Tag Archives: Leicester Mercury

01.27.16
by

Lisbon and Declan McKenna – Leicester Cookie – January 22nd

Last Friday night, I nipped along to the fab Leicester venue, The Cookie, to review a gig. I was hoping that this review would get featured in the Leicester Mercury (as per my review of Drenge the following night).. For some reason, I can’t see that it’s been published.. Never mind – I’ll feature it here…. 

 

The last time that I saw Lisbon in Leicester, a crisis had just beset the band. They’d had guitars and instruments stolen in Birmingham and so needed to beg and borrow temporary equipment to play. I was struck by how decent and calm this young band appeared in the midst of disaster. 

Fortunately, on Friday night at the Cookie, no such predicament was in play. Lisbon had a full kit through which they could inflict their funky radio-friendly indie swagger on a half full but wholly appreciative audience. “It’s Friday night, let’s go crazy yeah?” urged lead singer, Matthew Varty, with genuine, Geordie exuberance. “Keep your dancing going”, he maintained as the band launched into new single, ‘Vice’. Varty worked the crowd hard and, as a result, we bopped to their beat.

“This is a song that’s very close to our hearts. It’s about the town we were born in; a place very far from here.” announced Varty by way of introduction to one of Lisbon’s minor hits, ‘Native’. These young lads are clearly not in a rush to forget their Whitley Bay roots even though headline tours and radio airplay are inevitably pushing them away from home comforts. 

 

Despite still having youth on their side, Lisbon must feel like senior citizens in contrast to their support act on this tour, Declan McKenna. No more than 17 years old, it’s Declan who, arguably, the crowd had flocked to see. Winning the Glastonbury emerging talent competition last year thrust this young man into the limelight. It’s fair to say that he’s still honing his live craft. 

Almost apologetically, Declan introduced songs that “you probably don’t know”. Assisted by an equally young band (two boys and two girls), this is awkward, angular, art pop. The plonk from the Korgs and the Casio mesh with the strum from the sticker-covered, beaten and bruised guitar to give us a very 2016 version of new wave post punk. Stand-out tracks, ‘Paracetamol’ and ‘Brazil’ lead the way as Declan slyly and shyly engages with those gathered to watch. It’s possibly heaping a bit too much praise to say that this Declan Mc reminds me of the early years of another Declan Mc (Elvis Costello) but they certainly walk in similar water.

 

Opening the night was the local Ali Clinton Band. This powerhouse,blues-rock trio, led by the sickeningly brilliant guitar playing of Ali, appeared, on the surface at least, to have little in common with either Lisbon or Declan McKenna. But, tonight has all been about precocious (in a positive sense), young talent. The three acts on this bill can all be filed in that particular cabinet.

 
01.07.16
by

Louis Berry and a scathing Saint Raymond gig review

“If someone tells me I have to go out there and impress some people because they’re important to my career, I’d rather go out there and really piss them off. Because this should be about the songs and a belief that everything else is bollocks. I walk around thinking ‘people in Liverpool, can’t you see what they are doing to you?’. There’s so much to say and no one is saying it. I’m going to be the lad who does.” – Louis Berry

In a couple of weeks time, I’m lining up a chat with Louis Berry. He’s playing at Nottingham’s Bodega on the 19th January as part of a short headline tour. It wasn’t long ago that I saw Louis play in Leicester when he supported Saint Raymond. I reviewed the show for the Leicester Mercury but I’m not sure if my words ever got published. In truth, I was quite scathing about the headliner and I can understand why an editor might have opted for an easy life.

Anyway, waste not want not (and all that) – I’ll publish my uncensored review here…

 

I look at my watch and despair. Saint Raymond have only been playing for forty minutes in the second room at Leicester’s O2 academy but it already feels like a lifetime. It’s not simply because he’s from Nottingham that I take such a dim view. One song, with bland,subtle variation, is played over and over again. Repeat until it’s really not funny.

He’s the master of monosyllable is Callum Burrows, the man behind the moniker, Saint Raymond. ‘I want you to know that, I want you, you know that’, he sings in yet another jaunty, catchy, raise your hands in the air, singalong pop by numbers blow-out.

Yet it would be churlish not to admit that this man with very little to say does seem to say a great deal to his fans. Young female students have graduated from Ed Sheeran, Olly Murs and One Direction. They now have a new poster boy for their university bedsit and Burrows is it. Surrounded by a faultless band, the crowd sing, clap, dance and wave their phones to the innocuous, choppy pop on offer. “Let’s carry on dancing, I want to tire you out”, smiles Burrows. I yawn.

Callum plays a cover. I only know it’s a cover because he tells us so. The crowd cheer wildly after every dull syllable he states. He tells a story about making a video in a taxi in Manchester with Thomas Turgoose, a potentially interesting tale in the hands of a somebody less boring. He plays two songs without a band that fail to resonate.

More impressive is Louis Berry, the scouse support act with jug ears, a cheeky grin and a charming swagger. Sometimes he veers a bit too close to Jake Bugg for comfort but when on form, you can see the Johnny Cash crossed with Arctic Monkey influence. Plagued throughout with sound problems, it seems to distract Berry from his full game. “We can’t hear what we’re playing”, moans Berry. It has rebel attitude, bite and enough skiffle based melody to suggest that, on a good day, Louis will be one to watch.

Ever one to consider the positives of a situation, as I leave the venue I think it could be worse. A poster of forthcoming gigs is thrust into my hand and I notice that it’s two days away from a Scouting For Girls gig. I thank God for small mercies.

 

I was a grumpy bastard towards the end of 2015 wasn’t I? I’m more than confident that Louis will continue to impress throughout 2016 and he’ll have a great deal more to say than Saint Raymond.

 

10.08.15
by

Felix Hagan & The Family – Kiss The Misfits

We’re halfway through another busy, working week. I’m pretty lucky that I enjoy my day job even though it can sometimes be pretty intense and busy. Tomorrow, I’m up before 6 to head to London for the second time this week. Tomorrow, I’ll have to wear a suit. I clock up the train miles. 

 But, I mustn’t grumble because doing this day job means I can cover (in part) the costs of my hectic social life. And this week, my social life (where I get to muse about music) has been pretty active. It shows no sign of abating this coming weekend either.

 I took advantage of being down in London for a ‘day job’ meeting to nip across to BBC 6 music’s live ‘Bloc Party’ show at Maida Vale. My brief reflections for eGigs are here. 

 Last night, I saw Squeeze and John Cooper Clarke at De Montfort Hall in Leicester. My review for the Leicester Mercury is here. 

This coming weekend, I’m heading off to Skegness to cover Butlins Alternative Weekender for EFestivals. I concede it’s not a shabby life. 

 I love my social life. I can whip off the suit and tie to mix with the people I really want to mix with. I can ‘Kiss The Misfits’. The theatrical, exuberant happiness of Felix Hagan & The Family’s tune, from their EP of the same name that’s coming out at the end of November, leaves the listener in no doubt which camp they’re in. 

 

This is an embrace of staying up all night, of exploring the darker recesses of pubs and nightclubs and of not worrying where the next pay cheque is coming from. 


 
09.26.15
by

Sweet Billy Pilgrim – The Donkey – 18th September

Autumn’s on the way. That means that I’m going to start posting on Sonic Breakfast with gay abandon. 

My goodness fuck. What a summer it has been. At some point I’ll link into all of the festivals I’ve reviewed on eFestivals to prove that I’ve not been slacking even though persistent perusers of SB might think otherwise. 

Favourite festivals this year weren’t about the music per se. Port Eliot... Go to this should it happen next year.. Stunning.. Festival No. 6.. In the same ball park (and I still need to finish my review). 

Regardless, I do love the lovely music scene at home in Leicester… And my Mercury review for Sweet Billy Pilgrim says loads in a few words about why this transition from Summer to Autumn is broadly welcomed in this part of LE3. Photo’s courtesy of Phil Bull.

 T’is the season to be gig going and what better way to kick that off than with this fine band of thrash-pastellers. 

 

 

04.28.15
by

Girl Friend – The Cookie – Last week sometime

Last week, I had one of those fab evenings you get sometimes when watching live music. 

I thought that Manchester’s Girl Friend were a bit special. 

I was able to write about them for the Leicester Mercury and after some delay, they’ve published my review for others to read here..

Yep – they were that good. I’ve previously blogged about Tapestry. There’s perhaps no finer support. 

One of my favourite new bands of 2015.. There’s been a few. 

 

 

04.04.15
by

Things I have been doing

It is true. I’ve been a rubbish blogger recently. I could explain via a schedule of excuse. Some readers might sympathise.

 I’VE BEEN FUCKING BUSY. 

 A couple of weeks ago now, I caught a fine set by Sleaford Mods which I (eventually) reviewed for eGigs.co.uk here. Their sweary rants really did impress me. 

 

 

The support band for the night, Purple, also marked themselves out as ones to watch. The next day I was, eating a sandwich, on my way to a work meeting in Warwick, when the three members of Purple walked by. I chose not to distract them from their sightseeing by saying something like, “You were great in Leicester last night”. I regret that a bit now.

 

 

I’ve also had my first review published here in the Leicester Mercury. There’s a real challenge in writing a 300 word live review but I tried my best to sum up the fine night at “Watch This Space” with up and coming Leicester band, Clubs. I knew I’d like them since seeing them at Liverpool Sound City last year and they didn’t disappoint. 

 

 

Lucy Rose did a ‘really smelly fart’ live on stage at the Nottingham Bodega. I’ve got notes about that night and I’ll write them up in good time. I also popped into the Maverick festival launch party when in London. In a basement beneath the Gibson Guitar shop, I was treated to free ciders and duck wraps whilst watching a selection of live acts from the festival. Dayna Kurtz really caught the eye with her mournful country from the soul and I’m sure I’ll feature her on Sonic Breakfast before this year is out. 

 

 

Tonight, I’m back at the Musician for the Original Bands Showcase callbacks. There’s seven bands on the line up and most will be new to me on account of being otherwise engaged for many of the heats this year. Later this week, the excellent Tuff Love play the Musician and I plan to be there for that – and then next week, Sinkane will be doing a very rare show outside of London. Not to be missed. 

 

 

 

I do promise that normal Sonic Breakfast coverage will resume soon though.