ISSUE 7 // APRIL 2017
That’s...
Another packed issue and we’re past our six month mark (still going strong!) We have reviews from live punk, indie, rock and jazz gigs from the last month including Black Honey, Circa Waves, Grandaddy and The Menzingers. Oh and we’ve added links to each review that will take you to that gigs full image gallery if you fancy seeing more. We have interviews with The Flatliners from their UK tour, and Charlie Jordin speaks to Yuni Wa about the future of music. As always there’s film reviews including the hugely anticipated Fate of the Furious and Guardians of the Galazy: Vol 2 and we have new album and single reviews for ist ist, FREAK and Circa Waves, as well as a preview for AMC and UK Horror Scene’s Triple 6 Horror Film Festival, which we’ll be covering in full in the next month. Happy reading! - Jack Holmes Editor-in-Chief Intertainmentmagazine@hotmail.com
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Editor-in-Chief: Jack Holmes Editors: Corey Davies, Jack Holmes and Evelyn Sweeney Writers: Aaron Brady, Charlie Jordin, Corey Davies, Jack Holmes, Jayna Patel, Kieran Bowie, Wes Bowie and Zac Gardiner Design and Page Layout: Jack Holmes, Katina Petrou and Rhys Hoyte Photography: Charlotte Rudd, Georgia Osborn, Georgina Hurdsfield and Darcy Jamison © All Rights Reserved. All Material in Intertainment Magazine may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the magazines ownership. Intertainment Magazine cannot accept any liability for reader discontent arising from our features. Intertainment Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit this material prior to publishing. The opinions expressed or recomendations given in the magazine are the views of the individual author and do not necessarily represent the views of Intertainment Magazine. We accept no liability for any misprints or mistakes and no responsibility can be taken for the content on these pages.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol: 2
The Flatliners Interview
The Fate of the Furious
The Menzingers // The Flatliners // The Dirty Nil
Triple 6 Festival Preview
White Washing Isn’t So Profitable
Better Call Saul Mabel
Legends of Tomorrow Season Two
The Future of Music is Online
Black Honey // K.I.D // FREAK
Grandaddy // Amber Arcades
Circa Waves
The Kooks // Clean Cut Kid
Jaws
Amazons
Myele Manzanza
Circa Waves Different Creatures
Single Review: ist ist - Strangers
Freak - I Like To Smile When I’m Sad
Circa Waves
ist ist Intertainment Magazine is a brand new, independent, online magazine and blog that focuses on: new music, film, TV, video games, comic book releases, and events. Since our launch we’ve arranged interviews with the likes of Frank Turner; covered live gigs, including Catfish and the Bottlemen, Blossoms, The Courteeners and the Lakes Comic Art festival. We already have opportunities for live gig photography, interviews with musicians, directors and artists and much more in store for 2017. So if you’re a passionate writer / photographer / videographer / graphic designer looking for opportunities to work with a team of students and recent graduates set on kick-starting a brand new independent publication get in touch.
What? You don’t want new life changing music?
Director: James Gunn Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel and Dave Bautista Studio: Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios
By Wes Bowie When I first watched the first Guardians of the Galaxy I was filled with a very rare excitement that few films have managed to capture. It reminded me of the films I grew up with and enjoyed watching over and over again, reenacting my favourite scenes in the playground with my friends. Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, to name a few of the famous ones (Monster Squad, Misfits of Science to name the not so famous). Obviously with the success of these films followed the sequels, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 has ramped up the excitement levels to have everyone who loved the original dying to know what’s in store for these characters next. So, is GOTG Vol2 a Temple of Doom / Ghostbusters 2; or is it an Empire / Back to the Future Part 2? I hate to say it, but I do with a sense of relief, that it is neither. It doesn’t quite hit the bar set by sequels such as Empire or BTFT Part 2 but thankfully it nowhere near hits the depths that we saw in Ghostbusters 2. The film kicks off with a flashback to Earth back in the 80’s, reminding us where the GOTG films get their inspiration; it is also the era StarLord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) has a strong bond for because it’s the
last time he was on Earth. The action soon switches to present day where the Guardians are about to go head-to-head with a creature that they have been hired to defeat. Remember those gold people from the trailer? That’s who hired the Guardians. It all feels very familiar to the last film, with everyone bickering and at every opportunity telling each other how they resent having to work alongside one another. However at points it all seems very forced, as if James Gunn (Writer/Director) was trying too hard to make these characters interact with each other in a funny, quirky way with a splash of resentment. The dialogue didn’t seem to flow and this is how the overall film felt. Where the first film was very structured in terms of plot and pacing, Vol 2 seems to plod along at its own pace. It doesn’t flow very well and at times feels disjointed, but has James Gunn been very clever in doing this on purpose? The disjointedness of Vol 2 seems to reflect how the Guardians are feeling towards themselves and as a group. Star-Lord is having Daddy issues; Gamora (Zoe Saldana) is trying to connect to her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan); and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) is trying to understand why he needs the others in his life. It’s a much more personal film than the extravagance of the original and has a completely different tone, more emotionally driven than action. Vol 2 is not a copy of success, it actually builds upon where we found these characters at the end of the last film rather than place them in a similar situation where the galaxy needs saving. With Vol 2, yes the galaxy is at stake but not as much as the Guardians personal situations and beliefs. At the start of the film it feels as though each Guardian believes they can succeed as individuals but situations would suggest otherwise. Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Nebula return with Mantis (Pom Klementieff) making her debut. These supporting characters help to bring forward more of the established characters personalities and traits. However, I struggled to think of what Mantis actually brought to the film other than act as tool for Drax to deliver one-liners. Nebula helps build Gamora’s history as well as her own and gives a little insight into what we can expect of Thanos. However, it is Yondu who really stands out; he interacts very well with each character he shares screen time with for various reasons. Besides Star-Lord, Yondu is the character that goes on the biggest emotional journey in this film. He helps add another layer to Vol 2 and really adds more depth to the other characters, in particular Rocket and Star-Lord. As for the original returning Guardians, each character has their moment to shine. At times the emotions and relationships between them can seem a bit forced, but it builds the characters so that they don’t become predictable. You just never know what’s going to happen. Relationships evolve and it’s clear that the Guardians are more of a family than just a team like the Avengers. In terms of how Vol 2 sits amongst the many other Marvel films and how they connect, it is very much stand alone. Obviously we have the Stan Lee cameo that we have all come to expect (just wait until you see which famous Marvel character he’s speaking to!) but apart from that there is no other reference. Marvel studios do go into overdrive with the after credit scenes with a total of FIVE! However, only one is relevant to future Marvel films and the content will only be understood by true die-hard Marvel fans. Even I had to Google the reference. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 doesn’t quite live up to the expectation that has been set by the original, James Gunn has been very daring and brave actually crafting a film that doesn’t just copy and paste from the first film in order to guarantee success. What we have is a more emotionally driven and mature film where the characters clearly evolve as individuals and as a group. It’s a brave film to make but makes it tonally different and therefore it stands on its own two feet. Just as enjoyable as the first but for different reasons.
Director: F. Gary Gray. Starring: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez Studio: Universal Studios, One Race Films and Original Film. By Jayna Patel Now I don’t know about you but a seven movie franchise is quite a hefty film series bordering on the lines of excessive in the amount of films in a saga, even if said franchise is as thrilling as the Fast and Furious series. With this in mind, coupled with the fact I think 2015’s Furious 7 brought the blockbuster franchise to a natural close with an emotional and honourable goodbye scene bidding farewell to Paul Walker’s character, who sadly passed away in 2013, I was more than a little dubious when going to see the next instalment in the series, Fate of the Furious. The fate of the said furious driving outlaw crew could have been seemingly peaceful, with Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) soaking up the sun during their honeymoon in Cuba and Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) amusingly coaching his daughter’s football team. ‘Normal’ life looks good on Torretto and his crew until an elusive cold and ruthless high-tech terrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron) forces Dom to turn on his family, his beliefs and everything he stands for, leaving his team with no choice but to team up with their enemy, former mercenary Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham). Fortunately it’s not a case of quantity over quality with the popular Fast and Furious franchise. The advantage of being so far into an established series is that fans and audiences know what to expect, so by the eighth movie you know if it’s your cup of tea or not, though the Fast and Furious films have a gift for bringing even more impressive stunts and scenes to the table with each and every instalment ensuring Fate of the Furious isn’t a letdown. Toretto’s character is fully explored exposing him as a complex man as he goes rogue and with his resolve and the honourable, if legally grey code, that he lives by being truly tested. He has a lust for life in the fast
lane but hankers after something deeper along the lines of family, stability and peace and his search for a balance between the two makes for transfixing viewing…as does the insane amount of large scale mind-blowing stunts and high-stake car chases. Without too many spoilers, it rains cars, nuclear missiles launch, a submarine causes mayhem and, well you’ve heard of rise of the machines, how about the rise of the self-drive cars?! Fate of the Furious turns the action up full throttle so fast pace your eyes can barely keep up as they race to register what’s happening, darting all over the screen. No expense is spared when it comes to CGI and special effects. Occasionallyok there are many times, when your eyebrows are bound to raise so far up your forehead in a shut-the-front-door-no-way-that-just-happened/ is-that-possible?! expression that you threaten to lose them and the plausibility of certain situations, escapes and scenes is called into question but it makes for brilliant entertainment nonetheless. Roman (Tyrese Gibson) brings the comedy, whilst the script has its moments in terms of twists, for instance it’s not Mia and Brian, antagonist Cipher has over Dom as you might expect. With the first film released in 2001, it’s witty one-liner quips and banter audiences can really buy into as ‘in-jokes’ and characters have already been created, established and acquainted with viewers, familiarity and fondness built and cemented. The comedy works and is endearing rather than being repetitive. Explosions erm explode, Dwayne Johnson’s impossibly big arms look like they can’t possibly be human and Helen Mirren drinks tea. This film is also about unwavering loyalty and the powerful bonds of brotherhood- but can the relationships within Toretto’s strong outlaw family withstand the ramifications of betrayal? If you have a need for speed, thirst for adventure and danger and hunger for souped-up, epically horse-powered engines see this film and find out. You may have to leave your reality hat and rationality coat at the cinema door (or at the opening credits if you’re watching it online not that we’re endorsing dodgy online copies at all) but if you like excitement and action strap yourself in and enjoy the sweet ride.
By Charlie Jordin Taking place on the 27 and 28 of May at the AMC Cinema in Manchester, the Triple Six Horror Film Festival ‘aims to celebrate everything that is great in new independent horror filmmaking.’ Showing nine feature films over the two days, as well as twelve short films, the festival will ‘shine a blood-red spotlight on the amazing talent in genre filmmaking.’ There will also be a live Q&A with Hardware director Richard Stanley after the screening of his 90s cult classic. The films screened at the festival will be from around the world, but the festival directors have ensured the festival has ‘a British backbone.’ The festival kicks off on the Saturday with the European premiere of Quarries, a taut horror about a group of women who find themselves being stalked in the wilderness. The film will set the pace for the rest of the festival; other films on Saturday include The Forest of Lost Souls, a Portuguese slow burn horror from Director Jose Pedro Lopez. Filmed in black and white and with a stunning score, this untraditional festival film has its premiere at Triple Six. The Unkindness of Ravens is director Lawrie Brewster’s third feature and follows the story of a homeless veteran who battles his demons in the Scottish Highlands. Ending Saturday on a high note is a rare 35mm screening of the cult sci-fi horror Hardware which will be followed by a live Q&A with director Richard Stanley. Sunday begins with the UK Premiere of The Chair from director Chad Ferrin. Based on the graphic
novel by Peter Simeti, The Chair is a claustrophobic, sadistic and harrowing watch about a man on death row fighting to survive. As dark as its original source, it’s one hell of a start to Sunday. Offensive is the latest offering from director Jon Ford. Set in rural France, a retired American couple inherit a house on the condition they live there for a year. In what seems a perfect and idyllic setting they soon find out the local youths might not be all they seem. Showing in its full uncut version, this is a must see for horror fans. Triple Six also welcomes the world premiere of Tone Death directed by Roger Armstrong and John Hickman, one of the many British films being screened at the festival. It follows a filmmaker and techno producer attempting to invent a musical device that will send the consciousness of the listener to another level. Set to close the Triple Six festival is Ben Young’s stunning debut Hounds of Love. A masterclass in suspense, it follows a young woman who is randomly abducted by a couple. As she observes the dynamic between her captors, she must concoct a plan to escape if she wants to survive. As well as showing some amazing features, Triple Six will also be showcasing stunning short films from around the world. Each feature film will have at least one short film screened before it, with shorts ranging from 2 to 18 minutes in length. Tickets are strictly limited and full weekend tickets are priced at £30, going on sale from April 3. The festival takes place at AMC Deansgate Manchester on May 27 and tickets are available on the AMC booking site.
Better Call Saul - Mabel Director: Vince Gilligan Studio: AMC Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and Rhea Seehorn By Corey Davies Following the cliff-hanger finale of the second season, where Chuck tricks Jimmy into confessing that he’d tampered with the Mesa Verde documents, it almost feels cruel that the show opens with a flash forward to Jimmy/Saul/Gene in the ‘present’ managing a Cinnabon, or at least it would, if it wasn’t a running theme in the series to start every season with a glimpse of the present; in addition the best moments in the show are characterised by long periods without speech. The opening scenes changes the meaning of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Sugartown’ from a relaxing, carefree song, to one that hammers home the empty drudgery ‘Gene’ goes through every day. Despite the purpose of the show being the origin story for our favourite rule-bending lawyer, I’ve always found origin stories difficult to stomach next to new stories with an unknown outcome; there’s always too much plot armour for anything really dramatic to happen to the main characters, so the more I see of Gene and the façade he puts on slipping, the less I want to see of Jimmy becoming Saul. This comes to a head when Gene turns in a shoplifter, fearing for his anonymity, only to yell at him to ‘say nothing! Get a lawyer’ as he’s led away. As much as watching Jimmy slowly disappear into Saul is fun (and something that comes up a couple of times this episode), Gene is slipping back into Saul, which is a story I desperately want to see resolved. Back in the past, and with the point of the show, Jimmy and Kim continue to run their
respective law firms, with Kim handling both Mesa Verde and several of Jimmy’s old clients. Despite performing beyond the expectations of Mesa Verde and handling the inane wishes of her elderly clients as well as can be expected, the pressure clearly shows and Kim can only burn her candle at both ends for so long. Jimmy is ever loyal, offering help while allowing her to continue with her self-destructive behaviour is exactly what he did with Chuck, and it didn’t play out well for him then, I can’t see it going any better now. Jimmy standing by Kim trying to help as she loses control is promising to be the stand out feature of this latest season once it pays off. Of the other two arcs that the season premier develops, the one with Chuck ‘making Jimmy pay’ is the one least interesting to me; Chuck just seems to go around in circles of scorning and relying on Jimmy and it’s stopped being entertaining. Having said that, it’s a testament to the quality of the construction of the show that, in any other situation, Jimmy should be the bad guy. But Jimmy preservers through excellent writing and Bob Odenkirk’s performance, becoming too likeable to judge; likewise, the writing and Michael McKean’s performance make Chuck feel like such a tool that it’s impossible to sympathise. And so Chuck’s storyline goes on: berating his carer/all-hours assistant; telling the partner at his firm what to do; conducting himself with a smug air of superiority completely unearned for someone who unrolls duct tape in such a needlessly aggravating manner. The third story in this episode focuses on Mike, once again showcasing the skill with which Better Call Saul does extended silences; for about a third of the episode Mike labours wordlessly to figure out whether his car was bugged and who was doing it. It’s far and away the most interesting section of the episode, the lack of exposition really forces a level of focus on the action. Mike’s concentration glues you to the screen as we figure out what exactly he was doing, and what the consequences will be. While the Jimmy/Kim storyline is the most promising to think about, Mike’s storyline and his vendetta against the Salamanca clan is currently the best to watch unfold.
Season Two
Director: Various Studio: The CW Starring: Arthur Darvill, Caity Lotz, Victor Garber, John Barrowman and Wentworth Miller By Aaron Brady
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow features the supporting characters of CW shows Flash and Arrow having adventures throughout time and space. Think Doctor Who but DC, with Arthur Darvill playing Captain Rip Hunter, just to solidify that Doctor Who comparison. In the second season of the show, Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), Martin Stein (Victor Garber), Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), Jackson (Franz Drameh), Vixen (Maisie RichardsonSellers), Nate Heywood (Nick Zano) and Mick Rory (Dominic Purcell) join Rip Hunter to protect history from changes in time, after they destroyed the Time Masters in the finale of the first season, thanks to the sacrifice of Captain Cold. (Wentworth Miller) As it’s a CW DC Show, don’t expect anything as well written or serious as Breaking Bad or The Walking Dead, but you can sit back and enjoy what is a simple, yet enjoyable show. The first season really suffered from a weak plot, which focused on the weakest characters of the show. These characters included the villain Vandal Savage, who only ever “won” due to some incredibly convenient plot twists and real stupidity on behalf of the writers, and Hawkeye and Hawk “I used to be a barista” girl, both of whom were particularly onedimensional as was their
poorly written love story. For the second season, all three characters are simply removed, with the villains of the season being The Legion of Doom, The Reverse Flash (Matt Letscher), Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) and Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman). It’s a prime example of how the show has evolved for the better, removing what people didn’t enjoy in the first season, and focusing on the aspects that worked well. It achieved this by really embracing the wackiness of the show, with episodes including Zombies in the American Civil War, as well as an Alien Invasion. More personal plots were also included in this season, such as Mick dealing with the death of his friend and partner, Captain Cold. The villains were also explored much more, rather than being evil for the sake of being evil, which was the long and short of Vandal Savage. Malcolm Merlyn wanted his life to be back as it was before the destruction of the Queens gambit, Damien wanted to prevent his future death at the hands of the Green Arrow, and Reverse Flash simply wanted to live. This could all be achieved through the Spear of Destiny, the Spear of which impaled Jesus Christ on the cross, and has the power to rewrite reality, and generally serves as this Season’s McGuffin. While this season is a large improvement, it is definitely not without its flaws. Some episodes are definitely lacklustre, as well as a number of “What?” moments and another forced Romance sub-plot which really have been a plague in both this Show, Arrow and The Flash. But if you’re a fan of the Superhero Genre, these drawbacks are outweighed by the entertainment this show provides the viewer, with the Characters and how they interact with each another being the highlight of the series. In short, if you’re looking for something more serious, or just not a fan of Superheroes in general, give this show a miss. But if the idea of Superheroes saving people throughout time and space sounds appealing to you, then Legends of Tomorrow Season two is definitely something you should add to your watch list.
Flatliners Interview By Jack Holmes We caught up with The Flatliners, some of the finest punks around as they begin their UK tour with The Menzingers. You’ve played everywhere from tiny bars to festivals, which venues do you feel suit your live shows best? They say everything in moderation, right? It’s nice to be able to do both I suppose. Whereas some of the big festival shows stand out because of sheer mass and insane lineup you’re sharing the stage with, the excitement of being in a packed club can usually allow you to share more moments with the crowd and take more away from a night like that. Though, playing a festival show with Deftones or The fucking Cure is always cool! You’ve had a 15-year career with your original line-up still intact. What is the secret to keeping The Flatliners alive and fresh for so long? I think the key is that we’ve been friends since childhood. Though it might surprise some folks, touring year-round is not a vacation and it can be very taxing at times. But I think if at the end of the day, you’re friends first, then you’re in good shape. You learn a lot about people when you travel together, and we haven’t unearthed anything that trivial about each other so far to justify shutting the whole thing down, so I think we’re alright (laughs) After all that time as a band, you’re still finding fresh sounds and directions to take the band, where would you say your inspiration for songwriting comes from? I think the events in your life inspire you as much as the music you’re listening to. We’ve always tried to reach new ground with every album we work on, and I see Inviting Light as the continuation of that theory. Music really is my life, and I spend most of my waking hours thinking about it, listening to it, and writing it. I think if you spend enough time in the deep end of it, you really do get immersed in the desire to always get better, and to always try something new. In any art form, the more you do it, the more you hone your craft. And I think the biggest betrayal any artist can do to themselves is to not explore their art-form in full. Do you ever feel like you’ll return to the more ska-punk sound of your earlier albums or do you feel the band has evolved past it now? Each record of ours has been so different that I can’t rule anything out at this point, haha! Well, within reason… I don’t think we’re gonna
release an EDM record or anything… You’re about to begin your UK tour, for those who’ve never made it to a Flatliners show before, what can they expect? Very loud live music played by four Canadian guys who are just happy to be here. You’ll be touring the iconic Menzingers who you’ve played with in the past. Which other bands would you love to support, or have support you in the future? Love the Menzos! There are probably about a million bands in the world that I’d love to play with. A short list would include: Cloud Nothings, The Night Marchers, Meat Wave, Tiny Moving Parts, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World and Wavves. You’ve just released your new album Inviting Light. What was the recording like for this album in comparison to your other four? This was the first time we’d ever recorded an album at two different studios. We did the bass and drums live at Phase One in Toronto, and then headed over to Fox Sounds in Toronto to do guitars and vocals. This was the first album we’ve done with a new producer at the helm, and it was the fantastic duo of Peter Pablo and Derek Hoffman. Two gents from different corners of the Toronto rock n roll world. It was a great team and a really fun experience. And it was actually the quickest we’ve ever worked in the studio as well. We did it in like 17 days. Which tracks are you particularly enjoying playing live at the moment? It’s hard to choose, because it’s always equal parts terrifying and absolutely thrilling playing any new stuff live. But the album opener Mammals is shaping up very nicely I think. You’ve travelled the world as a band, are there any shows that have particularly stood out for you? In recent years, we were able to play the Fat Wreck 25th Anniversary show in Tokyo, and it was insane. INSANE. I think we played at 12:30 PM and there were something like 17,000 people there. That was something truly special to us. The funny thing is that we couldn’t find our drummer Paul that morning, so we thought up until about an hour before the set that we were going to have to do the show without a drummer. His phone had died is all, but holy shit was that a stressful morning. Lastly, what are you listening to at the moment? The last song I listened to was Hells Bells by AC/DC, but let’s toss out an honourable mention to the incredible song Tomosaki by Meat Wave.
The Menzingers // The Flatliners // The Dirty Nil @ Manchester Academy 2 Date: 20th April By Jack Holmes Images by Georgina Hurdsfield Manchester played host to dozens of amazing punk bands over the weekend, but a lucky few started the festival in style with a bonus Menzingers headline show at Manchester Academy 2, with support from The Dirty Nil and punk veterans The Flatliners. Opening the night are The Dirty Nil who are set to release a new compilation album this Friday consisting of tracks from early 7″s, their 2014 EP Smite and a previously unheard track Caroline. The Ontario trio’s set is a fun little number that screams the best aspects of pop punk, wrapped up a more alt rock package. We’re not often sold on showmanship alone here at Intertainment, but we have to admit frontman Luke Bentham blowing bubbles with his gum between tracks was a fun little addition. Luckily for The Dirty Nil they’re charm is matched with some riffy fun, and with lyrics about getting high and hanging out with your friends taking us back to our simpler days of youth, their set is a gem we were pleasantly surprised by. Menzingers fans might have grown older since the band first started out, but we’re glad to see The Dirty Nil are here to appeal to our inner teenager. The Flatliners continue that theme of making us ageing punks feel young again, in their case with a set that spans 15 years of strong album and single releases. Although they skip over the majority of their older ska punk tracks in favour of their hard rockier recent albums, their set is a ferocious one. It’s also worth noting that The Flatliners delivery of their tracks is unique in a way that you’ll rarely hear from a live band. The Canadian veterans don’t simply play their tracks note for note to recreate their recordings, instead opting to raise the intensity of their tracks and give their set an urgency, aggressiveness and general energy that’s a perfect fit for both their crowd and their venue. If you weren’t lucky enough to attend one of their dates supporting The Menzingers you’ll also be happy to hear that The Flatliners will be returning to the UK in October and if you need to know they’re nice guys before you fork out for a ticket, you can have a read of an interview we had with them shortly before their Manchester gig. See you again in October guys. The Menzingers are of course the highlight of the night, and with two such strong supporting acts, that’s still a pretty special accomplishment. There are no gimmicks involved in their set, just track after track of grade A punk classics, which are sung back by the crowd with roughly the same intensity as the band deliver them. Stand out moments include closing track Your Wild Years from their latest album After the Party which is screamed by what feels like an army, with an intensity you could never recreate on an album recording in the same way a sea of hundreds of fans have the ability to. There’s a true sense of community during the more chorus focused tracks, of which Menzingers have many, including every track taken from their highly acclaimed 2012 album On the Impossible Past, which has become a kind of bible for Menzingers fans. Menzingers, along with the scene set by their supports, are a perfect reminder of why live music will always have a particular place in our hearts. No amount of recording equipment can deliver the emotion that a sea of individuals coming together in one mass of punk fuelled emotion can. So go pick up a Menzingers album, learn all the words, and then get yourself down to a show and make some memories. It’s exactly what a live performance should be.
Circa Waves @ Manchester Academy By Kieran Bowie Images by Georgina Hurdsfield
Circa Waves’ UK tour following the release of their second studio album Different Creatures, took a stop off in Manchester, just a short trip down the M62 from the band’s hometown of Liverpool. The rivalry between Manchester and Liverpool has always been a fierce one, but those differences were put aside for a night where Circa Waves really showcased themselves as one of the better live bands from the blossoming indie scene coming out of the North West of England at the moment, as well as around the country. The setlist was a strong and equally split between songs from the band’s debut, Young Chasers, and the new album, Different Creatures. The Liverpudlian four-piece came out all guns blazing from the start with Wake Up, the second single from the new album. A powerful, riff-heavy song, this seems the natural choice as the set opener going forward as it is one that gets the crowd going right from the off. The band flipped from first to second album quite regularly song to song, and considering the vastly different tones of each album, there would be a worry that this would make the set as a whole come off as disjointed. However, this didn’t turn out to be a problem for Circa Waves as they kept the crowd’s interest at its peak throughout. This switching between songs from each album actually worked in the band’s favour as it seemed to fit perfectly with the natural ebb and flow that unfolds during a concert. Fossils was one of the highlights of the set, a crowd favourite from the
first album which had members of the crowd dancing from start to finish. There was a scramble at the start of Love’s Run Out for fans to get on the shoulders of their mates, with lead singer Kieran asking fans to get their lights out (which has handily made for a great photo for the band to use on their social media accounts). For the second album’s title track, Different Creatures, lead singer Kieran announced that there was a camera crew recording the song for the upcoming music video for the song. Different Creatures was received well by the Manchester crowd, and seems an obvious fit as the next single from an album that has already had three brilliant singles from it. Circa Waves ended the set strongly with one of those singles, Fire That Burns, which is in my opinion the band’s best song to date, followed by their biggest hit, teenage anthem T-Shirt Weather, with a big circle opening up in the middle of the crowd ready for the chorus to hit and the mayhem to be released. Lead singer Kieran thanked the sell-out Manchester crowd for packing out the Academy, saying that Manchester is always the first date to sell out on their tours, which happens to be what most bands are telling Manchester crowds week-in, week-out. Keep pulling out performances like this one and I suspect that their Manchester shows, as well as countless others across the UK and beyond will continue to sell out for a while yet.
The Kooks // Clean Cut Kid @ Manchester Academy Date: 20th April By Kieran Bowie Images by Georgina Hurdsfield
The Kooks kicked off their ‘Best Of’ tour with two nights at Manchester Academy, both of which were completely sold out. These were gigs that made me feel extremely old. A band having a best of tour with the days of their early work being within my recollection is a strange feeling. Also, this was what seemed like a very young crowd, and considering I was only eight when their debut album Inside in / Inside Out was released. The Kooks made the most of this being a best of tour and gave long-time fans a reward for sticking with them over the years, playing tracks from each of their studio albums, as well as one song that has never been released before. All of the big hits were played, such as Moves in Her Own Way and Ooh La. This wouldn’t be a Kooks gig without Naïve, with lead singer Luke Pritchard promising near the start of the set that they would get around to playing it eventually. Seaside was clearly a fan favourite and The Kooks knew this, joking before playing the song that they would have to refund all the tickets if they hadn’t included it in their set. Around Town is one of the songs from the more recent era of The Kooks and is a reminder that the band have more songs that you know than you realise. I enjoyed the set more than I was expecting to, with the night being a nostalgic trip for me. Naïve in particular is a throwback to those long car journeys’ we had as a kid, playing the track on repeat. They may have aged, 11 years on from the release of their debut album, but they still know how to work a crowd, with newer songs going down just as well the old hits. Even the new single Be Who You Are, which has a hint of Cage the Elephant to it in parts, was very well received. Going from nostalgia of the past to looking ahead to the future, support band Clean Cut Kid deserve a special mention. Clean Cut Kid have been my favourite new band of the last 12 months and I have to be honest and say I was more excited to see them than The Kooks. I first came across the four-piece band from Liverpool (which is immediately going to give you a one-up with me, due to my affinity for the city, yes, I’m a Manc who loves Liverpool) when they supported The Courteeners on their arena tour at the back end of 2016. Clean Cut Kid did not disappoint and stole the show for me. Not to take anything away from The Kooks, who performed brilliantly. But Clean Cut Kid blew me away, as excited as I was to see them, my expectations were bettered by their performance. A big part of their on-stage appeal comes from the chemistry between husband and wife Mike and Evelyn Halls, who both sing with Mike playing Guitar and Evelyn on Keyboard. Bassist Saul Godman puts so much energy and enthusiasm into his performance, constantly interacting with the crowd and singing along with them. Clean Cut Kid have a sound which is extremely unique, one which I hope will take them very far. Lead singer Mike played on the Manchester/Liverpool tension at one point, making sure the crowd could understand his accent. The majority of the songs played have already been released, but Clean Cut Kid also played songs which won’t be released until their debut album comes out at the end of this month. (Look out for a review of that in the coming weeks). Clean Cut Kid return to Manchester for their own headline show at Sound Control on the 12th May. I can tell now Clean Cut Kid are going to a band that outgrow support slots such as this one and hopefully will go on to fill venues this size and bigger on their own merit.
Jaws @ Manchester Club Academy 25.04.17 Date: 25th April By Kieran Bowie Images by Darcy Jamison Jaws played Manchester for the second time in recent months after playing Sound Control at the end of November. I had been meaning to go and see them at that show so I was glad it didn’t take too long for the band to come back around. Throughout the set, one major thing I noticed was that the Birmingham band love what they’re doing. Four mates getting out on the road and playing songs that they wrote to people in different cities across the UK each night. For many of us, that’s the dream life, and you can tell that Jaws agree. This enthusiasm extended out to the crowd throughout the set, it took less than a verse for the first mosh pit to open up, which consumed a large part of the audience within Club Academy. Jaws have a sound which I am a very big fan of. A lot of the indie that is being released at the moment is fast paced and Jaws have more of a chilled out feel going for them, which I think works in their favour. They do have a few songs which are in the fast paced feel, however, with Be Slowly and What We Haven’t Got, being perhaps the best examples of this. Think Too Much, Feel Too Little is an example of one of the songs which encapsulates the chilled out feel that works so well for the band. This is a method other bands such as Palace are having success with at the moment and provides a refreshing variation within the genre. Anyone who tells you all indie music sounds the same are clearly not picking up on bands like Jaws. This isn’t a new opinion by any stretch of the imagination but I really feel that these type of gigs, seeing bands in smaller venues like Club Academy, bands like Jaws who are working extremely hard to get their names out, constantly putting shows on up and down the country for their fans, are the gigs which are the ones worth going to see. When some bands get a lot bigger, particularly ones from the US, it feels as though a tour every few years to coincide with an album release is almost an obligation, something they’d much rather not be doing. For me, that loses the connection you build with a band which is what makes music so great. The Jaws fans in the crowd, many of whom who I’d assume will not have been seeing the band for the first time, will have a connection with this band, you feel as though you are with them every step of their journey. Whilst Jaws aren’t a band I’ve been aware of for anyway near as long as many of the people in the crowd, this connection they clearly have with the band is something I’ve bought into and I’ll definitely be keeping a keen eye on their progress in the future.
The Amazons @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester Date: 6th April By Kieran Bowie Images by Georgia Osborn With their much awaited debut album set to be released next month, this stop on The Amazons two-month tour across Europe and the UK saw them stop off at Manchester’s Deaf Institute, a venue that is close to my heart. Out of all the venues across Manchester, it may not be the biggest, but it’s certainly one of the most intimate. The Amazons performance however, would’ve felt as at home in arena, as it did in Deaf Institute, putting on a show full of unapologetically powerful basslines and arenasized riffs. The set opened with the band’s newest single Black Magic and it wasn’t long before the mosh pit opened up. I say the mosh pit opened up, near enough the entirety of the intimate venue’s floor became a mosh pit as people from the back surged forward to get in on the action. Along with many, of the bands songs, Black Magic is all about the massive riff that follows the chorus. Everything else in the song feels like a build up towards that riff and The Amazons make those moments when it hits some of the most memorable of the night. What excited me so much about this band going into this gig is how well the emphasis of the riffs such as the one in Black Magic come across on the recordings. My hope was that if it sounded that good on the recorded version, then it would sound amazing live. My wish was fulfilled. It is clear that the reason these songs sound so good is not solely because of how much the producer has been able to get out of the songs when recording. The production value on their recorded tracks is brilliant, as a side note (Something I’m sure will become more evident upon the release of their album), but it is testament to the musicianship of the
Reading four-piece that their music not only retains that power, but that it is added to in a live environment. It isn’t just in Black Magic where this is evident, previous singles Little Something and In My Mind are two other perfect examples of just how much of an impact a good riff can have on a crowd (the riff from In My Mind is one of the best I’ve heard since the start of the 21st century, never mind the decade). I hasten to add The Amazons are much more than just heavy-riff merchants, however. Two stand out songs of the set, Nightdriving and Ultraviolet, give off more of an indie tone, meaning the gig is more than just straight-up riffs and noise. There were a few songs that won’t be heard anywhere else but live until the release of their album that were played, which all held up against the already high standard of their previously released tracks. From what I heard on the night, fans are in for a treat when the album is released. The set finished on Something in The Water, which was an interesting choice. It starts off a bit slower than most of their other songs and the last song isn’t normally a place to slow things down (albeit only ever so slightly). This works in the bands favour though, as when it does fully get into the meatier section towards the end it leaves an impact with the crowd that they will carry with them. This gig stuck with me more than any gig has done for a while. If the music industry is anything, it is unpredictable, so many things can change. However, based off this performance I can’t see how The Amazons don’t become a huge band. Their songs were made to fill arenas and whether they make it to that level or not, I can guarantee you won’t be seeing them in a venue the size of Deaf Institute again once their album is released.
Myele Manzanza @ Band on the Wall, Manchester Date: 18th April By Jack Holmes Images by Charlotte Rudd New Zealand-born Myele Manzanza first made a name for himself as one-third of Electric Wire Hustle, but after six years of performing, recording and touring with the band that he’d formed, he left in 2013 to release his debut solo album One. Having worked with the likes of Mark de Clive-Lowe, First Word label-mate Ross McHenry, Sorceress, Amp Fiddler, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Marcus Strickland, Recloose, Jordan Rakei and most recently joining Australian contemporary dance company, KAGE to name but a few, Manzanza has built up quite a reputation as both a drummer and songwriter. The variety of music he’s created in his career is representative of his mix of influences and styles, mixing aspects of jazz, African beats and hip-hop makes for a staggering impact and Tuesday night we were treated to the full force of that at Manchester’s Band on the Wall. Manzanza rarely speaks through his set, joking later on “it’s hard to talk and keep time”, but along with Matt Dal Din on bass and Aron Ottignon on keys, the trio have an infectious enthusiasm for their craft. The enjoyment had by the trio seems to be matched only by their adoring crowd. A number of changes in tempo results in rounds of applause and childlike smiles, with a few shifts resulting in the gentleman sat next to me physically jolting and exclaiming “ooooh yes!” Partially created by Band on the Wall’s passionate fan base, partially by Manzanza’s enthusiasm and hard hitting tracks, the room is given a sense of community that’s infectious. His set is largely originals, with a handful of covers through into the mix including a particularly energetic rendition of Theo Parish’s Love is War for Miles. The gig is seated which is a good move as although the Manzanza trio’s tracks are engaging enough to insight a need for interaction, actually doing so might have been difficult with the number of improvised segments included in the set. This doesn’t take away from the night, in fact, it shows Manzanza doing exactly what he’s best at, writing music that’s engaging, yet unpredictable and the crowd appreciate that. Anyone who dares say jazz is a relaxing genre I would dare to attend a Manzanza Trio gig. True you get swept along in the moment but it’s a rushing river of sound round than a tranquil stream. It’s hard not have a good time when listening to music that moves so quickly and features so many twists and turns, it feels like the audio representation of a fireworks show.
FREAK – I Like To Smile When I’m Sad Genre: High Energy Punk By Jack Holmes
If you’ve been lucky enough to catch Black Honey on their current UK tour you’ll have been pleasantly surprised by just how good their first support sounds. 19 year old Connar Ridd, or FREAK (in all caps, naturally) as he’s quickly becoming better known, dropped his new EP this week titled I Like to Smile When I’m Sad. That feeling you get when you feel like you’ve found a gem of an artist before everyone else catches onto just how great they are? Yep, we’re getting it. The four track EP hits hard, and we mean about as hard as you can hit whilst still maintaining a catchy, hooky core as Ridd manages throughout the EP. Other than the gaps between tracks there’s no real break in the onslaught of sound, it’s just noise and riff and hard hitting beat after beat from start to finish. The self-titled single from the EP is the main standout, but every track has its own unique draws. Featuring a rapid riff that sounds like the unholy spawn of Slaves and faster Drenge tracks like Running Wild, the album opens like a shotgun blast of energy made audio. It’s followed by Cake which somehow feels like it raises the tempo, though when flicking between tracks, it’s difficult to work out just where there was left to go. When you think it can’t get bigger, faster and louder it just… well, does?! Nowhere is the weakest track of the bunch, but it’s by no means a write-off boasting brutally honest and relatable lyrics like “continue to stop and stare, is my life going anywhere”, which works as a rallying cry to Ridd’s generation, many of whom are asking the exact same question and are likely in need of this exact kind of angry music, now more than ever. A core riff holds the track together nicely and features a guitar solo that actually kept us entertained for its duration, a success in any musician’s book. The album finishes off with Taste, the most aggressive of the EP’s tracks in its construction. Boasting a perfectly catchy chorus and the most promising lyrics of the EP, its the track that drags you back into listening to the EP through “just one more time”. You can listen to I Like to Smile When I’m Sad here, check FREAK out on Facebook here and we’ll be bringing you full coverage of the FREAK’s set from Dot to Dot festival on May 26.§
Circa Waves - Different Creatures Genre: Summer Pop Rock with a Hard Rock Twist By Kieran Bowie Following their successful debut album, Young Chasers, Circa Waves have returned two years later with their second album Different Creatures. Both these titles of these albums point to where the band are in their progression: Young Chasers epitomised that feeling of youthful exuberance, whereas, with their second album, it is almost as if Circa Waves are different creatures, a different band from the one that reminisced about T-shirt Weather. Different Creatures is an album that I had particularly high hopes for, and these hopes were met as this is an album packed full of quality. My
hopes were built up due to the release of the second single Fire That Burns, which improved on an already stellar first single Wake Up, and which is still my favourite song of a very strong set of songs that compile this album. One major point to make about Different Creatures is how clearly it maps out the growth and maturity that Circa Waves have developed in the past two years. Young Chasers was a fantastic album with a number of youthful anthems on it, but Different Creatures takes Circa Waves onto another level with a much grittier and fuller sound. This feeling of maturity as a band is encapsulated by lead singer Kieran Shudall’s willingness to take on pertinent issues in his song writing, with title track Different Creatures a song written about the Syrian Refugee Crisis.
In Wake Up, there is a much heavier tone from any of their previous work; this change towards a heavier sound is something that some bands can struggle with but the transition is seamless for Circa Waves. Fire That Burns again shows this heavier sound, particularly in the choruses. The build ups towards these choruses are effective and when the chorus comes around it is powerful and emphatic. Fire That Burns will be one to watch out for when seeing Circa Waves live because I have a feeling this will become their best live song. Crying Shame is a particularly strong song off this album, as is Without You. In fairness, I find it difficult to overly criticise any of the songs on the album; when I had a first listen to the album I was relatively underwhelmed, but after a few listens the whole album grew on me, so it is worth persevering through a second or third listen if it doesn’t immediately grab you.
Stuck as a song reminds me of some of We Are Scientist’s music, which is a surprising influence to hear in Circa Waves music, but it is a welcome one, showing a band that is clearly diversifying their sound whilst still having a clear feel of that sound that made their first album such a success. With Different Creatures, Circa Waves have solidified themselves within the upper echelons of British indie music, showcasing themselves as a really solid band, now with a strong back catalogue to pick from when choosing their setlists. Circa Waves will now take Different Creatures on tour across the UK before going on to Europe in April.
ngles Review ist ist - Strangers By Jack Holmes
Mancunian three piece ist ist have released their new single Strangers and it’s a great moody, merge of indie rock and post punk. Featuring vocals reminiscent of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis, Strangers feels like a more aggressive Closer, given more instant impact by an injection of Mancunian energy. It’s lyrics are also reminiscent of the post-punk icons, Strangers chorus proclaiming “what are you doing here, these people aren’t your friends, just keep your back to the wall and keep your mind of it all” conjures images of the North West’s club and venue scenes and displays a honesty that’s easy to connect with. ist ist were born in the basement gigs of Manchester and we’re glad to see that they’re holding onto that fact moving forwards in their upward climb through the music industry. The bands rhythm section features a hint of White Lies about it, though boasting a far more moody, aggressive stance, whilst managing to hold onto a catchy riffy edge. It might feature a hooky riff, but it maintains a clear depth throughout. The whole track gels well together, demonstrating a particularly collabarative effort, intruments rising and falling to the top of the pool of sound throughout the track. Its one of the most promising aspects of the track, displaying a band that have found their signiature sound made equally from each of its trio of members. What the band release from this point on will undoubtedly be a natural progression of their sound as a band, rather than individual members. You can listen to the track below and find out more about ist ist here and as always, let us know what you think.
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