The Xcerts

King Tuts Wah Wah Hut 27/02/11

“We’re so glad to be back in Glasgow.”

Well Murray, Jordan, Tom, collectively known as The Xcerts, it’s great to have you back.

At their anticipated return to Scotland after a stint in the States, and predominately south of the border gig venues, the boys opened crashing and banging with Slackerpop, Gum and Scatterbrain; three standout, rocking tracks from their most recent album, Scatterbrain.

They then eased into some of the songs off of their first album, In the Cold Wind we Smile, including Crisis in the Slow Lane and Do You Feel Safe?

In an interview with Murray, the band’s lead singer, in November when they were last in Glasgow, he described their first album as a “photo album; a collection of memories put down in music.” It’s always nice to hear where a band’s come from. Especially with a band like The Xcerts who have developed and grown dramatically from their first, to second, album.

There was a healthy and strong mix of the old and the new, entertaining both the long term fans such as myself and the crowd I was with, including one guy who remembered them playing in Aberdeen pre-first-single, Crisis in the Slow Lane, and the new fans who were drawn in by the band’s darker, moodier and heavier second album.

Finishing their, what I would complain as being a terribly short set, with Young, He sinks, he sleeps, and echoing away with Hurt With Me, The Xcerts suitably displayed their gutsy, raw, rock music with their fragile and haunting lyrics with vocals that swayed perfectly and melodically between the two.

Also- I bought my first band poster in thirteen years.

This clearly means they are a truly spectacular band as the last band poster I purchased was when I was eight, and it was of the Spice Girls.

I’d like to think a limited edition print from a relatively underground Scottish Rock band is just marginally cooler than one of Geri in that Union Jack dress… I’ll keep a hold of them both all the same.

Scottish Alternative Music Awards

Classic Grand, Glasgow  25/02/11

The Scottish Alternative Music Awards clearly stands predominantly in the Scottish music scene; it independently recognises bands and artists who don’t normally get the spot light they deserve.

The night was hosted by comedian Billy Kirkwood; his flowing ginger mane was accompanied by BBC Radio Scotland d.j Vic Galloway, new guy on the block BBC Radio 1 d.j Ally McCrae, and Gary: Tank Commander star, Greg McHugh who all guest stared to present the night’s awards. 

It’s surprising to learn that this awards show is only in its second year. Why oh why is it only in the last two years that we have started to recognise the variety, depth and sheer beauty that is in the music that is, and has been, coming out of Scotland in recent years?

Well we have Mr Richy Muirhead to thank for finally bringing this recognition to our attention. Yet again, he put together the unique event, bringing to light a range of bands and artist from around the country.                           Billy hosting the show

A hand full of said bands performed on the night: Xavia and Three Blind Wolves, who were both nominated for awards,   Cities and Skylines, and last year’s winners of the Best Live Act, The La Fontaines.

Three Blind Wolves were particularly apt in their performance; after whipping the audience into a whooping frenzy and then gate crashing the crowd to perform their final song acoustically, they went on to win the award for Best Live Act.

Vic proceeded to give out the awards to Indian Red Lopez for Best Electronic and Alan McKim for Best Acoustic, while Ally graced the stage to give out the awards for Best Metal and Best Rock/Alternative, which went to Zombie Militia and Little Eskimos respectively.

Greg McHugh was welcomed to the stage to give out the awards for Best Live act, which as we said went deservedly to Three Blind Wolves, and Best New Comer, which went to the opening act, Xavia.

Ross Clark of Three Blind Wolves 


All in all it was a braw wee night, in all its Scottish shining glory! As I said previously, this unique event was the perfect place to recognise the great and powerful noise that these Scottish bands are creating.

For more information, coverage, and of course, updates for when it’ll all be kicking off next year, head on over to www.sama11.co.uk or follow the Scottish Alternative Music Awards on twitter @SAMAs11.

Bear Arms First Gig!

Pivo Pivo 13/02/10

I knew it was Bear Arms first gig, and I was apprehensive. The band set up, looking focused but nervous. The audience echoed their nerves; the crowd was full of their friends and family, who were willing them to uphold the expectations that their demos for Wolves and Directions had created.

It was about thirty seconds into their first song, Perfect Symmetry, I realised that my cheekbones were actually hurting from smiling.

The noisy collective of sound quite perfectly encapsulates how together this exceptionally new band are. The crashing symbols, hypnotic base and understated guitar riff, followed by lead singer Richard’s dulcet, yet not forced, Scottish tones create something that does not in anyway sound like a first gig.

Continuing into To Whom it May Concern, the audience were graced with more of the same audio bliss.

The harmonies between Richard and Keiran are so perfect and natural that they’ve either been practicing everyday for the last five years, or they have a natural collaboration that most vocalists would glow green with envy at.

As a whole, the band are so in tune with each other; they’ve mastered both their loud, gritty, rocky moments, along with the beautifully quiet and eerie moments in their songs. One of which that most definitely stands out is their cover of The Counting Crows song, Colour Blind.

Their penultimate song, Wolves, brought the gig back up to tempo from the softer interlude of Colour Blind. Again you could feel the excitement in the audience as they listened live to the talked about demo track. The whippingly fast drumming of the chorus along with the strong detached chords leave you with no option but to bop your head along in time.

The fans that they brought with them were suitably brought together with the new ones that were created in the room that night as they bopped, nodded and internally rocked out to the band.

Closing with the title track from their EP, Directions, it’s safe to say Bear Arms suitably astounded the audience with their debut performance. The collective strength of each band member’s musical talent and the time and effort they have clearly put in to make their sound so polished and audibly perfect makes them, as a band, jaw-droppingly, cheekbone-hurtingly and generally awesome to spectate.

Bear Arms includes: Richard Wardrop - Vocals/Guitar, Keiran Hird - Vocals/Guitar, Lewis Mcgourty - Bass and Ben Sneddon - Drums.

Check them out on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/beararmsuk

Or on twitter: @beararmsmusic

Dana are playing fricking Glasgow!

After my panics as Dana did not list Glasgow on their tour list, my prayer have been answered!

A whooooo hoooooooo!!!

Dananananaykroyd + special guests The Ivy, Glasgow 03/06/2011 7.30pm £5.00 + booking fee buy now

T in the Park Line up!

The T in the Park Line up was announced this morning at their super snazzy media launch? Are you excited? I’m excited!

There is a bit of debate about the content of the acts, and I agree there are a few questionable folk on the line up, but I think on the whole it’s pretty damn good!

Plus when you’re dancing about in shorts and wellies, in the sunshine with a cider in hand, who really cares if you’re singing your heart out to some super cheesy tunes.

“Don’t tell me that it’s time for going solo….” Love it!

One of the Uk’s biggest bands COLDPLAY!

Festival favourites ARCTIC MONKEYS!

Brit Award winner TINIE TEMPAH

Brit Award winner Plan B

My Chemical Romance, All Time Low, Jimmy Eat World

The Script

Liam Gallagher’s new band BEADY EYE

Britpop band PULP!

DEATH CREW 77, ELIZA DOOLITTLE, STORNOWAY

Vitalic, Diplo

Imelda May, Miles Kane

Noah And The Whale, House of Pain, Slam, Josh Wink

Hurts, Bright Eyes, The Streets

Ocean Colour Scene, The Saturdays, 

Eels, Cast, You Me At Six, Crystal Castles

Chase & Status, White Lies, 

Brandon Flowers, Weezer

Manic Street Preachers, Tom Jones

KT Tundstall, Kei$ha

The View

Friendly Fires, Bright Eyes

Pendulum, Bloody Beetroots

Blondie, DJ DEADMAU5

Jessie J, The Vaccines.

Keep up to date at:

http://www.tinthepark.com/

or follow them on twitter @Tinthepark

Non-Valentines

No more needs said!

Funeral Party 28/01/11

Being the first live event that Radio Caley had put on in the Student’s association; the excitement for Funeral Party was most definitely at a high.

For all that it was a wee bit back to front with the main performers going on before the support, the acoustic set up and the intimate crowd was perfect for the set that both Funeral Party and the support, Michael Cassidy, were to perform.

The laid back rockers from L.A. strolled onto the stage, setting the scene for a very laid back performance. Lead singer Chad Elliot sat cross-legged for most of the performance, while the lead guitarist smiled along to the polite applause at the end of their performance.

With acoustic performances of ‘Where did it go wrong?’ and ‘The golden age of knowhere,’ Funeral Party showed a beautifully stripped back and delicate side to their usually energetic and vibrant style. Their lyrics and musical talent shone in a different way; it’s always nice to see the diversity of a band.

The expectations of Funeral Party from their singles ‘New York moves to the sound of L.A.’ and ‘Finale’ as well as their album The Golden Age of Knowhere, is that of a loud and lively indie band. However, their acoustic set suitably showed their more sensitive side, proving that they can do a lot more than what one might expect from their records.

After a quick question and answer session between the band and the audience, Michael Cassidy took to the stage. It must have been exceptionally nerve racking going on after the headliners rather than before as expected, but Michael definitely took it in his stride, chatting to the crowd and keeping the excitement and the atmosphere of the afternoon at a high.

Wowing the crowds with his songs, ‘Meet you at the corner,’ ‘15years’ and ‘My electric heart,’ not to mention his unique cover of the Britney Spears classic ‘Baby one more time;’ the crowd were suitably wowed by his rough and ready Glasgow tones.

Michael Cassidy definitely stood up to the plate when it came to his post-Funeral Party performance; a difficult performance considering he had to go on afterwards, rather than before, he managed to keep a strong and enthusiastic crowd who were whooping and cheering in support for this local talent.

With just more than 24 hours notice, we managed to organise a great wee acoustic performance from two exceptionally promising young artists. I think the standard for future performances has suitably been set! 

If you don't believe me...

The Herald 05/01/11

King Tuts New Year Revolution

So, King Tuts were doing this "New Year Revolution" thing, where they had local bands playing every night from the 3rd of January until the 16th. Now I would have very much have like to go to every gig, but alas January is not really a month where I have spare cash kicking about, so I had to limit myself to one.
The one I chose was on the 4th of January; She's Hit, Marco Polo, Suplex the kid and Sing-Kill-Worth. To be honest, the one I was really wanting to see was She's Hit. A couple of my amigos went to school with them and the guitarist happens to be my friend's brother, so I felt obliged to pop my head in and see what they could offer my ears.
We got there in time to see the band before them, Sing-Kill-Worth. I was completely mesmerised by them. The Glaswegian five-piece perform what they describe as "post-rock;" an ambient, experimental and progressive sound of music. They have no vocals to their sound, but do not for one second thing that is at all detrimental to their music or their band. This is what they say on their facebook page:
This music we have written has allowed us to vent the emotions that are going on in our lives and the situations that are all around us. We feel that every piece of music we write, or song, is very special in its own way. Not sticking to one particular style or sound, but what immediately comes out. We want to write music that makes people think a little and to see what it is really making you feel. What better way to reach out to people than that?
The band had a spectacular turn out. The room was full of fans which might had lead to the atmosphere; when the band were performing, an almost wave of music was pulsing through the crowd. I don't know if it's because they were without a singer that it made the crowd hang on their every beat, every sound, but it was bloody brilliant anyway!
I'm hoping to try and get the guys into my show when we're back up and running. I'll let you know in due course!
It's safe to say, that after Sing-Kill-Worth, I was excited. The crowd was buzzing in post-awe-ness, and as She's Hit took to the stage, I was suitably ready to have my socks rocked.
Disappointment's a horrible thing...
They just didn't do it for me. Honestly and truly I wanted to like them. I was ready to love She's Hit. But sadly I found that they just looked really bored while performing, which was exceptionally unattractive. The singer was... I think the phrase "too cool for school" just about covers it. One thing I love about seeing bands perform live, is the excitement you can see in their eyes while they play, how they grow and strive from the reaction of the crowd. But these guys, just look, sounded and for all intensive purposes were bored!
The sound they band produced was... good. I think it's definitely something they could nurture and develop into being really great. There was debate amongst my amigos and myself about the drums... they didn't use a bass drum! The drummer stood to perform a la Florance and the Machine and Dananananaykroyd. The guys thought it was limiting, that a big part of their sound was missing. I was and still am undecided; I thought it made the sound quite different, not quite unique, but definitely different to the sounds kicking about Glasgow at the moment. However,  their singer wasn't really my cup of tea; I think he managed to make noises my cat would be proud of. And he had a weird fixation with the smoke machine which was a bit bemusing to observe.
So in brief, Sing-Kill-Worth, beautiful, established and entirely intriguing. She's Hit, young, bored, could be great but they're requiring a new singer.

Ready to start my love affair with Arcade Fire

Now, I'm just going to say it; considering that their first album Funeral came out in 2005, I'm just starting to get 

the whole Arcade Fire thing... I know I know, hardcore fans will be disowning me for even thinking such things never mind writing them down for the world to see! But really, I just never really got it before. I've listened to their music, and don't get me wrong, if one came on during a good old i-pod shuffle, I wouldn't skip on by, but I most definitely wouldn't have sat down and listened to their album.

So when my bruv offered me a ticket to their gig in December, honestly... I only went cause it was free and it was a Sunday and I wasn't doing anything anyway. I was actually shocked to hear that the gig was in the SECC, and it was sold out!!! Considering it holds 4656 people standing and seated I was somewhere between impressed and bemused. So Sunday 12th December, Arcade Fire...

I've never been so impressed with a live band before in my life. Maybe it was because my expectations were non existent, but I'm going to go with that it's because Arcade Fire but their heart and souls into their concerts that I had no option but to succumb to their energy. The stage was full, like ridiculously full of talented musicians who all switched instruments for each song; and they could play each instrument they picked up effortlessly and spectacularly! One guy continued to skip about the stage with a drum in hand during one song; suitably distracting and mesmerising, to the extent I couldn't even tell you what song it was during that he did this!

I have to admit, for all that they had a super strong start, there was a couple of songs in the middle where the energy seemed to... lull a wee bit. I've heard mixed reviews from their most recent album The Suburbs, released last year, and considering that it was songs from that album that were being performed during that lull... I don't know. Maybe it was just a poor set list choice as they were all slower, less energetic songs.

But out with this run of maybe 3 or 4 songs, the crowd were loving Arcade Fire. It was one of those gigs where although it was December in Glasgow in an indoor arena, it felt like you were dancing about in a field in the sun at a festival. Everywhere you looked it was just people dancing with their hands in the air and singing their hearts out.

So as a result of this one off, spontaneous gig that I happened to toddle along to, my love affair began. I went straight home and listened to The Suburbs over and over and over again. Three days later I purchased their second album, Neon Bible, then a week later, Funeral made a reappearance to my i-pod from being left redundant in my i-tunes library for over a year.

For all that I don't think their albums could ever really make you experience their music and their energy that their live shows do, it's a lovely way to remember what it was like, how their excitement and energy in their music seemed to ooze out of the speakers and into you, whether you want it to or not. Maybe that's why I wasn't so keen before... maybe their albums should come with a warning; "You won't love me until you've seen the band live."

Here's a wee video of Arcade Fire performing at SECC Glasgow. I'm suitably Ready to Start
Arcade Fire, Ready to start (LIVE)

I do apologise, but due to working part-time in retail, and the festivities of the season, I have been sorely neglecting my blogging. BUT I'm now off work for a whole week and a half, so I'll suitably make up for it in the coming days!
Anyhoo, down to business... Frabbit! Now I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm quite the Frightened Rabbit fan; since their first album, Sing the Greys (2006), through to their second album, The Midnight Organ Fight (2008) which I have to admit is my personal favourite, to their spectacular new album, The Winter of Mixed Drinks (2010), I have wholly and truly loved every second of their music that I could get my little hands on. So it's safe to say that my expectations were exceptionally high when it came to their gig.
The guys completely sold out their two dates in Glasgow, the first on Friday 3rd Dec and the second on Monday 6th Dec 2010, both at The Barrowlands Glasgow.
Now The Barrowlands, I think, demands a wee paragraph to itself. It opened in 1934, originally as a market hall and occasionally used as a ballroom, but after a fire and a refurbishment in the late 1950s, it opened as a fully functioning ballroom and music venue on Christmas eve, 1960. It's spectacular acoustics (as it was designed to stage unamplified orchestras) and it's springy floors (it was originally a ballroom after all!) just reminds you that this venue was designed to stage music. The hall holds around 2,000 people, which makes it quite a small venue in this day and age, it is definitely worth the experience; it's slightly bigger than King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, but hugely more intimate than some where like the SECC. It is also echoing with the history of musical legends, as artists and bands such as Bob Dylan, The Cure, Franz Ferdinand, Blondie, The Smiths, David Bowie and The Ramones, to name but a few, have all graced the stage at Glasgow's Barrowlands.
I had booked my tickets in June or July for the Monday gig; I'd like to say it was for a pretentious or super cool reason, like "I wanted to see them give it there all as it would be their last night in a town they consider to have one of their strongest fan base." Really, the Friday was sold out by the time I booked my ticket, so alas, I went for the Monday one. (How very rock and roll...) Now a lot of my friends had managed to get tickets for the Friday gig, so as I sat in the pub on Friday the 3rd of December, my phone's inbox suitably filled up with mini-reviews of the gig. Words like "spectacular," "beautiful," "spine-tingling" and "F***ing Awesome!!!" were perhaps the most frequently used. Jealous? Me? Pah, never... ok maybe a wee bit! But I knew, come Monday evening it'd be worth the wait.

[A wee picture of me and my little bro at the gig, you can tell by his facial expression that I bullied him into being in the photo!]

So, as I explained in the Admiral Fallow review that I did (they were the support for Frabbit), it snowed- A LOT- over the weekend, meaning that taxis and buses weren't running, pretty much at all in Glasgow. There was even rumours that the gig wouldn't go ahead because of the weather- but these rumours were futile, and after an hour and a half trudge in the snow, we made it just in time to see Admiral Fallow take the stage. They were beautiful (see my review for more details) and by the time the roadies were setting up Frightened Rabbit's instruments and sound equipment, I was bopping about like a kid at Christmas!
A very nervously-excited looking Scott Hutchison, Frabbit's lead singer and guitarist, took to the stage to the background of a huge roar of cheers from the crowd.


All he could do was thank everyone for coming! Considering that the weather was... well it was rubbish put it that way, the hall was still mobbed. Excited fans had braved the cold and the snow just to see his band, you can understand why he seemed so humbled. So the rest of the band took to the stage, Scott toasted a scotch to the crowd, and away we went.
My expectations for Frightened Rabbit were ridiculously high, however, the band did not disappoint. Every song they played, be it old stuff, new stuff, popular stuff to album tracks, they were perfect. And not in a "they sounded exactly like the album" type perfect, but perfect in the way that you could hear their raw talent in music, you could feel the emotion behind every lyric, you could see the love and enthusiasm the band had for their music and their performance; they literally ticked every box for what you would want from a live performance. And the crowd loved them. Every lyric was echoed by the crowd's singing, every note was sung along too, every break resounded in cheers, claps, whoops and chants of "here we, here we, here we f***ing go!" (It's a Glasgow thing. I can honestly say that even though I am a born and bred Glaswegian, I do not get it; you just have to realise it's what crowds do here when they're collectively happy, and go along with it.)
The only complaint I have about the entire gig was actually about the crowd. I don't know, I've been to Frightened Rabbit gigs before, but the crowd just seemed a bit weird this time. I can't really put my finger on it exactly, but a lot of them just seemed more interested in mosh-pitting and pushing people about, than the music or the band. I'd understand it if Frabbit were a "mosh-pitting" kind of band, but I really did not, actually, I do not think they are. I actually think that some of the people involved completely tainted the experience of the gig for many of the gig goers, especially the ones who were being hurt as a result of their actions. I'm all for a jump about and having an arm splaying dance when you're so lost in the music that you can't help it, but the people I'm moaning about were just being rude and inconsiderate to the people around them, which is not what true music and gig going is about. Peace and love, not elbows in faces and squished feet please!!! Anyway, moan over! Frabbit's performance was spectacular enough to almost completely over ride my complaint. They blasted out their classic hits, such as Modern Leaper, The Twist and even broke out a song off their first album,Be less Rude, which they'd previously said they wouldn't do in future at gigs, so it was a great wee surprise and treat for old-school fans like myself. The songs off of their new album, such asSwim until you can't see land, Nothing like you, and Things, went down just as well. It was great to see how well their entire back catalogue of songs went down with the crowd, rather than the crowd favouring a particular album. It just shows how strong the band are with their music, and why they are considered by many to have truly arrived as one of the heavyweights of the Scottish indie scene.
I think perhaps the most goose-bumpy-moment of the night was when Scott came back on to do the encore, starting with Poke,off of their second album. I absolutely love this song. Wholly, truly and completely love it. The lyrics are so beautifully raw and honest; there's no clichés, nothing feels false or exagerated. The acoustic guitar picking in the background as well as the haunting, almost wolf-esque howling in the interlude in the middle and at the end of the song. All of this intertwined into one song near the end of their album shows how modest and understated the band are; they've (in my opinion) completely encapsulated the sound, the feeling, the words of a broken heart and put in in a quiet song at the end of their album. Listening to it live, with what felt like the entire audience singing along, word for word, howl by howl, note by note, was just mesmerising and magical to be apart of. There's a link to the video that I took of it from the gig on one of the blogs before this one; it's no where near as spectacular as it was live in person, but if you fancy a swatch it's there for your viewing pleasure.
In conclusion, you'll be glad as this has turned into quite the mini-essay, Frabbit were spectacular. I can't stress this enough. I would recommend any or all of their albums, as they're all as great as each other. Lyrically they are spectacular. Musically they are talented and original. CHECK THEM OUT! If you can, buy their album, do so. If you're at a festival and they're playing, go and bop along. If they're playing near you, go and see them. I promise you that you wont regret it.

For more information on the band, check out their website: http://wearefrightenedrabbit.com/
There's updates of their gigs, new music, where you can purchase their previous albums, reviews, their blog and any merchandise you may want to purchase. This is on my wish list if anyone can hunt it down! It is a limited edition FR badge, it originally £8, but is now unavailable on their website. Ebay ahoy me thinks!

Frightened Rabbit Gig photos

Alas, my photographs from the Frightened Rabbit Gig, 06/12/10 at Barrowlands. I think I must have been a wee bit snap happy as I managed to take 58 photos, not including the 30 from Admiral Fallow before hand!!! Also not including the 7 videos... maybe I was a wee bit over excited about seeing one of my favourite bands!!! 

Frightened Rabbit consists of: Scott Hutchison — Lead vocals, rhythm guitar. Grant Hutchison — Drums, percussion, backing vocals. Billy Kennedy — Lead Guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals. Andy Monaghan — Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, Gordon Skene — Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Review to follow...

Admiral Fallow Review

We walked for an hour in knee deep snow, through the dark and eerily quiet streets of Glasgow, just to see Admiral Fallow and Frightened Rabbit; now if that's not dedication I'm not sure what is! Considering that I had bought the tickets in the middle of summer and have been getting more and more excited as the months have gone on, the blizzards couldn't keep me away! To see two Scottish bands that I wholly and truly love in my hometown... there was no way in hell I was going to miss an opportunity like that!

It was good to know that the band also struggled to get to the gig; 'We walked here with our guitars hahaha,' said lead singer Louis Abbott, and I believed him! My brother, who came with me to the gig, just laughed at my gullibility but hey ho. The band seemed really grateful to the audience for trudging through the snow; they continuously thanked everyone for making the journey to see them! It makes it even more worthwhile when you make the effort to see a band and they genuinely appreciate it.

For all that it was relatively quiet (and bloody freezing!) when Admiral Fallow started their set, the place soon livened up, with their warm, folky sounds and bouncy musical interludes. The song choice for the gig was, in my humble opinion, perfect! They portrayed their sound perfectly; the indie guitar, the entirely encapsulating lyrics, the folk element that you cant help but bop along to, the classical element with the beautiful flute and clarinet haunting the background of every song... they are just beautiful to listen to. I bought their album, Boots Meet My Face, in early July this year and it was love at first listen.

Their set included (in no particular order), 'Squealing Pigs,' which the crowd went wild to, 'Subbuteo,' also a big crowd pleaser, 'These Barren Years,' 'Taste the Coast' and 'Old Balloons.' They also performed a new song, 'Paper Trenches,' a wee taster off their forthcoming album (which I am eagerly anticipating!). The new song was a wee bit more folky than their previous songs, warmer almost. Their music seems very haunting, cold but cosy, something which I think encapsulates their Scottish sound quite fully! But their new song seems a lot warmer, almost American mid-west esque to an extent. I really can't wait to get hold of the single and/or the album when it's released! I really want to see the growth from their first album, to their second. I think for audience members that were already fans of Admiral Fallow were given as much as potential new fans to be excited for the future for the band and their music.

I was watching the highlights from T in the Park when I discovered Admiral Fallow; their song 'Squealing Pigs' came on and it was love at first listen. My ears literally perked up and even after only listening to only one song, I knew I had to hear more. That's the thing I love about music, the fact that it has the ability to grab you and not let you go, and I think this is something that Admiral Fallow, both through their album and their live performances, do exceptionally well.

Admiral Fallow gig photos

Here are the photos from the Admiral Fallow gig on Monday 6th December 2010 in Barrowlands, Glasgow. They were the second support for Frightened Rabbit; I'll put the photos and the review for Frabbit up after this.

As I did with Death By Ambition, I'll put the photographs up first then do a wee review afterwards- it means if you're too sleepy/hungover to deal with words this Saturday morning, you can just look at the pictures! Enjoy!

.

Admiral Fallow consists of Louis Abbott, Kevin Brolly, Philip Hague, Sarah Hayes, Joseph Rattray and Tom Stearn.

Review to Follow..

Herculean in the studio

This week, we had the lovely boys from Herculean in the studio with me! Stuart (vocals, guitar and piano), Declan (drums) and Steven (bass) braved the horribly snowy streets of Glasgow to come into the studio where they played their song "Stay" for us. We also played their recorded tracks, "Broken" and "The Airship Sunset."

The boys were exceptionally chatty despite the bitter cold, discussing our mutual hatred for the X-factor, our mutual love for Bob Dylan and the music that makes them who they are as a group.

It was really interesting to see how well they've connected as a group, resulting in their music, but how they all are so different individually with their tastes in music:

What bands/artists were you into during your teenage years?

Stuart : I grew up with Coldplay, Oasis and U2. I was really obsessed with Damon Albarn for years as well, and became a massive Blur and Gorillaz fan.

Declan : Throughout my teenage years I listened to lot of British music, Oasis, Kasabian, Coldplay, Stereophonics and the Beatles. Just now I’m listening to a lot of older music with bands such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. I feel bad that I hadn’t found these bands earlier because their fantastic!!

Steven : During my teenage years I really got into The Offspring, Nirvana, Papa Roach, Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. I'm still a teenager and still think those bands are awesome.

What is your ultimate guilty pleasure in music?

Stuart : There’s a 70’s band called Bread, their songs are really cheesy but their also really melodic, so, as embarrassing as it is, I quite like some of their stuff.

Declan : To be honest, I’m a massive Take that fan. The new album is brilliant and I’ve been really fond of the last 2 albums. The earlier stuff is not my cup of tea, But the new take that I’m really enjoying.

Steven : My one guilty pleasure in music is Clubland. It's quite embarrassing to be honest but if "Castles in the sky" comes on my ipod I won't skip it.

There's a review that I did of the boys gig in Nice'n'Sleazys a couple of weeks ago (if you scroll down you'll see it! Under reviews) but if you fancy seeing them in person, which I would most definitely recommend, they have a one more gig lined up before Christmas: PIVO PIVO, December 15th. Check out their myspace for  more details. http://www.myspace.com/herculeanmusic

DBA Gig

Death By Ambition- Barrowlands 2- Thursday 25/11/10

Barrowlands 2 is a great venue that I hadn't been to in years before this gig! If you get the opportunity to go and see any band at either Barrowlands or Barrowlands2, go! Even if it is just for the bouncy floor in the main room!

The boys opened with 'Input (mono)' then smoothly into their more popular track, 'Sit and Wait'. The crowd were really supportive and there was a really good turn out.

Death by Ambition's music really reminds me of Biffy Clyro. I've spent a lot of time trying to decide whether I actually think they sound like the Biff, or if it's just because I know they list Biffy as one of their main influences that I've made this link... I think 'Input' and their closing track 'Spiders' are exceptionally biffy-esque; the imagery they use in their lyrics, luring you in with their gentle guitar, then completely rocking your socks off by the time the interlude comes along. The face that several of their songs don't actually seem to end, but slip away from you as you're listening to them also reminds me of the almighty Biff.

Their heavier sound is really nicely accentuated by their quieter moments. 'Stargazer,' their penultimate song, went down exceptionally well with the crowd. The simple bass, acoustic guitar, and harmonica that Bob Dylan would be proud of, was the quiet moment that this ultimately rock band needed.

I think, considering that this band have not been together for terribly long (I think the current line up have been together for only 3months) it'll be interesting to see their sound develop. They are all clearly talented musicians and love music, so I'm excited to see what they do from here.

A strong start, but I want to see where they go from here. I think they're definitely capable of great things!

                                              (This is a repost of a blog from November 2010)

DBA gig photos

I thought I'd post the pictures and the review separately-  I appreciate that it's a Saturday morning and lets face it, most of us would prefer to look at pictures rather than engage our brains enough to read! So here you go, save the reading until Monday!

To see all the photos from the gig, check out Death by Ambition's myspace page or their facebook page.