FREE ONLINE MAGAZINE + AWESOME UNSIGNED BANDS EXCLUSIVE FREE DOWNLOAD TOP 10 Issue 2
Band Interviews And Reviews Inside
Artist of the Month
HOLLY WILSON
www.facebook.com/cherryvalentinepromotions
All pictures in this magazine are obtained from band facebook pages
CONTENTS EDWIN MILES – pg17
FEAR THE FALLEN pg19
HALFLINGS LEAF pg31
ALEX CHOW
THE DUSK
pg05
pg09 INTERVIEWS AND MORE
03 MENTUS 05 ALEX CHOW 07 GOODLIFE 09 THE DUSK 11 VINYL HIGH 13 HOLLY WILSON 15 EDWIN MILES 17 THE AUDITEURS 19 FEAR THE FALLEN 02
21 SEVENTH SHADE 23 WHIPCORD 25 WE COULD BE ASTRONAUTS 27 HUMAN AS ORNAMENTS 29 FAERGROUND ACCIDENTS 31 HALFLINGS LEAF 33 COMPETITION 34 TOP 10 UNSIGNED DOWNLOADS 35 REVIEWS
Mentus
These guys were given the headline slot of CV's first ever All Day Rockathon And they sure as hell didn't disappoint! They tell us what makes them tick! So, introduce yourselves and tell us each of your roles in the band Hey, we're Mentus, a Pop-Punk/Rock band from Manchester. We have Ryan Nightingale (Myself) on Lead Vocals, James Whitworth on Rhythm Guitar, Jamie Nightingale on Drums, Kieran Farrell-Mitchell on Lead Guitar and backing vocals, Luke Lawton on Bass. Who are your influences? We all have different influences from the Foo Fighters, Sleeping With Sirens, to The Charlatons and Oasis, which gives us a real difference when it comes to writing songs How did you all meet? Half of us are family, Me Half of us are family! (Ryan), James and Jamie, we are the original Me, James and Jamie - Ryan members of the band. I
met Kieran at music college in Manchester because we did the same course together and became friends and then he joined the band soon after, and luke we met at rehearsal from another band and after his band split up he joined us. How long have you been going for? We have been going for five years now as a band Which is the best venue that you've played? One of the best venues we have played is probably Academy 3 but the best gig we had was at Club Academy. Talk me through your songwriting process Our song writing consist of me coming up with the basic song on guitar and having an idea in my head of what I think would sound good all together. Then i show it the others at rehearsal and when have the basic structure they all put there own touch to it like leads or different chord inversions and beats then i write lyrics and the songs finished. But we always have a concept for the songs that we base it around.
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Mentus
Luke Lawton
People can download our songs for free on our facebook www.facebook.com/mentusmusic or on our website Has anything funny/embarressing  www.mentusmusic.com happened to you on stage? Some funny/bad things have happened to us on stage yeah haha We have had mic leads falling out of the mic as I'm about to sing, mic stands falling over, amps blowing, we've tripped over leads and unplugged amps, sent broken sticks flying into the crowd, had beer splashed in our eyes while we've been taking a sip in between songs, choking on stage, drum skins going through, power cuts, terribly drunk. How did you come up with the band name? We came up with the band name by searching through the dictionary and came across the word for crazy and half of the word was Mentus, we all liked it and it stuck. Ryan Nightingale What are your plans for the future of the band? The plans for the future are looking like a UK tour, and an album launch very soon. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? I would recommend gigging for CV promotions to other bands, they were reliable, easy and friendly, go CV PROMOTIONS!
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Alex Chow
ALEX CHOW
Cherry Valentine's first acoustic fingerstyle guitarist, and because of him, we wanna So, introduce yourself book more and more Alex Chow I play instrumental fingerstyle acoustic guitar music How would you describe your music? I always find it difficult to describe to people without being to vague! But I describe the unique style (fingerstyle) as similar to classical guitar with a twist. Ambient and atmospheric I think my music can be best described as.. Who are your influences? Mainly the fingerstyle guitarists I discovered on youtube, such as Andy Mckee, Antoine Dufour, Trace Bundy, Erik Mongrain are to name a few. A lot of the artists belong to the CandyRat Record label. I listen to all types of music though ranging from classical to dance to heavy metal and progressive rock.
“I describe the unique style (fingerstyle) as How long have you similar to classical guitar with a twist� been going for? I've been playing guitar for about 10 years now, I first started to learn the basics on a classical guitar, then played electric guitar for about 4 years, then I discovered this style of playing and slowly transferred to the acoustic guitar, I've playing this style for about 5 years now. My first gig showcasing my own solo material was in September 2010.
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Alex Chow Which is the best venue that you've played? Personally, Band On The Wall, I wanted to play there for a long time, I was given a headline slot for the sunday sessions one time, luckily for me the Picturehouse wasn't available so I played in the actual venue complete with a stage. The sound was gorgeous. Talk me through your songwriting process It takes me a very long time to come up with new material, however cliche it may be, but I just spend a lot of time experimenting and playing around on the guitar, sometimes I get some melodies and riffs that work and eventually become a whole song, but most of the time I get something that I can't quite develop. For me the best songs come to me easy and flow without effort. Anything I release was written in about 5 -7 hours from the moment of finding that first riff/ melody.
Check out his music at www.youtube.com/alexchowmusic www.soundcloud.com/alexchowmusic
Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? Not too bad, the worst is when I've just forgotten part of a song and can't play it! That's if I've played a particularly long set though, after about an hour Which of your songs do you feel gets the best response live? I would think my most recent ones, Solitude, Elevation and Colours In The Dark. I think it's a good indication of how I'm continually developing my composing and playing. Volcano I always get a good response aswell What are your plans for the future? I want to expand my music, I'm currently recording with the intention to add strings, piano, acoustic bass, percussion etc. I want to create a full sounding record of music that's music. Not just the guitar all the time. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? Yes I did, I've already told quite a few about you!
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GOODLIFE
Goodlife
THESE GUYS ARE BRINGING BACK THE 90'S VIBE WHICH WE ALL LOVE AND REMEMBER. LETS SEE HOW THEIR MINDS WORK! So, introduce yourselves and
tell us each of your roles in the band We are Eamon Rooke, Dan Small and Dan Jones. Small and Eamon play guitar and bass and sing and swap round. Jones plays drums How would you describe your bands music? Early Geri Halliwell meets late Emma Bunton Who are your influences? Early Geri Halliwell and late Emma Bunton How did you all meet? Spice girls reunion tour 2008 How long have you been going for? Since the Spice Girls reunion tour that happened in 2008 Which is the best venue that you've played? Roadhouse was great, Tiger Lounge and the Sex Offenders Unit at Strangeways Talk me through your songwriting process We generally have a cry off and the first one to fill their cup with tears gets to write the next song Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? facebook.com/goodlifebandpage, we reject the monetarism of our art Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? no How did you come up with the band name? we tried to think of things that rhymed with 'good' and 'life' but couldn't come up with anything so just stuck with the original words
“We generally have a cry off and the first one to fill their cup with tears gets to write the next song”
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Goodlife Dan J
Eamon
Dan S
www.facebook.com/goodlifebandpage What are your plans for the future of the band? We're just three crazy guys on a 'journey' into sound mate Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? yea and bloody hell yes!
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The Dusk
THE DUSK
After instantly liking their unique sound, I couldn't help but want them to headline a gig. If the right people hear them, I can imagine them making a yourselves and tell us career out of their music! So, introduce each of your roles in the band
We are The Dusk, an indie/electro/alternative band based in Cheshire. The band consists of James Grierson (vocals, acoustic guitar), Alastair Gunn (guitar, keyboards, programming), Dave Jones (bass guitar) and Janssen Bostock (drums, percussion). How would you describe your band's music? That's a difficult one! It's broadly indie in style but takes in many influences including trance, ambient, grunge, space rock, even classical.
“The largest influences on our work are are your influences? probably classical Again, that's difficultWho to answer, since we are not to be like other bands. But certainly, bands such composers! aspiring as Doves, Muse, Radiohead, The Verve, Hurts, Delphic,
Prodigy, Gomez inspire us with their music. If we're honest, the largest influences on our work are probably classical composers! How did you all meet? The current line-up all met through the website www.joinmyband.co.uk. We didn't know each other prior to the band forming.
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The Dusk How long have you been going for? Originally, The Dusk formed as a five-piece in August 2010 and began gigging in February 2011. In August 2011 the original bass player and rhythm guitarist left the band and Dave Jones took over on bass. The band decided not to replace the rhythm guitarist and to switch to a four-piece. The current line-up has been together since October last year. Which is the best venue that you've played? Probably The Box in Crewe. It's a good-sized venue and has a great sound system, lighting rig and stage. But we enjoy any venue we play - they all have their own character. Talk me through your songwriting process We have an unconventional way of writing songs. Alastair writes the music and James then adds the melody lines and lyrics. The music usually evolves from a simple sequence of notes, or theme, and is rarely based on a chord sequence. It's a lengthy process of adding parts, rearranging, re-writing and so on. The writing process takes place in the studio so by the time the song is written the instrumental demo track is already recorded! James then comes in and does his vocal magic. We occassionally jam on an idea during rehearsals which Alastair then develops into a song using the same process. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? The best place to listen to our music is at www.reverbnation.com/thedusk. All tracks there can be streamed or purchased and some can be downloaded for free. Our debut EP is due out sometime in September/October and will be widely available, including on iTunes and our official website (www.the-dusk.net). Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? Nothing that we'd admit to! How did you come up with the band name? It's really hard coming up with a good band name. We thought long and hard about it but got nowhere. Then, James during a discussion about musical influences, Janssen mentioned the album 'Dusk' by The The. We liked the word, but since there was a band in the 80s called 'Dusk' we added 'The'. It was a temporary name at first but we never got round to changing it. Now we think it suits our music perfectly. What are your plans for the future of the band? We're no different to other bands in that we want some form of success. But it's a difficult road to follow and we're realistic about it. However, we've had a lot of interest in our music recently, have some high-profile industry gurus helping us with our development (who we unfortunately can't name at the moment!) and have started booking some prestigious venues (including the O2 Academy Liverpool on 8thSeptember). With our debut EP coming out soon (were in the process of mixing it), we're hoping we can get some sustained radio play and the chance to support some established bands in the near future. We're putting a lot of effort into the band, but of course it's impossible to say where it will lead, if anywhere!
Check them out at www.the-dusk.net
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VINYL HIGH
These guys took it to another level when they played, looking forward to see how these guys do.
Vinyl High
From left to right: Sam, Tom, Kain, Briggsy
How would you describe your bands music? Kain: It's a Mancunian twist on old school rock and roll. Tom: We're influenced by a lot of blues and country and 50/60's rock and roll and that really comes across in the music. Briggsy: We just play basically, How did you all meet? Kain: Me and Briggsy went to school together have been very good mates for years. Briggsy: Kain I met through school and I met Sam through Kain, Tom I met after a drunken phone call when he needed a drummer, he rang me once and then didnt ring me for about a year! Sam: I met Kain when I was pissed in a shop one night haha. Tom: Briggsy I met through a friend of mine who was in another band, needed a drummer and he gave me his number. Then I met Kain and Sam through him. Never forgiven him for that haha. “Mancunian twist How long have you been together? on old school rock Tom: Roughly 3 years now, how time flies !! Which is the best venue you've played? and roll� - Kain Briggsy: Manchester Academy 3 without a doubt, the sound is amazing in there. Kain: I'd agree and say Academy 3 definitely. How would you describe the song writing process? Kain: Normally Me and tom write on our own separately and work on them in the studio when the lyrics are finished. Tom: Sometimes if one of us is a bit stuck with a few lines or something, We'll put our heads together and try to finish the song, Musically we just jam the song and throw all of our ideas until we think it's the best it can be.
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Vinyl High Kain: Also we'll stumble upon lyrics when we are together and either me or Tom will try to build a song out of it. Briggsy: I'll help the lads with lyrics and occasionally and help to get the song tructured.
Check them out at www.facebook.com/pages/Vinyl-High /132645890093711
 Where can people hear the songs and purchase them? Tom: We're currently recording our debut album at the moment, we started a while back but we weren't 100% happy with what we had down so we decided to start it over and now it's sounding absolutely brilliant. So that will be looking to be released early 2013, we've been toying with the idea of releasing a 4 or 5 song EP in the meantime to give people a preview. Sam: So at the moment nothing is available to purchase, But people can hear some of the unmixed demos on reverbnation, soundcloud and facebook. What's the most embarassing/funny thing to happen onstage? Briggsy: Has to be, We were playing at a place called Bakers Vaults and we were setting up, I didn't realize there was a gap at the back of the stage behind the drum kit and i ended up falling down it knocking most of my drum kit everywhere BUT I didn't spill one drop of my pint !! How did you come up with the name? Tom: Basically, I was at some random party one night drunk and stumbling about as you do, And I found a room full of old vinyl records. So I ended up staying in there most of the night drinking, listening to music and thinking 'I'm on a Vinyl High !!' Pretty daft really haha. What are the future plans for the band? Kain: We are currently under management and as we say we are well into the process of recording the debut album which will be released under our own label. Tom: We decided that we weren't going to sign up with a label and start up our own given that the music industry is well on its arse at the moment. So we're starting our own label to stay self sustained, Plus most labels and their executives are knobs anyway. Sam: Our manager Jim Bailey has been around the scene a long time so he has made a lot of contacts especially in the marketing industry so once the album is done and the label up and running we will be taking it straight to them. Did you enjoy the gig and would you recommend Cherry Valentine to other bands? Tom: Yeah definitely we loved playing for CV, there was a good atmosphere and they treat bands professionally and with a lot of respect which is rare these days.
Kain
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Holly Wilson
HOLLY WILSON All the way from Scotland Holly travelled to Manchester for her first gig!
So, introduce yourself Hello, my name is Holly Wilson and I am a singer songwriter from Gullane (a small village outside of Edinburgh) Scotland. I’ve been playing guitar for 6 years and been singing since I was 11. How would you describe your music? For now it is just me and my guitar that take to the stage. My music is folk acoustic with a mixture of soul. I also listen to a lot of rock and jazz music which gives my songs a bit of an edge. Who are your influences? My musical influences range from the likes of Nat King Cole, Rod Stewart and Eddi Reader to The White Stripes, Paolo Nutini, Frightened Rabbit and Amy Winehouse. How long have you been going for? I got my first guitar for Christmas. It is a freshman guitar that goes by the name of Lola, named after my favourite child hood book Lola Rose by Jacqueline Wilson. I’ve been writing my own songs for 4 years now and have been putting them online for 2 years.
“I got my first guitar for Christmas. It is a freshman guitar and goes by the name Which is the best venue that you've played? The Bay Horse on the 2nd of July was my first ever solo gig, however of Lola” I have been performing in ensembles at venues like the St Giles Cathedral since I was in first year. Talk me through your songwriting process When I’m writing songs I usually start by sitting on my bed with my guitar and strumming out some random chords until I find a pattern I like. Lot of my
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Holly Wilson inspiration for songs comes from the many posters I have plastered round my room. I am very honest when I’m writing my songs and a lot of what you hear in my lyrics are experiences I have gone through myself or people close to me have gone through. If I’m not happy with the sound that is being created I tend to just ditch the songs and start a fresh. I also have a full glass of water next to me at all times, this has come out of habit more than anything else. After the song is finished I record it onto my iPhone using the voice memo so I don’t forget it. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? You can listen to my music via Youtube:www.youtube.com/user/googleface882 Or soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/user2476653 I also have a facebook page where you can keep up to date with gigs/photos/ music/videos http://www.facebook.com/hhollywilson Currently don’t have an EP made however you can download the tracks I have on soundcloud for free. Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? Apart from a couple of string breakages, everything's been pretty slick so far. That's jinxing it though - I'll fall off the stage at our next gig - make sure you're there to catch it live!
Check her out at www.facebook.com/hhollywilson
What are your plans for the future? Hope to continue gigging as much as I can for the next few years while I am still at University to develop my sound, gain a bit more confidence and become a better entertainer as well as a performer. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? I really enjoyed coming down to Manchester to perform and the feedback I got from other acts and audience members was such a confidence boost and has pushed me to continue what I am doing. I’d highly recommend Cherry Valentine promotions to another band.
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Edwin Miles
EDWIN MILES Edwin's EP, Get Off Your Rock is awesome and once you all hear it you will all definitely agree. So, introduce yourself Well at the moment it's just me - Edwin Miles - though I've been performing with a cajonist recently - Camille Pfeiffer, but he's back in France for a couple of months. How would you describe your music? Hmmm, my least favourite question... it's acoustic guitar and vocals – maybe progressive singersongwriter? Who are your influences? I started learning guitar at the same I was listening to bands like Nirvana and Guns n Roses, but some of my lifetime seminal albums would be Michael Jackson - Bad, The Boomtown Rats - The Fine Art Of Surfacing, REM - Automatic For The People, 10,000 Maniacs & Eric Clapton Unplugged and Radiohead - OK Computer. These would basically be on repeat for pretty much every car journey I remember as a kid. How did you meet Camille? Camille and I met at The Thirsty Scholar. I was playing the open mic and we got talking afterwards. .. he said he played drums but had a cajon that he thought would work really well with the acoustic guitar - and he was right! How long have you been going for? As a two-piece, only around 4 months. Which is the best venue that you've played? Gotta say Band On The Wall - awesome venue and sound. They have an open mic on Sundays with headliners on afterwards. We got to headline last month - and brought in saxophone and piano for that gig and it was so much fun. The crowd is always great and the musicians are always amazing.
Band On The Wall – awesome venue and sound – Edwin
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Edwin Miles Talk me through your songwriting process It varies - sometimes the riff or a chord sequence will come first, and other times it'll be a word or a line or a verse that comes and then I build the music around that. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? I've got demos up at edwinmiles.com and www.soundcloud.com/edwin-miles . There are a couple there with cajon that we recorded with Tom Leach at the SSR studios. I also released an EP - Get Off Your Rock - earlier this year which you can find at http://edwinmiles.bandcamp.com/ for the bargain price of £1.99!
Check him out at www.edwinmiles.com www.soundcloud.com/edwin-miles www.edwinmiles.bandcamp.com Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? Apart from a couple of string breakages, everything's been pretty slick so far. That's jinxing it though - I'll fall off the stage at our next gig - make sure you're there to catch it live! What are your plans for the future? Well by the time Camille gets back from France, there should be a bassist on board and I'm jamming with a string quartet soon. The idea is to have one band but a number of different setups - a string ensemble, a brass ensemble and a regular guitar, bass, drums trio - or a mixture of all, and maybe some piano thrown in for good measure.... which with their powers combined would become a super mega band! Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? Absolutely - it was well-organised, the sound was good and Cherry Valentine is cool.
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The Auditeurs
After seeing them play a last minute acoustic set, I am looking forward to see their full band perform live! So, introduce yourself Lee – Guitar and lead vocals Johnny – Guitar and backing vocals Connor – Bass guitar and backing vocals Jordan – Drums How would you describe your music? A mixture between Fergie and Jesus, with a punk rock indie fuzz vibe. Who are your influences? The list of influences is endless, from Maximo park and The View, to The Sex Pistols, The Strokes, The Clash, The Vaccines and Blink 182, we just listen and learn.
“A mixture between Fergie and Jesus, with a punk rock indie fuzz vibe” How long have you been going for? Lee and Jordan went to school together but only got in contact around a year ago, the rest of the band were found online through join my band and Facebook, Connor was looking for a band on a friends status and we snatched him up. Come September the full Auditeurs line up have been together for a year. Which is the best venue that you've played? Without doubt Sound Control is a fantastic venue but Dry bar and the Roadhouse come very close.
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The Auditeurs Talk me through your songwriting process A few power chords are thrown around practice, Connor jams over with his bass and Jordan puts some percussion down, Lee will usually just hum a vocal pattern with a topic in mind and write each segment individually, probably not the most economic way but it works. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? We have a few rough demos on Soundcloud and are just currently though trying to sort out getting the new stuff fully done. As it's coming up to nearly a year we think it'll be good to record the rest of the album and who knows maybe sell a few CD’s in the process. Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? The embarrassing/unfortunate stuff usually happens to Johnny. He's snapped strings forgotten words and but I think we can all just put that on the alcohol. We once serenaded the audience with silent night, though we’re not to sure if that's deemed embarrassing or fucking amazing?
Check them out at facebook.com/theauditeurs
Lee
How did you come up with the band name? We had this idea that we wanted something quintessentially British and could have great iconography to go with it, we come up with the fusiliers but it was already taken, we tried to move away
“the” band but when Lee came out with The Auditeurs and we researched it’s meaning (Essentially those who listen in French) we loved it and have began using Viva Auditeurs (long live the audience) on tee shirts etc. to see how people feel about that.
Johnny
What are your plans for the future of the band? We have a few awesome gigs lined up, a festival and something pretty epic in the pipeline, so without sounding to cliché, we’re taking one step at a time, having some chicken, maybe some sex see how things go. Although we had to quickly arrange our set for acoustic we enjoyed the challenge and thought the venue was a beautiful little place, we would love to play it acoustically again to a bigger crowd, that being said we are a balls to the wall overdriven 4 piece and we need to get down to business, thankfully Cherry Valentine will be giving us this chance come their next all day rockathon on the 9th September at the Bay Horse Manchester. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? We would highly recommend them to any band looking to get on the gig horse, as they are fantastic hosts, easy to contact and have gigs at some great venues. Viva Auditeurs X
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Fear the Fallen
I didn't think it was possible but after seeing them the second time, I was even more impressed by their performance, really an exciting band to watch. How does it feel to win band of the month? We're pretty chuffed to win BOTM. It's great that we've got a good crowd of supporters online as well as at gigs and great that the Facebook voting increases our presence. What's your opinion of your last CV review? The review was great and better than we expected, some interesting points about the image of the band. We've taken this on board and are trying to bring in some more visual elements when we play.
“We're pretty chuffed to win BOTM” You come up with any names for the album you are bringing out? It's early days really with the album. We're itching to get started and feel we really need to get a bunch of tracks recorded before they get overtaken by new material we're writing. In terms of names we think "We Must Fight" could make a good title track. Which cities have you played in so far? We've played Blackburn, Preston and Manchester and are looking to get into Liverpool and Leeds in the very near future.
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Fear the Fallen How long have you all been playing your instruments? Chris - I've been playing guitar since starting on acoustic aged 9 and moved through instruments and styles from classical and folk violin, mandolin and banjo but have always had the passion (and ego!) for heavy rock lead guitar but still try to keep up with some solo acoustic singer/songwriter stuff. Christian - first started using the old pipes in school but never really did anything with it. Ftf has really helped me progress from just singing in the shower! Sam - First picked up a guitar when I was 12 years old at an after school club called rock school. Started a band with sum school friends and haven't put a guitar down since. Joe - I started playing the drums at the age of 12 and joined my first serious band at the age of 13 over the past few years I have played for a couple of other bands over as well as playing the side drum in the army. Rob - started playing guitar at 13 and joined a band called lost cause at 17, a few bands down the line I filled in on the bass one night and found I could do it drunk ! I've never looked back.. Are their any unsigned bands/artists you have seen which have really impressed you? We've played alongside Seventh Shade who were excellent and a great bunch of guys, and Revolter from Blackburn who we thoroughly enjoyed. If you could support any band, who would it be? I think if we could chose any band to support it would have to be the mighty Maiden, but it would be hard not to be starstruck supporting Linkin Park, AC/DC or Rammstein. If you could play any festival which one would it be? That would have to be Big Day Out, Australia. Though Rock Am Ring and Download would be pretty awesome.
Chris
If you could play any festival which one would it be? That would have to be Big Day Out, Australia. Though Rock Am Ring and Download would be pretty awesome. Which of your songs do you feel gets the best response live? Our best response tends to be from "To My Knees" which is a track we went for a different sound on. It's in 3/4 time and has quite an epic kind of sound. It's one we've not managed to get recorded yet but we're itching to get it out there. How do you feel about illegal downloading? We're quite happy to have our music shared as this opens a band up to new fans who then buy albums and tickets to gigs. We're looking to get a website up and running and we're toying with the idea of including a free downloads section where slightly lower quality copies of our tracks can be downloaded for free. What we'd like to see is more promoters giving new bands a fair deal and giving slots to bands in new areas where they don't necessarily have a fan-base already. Too many so called promoters seem to be all too keen to earn money by charging a band and their fans to get into a venue with no return of publicity of promotion of the band; it can be hard to work out which gigs are worth playing and which are just going to leave the band out of pocket.
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Seventh Shade
SEVENTH SHADE Since I knew that Fear the Fallen would be a hard act to follow, I knew I had to put on a good band afterwards. And these guys totally blew me away. So, introduce yourself Hi were are Seventh Shade from St Helens, we are a four piece band heavy rock band. John Okeefe - rhythm guitar and vocals, John Foster - lead guitar, Paul Chadwick - Bass and backing vocals and Simon Lynskey - Drums and percussion Who are your influences? We all love the same types of music and our influences are very diverse,From John Mayer, Breaking Benjamin, Inme, Fightstar, Lamb of god, Killswitch engage to Lionel Richie. Whatever we are in the mood for How long have you been going for? We have been playing music together for nearly 7 years. Myself (Simon), John and Paul met in college and started to write together, we where originally called forgotten angels. we decided to call ourselves Seventh shade when Paul left the band to go to uni three years ago. Since then we have had a number of line up changes,recently Paul returned from uni and joined the band again. Our good friend John Foster recently joined the band when our old guitarist Mike Mellor left. John Plays in an epic Metal band called Pay for your sins. Which is the best venue that you've played? The best venue we have played was the Manchester Academy 3. That place is pretty special. The sound is amazing and its the first place I have played with proper strobe lighting. It gave me a massive buzz.
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Seventh Shade Talk me through your songwriting process John Okeefe is the main song writer. He normally writes a riff at home, then gets an idea of what his vocal melodies are, he shows the rest of the lads in the studio. Once we all hear it we then put our own bits in then run through it with a fine comb once its been played ten or more times. Its a very nice calm and easy process, the only reason I can give for that is down to us playing together for so long. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? You can purchase our latest single your eyes are mine on itunes. Also on our facebook page which is www.facebook.com/seventhshade Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? Paul got really drunk a few years ago when we supported beyond all reason at the Liverpool barfly. He was so drunk he totally forgot what he was doing and how to play bass. What are your plans for the future? All we want to do in the future is play as many live shows as possible and hopefully get a good following
John O
Paul
Check them out at facebook.com/seventhshade John F
How did you come up with the band name? John came up with the band name I personally don't know were he got it from, it was a name picked from a number of names we were throwing about when we decided to change the band name 22
Whipcord
After a very lively loud set, We are keen to find out more about this power trio! So, introduce yourselves and tell us each of your roles in the band Nick (guitar / vocals), Dunc (Bass / backing vocals), Gaz (drums) How would you describe your bands music? Basically, it's rock. Various elements in there, including a heavy dose of punk, and a fair helping of metal, but you can't pigeon hole us either way. A lot of classic influences (Zeppelin, Sabbath, Who, Motorhead) combined with American punk, grunge and hardcore (Misfits, Black Flag, Fugazi, Mudhoney), together with plenty of jerky, angular, discordant rhythms (King Crimson, Shellac, Wire) - you can feel a lot of these different elements in our music without being able to put your finger on one thing How did you all meet? Nick and Dunc have known each other 15 years or more. Gaz joined in February 2011 through the "joinmyband.com" forum. WHIPCORD have been together for around 5 years in total, but after a revolving door of drummers, Gaz is well and truly settled in. Which is the best venue that you've played? The Guzzlin' Goose in Ashton is a great venue for sound - tiny place, but it always sounds great and has a good buzz about it. The Academy is a great venue to play - very professional and great when it's busy. But, we prefer to play more 'earthy' venues - plenty of character and history, and where you can get up close and personal with your audience. Club Victoria in Carlisle, The Castle in Luton, and more recently, The Bay Horse, Manchester, are all our type of venue.
Nick
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Whipcord Talk me through your songwriting process Nick is the driving force behind the songs - a bit of an uncanny knack of kicking out great riffs. We'll all jam an idea and give it some grounding, but Nick will work at it and mould it. The good things is Nick doesn't compromise - between us we put the WHIPCORD stamp on it. We know full well it ain't going to be to everyone's liking, and we don't really give a shit, but if you see WHIPCORD live, you'll 'get it' Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? You can download our debut album for FREE at www.whipcordmusic.com and www.facebook.com/whipcord . We're not charging for our music - we just want it to “Nick is the driving force reach a wider audience and love gigging. behind the songs -a bit of an Recent reviews have highlighted the live uncanny knack of kicking out shows as our strength (music-dash.co.uk: "tonight’s gig demonstrates the progress of a great riffs” band who, in order to show their class, have What are your plans for the curbed the anarchy of their early future of the band? shows...well... a bit!" and "imagine Black Flag We want to keep gigging as much covering The Who") as possible and getting our music Download their debut album out there. We're thinking of recording some more tracks soon, for free at and to keep working toward capturing our live feel on record, www.whipcordmusic.com but hoping to just get WHIPCORD www.facebook.com/whipcord out there and known.
Dunc
Gaz
Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? The gig at The Bay Horse with CV Promotions was great nice and intimate and looking forward to doing it all again
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We Could Be Astronauts
We Could Be Astronauts
After hearing they had just played T in the Park, expectations were high, and without a doubt, they totally nailed it So, introduce yourselves and tell us each of your roles in the band Robert Loxley Hughes - Vocals & Guitar Simon Himsworth - Guitar & Backing Vocals Dave Hartley - Drums & Backing Vocals Stuart Fletcher - Bass Paul Heaney - Lead Guitar
“We're a cross between old and new�
How would you describe your bands music? We're a cross between old and new. We take inspiration from great rock bands of the 60's and 70's and mesh it up with modern rock and our own sound to create a style of music people are familiar with but can still get excited about as something new. Who are your influences? All influences vary but the main ones from each of us are probably Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, Deep Purple, Nada Surf, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, Eels, Nirvana....anything original and that rocks really! How did you all meet? Rob and Dave were both in different York bands which split around the same time so joined forces. Simon was the drummer for Robs band but a very talented guitarist so he was drafted by Rob. Paul had played in a band with Dave and the original bassist and had a very unique way of playing so he was drafted too. Once our original bassist left we asked Stuart to join having known him from the York music scene for a long time. How long have you been going for? We formed late 2009 but the current line up has only been going for about a year.
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We Could Be Astronauts Which is the best venue that you've played? T In The Park has to be up there. We also did a support for Shed7 in the O2 Sheffield which was to 2000 odd people so that was nice. We just love playing so all shows are great! Talk me through your songwriting process Generally Rob or Simon have either a full song or a riff and we build on that. Paul's talent is to hear the underpinning riff and compliment it with some amazing riffs or ambience. Stuart and Dave lock together to create heavy or light rhythms to drive the song into a certain feel. All songs are written pretty equally to create a final piece we're all happy with. Right from the beginning it was agreed to scrap songs early if the "feel" wasn't there. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? Our songs are on soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/wecouldbeastronauts and our first album is being released in October which will be available in hard copy from our site http://www.wecouldbeastronauts.com/ or download from iTunes. We're running an indiegogo project to help pay for the production of the album where people can preorder copies of the album and tickets to the launch party etc. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? Our songs are on soundcloud:http://www.soundcloud.com/wecouldbeastronauts and our first album is being released in October which will be available in hard copy from our site http://www.wecouldbeastronauts.com/ or download from iTunes. We're running an indiegogo project to help pay for the production of the album where people can preorder copies of the album and tickets to the launch party etc. Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? With our old bassist we played some pretty embarrassing shows due to alcohol. Dave's made some monumental mess ups at the big shows but recovers them with style. Most of the time though we're fully on the money. How did you come up with the band name? We had very long discussions about the band name and even resorted to asking on facebook! Naming a band is one of the hardest things to do. The name is actually from a One Eskimo song called Astronauts although the actual line is "we can be astronauts" We like it cos it reflects our opinion on quite a few things. You're raised to believe you can be anything you want when you grow up but this is only true if your social standing and financial status lets you What are your plans for the future of the band? We'll just keep slogging away at getting our music, name and brand out there. We all work very hard both on the music and the publicity of the band and have achieved so much in a very short amount of time. The only way is up...to quote Yazz Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? We did enjoy the show with Cherry Valentine. It was well organised and we were met with enthusiasm to play even though we're not local to Manchester. People putting on shows and including outsiders knowing they could make a loss are few and far between, which is a shame. Although the venue was small it had a very 90's grunge feel to it so we felt right at home. The lack of people is a problem that can't be put on the promoter or bands really. There is a general lack of attendees at any shows that aren't "the next big thing" and this is a problem in every city. People need to support local music more and attend more shows, otherwise the music industry will turn completely into a TV/Radio affair where you're told what you should listen to/buy into. Everyone has an opinion and bands need to hear these opinions...good or bad....only then can a buzz start about them and you can turn round and say I knew them at the start and feel like you've really got involved in the music you listen to
Robert
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Humans as Ornaments
All the way from Leeds, these guys show off their rockin' skills, despite the small audience, they really act professionally and give a good show. So, introduce yourselves and tell us each of your roles in the band We have Jack on vocals and guitar, Sam on lead guitar, Guy on bass and John on drums. How would you describe your bands music? I would probably describe our music as rock but with hints of indie and punk. Who are your influences? I think our music has been influenced by some of the same artists such as the Foos and QOTSA but I also think we all have our own influences which I think helps with creating interesting music. For example the only reason Guy started playing bass is because he watched the great rock n roll swindle and thought, if Sid Vicious could play bass in one of the worlds most famous bands with no musical talent, why can't he. How did you all meet? Apart from John we all lived together for a year, where Sam and Jack were already in a band and after they split up they asked me (Guy) if I wanted to play bass with them in a new project. Originally Jack was on drums and we were looking for a singer/guitarist. We knew jack could sing and play guitar as well as drum so we moved him to the front of the stage and looked for a drummer and luckily we found the awesomeness that is John. How long have you been going for? We formed in late 2011. Which is the best venue that you've played? We really enjoyed playing at Nation of Shopkeepers in Leeds, and also had a lot of fun in Santiagos in Leeds.
“Rock but with hints of indie and punk” 27
Humans as Ornaments Talk me through your songwriting process Song writing is different for every song, some start with a guitar riff and then the rest of us start playing along and it grows organically. We usually have the song pretty much complete before we add lyrics, which are written by Jack but with input from the rest of the band as well. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? we have a couple of demos up on soundcloud but are in the mixing process for our first single "such a fool" which should be available soon. Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage? At the bay horse Guy banged his head on the ceiling whilst jumping, later kicking the lead out of Jack's guitar, which Jack didn't notice, luckily a guy from the crowd noticed and plugged it back in, but unluckily it was only just in time for the last note. At the roadhouse in Manchester jack tried to take his mic into the crowd but it just fell over on stage, so he sang the last verse lying on the floor.
Check them out at www.facebook.com/humansasornaments How did you come up with the band name? The band name was decided by Sam and it comes from a song by The Mars Volta. What are your plans for the future of the band? we just want to write new music and play more gigs and hopefully people will like us and want to listen to our music. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? we did enjoy the gig, it was a slight shame that people seemed to turn up just as we finished as its always better the bigger the audience, but would recommend CV promotions to another band.
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Faerground Accidents
Bizarrely beautiful these guys brought a unique original sound to our ears and we loved it So, introduce yourselves and tell us each of your roles in the band Hello, I'm Jared! The Drummer! Stick spinnin, etc. I'm Bomar Faery, I write the lyrics, sing and arse around on stage. Hi..Warren here...I'm very very old and my bass goes boom boom boom. How would you describe your bands music? Jared: A quintessential Brit sound, with a rockier edge. Bomar: We were kinda aiming at eerie pop but anything goes really. Warren: We sound like Faerground Accidents..is it pop? is it rock?is it glam? is it punk? who knows..but people seem to like it Who are your influences? Jared: Led Zep, Gn'R, Hendrix, Steppenwolf, Alice In Chains, Audioslave, Black Stone Cherry, Buckcherry, CCR, Daft Punk, Don Felder, Hinder, T-Rex, Motley Crue, Nirvana, Paul Weller, Pulp, The Stones, Sex Pistols, Steel Panther, Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty, Velvet Revolver Warren: myself...Captain Kirk,Gary Numan,Adam Ant,Morrissey,Johnny Mathis,KISS,Bauhaus,Andi Sex Gang,The Sisters Of Mercy,New York Dolls,Blondie,Hawkwind,Thomas Paigne,Finbar Saunders,The Damned,The Carpenters,Joy Division...NOT THE BLOODY STONE ROSES!! Bomar: At the moment I'm loving Roy Orbison and the Ronettte's, Shangri-las, Shirelles, that kinda thing. But post punk, new wave, glam. I like all that. One of my favourite bands is a band in Sheffield called Artery.
Warren
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Faerground Accidents How did you all meet? Jared: Met Bo Mar and Dan only once before we formed around a year ago. One day I get a message from Bo Mar saying he's forming a band, I'd just left a previous band and so pounced on the opportunity. Next day I find out Bo Mar booked a gig in Sheffield in two weeks time, met Warren and Henri for the time at Dan's gaff at the first practice, rest is history. How long have you been going for? Jared: Just past our 6th month. Which is the best venue that you've played? Bomar: Bay Horse was nice. I've a soft spot for Gullivers too Warren: .we keep going back to Gullivers..The Castle in Oldham is nice Talk me through your songwriting process Jared: Hmm it depends, some days Bo Mar comes in with some lyrics and we write the music around it. Other days Dan comes out with a belting riff and the music forms around it. Hormones was a joint effort of belting riffage along with genius lyrics. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased? Jared: Soundcloud and Bandcamp. So 21st Century.
Has anything funny/embarressing happened to you on stage? Bomar: Yes, Warren full mooned the audience. Luckily I was too drunk and falling over to notice or be embarrassed. Jared: Warren has a knack for getting his arse out on stage, I find it brilliant. How did you come up with the band name? Jared: I cannot for life if me remember how it appear - sound good though! What are your plans for the future of the band? Bomar: Record another EP. Make sure we keep improving, keep writing lots of songs, make sure we don't fall out. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band? Jared: Yeh, I would! Without a shadow of a doubt. Very friendly, get the job done amazingly, all gravy. Warren: The gig was nice....a good mix of bands and CV where lovely...and they didn't try to wriggle out of paying us ...yayyyy
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Halflings Leaf
HALFLINGS LEAF They may not hear the comparison but being compared to Rage Against the Machine is without doubt an awesome compliment.
So, introduce yourselves and tell us each of your roles in the band: Halfling's Leaf is Matt Franklin on Vocals, Simon Mayo on Guitar, Chid Seisay on Bass and Andy Preece on the skins. How would you describe your bands music?: It's technical, groovy, irreverent and polemical.
“Technical, Groovy and Polemical”
Who are your influences?: We're mainly influenced by bands and musicians we don't like. Overly simplistic, derivative and unimaginative music grinds our gears. As a result we experiment with rhythm, harmony and melody a lot. However we have been accused of sounding a lot like Rage Against The Machine, though we don't hear the comparison.
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How did you all meet?: We all met basically through close proximity to each other. How long have you been going for?: Since July 2011. Which is the best venue that you've played?: Academy 2 in Manchester. The sound guy Tony Small is off the hook. Talk me through your songwriting process: We smoke a lot of weed and jam for hours. Often either Andy or Chid will write all the music down and email it to the others to learn but we're finding that the organic cannaboid process of writing is more enjoyable. Where can people listen to your tunes and where can they be purchased?: Good question. Head over to halflingsleaf.bandcamp.com. You can pay as much or as little as you want for our E.P. 'Ain't No Candy'.
Has anything funny/embarrassing happened to you on stage?: Shit always goes down at our gigs. The funniest onstage fiasco was when we announced we were
MAYO
Halflings Leaf
throwing out copies of our E.P. into the audience. Everyone got excited but much to their chagrin, or delight, we actually chucked out handfuls and handfuls of naff porno movies that we acquired from somewhere(you know who you are . Mayo, our guitar player, had his younger siblings in attendance and he said that passing out pornos over his little sister's head was one of the most unsettling experiences of his life. How did you come up with the band name?: You really wanna know? Well it comes from the Lord Of The Rings. The Halfling's Leaf is the weed that they smoke in Middle Earth. Nerdy? Fuckin' right. What are your plans for the future of the band?: We want to go all the way. We all think that there's no point in doing it if you don't really believe in yourself. Did you enjoy your gig with CV promotions and would you recommend them to another band?: Yeah no doubt. The event ran very smoothly, on time and Lauren the promoter is sound as a pound. Final words: Big up Dead Retinas and Giants Of The West, check out those bands. Download and share our E.P. too. Peace x
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Competition
Competition Time! Wanna win free entry for you and a friend to all of CV's gigs for a month?
Answer the following question Who won band of the month in the last issue, and where did their band name come from? Write your answer on CV's wall at www.facebook.com/cherryvalentinepromotions
Winner will be announced on facebook On the 10th September! 33
Top 10 Unsigned Chart
Songs you need to download now! 1. Edwin Miles – Can't Imagine You - Get Off Your Rock EP Beautiful love song, with nice violins and piano added to make it just that extra special. Really recommend the whole E.P only £1.99 www.edwinmiles.bandcamp.com 2. Halflings Leaf – Jack in the Box – Ain't No Candy EP Really funky, freaky rockin' tune that totally makes you wanna jump and shout. You can get the E.P for free or name your price at www.halflingsleaf.bandcamp.com 3. Faerground Accidents – Woeful Small Town – Strange Ways The most upbeat tune on the E.P, crazy synths with a really creepy psycho feel to the whole song, E.P Available for download for £3 at www.faergroundaccidents.bandcamp.com 4. Seventh Shade – Your Eyes Are Mine A dark heavy heartfelt rock song, if you're a fan of Inme then you'll love these guys the mp3 of this song is just 99p from www.facebook.com/seventhshade 5. Mentus – Thought of Me A well written pop punk song, catchy chorus, fan of You Me at Six or All Time Low, then you'll definitely like these guys. All tracks free to download at www.facebook.com/mentusmusic 6. The Dusk – Reverie If you like Elbow, U2 or even Muse these guys could be your new favourite band. A couple of tracks are free to download but most are 99p each www.facebook.com/theduskuk 7. Bluehearts – 3 2 1 1 - John Street EP Nice but mean blues rock, really cool band, unique sound but I think If you like Kasabian then you may be on to a winner with Bluehearts EP free to download at www.bluehearts.bandcamp.com 8. Kingdom Lost – Breaking Down The Wall These guys sound like noone else, catchy rock n roll combined With atmospheric synths. Tracks free to download at www.facebook.com/kingdomlost 9. Deaf FM – Hate Me Heavy guitars, powerful female vocals and dirty synths, like Skunk Anansie or Marilyn Manson, then these may take to your fancy. Free download at www.deaffm.bandcamp.com 10. Voidstalker – Cage Dark progressive rock with melodic yet screamy female vocals. Really Interesting guitars. Download this track for free at www.facebook.com/thisisvoidstalker
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Reviews
30 June Kro Bar th
The Auditeurs decided to do an acoustic set last minute due to their drummer being ill. Very professional of them not to cancel and it's not too obvious that the set wasn't well prepared. Both singers have good voices but personally I find that Lee Bebbington's voice fits with the acoustic set better. Johnny Hearldon's voice cuts through more, although he has a cool voice I feel that his tone is a bit harsh for such acoustic songs. The performance is enjoyable, but I can't help but notice that both guitarists do seem to be playing the same rhythm and chords as each other, this seems rather pointless in an acoustic set. It would be more interesting if one guitarist was doing some nice finger picking or alternate acoustic rhythms so that the acoustic versions of the songs aren't played almost exactly like the originals. People like to see a change in the songs when it comes to playing them acoustically and I think it would be a good idea for them to work on specific acoustic versions if they plan to do more acoustic sets. All is forgiven for this though since doing the acoustic set was a last minute decision. Overall not at all a bad performance and the audience looks like it is having a pleasant time. .
The Dusk Vinyl High Goodlife The Auditeurs
The Goodlife are next in tonight’s proceedings. Via Facebook, they list their influences as Dinosaur Jr and The Lemonheads and while their sound is certainly reminiscent of these early 90’s alternative stars, The Goodlife’s music is not a replica and they have succeeded in taking the hits of their heroes and morphing them into modern indie tracks. The songs are nothing original in terms of style and structure, but what they lack in innovation they make up for in melody and soul. The guitar lines weave beautifully between the vocals and the bass and drums provide a solid backdrop, which allow the lyrics to do the talking. Front man Eamon Rooke has the perfect voice for this kind
Vinyl High
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Reviews of band and bassist/guitarist/vocalist Dan Small’s backing vocals add an extra layer of life to the choruses. The show takes a slight dip when Eamon and Dan swap roles. The band is equally as tight and everyone gives an honest performance, but Dan’s vocals just aren’t strong enough for the lead role. All in all, The Goodlife are an enjoyable and inoffensive indie band. They may not be trend setters, but many of the songs surpass various hits by the likes of today’s indie megastars.
The Dusk
Next up is Vinyl High and these guys really get the party started. With a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, from the first beat it feels as though we have been transported from Oxford Road’s Kro Bar and ended up in the middle of a whiskey joint brawl in the darkest corner of the Mississippi Delta. The songs are bluesy, swingin’ and very sexy. Vocalists/guitarists Tom Lee and Kain Panter have brilliant onstage chemistry, their voices complementing each other effortlessly to add a Manc/indie quality to the dirty Deep South swagger that accompanies them. The banter with the audience is first rate. It’s clear they are playing in front of friends, but there are no cringe worthy jokes and they blend a professional live attitude with good humour quite remarkably. Towards the end of the set a lively cover of Twist and Shout gets the room to its feet and it is here, upon playing such a well loved classic, that the men on stage prove they’ve got the chops to make a room take notice. Once finished, there are smiles all around from band and audience alike and even though they have the potential for bigger things, right now everybody in the room is happy enough to have been invited to the party. By the time Crewe’s The Dusk take to the stage, the room is almost empty. And once the music starts, the only conclusion the remaining customers can come to is that the last bus home must be about to leave as these guys clearly deserve a bigger crowd. Blending rock guitars with atmospheric synths, the music is a colossal and haunting mix of ethereal ambience and pulsating pop rock. Vocalist James Grierson’s lyrics are delivered with fervour and emotion, his voice a terrific mélange of angst and attitude. Alistair Gunn’s Edge-like guitar work bounces tirelessly between delayed picking licks to hard rock power chord chugs; the creative synth work adds real depth to the tracks and all the band members lock in solidly with the backing tracks. The only draw back is the levels. While the synths are impressive and imperative to the sound, at times they drown out the whole band. This problem becomes most apparent when the overpowering backing track hits such a high volume that James falls flat of his intended note, creating a very uncomfortable discord. By the time the last note finishes, the headliners bid everybody a humble and grateful farewell, which makes them all the more likeable. It’s a shame not many people are here to see it, but those present will be happy they witnessed such grandiose finale in such a small venue. J.Knowles + A.Serofinowicz
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Reviews First up is Alex Chow, a solo, instrumental, acoustic guitarist. As soon as the first few notes are played, everybody in the room is aware they are watching something special. Mixing classical style picking with percussive tapping and slapping on both the guitar’s body and strings, Alex is able to hypnotize the audience with a breathtaking performance that is oozing with beautiful melodies and dynamic flavours. Even though this style of guitar work may be niche in contemporary music, at no point does it feel gimmicky. Yes, the techniques are incredibly impressive – not least when he incorporates the use of a loop pedal to create layer upon layer of sound – but the real magic comes from Alex’s true understanding of music. Where similar acts such as Rodrigo Y Gabriela can fill an entire album with high speed musical flourishes, it is Alex’s delivery of exquisitely chosen chords and rhythms in accompaniment to remarkable melodies that truly astonishes tonight. The fact that all in attendance are captivated when not a single lyric is being sung speaks volumes about this mans undisputable talent.
2 July The Bay Horse nd
Holly Wilson Edwin Miles Alex Chow
Travelling all the way down from Glasgow, Holly Wilson is treating the people of Manchester to her first ever solo gig. After a humble and charming selfintroduction, Holly opens with a sombre, stripped back cover of Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black. It’s a great start to the set and as she continues with her original compositions, Holly’s moody brand of folk music shows that even though this is her first solo performance, it feels more like her 100 th. She may lack the guitar playing prowess of the previous act, but the rich tone of her voice coupled with the raw sentiment of her lyrics is more than enough for this show. The only drawback is that towards the end, the different tracks start to sound very similar to one another, causing the set to stagnate ever so slightly. But, with some subtle changes of dynamics
Edwin
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Reviews
Alex
and rhythms these problems will be solved easily and by the time Holly does get to her 100th gig – hopefully back in Manchester – there is little to say she won’t have transformed from a good singer/songwriter into a brilliant, fully rounded artist.
To close the evening is Edwin Miles. Armed with just an acoustic guitar and his voice, his performance is powerful and heartfelt. The song writing is maturely constructed and is conveyed with such passion and skill that it makes the hairs on one’s neck stand up. The emotional dynamics are superb. At times the set is brooding and melancholic before segueing into irresistibly uplifting and elevating moments. Everything about Edwin works; his voice is world class, his guitar skills are at such a level that at no point does it feel like another instrument is necessary – although the thought of giving him free reign with a full band is something everybody in this room would pay to see – and with his teddy boy quiff and indie boy style, he looks exactly as a modern pop star should. Edwin has recently released the brilliant Get Off Your Rock E.P. Fingers crossed we will all soon be downloading a full album from one of Manchester’s brightest rising stars. A real pleasure to watch. A.Serofinowicz
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15 July The Bay Horse th
Reviews
Firstly we have Fear the Fallen, a much smaller crowd compared to last time I saw them play for CV promotions but this does not affect their performance at all, yet again they are amazing. A few technical glitches with the bass amp don't phase them and they deal with it very professionally. This time around it is much easier to hear the vocal pedal really add to his already massive vocals, I've seen these pedals used before by more incapable singers listening to it being used by an already great powerful singer really allows you to hear the great level you can get vocals to sound live. All of them are clearly talented musicians and know how to write good catchy songs with great layouts. I was also pleasantly surprised with their version of Numb by Linkin Park, they really do it justice and also make it their own. Another faultless performance and I really want these guys to Afterwards we have Seventh do well. Shade, similarly matched to Fear the Fallen but with a darker, gritty and heavier sound, the singers voice is powerful and he definitely gives a heartfelt performance. A very tight impressive drummer with some very cool guitar solos and riffs. Firm rock stances all round giving a really strong performance. Such an epic sound coming from these guys, you can really imagine their music being blasted out on the main stage at Download festival and I do believe that if they manage to promote themselves well enough and get around the UK then playing stages like Download shouldn't be such a big step. The songs are strong but if they work on doing some catchier choruses and send their songs out to some important people I believe they could pick up some really good opportunities and support some big rock bands.
Mentus Halflings Leaf Faerground Accidents Humans as Ornaments We Could be Astronauts Whipcord Seventh Shade Fear the Fallen
Unfortunately after these two epic bands, I can't say the same for the third band Whipcord. Although I am a fan of the screamy vocals, overall their set just seems
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Reviews incredibly messy. They all have good stage presence and there are some really intense fast guitar parts but the guitar style in every song they play is very similar and its obvious that the audience are getting bored after the first couple of songs. They also don't seem to take breaks between each song and just rush into the next one, I understand a lot of bands do this so that they can fit as many songs as possible in a set but for Whipcord I think this was a bad idea, as all of their songs were that similar it just seemed like a very long song. Some cool rhythms but the amount of distortion and feedback just makes it all difficult to listen to, it all just seems noisy, there is a possibility that it could be due to the small venue but this seems unlikely. It definitely would be nice to see a change in dynamics in the songs rather than just a constant loud noise. After listening to their tracks online, I do see potential in them as a band but I think practice on their live performance is needed to make them tighter and a more pleasant experience.
Halflings Leaf
It’s such a shame that most of the audience leaves before We Could Be Astronauts because they are almost definitely my favourite performance so far, its clear to see why they played T in the Park this year as their performance is so professional and seems well thought out with their matching red and black shirt/tie outfits. The whole band is really entertaining, not only with the great songs, but also with their onstage presence. Vocalist Robert Hughes brings a real charge to the performance and the energy he shows throughout lifts the set to another level, despite the small crowd. Flinging the mic stand around, the venue is his playground and they all look like they are loving it and it’s really nice to see. Gritty rock n roll vocals, funky sounding bass riffs and wailing solos, you can see the influences from typical rock n roll bands such as Led Zeppelin but they also manage to form their own original sound. Look Frank! It's a Toaster has a great chorus with the tight stabs really giving the song a catchy and unique feel. I don't think I have seen the best of this band yet but now I am looking forward to see what they can produce in the near future. Unfortunately the crowd doesn't pick up for Humans as Ornaments but they take it in their stride and show the audience what they can do. Nice melodic vocals with a screamy edge in parts. Some cool riffs and rhythms going on but as the set carries on, some of the songs are hard to find distinctive from each other, which is something they should work on, as this can make an audience lose interest but they do in fact have a couple of songs with potential. Hangman is a very strong tune with a funky, addictive riff going on in the verse and a catchy chorus so if this is an example of what they can write then I am excited to hear more new tunes from them. 40
Reviews The whole band has great style and presence when performing and the singer uses the space well by taking his mic stand nearer to the audience and really rocking out. As Faerground Accidents prepare for their set, the crowd picks up and there definitely seems to be a buzz about the place, from first impressions they look like a very quirky band with members of a range of ages and styles but it somehow seems to fit together with this kind of band, with the singer wearing lipstick and what seems to be scrubs, the synth player using an ironing board as her synth stand and the guitarist bearing a rather stylish top hat. Straight away the songs sound crazy and bizarre but not in a bad way, in an interestingly awesome way. The prominent synths in the songs really help to create that unique sound. The singer’s flamboyant stance and Bowie-esque vocals really become one with the music and it almost feels like the songs are written to fit with his style of vocal. Stage presence by the whole band is great, the bassist seems to really go for it, crouching over the monitors, looking like he's almost trying to seduce the audience in front of him, although its always nice to see band members going for it, it can look out of place if he's the only one being that exaggerated and I would suggest he should maybe tone it down. The guitar playing matches the synth lines well and its harder than you'd imagine to tell that it’s actually two separate instruments and this is what you need in a synth-rock hybrid. I enjoyed every song which they announced from the EP so I think if they send this EP around to some important people, they could get some good support and festival slots. For a band that were asked last minute to play, they sure know how to bring a good crowd in. Halflings Leaf not only has a good size crowd watching but their audience are really into it. Dancing, shouting and singing along, there is definitely an exciting atmosphere. Once they get into the set, it’s apparent straight away why they have such a loyal following. Really original sound, heavy but also very funky in parts, a lot of people bopping their heads up and down to their addictive grooves. Not only is it amazing to see such great skills on all instruments – the funky bass riffs, the shredding on the guitar and technical drumming – the screamy vocals go greatly with the feel of the tunes. I can't help but think of Rage Against the Machine when listening to them. The band also seem to have such a connection, they are really enjoying themselves and their performance looks so easy, as if they could do it in their sleep. Their strongest song is without a doubt Jack in the Box, this could just be my personal preference but judging from the amount of people singing along I think this could be a fan favourite. This doesn't mean their other tunes are weak though, the whole set is great and some really bizarre quirky parts in songs like Sixes and Sevens really show off their musical ability. The stops and rhythms are done so precisely showing that they do not fail at this difficult test of timing. It feels like I witnessed something special and would be very surprised if they don't go on to do great things. Finally we have Mentus, a very young but professional band. Although they put on a good performance, they do seem weak compared to the two bands seen previously. The singer does have a really nice voice but every now and then he does sound flat but this is not enough to ruin the performance. They are a really tight band, the drummer being especially impressive, his timing and skill matches up to all the great drummers which have played previously, which is especially shocking because of how young she is. They do have the ability to write good songs though, with How It Feels giving a good sing along chorus, the only point I would make about this song is that the dynamics from verse to chorus need to
Seventh Shade
41
Reviews have more of a drastic change, giving a build up to that great chorus and really shouting it could really make this song sound epic. My favourite song though is Thought Of Me. The guitar playing is really nice, with a cool intricate riff at the beginning being followed by a nice melody in the verse and yet again another catchy chorus. They sound similar to Young Guns in parts, the singers voice in particular sounds like Gus Wood's voice. As a whole, their song writing style is great and I am sure there is nothing but improvement to be see in these guys. J.Knowles
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