all in attendance. One cannot help sing along until lungs give out and the set never lags long enough to make a trip to the beer tent worthwhile. Material from the band's latest offering Black Ice fits comfortably into the greatest hits track list with unfamiliar numbers such as War Machine being boosted by some wonderfully cheesy backing videos complete with a schoolboy sleaze which seems all too appropriate in the throngs of the sweaty masses.


By the time that the band gets around to Let There Be Rock, AC/DC's performance has stopped being a gig to the reverent mass of 100,000 pilgrims. It has become a sermon from the book of rock, with Brian Johnson cast as a wild preacher and Angus Young as the devil that sits on his shoulder. Arms held to the sky, the flock pledges their souls to rock and roll. Angus responds with a twenty minute guitar solo undertaken from a platform in the middle of the arena, his sweat flowing like communion wine, drenching the scared robes of his school uniform. Eyes are riveted.


For Those About To Rock ends the proceedings, complete with a 21 gun salute which aptly sums up the feeling running through the crowd. AC/DC are rock royalty, gods in the purest sense of the word. Any doubters left in the audience after the band's display tonight either do not have a soul to sell, or sold it to the wrong messiah a long time ago.

Words > Alec Plowman
 Jamie T

Cambridge Junction
12th June 2009

To say tonight's gig leaves a little excitement hanging in the air would probably be the biggest understatement you will hear in your life. The crowd at The Junction are squashed tighter than a tin of sardines, and the temperature down the front is soaring. Enter Jamie T. The Wimbledon scallywag swaggers onto the stage, beer in hand, selfish sons (his backing band) in tow, to the kind of applause I haven't seen since R.A.T.M played Reading Festival last year. This is LOUD! Straight into his cult classic, British Intelligence, Jamie T manages to whip the crowd into an almost hysteric frenzy. Then there's Back in the Game, Calm Down Dearest and a whole host of delights from his magical one-man-band debut album Panic Prevention.

Tonight's gig sees Jamie switching from his trademark bass guitar, back to guitar, then back to the mic for some more slick street wit spits, time after time. It's as if he was born to run amok on stage. Sprinkled heavily with tracks from his as-yet, untitled sophomore album, the crowd interaction is at an all time Jamie T. high. "Thanks for jamming along to the new ones, we hardly even know them yet," he smirks down the mic, before pulling one lucky punter out of the crowd for a duet on his most popular track, Sheila. With a gig nearly an hour and a half long, a complete run down of Panic Prevention the new album, and jokes in all the right places, Jamie truly is on top form, as the crowd of chanting, euphoric punters prove as they sing the lyrics to the best tracks of tonight's show, arm in arm, into the Cambridge night.

Words > Jan Van Riebeek
 A Hawk and a Hacksaw

Norwich Arts Centre
25 June 2009

Despite hailing from the likes of Albuquerque, New Mexico, A Hawk and A Hacksaw (AHAAH) are clearly heavily influenced by the music of Eastern Europe. They may seem like they are a long way from home playing at the Norwich Arts Centre, however their one of a kind sound was eagerly observed by a huge crowd, who were more than happy to get involved in the festivities.

Although they have a predisposition to the time-honoured traditions of Eastern Europe, AHAAH have created their own unique sound using traditional instruments and enlisting traditional musicians from Hungary such as Ferenc Kovacs and British bouzouki player Chris Hladowski.

Their musical journey has taken them to, amongst other places, Hungary, Romania and Turkey and Jeremy Barnes (accordion, vocals and percussion and previously the drummer of Neutral Milk Hotel) and Heather Trost (violin and vocals) have certainly picked up a few tricks along the way. In addition to the long-established sounds of the accordion and violin, three other musicians, playing the tuba, trumpet and bouzouki, back up Jeremy and Heather to create a wholesome and warm musical experience. Some unusual instruments came out too, played by Trost, the Stroh violin was brought back to life again and created a strange yet delightful sound, which was as exciting to watch as it was to hear.

Having just released Délivrance back in May, AHAAH played a mixture of old and new tracks that displayed perfectly the wonderful experiment of fusing traditional Eastern European sounds with a contemporary twist.

I had seen AHAAH last year when they performed at the ATP festival in Minehead and was afraid their music would not translate on such as big stage. However much of the crowd was dancing with each other to music that even brought strangers together.

Despite the fact that I am not usually a folk music lover, I found myself sucked into the energetic show that was put before me. The magical songs swirled and as they did so, the band began to move off the stage towards the crowd. As their instruments did not have to be amplified, the band weaved their way through the unsuspecting fans and stopped in the middle where the people around them cheered and danced along with them. Several tracks were played acoustically, which provided a superb end to the set

This was absolutely brilliant to be apart of, as it really immersed me in the music and made me think I was in a traditional Hungarian bar and not in Norwich. I was surprised the see the Norwich folk getting so involved, as this American band were playing music that a British audience would have little reference to. I felt this embodied what folk music is all about, bringing people together and giving a sense of culture and community.

Words > Joanna Page
Photo > Katie Utting
 Paul Weller

Thetford Forest
June 5 2009

Tonight's mix of businessmen, aging hippies and younger Indie kids is a strange one. It's not usual to see these types of people all in the same place at the same time, enjoying each others company. But maybe that's what makes Weller so appealing. Even after Thirty years the modfather has still got it. At tonight's Thetford Forest show, in a sea of recyclable beer cups and scrunched up picnic blankets, there breathes an air of anticipation from all corners of this patchwork piney heathland. The show for the Forestry Commission sees Weller coming out more snappily dressed than Vince Noir in 'king of the mods' to hundreds of happy faces. Along with hits like Changing man, Peacock Suit and Wild Wood, Weller easily fires off winners from his brilliant back catalogue, with tracks from albums like Heavy Soul, Stanley Road, Illumination, and last years UK #1, 22 Dreams.

For nearly a full two hours, Weller doesn't even seem to break the slightest of sweats: performing in front of a few hundred expectant fans he cracks out some of the all time Jam big guns. Eton Rifles goes down an absolute storm, as does the legendary Town Called Malice. Hit after tumultuous hit, Weller has the front half of the crowd clinging dearly to his every whim, empty cider cups being swayed drunkenly above their heads, whilst even those standing right at the very back are dancing in groups, right until the last chord rings though on perfect set closer, That's Entertainment. It surely is.

Words > Tobias Rockafella
 Pulled Apart by Horses

Norwich Arts Centre
12 June 2009

Take a warm, sunny summers days, Norwich Arts Centre, and Leeds four piece Pulled Apart By Horses and what is created? A show so packed full of excitement and liveliness that it's hard to digest its full glory. After reading the hype surrounding this band I was expecting an exploding performance, and in pre-Download spirits they certainly did not disappoint. Performing to a tiny audience, this band set out to prove that they are a far bigger type of player.

After support The Uh Ohs, the crowd is certainly set for a stormy show from the Leeds band, with a perfect mixture of intoxication and excitement, this is an Arts Centre performance to be remembered. With only a small handful of songs to play, such as I Punched A Lion In The Throat and Meat Balloon with passionate screams of 'Awesome' in overload, it seems as if tonight this band are on fire. What this band achieve, however, is something special in its own right, unlike a lot of bands who have shared this arts centre stage they completely break down the barrier between artist and audience, jumping into the crowd, joining in the evolving mosh pit and simply having a good time with the people who came to see them play. Not to mention the friendly chatter between each song, and the stage intrusion of his girlfriend playing guitar. Therefore after this gig there is only one finalised opinion I can have on this band: they are extremely energetic, fiery and just down right pleasant.

Words/Photo > Rhian Brighton
 Baddies

Norwich Arts Centre - 17 June 09

The lights dim upon the stage filled with vintage Fender amps, as Southend's Baddies climb aboard with their trademark matching attire of light blue shirts and black jeans. They come onstage to a greeting of mixed interest: For the first two bands, the crowd have spent most of the night hitting in to each other and raising general havoc on the arts centre floor, but for a band that's only released two singles, and are not from the area, tonight's show could go two very opposite ways. Luckily for Baddies it seems the deities of Indie rock are smiling down on them, as the crowd erupt almost instantly in time with the first chord. After playing the first few tracks of the set from their soon-to-be-released debut album, Do the Job, the band have really whipped the crowd up, as bodies hurtle around the dance floor. Their fast and sharp Indie sound stays at constant pace as the crowd continue to plough into the unsuspecting spectators watching from the sidelines. Michael Webster riles up the crowd in between his staccato vocals; calling for more applause, while the crowd call them to reciprocate with more songs. After playing the familiar singles 'Battleships' and 'Holler for my Holiday', the disorderly youth of the crowd move their party into a stage invasion during the last song; which leaves the band nothing left to do but take to the dance floor, sans instruments.

Words > Matthew 'Dungeons' Bunkell
pic > Rhian Brighton
 Wishbone Ash - Norwich Waterfront - 13/05/2009

Wednesday night at the Waterfront and despite an impressive queue snaking back from the main entrance, the venue is not yet at capacity. Nonetheless, a commendable crowd has gathered for Wishbone Ashs latest stop on their 40th anniversary tour. The band are flying solo tonight, performing two sets with no support act. One has to wonder if Wishbone Ash, after forty years on the road, has the stamina for such a mammoth undertaking.

The house lights dim and a cheer goes up from the audience as the band makes their entrance. Attention is drawn to the two screens raised above the plethora of gear on the stage, displaying an array of psychedelic montages. Blind Eye opens the set, and despite an early guitar malfunction, is delivered with the precision that you would expect of a band forty years old. Ash are seasoned professionals, and tonights performance seems effortless. Despite the complexities of the music being performed, the group makes it look easy.

The well known Wishbone Ash sound comes across as epic on stage this evening, as it does on their records. Twin guitars chime in magnificent unison on tracks such as The King Will Come and Blowing Free, while vocal harmonies seldom falter throughout tonights two hour bill. Proving themselves to be more than just a nostalgia act, the band confidently display their contemporary material alongside cuts from their seventies heyday. That is not to say that the band do not embrace their impressive back catalogue. This is, after all, a 40th anniversary show, a fact brought home by the three track jaunt into 1973s seminal Argus record which opens the second set.

The personnel of Wishbone Ash circa 2009 may have somewhat changed from that of the bands classic line-up, yet the passionate and faithful nature with which the current Ash-men deliver their material to the audience undeniably captures the aura and essence of the bands seventies manifestation. Indeed, on this, their 40th anniversary celebration, Wishbone Ash appears, not as a relic, but as an entity aging well and still delivering the goods on stage.

words & pic : Alec Plowman
 Firetone - Sno!bar - 05/06/2009

Stand-up comedian Bill Bailey once referred to Milton Keynes as "Satan’s lay-by" in relation to its lack of rock and roll credentials. Indeed, Bailey’s comment, while in jest, highlights an unwelcome truth about the lack of a music scene in the Milton Keynes area. A town with only 40 years of history, it is perhaps unsurprising that the home of the concrete cow lacks the attestation of musical hotbeds such as Cambridge. With venues in the area on the decline and the few remaining prominent local promoters often catering to middle of the road indie and emo, the future of Milton Keynes music looks to be bleak.

Such fears momentarily subside when witnessing Firetone take to the stage at the Sno!Bar (whose promoter, Beatdown Productions is one of the few remaining vanguards of decent rock music in the MK area), for the performance that follows is one of awe-inspiring bombast. Dressed to the nines and with hair styles that apparently defy the laws of physics, Firetone look the business before they've even played a note.
Fortunately, they've got the musical prowess to back up the swanky threads, delivering their unique brand of melodic prog metal with a level of conviction that the vocal crowd clearly appreciates.

Tracks such as Gravity and Well aptly display the bands ability to construct a memorable and infectiously catchy track around driving rhythm and viciously heavy guitar licks.
New tracks Remember Who You Are and Nobody Else Will Save The Day give crushing impact, retaining a varied sonic palette despite their dropped C tuning. Frontman Ande D'Mello's vocal range is bafflingly large and used to full effect throughout the set, while bassist Chris D'Mello lays down some groovy elements against Jamie Nicholls' powerhouse drumming.

With a management deal recently secured, a plethora of dates announced across the UK and a new record due for release in the coming months, it looks like big things are set for Firetone in the near future. One hopes that their calibre of playing will have the stragglers taking note and may prove that there is life in the Milton Keynes scene yet.

words : Alec Plowman
pic : Craig Short





 Manic Street Preachers - Camden Roundhouse - 30 May

The release of Journal For Plague Lovers two weeks ago, the first Manics album to feature the words of Richey Edwards since the lyricist's disappearance in 1995, has been heralded by many as a return to form for the Welsh rockers. Indeed, while Plague Lovers is an undeniable triumph, it does raise problems for the band with regard to the live arena. How does a record of unflinching, lo-fi and dementedly melancholic numbers fit into the set of a band whose latter (and most commercially successful) career has been defined by pop/rock anthems and accessible, radio friendly singles? The question is quickly answered as a feverent crowd packs into the Roundhouse; the venue where the video for the group's signature single A Design For Life was filmed thirteen years ago. An announcement over the PA reveals that the Manics will be playing two sets tonight. The first; Journal For Plague Lovers in its entirety, the second, the emcee promises is a set of "all your favourites".

An ominous bass line rumbles through the circular music hall as the house lights dim. James Dean Bradfield's buzz saw guitar and Sean Moore's battering ram drumming cut through the lower frequencies. Peeled Apples kicks and screams its way into the venue, losing none of the visceral, stripped-down production of the record and stirring the faithful fans camped at the front of the Roundhouse into a frenzy. It is just the three Preachers on stage. The additional guitarist and keyboardist usually camped to the left of the drum riser are absent and the new material sounds all the better for it; raw, lean and full of bite. However, extra musicians are on hand by the time This Joke Sport Severed appears, in the form of a string quartet that reproduces the arrangements on the record to admirable effect. Album highlights such as Me and Steven Hawking and She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach translate remarkably well to the live arena, and the band onstage appears less as a trio of forty year old rock veterans than a vital, energetic and strikingly relevant juggernaut.

The Plague Lovers set over and there is a brief intermission before the band bursts back onto the stage with Motorcycle Emptiness, a cut which seems as fresh tonight as upon its release in 1992. Opening the second set with a one two punch, 2007's Your Love Alone Is Not Enough swiftly follows. The supporting musicians, absent from the first set, are this time on hand, giving tracks such as Tsunami and No Surface, All Feeling a fuller sonic quality which would seem equally at home in a stadium setting. It would almost seem that the Manics are playing it safe in the second half, after the risky strategy of the full performance of the latest album. The track listing plays out like a greatest hits selection, focusing primarily on cuts from Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth..., the group's pair of mid-nineties chart topping albums. Tracks from fan favourite and critics' choice The Holy Bible are noticeably absent and only Faster makes an appearance tonight. While the second set is certainly enjoyable, a few more interesting song choices might have been beneficial. Nonetheless, the return of the string quartet for rousing performances of Everything Must Go and A Design For Life allay any minor criticisms.

Tonight's set proves that the Manics are still an innovative, important and challenging group, despite their elder statesmen status. Indeed, while more risks might have been to the group's benefit in the second half of the show, the Plague Lovers set clearly showcases a band that has the live chops to lay waste to many young pretenders with a seeming effortless proficiency.

Words > Alec Plowman
 Mpho - Norwich Arts Centre - 19/05/2009

As London tropical pop princess Mpho takes to the stage at the Arts Centre at around 9 pm, the phrase "live without a safety net" seems more relevant than ever before.

With her debut album, Pop Art, not released until October, and a lead single not available until at least July, Mpho has not only forty minutes to win over an audience both completely unfamiliar with her material, but also seemingly, nerves of steel.
Opening for 2009s soon-to-be-Mark Ronson-a-like Mr Hudson, Mpho breaks into Myspace favourite Box n Lox with absolute ease. Witnessing her performance this evening, one would assume that Mpho was a seasoned professional, not a young artist on the cusp of the make or break stage of a music career.

Clad in striped shirt and an sexily eye-catching ruby jacket, she works the mic with effortless cool. Energetically fluid with a simultaneously down to earth quality that clearly endears to the Norwich crowd, Mpho addresses the audience with a girl next door charm, a good time ethic and an optimistic demeanour, yet with a certain sly bite which makes a lasting impression.

Her music, consisting of elements of tropical, electro and glam pop in equal measure feels familiar, yet fresh enough to stand out against its peers. A driving backbeat and electro hooks (abtly provided by rolling drums and synth respectively), give tracks such as Fix Ya Face and See Me Now the sonic impact required to keep the attention of onlookers for the duration of the set while a sharp, hip lyrical delivery adds a slightly subversive while infectiously catchy depth to a well rehearsed bubblegum sheen.

Alec Plowman
pic: Matt Redmond
 Patrick Wolf - Norwich Waterfront - 27/05/2009

Before first support Sean Seraphim came to stage, I found it hard to predict what exactly this Norwich Waterfront performance would deliver.
The crowd, dressed up in a concoction of elaborate retro dresses and skinny fit jeans, gave off a huge sense of excitement for the night ahead. The anticipation could be felt resonating thoughout the proudly sized venue.
Norwich based Seraphim certainly gave a very intimate and personal performance, collaborating the soft sounds of the piano keys with drastic electro beats.
Second in command tonight, support act Yacht were perhaps the biggest surprise of the night, providing the audience with a very dramatic and energetic show.

Although it felt as though their music left a little to be desired, a cross-over between The Ting Tings and some awkward baby of posh American gangster rap, they did give the crowd more than they bargained for, jumping in head first, and practicing what can only be described at cult dance rituals, setting the atmosphere alight ready for the man of the moment, Patrick Wolf.

Half expecting Patrick to arrive on stage in a magnificent Vince Noir style ensemble, I was gladly proven right. Appearing in extremely tight leather trousers, accessorized with knee high socks, waistcoat,and a carefully splashed palm-ful of glitter across his model-like face, Wolf looks nothing less than an androgonistically painted royal on the Waterfronts often bland canvas.
Wolf gives a very intense, and well thought out performance, lapping up the attention from the screaming girls behind the barrier, and exuding confidence. With leaps and bounds and shakes that would give Tina Turner the shivers, Wolf moves easily from ukelele, synth and back to ukelele as if they were just another part of his ever-expanding eclectic ensemble.

However, after the well thought through dramatics, light show and performance, it seemed as if there was a lack of passion diffusing through a few of tonights caberet of new songs and back catalogue. Surely with the architectural song-writing craftsmanship that coarses through Wolfs veins, that once the release of latest long-player, The Bachelor starts screaming up the charts, it's a sure fire shot that we will be hearing more of Wolf in coming months, and it is crystal clear from tonights performance that Wolf is indeed a larger character in the art-antifolk field, who is deservadly destined for much bigger stages than the Waterfront.

Words: Rhian Brighton & Joseph Myers
Photo: Rhian Brighton


 Fanfarlo - Colchester Arts Centre - 17/05/2009

So, Colchester Arts Centre, not exactly the homeland of great indie pop, but just occasionally they go out on a limb to host something out of the ordinary. Take tonight for example, a heady mixture of total music geeks, and a few splutterings of older, more hardened music fans. But it's not the crowd we've come here to see, its London folk/pop/whateveryouwantocallit six-piece Fanfarlo.

I should point out before I ramble on, that I love this band, so this may well come out slightly biased. In fact it definitely will. Much to my joy, in support tonight was indie-folkster/one man band Jeremy Warmsley, who happened to be playing with the band as well, so when they quietly and confidently take to the stage, the dedicated crowd is more than ready to receive them.

Having recently supported Snow Patrol on a sold-out arena tour of the UK, Fanfarlo are more than practised in the way of filling a cavern with sound. It is a strange set up. The beats and jingles seem to all come out of a glockenspiel and trumpet. On top of this add a bass, guitar, and the occasional key board and what you have is the perfect recipe for pop heaven. Think long days spent reading books in parks, or lying on your bed listening to your favourite album. Fanfarlo take all of these distant memories and deliver them back with clean mournful vocals, brilliant melodies and sparks of jovial sadness.

In their short (and early) set, from the opening track 'The Walls Are Coming Down' they bring together swirly synths, trumpet solo, violin and acoustic guitar in a somewhat strange symbiosis of sound, filling the Arts Centres lonely hall with warm summery soundscapes.
Along with lead singer Simon, the London-based six-piece manage to push their music right into the very pores of each person gawping in awe at their capabilities as young musicians. Each member seems to be able to play more than one instrument quite confidently - throughout the set, Cathy turns to violin, keys, mandolin and glockenspiel while Leon constantly alternates between trumpet and keys.

The band play many songs from their debut album Reservoir, including the likes of single, Im A Pilot, Ghosts, Harold T Wilkins, and also new song On A Ledge, where Jeremys guitar sound starts to hiccup - through no fault of his own.

However, each of their songs throughout the set is some kind of rough-cut diamond. Something precious hidden in the darkness. Fanfarlo's luminous indie-pop is so shiny we could almost be fooled into thinking that it's summetime.

Franc Botha
 The Chapman Family / La Roux - Norwich Waterfront - 18/05/2009

"Well this is just terrible" wails La Roux' 80s styled singer, Ellie Jackson. Her negative remarks being born from constant ear-battering feed-back into her on-stage headphones.

But lets rewind a little...

Tonight near-capacity show brings the current NME Radar tour to the sweaty confines of Norwich Waterfront. With a mish-mash of nostalgia, and 80s glam in the form of Magistrates, Heartbreak, and current chart favourite, La Roux.

To start at the beginning, any lazy journo would go on about tonights The Chapman Family being the odd ones out on the bill, but by a few in the audience, they are less odd ones out, and more, very welcome black sheep. In all fairness, with a crowd of teen girls wearing sequined dresses and boys wearing make-up, The Chapmans are slightly out of place, but whoever organised this tour was definately on to something. The Chapmans are more a stripped down , debauched rock and roll extravaganza more than capable of getting the crowd foaming at the mouth, and perfect for opening a gig as high profile as tonights. They are more than a world away from their musical counterparts in the electronics department, which is actually quite refreshing, considering to see a band perform without the use of a laptop or keyboard, (which has been the case at nearly every gig I have been to in the last six months) seems to be strange lately.
Frontman Kinsleys wailing baritone vocals manage to whip the few standing at the front of the crowd into a much anticipated frenzy, whilst bass guitarist Pop swings his bass wildly around the stage from start to finish. This man just does not stand still.Ever. The pummeling drums seem to soak straight into marrow in every bone in the house, and penetrate your ear drums at a blistering pace. It really does make you wonder that, if a band can create such a beautiful racket, and for a frontman to be able to hang himself with the mic lead and still survive ("That was my homage to the late Ian Curtis, died twenty nine years ago today") that the record industry hasn't snapped them up yet. Current single Kids is greeted to a rapturous applause by the few fans that are not in the house only to see tonights headliner La Roux.

(We didn't manage to catch the in-betweeners, Heartbreak and Magistrates because of a long chat with the Chapman gents backstage, which can be read in full in next months issue of Mad Dog.)

Now let's just get one thing straight, love her or hate her, La Roux' icily pouting Annie Lennox impersonator Ellie Jackson is undeneiably striking, from the grandad styled jacket, the gold bling, low-necked t-shirt and tights, to the fired up bright orange quiff which is fast becoming her trademark. On a stage backed by usually non-complimentary neon lights, Jackson's unique, androgynous silhouette is possibly the most remarkable thing about her otherworldly aesthetic, which just screams pop glamour.

Tonight, La Roux' music isn't what you might call deep and meaningful. But the crowd simply just dont care. They are here for a party. Alongside hit singles In For the Kill, and Bulletproof, (and perhaps Fascination) track after track the crowd punches the air and even crowd-surfers start emerging from the sweaty mist. From the first song, you can tell something is bothering Jackson, and it's not the fact that she's already had a number one single and album. Its the sound. The grimmace on her face slowly worsens until she hastily rips her ear-piece from her ear, and "politley" refers the sound man to the problem. But after that, it's full steam ahead until the very last breath. On the way out of the venue, we stop to say goodbye to Kingsley from The Chapman Family, where he asks "So, what do you think of La Roux?" to which I reply: "Was she miming?" Kingsley swiftly strikes me down with "So, she puts on one hell of a show, eh?" True.

Franc Botha
 Bat For Lashes - Cambridge Junction - 13/04/2009

Just incase you've been locked in a cave for the last few months, Brightons very own pop-rock storytale princess Natasha Khan aka Bat For Lashes made a well-time return to music with her beautiful second album Two Suns.

In support of this, Bat For Lashes has taken to the road in a flutter of glitter, guts and glory, with the Cambridge Junction actually being packed to the rafters with girls in sparkly dresses, and teen boys adorning themselves with complimentary coloured eye make-up (which was handed to the lucky few upon arrival) in a nod to Ms Khans wondorously alternative dress sense.
With Bat For Lashes arriving on stage at a ludicrously early 21.00 , and as the lights come up, a completely new backing band is revealed. None of the group members circa previous album Fur & Gold seem to be noticible, and in place of the regular drums, bongos, chimes and bells from days of old, sits a complete drum kit, bedroom lamp and laptop. The stage scene is reminiscent of some sort of Shakespearean fancy dress party gone wrong, and with Ms Khan coming out in a fluffy collar and sheer body suit, the crowd already know they are in for something different.

Set opener Glass is like a thousand vaults to the sytem, including dizzying heights of Ms Khans vocal range colliding symbiotically with the new and improved drum beats.
Things begin to soften down when Ms Khan and a friend sit side by side at the piano for the crescendolling Horse & I. Throughout the set, audience conversation is minimal, apart from raptourous applause after each fairy-tale track. All in all, a knock out performance, finally closing the set with current hit single Daniel.

The entire set ran as follows:

Glass
Sleep Alone
Horse & I
Daniel
Travelling Woman
Siren Song
Wizard
Sarah
Peace of Mind
Tahiti
What a girl to do
Pearls Dream

1st encore:
Prescilla
Good Love
Moon & Moon
Two Planets

2nd encore:
Daniel

Franc Botha
 Philip Glass - Theatre Royal

Composer Philip Glass cuts a legendary figure in contemporary music, though his presence on the stage of the Theatre Royal, in what must surely be the high point of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, was one of unassuming grace and modesty. Born in Baltimore in 1937, Glass studied for two years in Paris under Nadia Boulanger, earning money by transcribing Ravi Shankar's music into western notation. Since then Glass has written countless sonatas, operas and symphonies, but he is best known for his numerous scores for film, beginning in 1982 with Godfrey Reggio's groundbreaking poetic documentary Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of Balance, which set juxtaposed images of the natural world and the urban environment to Glass' typically expressive music.

Other notable film works include a long running collaboration with filmmaker Errol Morris starting with The Thin Blue Line (a piece from which he played tonight), Stephen Daldry's The Hours (for which he was nominated for an Oscar), Peter Weir's The Truman Show (in which he appears in a cameo) and Paul Schrader's masterful biopic of the controversial Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima, whose life of suppressed violent and sexual energies are reflected in Glass' score. Works by Glass even recently appeared in the Watchmen.

Categorised by many as a minimalist, Glass prefers to think of himself as a Classicist, and the closest comparison to him, for me, is perhaps early twentieth century French Impressionist Eric Satie, but filtered through the modernism of John Cage. The influence Glass has had on modern music is harder to detect but it is pervasive. There is even something of Glass' intensity in Ludovico Einaudi's style.

Like fellow film composer and pianist Michael Nyman, Glass' music is based on repetitive structures of intense flurries of keys, but despite the conceptual and often avant garde nature of his pieces, they contain surprisingly subtle depths and strong driving melodies - giving his music a hypnotic beauty. He composes the majority of his pieces in movements, each one building on or counterpointing the one before. Before playing pieces from the sixteen part series 'Etudes', which Glass conceived of as a way to explore various technical aspects of playing the piano, and therefore push his own abilities, he commented that the overall symphony should be thought of as a family of very different children. Although in another of his delightfully wry anecdotal introductions, he did admit that he had only managed to learn about ten of the sixteen, and was going to play between five and seven pieces. This should give a sense of the looseness of the programme, which only vaguely followed the schedule laid out in the programme. Like his playing, Glass is spontaneous and whimsical.

Words > Dean Bowman
 NROne Records presents the Brownies Album Launch

NROne Album Launch: The Brownies + Glory Glory + Uh Ohs + Bearsuit
Norwich Arts Centre - 11/04/09

NROne records based in Norwich already have a cracking line up of bands, as demonstrated by their over flowing merch table in the foyer of the Arts Centre, but tonight was dedicated to yet another addition to the sterling line up: Our Knife Your Back, the debut album of The Brownies. This Pop Punk five-piece have already been praised by BBC's Steve Lamacq, which led to a Session at Maida Vale, and they were chosen to appear on the regional leg of the Skins tour in 2008.
Opening band Glory Glory, a boy/girl two-piece, were a revelation duelling with some really electrifying guitar and drum work whilst batting lyrics back and forth like a Murray/Nadal rally. Next up were label mates Uh Ohs, a strong female fronted group who relished in changing tempo constantly, but still maintaining a set as tight as a Scottish landlord. For their final song, Underdog, they abducted a girl named Charlotte from the audience who played a mean tambourine. We spoke to her afterwards and learned she'd come all the way from London on her own to see Bearsuit after falling hard for them at one of their 'Twee as Fuck' appearances at the Buffalo Bar in Highbury. Cue crowd-pleasers Bearsuit, who opened their set with the shouty, frenetic Jupiter Force and proceeded to deliver a set of infectious, ballistic twee-pop-rock-electro tunes for which they have become famous, delivering a big fuck you to 100 years of musical development as they shoot off in gloriously original musical territory - all the way to Io. My only regret is that their set was over so soon, which was apparently the fault of the drummer who wanted his dinner, which meant that hyper fast songs like the brilliant Push Over were played even faster. In the words of Guitarist Iain: "It was fucking stupid. But it was really fun!"


The Brownies rounded off proceedings with an intense set, which reminded the audience what the night was all about. Aggressively delivered lyrics, like "cry yourself to sleep, just don't wake me up", were driven by meaty riffs and a poppy energy reminiscent of bands like Elastica and Republica. Their stage presence was as impressive as their musical ability; here is a band that is going places, so catch them now while you can!



Words > Dean Bowman













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