The Crushing review

The Crushing are a band from Oxford who claim that their songs have teeth and possess their own personas.

The Crushing
“Beasts” are what their drummer Penos calls them. I know this sounds slightly far fetched and you might laugh at such a suggestion in some circles, but after a listen to the first song they offer up off of their debut CD, ‘Quickshooter’ you start to understand where they are coming from and look nervously around for a way out of the building.

The Crushing are a band from Oxford, England who claim that their songs have teeth and possess their own personas.

The Crushing

“Beasts” are what their drummer Penos calls them. I know this sounds slightly far fetched and you might laugh at such a suggestion in some circles, but after a listen to the first song they offer up off of their debut CD, ‘Quickshooter’ you start to understand where they are coming from and look nervously around for a way out of the building.

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The Shutka Champions in a league of their own

The Shutka Champions sounds like they might be the winners in a weird European sport. They sound as if they’re involved in the very type of pursuit you’ve been seeking all your life. Well, close but no candy bar this time, mate.

The Shutka Champions
Shutka is a town in the Balkans that boasts the largest Roma gypsy population in the world.

The Shutka Champions sounds like they might be the winners in a weird European sport. They sound as if they’re involved in the very type of pursuit you’ve been seeking all your life. Well, close but no candy bar this time, mate.

The Shutka Champions

Shutka is a town in the Balkans that boasts the largest Roma gypsy population in the world. The town is full of unique personalities and most claim to be the champion of something or other.

So the geography lecture ends because we are not here to marvel over the human spirit. No. We are here to salute the musical champions of Portsmouth, England. The Shutka Champions all hail from in and around the area and have a more than slight admiration for anything weird and wonderful.

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Aine Furey ‘Cross My Palm’ album review

I can’t think of a better time of year to listen to Irish folk singer Aine Furey and her album Cross My Palm.

Aine Furey - Cross My Palm
Her endearing and tranquil voice is the perfect remedy to any underlying stress left over from the holidays. If there’s ever a CD in my collection for just this, it’s Aine Furey!

I can’t think of a better time of year to listen to Irish folk singer Aine Furey and her album ‘Cross My Palm’.

Aine Furey - Cross My Palm

Her endearing and tranquil voice is the perfect remedy to any underlying stress left over from the holidays. If there’s ever a CD in my collection for just this, it’s Aine Furey!

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Little Comets, Noisettes LIVE review, O2 Academy Oxford

Noisettes

Little Comets

Thursday night on the Cowley Road, Oxford. It’s drizzly outside but warm in the O2 Academy, and as we enter we’re greeted by a steward who informs us of the forthcoming entertainment and hopes we enjoy the evening. So for some ale and to find a good spot to stand to see Little Comets.

Noisettes

Little Comets

Thursday night on the Cowley Road, Oxford. It’s drizzly outside but warm in the O2 Academy, and as we enter we’re greeted by a steward who informs us of the forthcoming entertainment and hopes we enjoy the evening. So for some ale and to find a good spot to stand to see Little Comets.

It’s good to see a band self-roadieing – setting up – as well as hanging percussion instruments from a string strung above them, from one side of the stage to the other. After a short while they return to the stage, introducing themselves as coming from Newcastle and belt into their first song “Adultery” which is their new single and a damn good one to put out there.

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Bruce Springsteen wins Band Weblogs Stance Awards – Glastonbury 2009

Bruce Springsteen

Here we are, with our very first Band Weblogs Stance Awards, 2009. One thing often overlooked when it comes to Rock ‘N’ Roll and unforgettable live performances, are the many great stances that we’ve seen on stage over the years …

Bruce Springsteen

Here we are, with our very first Band Weblogs Stance Awards, 2009.

One thing often overlooked when it comes to Rock ‘N’ Roll and unforgettable live performances, are the many great stances that we’ve seen on stage over the years.

With the Band Weblogs Stance Awards, there is a certain criteria to fill when it comes to picking the best stances on stage – along with a unique formula that we’ve used to determine our Top 5.

Since funds are limited this year, unfortunately, we were unable to give the winner an actual, physical award, but what they can walk away with, is knowing how high in our estimation they are.

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The Damned, The Alarm, Henry Cluney review – LIVE at O2 Academy Oxford

The Damned

What is there to do on a Wednesday evening in Oxford? Watch TV? Go down to the pub? See the cricket? None of the above. Oh well, it’s raining in June again, constant pitter patter. But hey look! The Damned are in town and they’ve brought some friends with them …

The Damned

What is there to do on a Wednesday evening in Oxford? Watch TV? Go down to the pub? See the cricket?

None of the above.

Oh well, it’s raining in June again, constant pitter patter. But hey look! The Damned are in town and they’ve brought some friends with them.

We arrive at the Oxford Academy and aim for the box office, but as we are fumbling around for money I spot this grey haired Irish chap offering us two tickets he had bought from the internet. So we buy them off him for much cheaper than the venue’s price, and proceed into the building.

It turns out that he’s friends with the first act on tonight. A Mr. Henry Cluney no less. He of Stiff Little Fingers fame. To be honest I am only here because Henry is playing. His band influenced me about as much as The Clash did when I was younger. I still have every record this lot ever made, preserved in see-through plastic bags at home.

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Inchworm interview – ‘We Believe: Chicago and its Cubs’ movie, Twitter, recording

Inchworm

Chicago band Inchworm’s latest release ‘Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing’ has been in my iTunes player for awhile now, and the tracks continue to shine with each listen. Inchworm is a band that I feel quite passionately about, as I really like their music, with endearing vocals, top notch songs, quality musicianship – and they seem like a cool group of people …

Inchworm

Chicago band Inchworm‘s latest release ‘Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing’ has been in my iTunes player for a while now, and the tracks continue to shine with each listen.

Inchworm is a band that I feel quite passionately about, as I really like their music, with endearing vocals, top notch songs, quality musicianship – and they seem like a cool group of people!

Someday I’d like to see them play live, but in the meantime, it was a treat to have the opportunity to interview them.

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