Down the RabBit Hole
Issue 13 1st July
Editor’s note
Welcome back to Mad Alice Records’ Emagazine! This month we have some great exclusives, including interviews with Tom McKenzie and new band on the block Not For Long. We’ve got a review of everyone’s new superhero favourite, Wonder Woman, and the lowdown on new releases from Louis Ruben, Not for Long and Doomed Nympth. Our production team have reviewed the Hohner Big River Harp Harmonica, and we’ve got a top five of this months biggest releases from games to music videos. If you’re a York resident, check out our piece on the Fossgate Festival, and as always: happy reading! Zoe
Contents
Interviews
Reviews
Not for Long - 12-15
Comfort in Creation 6-7
Zoe Buckton
Natasha, Pierre the Great Comet of 1812 -8-9 Jake Williams
Scott Winsbury
Tom McKenzie 24-25
Doomed Nymph - 22-23
Maia Gunning
Not for Long Neverland - 10-11
Ben Tindall
Zoe Buckton
Film Reviews Wonder Woman - 26-29 Maia Gunning
Artist in Review
Articles
Plastic Barricades -17
Hohner Big River Harmonica 30-31
Dawid Ziemba
No Vacation -17 Scott Winsbury
Zuhatag - 19 Scott WInsbury
Kitty VR -19 Zoe Buckton
Dawid Ziemba
Lion Papers - Artist Spotlight 20-21 Revie Byrnes
Top 5 of the Month 32-33 Alex Fisher
Fossgate Festival 34-35 Zoe Buckton
Comfort in Creation Louis Ruben I started this album with my hopes moderately high. I’d just read one of the longest bandcamp album descriptions I’ve ever come across, and it was so selfassured and confident that I felt there was no way the album could fail to deliver. It started by simply explaining that this was a debut album (everyone always says the early work is the best) and it was recorded in one day (what a fresh sound it will be!). It then explained a bit about the album’s concept that everyone looks for comfort in a hectic world through the things that they create, whether this is a career, a personal life, a family, or indeed artistic endeavours. So true. This man truly knows something. By the end of this epic tale/ description, Louis had moved on to talk about how much more powerful we are as a collective than individually (a bit odd for a solo album) and finished off with a strong critique of capitalism (which I’m always up for, it just seemed to come from nowhere). Surely, there is no way the album would fail to meet the hype set up for it by its own creator? I plugged in my headphones and hit play. And the album failed to meet the hype set up for it by its own creator. This is partially my fault for raising my hopes so high without listening to a single note. It’s also partially the fault of the long description that promised so much. The simplistic oneman-and-a-guitar vibe that has worked wonders for so many artists is employed once more here, to limited success. Yes, the songs sound stripped back and personal. But they also sound clunky, and maybe a little too personal. And the lyrics are just a little bit clichéd in places (i.e “waiting for eternal sunshine”).
There a few moments on this album that really stand out for me. The first was on the second track ‘Jigsaw’. The song itself isn’t awful. It’s actually pretty good. Unfortunately, Louis makes a habit on this song of trying to hold notes for just a little longer than he actually can. The result is an unpolished, almost grating sound that really nullifies the gentle vibes the song tries to create. Another stand out moment is one particular lyric from the track ‘Afterlife’, in which Louis sings that he is “sideways shuffling, like a crab”. I hate to nitpick like this, but that particular line is just very odd. I think Louis himself realises this, as he sounds almost hesitant to sing it on the recording but powers through. There are also some awkward pauses in the midpoint of this song that overwhelm the rest of the track. That’s not to say there are no good points on this album. The opening track ‘Begin’ has an ambitious opening; a recording of a phone conversation in which person a tells person b that they’re pregnant and person b responds by seemingly spitting a drink that they definitely did not have in their mouth at the time. The actual song cuts in at this point. The song features motivational lyrics over an indie pop acoustic musical backing, which sounds quite blissful. Except for the slightly harsher than expected vocals, which create an odd dissonance. This is by no means a bad album; it’s just not what I had personally expected from this. As a debut album, it gives a sense of what Louis Ruben is about as a songwriter. It also gives him space to expand and develop as an artist. I hope he will continue to make music, and I look forward to hearing what he does next. For this album, however, I’m rating a 6/10.
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Once every decade or so a successful musical really takes off and captures the attention of the wider world. In the ‘90s it was Rent, the ‘00s had Wicked and I think it’s a safe bet to say that this decade’s equivalent will be Hamilton. Which is a shame, because Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 deserves some of that love. Composer and writer Dave Malloy adapts a seventypage extract from War of Peace and supercharges it with lush vocals, catchy showtunes and enough glitz to help you forget that it is a Russian realist novel, nearly 150 years old. If there was one word that could be used to describe The Great Comet, it’s ‘decadent’. Malloy’s ability to blend so many musical styles whilst staying thematically consistent is astounding. The orchestration tests all areas of the orchestra pit and beyond. Violins mix with synth beats, accordions add a bohemian flavour and woodwind gives way to banjos. It’s as if classic and modern musical theatre, opera and popular music have been married together in an unholy union. It shouldn’t work, and yet it does. If the orchestration is excellent, it’s certainly matched by the vocals. Leading man Josh Groban is on excellent form as usual, lending his smooth, operatic voice to Pierre. But the standout is Denée Barton as Natasha. She
has a strong soprano that compliments and cuts through her accompaniment without sounding piercing. Her voice is clear as glass, an expression that I know is cliché, but it really is the most fitting. It’s an incredible debut. This shouldn’t discredit the rest of the cast however. Every character is wellrounded through vocals. For instance, Grace McLean rasps and growls her way with great force through her role as Marya. In her voice you can hear age, upper class pride and ferocity. Similarly, Lucas Steele’s gorgeous, slippery smooth croon provides the confident yet slimy stylings of his character, Anatole. You only need to hear each character once to know exactly what they’re like, an achievement for both performer and soundtrack. Both the instrumentation and vocals lend themselves to the soundtrack’s strong emotionality. Each song shapes itself around whatever emotion the story is currently expressing, not just in tone, but in structure. “The Private and Intimate Life of the House”, for example, is a thumping, menacing ride through a dysfunctional household that suddenly changes track halfway through, and becomes discordant, faster and more panicked as the mad patriarch of the house becomes more and more frightened. But suddenly his irrational panic is over, by which point the rhythm
drops and a solitary piano makes the piece much sadder and melancholic. Every emotion beat of the soundtrack is keenly felt by the shifting nature of the composition. This does however result in unconventional songs that are more concerned with storytelling than consistent structure, especially in the last third, so only a few tunes stand up to individual listens. However, this is a minor complaint. When listened in sequence the soundtrack pulls you into an exciting and emotional ride. It’s hard to overstate just how rich and beautiful every aspect of The Great Comet is. It pulls you in with a glamourous start, and once you’re invested takes you on an exciting, emotional journey. Some of its songs may not stand on their own, but ultimately this soundtrack is a glorious triumph.
Neverland Not for Long’s first single, ‘Neverland’ kicks off with a wobbly high note that plunges into fast paced chaotic riffs from lead guitarist James. The song hails back to pop punk bands like My Chemical Romance and early Paramore. The band is a fivepiece alt-rock act, and this track features vocals from both Tom Aitchison and Katie. This duo combines their different tones super effectively to create a lo-fi, rough, edgy harmony. Katie’s voice is powerful, and has a distinctive twang of punchy aggression that puts the song firmly into the punk genre. The lyrics, ‘I wanna scream, I wanna shout, I wanna knock myself out, but theres nothing I can do to stop this feeling’ form the chorus, and are reeled off in quick succession. The drums from Tom Cordiner and rhythmic guitar from Ellie contribute massively to making this song into a great earworm, keeping up the pace to keep the listener on their toes. ‘Neverland’ is adrenaline fuelled, and channels the frustration of desire and shyness with the titular lyrics ‘I wanna take your fucking hand and float away to Neverland, but instead I’m stood here screaming’. Towards its final act, the song breaks down into slower riffs that showcase the guitarists’ versatility. The track’s music video is equally great fun, showing the band out and about drinking and generally having a fab time. Boris Johnson also makes a cameo appearance on the world’s most puzzling t-shirt. From this track alone, it is clear that Not For Long’s live appearances must be incredibly high energy, and I’d certainly recommend giving the song a listen for some motivational rock. I give ‘Neverland’ a solid 9/10. Check out our interview with Not For Long on the next page for more on how it feels to be a newcomer in the industry, and the fun of punk pop.
Not for Long As a new band to the scene, have you experienced many challenges? Tom A: I’d say getting noticed is our biggest challenge. Getting a following who aren’t just our mates that we drag along is so important for progressing in the scene! James: Trying to get noticed and hoping that people will like our stupid songs!
How did the band get together? Tom A: We met through a uni society called AIM - think Glee Club but with more guitars. James: I was kinda just added into the band before they asked… Ellie: AIM society were putting on a gig that we wanted to perform at as a group. Katie, Tom and I
learnt some covers together and when we were thinking about performing, we kept saying ‘James could play this part’, so we just told him he was in the band. Tom A: We found Drum Tom when he posted to our society’s Facebook asking if anyone needed a drummer!
Who are your biggest musical influences?
all genres and sounds in between.
Tom A: When I write I’m inspired by bands like the Front Bottoms and Demob Happy, although when we perform live, I try to bring the energy of bands like HECK and our good friends in Sobriquet!
Ellie: There’s such a wide variety of influences from all five of us in the band, and I think you can definitely tell that in the range of songs we have! For me, Modern Baseball are a huge musical influences, but like the other two I take influence from so many different kinds of music from indie, to punk, to grunge.
James: My influences are wide. From Johnny Cash and Elvis, to Slipknot and Metallica, while spanning
You’ve just released your first single Neverland, what’s the experience been like for you? James:I’ve always wanted to release music, so for a song I helped create, it’s a dream come true. Literally. Ellie: I feel the same. I was nervous about releasing it which I think we all were, and that’s why it took a while after we got the video back. But I’m so excited that
we’re starting to get our music out there! Tom A: Long! We recorded in February and had the music video by April. We weren’t sure how to release it so it was gathering dust - it took our friends in PEACH to ask us if we were still going to realise now is the time to release it! What do you enjoy most about playing live venues? Ellie: We have so much fun on stage. Playing our music and messing about just like we do in rehearsals, only people are watching, laughing and joining in. James: The weird reactions and the crowd interaction. We take a lot of our stage presence from our friends in Sobriquet, who are a bit insane. Which is fun. Tom A: It’s that feeling after we’ve played a great show
- even if we’re just playing to the sound tech, the bar staff, and the other bands. That mixture of relief, joy, and excitement is a buzz that I couldn’t compare to any other feeling. Are there any other genres you’d be interested in trying out in the future? Tom A: We’re a pretty weird mix of genres as it is. Neverland is kinda pop punk, but we’ve got some tender emo songs, some grunge, and some downright stupid songs. I guess I’d like to bring together vapourware and rap-core; think Hacktivist meets Windows 95. Ellie: Like Tom said, we’re such a mix of genres already… I’m happy just writing however we feel and making it ‘us’ – I think we’re
developing our own strange genre and I want to explore that. James: Personally I’d like to get a little bit heavier, but I’m open to everything. Maybe synths and stuff. If you could share the stage with any band in the world, who would you choose? Tom A: The Front Bottoms or Frank Turner… More realistically I’d love to play with Kagoule, HECK, Allusondrugs, or Demob Happy! James: It’s all personal favourites. I think we’d be good with Tenacious D, they’re pretty cool dudes. Pop punk bands like Blink would be sick. Ellie: Blink-182 or Red Hot Chili Peppers would be
incredible and so much fun! I’d be honoured if I ever got to play with Modern Baseball or the Front Bottoms as I’m in love with everything about them. What’s in the works for Not For Long’s future? James: More recordings hopefully an EP at some point. Tom A: Merch, too. We want to record more as we have a decent amount of songs written. We’ll hope for the best, work hard, and see where we end up. Favourite song to play live? Tom A: Smile James: Smile or Neverland
Ellie: Smile, and Take Me For Granted because I get to sing all grungy. Biggest joker in the band? James: I’d say Tom A. Ellie: We can’t get through five minutes of rehearsal before Tom A and James start making up some ridiculously silly song together. It usually involves Tom rolling around on the floor, too. Tom A: Drum Tom does this really funny practical joke where he pretends to listen to us when we tell him we have rehearsal, then goes out the night before and sleeps through the rehearsal... priceless. Favourite venue? James: I enjoy Green Room! Also our home away from home has become Mulberry.
Tom A: Mulberry Tavern. Jake there has done a great job putting on shows and it’s such a cool venue! Ellie: Sheffield is amazing for venues that put on local bands and we’re lucky for that! I really loved playing West Street Live
Artist in Review
Plastic Barricades With a band name like Plastic Barricades and the title track called “How Goldfish Grow”, all I anticipated was yet again another fame-craving Pop-Punk band that plays the same 4 chords and shouts to the mic from time to time. That said, the reality was far, far different. I love this track! It’s like Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Kings of Leon had a baby, then left it at uncle Joe Bonamassa’s house for the summer and left it with Oasis on the weekends. I can hear a lot of influences in this track alone, and the result is fantastic. The instrumental side is flawless, every element has its job and no instrument in this single feel left out. The vocalist could’ve used some backing vocals during the chorus to really bring it out, but apart from that, the track is fantastic.
No Vacation No Vacation are a San Francisco based indie/dream pop band. I always love it when I’m reviewing dream pop: there’s just something soothing about the entire genre. No Vacation are no different. Their latest release ‘Yam Yam’ sounds like a mixture of ethereal and dreamscape vibes. Or maybe I just dream of space a lot. Either way, the soothing melodies and subtle vocals have a way of creeping into your mind and soul and warming you from the inside. Not unlike a microwave in that regard. No Vacation clearly show influence from other indie pop bands, but they still create a truly unique sound.
Zuhatag Kitty VR is a York based singer-songwriter who plays venues like Fruit in Hull, and Kennedy’s in York. Kitty VR also performed at the Fossgate Festival with an incredible blues cover of ‘Black and Gold’ (original by Sam Sparro). Kitty VR recently appeared on Minster FM and BBC Radio York having organised the York Musicians Busking Fundraiser in memory of Angelika and Marcin Klis, who passed away in the Manchester Terror attack. She told Minster FM ‘Manchester is really close, and a lot of people I know knew the girls who lost their parents. I felt as though I should do something to help them’. Thank you Kitty!
Kitty VR
The only words I can think of to describe Zuhatag are “weird and wonderful”. Their EP Season II is the first post-rock EP I’ve ever heard to feature an orchestra and not a single lyric. They expertly combine the classical orchestra sounds with more typical rock sounds such as guitars and heavy drumbeats, both contrasting the sounds and even uniting them. The result is something truly unique, and actually quite moving at times. The Hungarian band is not afraid to push the envelope and experiment with genres. Almost to the point of entirely destroying the concept of genres. The innovative and unique sound is one that everyone should listen to at least once. You might even decide that Hungarian Orchestral Post-Rock is your new favourite genre.
Artist in Review
Artist Spotlight
Lion Papers In the spotlight this month are York based band Lion Papers, a two piece indie acoustic duo consisting of Curtis Pearson and Jimmy Ingham. They’ve played lots of venues around York and have supported numerous bands such as King No One and The Sherlocks. Their single Beautiful Disaster was released a couple of years ago and they’ve managed to not only stick to their original sound but enhance it massively. They’ve recently released a 4 track EP Long Time Coming on soundcloud and I simply can’t get enough of it. Their music reflects the soft sounds of folk with a mix of fast paced indie pop which is refreshing to hear from a two piece playing acoustic music, especially when we’re so used to stereotypical heavy sounds. The track Seas of Green from the latest EP is a particular favourite with catchy lyrics and a beat that makes you want to dance, though each and every song has a special quality that keeps you listening. Bringing diversity to the music scene by playing weddings, charity events and various gigs, they’re sure to take York by storm. Currently they’re touring with original music as well as covers such as Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’, a spin on the song that combines talented vocals with excellent instrumental work. They’ve so far completed two dates of their summer tour and will be performing at different festivals around York throughout July-September. On the 11th August they’re playing a headline show at Fibbers which will definitely be worth watching to discover a band oozing with musical talent for just 5 pound. With a dedication to music and a flair that’s only escalating, this is a band to keep an eye out for.
Doomed Nymph The Boy Who Cant Fly Doomed Nymph purposefully captures the balance of raw emotions inherent in loneliness but also in hope on their second EP “The Boy Who Cant Fly’. The York based emo band’s EP carefully and successfully highlights the aching alienation that can often come with change, and though not impervious to flaws, the over-reaches and missteps are an added charm to the topic of growth
reinforced throughout the 4 tracks. The first, eponymous, track of the EP uses a familiar Indie aesthetic to hide harsh tones of regret and disappointment demonstrated in the heavy lyrics ‘do me a favour, punch my teeth in’ ‘we go around in circles again and again’. The use of a chiming guitar sound is particularly reminiscent of the 80’s band ‘Orange Juice’, accompanied
also by a recurring piano tune this busy first track defiantly sets a bitter tone to the EP. ‘California Tonight’ focuses on a strong melody and a clear bass to explicitly tell a story of losing a lover whilst in California. Cleverly placed as the second track this story of loss and anger supports the theme of change, allowing it to be contrasted to the later tracks which offer a more
hopeful theme. Track 3 ‘Grey’ contains gentle yearning vocals, paired with a crisp guitar sound-which, like the next track, is simpler than the previous two-reflecting the end of the growth and change. Overall the use of reverbheavy guitar tones on the first track particularly reminds me of early ‘shoe gaze’ bands akin
to Chapterhouse or Slow Dive. As stated before, this album is not without its flaws but its sarcastic and bitter tones presented in the lyrics and the precise instrumental beats offers a story of change in life and blame. This EP, when at its best, is comparable to early Radiohead or, with its mix of electronic instrumentation and guitar, New Order.
tom mckenzie Can you give us a brief history of how you got into the music industry? I learnt the violin from age 7, but when I got to about 14 years old I didn’t want to play the violin anymore –it was so uncool! So that’s when I picked up the guitar and bass guitar and started to learn –I haven’t looked back since! I have been recording and writing music since I was 16.
Was there anything or anyone that really inspired your last album Tom McKenzie?
You’ve played quite a few venues around the local area, which one was your favourite?
Yes, most songs are personal tales about specific people that I have met / known in my life. Another inspiration for the album was that I started playing live a lot more and going to folk clubs –so I wanted the album to reflect that.
Tough question! I think it has to be the function room in The Black Swan, there is a beautiful tapestry on the wall behind the performers. Is there anywhere particular you’d like to play? Glastonbury!
Quick Fire: Favourite album? Bon Iver–For Emma, Forever Ago If you could record a track with anyone who would it be? Sting Best gig you’ve played? Glyde House, Bradford, August 2016 (my album launch!) Do you have anything new in the works? Maybe…you’ll have to wait and see!
Are you planning on preforming in York anytime soon? I am at the Black Swan on 15th July and the Fulford Arms on 2nd September. Who do you think most inspires your music? Artists I see live. Every time I go see live music I immediately want to pick up my guitar.
You describe yourself as an indie folk musician but are there any other genres you’d like to try out? Well actually my last EP New Home had songs that I would describe as funk rock and even post rock! Do you have any particular favourite tracks from your album? Hmm…maybe Little Bird actually, which is one of
the quietest songs on the album. Do you have any upcoming plans for this year? Yes, I am playing Staxtonbury Festival on the 8th July, which I am very excited about. I am also putting together a band for festivals next year.
Wonder Woman For years now comic book fans have been calling for a female lead superhero movie; their attention mostly focused on Marvel and the Black Widow movie we all deserve but DC beat them to it and gave us easily the best film of the year so far: Wonder Woman. I must admit when I first heard it was getting made I instantly dismissed it because, lets face it, DC hasn’t got the best track record with their female character but wow I
was wrong. Wonder Woman is, well, it’s amazing. Growing up on Themyscira Diana grows up learning to fight and is raised on stories of Zeus who gave her life and Ares, the disgraced god of war who’ll one day return to corrupt men’s hearts and plunge them back into war. When the island is discovered and soldiers land bringing death with them Diana does what she must and goes back with them,
bringing the “Godkiller”with her in order to kill Ares and end the war. I won’t say anything else for fear of spoilers but the war torn, morally complicated story that follows is straight out of a comic book and I loved it! What I will say is that Diana is best example of what a superhero should be I’ve seen in ages. She goes with Steve purely because it’s the right thing to do and time after time her sheer disgust at the idea that some lives
are worth more than others saves the day. Even outside of her intense morality, Diana is just wonderful to watch. Gal Gadot made her such a charming character that even when she’s not kicking crazy amounts of ass she’s still engaging and fun. Watching her attempt to take on a revolving door, god killing sword at the ready, and telling a man that he “should be very proud” because he made her a good ice cream were almost as
fun as the fight scenes. I say almost because wow! I have not seen fight scenes like the ones in this film before. You want people backflipping of horses whilst shooting enemies full of arrows? It has that. You want Wonder Woman ploughing across no man’s land deflecting machine guns off her shield? It has that. You want Lucy Davies brandishing a sword? It has that too. To create this race
of warrior women Petty Jenkins used a mix of stunt doubles and professional athletes and fighters for the background training scenes and it really pays off. The fight scenes are just incredible. When Diana’s ernest passion is enough to make you forget she isn’t human the bad guys hover into view and she goes into full Wonder Woman mode, reminding us of the warrior goddess she is. It’s also one of the very few films I’ve
Wonder Woman
seen where the female hero doesn’t just try to choke the enemies out with their thighs that are objectively too skinny to do the job. No, Diana is ruthless and unputdownable. If there’s a fight that needs to be won she’s running headfirst into it, ready to knock the bad guys into next year with her very visible muscles. It should be glaringly obvious that this is a feminist film but for me it was never clearer than in the fight scenes. There are no butt shots or weirdly sexual groans of pain, no Diana fights like Captain America or Thor fights: efficiently with a healthy level of bad ass. There are no useless high heels and her short skirt feels more due to practicality than sexuality. In fact, the only really sexualised character in this film is Steve Trevor (we see A LOT of Chris Pine) and although remarks are made about Diana’s looks she rebukes and outsmarts them. Another thing I really loved about this film is just how diverse it is. The rag tag group of heroes includes an Arab and a native american and their WW1 era London is incredibly diverse, something that the comic’s usually lack. Other than that it really did feel like a story lifted straight from a comic. It has the underdog good guys and the looming (usually German) forces of evil. It even has the disfigured mad scientist, Dr Poison, who looks like she just wandered out of the first Bioshock game. All in all, Wonder Woman is just brilliant. It balances light hearted comic book fun with the harsh truth about human morality against the mud splattered back drop of the First World War and whether or not you care about the fact its female lead it’s more than worth a watch.
Hohner Big River Harp When it comes to guitars, you’ve got great names like Fender and Gibson that pop out. When it comes to pianos, you’ve got great names like Yamaha and Steinway that come in mind. But what happens when someone thinks of a harmonica? You think of Hohner. Bob Dylan loves it, Tom Petty loves it, Bruce Springsteen loves it and even the late John Lennon loved it. When it comes to harmonicas, you can never go wrong with Hohner, and a fine example of their craft would be their amazing Big River Harp model. Want to go back to the ‘30’s and play some Delta Blues? Get the Big River Harp. Want to play some country music? Get the Big River Harp. Want a harmonica that’s easy to tame yet resonates with that all-timeclassic sound? Get a Big River Harp…can you see the pattern? The Big River Harp, in my personal experience, is one of the finest and best harmonicas ever produced. Its history can be traced back to the early 20h century, when Hohner just started producing these little pearls. Big names like Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin’Wolf would own similar models, and never leave without them. This harmonica will last indefinitely.
Top 5 of the month Life Is Strange
Ok, so this may not be a brand new game, but it’s been on sale throughout June and July for almost nothing making it so available it feels fresh again, it was even free on PlayStation. This game follows a girl named Max and how a week of her life got turned completely upside down.You follow her life and make a number of multiple choice actions, which can help or hinder you in the future, but you won’t know till later what’s what! It’s so emotionally strong that I almost couldn’t complete it from the trauma that it was causing me, yet I still loved the game. I felt like I was actually Max while playing the game and really dragged you into their world.
Perfect Places Lorde
Lorde’s first album was the perfect album, capturing what it feels like to be a teenager along with a completely fresh sound. The pop scene and even David Bowie described her as “the future of music”. Her second album really captures the essence of the first album but creates a more adult feeling album, and seamlessly makes her sound like she’s matured yet still just as talented. Her most recent single is no different – “Perfect Places”really captures the feel of growing up and twins it with Lorde’s artistic style.
Glastonbury Glastonbury, like every year, had some of the biggest acts hit the stages, with probably one of my favourite line ups so far in my opinion with big artists such as Katy Perry, Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro and Chic to be playing and not even being the headline acts! Other artists include Lorde, Alt-J, Slaves, Kaiser Chiefs, the Jacksons and The Avalanches. And of course the main headliners Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran. Regardless of who you wanted to see, don’t want to and who you liked and didn’t, every artist that plays Glastonbury puts in their best and that’s all we can ask.
How Did We Get Run So Dark? Foo Fighters Royal Blood Foo Fighters are back with With a brilliant hype behind this album, you could tell this was going to be a big hit regardless of what was on it.The singles were full of energy and passion for their music and the fans could hear that. The album was no different, filled with catchy hooks, heavy sounding bass guitar, fun drum rhythms and overall, excellent music writing. They have really came on since their first album, you can hear in their lyrics how they’ve changed, along with their at times experimental sounds that they’ve thrown in there for good measure.
a new song, new sound and new video. Run is clearly a Foo Fighters track, yet it sounds completely fresh from their other stuff. With a new album on the way, this song perfectly summed up the direction they’re aiming for which has been described as “hard rock extremes and pop sensibilities collide”. The video is probably the strange part about it, with old people trying to escape a care home after seeing an aged Foo Fighters sing this to them. It doesn’t end there though, when they escape they start rioting and even try and steal a car from some teenagers. It even has a strange dance routine in it... yeah, that’s not even a joke, it kinda works though...
Fossgate Festival The Fossgate Festival is a fantastic display of York’s values. Held in the city’s heart of independent businesses, and home to the Fossgate Social and frequent live music venue The Hop, the street becomes host to incredible food (seafood paella and chorizo sausage rolls, anyone?) on the go and fantastic live music. The festival has plenty of stands, including charity installations such as memory walls from Marie Curie and face painting for a family oriented time. There’s also a whole host of drinks available, Sangria, Locally brewed craft ale and Pimm’s. The historic street lined with bunting is home to the beautiful Merchant Adventurer’s hall, and the festival is the perfect way to spend a sunny day. There is an open mic tent, if you’re feeling brave you can get up and give some acoustic sets a go – and if not, you can sit back and relax listening to some live music. At June’s Fossgate Festival, performers included Simply Plus Two, Charlie Swainston, Foxy Tailfeathers, Kitty VR, and Simon Bolley (Gobbledigook, Flora Greysteel). With upbeat tracks and fresh takes on classics, the musicians of York contribute massively to the atmosphere of this street festival – if you want to support the local scene, then look no further. The next Fossgate Festivals are on the 2nd of July and the 6th of August – stay tuned for regular festivals and events on one of the best streets in York.