FRONT ROW CENTRE - LATITUDE 2013 SPECIAL - DAY 1

FRONT ROW CENTRE - LATITUDE 2013 SPECIAL - DAY 1

Calexico Front Row Centre I am Kloot Latitude Shell Hunter Willy Mason

Thanks to a good friend giving me a Guest Ticket for the whole weekend of Latitude Festival, I had the privilege of seeing one of the best line ups this year (or any year for that matter)! In my 3 part Latitude Front Row Centre Special, I will talk you through my top highlights over the three days of the Festival!

Latitude Festival Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk on July 19th 2013

On Friday the weather was superb, it was a day for exploring the site but more importantly to start the festival off right! Maybe because it was the first day or maybe because the line up was excellent but it was the best day for me. I watched about 10 hours of constant music and although I'd like to talk about them all I have whittled it down to my fave 3 of the day. The beauty of a festival is the complete chilled out nature, there is room for everyone so therefore no need for me to squeeze though the crowds on my tip toes to try and see whats going on. Here, you pull up a piece of grass and lounge around sipping a cold cider soaking up the atmosphere, whilst seeing your chosen band or artist on huge screens with no pressure to catch the last train home! I was also horrified from festival toilets in the past but at Latitude, I couldn't have asked for more! There was always loo roll, hand sanitisers and no nasty surprises when you open that portaloo door! I was also amazed at the food choice! No nasty burger vans here, it was all gourmet, fresh and locally sourced food. Fancy a hog roast with fries? How about fresh Loch Fyne mussels? Or what about a stone baked pizza hot from the oven or a falafel and haloumi ciabatta? You name it, they've got it here!

Willy Mason - 'Oxygen'

As it was so hot and sunny out, the nature of the music I fancied hearing was of the chilled out softer kind. After seeing Theme Park and James Skelly & The Intenders, I was looking forward to seeing Willy Mason. For each gig, I decided on the 3 songs I'd most like to hear and although he didn't play Restless Fugitive he played great versions of Pick Up Truck, We Can Be Strong and of course Oxygen which was the first song from Willy I had heard. Sadly because there are so many acts to get through, the sets are shorter but Willy still managed to put across his laid back and jolly nice self. I could honestly listen to his relaxed American drawl all day long!

I Am Kloot - 'Hold Back The Night'

The evening was slowly beginning to draw in and what better way to meet it, than by watching I Am Kloot. It was the perfect time of day to hear them and the songs about skies, the days and nights fitted with the serene ambiance nicely. I adore lead singer John Bramwell's warm voice and was happy they played my favourites of These Days Are Mine with a guitar played "Arabian bit" and Northern Skies. All in all they seemed like very nice chaps!

Calexico - 'Maybe on Monday'

My festival pal managed to convince me to head to the front of the BBC6 tent as a big chunk of the crowd seemed to have dispersed to get a spot for Bloc Party. I'm so glad I did. I got a perfect view of Joey Burns doing their soundcheck! I had a totally unobscured view and a nice barrier to lean on. Having seen Calexico many times before I knew they always put on a great show but being so close was such a new experience. Their energy was infectious, they got the crowd whooping and clapping along Corona and Alone Again Or. The real head turners were Maybe On Monday from recent album Algiers and their grand finale of Guero Canelo. They just kept going and went through each band member to give them a chance in the spotlight, to show off their skills. It was truly fabulous and I came out of there absolutely buzzing all over. If I had to choose, I'd say they were my favourite gig for the whole 3 days!

Come back over the next couple of weeks to read about my round up of choices for Day 2 & 3 or click here! Until then, have a listen to my Latitude Spotify Playlist!

sfw Pada 09:00 3 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobious Pip - 'Angles'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobious Pip - 'Angles'

Dan Le Sac Front Row Centre Scroobius Pip Shell Hunter

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live...

FRONT ROW CENTRE

Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip - 'Angles' (2008)

Sub 89, Reading on April 27th 2014

For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a normally a dreaded, disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

Scroobius Pip needs little introduction on TuneDr as London Scouser is almost obsessive with his musical appreciation of this spoken word genius and featured him numerous times (have a look here). He does have me to thank though when I came home saying he'd love a song and played him The Beat That My Heart Skips years ago!

friends with fancy facial hair

I loved the venue, it's always a bonus when the bar is in the same room! There was plenty of space and even a couple of couches where we found our spot and I perched on the top of one giving me a pretty good view being as short as I am. The trouble was I was slightly distracted from the show at times with the love triangle unfolding before me. A girl with 2 guys on a night out that were obviously both after her hand. One was playing it low key trying to show he was enjoying the music whilst the other was quite the opposite, showing her more attention than the Scroob! That asides, I still couldn't escape the fact Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip had obvious chemistry in performance and in the banter between songs. Dan Le Sac revealed his knowledge of Reading having DJ'd there through the years making quips about the local bus service in his panda head hat. A truly funny guy.

totally sharp

The set was exactly what we wanted, brilliant performances of my favourites such as Sick Tonight, Stunner, Beat That My Heart Skipped and Thou Shalt Always Kill. I was waiting with baited breath for my ultimate though. Then it came, full of theatre and raw emotion which Scroobius Pip delivers with impeccable timing and feeling. Angles has always been my favourite and to hear it loud brought floods of goosebumps. It was an ingenious idea to have costume changes to impersonate the characters involved in the different points of view, proving that Scroobius Pip is just as good a showman as he is a poet. Especially with the final verse when the grieving brother stabs the security guard, wow, it knocked me for six. When I thought he could do no more to impress, the second encore and last song was Letter From God To Man, a clever and very relevant song in today's world. I will most certainly make sure I see his spoken word set at Latitude. Who better to read his poignant and genius lyric than himself, a true inspiration to enjoy modern poetry.

The video is from their gig in Amsterdam and is a fab example of what these two got up on stage. Just awesome!

Gig watch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: Sub 89, Reading

Setlist

Recommended Pub: The Monk's Retreat, Wetherspoons (mainly for the colourful people watching!)

Recommended Restaurant: Jamie's Italian (but so many to choose from!)

sfw Pada 10:42 4 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - LATITUDE 2013 SPECIAL - DAY 3

FRONT ROW CENTRE - LATITUDE 2013 SPECIAL - DAY 3

Dan Croll Front Row Centre Grizzly Bear Junip Latitude Shell Hunter

Welcome back to the last round up of highlights from Latitude Festival 2013 from Day 3. I'll be back next year to immerse myself in another music filled weekend!

Latitude Festival Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk on July 21st 2013

Hooray! The sun was back and it meant business! Sunday was what all Sundays should be, lounging around listening to some chilled out songs in the park whilst flicking through our festival bible at what bands to see next. After my daily baby wipe bath (God bless baby wipes) I was still black from all the dust but by now I had become one with the dirt. The line up was good but it wasn't such a struggle to choose who to see and when. We had more free time to look around the site and what it has to offer. If you wanted to have a break from the music there was comedy, spoken word, literature and poetry reading, live cooking classes and for the people with kiddies there was a petting farm, fun fair and massive climbing area in the woods. We took a walk out towards the stage in the woods and there were groups of people having impromptu jamming sessions amongst the trees! So much to see and do with so little time. As with all good things, it must come to an end so it was time to start packing everything in readiness for a hopefully quick exit in the morning. I was not looking forward to getting up at silly o'clock to fight the crowds and a five hour journey home but I was determined to enjoy it to the last minute.

Junip - 'Always'

I knew a couple of tracks from Junip and Jose Gonzalez and apart from Line Of Fire which will be in my Top 5 tracks of 2013, they hadn't quite hit me yet. I still insisted we see them on the strength of that one song but I was so impressed, they blew me away. It was the right setting and the perfect mood music for siting on the grass in my hat, sunnies and dusty flip flops. I could not get enough of the constant hum and gentle strumming. They had funky little instruments that made shaking sounds and I couldn't take my eyes off them. Real winners like Always, In Every Direction and of course Line Of Fire were stunning. New favourite band of the year for me.

Dan Croll - 'Compliment Your Soul'

He was my one to watch last year so I absolutely had to see him live. We grabbed a spot in front of The Lake Stage and Dan Croll's complete set got me in such a good mood. There seems to be an almost African jolliness to some of his songs and the band just looked like they were really at ease and enjoying themselves. He played one of my favourite tracks of last year, From Nowhere plus more recent singles In/Out and Compliment Your Soul which I couldn't stop singing for the rest of the day! It really just reaffirmed why I love his sound and he is sure to be a success if he keeps going the way he is.

Grizzly Bear - 'Yet Again'

To be honest I didn't know these guys from Adam but whilst flicking through the programme earlier, I read that they are supported by high profile fans such as Fleet Foxes, Jay - Z and Radiohead. Well if its good enough for them, I want a piece of that! I always wondered who my music heroes listened to. I thoroughly enjoyed their gig, they had the right balance of rocky drums and ambient sound. Stand out tracks were from their album released last year Shields: Sleeping Ute, Yet Again and Gun Shy. Well worth checking out the album, a genuinely good listen.



Have a listen to my Best of of Latitude Spotify playlist and relive more great moments!

sfw Pada 04:26 4 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - LATITUDE 2013 SPECIAL - DAY 2

FRONT ROW CENTRE - LATITUDE 2013 SPECIAL - DAY 2

Alt-J Front Row Centre Hot Chip Latitude Night Engine Shell Hunter

Welcome back to the Latitude Festival 2013 Special - Day 2!

Latitude Festival Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk on July 20th 2013



Talk about chalk and cheese with the weather! I woke up on Saturday morning and it was grey and drizzly. Having checked the weather frequently on the run up to the festival, it clearly stated sunny all weekend! Well, needless to say I had not packed for this eventuality apart from the hoody incase it was cool in the evening. So that was me for the day: shorts, flip flops and a hoody. I was bloody freezing and damp but it still didn't take away from the great music that was on. It was a relief that we still had a few sunny spells especially whilst seeing the bands featured here. It was the first day I really noticed people milling around in fancy dress with my particular favourites being a bloke dressed as Alice In Wonderland and several blokes in full ball gowns. Other amusing sights were a guy with a stuffed budgie clipped to his shirt and a man with a massive fried egg T-shirt and bunny mask.



Night Engine - 'Seventeen'

If there is one new band you check out this year, make it Night Engine. My good friend Dominic who plays keyboard for the band, made my visit to Latitude possible so they were up there with my 'must see' bands. Perched along the barriers right at the front of The Lake Stage, I was swallowed up with Night Engine's energy. They got the crowd dancing to funky hits Seventeen, Treat Me Like A Baby and my personal favourite (featured previously on totw), I'll Make It Worth Your While. My friend mused that it was difficult to behold all the facial expressions but in my opinion, its what sets lead singer Phil asides from the rest! Well worth watching these guys if you get a chance, they really give it their all. If it was possible for steam to rise up off the stage from drummer Lee and bassist Eddy during their last track then they warranted it!



Hot Chip - 'Ready For The Floor'

One of my all time favourite dance groups really put on a fabulous show. I was sat in a field on a portable chair shivering under a gloomy sky but as soon as they knocked out big numbers like One Life Stand, Boy From School and this great rendition of Ready For The Floor I was rocking around in my chair and heating up nicely. I was especially impressed when they played Over And Over as despite the fact I was towards the back of the stage, the volume from the crowd singing along felt like I was bang smack in the middle of the mosh pit! I was also surprised to hear that their female (and might I add, highly skilled!) drummer was also playing The Obelisk Stage the previous night, headlining with Bloc Party!



Alt-J - 'Breezeblocks'

A hard decision had to be made: A historic 3-D Kraftwerk show or Alt-J? For me it wasn't that tough as I know far more of Alt-J and they were such a mega part of my listening pleasure last year. On our way to the BBC6 tent, we heard Kraftwerk kick off with Robots which sounded pretty good. As it was now dark out, it was much colder so it was a relief to seek refuge amongst the warmth of a packed tent. The sound was so crisp and the band tight so credit to BBC6 for that. It was really like being part of a community in that tent, the crowd all knew every word of every song and sang in perfect timing. Tessellate and Something Good came surprisingly early on but Alt-J kept me waiting for Breezeblocks and it didn't disappoint.

Enjoying these reviews? Come back next week for the last instalment with Day 3 or listen to my best of Latitude Spotify playlist!

sfw Pada 12:46 4 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Cake - 'Federal Funding'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Cake - 'Federal Funding'

Cake Front Row Centre Shell Hunter

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live...

FRONT ROW CENTRE

Cake - 'Federal Funding' (2011)

The Troxy, London on 18th March 2011

For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. Now, I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a dreaded disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

LS and I were quite big fans of Cake back when they released their first album. I kind of lost touch with them over the years but when their album came out in 2011, I was happy to see they didn't lose their flare. We bought tickets to see them in the Troxy which id never heard of and found out there would be no support. That's strange? We got a room(!) in London's up and coming Docklands which is only a couple of stops down from Limehouse. While we decided where to get an early dinner, we grabbed a drink at a very welcoming funky pub next to the station called The Railway Tavern. Nothing nearby took our fancy but with our trusty vouchercloud app we saw Canary Wharf was a stones throw away so decided to hop on the tube and grab a pizza there!

The pub attached to the Troxy, The Brewery Tap, has seen better days but the wine was cold and the people watching second to none. We got into the venue and had great seats on the upper circle. I was mesmerised with the authentic art decor interior, what this place must have been like in its hey day!

Thinking the gig would be rather short with no support when Cake first walked on, we discovered it was going to be 'an evening with Cake'. Why have a support when the band you love will play an extra long set with an interval! Quite fitting considering the surroundings we were in!

As expected Cake played for the crowd including my favourites Italian Leather Sofa, Short Skirt/Long Jacket, I Will Survive and Mexico plus many more I'd forgotten. I love lead singer John McCrea's signature look with his trucker cap which matches his rattly Californian drawl. After a quick break they came back on and the first song was my favourite track from the new album, Federal Funding. What stuck out for me was the instrument he was banging against his side to get that distinct 'boing' sound. We found out later it's called a Vibraslap! Just excellent that he used it frequently throughout the set too!

John, givin' it a schlap

Before the end of the gig and the long awaited encore of the distance, the band brought out a tree in a pot. Everyone laughed but the idea was if you guessed which kind of young tree it was, you got to take it home! All sorts of answers were shouted out before finally a girl got it right, a cherry tree! I was sceptical that it may be a stunt but when we were waiting to get the tube back to the hotel, the girl and her friends were lugging this cherry tree around with them. Now that would have been a story! See the video below to see how it went or click here to see the Cake Tree Gallery!

In my opinion, Cake are a band worth seeing, not just for their personalised covers but for their individual style that seems to stand the test of time! No support necessary!

Gig watch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: The Troxy, Limehouse

Setlist

Recommended Pub: The Railway Tavern

Recommended Restaurant: Hop on a tube to Canary Wharf!

sfw Pada 09:57 2 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Love - 'The Red Telephone'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Love - 'The Red Telephone'

Arthur Lee Front Row Centre Love Shell Hunter

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live...

FRONT ROW CENTRE

Love with Arthur Lee - 'The Red Telephone' (1967)

The Royal Festival Hall, London on January 15th 2003



For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. Now, I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a dreaded disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

Love used to be just another group that Old Pa tried to get us into by playing them constantly saying "get into Love" but I was stubborn for a long time. Then all of a sudden, it just clicked! I couldn't get enough of Forever Changes. One day Old Pa came home and said they were playing as Arthur Lee had just been released from prison and asked if I would go with him to see them...TOO RIGHT I WOULD! I managed to get out of work a little early an met Old Pa at the train station but not without getting a few provisions first (2 cans each of Super Strongbow) for the journey into London. OP was surprisingly shy at first about drinking on the train but I showed him the way!

We managed to slip in a couple at a great little pub, the Hole In The Wall which is built within the railway arches next to Waterloo station, then we were ready for action! The Royal Festival Hall was an excellent venue with slightly sloping seats which is ideal for me so I had a perfect view. OP told me that Love were going to play the whole of Forever Changes in its entirety which is a monumental album but he thought they were going to perform it acoustically. I was a bit gutted as that just
wouldnt be the same.

After a few great songs from Da Capo, Arthur Lee launched into Alone Again Or which was superb but what's more, the stage lights lit up the right side revealing a full string and brass band! We were going to experience Forever Changes in full technicolour sound! By this time, OP and I had more than a few scoops down us and when Red Telephone came around, we were practically dancing in the aisles. I remember when the line "and if you think I'm happy, paint me...black/white'' came up and Arthur Lee shouted "Paint me slack", Old Pa was besides himself and stood up whooping! The funny thing was, no one else did and the arena remained in silence, the boring buggers! The concert was fabulous and I felt privaleged to have been there as Arthur Lee was only around for 3 more years before he died in 2006. RIP.

Gig Watch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: Royal Festival Hall, London

Setlist

Recommended Pub: The Hole In The Wall

Recommended Restaurant: Take your pick from Southbank's great selection!



sfw Pada 00:33 3 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Massive Attack - 'Angel'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Massive Attack - 'Angel'

Front Row Centre Massive Attack Shell Hunter

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live...

FRONT ROW CENTRE

Massive Attack - 'Angel' (1998)

Reading Rivermead Leisure Centre on September 23rd, 2009
 
 For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. Now, I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a dreaded disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

 Flycasual wanted to see big faves of his Massive Attack and offered me a ticket. I've always liked them and was really listening to Mezzanine a lot at the time. I thought a leisure centre was a bit of a strange venue to play for such a big band but I can't imagine we would have got tickets to their Brixton shows. Besides, sometimes the stranger the venue, it being smaller and rubbing shoulders with band members becomes a higher possibility! Reading was only a short train ride away and I had printed a map of where the centre was. it didn't seem that far....as the crow flies of course. It was an absolute trek from the station and we were so out of breath we absolutely had to stop for some refreshment in the form of a flavoured cider. It being a few years ago I don't remember if we got any preconcert chow but I do remember we were both disappointed that we passed a Lebanese restaurant but didn't have enough time to check it out. We just had enough time for a quick drink at the Toby Carvery next to the centre.

I have to admit, the venue was a bit of a disappointment. It was literally a like a school hall, with smelly portaloos in one room that you had to queue for ages for, volunteers selling drinks (expensive and closed too early!) and merchandise in another room and a stage at one end of the gym. We did manage to secure a decent vantage point just behind a waist high wall, perfect for leaning on and our drinks! Despite my reservations about the venue, it has to be said that the acoustics in there were excellent as were the band's light show depicting statistics of poverty and slave labour. It was harrowing but educational and particularly struck a chord with Flycasual who had just bought a band Tshirt and the label said made in Vietnam.

I was utterly impressed with the gig, everything played from Mezzanine was such a highlight and got a massive cheer from the nearly packed gym. Martina Topley Bird who was supporting the band on tour even made a brave attempt of singing Teardrop but its one of those songs that is all about the voice of Liz Fraser. The song that was the real clincher for me, which I liked before but is now my favourite MA track soully down to this performance, was Angel. The auditorium went dark and all of a sudden singer, Horace Andy appears in a white outfit which I remember as being traditionally African in style. The bass vibrated right through me and the claustrophobic pounding and ticking coupled with the illuminating visuals was mesmerising. It built and built slowly until it was fit to burst and the sound exploded, it was beautiful all consuming noise! The rest of the concert although great just paled into comparison to that mind blowing performance. Its for this song, that I would definitely see them again in a heartbeat.

Sadly I can't find footage of the Reading gig but here is an example of Angel a few days before at Brixton Academy!

Gigwatch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading

Support act: Martina Topley Bird

Setlist here

Recommended restaurant: Al Tarboush Lebanese Restaurant

Recommended pub: Toby Carvery

More Front Row Centre plus Gigwatch here!

sfw Pada 10:16 7 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Black Books - 'The Big Idea'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Black Books - 'The Big Idea'

Black Books Front Row Centre Shell Hunter

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live... FRONT ROW CENTRE

Black Books - 'The Big Idea' (2013)

The Barfly, Camden on May 22nd, 2013

 For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. Now, I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a dreaded disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

London Scouser got into Black Books in a big way after he got a free track (White Noise) from Google Play. I instantly liked their Pink Floyd-esque psych rock sound. Just by chance he saw they were playing a headline gig at tiny venue the Barfly in Camden so made sure we got tickets. I managed to get the following day off and we even wangled my mother in law to dog sit! Woohoo, night out in London with hotel room booked so no need to leave the gig early to catch our 3 trains home!

As I may have mentioned before, there is nothing better than hanging around in Camden with so much individuality on show. We headed straight for a couple of predinner drinks at Camden dock Lloyds Bar. If you don't mind where you eat, check out the VoucherCloud App. It'll give you codes to get money off meals for places you may not otherwise have chosen. We saw a great one for 50% off your final food bill at Shaka Zulu the South African underground restaurant in Camden. Be brave with your food choices, it's worth it!

Having been to the Barfly before, I knew it was a small venue and being a bit braver these days, I insisted on a front row spot. The support acts were...interesting. I can't remember the name but they were a Canadian headbanger group. Lots of groupies fawning all over their idols taking photos. It was most amusing.

Black Books, a five piece from Austin, Texas, came on stage quietly attaching multicolour flowers to the mikes and instruments, a cute touch I thought. LS and I saw their setlist handwritten on a paper plate(which LS now has) so knew what to expect. Each track was pure dreamy music bliss. The band held my attention the whole time especially lead singer Ross Gilfillan who sang every word with real feeling. They played my favourite tracks from newly released self titled album Black Books. Highlights being My Favourite Place, Take Take Take and of course new single The Big Idea (featured above). Standing at the front I allowed myself to be swallowed up by the wall of ambient sound. Its the only way to see a gig. After it was over, LS said saw the lead singer Ross standing and chatting with some people. I get far too star struck and had a few drinks so I decided not to take the risk of making a fool of myself. LS asked him about how it was to be the support act for Flaming Lips at the Roundhouse and that we were of course big fans having featured them on the blog. I hope these guys make it big, they have something special. I shall be wearing my Black Books T-shirt with pride.

Gig Watch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: Barfly, Camden

Recommended Restaurant: Shaka Zulu

Recommended Pub: The Ice Wharf, Lloyds Bar, Camden Dock

All photos taken by and copyright of K.Bazeley

sfw Pada 10:12 2 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Chase And Status - 'No Problem'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Chase And Status - 'No Problem'

Chase and Status Front Row Centre Shell Hunter

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live...

FRONT ROW CENTRE

Chase and Status - 'No Problem' (2011)

 iTunes Festival, Roundhouse, Camden on July 28, 2011

For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. Now, I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a dreaded disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

I was over the moon when London Scouser told me he'd won some itunes Festival tickets a couple of years ago, but when he told me who we would be seeing I was a little disappointed. I loved one track I'd heard from Chase and Status, in fact 'Blind Faith' was one of my top 5 songs of 2011, but to be honest, I wasn't into the Dubstep hype at the time. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth I thought, so I put on their latest album in the car on repeat a couple of times and sure enough, I got into them and was looking forward to seeing them at my favourite venue in London, the Roundhouse!

I remember it was a scorcher of a day and there is nothing better than milling around Camden in the sunshine! A few preconcert bevvies sitting by Camden Lock at the Lloyds bar then a fab pizza at La Porchetta which is right opposite the venue. We sat at an outside table in the sun smugly watching all the people queueing outside the Roundhouse, in the hope of getting a ticket. Gutted!

Once in the venue, we watched the beginning of Nero, but they weren't really our cup of tea, plus the Roundhouse has a bar with an open terrace, bonus! By the time it was time for Chase and Status to come on, the buzz was electrifying, as you can see from the live video below, the build up was immense (start it at 1:30)! I'll never forget this concert, the way the voodoo face of 'No Problem' (one of the highlights of album No More Idols) appeared on the screen in its neon colouring. As soon as the beat dropped, the whole place erupted. I've never been to a rave or any of those mega clubs in Ibiza, but the feeling was intense. It felt like my heart beat was being controlled by the bass and I don't think my feet physically touched the floor for the majority of the concert! The whole performance was full of contagious energy and at moments I was so overwhelmed, I was laughing out loud. Another absolute highlight was when Liam Bailey came out an did Blind Faith, superb.

Gig watch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: Roundhouse, Camden
Setlist here

Support Act: Nero

Recommended Restuarant: La Porchetta

Recommended Pub: The Ice Wharf Lloyds Bar, Camden Lock

All photos taken by and Copyright of K.Bazeley

sfw Pada 12:02 1 Komentar

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Steve Mason - 'All Come Down'

FRONT ROW CENTRE - Steve Mason - 'All Come Down'

Front Row Centre Shell Hunter Steve Mason

You've listened to the songs...you loved the album...now you absolutely have to see them live...

FRONT ROW CENTRE

Steve Mason - 'All Come Down' (2011)

Village Underground, Shoreditch on April 11th, 2013

For music lovers out there, the ultimate thing to do is to see your favourite artist or group live on stage. Now, I go to a lot of concerts and for me the whole evening is an experience. Living just outside of London means it's a dreaded disgracefully long trek but it is such an amazing place, not only for music but for a night out so its worth it. Sprinkled with individual bars and restaurants hidden in every corner, it makes for a far more memorable experience! To save you hassling around, see my Gig Watch tips below! This is not a normal gig review, this is my experience.

I'd never been to Shoreditch before, let alone the Village Underground but I was really impressed with the place. Shoreditch was totally not what I expected! It was really arty with lots of cool shops, including a pop up mall and excellent graffiti around. As a venue, it was one I'd definitely return to. Its not too large a hall and is much like an old brick train tunnel with a low stage at one end and a bar to the side. LS and I got there around 8pm and as we walked through the entrance, a guy in a green jacket brushed passed me and started speaking to the ticket blokes. Hang on a minute! That was Steve Mason! He had his specs on but it was definitely him. I get quite star struck so I just watched as no one batted an eyelid whilst he walked passed me again and then backstage. This was going to be a great night!

We decided to stand right at the front to get a perfect view and Steve was touching distance (if you wanted to that is). The sound was on point as were the band all dressed in exactly the same worn blue jeans and grey blue shirt, but each member had "distressed" the outfit in a different way. Steve had paint on his and the rest had rips in their jeans. Interesting touch. The banter from Steve was very politcally charged right from the start when he initially walked out and said "Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is Dead!" He didn't talk a lot but he was razor sharp and made us laugh. 

A few songs in, some idiot thought it would be funny to throw a bottle of beer at the stage which luckily narrowly missed the drummer. Steve was looking down at the time when the sound man said "Someone threw a drink at you!" The crowd waited to see if he would kick off but he answered "A what? A twix?!" He's a true pro and got the jovial mood back on track! He played a great selection from his new album Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time such as Oh My Lord, Lie Awake and Fire but it truly made my day hearing him perform songs from previous album Boy's Outside. Lost and Found, Am I Just A Man and Boys Outside were superb but what really got the goosebumps going was the phenomenal All Come Down (official video above). You could hear a pin drop in the room and the crowd were still. I was looking right into his eyes and you could feel he meant every word. He may have been bolshy in between songs when challenged with Maggie Thatcher quips but he seemed to surrender himself to the song. It was unforgettable. When they came back for the encore we were treated with Fight Them Back and a King Biscuit Time song C I AM 15 with Steve doing an impressive show on the bongos. A perfect end to one of my favourite gigs. I desperately want to see him again live, he is a master of his trade.

Gig Watch (everything you need to know!)

Venue: Village Underground, Shoreditch

Support Act: Andrew Weatherall DJ Set

Recommended restaurant: Boho Mexica

Recommended pub: Crown & Shuttle Pub

Photos were taken by and are copyright of K. Bazeley

sfw Pada 10:39 5 Komentar