9 Weeks, 9 Shows - Part Two

Continuing on from my previous post, next up on my gig list was....

Jake Bugg//Alexandra Palace//21.10.2014

This was another one of those last minute decisions for me,I actually bought a ticket from a very kind stranger who had travelled over seas for this show, I hope she had a good time! This was my third time seeing Jake Bugg this year however, the previous two shows were at British Summer Time (BST) in Hyde Park & Reading fest, so it was great to catch Mr Bugg at an indoor show. I have to admit, when I originally heard his music I was not overly impressed however, after seeing him at BST I was converted. Seeing him at Ally Pally was a completely different experience to the previous performances; the set list included all of my favourites and a couple of them I had never heard him perform live before. In comparison to Reading, the atmosphere at Ally Pally was fantastic, everyone was there for the same reason and there was not a single person who looked as if they were unwillingly dragged along. For someone so young, Jake Bugg is extremely talented and his sound is so versatile. This show was certainly worth the last minute rushing!

Basement//Electric Ballroom, Camden//29.10.2014

You know when you are young and you count down the days until Christmas? Yeah, that's how I felt after I managed to get tickets to see Basement. Seeing Basement live is such an incredible experience, the majority of the crowd are enthusiastic which can often make a show 10x better and after the band's hiatus, the small handful of shows announced all sold out pretty speedily. The set list consisted of a mixture of old and new, including a couple of tracks off their latest release Further Sky. I was lucky enough to spend this show with two of my favourite people, one being my best mate who had been waiting to see Basement for a really long time; it was worth going just to witness his excitement! The only disappointment at this show was when it ended and I was left with Summer's Colour playing over in my head for the rest of the night. 

The Specials//Roundhouse, Camden//13.11.2014

A selfie with dad is always important.

Seeing a band that I have listened to since before I can remember was a strange but very cool experience. Naturally I took my Dad to see The Specials with me, after all he was the very person who introduced me to Two-Tone. (You can read a tiny bit about that here) Of course the band is no longer made up of original members - for example Steve Cradock from Ocean Colour Scene is now filling in on lead guitar - but this does not take anything away from the performance. The amount of energy that is projected from the band is impressive considering the age of the members. The musicians are so talented and their sound is so tight; a couple of times I closed my eyes and there were moments where I felt like I could have been at home listening to the record, but then I open my eyes and it's 100x better than that. The crowd was made up of so many different generations where the music has been passed down & it is sad to think that one day there may be a generation that are unaware of such a spectacular band.

Bloody Knees//The Owl Sanctuary, Norwich//15.11.2014

This was possibly the smallest venue I have ever been to but I quite liked that. This was a cool, chilled out, pay on the door show and I hadn't listened to the bands much previously however, I left with some new bands to listen to when I got home. The line up was Teen Brains followed by Radical Boy and the night ended with Bloody Knees; all bands showed a ton of enthusiasm & I think we will be hearing more from them all in the near future. 

The Jesus and Mary Chain//Troxy, London//19.11.2014
Once again, another last minute show not that I'm complaining! This gig was part of the Psychocandy tour and naturally they played through the album from start to finish. It was a sold out night as expected, therefore I was over the moon when I was invited along. If you have never listened to this band before then I highly suggest you do, then I suggest that you buy a ticket to one of their shows as soon as you can. As a live act they hit all expectations and more, my only complaint is once again being a shorty I couldn't see anything, sad times. I believe that they are playing a few more shows here, there and everywhere so hopefully I can catch them again.

To summarise, I've had a smashing few weeks & wish I could re-live it all over again....I urge you all to support the live music scene whether it's your mate's indie band down the local or Black Sabbath in Hyde Park (Oh yes, I was there!) go along, drag your mates, enjoy the bands, buy the merch!

Peace out.

9 weeks, 9 shows - Part One

I'm back finally! I know I have been away for a while however a lot of changes have occurred in my life and I have been unbelievably busy, I finally feel like I am at a good place to sit down and write, hooray! 

So, I am sure you are all desperate to hear what I have been up to and as per usual; gigs, gigs & more gigs, so here is a breakdown (part one) of some of the shows I have been lucky enough to attend! 

Gnarwolves//The Black Heart, Camden//15.09.2014
I was extremely lucky to attend this intimate debut album release show, and of course Gnarwolves did not disappoint. The excitement of the release really shined through in the band's stage presence and this was reflected when the packed-in crowd erupted. If you are familiar with this band then you will of course be aware that no Gnarwolves show is complete without stage dives and crowd surfs, and having no barrier certainly allowed more than the odd stage dive. 

The Libertines//Alexandra Palace//28.09.2014
You can imagine the surprise when I discovered an email confirming that I had won tickets to see The Libertines, especially when I had forgotten that I even entered the competition! After a bit of faffing I managed to confirm that the tickets were legitimate and off I went. What an incredible night! The anticipation for the band to come on could be felt seeping out of the surrounding fans and when they finally did arrive there was not a drop of disappointment. Everything from the sound to the back drop was spectacular and the shorties like myself certainly appreciated the live cameras projecting onto a screen directly behind the stage. The Libertines steamed through their set and pulled out all the classics and most certainly ended their third night at Ally Pally on a high note.

Carry The Weight Fest//The Parish Hall, Brighton//05.10.2014
So, this was a very last minute decision I made. My best friend was travelling up this way for CTW Fest which meant I got to see him & some cool bands all in one day, plus I will always take up the opportunity to visit Brighton. Despite the long, rainy journey, this was a really enjoyable day. It had been a while since I had been to a Hardcore show and I only knew a couple of bands on the bill however, I came away with more than a few new bands to add to my playlists. Negative Approach headlined and Violent Reaction, Breaking Point & Renounced were in my top three bands for the day, every band showed buckets of enthusiasm. One of the top points of the day was the general atmosphere, everyone was super friendly and chilled. Also, I must add that the Vegan kebabs that were made on site by Beelzebab were INCREDIBLE. 

More Than Life//The Borderline, London//19.10.2014
I anticipated this show for so long! The last time I saw More Than Life before this show was on their 'last ever tour' and I travelled from Cornwall to Brighton for one night! This time it was a lot simpler, the train from Chelmsford to London is pretty easy. I don't handle excitement very well and can tend to be quite a hyperactive person therefore, you can imagine how I am when waiting to see a band that have been near the top of my list for a good few years now. I was pleased to see that Up River were supporting as I saw them a few years back and after their last performance they made their way onto my iPod. When More Than Life finally came out I was ecstatic, they played a substantial mixture of old and new tracks and could not be faulted on their set list. In all honesty, I don't think they could be faulted at all for their performance that night. Front-man, James, oozes emotion when projecting powerful vocals and the last song played, Love is Not Enough, was dedicated to his mum who had previously passed away a few months earlier; this hit me like a ton of bricks and the repetition of the line 'let me take away the illness that is dragging you down' resulted in a tear or two being shed by myself. More Than Life have continued to create excellent music and have built up an impressive fanbase. Musically, I believe that their sound was a lot tighter than when I saw them a few years ago and I think they will only improve. I will definitely be keeping my eyes and ears open for any more tours or one-off shows.

Buzzin' after More Than Life
Guest appearance from my best mate Jake.