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
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
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, h
e 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.
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, h
e 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
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
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
Sunday, 12 October 2008
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
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
Thursday, 9 October 2008
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)
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
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
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
Saturday, 4 October 2008
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
Review by Marzena Dabrowska
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
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
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
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