Category Archives: Live Music

Syml concert in Paris

Written by Agathe Dijoud

Discovering an artist two weeks before the concert was my lucky moment of the month! Brian
Fennell is an American singer, who has been writing indie music for several years, first with the band
Barcelona, and then went solo in 2016. He is now Syml, which means ÔÇÿSimpleÔÇÖ in Welsh, due to his
roots before being adopted. He just ended his Where Did We Go tour around the US and Europe,
and had a show in Paris, at the Point ├ëph├®m├¿re concert venue on November 9th. And since French
trains are so fast now, I could get there from Bordeaux without missing my Friday lectures (it’s a big┬ádeal, trust me). The concert started with Harrison Storm as the opening act, who was great, with
only his guitar and voice. Then, Syml came to the stage, with another musician, and they started
playing beautiful music. It was both similar to the studio version, and very genuine at the same time.
Brian Fennell’s voice was on point to get the audience emotional when needed. He would let us ask
him questions in between songs, such as if he liked cheese (which he does), or if he was planning on
covering Britney Spears (which he was not). He also told us stories for some of his songs, such as
Girl, which he wrote for his daughter. He did not, however, sing any of his Christmas music, such as
Christmas lights. All in all, it was a great night, with an audience made of both teenagers and adults,
and a really authentic musician. I recommend listening to Fear of the water, Mr Sandman, or Hurt
for me. My personal favourite song is The War, which he sang because somebody from the audience
asked him. And he aced it, it was also my favourite part of the concert!

Nothing But Thieves Conquer Cardiff

Nothing But Thieves at the Motorpoint Arena ÔÇô 19/11/18

By Tom Luton

Nothing But Thieves stratospheric rise over the last three years has been truly impressive to watch.
Since the release of their promising self-titled debut in 2015, the band have well and truly begun
their ascent into the upper echelons of UK rock music, playing to huge audiences across the world
whilst supporting the likes of Muse and Biffy Clyro and having their follow up album (2017ÔÇÖs
excellent ÔÇÿBroken MachineÔÇÖ) chart at number 2 on the UK album charts. The release of their 4-track
stop-gap EP last month, the blistering ÔÇÿWhat Did You Think When You Made Me This WayÔÇÖ, and the
commencement of this UK wide arena tour only further cement their status as one of the countryÔÇÖs
finest bands. Based off the performance I witnessed in Cardiff, the only way is up for the
precociously talented 5-piece.

However, the night got off to a fairly muted start, with the Brighton based trio Demob Happy failing
to truly ignite the Cardiff crowd. On record, there is much to admire about the bands hard-hitting
blend of the relentless stoner-rock of bands such as Queens of The Stone Age; the bass riffs off Royal
Blood, 90ÔÇÖs grunge, and 60ÔÇÖs psychedelia. However, live it largely fell flat, descending into a
monotonous, sluggish cacophony of guitar, drum and bass; that was devoid of melody, personality
or charm. They were followed by the Anglo-Australian surfer trio Sunset Sons, who despite the
inherent likeability of their laidback, keyboard-centric take on indie rock, once again failed to truly
connect with the crowd, their presence providing an awkward fit for the event and putting a damper
on the energy of the crowd.

However, any misgivings I had about the choice of support soon dissolved as the stage-obscuring
smoke evaporated and the headliners took the stage. From the opening kick beat of ÔÇÿI Was Just a
KidÔÇÖ to the closing synths of ÔÇÿAmsterdamÔÇÖ, the band held the crowd in the palm of their hand,
delivering an enrapturing and fierce performance with a strong setlist that drew tracks from both of
their studio albums, whilst also giving the more recent singles such as the thunderous ÔÇÿForever and
Ever MoreÔÇÖ and sweeping ÔÇÿTake This Lonely HeartÔÇÖ a chance to shine. The bandÔÇÖs unique ability to
distil their multiple influences (Jeff Buckley, early Muse, Radiohead, Hot Fuss era Killers, The Pixies,

Nirvana) into anthemic slices of modern rock without losing their own distinctive sound translates
perfectly in a live setting, the crowd screaming every word back to them. Connor MasonÔÇÖs
spellbinding vocals are somehow even more powerful in person, his voice as effective when belting
out the ferocious electro-rock anthem ÔÇÿLive Like AnimalsÔÇÖ( a searing take down of the rise of the
modern right wing, with Mason venomously spitting out lines such as ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre gonna make ÔÇÿem build
a wall/weÔÇÖre gonna live like animalsÔÇØ) as when stripped back for raw and deeply moving ballads such
as ÔÇÿParticlesÔÇÖ and the heart-breaking ÔÇÿIf I Get HighÔÇÖ. After a rapturous sing along to the soaring
ÔÇÿSorryÔÇÖ, the band briefly left the stage, making way for an encore that descends into a crowd
rendition of Bruce ChannelÔÇÖs party classic ÔÇÿHey BabyÔÇÖ. The band soon returned for a three-song
encore, closing with a heroic performance of ÔÇÿAmsterdamÔÇÖ, a song surely destined to be a set closer
for years to come, such is its visceral power and effectiveness as a crowd sing along. As the band left
the stage for the night, Cardiff was left buzzing with the realisation they had witnessed a band at the
height of their powers. Should Nothing But Thieves continue to develop their sound and reputation
as a live band, major festival headline slots and number 1 albums surely await.

Setlist:
1) I Was Just a Kid
2) Ban All the Music
3) Wake Up Call
4) Take This Lonely Heart
5) Soda
6) Broken Machine
7) IÔÇÖm Not Made by Design
8) Live Like Animals
9) Number 13
10) You Know Me Too Well
11) Particles
12) If I Get High
13) Trip Switch
14) Forever and Ever More
15) Sorry
Encore:
16) Afterlife
17) Itch
18) Amsterdam

Bad Sounds Review

Review by Andrew Locke Scobie

With a distinct sound, crowd engagement like no other and theatrics that create a feel much like that of Bowie or other cult musicians, Bad Sounds are beginning to cement themselves as a firm jewel in the crown of up and coming UK Indie Music. Recently they performed in their home town of Bristol and Benny Wu and I were lucky enough to experience this instalment of their ÔÇÿGet Better MovementÔÇÖ.

The stage opened with two very talented warm up acts: Dylan Cartlidge and Indoor Pets and once both of their sets had finished, we were left eagerly awaiting the main show. Bad Sounds set opened with a very minimalist sketch of a lone light bulb flashing on stage accompanied by a voice booming through the speakers explaining how we would leave the gig as ÔÇÿgood peopleÔÇÖ and it was their aim to help us ÔÇÿget betterÔÇÖ. This was very in keeping with the general essence and charm of their debut album ÔÇ£Get BetterÔÇÖ and so the show started.

Opening with such a well-loved song like ÔÇÿWagesÔÇÖ was the perfect choice as the crowd cheered and danced throughout, when it comes to this band, the audience atmosphere seems just as important as the set they are playing. Dressed in their classic ÔÇÿGet BetterÔÇÖ overalls the band continued reeling off hit after hit from their album with songs such as ÔÇÿEvil PowersÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿCouldnÔÇÖt Give It AwayÔÇÖ among others. We were then treated with a short interval with another get better speech as well as a costume change for the band, this time losing the overalls and donning clothes from an array of their music videos.

The fans screamed as Bad Sounds treated the second half playing one of their older hits ÔÇÿMeat on My BonesÔÇÖ. They continued with an incredible set eventually ending with the perfect final song ÔÇÿNo LuckÔÇÖ and, as the front runner brothers Ewan and Callum wrestled around on-stage, confetti and balloons covered the crowd and the show came to a triumphant close. This might have been the best gig IÔÇÖve ever been to and anyone that cares at all about this band would be greatly missing out if they did not see them live.

Christmas Carol Service on Xpress Xmas

On Thursday 14th December, Xpress Xmas hosted the Christmas Carol service LIVE from the Great Hall.

The service put on by Cardiff University’s Christian Union featured plenty of your favourite yuletide carols from 7pm until 9pm.

“Come hear about Jesus – the reason for Christmas. Join the festivities, enjoy the evening and eat yummy mince pies…. This year we give a special welcome to Choral societies, who are coming to perform and join us in singing carols and Roger Carswell who will be speaking at the evening.”

Find all the information on the Facebook event page.

Catch up with the service on Mixcloud:

[Xpress Radio and Xpress Xmas apologise for the noticeable buzz; unfortunately this is due to a fault in the SU sound system and a fix is being worked on to avoid affecting future events. Thanks for your understanding.]

The Specialist Takeover is Here!

On Saturday, November 25th, we interrupt your regular programming to bring you 24 hours of SPECIALIST music!

Xpress Radio will be live for 24 hours to bring you a selection of some of the best tunes of all time. If COUNTRY makes your lines dance, if INDIE is your aesthetic, if DAD MUSIC (wait, what?!) is your jam, then Xpress Radio is the station for you! Tune in over on our LISTEN page throughout the day to hear your favourite genres.

We are putting ourselves through our paces in order to raise some money for our station. We are in the unfortunate position whereby our ancient equipment is giving up on us. In order to be able to continue broadcasting, we are relying on your generosity and love of radio.

You can read our full story on our GoFundMe page and donate to us there. Thank you for your generosity and enjoy the MUSIC!

SCHEDULE

SATURDAY
  • 12pm – Saturday Alternative /// Munro, Freyja & Emilia
  • 1pm – Sessions with Live Music Society
  • 2pm – Decade /// Jessica & Joanne
  • 3pm – Alt Rock Hour /// Vicky, Charlie & Rory
  • 4pm – International Groove /// Curtis & Ed
  • 5pm – Saturday Sport ‘Music’ Special /// Jack & Charlie
  • 6pm – House & Dance /// Gareth & Tristan
  • 7pm – Yeezy Takeover /// Emma
  • 8pm – Nostalgic Rock /// Michael & Charlie
  • 9pm – New Age Indie /// Keiran
  • 10pm – The Hardcore Show /// Ned
  • 11pm – Ska Hour /// Rachael
SUNDAY
  • 12am – Gaydio
  • 1am – Dad Music /// Sam & Emi
  • 2am – Local Music /// Meg
  • 3am – Indie Hour /// Anja, Jamie & Bethan
  • 4am – Early Morning Country /// Charlie
  • 5am – Wild Hour /// Liz & Danni
  • 6am – Video Game Soundtracks /// Ted & Megan
  • 7am – Bollywood /// Aditi
  • 8am – Boogie For Your Breakfast /// Michael
  • 9am – Mellow Pop /// Ned
  • 10am – Chilled Ibiza House /// Gareth
  • 11am – Thnks Fr Th Mmrs /// Takeover Rewind /// Jessica

Catch the highlights here!

 

Welsh Language Music Day // Dydd Miwsig Cymru

10th of February marks Welsh Language Music day, a time to celebrate music of all genres from all across Wales which are sung in Welsh. This year, Cardiff University Students’ Union’s Welsh Language Officer, Osian Wyn Morgan, teamed up with Xpress Radio to mark the occasion.

Throughout Friday, Xpress Radio played a selection of popular welsh music compiled into a playlist. See our playlist on SoundCloud

For all you welsh speakers (or just music lovers) check out the our specialist 2 hour welsh language music show from Aled Russell and Harri Hughes (see below)

[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/xpressradio/y-ddau-fwydryn-welsh-language-music-day-dydd-miwsig-cymru-specialist-radio-show/ width=100% height=120 hide_cover=1 light=1]

Independent Venue Week

Independent Venue Week has come once again. With the recent closure of The Moon Club, DempseyÔÇÖs, and Glam nightclub up for sale, celebrating the week surely seems to be more important than ever. However, the music lover should not be too downbeat, as Gwdihw, Clwb Ifor Bach, Buffalo, Undertone, and its newly developed adjacent establishment, The Big Top have got a wide range of events in store, celebrating and exhibiting all that makes their independence wonderful in the music scene.

fossette┬áKicking off the week alternatively on a Tuesday, Gwdihw are supported by the independent promoter label Luckyman Records, who are presenting the headlining band ÔÇÿFossetteÔÇÖ. With a promoter like Luckyman, expect a lot of entertaining and catchy indie-rock, a great way to start the week.

ÔÇÿBeans On ToastÔÇÖ are playing Clwb on the Wednesday as part of their non-stop week-long tour to celebrate the week especially. A cautiously optimistic folk band, guaranteed to keep feet tapping, heads nodding and cheerful sing-alongs with chorus. If folk isnÔÇÖt really your thing then Undertone are promoting a more pop-punk genre with ÔÇÿAmerican GraffitiÔÇÖ. Alternatively, Gwdihw are holding the EP launch of the up and coming producer ÔÇÿ5th SpearÔÇÖ. His sharp, electro beats promise to deliver slow, enchanted grooving. Perhaps a great warm up for the brand new night Buffalo are launching: ÔÇÿEntropyÔÇÖ. It is described as an ÔÇÿall-encompassing tribute to some of the very best dance & electronic music Planet Earth has yet producedÔÇÖ. Maybe Entropy is BuffaloÔÇÖs answer to a demand for an independent and alternative Wednesday club night.

jim-jonesThursday is another jam-packed music night covered by all venues. Clwb boasts to hold ÔÇÿJim Jones & The Righteous MindÔÇÖ, formed after ÔÇÿThe Jim Jones RevueÔÇÖ. A must-attend for anyone who wants to have a head bang and jump around, especially with the hiphop Brooklyn Zoo club night taking place afterwards. Gwdihw promote ÔÇÿThe WolfhoundsÔÇÖ, a brassy indie band with a nostalgic heart, a great compliment to the ears, while Buffalo have their biggest Shelter DJ night yet, Number 06:Fish. Meanwhile, The Big Top is breaking into the Independent Venue scene with ÔÇÿDream WifeÔÇÖ holding a sleek, seductive sound.

Friday starts with ÔÇÿTempleÔÇÖ at Undertone, and ÔÇÿCirque du SambaÔÇÖ at The Big Top. Clwb finish their week here with hard hitting lyrics and rhythm from ÔÇÿFuture of the LeftÔÇÖ followed by their classic and popular Zerox club night, while Buffalo is going garage with the club night Bassline. Yet it is Gwdihw which claims the most exciting night this Friday. Dr Syntax and Pete Canon take to the stage, a deluxe hiphop duo which will be undoubtedly provoke the biggest grooves of the week.

shake-up┬áBuffalo are open until 4am with their ÔÇÿShake UpÔÇÖ club night, guaranteed to fulfil any R&B, funk, and soul needs. Yet Undertone seem to be the bigger pull, theyÔÇÖre going house with ÔÇÿHoney DijonÔÇÖ a Chicago born artist, while upstairs The Big Top are holding ÔÇÿJohnny Cage & The VoodoogrooveÔÇÖs Rock nÔÇÖ Roll RevueÔÇÖ, very different genreÔÇÖs but both a delightfully intriguing. Gwdihw, too seems to be shaking up their Saturday with ÔÇÿTypesunÔÇÖ and ethereal electro producer, influenced with jazzy notes.

At the end of a musically stimulating week, I would recommend heading over to The Big Top on Sunday and finishing Independent Venue Week there. With music from voices such as Benedict Benjamin, Rhain, and Joseph J Jones, expect to be soothed and mellowed with their exquisite sounds. Rounding off a fantastic week in store, Independent Venue Week in Cardiff should be a fantastic display of all the best the city has to offer.

 

Post by Eleanor Stephens, Head of Music.

Xpress Radio Presents: Luna Tides in Session

Luna Tides came in to Xpress this week and performed three tracks; ‘What Comes Around’, ‘Last Night’ and their lead single from their latest┬áEP, ‘Open Woods’.

What Comes Around

Last Night

Open Woods

For more information about Luna Tides head to their website http://www.lunatides.co.uk.