Tag Archives: Leicester

11.19.14
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Public Service Broadcasting – Gagarin

In 2013, Public Service Broadcasting were perhaps the band that I saw play live more than any other. I was new to gig reviewing when I caught them at Leicester’s Musician but I was relatively happy with the finished article I prepared for eGigs (here). I was so impressed with them that particular night that I saw them a couple of nights later in Northampton.

As Spring passed and Summer arrived, we seemed to follow each other around the festival circuit. From Beat-Herder to Deershed, here was an act that were pretty compelling to watch. Technical difficulties aside, you knew what you were going to get with PSB. As enjoyable as it was, after a Summer spent over-dosing on their live set, you couldn’t help but wonder if this might be a one trick pony. Where might they take this next?

I needn’t have worried. It appears that J.Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth are more astute than to let their careers fizzle out by not developing their offer.

Public Service Broadcasting have just released the video for the first single from their upcoming second album, The Race For Space. They’ve added chunks of brass and layers of string to their more trademark sound. This tune, Gagarin, wouldn’t be out of place on a Daft Punk album. PSB are ramping up the funk rocket and having a spacesuit disco.

“We wanted to surprise people, and show that there is a depth and breadth to our musical interests and influences that goes far beyond our first album”, says Willgoose about this release. I think they’ve succeeded.

The video makes for pretty entertaining viewing as well. Those familiar with the largely static Willgoose, presenting an image somewhere between Dr. Who and a teacher of Geography, as he stands behind instruments issuing pre-recorded statements had better think again; for, in this video we get movement (lots of it), dancing that mightn’t be out of place on ‘Strictly’ and a triumphant, joyful exuberance that feels perfectly in keeping for “the hero who blazed the trail to the stars.”

I would embed it directly here but I can’t find it on Youtube yet so here’s the link to NPR where the video launched. 

11.16.14
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Violet Cities – Run

I intended to post this a while ago – but other things got in the way. I live in Leicester and one of the initial intentions when launching Sonic Breakfast was that I’d feature the many quality bands from these parts.

I don’t know if it’s because they’re shy or if it’s because they consider a blog post from Sonic Breakfast as career limiting but, by and large, Leicester based bands rarely get in touch. This is a shame.

Such shyness is not part of the make-up of Violet Cities. In a previous life, I managed their lead singers previous band. It was great fun working with the James Lewis Band but when their time in the local limelight was done so was my brief foray into band management. James continues to be an exceptional songwriter and frontman and it’s no surprise to me that the band he’s now fronting, Violet Cities, are building an impressive profile that reaches wider than the city of Leicester. I’ve kept a keen eye on their progress and a couple of months ago wrote the following about them –

Dig around their twitter feed and you might come to the conclusion that Violet Cities are the latest in a long line of boy bands. It’s certainly true that the looks and talent of these four young men haven’t escaped the attention of teenage girls (and boys) keen to find a new poster for their bedroom walls.

But, this is only half the story. Boy band can be a maligned term and there’s nothing manufactured about James, James, Paul and Dan. Quality musicianship, songs about their day jobs in which they graft, clever harmonies and a live show that will appeal to teeny bopper, indie blogger and your granny alike. There’s a freshness, friendliness and honesty about their approach that delights all who see them.

2014 has been a stunning year for Violet Cities during which, through hard work and tenacious talent, they’ve shown how they can support out-there indie acts such as Ezra Furman whilst not being out of place sharing a festival main stage with Labrinth and UB40 or headlining their local Oxjam event. 2015 is set to be even better.

This is more Beatles than Boyzone. You’d be crazy to miss out on this bandwagon.

Violet Cities recently launched the video to their latest single, ‘Run’. Filmed in Skegness in the summer, it captures the innocence, the joy and yet the underlying unrequited sadness that exists within their writing. It’s worth a watch.

 

10.17.14
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Eliza And The Bear/Lisbon – Leicester O2 Academy – Scholars Bar

The rain is pouring and the leaves are falling. It’s a trudge through the congealed sludge of Autumn’s detritus as I make my way to Leicester O2’s Academy to see Eliza And The Bear. “We’ve never been to Leicester before“, announces lead singer, James Kellegher, towards the end of that set and you find yourself wishing that they’d seen it on a warmer, sunnier day.

For Eliza And The Bear’s singalong, sunny, festival-friendly brand of rocky pop is best perhaps imagined when accompanied with a cider in hands and the heat beating down. The largely female audience here, at this O2 bar that’s attached to Leicester University, are doing their best to relive their post-A-level states of bliss by mouthing along to the words from the songs they recognise. The marching, uplifting beat elicits raised, clapping hands from the Freshers. Fan girls at the barrier exchange glances with each other when they sense that guitar player, Martin Dukelow, has flopped his excess of blonde hair in their direction.

It’s difficult not to get caught up in this sweetness. There is an undeniable charm and happiness about the proficient pop that Eliza And The Bear produce. “I’ve got friends. I’ve got family here“, sings James in Friends, the set opener. It’s this inclusive tone they establish that remains throughout. They want you to be their mates, because they are all mates together. They’re more than happy to chat with you at the merch stall after the gig. They sympathise with support band, Lisbon, who have had much of their gear stolen the previous night in Birmingham. Bands often seem to get their kit nicked in Brum.

 

I only managed to catch the last three numbers from Lisbon but any unfamiliarity with their instruments doesn’t show. On the evidence of tonight they come from that same sunny factory as Eliza And The Bear. There are backing tracks adding to the layers here but nobody in the appreciative audience seems to mind that. A general tick in the box from this direction and I’ll mark them down as ones to watch in full when I next get the opportunity.

Eliza And The Bear do not seem to be lacking in equipment. This is a show in which their guitar tech is kept pretty busy with Fenders being replaced by Gibsons. Towards the end of the set, Martin is handed an acoustic guitar and the rest of the band, apart from James, leave the stage. It’s the obligatory chilled-out moment and a chance for this duo to show off their vocal and musical talents. The girls at the front don’t need sunshine to melt at this point.

“We’ve spent a year now writing our debut album and in two weeks time, once this tour is done, we’re going to head into the studio to record it,” offers James during the set. On the evidence of tonight, a spring release should set Eliza And The Bear up nicely for some sunny, Summer days.

Eliza And The Bear were previously interviewed by Sonic Breakfast. You can read that interview here.

 

10.08.14
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Heyrocco – The Cookie Leicester – 6th October

“This song’s about premature ejaculation”, drawls Heyrocco’s lead singer, Nate Merli, as this much vaunted trio from South Carolina launch into their opening song, Melt (previewed here). It’s not packed at the Cookie in Leicester but it’s fair to say that those in attendance have had their attentions fondled.

Such blunt introductions to their songs continue to characterise this gig as we get to know the interests and attitude of these Nirvana influenced pop-punk kids who balance self-deprecation with an assured swagger. “This song’s about being a loser”, states Nate but we don’t believe he really believes that. Two swooning Japanese fan girls mouth along to the words and you sense that Nate will soon become a winner.

He’s certainly quite a captivating frontman. Shambolically dressed in odd converse boots (does wearing one black one and one white one make them inverse boots?), Nate jumps and flails around the stage. He’s playing at being a tortured soul, a bit too charming and polite to ever completely descend into madness but when he stands up straight and rolls his eyes into the back of his head, you wonder if he’s about to fit. The stage at the Cookie is only raised a few inches higher than the audience but at one point, Merli brings his microphone stand and guitar amongst us to really break down any sense of them and us.

Bass player Christopher Cool, acts as his name suggests and stays calm throughout concentrating on creating a tight rhythm section with Taco Cooper on drums. There are times when these two freak out but those are few and far between. The final song of this 40 minute set arrives which signals the right time for Taco to leap from his bass drum, rugby tackling Nate to the ground. It’s a play fight, a high school rumble but perfectly in keeping with the laddish euphoria these mates are trying to create. It’s also a pretty fine climax for a gig that started with a song about premature ejaculation.

You have to give special credit to the excellent promoter for this gig and many others that happen in Leicester. Ian Magic Teapot has been putting on gigs for years and I’m sure he must lose a small fortune when potential punters decide to stay in their warm houses instead of venturing out into cold Autumn nights. The shame of it all is that tonight at the Cookie for a mere fiver, people would have seen a band that are still learning their live craft but are already displaying the signs that any return visit to these parts will demand larger venues and more of a ticket scramble.

 

09.29.14
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Heyrocco – Melt

A week today, I’ll be heading down to one of my favourite Leicester venues, The Cookie, to watch a band that I really cannot make my mind up about.

Heyrocco came to my attention by virtue of a press release that promised the earth. Here’s a band that are “in pursuit of becoming the biggest and loudest rock band of their generation.” It’s probably mandatory for any band trying to launch careers but it’s refreshing to know that Heyrocco have a “compelling image and an onstage persona that’s in-your-face rock and roll.” Just in case there’s any doubt (there is), it’s of great relief to know that this is a band already endorsed by Kerrang! and Huw Stephens of Radio 1. Sounding like the first Foo Fighters album, this is “perfect rock with massive hooks and sign along choruses“. (The press release suggests sign along choruses – I’m not sure what that might be!!!)

When confronted with such hyperbole, my typical response is to press delete but something had grabbed my attention. I had five minutes to spare and I thought I’d at least have a listen to their single, ‘Melt’. First impressions are that it’s undeniably derivative.

But then I’m drawn to the words of ‘Melt’… Hang on, is this what I think it’s about? Suddenly, it becomes clear that this is a song about premature ejaculation. These cool, rock and roll kids with a ‘compelling image’ and ‘sign along choruses’ are singing a song about a very intimate vulnerability. I had Heyrocco down as brash and slightly arrogant Americans but here they are revealing something completely different.

I’m still not sure that they’ll be entirely my cup of tea. I might be blown away.

But (and I’m sorry for the use of a rather obvious pun here) next Monday cannot come soon enough…..

 

 

 

 

09.18.14
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Mr Plow – Not The Beginning, Not The End

Mr. Plow” is the ninth episode of The Simpsons’ fourth season, which originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 19, 1992.[3] In the episode, Homer buys a snow plow and starts a business plowing driveways. It is a huge success, and inspired by this, Barney Gumble starts a rival company and quickly puts Homer out of business.

But that’s not what I’d be writing about on Sonic Breakfast.

Mr. Plow is also the name of an Americana singer-songwriter, influenced by Johnny Cash, dark tales and guitars with slide. The man has lived in Leicester for years. He now appears to be working with a band of quality musicians. For ease and simplicity, they also take the name, Mr. Plow.

I’ve known Mr Plow for years – known as in we’ve sometimes made comments on the same social media threads. We’d acknowledge each other with a nod of the head and a couple of sentences of small talk should we pass each other in the street but I’m not sure that we’ve ever got into any conversations that have lasted longer.

In many ways, this is an odd state of affairs. A quick scan across my CD and vinyl would show that our musical interests are not hugely divergent.

Back at the start of the summer, Mr. Plow announced the impending release of his third album, ‘Not The Beginning, Not The End’ on Pinkbox Recordings. A free gig at the Cookie was put on to celebrate the launch. Over the course of the last few months, it’s an album I’ve frequently listened to as I’ve driven around the festival circuit. You’ll find more detailed reviews elsewhere but suffice to say, it is very, very good.

I’m a fan of story songs. If they contain heavy doses of death and drama then it’s all the better. This has probably been the case since the 9 year old me first heard Shangri La’s ‘Leader Of The Pack’. So, how could I possibly not fall in love with ‘Dwight’s Roadside Grave’, the second song on the album. In Mr. Plow’s deep, bass-heavy, drawl, he relates the darkly humorous tale of how him and his put-upon sister despatch with Dwight, their step-Dad. It’s classic songwriting.

The tune from the album that I’m featuring here is ‘Bag Of Bones’. It’s another stand-out on an album that in truth always keeps giving. This is a slower number. It could be a man coming towards the end of his life, possibly prematurely. It’s a man questioning his very existence. It’s a wretched, walk out of the door and never come back tune. It’s a sad song and I take much joy from it.

09.16.14
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Generationals – Alix

I think it was about 14 months ago now that I saw Louisiana duo, Generationals play at the Cookie in Leicester. It was one of those gigs. I’d heard a few of their tracks and seen youtube videos. I tried to convince friends that are remotely interested in seeing live music that the ‘next big thing from the US’ are playing in their city.

Result – a criminally under-attended gig that probably had no more than four paying punters in attendance.

Yet Generationals were good; sparkingly so. I wanted to make the noise of 100 people but self-consciousness got the better of me and so instead I clapped politely and whooped (very gently) at the end of each song. 

Back then, Generationals were promoting third album, Heza. It had a load of great tunes on it. Possibly the sort of album that could be toured for a couple of years. This video got them a fair bit of publicity to dine out on.

 

Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer appear to be having none of that though. Their fourth album, Alix, is being released on September 29th in the UK. I received a promo copy at the weekend and have been listening intently since. 

Thoroughly now and yet recalling some of the best synth-noise of the 1980’s, for me it hits a space somewhere between MGMT and Madonna. There’s a poppy swagger amidst funky bleeps providing the bubble. A vocal, often pitching just beneath falsetto, chimes and showers over you to complete the wash.

One of the lead tracks from ‘Alix’ is ‘Black Lemon’. If it’s not been so already, I’d place good money on this being used as incidental music on the BBC by the time this Autumn is done- perhaps with the goals round up on Match Of The Day or in a baking break on that programme that the girls at work go mad for.

By 2015, my friends might need less convincing should these guys ever return to Leicester.

 

05.17.14
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The 10th Original Bands Showcase final

Tonight’s the night of the 10th Original Bands Showcase final in Leicester. This’ll be a night of celebration, sweat, endeavour, smiles and jubilation. It’s become something of an event in the annual music calendar of this fair city and I can’t wait to get on down to the Musician tonight to see what happens.

 

The OBS is the brainchild of the formidable yet fair Val McCoy. Dig beneath the surface (she doesn’t suffer fools gladly) and here you have a woman who is probably even more passionate now about supporting and nurturing local talent than she was 10 years ago when this venture started. For each year, OBS provides a platform for developing and established acts to take to the stage and further hone their craft. Tonight is the culmination of a series of heats, callbacks and semi-finals.

It was seven (or perhaps eight) years ago that I first got involved. A friend of mine, Richard Haswell (the man behind the excellent and now sadly no more Summer Sundae festival) got in touch and asked if I would judge at a final. I didn’t have a clue what to expect but the promise of free beer was enough to convince. That night a band from Hinckley, ‘The Chairmen’, took the plaudits but what struck me was the air of support and friendliness amidst the sweat covered crowd. They might have been there to see one band but they were cheering all.

The OBS mightn’t be a model for everybody. Some are suspicious of the competitive elements involved. Responding to music can be a personal thing so how can individuals say that one band is better than another with any authority? And the truth is that they probably can’t. But the competition is just a part of this showcase. For me, this is much more about the networking opportunities, future gigs and new friendships formed. The best bands see winning as secondary to the experience and opportunities provided.

For the last few years, it’s all taken place in the Musician, a venue I’ve praised previously in this blog. There’s a cast of characters here who all throw themselves behind the OBS. Andy Mann, the soundman, works his bollocks off to ensure that the tight turnarounds look smooth to anybody within the crowd. The bar staff take an active interest with Chris, Chris, Holly and others never being shy on expressing their opinions (in a friendly way). And the contributions of Darren, Nicola and Wayne all contribute to the impression that this is a supportive, positive event.

There’s six bands that’ll take to the stage tonight. One thing you can always guarantee within an OBS final is that they’ll be stretching across a range of genres yet all excelling in their chosen styles. I’ve featured two previously within this blog, Tapestry and Stop That Train. But, in truth, I could have just as easily featured any of the other four and not impacted upon the quality. Ash Mammal, Beneath The Lights, The Della Grants and 8 Miles High make up the sextet on offer.

The OBS final is nothing without the crowd though. It was the friendliness and supportiveness of the crowd that first attracted me to these events. And though people have moved on, the feeling within the audience seems to have stuck. It’ll be a packed out, sweat-laden affair tonight. It’ll be one of the best gigs many in the crowd will have ever been to. We’ll dance, we’ll sing, we’ll drink and laugh. But, above all, we’ll realise that live music is the winner.

I’ve got my special costume ready for tonight… Now, I just need to go and get my hair done…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beneath The Lights do not share any of their music for embedding upon Soundcloud.  

05.16.14
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Sticky Fingers – The Cookie

Australia – I’m 100% convinced that one day when I decide to properly travel you’ll be high on my list.

I knew this before we had the British Invasion. It’s a slow burner of an invasion. Tokes get in the way. But, it’s no coincidence that my first ever blog post on Sonic Breakfast, when I was learning how to do this, was about Jagwar Ma.

And since then, I’ve effused about Courtney Barnett and Australian BBQ’s.

Tonight, I was invited to one venue in Leicester that might convince me to stay here longer than I probably should. Tinny, the venue owner at The Cookie is developing a place that Leicester should love. In the last couple of years, this venue has morphed, expanded and changed. It once specialised in stand up comedy and whilst that’s still a money maker for this enterprise, it now has space and ambition for the jokes to be a supporting actor.

A new 300 capacity venue opens soon next door to the current establishment under the Cookie’s management. This is exciting beyond belief and should further cement Leicester’s growing reputation on the touring map.

It was a free show tonight. I wish people were charged. A free gig hardens people. You know how fucking great the band are but you’re reticent to cheer, dance or unfold your arms because you’ve invested no dosh in it. Sticky Fingers were the band. Hailing from Sydney, they put on a show that was worth a fiver of anybody’s money. I suspect that in Australia, they could charge a whole lot more again.

Sticky Fingers specialise in a sort of laddish rock reggae. It’s a sound that’s probably born out of smoking a bit too much weed whilst listening to Hendrix and Marley. Amidst a stage of guitars (and keys & drums), shaggy hair and moustaches so dated that they’re incredibly cool, Sticky Fingers gave us 45 minutes of laidback, slacker swagger. To call it slacker isn’t to say that there wasn’t energy and effort on display here though because there was in abundance. No, this is a band that could give you three part harmonies without labouring the fact that this is what they were doing. This is a band that could sweat loads on stage but still look chilled. This is a band that should never be confused with the Rolling Stones tribute act that go by the same name. 

Uncomplicated cool. Music with confidence but without arsey, artistic pretense. When should I book my flight to Oz? 

 

 

 

04.27.14
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Stop That Train

Another showcase night which means more talk about local Leicester acts. 

Stop That Train are a band that I’ve seen develop over a couple of years. Indeed, when I first saw them they were called ‘Blue Sky Goodbye’. A trio, they indulge in a ska pop thing that this city has done so well over the years. Rumours abound that the excellent ‘By The Rivers’ are going to be headlining a stage at Glastonbury this year. Stop That Train are made in a similar mould.

When I first saw Stop That Train, it was clear that they had the tunes and musical prowess. It wasn’t clear if they had the stage presence. Lead singer, Geno, has a charm but sometimes, in the past, he’s struggled to project this across a crowded room. Instead, we’ve got an awkward intensity that could be broken with a smile and a wink. 

This shuffling concentration was less evident last night. Geno is coming into his own on the stage. The rhythm section,Harry and Josh, support with impressive swagger. It was obvious that this band of friends were having fun last night and such spirit captivates. 

With album ‘Turn Left On Brazil Street’ recently released and a growing base of fans, I suspect that the future is a bright one for Stop That Train. Nobody wants to get off quite yet. This stock keeps rolling.