NSR Session: Kate Agerskow

On the 3rd of December 2008, Kate Agerskow came back and played another exclusive gig for NSR in the Green Room. All photos by Solveig Werner.

Scouting For Girls

Catapulted with cataclysmic force into the British mainstream musical consciousness, the four piece indie pop phenomenon that is Scouting For Girls are the ones responsible for men and women of all ages claiming ‘Elvis aint dead’, ‘she’s so lovely’ and ‘every time we meet, I skip a heartbeat’. Love or loathe them, it’s undeniable that these London lads have an ear for an infectiously catchy melody. They have been setting stages alight all across the county on the Just for a Day tour, and their sold out Newcastle show at the Carling Academy on Thursday 6th November was to prove no different.
After two truly excellent support slots from Sam Beeton and The Days the scene was set and the audience feverishly anticipated the main event. After a Bond themed introduction video the band took to the stage and performed their latest single, the aptly named ‘I wish I was James Bond’. The crowd, which, may I note was largely made up of screaming fifteen year old girls, was eager for more and the quartet did not disappoint, it felt as if every song played was a ‘big’ song, owing largely to the sing- along friendly hooks and dance inducing rhythms. In reality, all the band had to do was stand on stage and play their instruments as the crowd would gladly finish any line that front man Roy Stride began to sing. The audience response was huge, they knew every word and Roy’s interaction with the crowd was greatly appreciated.
Roy and his fellow band members seemed to have a genuine appreciation for the support shown by the people of Newcastle; the entire show was performed with a smile on his face, and at times the singer appeared speechless, taken back by the energy and admiration being thrown at him by the crowd. The band continually thanked the fans insisting they were the stars of the show and even went as far as to write a heartfelt song dedicated to all their followers. It would be hard to leave a Scouting For Girls gig without a smile on your face and some lyric or other in your head, so what if all their songs sound the same? The fact is they know how to entertain, and they do it well.

Review by Matt Blackwell

Rancid @ Carlin Academy

From the moment the lights go out, Carling Academy Newcastle is filled with excitement. Rancid always know how to entertain a crowd and tonight is no different. Opening song 'Radio', a noted fan-favourite, really sets the tone for the evening; whether the songs are fast or slow the band are completely captivating.
Tim Armstrong is fully connected with the audience, often sitting at the front of the stage on the monitors to sing to the front row, even shaking hands from the stage with this lucky fan. Lars Frederksen is the onstage voice of the band, thanking the crowd regularly and introducing each of the 30 songs performed that evening. His guitar playing is flawless, stage presence strong and his vocal lines are sung completely from the heart. Matt Freeman is undoubtedly one of the greatest bass players in punk rock. His extended solo in Maxwell Murder has to be seen to be believed and throughout the whole show his solid basslines lay a great foundation for the band to play over. The newest addition to Rancid, Branden Steineckert fits in perfectly to what must be his dream come true (Rancid were his favourite band before he was given the opportunity to join). He never drops a beat and even appears on stage sporting a Newcastle United football shirt.
At a Rancid gig, there is no such thing as a filler track. Whilst the majority of the material comes from 1995's '...And Out Come The Wolves', the setlist features tracks ranging from the most recent 'B-Sides and C-Sides' collection all the way back to 'Knowledge', the punk rock classic penned by Tim and Matt's old band Operation Ivy. Every track is a classic, though the personal highlight of the gig is the ska-tinged 'Who Would've Thought' from 1998's Life Won't Wait album, a great song that's really enhanced in the live environment.
This show is punk rock at its finest performed by some of the greatest talents in the genre. The band leave the stage with promises of a new record and another tour next year, so it leaves little so say except bring on 2009!

Review and photos by Mike Sherlock

The Pigeon Detectives, The Virgins, Red Light Company @ Newcastle Carling Academy 27/11/08

With a line-up like this - it’s no wonder I trotted down early to the Academy, my aim – to soak up as much of this evening as possible. On meeting my fellow Yorkshire-man-friend this was bound to be a night of beer-guzzling, Pigeon-chanting and general obnoxiousness, and I wasn’t to be disappointed.
Red Light Company opened the night with their brand of chilled-out tunes, sloshing about somewhere between Death Cab and The Manics. Easy on the ear though obviously easier to appreciate if you know the songs – checking out their MySpace should definitely be on your to-do list.
I was particularly excited to see The Virgins, as I had been recommended them by a friend. Supporting The Pigeons for the majority of this tour, there seems to have been a lot of hype around this band, so I was eager to see them in the flesh. As the lead singer shimmied and stomped on stage to what can only be described as ‘funky’ music, the crowd seemed won over. There’s something about this band that I can’t quite put my finger on, maybe it’s the slap bass that seems to underlie most of their songs, or maybe it’s their irresistible melodies and lyrics that mean that I now just can’t seem to stop listening to them.
As expected, the crowd began to get more of a buzz about them, rowdy in anticipation for a rowdy band. The excitement peaks when those five leather-clad lads appear and jump straight into their usual set-starter ‘Romantic Type’. Now safe to say I have seen this band a fair few times, and after seeing such a large variety of their gigs – different venues, from tiny crowds to massive Leeds Fest-type crowds, they still never disappoint me; I find my feet dancing before I even told them to. With lead singer Matt spraying out water from his mouth and swinging his microphone around higher than ever – you know what you’re getting with a Pigeons gig. Old tracks excite the masses as do newer ones such as ‘This Is An Emergency’. However whereas the first album’s tracks impress, the second ones’ don’t so much – as the gig goes on they play lesser known songs that don’t really stand out and aren’t all that necessary. But let’s face it – how can they go wrong with an ‘I’m Not Sorry’ encore?

Review by Marzena Dabrowska

NSR Session: Our Imaginary Friends

On the 26th of November 2008, Our Imaginary Friends played an exclusive gig for NSR in the Green Room. All photos by Solveig Werner.

The Valkarys at the Dog and Parrot 22/11/08

Short but sweet? Try short but simply spectacular. This 25 minute gig managed to rock the foundations of the Dog and Parrot in a short period of time providing mesmerising lyrics, powerful guitar solos and practically perfect drum structure. The Valkarys started their tour in Edinburgh with their new song Candy Girl, which already has 12000 hits on MySpace music. Even though they only had a small stage, no whiskey, no brandy and a 25 minute slot they were able to turn this seemingly small gig into a psycaldelic rock show. Playing some incredible songs such as their new single Candy Girl which included such unique and powerful vocals combined with an astonishing guitar and percussion concoction. Ending the night with my favourite of they’re tracks Protect and Serve, the band were able to get the crowd going wild young and old alike, while producing ear candy for all the listeners . It was a fantastic night by a fantastic band.
Never mind just being incredible artists the band were nice enough to let me interview them in their amazing tour bus, who needs the Iron Maiden tour plane when you have they’re bad boy bus. As they were going on stage soon I picked the best of the million questions in my mind to ask them such as my interest in they’re name. “The name is from the plot to kill Hitler but we changed the spelling around”, Scott, the lead singer answered. They have a sixties feel with influence such as Brain Jonestown and the Beetles its no wonder this band is able to produce such fantastic music. After a series of questions my final one was to find out what was the next step for the band. “We plan on getting an EP out with around 6 tracks, we also plan on getting into the student circuit”, the manager answer. Well I can say this they are very welcome to come back to this university. Check them out yourself!
Review by Aron Riordan

NSR Session: Kate Agerskow

On the 18th of November 2008, Kate Agerskow played an exclusive gig for NSR in the Green Room. All photos by Solveig Werner.

White Denim @ The Cluny 16th of November

The majority of reviews you’ll read about this band will no doubt mention their performance at SXSW this year. But the mark of a band is to build on hype, as hundreds of failed ‘next big things’ will testify. On a cold Sunday evening, Newcastle is a far cry from White Denim’s home of Austin, Texas. Support act, Six Nation State warm the arriving crowd with a mix of punk and coral-like balladry but make little lasting impression. In contrast, White Denim waste little time with a nonstop frantic performance of 3 tracks from their debut album ‘Workout Holiday’. The songs, which blend together seamlessly, show the band to be more then what a garage band pigeonhole would have you believe. Amid their powerful sound it’s easy to forget there are only 3 of them. The energy, rhythm and experimentation highlight that White Denim are at their best live. For forty minutes tonight the crowd were rid of their winter blues as the Texan trio delivered a fiery set to remember.

Read Christian's interview with the White Denim!

Review by Christian Allen

Marllion at Newcastle University Students' Union 10/11/2008

Initially, Newcastle University Students' Union seems like an odd choice of venue for this Aylesbury Progressive rock band. The majority of the band's fans in attendance tonight are not students; instead the crowd is made up primarily of middle-aged adults.
When you take a glance at the stage, the first thing that strikes you is the sheer amount of equipment Marillion have set up. The stage has been completely taken over with gear, leaving limited room for them to move around. As the lights go down, the band take to stage in turn, consequently receiving their own round of applause, but also leading to the inevitably predictable entrance of the lead singer after the rest of the band. Steve Hogarth finally bounds onto the stage, barefoot and dressed in a flamboyant Indian gown. The 5-piece launch straight into new song, 'Nothing Fills the Hole', to a widely positive reception. This was the first of many tracks played tonight from the band's new 'Happiness Is The Road' album. Another new track, 'Essence', demonstrates influence from modern bands such as Radiohead, whilst maintaining the Marillion trademark sound of epic, layered soundscapes.
Throughout the show, Hogarth really performs for the crowd, often seeming transfixed with the lyrics he is singing. At one point he plays a strange MIDI controller, constructed from a hollowed out cricket bat; another strange, in-joke for fans of the band. The penultimate song of the main set sees the band launch into a lengthy instrumental passage, leaving time for Hogarth to leave the stage and change, ready for his costumed entrance for the song 'The Invisible Man'; a good ending to the main set. However, even after the encore, there is still a feeling of disappointment at the lack of older, 'Fish-era' material in the set. Especially the lack of favourite 'Sugar Mice', which fans were calling out for throughout the gig.

Review by Michael Sherlock

VV Brown @ The Carling Academy 9/11/08

At 8:15pm a tall, lanky V.V Brown stepped on stage, in very high wasted tartan trousers, and began clapping a complicated rhythm, into the microphone. The audience were slightly bemused at first, but quickly got into the swing of things and joined in. V.V was great at addressing the crowd, and saying who she was and what the songs were about, and even though many in the audience weren’t there to see her or necessarily knew who she was (as she was the support for Ida Maria), people were listening and seemed to be enjoying her act. By “Back in Time”, she managed to get most of the audience dancing, and if they had known the words, I’m sure they would have been singing as well.
She sang several very good original songs, such as “Bottle”, accompanied by her keyboard playing, and 60s hip shaking dance. However I think the 60s feel is slightly over done, in “Crying Blood” her first single, as it is basically the Monster Mash with new lyrics. Despite this, perhaps poor choice for a first single, VV should not be cast a side as another Duffy/Winehouse/Adele/ type. She is original in both her songs, funky dress sense, and wide eyed self. She clearly has so much more to offer, not only as a singer and performer, but as a song writer and producer. She has come along way since writing on a one stringed guitar from a charity shop, and I’m sure we will be seeing a lot more to VV Brown in the very near future. Keep a look out for when she is next in town.

1) Everybody
2) Leave
3) Bottles
4) L.O.V.E
5) Quick Fix
6) Back in Time
7) I miss you Rolling Stones Cover
8) Crying Blood

Words and photos by Emilia Flockhart

Neon Neon at the Sage, 9th November 2008

With a few notable exceptions, pop music in the 80s was rubbish, wasn’t it? A Flock Of Seagulls feasting off the corpses of bloated pop bands fuelled by the attitudes of Thatcherism only to be swept away in a blizzard of cocaine and hedonism. Appropriate then, that Neon Neon have appropriated sounds so synonymous with a time so rich in distended self-indulgence to tell the tumultuous story of John Z. Delorean, founder of the Delorean motor company; a man notorious for his sordid affairs, crafty business mind and ceaseless self indulgence. It’s an album about the highs and lows, the dizzying ecstasy and inevitable pitfalls of consumerism, capitalism and the American dream. And where better to preach this message than Gateshead?
Crammed into The Sage’s hall two with drink in hand, after a ferocious set by hip-hop troupe Yo Majesty! which left my companion and myself reeling with massive grins on our faces, Neon Neon’s Boom Bip kicks things off by constructing the metallic, smooth, futuristic sounding bleeps and beats that colour ‘Stainless Style’. Gorgeously danceable while self aware, Neon Neon avoids being bogged down by it’s own self- referencing intelligence, because for all it’s a cleverly constructed concept, it’s also got soul and tunes by the bucket load. Boom Bip was gradually joined onstage by a drummer, the nauseatingly beautiful Cate Le Bon on bass and backing vocals, and, of course, the man with the golden throat, that Welsh master of melody- Gruff Rhys. And from the in, we are treated to an evening of eccentric pop perfection. Current single ‘Dream Cars’ floats through the rafters like a wistful smokescreen of melody that latches into your cerebellum and refuses to let go. The consistency of quality is almost overwhelming; every song fizzing with the hooks and quirks to make it a potential single.
As much as I Iove the Super Furries, it must be said that tonight Neon Neon possessed the energy, imagination and eccentricity that SFA gigs have been lacking in recent years. Not since Super Furry Animals donned the stage at Leeds University in a golf cart and glow-in-the dark druid outfits back in ’05 have I been to a gig that felt so much like a carnival; an all encompassing sensual experience. Documentary films glimmer and crackle behind the band, Gruff employs a cavalry of visual aids, but the highlight of the extent of their showmanship comes when collaborator Har Mar Superstar raps for at least 60 seconds while standing on his head. No mean feat, I can attest.
After the pulsating gorgeous beats fizzled out, and the band took a gracious and humble curtain call, we are left with a glorious ringing in our ears. The unlikeliest of pairings has generated one of the finest all out pop albums of the decade.

Review by Ben Lowes-Smith

Ida Maria @ The Carling Academy 9/11/08

Ida Maria the Norwegian singer-songwriter, is probably best known for her chick rock song, “Better When your Naked”, which many may dismiss for being too superficial and a bit of a cliché. Those who do, are missing out big time, for this is an artist out of the ordinary.
It wasn’t until I heard “Oh My God” that I really began to like Ida Maria.The song is so powerful, you can just feel her frustration, and listening to it nice and loud, is a great vent for ones own. The more I heard her album through and through, the more it grew on me, and now that I have seen her live, I’m completely sold.
Ida describes her songs as square pop songs, and although they are quite guitar heavy in a good way, they are catchy pop tunes, easy to sing along and let loose to, and all under 3:30minutes. Her voice is so unique, cracking at all the right places. She has a wonderful Norwegian accent, adding to the charm of her presence on stage.
Ida stepped on stage wearing a big fur coat, and began with the line “whisky please”, which the crowd, consisting mainly of teenage girls, the alternative kind, began singing along to. The concert was very intense, her eyes, almost crazy looking, starring over the crowd, perhaps due to her synesthesia. The roadie had to come on stage several times, to pick up her guitar or microphone which she let crash around on stage, something that the security guards didn’t seem to be expecting, judging from the young girlie crowd. Despite her on stage performance, the crowd were very mellow, and it wasn’t until the last song, that everyone finally let loose, jumping around, and all pushing to the front in a big mush pit. The screams when she finished were piercing, and she said very sincerely thank you so much, before leaving the stage dripping with sweat. I have to say, it was great!

1) Queen of the World

2) Louie
3) Morning Light
4) Forgive Me
5) Keep Me Warm
6) Drive Away My Heart
7) Stella
8) Always Alone
9) Oh My God
Encore
10) Hell
11) Naked

More information visit: http://www.myspace.com/idamaria

Words and photos by Emilia Flockhart

McFly, Reemer, Avenue @ Metro Radio Arena 08/11/08

This evening the arena is crammed with all the expected bunny-eared, tutu-clad teeny-boppers, the younger McFly fans with their mummies, plus a surprising number of 20-something males getting w**kered at the bar...
First up is Avenue. Think no instruments, think backing tracks, think dance routines, think Five meets some Xfactor reject, think oh dear...
Delivering more the sort of thing I was expecting, Reemer are probably the perfect McFly support band – cheesy, poppy, good-looking, charismatic, and nowhere near exciting enough to upstage the main boys. They certainly have the cringe factor - the lead singer’s enthusiasm almost bordering on scary as he lies across the stage, thighs-galore, singing meaningfully into the camera and making the girlies swoon. As for their music, they will obviously appeal to a younger crowd such as this, with barely-memorable choruses and monotonous lyrics such as ‘I could wrap you up in circles...if you like’ repeated over and over. It all sounds about ten years too late, and even ten years ago it would be nothing new. It’s a shame; they seem like lovely boys, but lovely boys don’t make rock stars.
You can always count on Tom, Danny, Dougie and Harry. No matter how much someone may criticise these boys, they never fail to deliver, and you can fall in love with each one individually as the show progresses. As the opening music builds up for their grand entrance onstage I couldn’t help but feel 16 again, let’s face it - when I loved them the first time around. They can sing, they can write good songs, and they can fly. Yes, McFly can fly. After balls of fire, fireworks, confetti and allsorts...a platform lowers and the boys clamber onto it as it travels over the crowd and plonks itself down right in the middle of the arena; a pretty amazing sight. I must say I prefer McFly’s older stuff, I seem to have lost interest recently, maybe that’s because I’m older and my music taste has changed (improved?) or maybe their songs aren’t as impressive and exciting as they once were? Whatever the answer, it was a damn enjoyable show.

Review by Marzena Dabrowska

NSR Session: Squares

On the 5th of November 2008, Squares played an exclusive gig for NSR in the Green Room. All photos by Solveig Werner.

Florence and the Machine gig, 3rd Nov at the Other Rooms

As we arrived the Other Rooms were filled with the psychedelic drone-rock of support band The Big Pink, atmospheric but no stage presence what so ever. We waited while the stage was strewn with hanging bird cages and the drum-kit with flowers. Flo came bursting on, hyperactive and held the crowd hypnotized by her piercingly powerful voice. She whirled around with feral energy, banging on drums and beaming constantly. For ‘Kiss with a Fist’ she demanded that the audience start fights with each other, in an ‘orgy of love and violence’. Flo’s magnetic personality saw everyone crouching down like children, then leaping up for her final song, and the set was predominantly upbeat with the pop-esque ‘Between Two Lungs’ and ferocity of ‘Bird Song’ New song ‘Cosmic Love’, showed off Flo’s beautiful, soaring voice and you can see how deeply passionate she is about singing, almost going into a trance at times then hurling herself out of it and dancing round the stage, a blur of gold glitter and sparkly jeans. Despite her claims of ‘I’m feeling violent!’ Flo still enraptures the audience with her quirky charm and playful banter. Catch her if you can!

Review by Louise Morris

White Lies @ The Cluny

White Lies are currently riding a wave of anticipation for their debut album, but for now fans have to make do with the release of their new single ‘Death’. Consequently a headline tour couldn’t come at a better time for the band. A close to sold out crowd are spoilt for up and coming alternative bands however as White Lies are joined by Lemington band Post War Years and female fronted 3-piece The Joy Formidable.
There’s something intriguing and fascinating about Post War Years. They started the set to a small arriving crowd, the majority of which probably hadn’t heard of the outfit. However by the end of their set, they’ve won nearly everybody over with their experimental, sample-crammed set, buzzing with energy and guts. With comparisons to Battles, Hot-Chip and Tom Vek this has to be one of the best support band’s I’ve seen all year. Next up, The Joy Formidable seem a more obvious choice as a support act for White Lies, similarly dressed in all black. Despite a strong start to the set, which gets the crowd tapping along, they fail to win over the growing crowd. A few gems signal promises of more to come.
White Lies seemed to have mastered this doom-and-gloom image malarkey. Which perfectly accompanies their equally drastic sound that plays around with lyrics about funerals, the cost of love and the death of a relationship or the death of someone even closer? What White Lies have in abundance is catchy songs. Unfinished Business and Death have been around for some time but other songs in the set glow as bright as the 2 singles. The 4th time I’ve seen this band and it’s a great feeling hearing a song that you remember liking on previous occasions but can’t track down online anywhere. Part of the draw of this band is the lack of songs they’ve put out for people to hear recorded. This must have been what it was like to see a band before the internet made it so easy to spread music and gossip on the latest hype band. Tonight is one of those performances where even though you might not be familiar with the majority of the songs played, you can enjoy yourself and anticipate any future releases. This band is destined for bigger things, a point no one at the Cluny tonight would contest.


Review by Christian Allen

The Last Shadow Puppets 27/10/08

Having never seen a gig at city hall I wasn’t really sure what to except, I felt it could be a bit too sophisticated and large scale for a band doing their first U.K. tour. But then when you have a collaboration of two brilliant musical minds like Alex Turner and Miles Kane and when the 16 piece orchestra begin to play, I realise they have in fact picked the perfect venue.
I can tell this isn’t going to be any ordinary gig from the second the orchestra start playing psychedelic tones which welcomes the band on stage and without any hesitation the pair launch into In my Room before playing there debut album title track Age of The Understatement, which with it’s grand orchestration has the effect it could be fitting for a film score.
Throughout the gig it’s impossible to take your eyes off Alex and Miles as you can see that this isn’t a business partnership at all, but two best friends who love what there doing and it’s a bonus they are amazing at it! There was endless banter between the band and the audience which created a brilliant and inspiring atmosphere, which was heightened by the ‘man-love’, which could be felt between the two band members!
The set mainly consisted of album tracks but they also played tribute to some of the great rock and roll legends through covers of The Beatles I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Leonard Cohen’s Memories and what Alex named his “x-factor number”, ‘In the Heat Of The Morning’ by David Bowie. It’s obvious to see where their musical influences come from; this is depicted in their music which runs themes of romance, darkness and tales of Femmes Fatales.
You could tell the pair didn’t want the gig to end as much as the audience and their playful side was shown as they crawled onstage for the encore, which if Alex’s trousers where any tighter wouldn’t have been possible! All in all this was an exceptional gig which makes you cherish the beauty of live music.

Review by Ann-Marie Loughney

General Fiasco @ The Union 23rd October

The average age of the people attending this gig must have been the 14 year-old girl. Okay I know that “girl” is not something that defines an age group, but in a way it does. Well there were a couple of middle-aged women present (a surprising number). I believe that was mostly thanks to the main act One Night Only. Well Little Comets are a very nice eye candy as well.
The first band to take the stage was Newcastle’s own Little Comets. Finally I got to see them again, it had been a while since I last went to one of their gigs. Well they have progressed positively since before the summer. They did rock the floorboards, loads of people were dancing, jumping around and a couple singing along (including my friend Marzy and me). These Comets are different from other bands, they experiment in a musical style which is not necessarily a defined genre, they have an amazing stage presents, helped a lot by their good looks.
Then it was General Fiasco’s turn, they are supporting One Night Only on the whole tour. I am struggling a bit when it comes to describing the way that they sound (hence my being very late with this review). There is a bit of a garage rock sound to them with the lyrics having a strong foothold in the Irish accent. They too had a lot of energy to woo the crowd, but there was less communication between them and those attending the gig. Interesting about them is going to see where they will be in a couple of months from now.

Review by Solveig Werner

Alphabeat @ The Basement 21/10/08

I was lucky enough to arrive at The Basement, just as the sextet got on stage, to start their sound checks. They began playing randomly, and within seconds, you could feel their energy filling the venue. Suddenly the sound check had turned into Eminem’s “Loose Yourself”, and all the crew as well as the band got into their best gangster mode. The atmosphere was relaxed, laidback but with a hint of giddy excitement for the show to come. After the sound check, it was time for an interview with Stine and Anders B, aka Lil Anders, in the humble quarters of Basement’s dressing room. To hear the interview click here.
After two excellent supports by the name of Pandering and the Gold Diggers and Das Pop, the show kicked off in best Alphabeat style with Troels the Alphabeater playing the rhythm to “Fantastic 6” on an empty stage. Once the crowd where all clapping along, the rest of the band entered beginning to play the intro, shortly followed by Stine and Anders SG, entering the stage just as the lyrics started. The crowd went wild, and the sold out venue were instantly jumping up and down.

Next was the Danish summer single, “GoGo” a brilliant song to dance to, which everybody in the venue did energetically. After which came the newest UK single “What is Happening”, which is out on November 24. This song really shows off the unique harmony of Stine and Anders SG’s voices, as well as their chemistry on stage. Next up was “A Message” a more low key song, sung beautifully by Stine, and the best known of the four songs played, which are not on either album.

When Alphabeat left the stage after “Touch me touching you”, the audience knew it wasn’t the end, and instantly began chanting “Fascination”. When Alphabeat re-entered almost whispering, The word is on your lips, a rapture spread amongst the crowd repeating the words over and over again religiously.

Through out the entire set the energy was incredible, not only from Alphabeat but from the whole audience, even the 40-something mums right at the back were dancing the whole time. There is no doubt that Alphabeat can not only deliver a good pop song, but an amazing live show, with interesting antidotes, new takes on their songs, a stage presence high above the norm, and an interaction with the audience which is formidable.

I was very impressed by their inquisitiveness in Newcastle and the university, and how eager they where to deliver a great show, even after having been on tour for so long. There is no doubt that Alphabeat are a unique group of very talented, intelligent, fun loving, down to earth individuals, spreading the joy of pop music to anyone who encounters them. They are a must see live act, for anyone looking for a good time.

Setlist:

1) Fantastic 6

2) Go Go

3) Do what you want

4) What is happening

5) A message

6) Hanging Tough

7) 10.000 nights

8) Rubber boots

9) Get Round

10) Boyfriend

11) Touch me touching you

12) Fascination

Words and photos by Emilia Flockhart

Das Pop @ Newcastle University Union

Even though Belgian band Das Pop was the support act for Alphabeat that night, they got a really good reception from the crowd. I’ve known about this band for a long time, and I was surprised to see that they’re playing so many relatively large gigs overseas now. It was obvious that most people came just to see Alphabeat that night, ranging from old people reliving their youth to young children, but all of them seemed to genuinely enjoy the happy tunes of Das Pop. In a sold out basement of the union the band got the audience to dance and clap along to their new songs such as ‘Underground’ and ‘Try Again’. It gets even better though; when singer Bent asked if they would come see the band again at their gig in February, the audience loudly cheered yes. Which I guess is the most positive reception you can get as band – not only does the crowd like your show, they even want to see you again!
Das Pop - unlike Alphabeat in my opinion - were the only band that night that seemed to make really enjoyable pop music without it becoming too cheesy or annoying. Also as a live band there really is nothing bad that can be said about them, even the vocals sounded like they should. During the last song of their set ‘Can’t get enough’ they asked the whole audience to sing along to it, which most of them actually did. The band enjoyed it, the audience enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, so all in all a successful evening! And hey if you didn’t like the music at least the bearded dungarees-wearing guitarist and dancing singer were fun to watch.

Review and images by Saskia van der Velde

Natty @ The Academy

The Boss Sounds Festival is the UK’s biggest reggae festival so it is a must play event for any rising star of reggae, especially one promoting a new single. Natty is that man. When he is on stage dancing with his acoustic guitar and dreadlocks flailing it is easy to see why he some are hailing him as the new Bob Marley. Personally, I wouldn’t agree with this and I’m fairly sure Natty wouldn’t either.
He came in to the industry by being a tea boy then a studio engineer for various indie bands so there is no questioning his current place in the music world or the fact he was just below Easy Star All Stars in the bill to finish the festival.
When I met him earlier in the day, he had just come from a sold out show in Bristol and seemed pretty run down from working hard (or just unimpressed to meet a student radio DJ – you decide) but none of that came across on stage. The songs were all in perfect order adding sing-a-longs and introductions where necessary. His performance of Bedroom Eyes had everyone (myself included) singing it for the rest of the evening. Of course you would expect nothing less but on top of this Natty has a rare gift. He can make every single person in the crowd feel like he is looking at them and them alone. It makes his female fan base strong in numbers but weak at the knees. He has said himself that people struggle to place him in a genre but he’s also bright enough to know this only a good thing and the only place he really needs to be is on stage to prove his worth.
The best I can do to sum him up is quote a young man from Natty’s MySpace page. Callum tells us that his girlfriend has just left us and he is skint but he listens to Man Like I and “it reminds [him] of the wonderful summer [he] had that [Natty] was part of”. I don’t think any reggae fans are going to get too overexcited about him but some certainly will.

Review by Alec Falconer

NSR Session: The Maddisons

On the 15th of October 2008, The Maddisons played an exclusive gig for NSR in the Green Room. All photos by Solveig Werner.

The Maddisons @ HOKO 10

Four nervous-looking school boys arrive at the bar (on time), absently arranging their set, eyes darting around the room. As they take over the floor, the Southampton quartet come face to face with an almost sold-out crowd; close enough to knock a few drinks right out of their hands. Their set kicks off with a distinctive take on classic indie guitar riffs and a heavy thrashing at the drums, Hit The Nerve soon gets the heaving crowd tapping their feet and the band come alive. They scream into their microphones, smash around the bar like they own it and stand on anything nearby that looks remotely sturdy. I start to worry for the guitarist in particular as he almost head butts his own instrument in a flourish of Sundays Children, a song that the young band seem just about able to keep control of.

'Bittersweetness' slows things down next and the vocals shine. A meaningful and eerie growl into the microphone echoes of Artic Monkeys and Milburn, obvious influences to the edgy lyrics and catchy guitar solos. They are now unrecognisable, no longer are they the youngsters playing with their older brothers’ guitars, as they launch into their final song and new single The Witch the crowd hangs on their every word...even if their singers’ voice isn’t quite broken yet...I can only imagine The Maddisons will get bigger and better with age.

Review by Hannah Tomlinson

Hot Club de Paris

The Others Rooms has to get the award for the most clichéd gig venue in Newcastle. Based in the Centre of Life, its part of the ‘Digital Super-Club’, which isn’t a Super-club at all. Referencing it on the dictionary says its ‘Higher in Quality’. Doesn’t that mean that every posh club is one? Or is it a title branched out for places that believe that just because they have a ‘mixture’ of music they can brand themselves in such way? Anyway, it’s a little room on the top floor that has what Hot Club de Paris (hereafter mentioned as HCDP) called an outrage for not having draught. It doesn’t really attract the young at heart, and that was evident by the audience, a bunch of 30 year olds, and the occasional younger couple, obviously saving their parent’s cash for more fruitful events, such as world hunger.
Anyway, the support bands came on. The first one was a local instrumental 3-piece guitar and occasional trumpet band, but to make themselves ‘rebellious’ they had masks on. If they had focused more on the guitar playing (the trumpet was admittedly very good) then they would have been rather good indeed, instead they let it become too repetitive and not telling a story. But, they obviously had talent, and some good songs.
Sky Larkin a female led indie band from Leeds were next up. Female bands are harder to find than male bands, some get marooned in either the Screemo Yeah Yeah Yeah’s sound or the subtler singer songwriter sound of coffee bar girls that sound exactly the same as the other girl I saw previously. For all that (and I would like to say I’m not totally against female singers, I am listening to Feist at the moment), Sky Larkin were impressive. Playing mostly of their new album, they showed quite a developed sound, with some nice lyrics.
When HCDP finally came on at 10.15. Their set can probably best be described as having a pot of (in its loosest term, but as they are actually on an independent Indie Label) indie and a pot of punk, combined in precise quantities to produce punchy pop punk gems that are over before you have chance to catch your breath. Their influences of early punk such as Firehose and Minutemen are very apparent and their execution is sharp whilst perfecting the love for simple harmonies that has stormed the indie scene of late with little difficulty. The majority of the set focuses their latest album Live At Dead Lake with the ingeniously named I Wasn’t Being Heartless When I Said Your Favourite Song Lacked Heart and current single My Little Haunting but classics such as Sometimesitsbetternottostickbitsofeachotherineachother and Your Face Looks All Wrong also get some play time. HCDP have a talent for bouncing off the crowd and their banter provokes many an excited ‘YEAH’ whilst salutes of expensive beer bottles fill the room. An undeniably fantastic performance, let’s hope these guys get the credit they deserve.

Review by Izaac Carlisle 

Gabriella Cilmi @ The Carling Academy 14/10/08

My first encounter with Gabriella Cilmi, was after watching an advert for the new upside down Rexona deodorant, featuring Gabriella’s hit single Sweet About Me. I’m sure the reason for the advertisers choosing this song was the line “the world’s a better place when it’s upside down” although this does not feature in the ad. However it was not just her lyrics that made the song appeal to me, but her soothing sexy voice, combined with sounds from blues and jazz. I liked it so much, that I googled the lyrics from the ad and brought the song on iTunes. Over the summer, the single has been played repeatedly, and I became a bit fed up with it. I hadn’t heard anything else from Gabrielle Cilmi, so I was very excited to see what else she could offer, whilst playing live.
I arrived at the academy at 7pm, sorted out a photopass, got into place, and waited over an hour! for the first warm up to appear. It was a local guy doing an acoustic set with his guitar. It was nice, but nothing special, and definitely something the audience could have done without. After his 30minute set the second support came on. This was also an acoustic set with one guy and his guitar. He was called Liam Bailey, and although he was far more interesting than the first support, he still lacked originality. He was like Ben Harper meets Jason Mraz with a Jimmy Hendrix look. He was good, however he definitely did not want to be background music, and got more and more frustrated that the crowd were talking whilst he was playing, causing him to finish very abruptly, and almost arrogantly storming of stage, after his 45minute support set.

At 9:30, two and half hours after the show was supposed to start, Gabriella Cilmi and her band finally appeared on stage. It was clear from the moment she stepped out that she was a “rock chic”, with her black lace up boots, “bed hair look”, and diamond-studded microphone, although there was still definitely something sweet about her. After the first track she addressed the crowd, in her sexy Aussie accent and girlie giggle. They played a total of 13songs, including a beautiful heartfelt song about being homesick, and a groovy cover of Cry me a River.
The track that everybody had been waiting for, Sweet About Me, came after the 7th track, and was introduced by Gabriella encouraging everybody to get their phones and cameras out, ready to add to the thousands of other bootleg recordings of the track on YouTube. It was quite different from the rest of the more rock based set list, though perhaps the only one capable of being of a successful single. Gabriella and the band were playing it almost mockingly rocking from side to side, and allowing the audience to do most of the singing, which they gladly did. The set ended with Led Zeppelin’s A Whole Lotta Love, making clear where Gabriella’s true musical passions lie.I was very impressed by her stage presence, incredible voice, sassiness and maturity far beyond a girl who had only just turned 17, four days earlier. The chemistry in the band seemed really good, especially between Gabriella and the bass player Kali De Vaux, who slightly resembled Side Show Bob, with his big ginger dreads.
There is no doubt that she is a talented young musician, and gives a good show, however she needs to develop her own sound more. Sweet About Me is a great track, but combined with covers from artists such as Justin Timberlake and Led Zeppelin, it’s hard to define who Gabriella Cilmi is at the moment, other than a young girl with a passion for a wide variety of music.

Set list:
1) Sanctuary
2) Cigs & Lies
3) Awkward
4) Einstein5) Safer
6) Cry Me a River
7) Got No Place To Go

8) Sweet About Me
9) Echo Beach
10) Terrifying
11) Don’t Wanna Go To Bed
12) Save The Lies
Extra) Whole Lotta Love

For more information visit:

http://www.myspace.com/gabriellacilmi
http://www.myspace.com/kalidevaux
http://www.myspace.com/liambaileyuk

Words and photos by Emilia Flockhart

Polarbear @ The Cluny 12/10/08

Sunday evenings at the Cluny are always more than a pleasurable experience, especially when combined with good company, good food from the Cluny’s kitchen, a pint of Budvar, and some live music. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the bands playing, all I had heard was that it was jazz, which I have rather mixed feelings towards. Good old Dave Brubeck and the likes, I really enjoy, ultra modern stuff, not such a fan, and unfortunately the first band fell in to the latter category.
I should have guessed, judging by the audience mainly consisting of men in their 20s to 40s, nearly all wearing trendy flat caps. This was to be a gig for musicians by musicians. The first band were a VERY experimental Jazz trio. The kind that to the unknown ear, just sounds like a really annoying mosquito that won’t leave you alone, combined with the sound of kitchen shelves collapsing, leaving pots and pans crashing to the floor.
I can appreciate the musical ability it takes to play such complicated music, with off beats, but to me the beats are so off, it seems completely lacking in rhythm. I’m sure that the music would be well fitting for an arty independent thriller film, but in this case it just made me stressed, and I have to admit I was delighted when they stopped playing at 9:45 a guy with absolutely huge hair (Sebastian Rochford, drummer) walked on stage followed by the other four band members of Polarbear, the evenings main act. The gig began with a Seb addressing the audience in his timid voice, almost apologizing for his existence. When the audience started clapping, he modestly replied shy and mumbling, “thank you, but you haven’t heard us yet”. After the short banter between Seb and the Audience, sounds began emerging from the left of the stage where Tom was crouched behind his Mac book, with what basically looked like a PS2 controller and a bag of crisps over a microphone. However pretentious this seemed, the sound was captivating and the audience where immediately enticed.
The first track, Want To Believe picked up with nice melodic sax, accompanied by up beat rocky drums. The set continued including rhythms from jungle, and drum and base to reggae and jazz, as well as “instruments” such as the electric guitar played with a bow, saxophone tapping, and squeals of a balloon loosing air.
I was pleasantly surprised by Polar Bear’s ability to combine modern jazz, with melodic dreamy tunes, which captivated the audience leaving their faces deeply serious and concentrated, throughout the gig. The set was well performed, with sexy beats, intricate and unique sounds, combined with smooth overtones from the tenor sax duo, and deep double base riffs.
The set lasted just over an hour, plus an encore requested by the applauding crowd. I very much enjoyed it, although they tended to draw the indulgent parts out a bit too long. It was slight case of the emperor’s new clothes, so to say that the audience seemed to lack criticism, and took Polarbear, as they perhaps do themselves, a little too seriously.

Set list:
1) Want to believe
2) Fluffy
3) Industry
4) Tom loves Alice
5) Goodbye
6) Dub
7) Happy for you


For more info visit http://www.myspace.com/sebastianrochford

Words and photos Emilia Flockhart

British Sea Power @ Newcastle University 09/10/08

Upon entering the Basement, I am trembling with a nervous excitement at the chance to see if an this Mercury-nominated band’s live show pays a suitable tribute to the glowing nature of their reviews for third LP ‘Do You Like Rock Music’? After all, said album (in addition to the two preceding ones) boasts beautiful, heart-wrenching anthems, designed by the band themselves to ‘challenge the listener’s perspective on what rock music actually is’. But can they cut it live? (I won’t mention at this point that I witnessed a superb display last year in the slightly smellier, colder surroundings of All Saints Church which promptly converted me to the Sea Power cause. For now, I am a neutral observer).
Well the answer is a glaringly obvious ‘absobloodylutely’. The moment the band arrive on stage, singer Yan (Scott?) Wilkinson begins proceedings with a shy ‘Hello, we’re going to play this one first for my Dad ‘cos he’s here tonight but has to get the Metro back to Sunderland in half an hour....’ the audience is smitten. Well, those down at the front are anyway, leaping around in ecstasy to a ferocious Remember Me disposed of in a three-minute flurry of furious aggression. Some have described BSP as ‘the Futureheads sparring with Arcade Fire’. Either way, it’s awesome.
As the set gathers pace, the band’s slightly eccentric tendencies (the stage is covered in foliage and stuffed owls) become prevalent. A reconstruction of the sweeping instrumental ‘The Great Skua’ slows everything down and gives fans a chance to breathe, while the backdrop of a projection of penguins on to a screen provides a welcome distraction from now static musicians. Then it’s back to business as usual, lead guitarist Martin Noble’s understated, melodic riffs sailing over the mesh of noise for the frantic Down on the Ground and, most impressively, the jaw-dropping Carrion. It doesn’t take long to realise that this band actually has everything one could want from a rock outfit, especially in their obvious joy at beating out their songs which is thus enhanced by the appearance of ‘Ursine Ultra’, a 12-foot (fake!) bear that makes an appearance during the encore for an insane Spirit of St. Louis, which sees piggy-backs among band members, the theft of Noble’s trouser leg and a prolonged crowdsurf from Yan.
One leaves the venue completely bewildered, but buzzing. And that’s probably exactly how a rock concert should be.

Review by Kate Edwards (images by Solveig Werner)

Roots Manuva @ The Sage Gateshead 7th October 2008

Hall 2 at the Sage is probably my favourite venue in Newcastle; it’s a purpose built intimate venue where the artist can get really close to their audience, it has the feel of a dingy pub without having the smell or the residue from the previous evenings festivities. This, though, was probably the weirdest and most surreal gig that I’ve ever been to.
Roots Manuva, to give you some background, is one of the most prominent and critically successful British Hip Hop artists ever. So you expect a certain stereotypical audience, like you expect old couples to be courted to the theatre, and the 14-year-old tight jeans and scruffy hair ‘emotional’ kid to go and see My Chemical Romance. So when I get to there do I then get a 45-year-old guy (age is a guess, I didn’t ask him) on one side, and a mother and daughter on the other. Looking at the standing area, I see mid 30s couples holding hands at the back as their expecting Damien Rice to spring himself out. I actually had the thought ‘Am I at the wrong gig’. So there was Root’s, his DJs, that guy (the typical guy that fills in the last parts of the sentence to amplify it), and around 300 middle class white guys.
Anyway, Roots was on great form, his lyrics meaningful. There was no bling; no East Coast culture. Just straight up music, the warm britishness of his lyrics (Cheese on Toast and Bitter) brings him away from the Americanisation of British Hip Hop, the need for excessive production, which drives away the uniqueness. Everybody, though, were waiting for Witness the Fitness, and it was done with a huge audience reaction that was surprisingly lacking in the earlier songs (probably seeing if Dad was coming down with his Porsche to pick them up).
Overall, a really solid performance, but in my thoughts as I walked away I thought about the problem that has swept to Indie music specifically. Stop making all your music sound the same! Roots has always been in that slot of critics hip hop without making that ‘one record’, that big song. If he wants to become big, like Dizzie or Sway big, he needs to think about that one song, and maybe go and get some American influences in there. Only for one song though, then he can come back and sit on his rightful place as the spearhead of the British Hip Hop scene.

Review by Izaac Carlisle

The Chevrolites @ The Cluny 04/10/08

Having previously seen local lads The Chevrolites play in Edinburgh simply by chance... I was eager to check them out in their hometown. So I scampered on down to The Cluny where the boys scuttled onto the stage. Getting straight down to business with Came Here To Fight I felt my toes tapping and the alcohol flowing. Think Milburn, think Arctic Monkeys, these influences are pretty obvious; catchy riffs and edgy lyrics aplenty, particularly in Malia. A good-time band, look into these kids if you’re one for dancing. A few gigs’ time and a larger variety of songs could see The Chevrolites stand out from the rest. Quite possibly the funniest gig I’ve ever been to, you know those gigs every so often where someone takes things a bit too far, this was one of those times. If not for the music go for the girl jumping onstage and the man rolling around on the floor whilst the rest of the crowd are bowled over with laughter. If a band can inspire fans such as these well they must be worth making a fuss over.

Review by Marzena Dabrowska

The Automatic at Northumbria 01/10/2008

For the third time in my life I attended a gig by the Welsh band The Automatic. It was in fact the second time in less than two weeks. I had not in anyway planned to go to this gig, but you can’t always plan how life works out for you. After having interviewed Frost I was asked if I would like to go to the gig later that night.
I missed the opening act Operahouse, and that when they were a band that I was really hoping on seeing. Lately it seems like that I miss out on the first support band, you could blame Rob and Frost of the Automatic for that.
The second support act was Dinosaur Pileup, band from Leeds that are on their first major tour at the moment. For me it is rather hard to describe what they were like. They put a lot of energy to show. Behaved like they owned the world when they played their music and were shy when it came to talking to the people. With their long hair they were playing heavier rock, not something that you can call indie. Some of their songs were very melodic, while others weren’t. I can’t complain about what they gave to show, I very much enjoyed myself, even though it isn’t my favorite type of music.
The Automatic! As I already said this was the third time that I saw them. I was a bit deceived by the second time, but this is about the third concert I attended. So I must say I was well impressed, the music was good, the crowed was good, which is always a good thing. I think they very much enjoyed themselves playing for a public that was to an extent made up of friends of their newest member who in fact is from Sunderland. The setlist was not just focusing on the songs of the new Album, but also on classics of the debut album, including the obligatory Monster, I feel sorry for them that they more or less have to play that song at each of their gigs. And of course Raoul got played. They almost seemed embarrassed when playing their second to last song Love In The Club the cover of the Usher song they had done for Live Lounge this August. Now I am wondering when I will next see the Automatic reform live.

Review by Solveig Werner

The Sound Ex

The End Bar Newcastle is the small bands dream: dark, dingy and cosy. The small corner pub was surprisingly packed with around 100 people ready to listen to the local boys’ second album, entitled ‘Palomino’. Sound Ex have toured with The Datsuns, and the Mooney Suzuki, and their influences were easy to see on their music. The support band came on the stage first though, but just a general hint with support bands. They need to be of a similar genre to the actual main act. This band was a punk band. I’m sorry for all the punk fans that read this, but it’s not my cup of tea, so when I want to hear Rock music, don’t pump out Punk. It’s one of those great lists called ‘the oldest trick in the book’, which they obviously didn’t read. They did have the ‘I look really bored’ bassist and the ‘I don’t think that I should be here’ lead singer that looked more like an accountant than a punk singer.
Anyway, The Sound Ex came on. As this was an album launch, it’s not the best place to judge a band on their live performances, the crowd obviously here to support the release of the album. As a band they worked well, they interacted with each other, having two vocalists sharing almost equally, except they have an obvious front man. The album as a whole is one of those efforts in which bands have fallen into the trap of producing a ‘safe’ album, one which doesn’t really do anything, but at the same time still gets your foot tapping, but this could be by the energy of the band on stage, as opposed to their music. Its interesting to see what they do from here, they are already signed with Damnation Records, so it’s not like there one of the masses of bands unsigned. It is, though, a crossing point for The Sound Ex, between going ‘reasonably’ big nationwide, regional or even going into the doldrums. Its something that could go either way, but with their life performance they have… more up than down.

Review by Izaac Carlisle

The Hoosiers Freshers Gig

This year’s freshers’ second gig was the London band The Hoosiers supported by two local acts. After having the treat of interviewing the lovely lads of the Hoosiers my friends and I settled far away from the freshers in a quiet room of the union close to the basement. We missed the first of the two support bands, which is of course unfortunate, but let our ears be virgin to the sound of Detroit Social Club or DSC.
I had heard of DSC before, but never anything by them. So it came as a pleasant surprise that they are in fact a really good live band. In a way live bands are good when even without knowing their music you are totally in the vibe once they step on the stage. There was energy present in the room that filled it from almost empty to almost completely full in a matter of minutes. I absolutely loved what I saw and heard and I believe that I was not alone on that account. Certain songs a lot of fresher’s chanting along with their hands in the air, the last song was probably the best, no one wanted the band to leave the stage behind. The ambiance was absolutely amazing, and I can’t do anything but recommend you to see Detroit Social Club.
Then it was for the Hoosiers to prove what they could do with their Yeti amps, and good looks. I had for some reason always heard form people that the Hoosiers are not such a good band. I have to say whoever told me that was exaggerating. The Hoosiers were a fun band, making the drunk and the sober students party. Their keyboard player, who was the additional member, from Newcastle, could apparently play everything. After asking the crowd what they should play, it came down to an extract of a Killers song, and the theme tune to Inspector Gadget. The Killers song was almost a mistake, as the crowd could not stop singing even though they had stopped playing it. When they did Cops and Robbers, it seemed like everyone was dancing. It is too bad that the weeks held during freshers week do not come with encores.

Review by by Solveig Werner

Woodpigeon at the Cumberland Arms 18/09/2008

Arriving a bit late at the gig, I almost missed the whole of the first act that was on, the solo artist Francis Conway. I made it just in time to hear the last two song of his acoustic set. They were absolutely amazing, and both were rather long so I can say I got a good picture of what Francis Conway sounds like.
Beth Jeans Houghton was up next. Last time I saw her live she was performing on her own, this time around she was joined by a drummer, ok he did not only play drums, he also was gifted for the piano. I am still very impressed by Beth’s good use of the loop pedals, they give her music the extra something that make is very special. It is going to be interesting to see where Beth is going to be in a couple of months time as she has just released a single and has a lot of new songs up her sleeve.
It was so hot in the Cumberland Arms that night that I seriously considered leaving as it made me really tired. I am happy, that I did stay around because Woodpigeon are a really good band that I would have regretted not seeing. This Canadian band had the characteristic of having many people on stage. As a consequence they had a lot of different instruments including a violin. The music was absolutely stunning. Everyone seemed to try to figure out what genre they belong to. “Unclassifiable” that’s most likely what they are, the music is a mix of eastern European folk and Abba, with elements of all sorts of musical styles. The fact that they are Canadians with many band members and a diverse selection of instruments makes them a bit Arcade Fire-ish. By any means if you have the chance to see Woodpigeon, you should definitely take it, as for them as well you can’t know where they will be in a bit.

Review by Solveig Werner

The Little Ones at the Cluny 17/09/2008

Back in Newcastle for three days I had my first proper night out at the Cluny. The American band The Little Ones were playing supported by local acts Spies in Limbo, and New Vinyls.
First up it was the New Vinyls, over the summer this band has worked on a lot of new songs. I must say that they were really good. They are catchy and very different one from the other. For the song Polytechnic the lead singer leaves his guitar behind and dances on stage à la Jarvis Cocker. If you have the chance to catch New Vinyls live you should do so. Interaction with the public is another thing that characterizes this band. Surprisingly the Cluny was fuller than normally at the time of the first band. Maybe the word did spread that New Vinyls is a must see band.
Then it was Spies in Limbo’s turn to show what they’ve got. Nothing can be said against their music, because that was class. The atmosphere that was created by the previous band was carried on just there were no direct exchanges of words with the public. If they would have done that it could have been even better.
The Little Ones, probably most known for their song Lovers Who Uncover had a wide variety of songs on their set list. High, sweet voices, is what probably best describes the singing of this very particular band. They were a lot of fun to see perform. The Cluny must be a lot smaller than the venues they are used to, also a lot nicer. In a way they reminded me a bit of Vampire Weekend, the same style of music but a bit less quirky. All in all it was a great night back in the Toon.

Review by Solveig Werner

Tokyo Police Club @ The Other Rooms 11/06/08

No they are not from Japan, they are from Canada, you should know this if you have been on wikipedia and have read about this band. Tokyo Police Club is a band with four rather young members. Three are 21 and one is 23, and they make music that is worth going down in rock history.
For me this gig in Newcastle was the second time that I have seen them. I must say Tokyo Police Club or TPC have progressed loads since the 16th of February 2006. Elephant Shell their debut album was released this spring, providing fans with music that by far excelled the material found on the EP (treated like and album, but not being one) A Lesson In Crime. But I am meant to write about the gig and not about their records. By now I am late writing about the gig, I am sorry about that, but sometimes I feel the need of these things settling in my memory before I produce them on paper.Dave, Graham, Greg and Josh were on their last week of a 61-gig tour, but they still had more energy than most bands have these days. Their music is ‘demanding’, I am not sure if it is the right word that should be used, it is different from the other things that are out there. Not only their music is different, the lyrics are different. It was really too bad that there was a problem with Dave’s microphone, so on a few songs his beautiful voice was drowned out by the instruments.Your English Is Good and/or Tessellate and other songs had the whole of the public singing along. Some songs are there to be clapped to, in those cases the whole venue was clapping. There was no encore given by TPC, there was no need for one, the set was finished of in the certain harmony you want it to finish. If they would have played one more song they might have collapsed.
TPC brought with them the newest New York revelation Mobius Band for the European part of the tour. For a couple of months I had known one of their songs Hallie and I thought that it would be cool to see them live. I did not think they would be coming to the UK any time soon (allow some pessimism) and well the last thing that I though was that they would be the support band for one of my favorite bands.These three Brooklyn natives are a rather geeky bunch they know how to charm their public. In the beginning of their set everyone in the crowd kept the ‘obligatory’ distance to the stage. Mobius (I permit myself to shorten it to that) did not seem to like it, one of them more or less told us off and said that we should be filling the space right in front of the stage.I believe that with them it is interesting to see where they are going to be in a couple of weeks or months or years time. There is something very special about them, a momentum seems to be building up around them in the States, if the wave will hit Europe remains a yet unanswered question.
A year ago or so Tokyo Police Club would play their gig with only 10 songs, all they had in stock back then. Now their set list is miles long written on a paper plate and not including every release they have had so far. I believe I might have gotten a bit carried away with this review, but good music can sometimes hardly be described in a couple of words.

Review by Solveig Werner

The Ting Tings

Salford duo, The Ting Tings have found themselves at the top of various ‘ones to watch out for in 2008’ tip lists. Whilst this obviously means generating a lot of hype this can also be a double edge sword as it means people who do turn up to your gigs will be expecting something special. Their sound is catchy, chart friendly indie-pop with much of the music appearing out of the ether via the magic of technology. Various loop machines give them a bigger sound and also give singer Katie White space to pout, clap, strut and yelp her way through their short but punchy 30 minute set.
Their set is full of indie dance floor gems and there are some fine hooks, particularly in the singles ‘That's Not My Name’ and ‘Great D.J’ which gets the arriving crowd toe tapping. The band confess they find it hard to come on first, especially after the party they put on in Manchester the previous night and although their party sound may suit a crowd already warmed by support acts they do a good job of getting the crowd going. It is not hard to imagine the Ting Tings putting on a good party, as the next act ‘Does It Offend You, Yeah’ vouch for, in the interview they talk of their wide range of music tastes and their love of eccentric D.J mixes, it is apparent that they have as much fun off stage as they do on it. On this evidence it seems the ting tings are a name to watch out for in 2008. Their infectious pop songs have rightly generated interest from big names (including Rick Rubin of all people) and on tonight’s showing look set to become regulars on dancefloors everywhere.

Review by Christian Allen

Pull Tiger Tail @ Academy II 21/05/08

Having kept quiet for a while Pull Tiger Tail decided to go on a full UK tour right in the middle of exam time. It was announced shortly before it kicked off, the late notice is most likely the explanation for a mere 103 tickets being sold in advance. This London band had not been on tour for a while, and does not seem to have spend that much time in the studio either as the planned album still has not come out and they have been releasing single after single.
On that Wednesday night the top floor of the academy was filled with mostly 14 year-old girls, to my surprise there were a lot of boys in the same age group present as well. I felt rather old at 19. Pull Tiger Tail seem to be underrated as they themselves probably would prefer having a fan base that is not so narrowed down, and their music should appeal to more people anyways. On stage they have a lot of charisma, confidence and they know that they are good without turning into the arrogant rockstar, maybe because they are indie? They are good looking and have an impressive stage presence; in a way they are entertainers. Starting everything off with the mentioning of a haircut that they had given their lead singer earlier in the day. Jumping around and just having loads of fun and energy on stage seems to be their motto.
But the gig wasn’t all that much fun, there was a bizarre Newcastle band as the support. Coming in later that planned Deathcrew 92 shocked by not having a drummer. The drums where preformed by a computer plugged into the system the so called ‘drummer’ made sure the right drum track was being played. What made all of this worse was the fact that the drums appeared to be the most emphasized instrument this band had.
Even with the beginning of the gig being confusing and deceiving Pull Tiger Tail preformed great without deceiving one tiny bit. The future of the band is interesting as well. If they want to go back to Uni they would have to do it in September, which would put the band on hold for a year.

Review by Solveig Werner

Mystery Jets @ The Cluny 19/04/08

If someone says ‘Mystery Jets’ I say “Arrrggggghhhhhghghgh!!!!!” - this is a good reaction, by the way. I can safely say I had been looking forward to this gig for exactly a million years. One of my favourite bands in one of my favourite venues: YUM. And yummy it was, this mouth-watering evening started off with a nibbler from local lady Beth Jeans Houghton, think Regina Spektor with a dash of Laura Marling - delish. Dished up next were Little Comets, without expecting too much, these boys did more than pleasantly surprise; they blew my frickin’ socks off. Filled to the brim with scrummy, poppy, chantey, dance-y goodness; I wanted to order seconds.After appetisers like these I was greedy for more, Mystery Jets were my main course and desert rolled into one neat, tasty set. From the sweet depths of their older tracks such as ‘Diamonds in the Dark’, to the juicy highlights of upcoming single ‘Two Doors Down’ they delighted and charmed the 350 capacity room. Having heard that previously the band invited a crowd member onstage to sing Laura Marling’s part in ‘Young Love’, I was slightly disappointed when Blaine sang the part himself and I was unable to display my amazing vocal talent! (Cough cough). As with most over 18 gigs the crowd were slightly reluctant to ‘jam out’, but with a ‘Zoo Time’ encore even the coolest of cucumbers couldn’t resist to burn a few musical calories.

Review by Marzena Dabrowska (photos by Solveig Werner)

Elbow @ Carling Academy 05/04/08

Shortly after entering the Academy, at the excruciatingly early (in gig terms) time of 7.10pm, I find myself bombarded with the howling blues-rock of San Francisco’s Two Gallants. Comprised of guitarist and vocalist Adam, and rather feral-looking drummer Tyson, they are undoubtedly one of the most brilliant support acts I have seen for months, causing an instant, and surprisingly noisy, impact upon the not-quite-fully-assembled crowd. In what seems like no time at all however, they are off and Elbow’s crew are on to prepare for the main event.
Elbow are often seen as the ‘thinker’s alternative’ to bands like Snow Patrol and Coldplay. However, where these bands are bland and boring, Elbow are not only intelligent but, in performance, both sweepingly epic and riotous. Their astounding musicianship does not substitute, but constantly understates their superiority as life-affirming anthems pound through the PA. Opening with the orchestral pomp of ‘Starlings’, the band members enter to the tinkling arpeggios of a pre-recorded track, accompanied by an all-female string section, and pick up trumpets for a first, sharp blast of things to come. The fact that singer Guy Garvey’s trumpet is not amplified and is therefore merely for show simply adds to the audience’s amusement and appreciation of the effort of causing a spectacle. The Latino-flecked ‘The Bones of You’ is dispatched next, causing much dancing and spilling of drinks. Soon after this we are treated to a track that many would argue is Elbow’s best, the bluesy stomp-a-long of ‘Leaders of The Free World’. The uproar at the forefront of the crowd says it all as Guy Garvey’s astounding stage presence incites mayhem. He may look like a plumber, but it is this ‘bloke-from-Manchester’ quality that makes him so endearing. He is undoubtedly perfect for the presentation of such gorgeous music, leaning over the crowd with a huge grin on his face, swaying his arms and serenading his followers with his gruff, yet cherubic, voice. ‘Mirrorball’s floating piano line and yearning lyrics make it a heartbreaking precursor to the Zeppelin-esque guitar drive of recent single ‘Grounds for Divorce’, which in turn sharply contrasts with the expertly crafted ‘The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver’. All is going swimmingly, and during one of his many addresses to the crowd, Guy ponders upon the band’s recent duet with Sheffield crooner Richard Hawley. ‘We thought it was a shame that Richard couldn’t be here with us tonight’, he explains, ‘so…….here he is!’ and, as if by magic, Richard Hawley ambles on to the stage to mass applause for a rousing version of ‘The Fix’. A few songs later and the band are closing the set with a stunning organ-led seven-minute ‘Newborn’ from debut ‘Asleep In The Back’ and provoking a mass sing-a-long to the gospel-tinged ‘One Day Like This’, its uplifting strings and repeated refrain of ‘Throw those curtains wide, one day like this a year will see me right!’ continuing for what seems like forever without losing its majesty. All it would take for Elbow to cement their place as a special band in the hearts of many was a killer encore, and they did not disappoint. ‘Station Approach’, their ever-popular love letter to Manchester, shakes the venue, and as the band once more bring out Richard Hawley for the ultimate crowd-pleaser ‘Grace Under Pressure’ (which is ‘a bit Catholic’, according to Mr Garvey), everybody in the venue is left stunned and exhilarated. Bring on the festivals.

Review by Kate Edwards