Review: Black Peaks & Heck // Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff // 15.09.16

There are a lot of people that would have told you earlier in the year that british hardcore and metal was dead with the scene relying on old, past their best bands to keep the genre going. However on the evidence of a sweaty night in Cardiff it may just have a future.

Black Peaks @ Clwb Ifor Bach

After This Be The Verse warmed up the crowd Black Peaks took the stage to a filling room. With an incredible energy, the band began to tear through their set of metal infused math rock which not only sounds excellent on record but translates brilliantly to a live show.

Black Peaks' debut album 'Statues' is possibly the breakout rock album of the year with the band getting great coverage across popular radio stations and magazines - something almost unheard of for a band that started life as a hardcore math rock band. 'Glass Built Castles', 'Saviour' and 'Hang Em High' are all truly epic on record, but live they go up another notch. However most impressive was the anthemic 'Say You Will' which carries a sound you can envisage blasting out of festival main stages and arenas. After such a storming set Heck had a tough act to follow.

Heck @ Clwb Ifor Bach

The first thing you will hear about Heck is the almost insane reputation of their live shows. Within the first song the lead singer was at the back of the room, guitarist in the centre of a mosh pit and mic stands strewn across the floor, and 50 minutes of similar carnage then ensued. At points there were people hanging off the ceiling and circle pits around tables in what seemed, at times, like a satanic ritual. The crowd almost seemed in awe at the energy of Heck and their manic presence with many having just stopping and staring for the first half of the set. However Heck's manic energy is infectious, drawing everyone slowly in to the experience.

Heck ended their set with their gruelling 16 minute epic 'I. See The Old Lady Decently II. Buried Although III. Amongst Those Left Are You' closing an incredibly sweaty and messy night for all involved. The venue looking like a bomb site, mic stands strewn everywhere and the satisfied crowd shuffled out in a haze of sweat and exhaustion after what had been a hectic night for all.

However this isnt the end of the story. What this tour and the critical acclaim of both bands' albums is doing is continuing a story which has been brewing for a couple of years now. Ever since Royal Blood  burst on the scene in 2014 the radio shows and magazines have been more inclined to cover heavier and heavier music. Between these 2 band, and others like Slaves and countless more, they're slowly laying the foundations of the future of punk & rock in the public eye. If you're a fan of the heavier genres - it's a very exciting time.

-Luke

Review: Butserfest 2016 // Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Petersfield // 10.09.16

A festival reaching 10 years old is a big occasion especially for a small festival, just this summer the critically acclaimed 2000Trees turned 10. Likewise Cardiff’s legendary Swn Festival turns 10 in October. However on a wet rainy Saturday in East Hampshire it was the turn of the UK’s largest alcohol and drug free music festival – Butserfest.

The One Hundred @ Butserfest

In 2006 Butserfest burst on to the scene preaching an alternative music festival for everyone - no drunk boisterousness and nutty youths with pupils so wide they don’t have an iris – but instead a community festival where everyone no matter age, gender or whatever can have a great time. It’s the festival where many 14 year olds have their first mosh pits, 10 year olds come to their first festival and now, with the festival in its 10th year, 20-somethings coming back to relive those glory days.

This year the festival, as usual, had a brilliant line up of up & coming bands in the alternative scene. Celebrating not just breakthrough acts but excellent local ones to. Flashfires – last year’s local introducing stage headliner – opened up the main stage with probably the most indie set of the whole day, bouncy and fun their sound translated brilliantly from the small stage to the large one. The other stand out local band - Our Hollow, Our Home – are almost festival regulars now having played the last 3 years on the trot, working their way further up the bill with each performance. Their hardcore style gracing the main stage for the second year running.

Creeper @ Butserfest

One of the best parts of Butserfest is that bands love it, they come back year after year to play a higher slot as their career progresses. For example last year’s headliners Don Broco first played after the release of their debut album over 3 years before they brought the festival to a close. Likewise with this year’s top two bands Mallory Knox & Young Guns. Both during their sets spoke extremely kindly of Butserfest and the impact it had on their careers. Both bands went on to play incredible sets and both hae albums on the way – certainly ones to look for in the near future.

Possibly the most interesting and anticipated set of the weekend was Creeper. In the midst of an elaborate publicity stunt with clues around the internet it is thought the band are sitting on an album. Not only that but the band are from half an hour down the road and they delivered a storming set to what seemed like a home festival crowd designed for them.

Despite a wet and cold day, the music and atmosphere of Butserfest brought a smile to everyone’s face and on it’s 10th birthday, it truly delivered as a festival.

-Luke

Mallory Knox @ Butserfest

Review: The Fused // Undertone // 19.07.16

The music industry was not born in big stadiums and festivals. It doesn't run on huge £60+ shows. It runs on shows in tiny basements with a lineup of young raw talent and some very sweaty punters. It runs on small venues and promoters who do it for the love of music and in the hope that one of the bands on the bill might one day make it. Tonight was one of these nights.

Parish @ Undertone

The night opened with Parish, a young band with a lot of potenetial, who's insatiable energy was reflected by the crowd. Their brand of energetic indie rock went down a storm - not something you often see for a first band at a gig - with mosh pits and dancing all through the set.

They then made way for Amber who brought the same level of intensity to their set. With a slightly more polished yet still raw modern indie sound they fed off the energy of the crowd. The band from Cwmbran showcased how to be an excellent support band, whipping the crowd into a frenzy before passing on the baton. 

Next up were Wetpainttt, a slightly older band to the rest of the line up which showed as they brought a more complete sounding performance to the tiny stage. With a sound somewhere between blues and frantic indie rock they were, as the gig panned out, a breather from the fast - paced frantics of the other 3 bands. However they still maintained the energy of the gig keeping the punters sweaty, the room hot and the atmosphere buzzing.

The Fused @ Undertone

Headline band The Fused took to the stage faced with an already sweltering, worn out and sweaty venue. This is almost as much of a challenge as facing a venue with no atmosphere whatsoever and yet the band from Cardiff pushed the crowd to expel that last ounce of energy before the night was up. With clever, honest annd early Arctic Monkey-esc lyrics about life in Cardiff coupled with a sound and persona comparable to Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Fused showed the crowd that they mean business and could really go places in the future.

On the hottest day of the year so far anybody that witnessed this gig was lucky enough to see some of the hottest talent from south Wales.

The Fused announced during the show they would be playing HOYFEST in November along with Amber.

They also will play Hub Festival along with Wetpainttt.

-Luke

You can find our preview of the other acts playing HOYfest HERE and a review of the last gig we saw The Fused at HERE

Review: LUK // Clwb Ifor Bach // 16.06.16

'And Now For Something Completely Different...' is a film by british comedy giants Monty Python, in it the film jumps from unrelated skit to unrelated skit and yet still seems to, in some way or another, be related. Occasionally you get a gig like this where all the acts are completely different and yet seem to fit together, this is what the Cardiff crowd were treated to at LUK's gig.

The night opened with Chew, a grime MC from Blackwood. Spitting aggressive and unapologetic bars his sound slots somewhere inbetween Sleaford Mods and Skepta. Unlike many budding grime and hip-hop artists however, Chew had something to say with his music. In between the brief moments of "yeahs" and "my bars are sick" there was a genuine message of distaste for the establishment. Not only did a young anarchist come out but also an interesting commentary on life - this comes across most prominently in 'I Am Proud', a song produced by Equlibrium, which is also some of Chew's best work and is available on his free EP 'The MattheMattical Problem'.

The The 1975-esc Atterbury & Gibbz came up next. The bands melancholy sound is one that's very current but don't for one second think they're a carbon copy, they have a much sparser and less pop-like sound with music that slots somewhere between modern indie and the odd bit of deep house. It's a deadly combination and one that gives Atterbury & Gibbz more of a musical appeal than the pop driven The 1975.

Having gone from hip-hop beats to an electronic indie sound the gig ends halfway between with LUK. Their experimental, beat heavy electronic tracks and deep vocals show the darker side of electro-indie which fluctuates between smooth and jarring. Early on in the set LUK's experimental edge came through before they closed on two more polished tracks which they worked on with producer Lee House. These seemed a lot smoother, cohesive and direct in their approach and sound like the future of LUK.

All three very different artists gave a lesson in Cardiff on the diversity and quality of young, up & coming music and really delivered good solid performances.

-Luke

Rusty Shackle // The Moon Club, Cardiff // 15.04.16

Having released their 3rd studio album 'Dusk' earlier this year, Rusty Shackle embarked on a UK wide tour and the penultimate night was a sold out show in Cardiff. The upstairs bar was packed to the rafters with people struggling to fit into the room, perching on the stairs just to be able to see the tiny stage, a stage made to look even smaller with a six-piece alt-folk band filling it.

Rusty Shackle @ The Moon Club

Opening with the first single from 'Dusk' - 'When The Morning Comes' - the atmosphere was instantly electric. The crowd bounced and sung to every tune creating a carnival of perspiration and happy faces. The band fed off this energy, seemingly enjoying every minute of their show and getting the crowd involved at any possible moment.

Midway through the set the band broke into 'Bonkers' - a cover of Dizzee Rascal's hit song. It's difficult to cover songs of such popularity at the best of times, but with a complete change in genre required from the original, it made it even more impressive that Rusty Shackle executed it perfectly. Certainly worth seeing the band just for this interesting and unique take on the popular song that had the whole room ecstatic.

Trumpeter & Bassist Ryan during 'Bonkers'
Rusty Shackle @ The Moon Club

With the room reduced to a dancing mess, they broke into 'Lucinda Returned' which, despite being relatively new song, appeared to be a huge hit with everyone in the room. By the end the crowd were singing the chorus back to the band with such glee lead singer Liam had to clarify "We're not doing a reprise!". The band then closed with two of their older more popular songs - 'Bones' and '3am' - both of which are clearly well established in the bands set-list and known by all in the room. It was an incredible atmosphere to have at a gig for any band, let alone a lesser known one.

Rusty Shackle @ The Moon Club

The band left the stage and the fans filtered out the room, everyone sweaty but smiling staggering off into the cold april night. After creating such an atmosphere and such a hype, a gig like that can be a catalyst for any band, launching them to bigger and better things and it certainly looks like that's a huge possibility for Rusty Shackle.

-Luke

October Drift // The Louisiana, Bristol // 09.04.16

As fans are already established at the front of the room, October Drift needed no introduction here in this intimate space. A venue already quite acquainted with hosting for bands who just bleed talent and radiate a future for themselves such as Placebo, The Chemical Brothers and Muse. However, this charismatic entity of a musical group is hard to place in any one section of a spectrum as they play to a mere ghost of Interpol, the lead vocals as haunting and welcome as Paul Banks himself. Each individual member gave off an energy that was dying to burst out of the room, which is the only explanation I can give to the lead vocalist seeking refuge in the crowd for a few songs. All humans gave way, soaking in the act from every division of space that there was. This just added to the intimacy and closeness of all involved. I had come to this gig audibly blind since I always enjoy the element of musical surprise, especially bands I’ve already heard so much about from trusted friends, and I was not at all disappointed.

The giddiness of the inevitable ‘I have a crush on all of you’ girls at the front did not spoil the night as the drummer’s more than impressive harmonies resonated through every ear hole. Granted, it had to be pointed out to me that these were coming from him as I’ve always been in awe of being able to keep a rhythm and hold a note at the same time, but this was spot on. There is no doubt that these boys are performers, dabbling with Dutch courage in the form of a bottle, be it lager or wine. That isn’t to say they weren’t naturally bubbling over with confidence and esteem. Egos are there to be stroked, but the sense of being grounded peered through every soul that was present on stage. No efforts were needed in forming a slight pit as the crowd were already fixing one up themselves ending up with half joining the band in their sacred bubble. Bubble or not, they didn’t mind. This crowd was theirs, they owned these fans and in that moment it was realised that October Drift are going to be huge.

Check out some of their videos over at http://www.octoberdrift.co.uk/index.php/videos. Browse the tour dates and most definitely catch them if you can.

-Little Bubbles

You can check out Little Bubbles own blog HERE

Dim Sŵn // Cardiff // 09.04.16

"Sŵn is pronounced soon and is welsh for sound" read the T-shirts of those working at the well known local multi-venue Cardiff festival. Dim Sŵn is the smaller one-day cousin of the bigger Sŵn Festival that takes place in the Autumn of every year and this year it will do for the 10th time.

DIm Sŵn, while being smaller, still has the same excellent quality of up and coming acts as Sŵn. Ispent my day finding some exciting and interesting but lesser know acts around the festival.

Bryony Sier // Undertone

Being the first act on at the festival Bryony was treated to a packed venue who all listened keenly to her refreshing country/folk style. A style and song-writing that wouldn't go out of place in Nashville, Tennessee.

HVNTER // Undertone

More than slightly different to the first act, HVNTER echoes the stye of music from the likes of Jack Garratt. With a series of original songs and a mash up of Justin Beiber and Drake, their act was very warmly received.

Grace Petrie  10 Feet Tall

Political and acoustic are the two words you need to describe Grace Petrie. With rant like songs about the politics of today and the future she was a refreshing listen not only musically but in her message. Much of the time her style reminded me to that of The Homeless Gospel Choir and Beans On Toast not only in the song content but the way she conducted herself on stage.

Orla Gartland // 10 Feet Tall

Quiet, acoustic and thoughtful, Orla Gartland pulled a large crowd to the cosy upstairs of 10 Feet Tall. With a brilliant voice and lyrically beautiful songs, she's a must listen for fans of Gabrielle Aplin and Lucy Rose.

LUK // Undertone

LUK are something a bit different, they incorporate deep house sounds with a distinctive singing style to create a dark, unpolished but interesting sound.

Benedict Benjamin // 10 Feet Tall

Having recently released his debut album Benedict Benjamin took to the stage at Dim Sŵn to perform his newest material. Melancholy and depressing in the extreme, his lyrics and sound is like a miserable lullaby but a brilliant and beautiful one at that.

Island // Four Bars at Dempsey's

Some more chilled out indie awaited upstairs in Four Bars. Island's chilled out guitar twangs and echoey sound filled the room brining bliss and relaxation to everyone in the room. The band from London have a lovely sound and style and may be one to look for in the future.

Ofelia // Undertone

Ofelia - a sex piece alt-folk band from South Wales - were a great edition to the Young Promoters stage in Undertone. Great fun and with an enjoyable folk style that makes you want to jig in the middle of the dance floor.

CaStLeS // Four Bars at Dempsey's

Welsh psychedelic indie rock band CaStLeS took to the upstairs stage to an almost packed venue. They say their songs are inspired by the wilderness of their studio but there sound is nothing but empty, interesting and full it sounds similar to that of Black Honey.

Upbeat Sneakers // Undertone

Undertone closed the night with 8-piece ska band Upbeat Sneakers, a band seriously not be missed. The group, from Merthyr, Wales, are going on to support the one and only Madness in July alongside hotly tipped Pretty Vicious. You can really see why though, exciting and energetic with catchy songs and many layers of sound in their music, they are an excellent live experience and a handful for any soundman!

The Big Moon // Clwb Ifor Bach

The Big Moon are an all female alternative four piece from London. Tipped for big things they headlined the stage upstairs in Clwb Ifor Bach and they had an almost full room bouncing to every note.

Dim Sŵn has a very special feel about it with nothing but smiles and excitement from punters and workers alike, it is a wonderful festival. For those of you who missed it, make it to the main event this Autumn - Sŵn Festival!

October Drift // Undertone, Cardiff // 07.04.16

There's always something special about experiencing an exciting young band in a tiny sweaty basement. That's exactly what fans of October Drift were treated to on a cold Thursday night in Cardiff.

The Fused @ Undertone

First up where local indie-rockers The Fused; a Cardiff band with a lot of energy and an exciting sound. Within seconds a mosh pit broke out in the venue, the ceiling only centimetres from the bouncing fans heads. The band say they're influenced by the likes of Catfish & The Bottlemen and The Libertines and you can certainly hear that indie style come through there music, however the band had moments of delving into a rockier style which kept the crowd bouncing. The Fused have a very current sound and with the energy they portrayed in their performance could move on to bigger things.

The Broadcasts @ Undertone

The Broadcasts came to the stage a man down with their guitarist at home recovering from an illness. Nonetheless the band still gave an exciting performances. They fed off the energy created by The Fused, reducing the fans into a sweaty mess. The alt rock/acoustic band from south Wales have an album out soon which will be a great listen if their live performance is anything to go by.

October Drift @Undertone

With the crowd buzzing and excitement brewing October Drift took the stage. Due to the bands recent social media storm through issues with Facebook's swear filter while trying to promote a gig in Scunthorpe and an ever increasing hype around the band, the show was nearly packed to capacity. The band bounced of the energy created by the two supports with crowd surfers and mosh pits a common place throughout the set. The band not only musically were fantastic but also interacted with the crowd incredibly; climbing amps, bouncing with the crowd and at one point getting the whole room to crouch down in a circle during the opening part of 'Lost'.

October Drift @ Undertone

These sort of displays from the Somerset band won't go unnoticed and will propel them to bigger and better things in the near future.

-Luke

The Hunna // Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff // 04.04.16

There's something about indie rock bands at the moment. Bands following the template of the likes of Catfish & The Bottlemen and The 1975 means the popular music scene is full of them. The Hunna are another example of such a band and their set in Cardiff marked their last night of a completely sold-out tour.

Support came from HUNTAR, a solo artist who sings over pre-recorded electronic tracks. If you imagine somewhere between Jack Garratt and Justin Bieber that's where HUNTAR sits, in a type of genre which is very popular at the moment. Despite clearly being an incredibly talented artist, each song appeared to blend into the next in a set almost completely full of similar sounding songs; the only exception being a drum & bass number which he closed with. Even with this 'samey' sound, HUNTAR deserves credit for bringing an incredible energy to the stage which transferred very quickly into the crowd and built up an insatiable hype before the main act.

HUNTAR @ Clwb Ifor Bach

The Hunna took to the stage to a packed out room which was buzzing with excitement. For a band only launched in October of last year and only spread through word of mouth and social media, having a series of sold out shows is an incredible achievement. Once they start playing, you can see why. With exciting guitar parts, a good beat and an excellent voice from the lead singer, The Hunna had the young crowd in the palm of their hand and the energy they brought to the stage was reflected by the fans bouncing and singing along. Having released only 3 singles so far – 'She's Casual', 'Bonfire' and 'We Could Be' – it is a great achievement to attract a crowd with so much energy.A mosh pit even broke out during the last song.

The Hunna @ Clwb Ifor Bach

The only fault with The Hunna is how similar each song sounded to the next. However, they know their fanbase and the formula that their music follows is very current. They may not be a band that breaks musical boundaries or has an important message, but they are a band which are good fun, if nothing else. With a debut album on the way this summer – which they announced to the crowd during the show – and another set of dates added to their tour due to high demand, it could be a big year for The Hunna as they look to follow in the footsteps of similar bands that have made it to the top.

-Luke
(edited by Kelcea)

Will Varley // Clwb Ifor Bach // 26.02.16

There's something really special about a small intimate gig. One not quite packed to capacity, one with a funny and charismatic artist that interacts with the crowd and one where the crowd is happy to have a laugh as well as a sing along. This is what everyone who went to see Will Varley instead of the rugby was treated to.

The night was opened by Kent band Molly's Lips who said that Will Varley brought them on tour because "he can't drive". For whatever reason they were brought along, it doesn't matter, they were excellent. Beautiful, full acoustic sound created by two blokes with guitars, bringing tears to the eyes and dancing to the feet, bringing a smile to everyone in the rooms face. Warming the room nicely up for Will.

Molly's Lips @ Clwb Ifor Bach

Will Varley came onto the stage, beers in hand with a huge grin on his face before launching into 'As For My Soul', the opening number of his new album.

Will Varley @ Clwb Ifor Bach

The most enjoyable thing about watching Will Varley, somewhat similarly to his record label mate Beans On Toast, is the 'home-made' feel of his shows. Joking and chatting his way through his gigs, you almost forget the odd moment when he forgets the words to a song. However it's this added character what makes you feel like you've not just seen someone stand on stage and play some songs but instead you've witnessed a unique show, something private between you and the other people in the room. It's an effect Will Varley creates exceptionally well in a live environment. Beyond that you even get beautiful music, stunning song writing and a man with an incredible voice.

Will Varley (feat. Molly's Lips) @ Clwb Ifor Bach

Towards the end of the set Molly's Lips were reintroduced to the stage to play as a backing band for Varley. This was a stroke of genius by whoever's idea it was, it added a brilliant atmosphere and a full sound to Will's songs. Something that wouldn't work for an entire show, due to the style of show that he puts on, but something really interesting to experience as part of the gig.
Having spent a long time playing to empty rooms and small crowds and with sold out days on this tour, a series of festival appearances coming up this summer and a US tour with Xtra Mile Recording label mates Beans On Toast and Skinny Lister, Will Varley  is slowly making his way up the musical ladder and could soon be a household name.

-Luke

Enter Shikari // Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff // 23.02.16

It was a cold quiet February Tuesday night in Cardiff and the Motorpoint Arena opened it's doors at 6. Hoards of gig goers flocked in for a show many of them had been anticipating for months. The excitement building, a buzz in the air as 7pm ticked closer and closer.The lights dimmed bringing the 3 quarters filled hall to a standstill.

One of the huge appeals of this tour was not just the headline act Enter shikari who themselves are incredible, but the quality of the bands supporting them. Most excitingly The King Blues who were returning for the first time on tour after 'splitting up' 4 years ago. Itch and the band had been tearing up political punk rock since about 2004 with numerous LP's reflecting Itch's objection to politics and also his personal struggles. When the band split in 2012 it sent shock waves through the world of punk rock and a lot of people were sad to see them go.

King Blues @ The Motorpoint Arena (photo by Ben Cowper)

Understandably the crowd were excited to see them back. Having released an EP 'Off With Their Heads' not much longer than a week before not only was it a chance to see a band which everyone thought had run their course but to hear some of their new material for the first time. Itch and the gang did not dissapoint, getting the crowd going with a set of old favourites, a call to protest against Cardiff Arms Fair and a brilliant rendition of their new single 'Off With Their Heads'. They were everything that was expected of them and more, so good in fact that they had the room calling for an encore.

The King Blues @ The Motorpoint Arena

However The King Blues had to give way for another incredible support act. All the way from the US the next support band were The Wonder Years, bring their brand of sad pop punk to Cardiff. Opening with 'Cardinals' and '& Brothers'; two songs that start off their latest album in an anthemic and hair raising fashion, they then led into a set filled with songs from every album. Fan favourite 'Passing Through A Screen Door' went down a treat with fans and new comers a like. Those unaware of The Wonder Years before the night soon became familiar with their tried and tested pop punk formula  and as the set went on more and more people in the hall were getting into the music, with mosh pits opening up left, right and centre.

The Wonder Years @ The Motorpoint Arena

As support acts go, Enter Shikari or whoever manages their tours did a fantastic job. With the crowd thoroughly warmed up and already sweating, The Wonder Years ended their set and the crowd waited in anticipation as behind a huge black curtain you could see lights flashing through, drum kits testing, the crowd knew there was something big was to be revealed. As the clock ticked round to 9pm there was a countdown in a deep synthesised voice.
"3 minute"
"2 minutes until show time"
"1 minute to go"
The lights dimmed.

The impressive thing about Shikari is their creativity. The genre which they fit into is a combination of electronic, metal, post hardcore and the remnants of rap metal, something not unheard of, but something they achieve with brilliance on record and in a live environment.

Enter Shikari @ The Motorpoint Arena

As if that wasn't enough Rou and the boys extend their creativity to live shows. As the band has progressed up the musical ladder its become easier for them to express themselves with extravagant shows with stunning lighting rigs and incredible sound and boy where the crowd at The Motorpoint Arena treated to a show.

Enter Shikari @The Motorpoint Arena (photo by Ben Cowder)

The curtain dropped revealing drummer Rob Rolfe's elevated stand and the band's logo suspended in metal from the rafters. Launching into the set with old favourite 'Enter Shikari' it took very little time for the crowd to rile up and become raucous, chanting back at the band "and still we will be here, standing like statues". Shikari created an atmosphere that made hairs stand on end, smashing through a set covering their entire discography, from studio albums new and old and one of singles, no one was left disappointed.

Enter Shikari @ The Motorpoint Arena (photo by James Aylward)

However, the most impressive thing about Enter Shikari was their inventiveness. With easy transitions mixing one track into the other, Rou's improvised vocals at the end of 'Radiate' and a spontaneous rendition of 'Angels' by Robbie Williams they had the crowd captivated and in the palm of their hand throughout the show. As a band they do so much more than perform songs, they create a show, a spectacle. A tactic that is slowly propelling them away from being an act on their way to the top to one that is already there.

Enter Shikari @ The Motorpoint Arena (photo by Robert Harris)

-Luke

The Front Bottoms // The Globe // 11.02.16

In the cute upstairs of a little venue in the outskirts of Cardiff city centre the Front Bottoms took to the stage and no one could have anticipated the show they would put on.

The support took to the stage – Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band – probably better known for their work with Manchester Orchestra on joint project Bad Books, they played a cracking set with the crowd bobbing along appreciatively. Then with a lovely speech on how they had fallen in love with the band they were supporting years ago and how they loved coming to Wales followed by the last song of the set, they were gone.

Kevin Devine @ The Globe

The anticipation started to build, the shuffling of feet to get to the front, ready for what everyone had come to see. The lights dimmed and then blasting through the speakers came ‘that song from Titanic’, everyone was taken back a bit then proceeded to shout their heart out to a classic, then The Front Bottoms walk onto the stage and play the beat of "Wolfman" and all hell breaks loose.

For a band best described as sad pop punk and on CD don’t sound crazily energetic, they know how to put on an energetic show. Within seconds there was pushing, shoving, moshing, bouncing and crowd surfing, they reduced a whole room of people to a sweaty mess within a space of a song or two, it was fantastic.

The Front Bottoms @ The Globe

As they tore through an explosive set with the crowd bouncing and shouting back every lyric the bands set came to a triumphant rendition of their hit song “Twin Size Mattress”. A very emotional song with a lot of energy, everyone in the room screamed it back providing a spine-tingling end to the show as the lead singer pushed his way through the crowd, getting mobbed by fans, the band played the song to a finish, leaving the crowd stunned. What a set and what a night

-Luke

Neck Deep // Cardiff SU Great Hall // 05.02.16

From midday anyone who walked past the Cardiff University Students Union on Friday would have seen the mass of teenagers with snapbacks, band shirts, skinny jeans and foil blankets braving the February winds to get in the prime position for the gig later that evening. For them and many others 7pm couldn't come quick enough as tonight there was a stellar line up of bands. As the day rolled on the queue grew bigger and bigger and by the time doors were open it was most of the way down the street and the floods of emo kids poured in for the first band.

Light Years exploded on to stage with a tried and tested formula of aggressive pop punk, nothing special but a good old fashioned american pop punk band. They ripped through songs off of their new LP and the crowd nodded along appreciatively, but this was only the start of the show.

Light Years @ Cardiff SU Great Hall (Supporting Neck Deep)

Creeper came next, a band on the rise and who are quickly achieving cult status among fans , especially in their hometown of Southampton, they ripped through their set whipping the crowd into a frenzy; mosh pits broke out and the first crowd surfers of the evening made an appearance. They were everything you'd want in a support act; exciting, energetic and something a bit different. With a new EP on the horizon I really wouldn't be surprised if Creeper quickly shot up into popularity in the emo/ pop punk scene.

Creeper @ Cardiff SU Great Hall (Supporting Neck Deep)

With the capacity crowd riled up and ready to go State Champs hit the stage bringing their own brand of american pop punk to the stage. They rattled through songs old and new and some crackers from their latest album 'Around the World and Back' and had most of the crowd shouting a long, moshing or both. And with that the lights dimmed and a buzz filled the room, the anticipation for the next act, the shuffling of feet to get to the front as the lighta dimmed for Neck Deep.

State Champs @ Cardiff SU Great Hall (Supporting Neck Deep)

With an explosion of noise Neck Deep burst onto the stage smashing out the first parts of 'Citizens Of The Earth', the crowd bounced and swarmed in response. Known for degrading their own music on their album; "Neck Deep? They're shit mate", the crowd seemed to disagree with the pop punk band from Wrexham shouting along to every song, mostly from their new album 'Life's Not Out To Get You' but also some older tunes as well.

Neck Deep @ Cardiff SU Great Hall

Finishing the main set with the cracking 'A Part of Me' they burst into an encore, playing 'Head To The Ground' and a full-band version of 'December' before closing with fast paced hit 'Can't Kick Up The Roots' off of the latest album. Every fan left happy and sweaty from a mental gig. Neck deep  are only going to rise and rise in fame as they progress as a band, the future is bright for this band from Wales.

-Luke

YAK // Clwb Ifor Bach // 04.02.16

It's 8pm, a small crowd begins to gather outside Cardiff's premier independent music venue. Excitement building, the buzz "when are doors?", "I can't wait!" you know the drill. The doors swing open into the cute, intimate downstairs of Clwb Ifor Bach. People filter in slowly at first and then half-filling the room before the support band hit the stage, the lights dim and the music stops....

A projector flickers on, the strum of a guitar and the carnage of Swedish Death Candy begins. Half an hour of a musical hurricane only briefly stepping into the eye of the storm every now and then before being thrown straight back in to the thrashing guitars and blistering noise. Not only a feast for the ears however, a light show to accompany the madness, a genius idea: simple yet effective. Using an old projector and a bowl of water, food colouring and oil (at a guess) they managed to create atmospheric and original lighting adding a strange and dynamic feel to the performance. Paving the way nicely into YAK.

Swedish Death Candy @ Clwb Ifor Back (featuring inventive lighting)

YAK are a band tipped for big things in 2016 and from the first note you could see why. Aggressively they tore through song after song at blistering pace and the crowd responded brilliantly. never before have I seen crowd surfing in a room with only 50-60 people let alone the mosh pits: breaking onto the stage at points and band members joining in. YAK played the crowd brilliantly extending the build ups and highlighting the breakdowns, creating a buzz around the room and genuine excitement for this band.

YAK @ Clwb Ifor Bach

With everyone in the room a sweaty mess, YAK continued the madness with lead singer Olly mounting an amp and throwing himself on to the crowd microphone in hand. The mass of sweat and bodies YAK had created bounced back in glee as they proceeded through the set. As the show came to an end, the crowd whipped up into a frenzy moshed and jumped to every beat and YAK ripped through angry guitar rif in a wall of noise coming to a crescendo at the end of the set. Olly kicked over one of the drums before the end of the song before kicking over the keyboard and throwing down his guitar, wrecking the stage and the band dissapeared off leaving the older members of the crowd smiling gleefully reminiscing of bands of days they thought were gone and the younger ones left with their eyes opened to a new way of rocking.

The aftermath

Yes YAK are tipped for big things this year and oh my goodness can you see why.

-Luke

A Fantastic Gig and a Pet Hate

Having moved to Cardiff 3 months, I've spent a lot of that 3 months looking for where I'm going to get my fix for live music, and I think I've finally found it.
Since coming to Cardiff, Tuesday was my 3rd visit to Clwb Ifor Bach. Having already been treated to Nothing But Thieves at the start of November and Kagoule last week, I already knew what a fantastic gig venue it was. However on Tuesday I went to see The Wytches supportes by TRAAMS and Black Honey and it was honestly one of my favourite gigs of the year.
Black honey - first of all - were brilliant, a fantastic stage presence and something a bit different to start of the night. Having listened to a couple of their songs on youtube before heading to the gig I was suprised how loud they were. A lot of their studio work sounds a lot more chilled out than live because as a ive band they were angry, full of energy and very loud. Any chance you get to see this band I would definitely recommend it!
TRAAMS, compared to Black Honey seemed a bit uninteresting - monotonous post punk - however they were good fun and shouted there way through a killer set which gave the crowd some more energy (not that it was needed).
Then came The Wytches, and the excitement soon bubbled over into the break out of a mosh pit,  and now we come back to why I love this venue, with an atmosphere this electric for a lesser known band in a small intimate crowd it was an incredible gig. For me this is what live music means, not some The Vaccines on some arena tour (incidently in Cardiff the same night) but a small sweaty venue with 2 or 3 hundred people all really into a tiny band no one else has ever heard off, because that where music really comes alive.
This brings me to the point of this article really, yes the bands were fantastic and please listen to them it was an incrdible gig, but unfortunately the tone is a saddened one. It very much upsets me that people my age don't go to gigs (I'm a student) unless they know the band inside out, have friends to go with and it's in a big venue Some of the best, most incredible gigs I've been to (like this one), I've been to on my own in a tiny venue and not known the bands that well and unfortunately as less and less young people go to gigs, it doesnt just hurt the venues but it hurts the up and coming bands as well because how do you think they get famous? It's a dire situation we face that the future of music could be solely made up of X Factor winners and manufactured, 'safe' pop. The small bands are the ones pushing the boundaries, the ones that are different and more than aything what we want the future of music to be.

Dials Festival

New festival, new bands!

Having moved to Cardiff is a blessing and a curse. The positives is that I’m experiencing a whole new set of venues and scenes that I have never seen before, the downside it’s a long way to treck back down to the south coast to visit old favourites. Nonetheless this weekend I popped on the train for 2 and a half hours to see a festival which has become part of my yearly routine.

Southsea Festival, which I went to in 2012 and 2013 seeing artists like George Ezra, Drenge and Anamanaguchi before they were a lot bigger, is fantastic. Split across many venues in Southsea across Albert Road – the live music hub of the city – it’s always a fantastic opportunity to see new music; local, national and international. However this year the organisers have taken a year off, and hence Dials Festival was born. Run across 5 venues on Albert Road who wanted to keep the tradition of a street festival going it was a fantastic testament to a local community pulled together by music.

Having lived down the road from the festival site as a child and being brought up in those music venues it was very nice to feel at home after 2 weeks in an alien city and not only that the festival had an incredible line up, some I knew, some I’d never heard of before.

The day started in a little venue called the Edge of the Wedge, a little pub/music venue on the side of the much bigger Wedgewood Rooms, a well-known and popular independent venue in the local area. I wondered in not knowing what to expect from Bright Smoke and I was pleasantly surprised by what greeted me. A one woman band, sampling a cello and electric guitar live in a psychedelic style is a fantastic way to start your Saturday afternoon. She was quickly at 3 in the Wedgewood Rooms by the local Showcase event winners ­Dutch Criminal Records who brought a familiar indie rock style to unfortunately quite an empty room, however they played on and those who were in the room thoroughly enjoyed it.

The next band I saw were my band of the day for the second festival this summer, having seen them at Blissfields already this year I knew what to expect from MOK but once again they were fantastic, better even than when I saw them before. Not really fitting into a genre is MOKs speciality combining elements of Rap, Indie Rock, Electronic and occasionally heavier metal they are delight for any music fan. I still would definitely tip them for much greater things as they had everyone in the room bopping and listening attentively. I definitely cannot wait for any album they may release in the future as it will be on repeat for a long time.

Another stand out band of the day for me were FlashFires who I have also already seen this summer at Butserfest. Again, like MOK, they were even better than before, I think this is because both bands lend themselves to filling a room with their sound which they couldn’t do where I saw them both before. FlashFires played in a poky little pub called Little Johnny Russels just down the road from the Wedgewood Rooms, and it was fantastic, you could sit, have a pint and watch an exciting band in tiny venue.

Then came the top end of the bill, my favourite of which was Kagoule. Having released their fantastic new album Urth this summer it was fantastic to hear a fantastic album live. Kagoule are a part of a new emerging grunge and punk scene in the UK, headed by bands like Sleaford Mods, Fidlar and Slaves amongst others, the next year could be a breakout year for Kagoule amongst many others in this genre. Having seen them at Dials I have already booked tickets to see them up in Cardiff, can’t wait!

Roll on Dials/ Southsea festival next year, if it’s as good as this year, I can’t wait.