Music
Fever Ray @ Brixton Academy September 2010
Guest blogger: Steven Wilson-Beales
Karin Dreijer Andersson is known for being more than just a little odd. Whether it’s attending music awards or popping out to the local corner shop for packet of fags and a pint of milk, she usually looks like some bizarre extra from Dr.Who. Tonight is no different – only this time lampshades and shamen are the order of the day with a nice teapot as a hat to boot. Nice.
Brixton Academy is completely black, someone has either forgotten to put 50 pence in the metre or it’s ART. The girl from Zola Jesus is darting left, right across the stage trying the find the audience through the smoke and then we’re left in silence as more dry ice is poured into the Academy. Cue ‘Triangle Walks’ and Fever Ray emerge behind a raft of laser beams and pulsating lampshades.
It’s like the weirdest listening party ever. It’s a great first solo album, but without the band moving much and Karin fixed to the spot there’s not much audience connection. We nod our heads but no one really knows how to dance to it.
Karin, we love you like some mighty alien queen surveying her kingdom – but still, a word here or there might have been nice.
Bizarre rating: 10/10
Tell your friends factor: 8/10
Music you can dance to factor: 1/10
Ooh you saucy boys…
Guest Blogger: Tina Hart And I thought the pop music industry was full of scantily clad and not-at-all-unattractive girls, now it seems there’s something in the air as recently many of the boys have decided to ramp up the stakes … Continue reading 
Ooh you saucy boys…
Guest Blogger: Tina Hart
And I thought the pop music industry was full of scantily clad and not-at-all-unattractive girls, now it seems there’s something in the air as recently many of the boys have decided to ramp up the stakes of sexy…
In a rather responsible fashion, before promo starts on their second album, X Factor graduates JLS recently launched their own range of condoms, promoting the message ‘Just Love Safe’ (see what they did there?!) Different, a little bit weird but all good, as proceeds from the range go to charitable causes.
On the cheekier side, fellow X Factor-ite Olly Murs made a vow of nudity, conditional on his debut single Please Don’t Let Me Go going to number one. It swiftly did and he so kindly obliged, with a strategically placed hat of course. In a moment of enthusiasm Olly said if his next single emulates such chart success he’ll get into bed naked with some lucky fans. Oh k then…
Across the Atlantic, rapper B.o.B said he’d get his kit off for the MTV Video Music Awards but alas, his lady fans are left in wonder as he remained fully-clothed throughout his performance being the gentleman he is, alongside Paramore’s Hayley Williams who he met for the first time on the night. Surprisingly, he didn’t pick up a single Moonman, losing out to Eminem and Gaga in the five categories he was nominated in.
Finally, the latest dudes allegedly daring to bare are new boyband hotties The Wanted. They’ve said they’ll get naked if their debut album tops the chart and there’s been talk of Wanted-branded contraception and sexy toys. Certainly thinking creatively with the brand extension ideas there lads…
The alternative Notting Hill Carnival
Review by Gareth Morgan Notting Hill Carnival is one of the biggest annual events in the UK. It is the biggest carnival anywhere in Europe, attracting millions of visitors over its official 2 day party. The carnival is in an … Continue reading 
The alternative Notting Hill Carnival
Review by Gareth Morgan
Notting Hill Carnival is one of the biggest annual events in the UK. It is the biggest carnival anywhere in Europe, attracting millions of visitors over its official 2 day party.
The carnival is in an area of west London known as Ladbroke Grove, which has always had a rich musical history, with bands such as Aswad and The Clash hailing from there. I go over to Grove (as it’s known informally) quite a lot, to see friends and visit bars where I know I’ll hear good music.
So, it’s the Thursday before Carnival 2010 and I decided to make a weekend in and around Ladbroke Grove listening to a diverse range of dance music…I proudly present, an alternative guide to Notting Hill Carnival.
On Portobello Road, there is a small but friendly bar Called Mau Mau. On Thursday evenings two guys, Adam ‘Rock’ Moses and Justin ‘TopRock’ McKenzie, run a night called Jazz Refreshed. I had been hearing a lot about this night, namely that although they have a resident DJ playing, the night revolves around live music and musicianship. This particular Thursday had a very talented musician, Mark de Clive Lowe. Mark is a well known name in the modern jazz, broken beat and soulful house scenes. He’s a fantastic keyboard player and is renowned for his very technical use of equipment.
Mark de Clive Lowe
Mark’s set up comprised of Rhodes and Nord Lead keyboards, a MPC drum machine and various samplers and sequencers that are beyond the scope of this feature. His musicianship is second to none, the way he started playing keys had the crowd rocking from the off and it was a pleasure to watch a very technical musician playing hats and rim shots ad hoc into the MPC, looping them and bringing them into the live mix and, all on the fly too.
Jazz Refreshed
The night came and ended and I could tick Jazz Refreshed from my list. That said, I intend to become a regular at this excellent night and credit must go to Adam and Justin for putting on such a musically diverse night.
Friday…a friend of mine Kev Beadle was DJ’ing at a pub called The Paradise near Kensal Rise. Kev is a resident DJ at Southport Weekender, so I knew the music would be right up my street and, it didn’t fail. The night finished at 2am so I trundled off home ready to hit Westbourne Park and Panorama tomorrow. The Paradise is a definite place to check out!
Panorama is a steel pans competition where several bands play to the judges and, the judges then crown the winners at the end. Another friend of mine, Tafrina, plays in a steel band called Ebony who had won Panorama for the last three consecutive years so I was quite eager to see them.
If like me, you love all forms of good live music, you will LOVE Panorama. I’m a fan of steel pans and drums, I love the resonance and warmth of their sound, so hearing Ebony (who must have numbered at least 50) was a real pleasure for my ears. Some of the melodies played, you could almost lose yourself and think you were listening to an orchestra they were that good!
Ebony at Panorama
Panorama is the real start to Carnival in my opinion. You’re all huddled in a park just off Kensal Road, where they beam the bands onto a big screen for you to see and the atmosphere is superb. This should be advertised more, it was such a good night of music and free too. Right, with that over I’m homeward bound and a well earned day off. Back on Monday!
Hmm, Sunday I decided spur of the moment to head over to Carnival for a nice chilled day. Being outdoors listening to music certainly beats staying in the pub.
So Monday… I did attend Carnival, hanging out around Good Times and KCC sound systems. I had a ticket for The Fat Badger though, a pub off Portobello Road that Phil Asher and the Restless Soul crew were DJ’ing at and this was what I was looking forward to the most. After KCC finished, around 7, I headed towards the Fat Badger and got in fairly quickly (due to picking up my wristband earlier).
I headed upstairs to where Phil Asher was playing and we were in for a treat. If you’re familiar with any of Phil’s productions, you’ll know he uses a vocalist called Shea Soul on a lot of his tracks. Shea was here, and when Phil played a dub of one of their tracks, Shea provided the vocals live courtesy of a microphone. This had the absolutely rammed room jumping; I’m surprised we didn’t end up on the floor below! The night came and went and that was it, another Carnival over.
But next time, you need not just come and leave when the sound systems close down. You now know that there is a greater alternative to Notting Hill Carnival and, getting as much music in as your brain can process.
I love this area!
Time Travelling into Kisstory
Guest Blogger: Tina Hart
I’m not talking Doctor Who style time travel but my ears and brain transporting back to the Nineties and early Noughties on the dancefloor of London’s Indigo2 on Saturday night.
Born in the late Eighties, I was gutted at the age of six that I wasn’t able to go to clubs and rave it up to the iconic Dance music I loved at the time. Then, at the age of 13 or so when Garage music infiltrated my life, I encountered the same dilemma and spent countless hours listening to my massive collection of cassette tapes imagining what that club atmosphere would be like…
A daily dose of therapy is welcome via Kisstory on the radio but what better way to smash all my dancing demons than to go the official club night featuring Mr Kisstory, DJ Justin Wilkes and the King of Garage music, DJ EZ?!
On this inaugural club night in South East London, we were treated to live PAs from vocalists of some of the biggest Kisstory anthems. The entire crowd were enthusiasticly shouting along to Baby D’s Let Me Be Your Fantasy, Urban Cookie Collective’s The Key The Secret, Robbie Craig on Artful Dodger’s Woman Trouble and Vula gracing Basement Jaxx classics, including Red Alert and Hush Boy.
With song after song of timeless brilliance from the last 20 years belting out of the speakers, it was difficult tearing myself away from the dance floor and to the bar to top up the old energy levels.
DJ EZ blessed the decks and blasted out a wicked collection of old skool Garage tunes such as Straight from the Heart, Gotta Get Through This, Just in Case in addition to a bit of Nightcrawlers and my all-time favourite, Liquid’s Sweet Harmony.
Ending the night perfectly, Justin played one of the biggest club tunes ever, Faithless’ Insomnia.
Aching from singing/shouting all night (with a cold), constantly throwing my hands in the air and dancing like a loon, I smugly slipped on my flat shoes and headed home, happy that the six year old in my head made it to the club.
Kisstory club nights are held monthly at Indigo2
Time Travelling into Kisstory
Guest Blogger: Tina Hart I’m not talking Doctor Who style time travel but my ears and brain transporting back to the Nineties and early Noughties on the dancefloor of London’s Indigo2 on Saturday night. Born in the late Eighties, I … Continue reading 
Going home with The Script
Guest Blogger: Tina Hart
What better way for one of Ireland’s finest music exports, than to hold your sophomore album launch party in a brewery in your hometown? Perfect. Well, it was pouring with rain but we were indoors, so *raspberry* to the weather.
Location: The Guinness Storehouse, Dublin.
Hosts: The Script.
The lads exclaimed that it was ‘great to be home’ and that they were chuffed at organising a drink-up in a brewery just down the road from band member Mark’s house, where most of the songs on the new album Science and Faith were written.
Kicking off the 45-minute set was track one from S+F called You Won’t Feel A Thing before the trio took it back with their 2008 debut single We Cry.
Revealing that the next song Nothing was about lead singer Danny drunkenly calling his ex made many in the crowd smirk knowing that most of us had been in that sticky situation before…
My favourite track from the first album The Man Who Can’t Be Moved was electrifying live, with the audience singing along a capella towards the end of the song.
With plenty of addictive ooh ooh ing came the new album’s title track Science and Faith and current UK top five single, For The First Time (the video of which features a certain U2 frontman’s daughter) a poignant take on the effect of the economic crisis in Ireland.
Wrapping up proceedings was the heart-rending Breakeven which had everyone singing ‘I’m falling to pieeeces’ before some of us were almost falling in a different way a few hours later after a few too many of the home brew in the aptly-named Gravity Bar upstairs 😉
Featuring powerful pop-rock songs with beautiful heartfelt lyrics that are bound to resonate to even the coldest of hearts, The Script have produced a stunning follow-up to their multi-platinum first album, and I’m sure they’ll have great success taking their Irish charm global once again.
Science and Faith is out now
Going home with The Script
Guest Blogger: Tina Hart What better way for one of Ireland’s finest music exports, than to hold your sophomore album launch party in a brewery in your hometown? Perfect. Well, it was pouring with rain but we were indoors, so … Continue reading 
