Down the RabBit Hole
YorFest Vuromantics Issue 16 1st October
Falling Under
Hello and welcome to the October issue of Down the Rabbit Hole! This issue we have the definitive guide to YorFest 2017 which we hope you’ll enjoy, along with the highlights from the festival. Thankyou for your support and don’t forget to check out our Spotify playlists! Andrew
Editor’s note
Contents
Reviews
Articles
Vuromantics: In the Night 6-7
YorFest 2017: Definitive Post-Guide 12 - 19 Scott Winsbury
Falling Under: Don’t Go 8-9 Alex Golisti: Rubicon 10 - 11
Top 5 of YorFest 20 - 21 Scott Winsbury
Top 5 of the Month 22 - 23 Alex Fisher Spotify Playlists 24 - 25
Gig Guide 26
Nothern Dark Pop quintet Vuromantics are back again with their 5 track EP ‘In the Night’ an eclectic mix of EDM, rock and pop. With sounds that could easily be featured on BBC’s Radio 1. The tracks feature a more dance music style than what was expected. But the production is truly spot on, the sounds are really well balanced and because of the electronic approach there are some new sounds that appear each track that keep you interested throughout. There are hints of jazz, Kanye and other influences throughout which really help to keep the listener wanting more. The stand out track from this EP is The Wave, track three, followed very closely by Questions, track two. The wave is just so damn funky and jazz centric, with beautiful synths supporting layered vocals to make a track that really pushes forward. Whereas with Questions it hints so much of some old Kanye west mixed in with the last of the shadow puppets, both great artists and both so radically different in feel and style. And yet it just some how works. This band is one to watch. With a bit more production from the DIY outfit and a bit of final polish on the production and compositional process then this band will be featured on Radio 1! This Sheffield based band is starting to truly tear up the music scene within the north. Playing venues from Manchester to Derby. Check out their Facebook page to see when they’re next playing down the street and get yourself down there!
Vuromantics: In The Night
Falling Under: Don’t Go Falling Under have crafted a straight up rock single, reminiscent of early Foo Fighters records. They perfectly blend simple guitar tracks that are layered on top of big rock drums along with clear vocals. A simple yet massively effective way to create a massive sounding track that will be timeless, as that’s just the joys of simple rock songs. My favourite part of this track apart from the overall feel is the sound of the drums, as they just sound massive, as a drummer, it’s great to hear a good sounding kit that just compliments and supports the rest of the track. Falling Under have been featured by us before, and for a good reason! We are looking forward to where they go to next and when they’re next playing near us! Check out their social media accounts and share the support!
Alex Golisti is an acoustic singer songwriter, who easily has one of the most distinct voices that I’ve ever heard, similar to the likes of Tom Waits. His most recent release Rubicon, features five of his new tracks which are all beautifully crafted and recorded. The EP has a live feel but a professional
quality. This is noticeable in the timing occasionally as it feels as if the songs have been captured as they’ve been written, they’re raw but charmingly so. The guitar playing across this EP is similar to that of virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel, featuring so much melodic
content that never gets too tiresome or distracting from the song and vocal melody. The stand out track from this EP is Rubicon, the albums first track, this track is so raw and honest that it beautifully sums up Alex as a song writer and as a musician. The track occasionally has timing
Alex Golisti: Rubicon issues but these don’t detract from the overall feel of the track. If you’ve not already seen Alex play live, then you’ll have a chance soon as part of our gig series. So keep an eye out on his social media for more details.
Overall I’d give the EP a solid 8 out of 10, with the only bit of constructive criticism would be to develop the songs to incorporate a bigger sound, but otherwise just keep on writing more amazing music!
YorFest 2017: Definitive post-guide
A little over a week ago, on the 23rd of September, was Yorfest 2017 – the third one ever. This still fairly young and definitely local festival drew a huge crowd by the time headline act The Shires took to the stage at around 10.30pm. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with just going to a festival for a couple of hours to see the big names, I was there from 11am, before it even kicked off. So who better to give you this definitive post-guide to what was on
all day? I mean, maybe the organisers, but they don’t write for us so you’ve got me instead. So to start the day, with the crowd just beginning to ebb into the field, there was the Ed Sheeran Experience. As an opening act, he didn’t have the masses to play to, but he was full of energy and gave what I can only assume is a close approximation of an Ed Sheeran live show. I will never truly know.
Following on from this, we took a trip over to the Hungate stage. This was the only properly sheltered stage, which was definitely a blessing when it inevitably began to rain. Here we found Minster Conspiracy: the incredibly young local band who play fast and loud and beat more experienced musicians out of competitions while presumably revising for GCSEs or something. I have to make at least one joke about their age to
compensate for the fact that I’m in my 20s and doing nothing, don’t hate. There’s no reason to hate here, as Minster Conspiracy deliver an enthused and energetic live performance, almost certainly winning a few new fans along the way. When we headed out to see what the noise was coming from the main stage, there was no surprise in finding local favourites …And the Hangnails absolutely killing it. I’ve heard a great
deal about their explosive performances, but this was the first time I had actually managed to check one out for myself. I have to say, I was impressed. There’s often a temptation to believe such things are just a bit of overhyping, but in this case it was probably underhyped. Every single person in the audience seemed to be having the time of their lives in that moment. The only hitch was that their sound is definitely capable of drawing a much
larger audience, and being the second act to play meant that that audience just wasn’t there yet. At the same time as Minster Conspiracy were wrapping up there set, and Hangnails were continuing with theirs, I noticed an act had started to play on the third stage, Access to Music. Feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choices and sounds, I headed to the bar. Then, finding myself overwhelmed with the prices in the bar,
I headed over to check out Boss Caine. Or rather, two of Boss Caine. Despite playing an inevitably stripped back and shorter set, Boss Caine delivered exceptional tunes in a delightful blend of folk, blues, and rock. I gave a little more information about their set in the overview published on the website. By the time Boss Caine had wrapped up, it was time for the third act on the main stage – Irish born acoustic folk musician Catherine McGrath. Her unique blend of Irish lyricism and acoustic
folk rock seemed a perfect fit for a field in Yorkshire on the first Saturday of Autumn. I don’t doubt that she’s a great musician anywhere anytime, but it just seemed especially perfect at Yorfest. McGrath had barely left the stage before it was time once again to head over to the Hungate stage. A quick note to anyone attending Yorfest next year: wear some strong boots and thick socks. Don’t do what I did and end up limping home with your feet feeling half dead. Over there we
caught another acoustic performance, this time from Tom Jane. Yet another brilliant new discovery, and the day’s still young. While the music was certainly engrossing, I couldn’t help admiring Jane’s technical skill over everything else. He appeared to have complete command over the guitar in his hands. In the aforementioned overview, I paraphrased a comparison to Hendrix. This is not hyperbole. Listen to Tom Jane. Do it now. Read the rest of the emag first, but make a note of it.
Now it was time to rush back over to the mainstage: Cattle & Cane had already began their set! I definitely didn’t want to miss it, as I was trying to catch every performance (apologies to anyone I may have missed) but I would have to say that nobody else should miss the performance either. This was yet another acoustic set, but this time they were playing acoustic indie pop. Now, I love acoustic music, and I love indie pop. So you would think this would be a great fit for me. And it was. There’s a reason I’m always going on about
acoustic indie pop music, and if you don’t also find the sounds incredibly soothing, that must just be because of some sort of personal preference. That being said, Cattle & Cane are sure to please just about everyone they come across. The next act that I caught was once again back over at the Hungate stage. This time it was Hellbound Hears: a metal band who according to my notes had a lot of hair. They are quite well known in Yorkshire, and for good reason. I’m not usually one for metal
music, but they played loud and proud and clearly didn’t particularly care whether I was not usually one for metal music or not. Did they win me round? Sort of. I enjoyed their set, but I’m sticking to my guns on metal in general. I just don’t have the hair or the beard to be a metalhead. Finally, it was time yet again to venture to the Access to Music stage, where Sonder had began to play. I missed the start of this set due to the trek from the opposite end of the field, but what I caught definitely
wowed me. The vocalist delivered a strong performance, supported by excellent music. The only downside to this performance was that the speakers were putting out a bit too much bass and I didn’t want the pint I had paid too much for to be shaken completely out of my hand. Back to the main stage again for Fickle Friends. They were in great form that evening, delivering an energetic performance of finely formed indie pop. They used a backing track to add a sort of electronic edge to the vocals, delivering a well polished live show, that matches up to the expectations set by their recordings. I wrote down ‘Paramoresque’ in my notes, but that’s not strictly true, as this was a performance that resists easy comparison. Also because Paramoresque isn’t a real word. Adelphi were next up on the Hungate stage. They delivered a top notch performance of alt-rock, with a sound that seemed like a sort of blend of different eras. There was a bit of pop punk, a bit of grunge, and a bit of something else in the sound. Also, any band that continue playing almost entirely unaffected after the lead guitarist breaks a string is worthy of commendation. Dreadzone quickly took to the main stage as Adelphi wrapped up, and for fans of the band they’ll need no introduction. For newcomers, they play a sort of reggae/rock/dub/folk blend. What this amounted to was a lot of funky beats and gravelly vocals, often seeming to just be making a guttural grunting noise into the microphone. The crowd loved it, and the band is well established for a reason. They finished off their set by repeating the band’s ‘mantra’ of Life Love & Unity, which as it turns out is also a rather good song. The second to last band on the Hungate stage was 5K. It’s quite unlikely that you’ve heard any music by these guys,
as all they play is pop-punk covers. Still, it was an enjoyable set. What’s not to love about a live performance of All Star by Smashmouth? There’s a reason people go to fibbers on a Thursday night, and it’s largely to chant “SHREK!” while stood on a table. Indie star, Badly Drawn Boy, took to the main stage just before the headliners. To be fair, he could have been headlining it himself; the crowd was certainly loving and I wouldn’t have minded a little bit of an earlier night. He delivered a unique blend of acoustic indie folk/rock. I know, it’s not the most unique thing to blend, but every take on it seems genuinely unique. He played some songs from About a Boy, while joking that the downside to that gig was having to hang out with Hugh Grant. He finished the set off with his hit song ‘Born In The UK’ and some more talking and jokes. At long last it was time for the much hyped headline act, The Shires. The presenter had been talking them up all day, and as a headline act they had the full force of the audience combined for perhaps the first time. For those who are unaware of The Shires, they are currently the UK’s bestselling country group. Their second album was actually the fastest selling country album ever release in the UK. That being said, I doubt old school country fans (such as my mum) would be huge fans, due to their modernised take on the genre. Their live show delivered strong vocals, skilled instrumentals, and a great band chemistry. And then, finally, I could head home and take off my boots.
Top 5 acts of Yorfest
5: Badly Drawn Boy The second to last act of the main stage, indie star badly drawn boy was on top form delivering great songs to the masses.
4: Hellbound Hearts A metal band from the Hungate stage, they played a great set which certainly won a few new fans on the day.
3: Minster Conspiracy The youngest band by far, but ranked up with the loudest of the day. Newcomers with a bright future.
2: Tom Jane A skilled musician with 100% command over his instrument of choice and one of the most soothing voices I heard all day.
1: ‌And The Hangnails A trademark electrifying performance from York’s favourite punk-rock duo. We interviewed them in the last emag, and I was so glad to
finally catch a set from the band you can’t help hearing about these days.
top 5 of the month
Foo Fighters - Concrete and Gold The new Foo Fighters album has a lot of mixed review, some love some hate, some are impartial to it, but one thing is for sure, whatever Dave Grohl and the guys decide to do they give a good go at it, with vocal melodics and a more jazz feel to the album, you could tell they were attempting something different.
Destiny 2 The first Destiny game didn’t go well at first but slowly built up a massive fan base, so when the second was released last month, the fans went wild for it! A first person shooter with a heavily built MMO and storyline intertwined with it made for a one of a kind game!
Wolf Alice - Heavenward Wolf Alice are getting ready to release their newest album and head out on the road for a tour, but before that they treated our ears with a new song called “Heavenward” which was full of life and extremely uplifting in how it sounds!
IT IT was a brilliant 80s film adaption of one of Steven King’s greatest novels, but recently they have been working on a new version of the well known horror flick. I don’t think I’ve seen a film this hyped since Star Wars Episode VII, plus even the trailers really bring out how brilliant and heart felt the production of IT was.
Mini SNES Classic Quite a lot of games nowadays are either loved, or someone somewhere complains that games used to be good, luckily last month the new Mini SNES Classic was released with a smaller than the original and no clunky old game cartridges to use, it makes for a small and easy to use game console with 21 already pre loaded in games ready for the user to lose themselves in retro heaven...
At a Glance: Foo Fighters - Concrete and Gold (Album) Destiny 2 (Game) Wolf Alice - Heavenward (Single) IT (Film) Mini SNES Classic (Product)
Spotify playlists
York Bands
Motivation
Apocalypse ready
space symphonies
Our Favourites
Gig Guide Oct 3
Slotface / Asphodels The Basement - York
Oct 6
Flyte Fulford Arms - York
Oct 9
Meadowlark / The Bronze / Kymberley Kennedy Fibbers - York
Oct 13
Luxury Stranger / Hana Pirhana + more Fulford Arms - York
Oct 27
Alabama 3 Acoustic / Boss Caine Fibbers - York