On the week that saw the release of their much delayed second album, the inventers of the swiftly forgotten ‘new rave’ genre, Klaxons returned to London for a show that undoubtedly gave them a confidence boost before headlining the Radio One/NME Stage at Reading & Leeds festival. If the band had any pre gig nerves, these were quickly banished when the demented guitars of ‘Flashover’ begun. The packed crowd quickly warmed up and reacted as well as the band could’ve hoped. Despite the freshness of the new tracks, they still resonated well with the sold out audience.
Predictably the biggest cheers were reserved for tracks from their Mercury Prize winning debut ‘Myths Of The Near Future’, with ‘Golden Skans’, ‘Magick’ and ‘Atlantis To Interzone’ all receiving an ecstatic response from the crowd. While it’s been heavily noted about the gaps between their first and second album, it’s also important to note that fans simply haven’t had the chance to hear the songs for a while. Therefore it may be slightly unfair to compare both sets of songs just yet. Latest single ‘Echoes’ also stood out as a fan favourite, it’s brain invading chorus was sung back at the band from across the room.
Importantly it looks like the band have put their maligned recording experience behind them, with all members looking chuffed at the audience between songs. Looking relaxed and in a jubilant mood – at one point bassist Jamie Reynolds stops proceedings to wish keyboard player James Righton happy birthday – Klaxons may have just got through their heavy case of second album syndrome unscathed.
Klaxons are on tour throughout the year, for more details check their MySpace.
It’s been a good month for Canadian alternative rockers Arcade Fire. Their new, more stripped down sound has been embraced by music fans the world over with their latest album going to number 1 in the USA, UK and Canada – a feat which firmly puts Arcade Fire in the rock music A list. Added to that, videos of their recent performance at Madison Square Garden – directed by former Monty Python Terry Gilliam no less – have also been turning heads racking up 100,000’s of views in little over two weeks.
The band now looks set to take their expansive live show on the road with the announcement that they will play a series of dates in the USA. This comes after the band sold out their dates at London’s huge O2 in little than over 10 minutes. Those wishing to see the band in the UK can still get day tickets for the Reading and Leeds festival next week which will also showcase performances from Queens Of The Stone Age, Blink 182 and Guns And Roses – if Axl shows up of course!
Arcade Fire will play the following American dates:
St. Paul, MN Roy Wilkins Arena (September 22) Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre (23) Saskatoon, SK Credit Untion Centre (25) Calgary, AB Stampede Corral (26) Vancouver, BC Pacific Coliseum (28) Seattle, WA Key Arena (29) Portland, OR Memorial Coliseum (30) Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre (October 2) Big Sur, CA Henry Miller Library (5) Los Angeles, CA Shrine Auditorium (7) Los Angeles, CA Shrine Auditorium (8) Mexico City, MX Palacio de los Deportes (10) Monterrey, MX Banamex Theater (12)
One of the most distinguished events out of the European festival circuit is taking place this year from August the 10th-14th in Norway’s capital city Oslo.
The Øya Festival stands out from the avalanche of similar events thanks to its historical location on a medieval park, right where Oslo was originally found. Its impeccable green credentials – having won several awards and mentions for its full compromise with the environment – and with a line-up that focuses on new music, it easily stands comparisons against any other rock events held around the globe.
Headliners this year include Pavement, who continue their acclaimed reunion tour, LCD Soundsystem’s rumoured final tour, M.I.A, Big Boi, The Flaming Lips and The xx next to up to 200 other acts scheduled to perform. The event also offers a comprehensive program of multidisciplinary art activities and club nights. More details of which can be found at the festival website.
While giving the finishing touches, the organisers have compiled a triple-sided mixtape with some of the most interesting up and coming talent featured in this year’s edition. Recent favourites from the likes of Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffitti, Yeasayer or Marina & The Diamonds go back to back with a good selection of local talent- and it’s available to download for free! For links and full tracklist info read on.
One of the world’s biggest rock bands, Guns ‘N’ Roses, have announced a handful of UK dates later this year. While the much delayed album ‘Chinese Democracy’ finally saw the light of day in 2008, Axl and Co. had already embarked on the Chinese Democracy tour back in 2001 – so far playing over 163 shows to over 3.5 million people. While the band are headlining this year’s Reading & Leeds Festivals, they will also be playing the following dates later this year – their first UK arena dates in four years.
13th October – O2 Arena, London
17th October – LG Arena, Birmingham
18th October – MEN Arena, Manchester
While the ongoing disputes between the original members means we won’t get to see Slash and his trademark Les Paul, you can rest assure that Axl Rose will lead the band through a greatest hits set, including a healthy dose of tracks from their infamous debut ‘Appetite For Destruction’.
Tickets for the dates are on sale 10am 6th August 10AM from AEG.
Last week we headed to Shoreditch to see emerging London five piece Chapel Club. There’s has been a rapid rise, after only releasing a handful of tracks they’ve already managed to draw a packed crowd for tonight’s show. The band strut onstage with an air of confidence missing from previous performances; their nervous energy replaced by a knowing poise. Their epic brand of doom laden indie has seen many tout them as the next heirs of the “stadium indie” throne. However, while this remains to be seen, Chapel Club are filling their end of the bargain by crafting songs that could easily be cherished by the masses.
Delivering perfect renditions of ‘O Maybe I’ and ‘Five Trees’ in what quickly became a furnace of a venue; after playing several festival dates this summer, Chapel Club are visibly finding their stride. The band is scheduled to play several more festival dates during the summer, before embarking on the NME Radar Tour across the UK in October with the Joy Formidable. As a taster for their forthcoming album, they’ve released ‘The Shore’ for free download; simply head to their MySpace and in exchange for your email address you can receive the track. Read more…
The ITunes Festival 2010 edition came to an end last weekend, after a full month of showcasing an impressively eclectic line up of first class talent coming from all corners of the popular music spectrum.
Held at the iconic Roundhouse in Camden, this year’s event has seen top-notch performances from the likes of Scissor Sisters, Tony Bennett, Florence & The Machine and The National to name a few. Last Friday, was the turn of uberhip French combo Phoenix, supported by homegrown indie electronica maverick James Yuill.
The laptop wizard opened the evening with an assured set of his playful tunes. One of the artists originally thrown into the bag of the infamous ‘folktronica’ genre – which years ago was allocated to anyone who managed to produce any combination between electronic and acoustic elements – James Yuill keeps his consolidation as a fine example of British indie electropop. Plugging his second album ‘Movement In A Storm’, his set was backed by an as excellent as colourful visual work and it finished on an improvised note, when the software on his laptop crashed, needing to resort just to his acoustic guitar for the last song. It all worked for the best, giving further proof of what a confident performer he is.
Last weekend we headed down to Shoreditch Park for this year’s 1,2,3,4 Festival. As always the one day event attracted the cream of underground music, assembling a lineup that pulled in the fashion conscious masses of East London. Headlining this year’s event were Canadian hardcore punks F**ked Up who gave the day a suitably riotous finish. Lead singer Pink Eyes tore in to the crowd, delivering songs from within the mosh pit. It’s not everyday you can claim to see a band who are led by a large, semi naked man with blood dripping from his forehead. However it wasn’t only F**ked Up who stole the show, the day was full of standout performances spread across five arenas.
Highlights of ’1,2,3,4′ included a lively show from Sharks, who filled their small tent with many forced to peer in through gaps in the tent. Comanechi gave one of the strongest performances of the day, drawing a huge crowd to the Rough Trade tent. Dum Dum Girls provided the perfect soundtrack to a sun kissed afternoon, after S.C.U.M. showed that they still haven’t quite justified the hype the received earlier in their development.
Wavves held their own on the Main Stage after a car crash performance from Peter Hook who embarrassingly fist pumped his way through Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’. After the much documented meltdown at Primavera, many thought Wavves’ Nathan Williams would give a repeat performance today. However, despite issues with the sound levels onstage, the band delivered a solid set of material largely taken from their latest album ‘King Of The Beach’.
The dance tent attracted it’s fair share of attention throughout the day with A1 Bassline, Drop The Lime and Toddla T all playing out to a packed tent. For more pictures of the event, click the link below.
Proving to be a jewel in the crown of this year’s packed summer festival season, Field Day has yet again delivered an unmissable line up. This year’s roster will be headed by Phoenix, currently experiencing a purple patch after the release of last year’s ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’. After being lauded by hipsters and tastemakers for years, the band are finally receiving the recognition they deserve – a feat that was confirmed with a Grammy Award last year for ‘Best Alternative Music Album’. There’s no denying that tracks like ‘1901’ and ‘Lisztomania’ will resonate well with the Field Day masses, but let’s hope they don’t forget to play the sublime ‘Too Young’ from their debut album ‘United’.
Other highlights come in the form of Caribou, fresh from delivering one of the stand-out albums of the year ‘Swim’. With the recent run of warm weather in the capital ‘Sun’ has developed into a summer anthem and promises to be one of the day’s stand out tracks. Also performing will be post-punk veterans The Fall, the gloriously noisy No Age, much hyped Egyptian Hip Hop and folk pop troubadour Lightspeed Champion. There will also be a host of DJ talent including Simian Mobile Disco, James Holden, Andrew Weatherall and Carte Blanche – the new collaboration between Riton and DJ Mehdi.
Field Day takes place in London’s Victoria Park on 31st July 2010. For full line-up and ticket information head to the Field Day website.
With just ten weeks to go until this year’s Bestival, even more acts and DJs have been added to the event’s already jam packed line up.
Heading the bill will be Dizzee Rascal, The Flaming Lips and The Prodigy. 2010 has already been a great year for Dizzee, after wowing the masses at Glastonbury and scoring his fourth number one with ‘Dirtee Disco’ the rapper’s headline set will kick off proceedings in a suitably raucous fashion. (We won’t mention his fifth number one, his ill fated rallying cry for England’s football team, ‘Shout’) Saturday sees Flaming Lips headline, a band that have steadily risen to become a must see act. Expect stage invaders in animal outfits, a mind boggling light show and a lead singer floating through the crowd in a giant bubble. Finally, The Prodigy will give Bestival a brutal send off with a hit laden set that will undoubtedly cause bouts of mass hysteria. However Bestival is far more than just the headline acts: the weekend will also see sets from Roxy Music, Fever Ray, LCD Soundsystem, Chase & Status, The xx and Richie Hawtin - in a rare appearance that resurrects his tripped-out Plastikman guise.
With the festival already sold out you would have thought the Bestival crew would be kicking back with a frosty Mojito until the event. However, any thoughts that festival head honcho Rob Da Bank may have had of relaxing have clearly been put to one side. Far from resting on their laurels Bestival have announced a plethora of new acts added to the weekend. Highlights include 80’s slap bass wizards Level 42; British rap hotshots Giggs and Prof. Green; plus Nneka, Eliza Doolittle and The King Blues. DJ’s just added to the bill aren’t too shabby either coming in the form of High Contrast, Trojan Soundsystem, Queens Of Noise and Ashley Beedle’s new project, Darkstarr.
Currently riding high after releasing one of the standout albums of the year so far, Spanish indie-dance band Delorean delivered gloriously executed set in the cramped first floor of The Lexington. Taking to the stage with a plethora of weird and wonderful electronic instruments, the band gave the eager crowd exactly what they wanted.
The tropical pop of tracks such as ‘Stay Close’ have certainly gained resonance in the usually hot British summer we’ve been experiencing. But, unlike your recently acquired summer shorts, you’ll almost certainly still be reaching for Delorean’s music for a while yet. With a set laden with tracks from their latest album ‘Subiza’ Delorean resemble Animal Collective if they’d experienced a mind altering weekend jaunt to Ibiza. By embracing Balearic influences into their sound, Delorean have drastically evolved from the electro tinged punk-funk of their earlier output.
One positive outcome in the marriage of indie and dance is that it has livened up once stagnant crowds at gigs. Delorean inspired bouts of hands aloft dancing amongst tonight’s audience, a much more welcoming environment for bands than a room full of crossed armed chin strokers. The band are currently embarking on a tour across the US & Canada before heading to Australia later in the year, for more details head to their MySpace.
