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
ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt think thereÔÇÖs any crowd like a Welsh crowd.ÔÇØ With a successful fourth album out and a gig on home turf as part of their headline tour, Hannah Embleton-Smith spoke to CardiffÔÇÖs own Kids In Glass Houses guitarist, Iain Mahanty, ahead of the performance at Cardiff Student UnionÔÇÖs Solus. This is your first headline tour in two years. How does it feel to … Continue reading Interview: Kids In Glass Houses
If youÔÇÖre looking for something a bit different from CardiffÔÇÖs live music, Chapter Arts Centre is your first port of call. Recently, Finnish band Oddarrang played at the Canton venue to promote new album In Cinema. Met by seamless atmospheric instrumentals and ritualistic chanting, their performance was inimitable. Three songs in (though ÔÇÿmusical experiencesÔÇÖ might be a better term), it was revealed that the album … Continue reading Interview: Oddarrang
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
9/10 For fans of: The XX, Lana Del Rey and chilled out pop electronica. IÔÇÖm not a big fan of hype. Perhaps thatÔÇÖs just my cynical side shining through, but upon hearing that thereÔÇÖs a hotly tipped new band I tend to dismiss such claims as meaningless jargon. Such was the case with London Grammar and their debut album If You Wait, which had suggestions … Continue reading Album Review: London Grammar ‘If You Wait’
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
HUB Festival: 23-26 August 2013, Cardiff With new drinking holes and achingly hip ÔÇÿflea marketÔÇÖ Cardiff Fashion Quarter opening, Womanby StreetÔÇÖs alternative image became official at the end of August with the first ever HUB festival taking over 8 venues in the area. HUB presented an impressive line-up of 150 acts over the weekend, with an opening and very exciting closing party at The Full … Continue reading Festival Review: HUB 2013
From living off packet noodles to filling the Royal Albert: we at Quench Music found out first-hand from Joe Bonamassa what it takes to become really really good at music. (WeÔÇÖd call him a legend, but heÔÇÖs having none that shady fame chat.)┬á Who were your influences originally? We hear youÔÇÖre pretty into the British music scene? British blues recorded around ÔÇÖ66-ÔÇÖ67 was just the … Continue reading Interview: Joe Bonamassa – ‘Flawless is boring’
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
Joe Bonamassa:┬áCardiff Motorpoint Arena, 18 September 2013 With 25 years under his belt and worldwide renown as rock royalty, blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa will be setting the standard for CardiffÔÇÖs live circuit in September. Last year he worked with Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford on his thirteenth roots album Driving Towards The Daylight, and has performed live with the likes of blues god Eric Clapton at … Continue reading FreshersÔÇÖ Music Scene: Joe Bonamassa
Kit Denison celebrates the vinyl┬árenaissance.┬á Continue reading “Raves from the Grave?”
