Future Of The Left

Monday 30th November 2009, Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms

'Where is everybody?' shouts an excitable Future of the Left fan three songs into their set, noticeably unimpressed with the show's devastatingly low turnout.

This random outburst thrown from the crowd reassuringly broke the ice of what began as an intensely wooden atmosphere.

From that moment on the comedic banter, for which FOTL are renowned for, was able to flow freely until mocking rowdy audience members (and drummer Jack Egglestone – a fan of Pompey FC) became almost mandatory between songs.

“We're here”, shouts another fanatic, “So are we” replies Andy Faulkous, (keyboard/guitar) “we travelled further than you, all the way from Oxford.”

Formed from the ashes of previous cult bands McClusky and Jarcrew, Future of the Left's quick wit transfers into eccentric, seamlessly overlapping lyrical chants about wizards, elves, sausages and pussycats, serving to soften their often biting satirical narratives, all spat out fiercely by front-men Kelson Mathias and Andy Falkous.

Beneath the light-hearted references, odd song titles and bouts of synthetic keyboard noise lie incendiary guitar bursts, driven by heavy, pounding bass riffs. This is true of their latest offering You Need Satan More Than He Needs You, from the album Travels With Myself and Another, which is made all the less sinister by it's comedic performance.

This dynamic Cardiff trio deserve to be heard.

http://www.futureoftheleft.com

Photo by Ben Walker, http://www.flickr.com/photos/liveandloud/

Hundred Reasons

Thursday 12th November, Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms

Touring isn't something Hundred Reasons do a lot of these days and despite dwindling numbers, the group took to the Wedgewood Rooms stage as if they never left the scene.

The band celebrated their return by ploughing through old school material, noticeably evoking some intense emotions amongst the crowd, as lead singer, Colin Doran, explains, this is the band's tenth year performing together.

Doran exemplified his strong vocal capability as he belted out tracks from the band's back catalogue, with hard-hitting rock riffs from Kill Your Own interspersed with the epic sing-a-longs Silver and If I Could echoing the days of their debut album; Ideas Above Our Station.

A new release isn't expected from the Surrey-based 5-piece any time soon, and given their unfortunate luck with record labels in the past, it is perhaps not surprising. However, this tour brought with it the fourth rendition of the band's 'Singles club', a long-running tradition whereby new tracks are available in a split-EP format, alongside their energetic tour support; Scholars and Canterbury.

Longevity is key in the music industry and rumour has it Hundred Reasons are taking their time over new material, which is set to be 'worth the wait'.


View on The News website

BBC Blast on Tour 2009

I am currently working voluntarily on two BBC Blast Tour events in Brighton and on the IOW.

Blast offers creative, exciting and free workshops for 13 - 19 year olds across the UK.

My first stop is Brighton...to teach young people how to create a short film! I will upload a review, pics and content when the placement is complete!

In the mean time, check out the Blast website and the IOW e-flyer below to find out more:

Working with the Student Radio Association

I Love Student Radio Campaign

The I Love Student Radio campaign aims to promote the activities of student radio across the UK, highlighting the variety, diversity and quality of what is surely one of the most vibrant and interesting sectors of the UK media landscape.

I was involved in organising and promoting the launch event in London on October 21st at Westminister University and got the chance to mingle with industry professionals; including interviewing Radio 1's Greg James and David Garrido.

To find out more about the project go to the I Love Student Radio website - my interviews will be up on the site shortly!

Interviewing David Garrido - picture by Barry Carlyon

Filming at Glade Festival!

Southampton Solent University students were given the exciting opportunity to be a part of Glade, the electronic dance music festival for the third year running. The festival, a spin off from the larger Glastonbury festival, has been attracting an eclectic mix of open minded individuals since it first blasted out its electro beats four years ago.


After working for the festival in 2007 as part of the Solent Glade programme sellers, I managed to make it onto the backstage media crew, as a roaming reporter. I interviewed festival organisers, bands and DJs (including; Dreadzone, The Orb & SubGiant) and punters to find out what Glade is all about, as well as practice my video skills by filming live on the Main Stage.

The footage was used by the Glade artists and uploaded to the Solent University website.

To read more about the project click here. To view the highlight footage click here.

View the slideshow from Glade 2007.

Reporting from Glastonbury festival!

In 2008 I was part of the documentary team, reporting from across the site to create a feature about the festival's Green Issues.

You can view the video on the Solent University 'Gogglebox'

About the project:

The Solent at Glastonbury experience was organised by Southampton Solent University's very own Glastonbury veteran Dave Poulton. Students from the Faculty of Technology's Media Technology course and from the Faculty of Media Arts and Society's Film and Television Production course supplied coverage of the Dance East stage whose line up included Roisin Murphy and Fat Boy Slim.

The students created highlight packages for major news agencies including Reuters, Associated Press and ITV.

As well as covering Dance East a documentary team, commissioned by the festival, created 6 short documentaries on green issues surrounding the festival, including one on the Jazz of the World Stage and the Dance Village. A documentary on ecology was also filmed.

The festival, who work closely with environmental charities such as Greenpeace and WaterAid, saw the green police out on the beat once again.

The documentary team, led by Senior Lecturer in Film and Television Production Tony Steyger, used the latest HD cameras.

Read more on the Solent website

Ad-Hoc Music Reviews...featuring Jay-Z.

Jay Z - Run This Town

I'll admit that I am not a huge rap/urban music fan but I like to think that I can appreciate a good song when I hear it and let's face it, most if not all of us have at one time or another danced/sung along to '99 Problems', but this? Mister Jay-Z what WERE you thinking?

As a comeback track this is a poor effort. Rhianna's nasally vocals grate on the ears, Kanye's input goes pretty much unnoticed and Jay-Z just sounds as if he's talking about a certain American hospital drama.

It just goes to show that even a collaboration of supposedly great pop stars doesn't always produce a successful sound.

Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind

This is a prime example of how much more effective a track can be when you select the right vocalist.

Alicia Keys would beat Rhianna in a vocal match any day - why this tune wasn't chosen as the first single I have no idea. Perhaps Jay-Z just has a soft spot for working with 'hip' young artists but in my eyes Rhianna is over hyped. Alicia at least has some soul.

It's a fairly typical lyrical choice - rap about one of the most famous capitals in the world and you'll excite people. You wouldn't, possibly, get the same sense of glamour if they'd chosen to sing about Essex.

More Moir...

I find it hugely hypocritical that Daily Mail 'journalist' Jan Moir feels she has fallen victim to a 'heavily orchestrated campaign' when that is precisely what the Mail itself generated following the Ross-Brand incident.

Her article is nothing more than speculation, an obvious case of someone who is a jack of all trades but a master in none as she clutches at straws to tie links between "the recent death of Kevin McGee, the former husband of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, and now the dubious events of Gately", offering her notable expertise on what caused his death.

The Mail writer should get her comeuppance, but I can imagine the paper's deep pockets and spinning skills will prevent any commendable punishment.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1220756/A-strange-lonely-troubling-death--.html#ixzz0UICNsVN6

Muse Night on Radio 1

Phenomenal. They always have been, still are and hopefully always will be.

MUSE.

I was fortunate enough to be involved in the creation on the Muse at Ten documentary for the Muse Night on BBC Radio 1, Monday 7th September, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the band's Showbiz album.

Radio 1 is currently playing 5 hours of Muse highlights from the past decade and celebrating Muse's career, right from the start. As well as playing a whole hour of live music from their homecoming gigs in Teignmouth on the 4th&5th September.

The Muse at Ten documentary takes listeners through Muse's new purpose-built studio by Lake Como in Italy as the band tell the story of their progression towards and the making of the new album The Resistance.

To find out more about Muse Night visit the Radio 1 website

Taking Back Sunday, 4th August 2009, Heaven

Sometimes it's nice to go to a gig knowing that you don't have to review it and therefore won't be distracted by words rolling around in your mind, whilst you're desperately trying to soak up the atmosphere of the evening.

That was the plan, but apparently I cannot escape the floating sentences that cling inside my head and therefore you're being subjected to an ad-lib review, hurrah.

A gay club in central London is not typically where you'd expect to witness New Yorker's Taking Back Sunday perform, however a rushed sell out of the Camden Barfly compelled the band to upgrade venues, to the delight of many ticket-less fans and to the dismay of several others, who were expecting a much more intimate affair.

Following the release of their fifth album, aptly titled New Again, TBS flew over to play a mere 7 shows in the UK, whilst also making an appearance at the Kerrang! Awards the evening before gracing Heaven - their 6th consecutive visit to the ceremony despite not being nominated for anything - a fact bassist Matt proudly announces to the adoring London crowd part-way through the five-piece's set.

Heaven is surprisingly dingy given it's angelic name. As TBS stroll through their set, beginning with What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost and throwing out the classics between a plethora of new tracks, water runs down the walls of the cave-like venue and fans bop about accordingly at the front of the club's tunneled structure.

New found guitarist Matt Fazzi is TBS's latest accessory to an ever growing list of band members and he adds a much heavier, atmospheric build up and impressive vocal talent to songs both old and new. Adam's vocals drown a little beneath the pounding sound of bass but his ever quirky mannerisms and incessant crowd sing-a-longs somewhat mask this.

Bringing the gig to a close with new track Swing, (arguably the best track from the new album) and ending on Make Damn Sure from their previous release, Louder Now, Taking Back Sunday prove that despite criticism their fan base is as strong as ever and (dare I say it?) they're ready to be new again.

Field Day Review for Newsbeat

The Horrors, Little Boots and The Big Pink brave the rain to play the third instalment of the London fete-festival.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_8181000/8181576.stm


Organisers, Eat Your Own Ears, haven't had the best of luck in the three years Field Day has been running. When it all began in 2007 they were swamped with complaints after misjudging the demand for bars and toilets. Last year improved but they still came under fire and what's more, bands had to contend with day-long drizzle.

Inspired by traditional sports days and summer fetes, the one-day festival, held in London's Victoria Park, fell victim to more unpleasant English weather this year. But unlike previous years the vibe of the festival remained high as 20,000 punters roamed the site enjoying the eclectic line up.

Jonathan Gurteen, London:

“We mainly came to see Fake Blood. I came two years ago and it was so badly organised you couldn't get a drink for love or money. This year's so much better, with more bars and much better music.”

Gwen and Helen from Manchester.

“It's great apart from the rain. We've seen Final Fantasy and Michachu. There's lots of new music so it's a good chance to see some new stuff.”

FIRST BANDS:

First up on the Main Stage are BBC Introducing faves Gaggle, an alternative all-girl choir draped in brightly coloured cloths, chanting misfit harmonies with modern-hinged lyrics such as “I'm drunk, she's drunk” to early arrivers.

Errors take to the Main stage around 2pm to whirl through an electronic instrumental set whilst wild-haired King Charles' country guitars ring out from the Beetroot stage. Later on it's Temper Trap who captivate the audience with their blend of indie-rock and soul.

In keeping with the day's theme, games of tug of war and the egg and spoon races commence on the Village Green. Even when the rain begins to pour, putting an end to the remaining sports day activities, the crowds still find ways to have fun – by starting hay bale fights.

Jurgen from Amsterdam:

“ I came because Four Tet was playing I flew in two days ago. The weirdest thing was when Wood Pigeon were playing, everybody was sat down inside the tent, I’ve never seen that before.”

During Fake Blood on the Bugged Out stage, Little Boot's (a.k.a Victoria Hesketh) shelters from the rain whilst preparing for her set after a mishap involving the band's stage costumes;

“We lost all our costumes this morning, we've got capes and hoods that we come on with - a bit like Jedis. So there'll be a bit of improvisation going on but I'm sure it won’t stop the spirit of it.

Fake Blood's on before us and Erol Alkan's on afterwards so I think ours is the rave tent. It all seems really fun, it's raining but no-one seems to mind.”

A sea of umbrellas emerge during the Horrors set. You can hear front-man Farris growling from across the other side of the site as he murmurs beneath a cloud of purple lights.

Little boots takes to the Bugged Out stage at 6pm. Fighting through the crowd to watch the electro-pop princess once Fake Blood ends is like waiting for Kylie Minogue to emerge after Slipknot have desecrated the stage. But the 25 year old from Blackpool somehow manages to make pop-music acceptable amongst an indie crowd as she produces infectious beats and pitch perfect vocals, alongside her glittering keyboard & Tenorian performance.

Whilst Rusko is bashing out electro, dub and drum and bass on the Blog stage to an over-spilling tent, The Big Pink play to a slightly less enthusiastic crowd, seemingly captivated by the trios' synth-fused grunge.

Headliners, Mogwai, promptly grace the Main Stage after Skream's thumping dupstep is cut short to keep from going over curfew. This is the Glaswegian band's only English festival date this year so expectations are high. As the surrounding tents begin to wind down and all that's left is the distant sound of throbbing bass, the 5-piece plough through an atmospheric ensemble of bespoke melodies and pounding, heavy guitars that burst into crescendos when the audience least expect it. As they make a dedication to the late football manager, Sir Bobby Robson, their seamless wave of melodies make for the perfect finale to this damp, but lively festival – let's hope the sun comes out to play next year.

Beeb life update...

Just a quick update to let everyone know that I am a month into my BBC Blast Creative Traineeship, as a Broadcast Assistant at Radio One!

I can hardly believe how quickly the time has gone, I have done a number of different duties, some of which I have never undergone before so it's brilliant to try new things and have an insight into how the station operates.

I'm hoping to visit Newbeat whilst i'm here and possibly get some written reviews up on the online music news pages, as I am keen to try out new areas of work and keep my written skills in tact (/practice them...!!)

A video I helped to film, of Kid Harpoon in session was up on the Radio 1 website for a while, I am hoping to get a copy of it from the team - but here's where you can find out a bit of info about the session:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/videos/inmwtstevelamacq/video/090709_kidharpoon

At the moment i'm looking for a project to undertake for the Arts Award. I could simply document my time here, but I'd like to go beyond that and create a mini-project, perhaps a mini-documentary about the station and it's current position...I have ideas - it's just putting them into a workbook, playing them out and putting together the final product! Not tough then, ha. Here's the site:

http://www.artsaward.org.uk/site/?id=66

Calvin Harris is coming on the show tomorrow - which should be funn! :)

Beyond that I have done a fair bit of sightseeing, but need to do more (London is massive though, I could spends days writing a 'must-see' list alone.)

Life at Radio 1

Wow.

I can hardly believe where my life is taking me at the moment. It seems all the hard work is beginning to pay off though - but not entirely, there's still loads more hard work to be done!

I feel as though I rarely stop to think or relax anymore, it's non-stop, mission after mission, seeking out new experiences at every opportunity. Which isn't such a bad life - I just need to make sure I remain in touch with people and don't neglect my home-life.

I'm at home at the moment, taking a breather - uploading new CDs to my mac and syncing it with my ipod - so I finally have some music to listen to whilst I roam around London!

But here's a run down of my BBC Blast placement so far...

I started on Monday 22nd June, 10am - had an induction and tour of Yalding House, home of Radio 1 and 1Xtra. All week I completed inline training courses, a policy of the Beeb.

Joe Harland, one of the Specialist producers gave me a few tasks to get on with as well, before my time on the Nick Grimshaw Show began.

These included:

Removing bad language from the Gaslamp Killer set live from Sonar festival
Brainstorming for the T in the Park competition
& putting together clips of slipknot (to test my editing skills)
He also made sure I was shown the R1 system, so I could load in tracks for shows etc!

We had a few training sessions, in the studios - Joe even gave me half an hour or so to muck about on the CD-J's & Zane's Kaos Pad! (eee)

Week 2 and I've started on the Grimmy Show, 10-midnight, the hours are odd (4pm until midnight) but it's great that I get to work within a lovely team, on a brand new show that is finding it's feet.

So far i've been loading in tracks, writing notes for the scripts, compiling info about forthcoming guests & typing up trackilistings & online content whilst we're on air. I also occasionally manage text messages (when the Assistant Producers are away) & maintain the facebook/BEBO accounts!

The hostel was nice, but extremely hot (I think we had a heatwave and besides, London is stuffy!) There was no air-con, I had a top-bunk, there were 4 girls sharing one very small room & the kitchen was in the basement. So halls is a step up! Plus I now have the internet to update (whoever reads this) on my antics - finally.

I really must update this more often as I am hoping to put together an arts award project! see ya

Me my head - Unit

Me My Head grace the Unit stage at We Are Rockstars on July 11th.

Emerging from the breakup of their previous band, The Moth, this West-London five-piece have recently performed with hot new acts Dananananaykroyd and The Joy Formidable (both recent guests of The Joiners).

Since the recent completion of their album, Survival in No Mans Land, MMH are now set to unleash their keyboard-infused indie rock to the masses, as they headline their own tour.

The band already have some big names behind them; Dave Bascombe (Depeche Mode, Manic Street Preachers and The Verve) mixed the album and their latest single, Tumbling Down, was produced by Embrace guitarist, Richard Mcnamara.

Joiners Website

Ash

Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms, 4th June 2009

Things have gone a bit stale for Ash in recent years. Whether you blame the departure of Miss Hatherley or the lack of musical impact since the release of Free All Angels, it's apparent that despite a couple of hits (Clones, Orpheus) and a 'controversial' decision not to release any further albums, Ash have barely hit the headlines.

Maybe things are about to change, the emergence of Irish 3-pieces seems to be the 'in thing' at the moment, with the likes of Fighting with Wire and In Case of Fire being signed to major labels, and as Ash were the original trio, (barre the coming and going of Hatherley, of course) this could be the perfect time for them to make a comeback. Plus, their new plans to release 26 singles, one per fortnight, across 12 months, could be what they need to create a buzz about the band again.

Jumping straight in with Walking Barefoot then on to Girl from Mars and A Life Less Ordinary clearly shows the repertoire of hit singles that Ash have created over the years, but despite succinct performances and the crowd reaction displayed throughout these tracks, relying on these alone can only last so long. This was very much a 'best of' gig, with the exception of 4 new tracks on the set list, most of which weren't very well received and juxtaposing newer material alongside hits like Kung Fu created an awkward atmosphere amongst the crowd.

The modern sound they've acquired this past year, using synths, drum machines and mechanical whirring noises, certainly didn't provoke excitement amongst the audience, which poses the question - where have all the hooks gone?

The catchy rock and roll riffs that first captured the Ash audience, alongside front-man Tim Wheeler's charismatic lyrics, seem to have been neglected and replaced with banal repetition and dodgy electronic intros. Whilst an overbearing drum-machine blasts out behind Wheeler's vocals on Return of the White Rabbit, I wonder if he notices the irony as he painstakingly sings 'Is this the end of the line my friend?'. Reciting a few lines over and over again doesn't always guarantee success (unless you're the Ting Tings *Ahem*) - and even then, if it's not cleverly done it threatens the sustainability of a bands career.

Still, if all this fails, throwing in Teenage Kicks (an oddly post-pubescent rendition, given Tim's never-fading boyish looks) and ending on Burn Baby Burn is a wise move.

The release of their 26 singles (The A-Z series) begins in September, but the 'prequel' Return of the White Rabbit is now available for free, from their website: http://www.ash-official.com

Update! Update! Read all about it (in less than 30 words...?)

This whole twittering, face-booking, constant need for updates and self indulgence generation is really starting to give me a headache. And it’s a little concerning, don't you think?

Sure, it’s terribly exciting to be kept in the know about how horny some person you’ve barely met is, or how many kids one of your classmates from school has successfully popped out since…well school by the looks of it! But, it simply looks to me like yet another sign of the 'dumbing down' of culture.

Even I have fallen subject to the ‘occasional’ (ahem) emotional rant via status updates - it’s an easy place to vent, especially if you can’t (or don’t want to) directly communicate with specific people. But in retrospect, it’s humiliating. No one wants to know how angry I am because things aren’t going MY way. They may be concerned, but they don’t want to know every, single emotion or detail of my life, (or so I‘d expect). And when my passion for writing starts to dwindle, reading becomes a chore and watching the news is pushed aside for Britain’s got talent - well, then you know something is seriously wrong.

This intrigue and need to be 'in the know’ about things such as who on earth ‘Susan Boyle’ is, just so that we can understand half of these 'tweets', is so incessantly strong, that it has almost rendered people’s thirst for actual knowledge and intellect extinct. Now that’s a worry, is it not?

If I was to be pedantic I’d say how wonderful it is that technology has progressed to the point that we can have news updates sent to our brick-sized I-phones/Blackberries instantaneously and keep in touch with our many, well-valued friends and contacts, apparently lost along the way. But let’s face it, how many of us use it to find out what’s going on in Korea or speak to every, single person you’ve ever met since you were born?

Easy, comfort viewing and online ‘in jokes’ with your mates are one thing, but if it further destroys the motivation to learn I might have to give it all up...but then again, I might not get invited to anymore parties...!

PS. If you read past the first sentence - there might be hope for us all yet!

Work work work...

Howdy!

I have set up Student Officer blogs on the Solent SU website for students to follow so please feel free to visit them to find out what we do (and who we are...)

Read mine here.

There are links to the President and other officer blogs under mine to make it easier!

these blogs are merely worked based, used to keep students and other stake holders informed as to our most recen activity, whereas this 'ere thingy (blogspot) is more my own personal rant/rave/show off space :D

I hope you enjoying reading them!

It's Twitter time!

I signed up to twitter about a year ago, when facebook was taking off. But I must be honest, it didn't seem to be all that exciting - perhaps because very few people I knew were using it around that time.

And now? Well, it seems to be creeping into the mainstream as people desire more immediate information sent straight to their computer screens/mobile phones. A confirmation of the fact that we are becoming even more impatient and are forever changing the way in which we'd like to receive information!

So, yes, I signed in again recently and I shall be trialling this quaint little site, to see where it leads.

If you'd care to know more about my daily routine, please visit:

https://twitter.com/Laeylaey

Daily Echo - PR for Solent Students' Union

Another aspect of my job at Solent Students' Union is to act as the Press Officer, responding to stories, or arranging coverage of our main events or campaigns that involve Solent University students.

See some of this coverage online at the Southampton Daily Echo website:

Solent Freshers' Fair:
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/search/3701303.Fresh_from_the_fayre/

Students Warned about Safety:
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/search/3697344.Freshers_warned_to_think_about_their_safety/

RE:SUS Magazine 2008-2009

As Vice President Communications at Solent Students' Union for the 2008-2009 academic term, one of my main responsibilities is to manage and edit our student media platforms.

I act as Editor in Chief of RE:SUS magazine, which is released 5 times a year and is distributed around campus and to Student Residences.

To view the back catalogue and read online features visit the Student Union website (which I also maintain):

http://solentsu.co.uk/resus

The Sound - New Music site!

The Sound is Southampton Solent University's brand new music site, hosted on the University's student portal.

Written for students by students, it covers the listings of all the major gig venues around the city and will soon feature reviews and interviews from all the best shows!

See some of the previews I have written so far at these links:

Silent Disco @ Unit Live
http://portal-live.solent.ac.uk/university/the_sound/unit/silent_disco.aspx

Little Boots @ Unit Live
http://portal-live.solent.ac.uk/university/the_sound/unit/little_boots.aspx