Ahead of their return to Solus, Jack Glasscock and Louis Browne sat down with The Blackout‘s two vocalists to talk Merthyr and models. YouÔÇÖre almost halfway through your tour and yesterday you were back at home in Merthyr Tydfil, how was that? Sean Smith (Vocals): It was lovely ÔÇô 2008ÔÇÖs third roughest town in Britain. Gavin Butler (Vocals): Although, some of our crew spent the … Continue reading Interview: The Blackout
ÔÇ£Craig Bellamy to turn up, or maybe Tom JonesÔÇØ, was the expectation Jaws held of their first live outing in Wales. The dream-pop four-piece arrived in the Welsh capital supporting fellow Brummie band, The Twang, the latest show in a long list that dates back to the beginning of summer. ÔÇ£Literally every weekend for two months it was either a festival or an all-dayer that … Continue reading Feature: Jaws
October 12th saw Tom Odell give an outstanding performance to a thrilled audience. The show was by anyoneÔÇÖs standards a musical feast of talent from beginning to end, playing a number of his singles and album tracks as well as a Beatles cover and some new material ÔÇô bliss! Despite waiting for two and a half hours from opening for Odell to actually appear. when … Continue reading Live Review: Tom Odell, Great Hall, 12.10.13
Back in the 1970s, the UK played a major role in the huge new genre punk-rock. Since then, punk has changed a lot, as the StatesÔÇÖ took hold of it with Green Day and Rise Against. But with the Burton-based Max Raptor, the UK showcases how it can still create some solid punk-rock, with their latest album ‘MotherÔÇÖs Ruin’. It must be said this is … Continue reading Album Review: Max Raptor – ‘Mother’s Ruin’
Following on from the release of their last EP┬á’Lust & Lies’┬áa few months back, The Ramona Flowers’ new single ÔÇÿBrighterÔÇÖ is something which echoes this up-and-coming bandÔÇÖs potential for success. There are few bands around today that can mix a hint of rock, indie and electronica successfully, with a sense of raw passion, talent and hauntingly infectious lyrics; The Ramona Flowers can pull that off … Continue reading Single Review: The Ramona Flowers – ‘Brighter’
If youÔÇÖre looking for a cross between everything you once found on MySpace and the Camp Rock soundtrack, then Australian ÔÇÿalt-rockersÔÇÖ The Getaway Plan are your guys. Self-produced EP ‘Lovesick’ goes from almost catchy to downright depressing as it burns through its four painfully samey tracks. Whilst the riffs in title track ÔÇÿLovesickÔÇÖ could be the making of something more, TGPÔÇÖs whiney teen-angst lyrics (ÔÇÿI … Continue reading Album Review: The Getaway Plan – ‘Lovesick’
Wave goodbye to ‘MMMBop’, kids, Hanson are back with a cleaner, more mature release┬á(you would hope so after nearly twenty years in the game) that could just send them into the charts once more. ThatÔÇÖs if the charts want something that sounds like Maroon 5 circa 2002 – ÔÇÿJulietÔÇÖ (complete with lyrical references to the play) and ÔÇÿTragic SymphonyÔÇÖ scream Songs about Jane. But then, … Continue reading Album Review: Hanson – ‘Anthem’
Just before they took to the Great Hall to support Bastille, Amy Endacott took a quick five to catch up with To Kill A King frontman Ralph Pelleymounter.┬á Hello Ralph, and welcome to very wet and miserable Wales! Have you been to the country before?┬á WeÔÇÖve been here a few times and we really like it. Everyone is very welcoming and weÔÇÖve just been round … Continue reading Interview: To Kill A King
Liam ‘Maccers’ McNeilly┬áhas a little chinwag with self-proclaimed “Drunk Folk Singer” Beans On Toast at Clwb Ifor Bach. You spend a lot of time on tour. How has this one been and have there been any highlights for you? This tourÔÇÖs been a bit of a game changer. ItÔÇÖs flown really well and itÔÇÖs been banginÔÇÖ every night. In terms of highlights, I really like … Continue reading Interview: Beans on Toast
Heading over the Atlantic for their first UK headline tour, Los Angeles’ self-confessed ‘soul punx’ letlive.┬ácaught up with Tom Connick ahead of their sold out show at Clwb Ifor Bach. How does it feel to be playing a headline show ÔÇô to be able to come over completely off your own back? Jason Aalon Butler (vocals): Dude, we talk about it like every day. ItÔÇÖs … Continue reading Interview: letlive.
It was difficult to know what to expect as Birmingham 5-piece, The Twang, arrived in Cardiff for the penultimate date of their UK tour. Their previous two albums fail to provide much in terms of innovation and originality and the venue had been downgraded from Solus following poor ticket sales. Yet this tour precedes the release of a third record and the band have developed … Continue reading Live Review: The Twang & Jaws, Solus, 6.10.13
ThereÔÇÖs always a degree of cynicism when someone best known for their acting career tries to reinvent themselves as a musician. Hugh Laurie, the English actor nowadays best known for his role as Dr Gregory House on the US Fox Network series House is here giving his rendition of the traditional American blues song ÔÇÿJunco PartnerÔÇÖ taken from the bonus disc of his second album … Continue reading Single Review: Hugh Laurie – ‘Junco Partner’
Birmingham was once the home of heavy metal, with Judas Priest and Black Sabbath both calling the midlandsÔÇÖ heart their home back in the 80s. But now, bubbling away amongst the River Rea, a new scene is staking claim to the third most populated urban area in the United Kingdom (seriously, Google it). Dubbed ÔÇÿB-TownÔÇÖ by the musical press, Birmingham is now the home of … Continue reading Preview: The Twang & Jaws, Solus, 06.10.13
Twelve years is a long time. A twelve-year-old child would be starting secondary school, discovering the other sex were perhaps not solely cootie-carriers, and feeling those first pangs of puberty. As Funeral For A Friend celebrate a dozen years together, they open their tour with a hometown show in the cavernous confines of the Great Hall 2 (the ÔÇÿ2ÔÇÖ seems only to consist of a … Continue reading Live Review: Funeral For A Friend – Great Hall 2, Cardiff
When one talks about the modern Welsh music scene, youÔÇÖd be hard pressed to avoid mention of Funeral For A Friend. Over the past twelve years, FuneralÔÇÖs emotive post-hardcore has inspired multiple generations, both in Wales and beyond. Tom Connick caught up with Gavin Burrough [guitar] and Rich Boucher [bass] ahead of their homecoming show at Cardiff UnionÔÇÖs Great Hall 2. Welcome back to Cardiff! … Continue reading Interview: Funeral For A Friend
Festivals have seemingly become an integral part of most studentsÔÇÖ summer holidays. Why not then combine a typical love of festivals with an even more typical student need for money? My festival of choice was on the Emerald Isle ÔÇô Electric Picnic (EP from here on) and this was to be my second time working there. EP has to be one of the most diverse … Continue reading Festival Review: Electric Picnic 2013
The summer of 2013 will be one I remember in one of two ways; as the first of many wonderfully weird ArcTanGent festivals, or as the time I went to that new ridiculously niche festival that nobody ever heard of and never happened again. Either way IÔÇÖll be glad to say I was there. ArcTanGent, the sister of Grass Roots Festival Award winning 2000 Trees … Continue reading Festival Review: ArcTanGent 2013
This yearÔÇÖs Green Man Festival, tucked away in the sprawling beauty of the foothills of the Black Mountains, opened amidst a confusion of rain and shine. Yet as Bangor-based We Are Animal took to the Far Out stage and opened with a raucous set, the showers cleared and the tenth year of Green Man began to quietly thrum with excitement. A curious festival that has … Continue reading Festival Review: Green Man Festival 2013
Archy MarshallÔÇÖs music has been attracting interest for over three years and for many, this album has been a long time coming. Intense hype has followed his every move and with the likes of Beyonc├® and Frank Ocean expressing admiration for the teenager, there was always a nagging doubt that this debut offering wouldnÔÇÖt quite satisfy the immense expectation. Released on his nineteenth birthday, 6 … Continue reading King Krule – Six Feet Beneath The Moon
