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.

The singer/guitarist Robert Coles is an interesting frontman cavorting around the stage strumming his guitar. They create a positive on-stage vibe which reverberates into the audience and I’m sure that tonight they would have scored themselves yet more fans as they continue their tour with the Noisettes.

They’re a good live band to see, in the same shop as Razorlight, The Twang and Franz Ferdinand. Lots of energy and an enthusiasm for playing live is always a good thing.

After their set and the obligatory queue at the bar for more refreshments, we mug some students off a leather sofa and rest our legs for half an hour until it’s time to get to the front, or as near as possible, to get a good look at the Noisettes. We manage to get close enough to see what is going on.

For some reason the drums are set up on the left side of the stage, which makes it difficult to see drummer Jamie Morrison and the backing vocalist is on a platform in the centre at the back… Anyway, they open up with “Wild Young Hearts” and Shingai straps on her bass and whips the audience up. This is the busiest I’ve seen the Oxford O2 for quite awhile so hats off to the Noisettes for playing their publicity cards all the right way.

They have the whole place in a party mood, you would think it was still the summer outside. They work the stage brilliantly, you wouldn’t believe that they had only been around for just six years.

I would say that the Noisettes are well worth the money for a fun night out, probably one of the best live bands on the scene for that good time vibe. I think they will be around for many years and could be one of those acts that get better with every album they produce.

Buy Music:

Noisettes on amazon.co.uk

Noisettes MySpace

Little Comets Official Website

By: Dave Tommo

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.

Henry takes to the stage alone with an acoustic guitar and opens his set with “Alternative Ulster”. Brilliant. It’s so good to hear these song played solo. It makes you realise what great sing along songs they are without a whole band behind them.

Then I think he played “Here We Are Nowhere”. Again, what a great song. These are songs that Jake Burns and Stiff Little Fingers don’t play live anymore and it’s a shame because I still maintaine that ‘The Inflammable Material’ album was one of the best punk records ever produced, and Henry belts his way through most of the tracks from said album.

To be fair, Mr. Cluney does mess up on a lot of the tunes, but it doesn’t matter, as most of the audience is singing along with him providing the backing vocals to such songs as “Barbed Wire Love” and “Gotta Get Away”.

Henry parted company with Stiff Little Fingers way back in 1993 and to be honest I never thought we would be lucky enough to see him play live again. As co-founding member of SLF, Henry Cluney deserves to be up there playing these songs live with the tongue in cheek humor that he provides on stage. Apparently living in America, he has been known to do a bit of stand up comedy.

Carry on Henry, you know we love you!

Watch Henry Cluney – “Wasted Life” video (opening for The Damned at the Square in Harlow on 22nd May 2009):

The Alarm take the stage and we are all of a sudden propelled back to the early 1980’s with Mike Peters the singer reminding us that 1976-77 was what it was all about. More Bruce Springsteen influence than The Clash or The Sex Pistols, The Alarm belt their way through an average set of songs and then they are gone.

The highlight of the evening is The Damned. With the audience chanting “Sensible’s a w****r” they slam into their first song, “Ladies & Gentlemen… how do”, and straight into “Love Song”.

They blast their way through a set of songs which span three decades and yet sound fresher than any of the new paper thin bands who are clogging up the summer festivals these days.

Dave Vanian, the vocalist, is looking more dapper as the years roll by. It’s hard to believe these boys are over 50 years old, but then how long do vampires live for?

Captain Sensible looks more and more like a comic strip character the older he gets, and people forget what a great rock guitarist he really is.

The Damned should be easily one of the most famous bands on the planet, what with being the only surviving original punk band from this country and giving influence to so many artists around today. They deserve their place in the Rock and Roll hall of fame, but is that really punk rock?

The Damned on amazon.co.uk

Henry Cluney Official Website

The Alarm Official Website

The Damned Official Website

By: Dave Tommo

You know when you’re drinking, and you find yourself somewhere you never planned on being? Well that happens to me quite often these days. I had no idea I would end up at The Cellar Bar in Oxford last Saturday for instance. But when you go out on the lash with Greig Stewart this is what happens. So we go down the stairs and there’s our old mate Jimmy at the sound desk and a band on stage.

“Who are this lot?” I ask. “They’re called Desert Storm” Jimmy replies. “They don’t look old enough to have stormed any deserts though.” I reply. But then I’m distracted by Greig clambering on to the stage while the band are in mid song, grabbing a spare drumstick from the drummer and starting to thrash a cymbal on the side of the stage. Fair go on the band. They carried on playing without a flinch as Greig made his way around the stage. I by now am at the front, head banging and enjoying their sound. They’re heavy but original with it, which is hard these days because there are billions of bands playing this type of music. Yeah heavy, but not heavy, if you know what I mean.

Matt Ryan has a powerful voice, growling over the music wearing a big ex army coat on stage. He says they’re from Oxford. They are doing the support slot tonight. But they must stay with it because I don’t think it will be long before they are pulling big crowds and playing high up on huge platforms.

There are twins in Desert Storm too. Twins are my next favorite thing to dwarves. There is Elliot Cole on drums and his brother Ryan on guitar. Twins must have so much fun confusing people. Sorry digression. Their bass player is very good at keeping it tight with the drums. This job goes to one Chris Benoist. Their other guitarist Chris White was absent tonight, but it didn’t distract from the sound. I look forward to seeing them in the future with full ensemble.

Desert Storm are newish to the scene, born in 2007 and should grow in confidence as they gig. You watch this space, because at this moment in time I am a fan. It takes a lot to get my toe a tapping these days. But Desert Storm managed it.

Find them at their MySpace page and say hello to them for me.

Desert Storm on MySpace

By: Dave Tommo

Photo Credit: Dave Tommo

After listening to Benjamin Taylor’s music on his website and MySpace page, I was quite interested to see him perform live.

Ben is Carly Simon and James Taylor’s son, so the idea of seeing him and hearing him in person was intriguing. Also, he’s from New England (Martha’s Vineyard), which is always a treat for me – running into fellow New Englanders in England.

The intimate showcase took place last Monday night downstairs at The Social in London. The Social is a great place for an acoustic show. There’s limited seating, but the stage is always in view as the room is quite small.

Before Ben started the set, his latest CD, ‘The Legend Of Kung Folk Part 1 (The Killing Bite)’ was playing through the speakers. You can look at this idea in two ways. Some might find his live show a repeat of what they just heard on the overhead. For me though, I liked the idea of hearing his tunes before the live show. It gave me a chance to get more acquainted with his music, and actually, made the night seem even more intimate.

Ben Taylor is a soft spoken guy, humble on stage and seems like he would fit right in with some of my friends from back home in Vermont – like by a fire at night…in the woods by a river. But I digress.

He played songs off of ‘The Legend Of Kung Folk’, along with David Saw, also on acoustic guitar, and there was bass (played left handed and upside down – or reverse headstock) and box drummer. One stand out of the night was David and Ben’s smooth harmonies. When singing in unison they sound almost as one – as though the same voice was layered in the studio. It’s always good to hear vocal harmonies in acoustic settings, but when their voices come together in unison, it makes the sound even warmer. David performed a song as well. His album, ‘Broken Down Figure’ features Ben, Christopher Thomas and Larry Ciancia. I’m looking forward to hearing it, which I have here, next to the computer.

Photo Credit: Patrik Andersson

One of my favorite songs of the night “Wicked Way”, is a song that had previously caught my ear from listening online. Now that I have Ben’s CD ‘The Legend Of Kung Folk’ and am listening to it now, I think it probably is one of the best tracks on the album. Although, the song did catch me off guard when I first heard it. With Ben’s gentle voice, and if you’re familiar with his parents, you can even hear them in there a little, I wouldn’t have expected a song with opening lyrics, “Well I just want to take you out and get you drunk so I can have my wicked way with you”. In the song he tells it like it is, maybe a bit harsh, but it’s how he feels about the girl and the three hours that he wants to spend with her. Blunt and real to life. Feminists won’t love it, but in this “wicked” world we live in, these things do actually happen, even if the song may be “tongue in cheek”.

“It’s Only Love” off of the album is also a winning track as is the laid back, sultry even, “Dangerous Girl”. Some well thought out placement of instruments, use of vocal effects and harmonies. The lyrics leave me wanting to know more about this dangerous girl, and what did she do? Excellent.

Jamie Cullum plays piano on three tracks – the intimate “After It’s Over”; the groovy “Wilderness” and – “Space”, which has a bit of an old school country feel, lovely guitars, bass and backing vocals by Ben’s sister Sally Taylor (who also contributes backing vocals on “Something For Nothing”) and yearning lyrics.

‘The Legend Of Kung Folk Part 1 (The Killing Bite)’ is set for UK release April 6, 2009.

The first single set for UK release is the radio friendly “She’s Gone” on April 20th.

Watch “She’s Gone” video:

Ben Taylor on amazon.com

Ben Taylor on amazon.co.uk

Ben Taylor will be playing in the UK in April. The live show was a great night out, and I would recommend seeing him – and why not buy the CD while you’re at it!

Ben Taylor Official Website
Ben Taylor MySpace

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

Last Sunday night I went to see InLight at The Bullingdon Arms in Oxford. After watching two members of the band play an “acoustic” set last month at The Jericho Tavern when they supported Baskery, I was looking forward to seeing them as a full band.

It’s quite interesting hearing the stripped down version of a band first – with limited instrumentation. With InLight, when I saw them the first time, I was able to get a clear feel for their songs, and how the songs have the ability to hold their own without the need for ‘more’. Then, to go and see them as a full unit, songs colored in with drums and bass and more energy exuding from the stage, was even more of an uplifting experience. An enthralling performance.

Guitarist Mike Riddle is certainly one to watch – an unlikely guitar hero who from the start may seem like your normal “boy next door” is far from that, with his guitar technique and entertaining stage presence. With Riddle’s melodic guitar riffs in amongst frontman Charlie Cooke’s endearing vocals, exceptional piano skills and songwriting, makes for a clever combination for a pop band.

The rhythm section, bass player Johnny Hunter and drummer Pete Lawless, is just as important especially on their brilliant song “Bridges”, with Charlie’s pleading voice and emotional lyrics. “Space” and “Icarus” are great songs as well, that show just how good a band InLight is.

From what I gather, InLight is a band made up of nice people. I know that for some, nice isn’t the coolest thing to be called, but nowadays in my book anyway, it is. A band with so much talent and what seems, so little ego…is refreshing.

Charlie was cool enough to answer a few questions.

Jenny May: Have you lived in Oxford your whole life?

Charlie Cooke: Nope! I’m actually from Cambridge, which means that I’m now an exile in both places and have to hide quietly under the stairs and in neutral colours on boat race day. But I’ve been in Oxford for four and a half years. I came to University here and didn’t have particular plans afterwards but, when I heard Mike play guitar, I was determined to stay. I think when we first played ‘Paranoia’ was the moment I knew that this was going to get serious. We all looked at each other and thought ‘ok!’.

Where is one of your favorite spots in Oxford?

I love to walk around the back of Queen’s and New College. It looks the same as it must have five hundred years ago and hardly anybody knows it is there.

Does the band have plans to tour around England? Any festivals this summer?

Watch this space!

“The Butterfly Tattoo” trailer:

How did it come about that you would have your song “Bridges” featured in the Philip Pullman ‘The Butterfly Tattoo’ film?

I saw a MySpace advertisment saying that the movie was being filmed in Oxford and that they were looking for bands and for music. So I e-mailed the director and sent him ‘Bridges’, saying that I thought it would be perfect for the film. He agreed and said it was exactly what he was looking for and the rest is history! It is now in the trailer and the film’s climax, which is fantastic. When we went to the premiere at BAFTA I felt like I’d written it for the film, but it was actually written looking out at the Brooklyn Bridge in the cafe on Ellis Island in New York City.

Has your music been featured in other films/TV etc.?

Not yet, but if anyone’s listening we’re interested! I think our music does have a film-like quality, it often sounds ‘widescreen’.

What is the writing process for the band? Do you write together?

I tend to sit down on my own and write out what I would call the ’song’; the lyrics, melody, chords and basic structure. I leave it a few days and see if I can remember it, and if it’s strong enough to work stripped down. For me, that’s the test: if someone can’t sit at home and play the song with just an acoustic guitar and vocals then it’s not good enough. If you look at a band like The Beatles, there’s not a single song of theirs that you couldn’t gather people around a piano and sing recognisably. Once that’s done, I will then bring it to the band and we’ll work out how to arrange it. And that’s when it becomes an InLight song.

What kind of guitars are you and Mike playing at the moment?

Mike’s main guitars at the moment are a rare Gibson semi-acoustic (a CS336) and his recently acquired Strat. He’s also got an imported paisley Fender Telecaster, but there isn’t usually room on stage for that many guitars.. I’m playing Mike’s old acoustic and have done since day one. I’m also using a big red Epiphone 335 to play Icarus live.

Does Mike have his eye on a particular guitar that he would like? Do you?

Mike is currently enjoying the idea of a Les Paul. But when is he not?! I quite fancy a 50’s style Gretsch, but they don’t come cheap…!

Do you guys have any guitar heros? If so, who?

All the band are big fans of Matt Bellamy and Muse. Mike and I both grew up with the Beatles records, so George Harrison is a big influence. And more recently Kings of Leon have been doing some really interesting stuff.

Any plans to record an album?

We’d love to. We have enough songs now – and enough light and shade in them – to record an album. But we’d rather wait until we’re signed so we can do it properly. I love the recording process, and I have very definite ideas in my head of how things should sound. There’s a lot of perfectionism in this band. I think that’s why it works, but it does lengthen processes. Besides, I find it difficult enough to let go, and would probably need a label to drag me away from the mixing desk, buy me a drink and tell me it’s over!

What bands/artists would you love to tour with one day?

R.E.M, John Mayer and, of course, U2. I think our audience is theirs; they are all very song based and difficult to put into a particular ’scene’ category.

Are there any other projects outside of the band that the band members are working on?

No, this is our focus. Although we have combined other pursuits with InLight; we hand draw all the covers for our second EP ‘Postcards’. It’s time consuming, but well worth the effort! And we designed a lot of the stage show for our big showcase ‘Space’ back in May last year: video art, lighting, etc. That’s something we’re very into. I think growing up you’re either into one of two ideas of music. Some people like the stripped down bands who could just walk into a pub and be great, and others like the Pink Floyd approach. We’re in the latter. We can’t wait to take a big show on tour.

Have you been in other bands?

I was previously in a band called The Shambles which, after I had left, went on to become GoodBooks. But I’ve always played music and this is what I’ve wanted to be doing ever since I was a child. My parents gave me a portable tape machine when I was about four years old and it had an in-built microphone. I used to record myself playing piano on it and write ‘Parlophone’ on the tapes because that’s what it said on most of my Dad’s records!

How long has InLight been together?

Three years in various forms, but one year with this line-up. I really count us as being a year old as it’s since then that it has really clicked and we had a solid, committed, professional group of people whose main focus was the band.

You’re not currently signed to a record label…do you want to be?

We are currently unsigned. We’ve had some brushes with labels, including a day recording at Universal in London last October. We absolutely want to be signed. I think there is a lot of confusion in the industry at the moment as to where it’s going, and we’ve met an awful lot of bands which don’t want to be signed. We totally respect that, but we think we’d work best on a major label, and that’s what we’re aiming at.

InLight Official Website
MySpace

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

With her upcoming tour supporting Girls Aloud and her debut album release this summer, London based singer Emma Deigman is one to watch this year – and Dave and I had the pleasure of meeting her at The Regal Room in London last week.

We had a bit of a rocky start getting to the interview – the Oxford Tube bus broke down on the way to London. Luckily, though, the bus was able to make it to the Hillingdon stop where we conveniently got on the tube to where we were originally told to go, Studio Valbonne in Soho.

Even with the bus incident, we managed to get there early, buzzed the door, we were let in, and we waited a few minutes on one of the red couches (cool club by the way). I think it was the owner, Xavier, who let us in and after about ten minutes of waiting, with no one showing up to meet us, he came over and asked “who is it you’re here to see?”. After a quick call from Xavier’s mobile phone, yes, believe it or not I still don’t have one, we got directions to the actual location for the interview and show – The Regal Room in Hammersmith. We left Studio Valbonne after a few apologies to Xavier (lovely man), quickly got into a taxi, went to the correct location, and ended up being over 30 minutes late. The good thing though, is that Emma and her management knew that it wasn’t our fault for showing up late, and they graciously greeted us upon our arrival!

We were able to chat with Emma for over an hour before her show, and then, after a short wait, we were treated to an intimate acoustic set by Emma and her guitarist, in the packed room, filled with her family, friends and fans. Other acts that also played the Comic Relief Special were Peter Conaty and Dom Scheggia.

Emma’s debut single, “It Was You” is released March 23rd, and radio listeners, music buyers and fans are all in for a treat. The track has an old school feel, along with all the ingredients to make for a great pop song. Fun lyrics (”…I miss you baby, just like all the things I left in the past, but I wish I still had my Jimmy Choo shoes…”), catchy melody and high quality musicianship. What tops it off though, is Emma’s smooth, soulful voice.

It was great to see her perform “It Was You” live, with just the acoustic guitar for accompaniment. She’s set to go on tour with Girls Aloud starting April, and I think she’ll be gaining quite a few new fans during her time on the road – her biggest tour yet.

Emma has more up her sleeve than just music. The 20 year old has been acting since she was five. She’s done a lot of theatre acting, and her film debut was in the movie Last Orders starring Michael Caine and Helen Mirren, and she appeared in the BBC TV drama Daniel Deronda. Although music is her priority at the moment, she said that she would love to continue acting.

Photo Credit: Dave Tommo – Emma Deigman Live at The Regal Room, London

Emma Deigman interview

Jenny May: Do you have any favorite directors?

Emma Deigman: I think that Darren Aronofsky is an amazing director. Requiem for a Dream and Pi are incredible films.

What kind of film would you want to do next?

I would love to do a serious film.

What’s a movie that you’ve seen recently that you liked? That stands out?

Oh – I just went to the press screening of The Boat That Rocked the other night, with The Love Actually and Notting Hill director [Richard Curtis]. It’s a new British comedy film about the pirate radio stations on the boats, in the 60s. It’s absolutely hilarious. It’s so funny, you have to go see it when it comes out!

You were on Top of The Pops with Jay-Z. What song did you perform and how did that go?

Hard Knock Life. I was in Annie when I was ten and we were in the A Group – the group that opened the whole show, so we got to do every extra..and this rapper comes over from America and we had no idea who this person is, this was like ten years ago, and he was like, can we use the kids from your show to do Top of the Pops? and so the director said oh yeah, sure. So he sends us off and we have no idea what’s happening. And we meet the rapper, Jay-Z and we just had no idea, we were more excited about the fact that Five was standing next to us! Now I kind of kick myself thinking, Oh! Now he’s like one of the biggest music stars in the world, and I didn’t even know who he was. But I have a picture of him, so it’s all good!

Someday if you do meet him you’ll be able to bring up the whole story.

Yeah…that was so much fun. It was like a dream when you’re little, and we got to be on it, we were so excited.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Kings of Leon. I pretty much listen to their whole album everyday. I went to see them live. They’re probably one of the best bands that I’ve seen. His voice…it’s so different, it’s just amazing. I’ve been listening to them for years ’cause my older brother is like, obsessed with them, and he’s been listening to them for years, and I’ve been listening to them…and now they’re suddenly just everywhere. But I love the fact that they absolutely love the British, ’cause we’re the people that brought them back! Who else…ummm…I quite like The Saturdays song “Issues”. I just love the girl’s voice – there’s one girl in it that’s got an amazing voice.

Do you think they’re similar to Girls Aloud?

Yeah, they are, they’re very similar.

You’re going to be touring with Girls Aloud.

Yes, I’m so excited. I’m a bit scared.

This will be your biggest tour?

Yes. Definitely. I’m so, so excited…

I think that’s great. This will be a great thing for you.

Yes, this will be an amazing opportunity. I can’t wait. I would never have thought that when I went to see Kings of Leon at O2, me and my boyfriend’s brother were just kind of joking, and he said oh you’ll be up there one day. And I was like, okay. He goes, I’m gonna make a bet. In the next four months. I was like, no, don’t be stupid. I give it three years. And three months later, he’s like, where’s that £50 please?

It’s a good one to lose.

I said how ’bout I pay you backstage at Girls Aloud. Haha.

So Kings of Leon and The Saturdays.

I listen to Gavin DeGraw a lot.

I’m not sure who that is.

He’s American or Canadian. Do you know One Tree Hill?

Yes.

Do you know the song, (Emma sings the familiar tune perfectly) “I don’t wanna be anything…”

Oh yeah. I like that song!

That’s Gavin DeGraw. He’s one of the most amazing songwriters. He’s just absolutely incredible. I listen to him a lot ’cause I kind of go by one of his songs called “Belief”. Kind of one of my songs that I always listen to. Britney Spears. Good ol’ Britney Spears. I kind of listen to different things. I like to listen to everything. I’ll listen to old school stuff like Marvin Gaye when I’m feeling in the mood…I love Radiohead.

They’re from down our way.

Oh, you’re from Oxford? Oh my boyfriend lives in Oxford.

Do you go to Oxford much?

Yes I do, actually. I like Oxford. I go there whenever I get a few days, ’cause I don’t like being in London all the time. I’ve been brought up in the country, my parents live in Buckinghamshire, so it’s quite nice to go back to Buckinghamshire or Oxford where it’s just so peaceful. You still have the nightlife and the big city in Oxford, so it’s not like you’re stuck away.

There’s a lot of good music in Oxford.

Yes, I’ve been to quite a few random gigs there.

How do you prepare for a live show usually? Do you have a certain routine, warmups?

I probably should say yes, but no. Haha. My singing teacher will kill me for saying that. Do you know what, there’s a lot of things out there that people say, oh, you shouldn’t drink dairy products, you shouldn’t drink coffee, you shouldn’t do this, you shouldn’t do that. I just don’t really listen to anything people say…to be honest, I eat chocolate before I go on stage and it does absolutely nothing to my voice. I don’t see the point. I eat cheese before I go on, I drink coffee. Haha…I do warm up at home…

I’m pretty bad too. I’ll just warm up to songs.

Yeah, I warm up to songs, yeah exactly. But again, I’ll probably get told off by my singing teacher for this. But I mean, when I go on tour with Girls Aloud, I’ll probably notice it a lot more ’cause I’m doing gigs like once or twice a week, so I’ll kind of get a few days to get over it, whereas I think 33 dates with one day to rest in between five of them…

The warmups will help you especially on the tour.

Yeah, I’ll do a lot more. One thing I’ve started to do, I love saying it, started. Started this week…is I’ve started going to the gym!

Do you play instruments? I know you write your own songs.

I’ve written poetry and lyrics since I was really little. It’s more lyrics and melody that I write. ‘Cause I can read music, I can sit at the piano and read the music and play it, but I wouldn’t be able and sit down and be like [she does piano motions with her hands]…I can’t play the guitar, I’d love to say I could. I’m gonna learn. Maybe I’ll learn on tour.

Do you have someone that you wrote the album with?

Yeah, I wrote the whole album with my producer Eliot Kennedy. He’s amazing. If you know who he is, he’s kind of written with absolutely everyone.

Watch “It Was You” video:

Is the video for “It Was You” on TV yet?

Yeah – it’s on the music channels.

We’ve been enjoying it!

It was so much fun to make – with all my friends. Also, with it being my first video, it was maybe a 16 hour shoot and everyone was asking, you’re not tired? But the adrenaline was kicking in…I was just so hyper from that day!

The director of the video, Trudy Bellinger has worked with Sophie Ellis-Bextor…

Yes – and she does all the Girls Aloud videos, she did the Rimmel advert with Kate Moss..yes she was amazing. She was really cool.

I watch most videos on the internet, so I’ll look forward to seeing it on TV…

Well, it’s on the chart show at the weekends and on The Box – I think it’s on weekends and sometimes during the week.

Do you have TV interviews scheduled yet?

I did one for the chart show yesterday, where I got to host my top 12 videos. That was quite fun. And at the end it will play my video and that was an interview as well, so that was fun…with it being a pop channel, I managed to get Rod Stewart, The Fugees, Marvin Gaye, Guns N’ Roses…

Speaking of Rod Stewart, what is it about him that you like so much? Jimi Hendrix is my idol, so…

Oh, Jimi Hendrix. I picked a Jimi Hendrix video! Well, when I was little, my dad loved Rod Stewart, my dad’s Scottish, and he would listen to it, and I would be like, what is this? ‘Cause I was really little, I would be like, dad turn this off, we want Britney Spears, we want Five, Boyzone, and then when I got older and started to actually appreciate music, I realized, oh my god, this guy has got an amazing voice, just so captivating. I just love it and his songs. I guess his songs take me back to childhood, I’ve been brought up on his music and a song will relate to maybe a holiday we’ve been on or a long drive.

What is one song by Rod Stewart that comes to mind that really grips you the most?

I know a lot of people would say this is cliche, but probably Sailing, only because it was one of my dad’s favorite songs, and also Maggie May, but Sailing was the one that my dad used to always play so it’s the one that sticks in my mind.

Video “Just Dance” – Lady GaGa cover by Emma Deigman:

We listened to your Lady GaGa cover of Just Dance on YouTube. We really like that. We’re passing that around. Would you ever want her to write you a song?

I think she’s awesome, so if she wanted to write me a song, I wouldn’t say no!

If you could write a song for someone, who would you want to write for?

Probably Rod Stewart, yeah. Britney Spears. Haha. Ummm, I’d like to say, maybe Britney Spears. I love Rod Stewart, but…I think I might be a bit scared writing for him, actually.

—–

Emma is very nice and down to earth, and I had fun talking to her. As we were leaving The Regal Room, we asked a guy outside for directions to the tube station. He asked if we had just seen the show upstairs. When we said yes, he told us that even though he lives just around the corner, that this was the first time that he had been there, and was there to see Emma play. I asked him how he had heard about her, and he said that she was featured on YouTube. He really enjoyed the show.

Emma Deigman on amazon.co.uk

Emma Deigman on amazon.com

Emma Deigman on YouTube

MySpace
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Emma Deigman Official Website

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

It was good timing to have been able to, on the same day, review Pete Doherty’s upcoming debut solo album, Grace/Wasteland, and then later that night – last night – to go out and see Mongrel play live at the O2 Academy (was Zodiac; Carling Academy) in Oxford. The connection between the two is that Pete Doherty’s fellow Babyshambles bandmate Drew McConnell plays guitar in Mongrel.

I didn’t say enough in the previous review about how much I enjoyed Drew McConnell’s bass on Doherty’s album, but now I get another opportunity to say how talented a musician he is. I was a little disappointed that he wasn’t playing bass last night, but it was interesting to find out that he’s an excellent guitarist as well. He did strap on the bass for one song – which was great – I think it was “Menace”.

This of course isn’t to take away from the other Mongrel band members – frontman Jon McClure from Reverend and The Makers with his mohawk in check, was fun to watch on stage, and I liked the band’s indie/punk/dub/funky hip hop mix with cool vocal melodies alongside Lowkey’s clever rap style.

Other members of the group include Andy Nicholson (Ex Arctic Monkeys Bassist), Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys Drummer), Joe Moskow (Reverend and The Makers), and female MCs Pariz 1 and Tor Cesay added a touch of class to the set.

Mongrel is still on tour in the UK – I highly recommend their live show.

Press info.:
Mongrel. A coalition of the willing. A force of nature based on musical artists who want to say something about the world they live in and be free of the merry-go-round of make record release make record release. Attached to the old fashioned notion that it’s cool to care about the world you live in made popular by the punks and the 60’s counter culturalists before them we got together and made a record from our own pockets to make a stand and put our sword in the dirt.

Bringing together people from different parts in the world of different musical styles, Mongrel merges the UK indie music scene with a hip hop community ignored for the large part by the wider media – tackling themes shied away from by mainstream musicians.

Mongrel on amazon.co.uk

For tour dates, music and more, go to:

Mongrel MySpace

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Alice Russell show at Thekla in Bristol, England.

What a great excuse for a road trip – to travel from Oxford, on a mission to see this up and coming British Soul singer, to a city that I hadn’t yet been to, but had heard so much about – with its vibrant music scene and rich historical heritage. For some reason, quite a few acts have been skipping Oxford while on tour in the UK, which is why these excursions have become necessary.

We got to Bristol quite early in the day, so we had plenty of time to spare. We wandered around town, and with the weather being unpredictable – going from sunny, windy to rain at any moment, we had to be a bit creative for our daytime entertainment. So what do we do? Well, first we thought food might be a good way to start, so for lunch we ended up at Start the Bus. A funky bar – obviously set up for nighttime entertainment, with interesting drawings on the walls, seemingly a student hangout with okay food.

It might have been impressive to say that later, we went into the round, mirrored planetarium, then found some very interesting museums and learned as much as we could about the city while we were there…but rather than do that, we decided to James Bond it, and ended up at the cinema instead. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon though – we had the whole place to ourselves and I finally got to watch Quantum Of Solace. Oh, and to hear the Jack White, Alicia Keys duet on the big screen.

After the movie, we wandered around the Christmas market, toyed with the idea of going on the ferris wheel, and thought about how great a setting that would make for a fight scene in a Bond film. Then we walked down by the harbour to look for Thekla, the infamous club on a boat. After ‘phoning a friend’ for directions, we turned around and eventually found it. Cool place. We went in, and ordered a couple beers in plastic cups, and sat outside on the deck, looking forward to the upcoming show.

We finished our drinks and then went downstairs into the club area. This was the first time I had been to a club on a boat, and it didn’t disappoint. What a great idea. We sat down along the side of the room, but as the room slowly started filling up with people, eventually packing the place, we decided to go upstairs to the balcony, which was the right decision, because the view of the stage from up there was superb. There were a lot of Alice Russell fans down below in front of the stage anxiously awaiting her arrival, and I knew that if I was down there amongst it, I wouldn’t be able to see anything!

The crowd was a mix of all ages, but mostly appeared to be students. When the band, all dressed in white, and then Alice walked on stage, the crowd applauded and hollered with excitement. She looked great in a black dress with a shiny gold short sleeve and leopard-like print tights. The band was funky and once Alice started belting it out the audience seemed to be spellbound, as many danced along and kept their eyes glued to the stage.

Alice has a very strong, soulful voice, she seems to genuinely enjoy what she’s doing, and is a professional no doubt. Her engagement with the audience is top notch and I wouldn’t be surprised if I see her on Later with Jools Holland one day. I’m not quite sure, though, why she’s being compared to the likes of Duffy, Amy Winehouse and Adele – she doesn’t sound anything like them, not that any of them sound alike, either. It will be interesting to see how things go for her here and overseas, but if the crowd at Thekla is any indication, she’s sure to have a promising future.

Alice Russell has recently released her second studio album, ‘Pot of Gold‘.

Alice Russell on amazon.com

Alice Russell amazon.co.uk

Alice Russell Official Website
MySpace

By: Jenny May

Leonard Cohen review, O2 Arena, London – 14 November 2008

Have you ever seen Annie Hall? If yes, then you’ll recall the scene where Alvy dates a music journalist played by Shelley Duvall and they emerge from a Stones concert, Duvall’s character rhapsodising about how the gig was ‘transplendent’. Well before you go any further, I should confess: that was me, after witnessing the legend that is Leonard Cohen in London.

After a hellish journey from Oxford to London and then to North Greenwich, we found ourselves slightly late, hungry and cranky. Now anyone who knows me will testify to my horrendous hunger grumps. So it’s no mean feat that three hours later, I was in seventh heaven. Like Leonard advised, we forgot the past and were transported to another place by a performance which is best described as sublime.

Dressed in a pin-striped suit and rakishly tilted fedora, Cohen looked ice cool. He and his band gave the appearance of a thirties era group of gangsters, their iconic appearance matched in panache by a set in which it was clear Cohen meant every word of his poetic and mystical lyrics. A magnificent “Hallelujah” was a case in point.

The laughter lines around his eyes may have belied his 73 years, but the way he skipped on and offstage, teasing us with yet another encore, hinted that he took a youthful glee in the pleasure he generated in the adoring crowd. Cohen acknowledged his absence from the touring circuit with his usual charm and a humorous eloquence: ‘It’s been a long time’, he admitted, following this with a wry, ‘fifteen years, I was just a kid with a crazy dream’.

This self-awareness and gentle humour inflected Cohen’s every gesture with a disarming humility and grace, which was evident in the generous relationship he shared with his band. Collaborator and singer in her own right Sharon Robertson was given solo duties on “Anthem”, showcasing a seemingly effortless and creamy, fulsome voice. Cohen also afforded backing vocalists The Webb Sisters a spot, with Hattie on harp adding an angelic quality to harmonies evocative of Alison Krauss or the Carter Family. Cohen stood back in the shadows for their stints, literally taking his hat off to them and holding it to his heart in a respectful and gentlemanly manner which indicated he was as beguiled by their performances as the rest of us.

Cohen’s entire band were nothing short of flawless, and in the cavernous and corporate space that is the O2 the entire audience were drawn like magnets to the stage, spellbound by a set both flawless and utterly soulful – we could have been in an intimate and cosy jazz bar, such was the way Cohen held us in the palm of his hands. He’s a legend without even trying: dapper and iconic, his words and his philosophy get right to the heart of the human condition.

Given his advanced years and godfather like status in the annals of music, never more have lines such as ‘I was born like this, I had no choice/I was born with the gift of a golden voice’ and ‘I ache in the places I used to play’ seemed more pertinent and moving. It was an inescapable fact that we were in the presence of a true legend on Friday night and there was thankfully no sense of it being underwhelming, as so often the case with such feted figures – I feel genuinely honoured to have witnessed the man himself. Cohen proved an inspiring and elegant presence whose lyrics are an honest and, I would argue, necessary soundtrack to the revolutions of life in all it’s permutations. As he recited some of his poetry, I reflected that his words give no trite answers, but great comfort and hope.

I’ve never understood why people find the work of this wonderful man depressing; I see hope more than anything else in lyrics like ‘There is a crack, a crack in everything/That’s how the light gets in’. A rousing rendition of “Democracy” in the encore sums this up – both timely in the wake of the American Democrats victory as well as impassioned, it stirred the whole audience up irrespective of nationality. The beauty of Cohen’s songs are that they implore us to strive beyond the mundane towards a spiritual otherness much, much greater than the physical, whilst still embodying a deeply sensual quality. Seeing him live really encapsulated this power- as I looked around my companions I saw the same rapt expression in their eyes accompanied with a irresistible urge to sway and move in time with the movement of the music, mouthing the words to classics like “So Long Marianne” and “The Tower of Song” as if motivated by a deep collective unconscious.

Cohen’s performance was both gracious and professional; his deliciously rumbly voice has acquired an even greater patina of wisdom as he’s aged which made some tracks seem like sermons from a great sage. Highlights for me were the elegiac and tragical “The Partisan”, “In My Secret Life” and of course, “Hallelujah”, which moved me to tears – I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.

A septuagenarian who still has the capacity to totally seduce both men and women with his song, he is truly a very special individual whom I still keep pinching myself to believe I’ve seen! What most impressed itself on me was how at peace with himself Cohen seemed; he joked that he’d explored the philosophy of religions and tried ‘prozac, effexor … ‘ and all number of medications, but found that ‘cheerfulness kept breaking through’!

He may have been talked into doing this tour, but he genuinely seemed to be enjoying it and in the unlikely event that any remaining dates are not already sold out, I would urge you to get along to a gig, whatever it takes (yes, even if that means leaving the country – he’s that good). Seeing Leonard Cohen was a life-defining experience and I don’t care how much hyperbole I’ve employed in this review – I will never forget the three hours of magic he gave to me.

Transplendent, just transplendent.

Leonard Cohen on amazon.com

amazon.co.uk

Leonard Cohen Official Website

By: Lindsey Davis

Last night (4 November, 2008) I witnessed two sets from Martha Wainwright and her support act Angus & Julia Stone that couldn’t be more different. One look at the crowd told me the majority were lefty (I’m one too, before I sound like a fascist!), middle class professionals who were there for Martha first and foremost and who’d probably heard about her through the Observer (heck, an English teacher from my high school was there). However, by the end of Angus & Julia’s set they were clearly won over to their curious alt-folk – and quite right too.

Enchanting ingénues Angus & Julia Stone beguiled the crowd with their pretty folk sound in a set characterised by honest to goodness talent and quiet charm. The elaborately designed domed ceiling of the Oxford Town Hall was beautifully lit and gave the appearance of a fine lace cover over the stage which set off the pair’s delicate and breathy vocal styles perfectly. Julia’s witchy delivery was particularly spellbinding and a new track from Angus which peaked in an angry, rockier chorus was also notable.

It really is astonishing how talented the two are. And how they can put up with each other on the road. I don’t think my brother and I would last a day on a tour bus together! Their backing band are equally gifted.

Guitarist Clay had taught himself drums especially for the tour after their regular drummer was taken sick and he showed himself to be pretty proficient on the old skins. An unecessary apology for any mistakes (none that I could spot) was given before a rumbling and throaty “A Book Like This”, which was the high point of the set for me – that and an old song the siblings had written at band camp some years ago on the hoof which incorporated “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and provoked gentle chuckles from the crowd.

Given their wonderful music, it’s especially striking how shy the pair are – Angus in particular seemed content to hide behind hair and hat and left most of the inter-song banter to sister Julia. I guess they were new to most of the crowd last night but I predict that sales of their album will definitely increase after this tour finishes. I do love them so. “A Book Like This” is definitely one of my favourite albums of 2008 – possibly even my most favourite. They sound and look like they’ve stepped out of your most lovely imaginings and I hope their success builds and sustains over time. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

In contrast to the winsome humility of Angus & Julia, Martha Wainwright was her typical showy self – a presence massively opposed to her support but which was nonetheless compelling. Martha is herself one of famous siblings, and I couldn’t help but wonder as I watched her extravagant gestures and evident pleasure in being on the stage, what teatime at the Wainwrights must have been like with all those performers jostling for attention in one room. School friends must have been made of strong stuff to visit, for sure! The venue’s baroque décor suited Martha’s ostentatious and emotive vocal style perfectly. Boy can that woman belt out some tunes. By the time she got to singing a jazzy number in French, I concluded as a mere mortal, that’s just showing off …! “You Cheated Me” and a closing cover of Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play” were my personal highlights although at times an overwrought and bombastic vocal style proved a little too much to take.

Martha’s between song patter was tongue in cheek and a million miles away from her confessional music, and was certainly evidence of her professionalism as well as a charismatic and dramatic personality. Thanking her excellent band and support as well as technicians alike (she rightly pointed out the sound men did wonders in what must have been a tough space to work with), she was slick and classy without sounding insincere. In fact I’d say her patter was refreshingly chipper and much welcome after the emotional gymnastics of her songs.

In all, gold stars are due to both acts. My fondness for Angus & Julia was admittedly my main reason for going and they didn’t disappoint; but credit where it’s due to the main act: Martha gave a set which no one could criticise for being sloppy or indifferent – she’s a born entertainer with a voice that demands to be heard. Now, thank you.

Martha Wainwright on amazon.com

Martha Wainwright on amazon.co.uk

Martha Wainwright Official Website

Angus & Julia Stone on amazon.com

Angus & Julia Stone on amazon.co.uk

Angus & Julia Stone Official Website

By: Lindsey Davis

In keeping with the history of glamorous pop trios, The Pipettes have undergone what they call in the business, a line up change. In that the band are effectively a brand new entity, with none of the original members left. But any preconceptions the audience might have had of inter-band awkwardness or forced camaraderie seemed to have been left at the door. And if there was any residual concern within the crowd, the band’s carefree attitude would have immediately dispelled such fears.

Polka dot prom dresses and co-ordinated dancing filled the space in the upstairs of the Carling Academy in Oxford (October 26, 2008) even before the Pipettes came on stage, in homage to the trio’s vintage style. There was a party atmosphere to the gig from the offset, which injected some much needed glamour and kitsch into the Academy’s stark surroundings.

When the ladies sashayed on stage, led by a suited band, they certainly looked amazing. The charismatic Gwenno, the longest standing member, introduced newbies Anni (also her sister, trivia fans) and Anna, and led the way into what was a good old fashioned knees up. The changes in Pipettesland didn’t seem to have dented the quality of music – the new songs were as infectious as the likes of “Pull Shapes” (they did); “Dirty” and, like the band’s matching eighties style outfits, there was a hint of eighties pop infusing the newer material which was well received.

Of course it was the oldies people wanted to hear and they weren’t disappointed – not only did tracks like “ABC” see the audience boogeying and handclapping with the best of them, they also treated the crowd to the girl’s choreography. OK, so it wasn’t up there with the likes of the Pussycat Dolls, but it looked like the threesome were having damn good fun. Their harmonies were pretty much bang on the money and I admit to being pleasantly surprised by how strong their voices were live. The Pipettes are pure pop with a credible indie cachet which means that their live show should definitely prove a success in any student town – and in my opinion, should be successful in a more mainstream sense as well.

This was quite possibly one of the shiniest, poppiest, and damn right catchiest gigs I suspect has graced the precincts of the Carling Academy for a long time. The band’s retro leanings recall Phil Spector’s girl groups but with a postmodern twist.

Live, they proved they can more than hold a tune. After listening to the Pipettes’ attitude-filled Betty Boop style pop, there’s only one question left to be answered (and it’s rhetorical): Who needs Girls Aloud?!

The Pipettes on amazon.co.uk

The Pipettes Official Website
MySpace

By: Lindsey Davis

2008 marked the eleventh Truck Festival in the normally sleepy Oxfordshire village of Steventon. Not to be mistaken for an event celebrating all things of the vehicular variety, Truck represents one of the precious few independent music festivals still going strong in the UK and has grown in fame and prestige over the last decade. No corporate slogans for this event; rather you can expect to see the local vicar pouring pints as the Didcot Rotary Club serve you up a burger and chips.

Founded by Joe and Robin Bennett, Truck is a truly unique affair: a mixture of the village fete and the music festival, it celebrates some of the finest music – new and old – you can possibly expect to enjoy over two days. Past years have seen acts including Garth & Maud Hudson, The Futureheads, Regina Spektor, The Magic Numbers and Mystery Jets do their thing on the stages, one of which is comprised of a truck (hence the name), another a barn.

For 2008 there were some new stages, including the Village Pub and Pavilion, offering even more choice than before at this loveable boutique festival. This year was my sixth Truck and I arrived on Saturday pleased that the weather was one of those wonderfully English summer days – no, not rainy you joker you – a genuinely lovely sunny day with a mild breeze and fluffy white clouds in a picture book blue sky. Which – given last years floods – was no less than a miracle for an event that was postponed after entire marquees were swept down the fields in 2007.

As usual the punters were spoilt for choice, with established artists like The Lemonheads doing sets alongside up and coming artists such as Noah and the Whale and Stornoway. Truck line-ups are never anything less than idiosyncratic and that’s why it’s so thoroughly charming.

Where was I? Ah, Saturday. Aside from a mildly shambolic set from Television Personalities there were plenty of highlights. These included an energetic set from Little Fish, a rock duo whose singer Juju has an intense, PJ Harvey vocal style and a whole lot of charisma to boot; and an utterly magical performance from Emmy the Great.

Emmy the Great – Photo: Lindsey Davis

As the breeze ruffled her hair and bubbles floated across the sky and into the fields beyond the stage, Emmy had a rapt audience at her disposal – a rare feat for an artist on so early in the day. As she stared into the sunlight, I am sure I wasn’t alone in wondering how big she would be this time next year – the girl has star quality whilst never seeming cocky. The enchanting voice, the looks, the likeable presence … Her folky music is married to winning lyrics which have a humour and self awareness that prevent anyone from making accusations of her being twee or overearnest. And boy has she got fans! Even at this early stage in her career, a hardcore group were eagerly standing at the front and bantering with her, which she clearly relished. She’s one to watch that’s for sure.

The Ralfe Band had a hard act to follow on the Truck Stage but acquitted themselves well, their brand of quirky pyschedelia going down well with the audience. From them we wandered off to the Market Stage for the nostalgia fest that was Dodgy. Anyone who was a teenager in the mid nineties will recall with fondness (or minor irritation) the jingly jangly indie pop produced by the Brummie threesome, and it was on this basis we found ourselves in the crammed circus style tent singing along to classics like “Good Enough” and “Staying Out for the Summer”.

Dodgy – Photo: Gina Policelli

The band sheepishly knew their audience and kept new tracks to a minimum, drummer Matt getting highly into the spirit of things. You can’t keep a good Brummie down! It was all very good fun; the band were consummate professionals and played a polished set which you’d have to be pretty curmudgeonly to walk away from and criticise.

I then stayed behind to catch Martin Simpson, whose name readers might recall from his days supporting Steeleye Span but who deserves credit on his own terms. One of the finest guitarists I’ve seen play in a long time, I was lucky enough to bag a place at the front of the audience and watch his precise, skilful fingers as they worked their magic on his guitar.

I should also add an apology to Martin here, for forgetting to turn the flash off my camera and inadvertently letting off a blinding light only a few songs in. The picture was unfortunately blurred so that’ll show me to be so inconsiderate! Sorry (hangs head) … Anyhows, back to the music. It was fascinating to watch him play and I adored listening to the wonderful tales his songs relayed, including “Highway 61″ and the moving “Prodigal Son”, which he dedicated to his father. My own father recommended Martin to me and after seeing him live, I’m very glad he did. Martin had a warm stage presence and seemed comfortable to casually chat away to the audience, telling us that the previous night he’d played a town hall and was off to play the Royal Albert Hall the next night. What a wonderfully diverse triad of venues to do in the space of three days – evidence if any was needed of his love of playing no matter where!

The Market Stage then played host to Noah and the Whale which, having returned to it after grabbing a drink, we found so crammed it was impossible to get in. We headed off to see Okkervil River instead. Although they initially sounded like they were rattling around the large Truck Stage a little lost, things soon picked up and as the dusk fell, the band gave an increasingly assured and sprawling set. Their ornate folk rock and multi-layered instrumentation was perfectly pitched against the clear velvety skies and backdrop of whispering corn fields; and singer Will Sheff’s yelpy vocals were seemingly unaffected by his frenzied jumping around the stage.

They were more than a match for headliners The Lemonheads, who as a certain special guest argued very sweetly the next day, just didn’t seem like they wanted to be there. After deserting the silliness of hyperactive Klaxons-esque Munch Munch for Dando et al, I was left cold by the band’s absolute minimum of engagement with the audience. Their choice to play the entirety of album ‘It’s a Shame About Ray’ proved to be a bit off – with the eponymous song played early on in the set, there was no ‘favourite’ for the crowd to wait for and the band seemed oblivious to all notions of whipping the crowd up. They were good, yes, but ultimately left no greater impression.

So although Saturday ended a little flatly with the much-feted headliners detached from spirit of Truck – i.e. the sense of fun and inclusion which artists and audiences rightly love it for – Sunday more than made up for it. By this point I’d already seen Romeo Stodart of The Magic Numbers wandering around the site and been so excited I could barely speak, and spent most of the day eagerly anticipating his set.

Whilst I waited and tried not to embarrass myself by approaching him, I took in Tristan & the Troubadours, Indigo Moss and Luke Smith. T&TT are a bunch of GCSE students whose age belies their evident knack for a tune. Their sparkly pop, backed by piano and violin amongst other instruments, is amazingly accomplished and these teens really are too cool for school. They seemed impressively comfortable on stage and put me in mind of a less geeky Belle and Sebastian. They even have their own backing singer! And a good name. Which is immeasurably helpful given the raft of crap names teenagers give their bands. These kids don’t need me to tell them they will do well – they seem to know it already.

Engaged couple Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou, who go by the name Indigo Moss, also played the Market Stage. Their cute rockabilly music takes in bluegrass along the way and their set mesmerised the audience. They were an apt match for the festival’s bucolic setting and were timed perfectly to gently wake people up after Saturday’s excesses. They drew some of their own peers too – Danny (of Danny and the Champions of the World) and Magic Numbers members all sat spellbound by the set. I must single out Hannah-Lou’s voice especially for praise; she’s got a pretty special sound and I want to hear more of her!

It was then off to see Luke Smith in the new tent the Village Pub. Canterbury-based Luke Smith specialises in cabaret style, piano led observational songs rich in wry humour and bearing titles like “I Like Being Cosy”. Now some would say he is irritating. Not me; I love him! I was charmed by him at a previous Truck and made a special effort to see him this year, where his attempts to get the packed audience not to join in drew much laughter. He’s lovely. From one hirsute wonder to another, I made sure I had a good view of the nicest man in music, Romeo Stodart. Yes, he was the special guest who along with bandmate Angela Gannon performed on Sunday evening.

Romeo from The Magic Numbers – Photo: Gina Policelli

Romeo is an artist who totally gets the Truck ethos and who, having mingled – or in his own words – been ‘led astray’ – by the punters the previous night, happily bantered with the crowd. And yes, it was him who very politely suggested that a certain Mr Dando could have thrown himself into the sprit of things a little more. He gave a lovely set of pared down Magic Numbers tracks with Angela providing accompaniment and showing off her angelic voice, which could honestly make grown men cry it’s so pretty. Danny of Danny and the Champions of the World joined for a song and a bit of a mutual appreciation society was formed which proved utterly heart-warming.

I then made a fantastic new discovery in the form of the politicised and impassioned Frank Turner, formerly of Million Dead. Wow. His lyrics are something else. And he has the tunes to back them up too. Combining the star quality of Bruce Springsteen with the polemics of Billy Bragg, he gave a magnificent performance which at the point in the day when revellers could easily flag as they wait for the main acts, drew a big crowd and made me and many others prick their heads up with immediate interest. Turner has a voice that urges you to listen and honest and powerful things to say, and delivers his messages with a conviction and intelligence weighted with authority and panache.

Laura Marling headlined the market stage and after much debate I decided I would eschew Get.Cape.Wear.Cape.Fly for the Berkshire-based songstress. The tent was spilling over with people and expectations were high. After what seemed like an age she finally came on and my first impression was: wow, she’s teeny! Followed by extreme jealousy of one so young and talented (yeah, she’s 18, yada yada yada … Enough about her age now!).

She exhibited remarkable composure in the face of such adulation and the complete purity of her voice hit me anew upon hearing it live. Sounding immaculate, she proved the beauty of her vocals on record is no engineered fluke. She delivered a set comprised mostly of songs from her debut ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’, plus a new track (Rebecca) and an encore of Five Years’ Time, that Noah and the Whale track on which she supplied backing vocals.

The set was, in short, sublime. Unperturbed by the idiots talking for the beginning of her set, who totally ignored the subtle and growing intensity of “Shine”, she projected a calm aura which soon transmitted to the audience, which was amassed of hyper kids, older folkies, and mid twenties former hyper kids like your good reporter. Everyone was transfixed a controlled yet delicate performance from Marling and her band, who live, lent the songs a greater thrust and body than on the album. As the drums and piano kicked in on My Manic and I and Night Terror, carving out a powerful backdrop for her clean and resonant voice, she treated the audience to some memorable hairs on the back of your neck moments. I’m sure those who saw her headline will agree that it is not overstating the matter to predict that it will become much harder to see her in a few years from now. If she’s this good before she’s out of her teens (I know, you can’t avoid it), what will she be like in Five Years Time (sorry – couldn’t resist)?

In all, Truck 11 was another wonderful weekend with wonderful artists. Although there seemed some underestimation of the popularity of some bands and a subsequent mismatch between stage and artist (Laura Marling in the Market Stage?), this is a minor gripe. The sun shone benevolently upon the festivities and topped off a weekend of quality music which introduced new artists and also reminded us of how great some of the established acts are – in short, it did exactly what a music festival should do. An event which is all about community, passion for music and a relaxed attitude to life, long may the Trucking continue.

By: Lindsey Davis

Last night I went to the Reckless Sons and The Splendour show at Madam JoJo’s in Soho, London.

Before the show, we were having drinks across the street from Madam JoJo’s, upstairs at The O Bar, and the newest addition to the New York City based band Reckless Sons, drummer Austin Schumacher, sat down with me for a quick chat. Before making their way to the UK they played a couple shows in Washington DC area that went down well and he was looking forward to playing the London show and their UK tour. They’ve just finished shooting a video for upcoming single, “Blood”, which was filmed in New York, and from his description, sounds like one to watch out for when it’s released.

As 9:30 approached, we made our way to Madam JoJo’s for the show. I was looking forward to seeing these two up and coming bands, one from New York and the other, The Splendour, from Brighton.

The Splendour went on first and I was glad to have been there early enough to see their whole set. They’ve been receiving very good reviews, and now I know why. They have a great current, indie sound, but there’s something different about The Splendour. They’re not your ‘typical’ indie band…there’s something more “artsy” and clever about them – maybe it has something to do with them being from Brighton, that they produce a different feel to their songwriting. Singer Justin Gourlay has a subtle approach on stage, which is endearing, and the harmonies were good to hear. When they played “Audio” my ears perked up, as I was familiar with the song. An excellent number as well as their single, “Money”. Both songs are off of their upcoming debut album ‘The Best Way To Make Money’ set for release August 2008.

Rockers Reckless Sons are fairly new on the scene – especially here in the UK. One thing I really enjoy, is being able to see bands play before they become household names. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ll be saying that about Reckless Sons. It’s refreshing to hear rock music these days, and the contrast between the two bands’ styles worked well.

Singer/frontman Matt Butler has the passion that you want to see when you go out to hear rock – and I was quite surprised at how good guitarist Emiliano Ortiz sounded during his solos. I think his solos caught me off guard. Apparently I’ve been getting used to the current wave of new music being played on the radio – and a lot of it, unfortunately, doesn’t include great guitar solos. Again, very refreshing to hear live. Austin is probably one of the hardest hitting drummers I’ve seen in awhile – at one point a piece of his stick went flying into the crowd, and it was fun to watch bassist Jacob Sloan’s quirky style on stage.

When the band played their hard rocking version of Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock”, for a moment I was spooked. I felt that I could have been watching them from five decades before. Matt has a look that could easily have fit in then, and I had flashes of the movie Eddie and the Cruisers going through my mind, and that’s also when I realized that Matt reminds me of Bruce Springsteen – who has an old school look and sound about him, too.

This show is highly recommended.

The bands will be on tour together in the UK July and August 2008.

For tour dates, music and more, go to:

The Splendour Myspace
The Splendour Official Website

Reckless Sons Myspace
Reckless Sons Official Website

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

Last Saturday I was at the Temple Bar in Oxford and a very young band by the name of Behaveya from Wycombe/Worcester was playing. The irony in all of this is that members of Behaveya are ages 10-17, and yet they were playing old punk and rock covers as well as punk originals that conjured up thoughts of the late 70’s punk music scene that I was too young to experience – but Saturday night may have been a good insight into what it was like.

Behaveya’s sound reminds me of punk bands from the 70’s, like X-Ray Spex, and with Becca fronting the band on vocals and bass, they’ve added a twist to the norm. At one point there was a technical problem with the bass, but what I really liked was Becca’s professionalism to just keep on singing until the problem was fixed – which eventually it was at the end of the song.

The band is comprised of siblings from two sets of families – and they’re all friends who simply love to play music. The youngest member, 10 year old Stephen on guitar, is confident on stage, and is fun to watch when he steps up to take his solos. Guitarist James has a great sound, and it was good to see him take the vocal lead on crowd favorite, “God Save The Queen” by the Sex Pistols.

I couldn’t see Ayla on the keys very well, as she was tucked away a bit, however, she is an important element to Behaveya’s sound. Phil is an exceptionally talented and interesting drummer, and is able to keep a solid rhythm throughout the night. You would never know that he is as young as he is by just listening.

It is an amazing thing to go into a bar and see a 10 year old playing guitar! At one point one of their songs was introduced as being written by him. Pretty cool.

They played two long sets which is impressive in itself, with enough originals to get a good feel as to the direction they’re going musically. I really had a great night out listening to Behaveya – and even pub landlord Barry was tapping his foot and singing along.

If Behaveya is playing in a town near you, go out and support this up and coming punk/rock band – you’ll be in for a treat!

For music and more information, go to:

Behaveya – Myspace

By: Jenny May – BandWeblogs.com

Last week I had the pleasure of watching up and coming band The Fullertons play at The Jericho Tavern in Oxford.

They look and sound great – and could easily have been included in the Glastonbury lineup. Their songs are tight, energetic and the keyboard adds a nice touch to their indie/pop sound.

They’ve got the full package for mainstream success.

More information about The Fullertons:

“Halfway Out” is the infectious debut single from newcomers The Fullertons. The Watford based four piece are set to inject a well needed boost of energy back into the music scene.

The Fullertons are brothers David (vocals / guitar) and Chris Chanell (keys / vocals / guitar), Rik Blake (bass/vocals) and Rich Iles (drums).

The songs, laden with soaring vocal harmonies and timeless pop hooks, trace a lineage that takes in the driving rhythm of the Zombies, the swirling energy of The Stranglers and dusts it all off with a nod to Supergrass.

The band have already enjoyed the support of Music Week, Channelfly, XFM – recent antics while recording the video for their single also ended up with coverage in the Sunday Mirror! However, theirs is not the tabloid lifestyle just yet (!), as they are too busy building up those motorway miles supporting the likes of Good Shoes, Vincent Vincent And The Villains, The Displacements and Blood Red Shoes.

They have been tearing up sold-out venues around the country for the past year with their vibrant performances and infectious song writing nous, and will continue to do so on their forthcoming dates. “Halfway Out” was released by Sons of Stereo on the 23rd June, 2008 backed with “Find Your Own Way Out” and “Rule Of Thumb”.

The Fullertons 2008 tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to The Fullertons’ Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

3 July 2 DJ’s Presents @ The White Heart Corby
4 July The Orange Box (14 plus) Yeovil
5 July Klub Kute @ The Cooler Bristol
11 July The Purple Turtle London
12 July Krisiz Zhanra. MOSCOW Moscow, Russia
13 July MOSCOW Moscow, Russia
14 July MOSCOW Moscow, Russia
31 July The Twist w/ The Paddingtons & Blast Colchester
1 August Live Session. BBC 3 Counties radio everywhere
13 September The Perils of Ping Pong @ The Albert 16+ Shrewsbury
20 September Ban Jam / skip skip jump @ St. Moritz. Soho London

The Fullertons Myspace

By: Jenny May – Band Weblogs