Music News Monthly - December 2022

LINDISFARNE

The legendary northern rock band Lindisfarne graced the hallowed stage of Newcastle City Hall once again on 17th December as their last show of 2022.

Having not had the honour of seeing Lindisfarne live before, I was unsure what to expect. I had obviously heard a lot of their music over the years, it is almost impossible to not have heard a Lindisfarne track, but until now, I had never been to a show.

On my arrival at the auditorium, I was greeted with a festive atmosphere thanks to the sterling work of a brass band, which played Christmas tunes as the audience found their seats. A large Christmas tree adorned the stage, and there were plenty of fancy outfits and Santa hats on display from the home crowd.

Prior to the show, there was a comedic introduction by the great man himself, Santa Claus, with a sackload of one-liners that went down a treat. After testing the crowd's clapping and cheering abilities, Santa introduced the band, which walked on stage to rapturous applause.

Getting straight into it, the band picked up their instruments and kicked off the show with 'No Time To Lose'. Rod gave a brief hello and said how great it was to be back home after spending the last year playing the length and breadth of the country. 'Turn A Deaf Ear', was next up, and they did the song justice with a stunning performance. With the bar set high from the start, it was clear the night was going to be one of those unforgettable shows.

With a career as long as Lindisfarne's, there is inevitably a lot of material to get through, and with a crowd of dedicated fans, there was no way the band were going to leave people feeling short-changed. A whopping 22-song setlist is made up of classic tracks and a few newer songs thrown in there for good measure.

Lindisfarne belted out hit after hit. The show was in two parts, with an interval after 11 songs to give everyone a chance to refresh themselves. The first half featured Alan Hull's track, 'Statues and Liberties'. The massive hits 'Lady Eleanor', 'Road To Kingdom Come' and 'One More Night With You', and a nod to the nurses and railway staff before playing

Photo: David Weddle

'Even Santa Gets The Blues'. Steve belted out a superb rendition of 'Anyway the Wind Blows', a newer track......from the 1980s that sounded as fresh as ever.

After a short break, Santa was back with a few more jokes, which got a laugh from the crowd, before Lindisfarne were back doing what they do best. Starting with 'Call of the Wild' and playing through another set of Lindisfarne fan favourites.

A bit of story telling from Rod, who gave a bit of background to some of the tracks, including 'Train in Major G', which he admitted he could only sing in E, nevertheless it sounded fantastic. The crowd had been seated throughout the show, but that all changed as the band neared the last few songs, with Rod giving a brief history lesson about a party attended by the late great Alan Hull in Jesmond, Newcastle, which inspired him to write the classic track 'We Can Swing Together'. The crowd got to their feet, and the party was definitely in full swing.

Of course, no Lindisfarne show would be complete without 'Fog on the Tyne', and tonight was no different. The atmosphere was absolutely buzzing and the crowd lapped it up. Playing out to 'Run for Home' and 'Clear White Light Part 2'. The band's festive show was over, but it will certainly live on in the hearts and minds of those who were lucky enough to attend. A night filled not only with laughs and a spot of history but with great memories from a legend and stunning performances from the entire band.

A definite highlight of 2022 and a great way to top off the year.

HOLLY HUMBERSTONE

Having featured in our 'Ones to Watch for 2022' last year, it was serendipitous to have the opportunity to catch Holly Humberstone's recent gig at NX Newcastle. Having championed Holly's career early on, it was great to finally get to see a live show.

The appearance of opening act L Devine in her hometown added something extra special to the occasion. The recently refurbished NX filled up nicely with its impressive balconies full of eager fans, all keen to get a good view of the stage. L Devine opened up to rapturous applause from her fellow Geordies, and the positive energy definitely filled the room. With a fairly extensive set, L Devine was clearly enjoying the show as much as the crowd. A fantastic performance by a fantastic performer suggests that big things are on the way for this rising North East star.

After a short break, the house lights dimmed and Holly Humberstone's band took the stage to kick off the main event. As the intro to 'The Walls Are Way Too Thin' played, the anticipation was building as Holly Humberstone took the stage to a roar of happy cheers from the crowd.

Playing a plethora of fan favourites, Holly put on a real crowd pleasing show. The Newcastle crowd was buzzing, and they were in fine voice, singing along and having an awesome night. If you haven’t heard of Holly Humberstone yet, fear not, as 2023 is already shaping up to be a big year with yet another Newcastle show in June, this time supporting North East star Sam Fender on his massive St. James’ Park show, so you will no doubt see a lot from this rising UK singer songwriter in the near future.

Holly’s first EP was released just over a year ago, and since then she has been building up a solid fanbase that clearly loves the music she writes and plays. From ‘Vanilla’ to ‘Overkill’, the audience was lapping it up. The packed out venue and the smiling faces is testaments to the talent that Holly Humberstone and her band have when it comes to putting on a live show.

Overall, it was a great night and definitely well worth braving the cold weather for. If you have yet to hear ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’, head over to www.hollyhumberstone.com and check it out.

Photo: David Weddle

CLASSLESS ACT

Classless Act band photo by Travis Shinn

Today Classless Act, one of rock's most buzzed-about new bands, launches a brand new acoustic music video for the LP track, "All That We Are " The video, that provides an all-acoustic take on the amped up, energetic original track, was shot earlier this year, live with no overdubs, at Hollywood's Sunset Sound, the studio where the band recorded most of its debut album, Welcome to The Show (Better Noise Music). "All That We Are" is one of the five unplugged song/video collection, due out December 16, that also includes acoustic versions of the album's standout singles, "Classless Act, "This Is For You," Time To Bleed," and "Storm Before The Calm." You can check out the "All That We Are" unplugged video on YouTube.

Said vocalist Derek Day, "'All That We Are' - is it enough for us to survive? This is a question, a concept we found ourselves asking after all we have been through over he past two and a half years Hell, the past seven or so years We've been in a wee bit of a less-than-sunny time in our history. So what are we gonna do? Grow or go? Everyone needs to decide. We've got a show tonight, so I know what we're doing!"

Two-thousand twenty-two has been a true breakthrough year for Classless Act, from having their second-ever road trek be supporting Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard on 2022's biggest tour, the $173 5M grossing Stadium Tour, receiving over-thetop reviews for their debut album and live shows in North America, breaking into international markets with feature coverage in major music publications in Italy, the UK, Brazil, Australia, Finland, Poland, France, Spain, Romania, Russia, Czech Republic, and more, and having their vocalist, Derek Day, invited to perform two songs with Foo Fighters, Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx at the L A Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert.

Classless Act - vocalist Day, guitarists Dane Pieper and Griffin Tucker, bassist Franco Gravante, and drummer Chuck McKissock - is currently wrapping up 2022 with a 19-city tour comprised of support dates with Giovanni & The Hired Guns, and headline shows; upcoming dates are below. As the UK's Louder Sound put it, "There's a genuine buzz about this Los Angeles band, and 'All That We Are' does a good job of explaining why "

LIFE IN MONO

LifeInMono

With a massively exciting and engaging live presence and multiple releases scheduled through the beginning of 2023 the band are expected to storm through the festival season with a UK tour to follow in the Autumn Their recent singles 'Smile For The Camera' and 'The Cold' saw them receive support from the likes of BBC Introducing amongst others.

Their new singles 'Blackout/Sex To White Noise' are dark yet groovy, musically introspective and "an exploration of the contrast between feeling empty and numb yet full of rage at the same time", explains vocalist and lyricist Sarah Clayton. "These two tracks have always come as a pair, the early workings of Blackout launched into the riff from Sex To White Noise but it became apparent that it had legs to become something quite remarkable in its own right."

Like siamese twins with their own personality but inextricably linked, Blackout and Sex To White Noise were recorded back to back in one live take That's 11 minutes of a band in a room, no overdubs, no "I'll drop you in after the first verse", silent guitar changes between songs and just a little bit of performance pressure.

Alternative-rock four-piece Life In Mono return with their upcoming double A-side singles 'Blackout/Sex to White Noise', released today, December 2nd 2022, following their recent support slot alongside The Virginmarys

The band formed in 2019 after Adam and Sarah met whilst studying at Bath Spa University, drawn to one another by a shared artistic vision. James came aboard thanks to a blistering performance at a local jam night and Mike, the final cog in the machine, was the perfect drummer at the perfect time. The result? Darkly emotional alt-rock that will caress your soul then drag you into the mosh pit.

Although individually Life In Mono's eclectic musical influences range from Meshuggah to Bach, via Hendrix, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, AC/DC and Deftones, collectively there are echoes of PJ Harvey, early Placebo and The Mysterines alongside a darker, heavier undertone.

"It's how we've always recorded and it feels organic, authentic and the best representation of us as a band", Life In Mono state.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the singles, Clayton says, "Blackout is about people in your life that you know are no good for you but are hard to give up, whereas Sex To White Noise is about trying to find a connection that makes you feel something when you're feeling really numb. If you've ever been on prozac you'll know!

The contrast of light and dark have become synonomous with our sound and Sex To White Noise really plays on that super delicate verse and a huge, heavy chorus. What's great about playing it live is for an audience who haven't heard it before they don't know what's coming, but we do Perhaps they don't expect us to get that heavy but when we do it's like the whole room is on fire."

Just in time for the holiday season, THE RETALIATORS has shared an enchanting version of the classic Christmas carol "O Holy Night" which is featured in the horror-thriller film's official score by Emmy-winning composers KYLE DIXON and MICHAEL STEIN ("Stranger Things"). The new version features EVA UNDER FIRE's Amanda Lyberg on vocals who has a guest role in the movie and whose band EVA UNDER FIRE have a song ("Blow") on THE RETALIATORS OFFICIAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK.

"O Holy Night (ft EVA UNDER FIRE)" is available today, December 2, via BETTER NOISE MUSIC on all digital platforms at https://theretaliators ffm to/oholynight

"Christmas is my favourite holiday, so you better believe when someone asks me to sing a pretty Christmas classic, I'm going for it," shares Amanda. "Especially if it's for a movie I'm in, singing an arrangement by the 'Stranger Things' composers!"

After a hugely successful Global Film Festival run leading into a global theatrical release THE RETALIATORS(Better Noise Films) is currently available everywhere movies are rented and streamed including iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Comcast and Verizon. Buy/rent it now at https://theretaliators.ffm.to/vod. Set around the holiday season, THE RETALIATORS shares the based-on-a-true-story tale of an upstanding pastor whose faith is tested when he uncovers a dark and twisted underworld while searching for answers surrounding the brutal murder of his daughter.

THE RETALIATORS stars MICHAEL LOMBARDI (FX's 'Rescue Me,' 'The Deuce') and MARC MENCHACA('Ozark,' 'Black Mirror') and "blends horror with rock music to tell an intriguing story" (Bloody Disgusting) Appearing on-screen are charttopping rock musicians such as TOMMY LEE (MÖTLEY CRÜE), SPENCER CHARNAS (ICE NINE KILLS), IVAN MOODY and ZOLTAN BATHORY (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) andJACOBY SHADDIX (PAPA ROACH). They are all also featured on the official soundtrack along with several other top rock acts including NOTHING MORE, THE HU, ASKING ALEXANDRIA, ESCAPE THE FATE, EVA UNDER FIRE, CORY MARKS, HYRO THE HERO, CLASSLESS ACT and more. Leading up to the release of the film's soundtrack and score, THE RETALIATORS shared music videos several of its tracks which included footage from the movie These videos have resulted in over 150 million views on YouTube alone

Stream/download THE RETALIATORS OFFICIAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK athttps://theretaliators ffm to/retaliatorssoundtrac k.

Stream/download THE RETALIATORS OFFICIAL MOTION PICTURE SCORE at https://theretaliators ffm to/score

For more details on THE RETALIATORS, THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK and THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SCORE, please visit: www retaliatorsmovie com/cast-and-crew

IOTA

After their formation in 2019, the band released their debut single ‘My Enemy’ to critical acclaim, which saw them championed by the likes of Classic Rock Magazine and Kerrang!, and quickly selling out shows in their hometown of Bristol as well as appearing on festival bills such as The Great Escape and 2000 Trees.

Their recent singles ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Ballet Box’, taken from their upcoming EP, saw support from the likes of Classic Rock Magazine, RTE and BBC Radio 1’s Nels Hylton.

Written during a strained period of time for each member, their debut EP Tyrants provided the band with a needed outlet in which they could express themselves. Recorded between their self-built Omni Studios and Bristol’s Humm Studios with Ben Johnson (Skindred, Chaouche) and Idles’ Lee Kiernan, mixed by Tom Hennessy, and mastered by Pete Maher (Pixies, Jack White, The Rolling Stones), the result is a four-track all-killer no-filler affair, bursting with emotion.

Alongside the release of the EP comes their latest single ‘Control’, a song about fighting against the confines and restrictions holding you back.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the single the band state, “Control was formed in a headspace of feeling confined by people and unspoken rules in our lives; it was our way of fighting back. Control started with Josef writing an instrumental guitar part.

The chord progression felt aggressive but assured and imbued an emotion that we could all connect with. The instrumental helped us uncover themes that were ongoing in our lives. Lyrically, we wanted to put a positive spin on the band’s collective feelings and taunt the restrictions over us.”

‘Tyrants’ is out right now is available on all major platforms. What are you waiting for? Go get it right now.

18TH OF NOVEMBER 2022 SAXON

Formed in 1977 and with 23 studio albums under their belt, the NWOBHM legends Saxon have been on the road with their world tour promoting their latest album 'Carpe Diem'.

The 'Seize The Day' tour has seen the band play venues from Berlin's Admiralspalast to London's Roundhouse. The mammoth tour has seen Saxon play the iconic Cambridge Corn Exchange in Glasgow as well as Newcastle City Hall which is where we were lucky enough to catch a show.

With a loyal fanbase that spans the generations, it was little surprise that the atmosphere in Newcastle was buzzing with anticipation. You could sense that people were there to have a good time.

LIVE REVIEW

From the really young to the more mature metal fan, the whole crowd had a really good vibe about it.

The lights dimmed, and the openers Diamond Head took the stage. Singer Rasmus Andersen was full of energy and really got the crowd going. A band that has a huge following in their own right, Diamond Head put on an awesome set for the Newcastle crowd. Playing a seven track set, they definitely had more than enough stage presence. Rasmus at one point climbed the balcony during the show to say hi to the fans above the stage. In a later social media post, the vocalist did mention that the venue management wasn't best pleased with his stage antics, but the crowd lapped it up. Encouraging the audience to get their horns up, the crowd obliged and rocked out.

A short break gave the audience the chance to catch their breath and stretch their legs while the crew switched over to Saxon's stage set Diamond Head singer Rasmus took the opportunity to roll a stage case through the auditorium disguised as a roadie.

As the house lights dimmed, the excitement from the crowd started to build, and the chant of 'SAXON! SAXON!' filled the air. As the intro to their album's lead track, 'Carpe Diem' added to the atmosphere, the band walked onstage The cheer from the audience was a deafening testament to how highly Saxon is revered in the heavy metal community.

The stage lights started up as Biff took to the microphone. The band is showing no sign of slowing down as they blast out an epic twenty track set. It is easy to overstate how good an artist or band is live, but for Saxon, there is no doubt that they have finely honed their performance skills.

After belting out 'Age of Steel', Saxon frontman Biff said, "This is one of our favourite city's....NEWCASTLE." he then went on to ask, "Where are all the f****ng seats?" a nod to the recent renovation of O2 Newcastle City Hall which has seen the seating in the stalls upgraded, enabling the venue to remove them for gigs.

With a flawless show that included their classics 'Heavy Metal Thunder' and 'Never Surrender' featuring alongside a good chunk of the new album, including 'The Pilgrimage', 'Age of Steam' and 'Damnbusters' to name a few, Saxon really gave their loyal fans exactly what they wanted

Closing the show with a five song DOUBLE encore, which saw the Masters of Metal play 'Denim and Leather' and Saxon staple 'Princess of the Night ' . After forty years of Metal, Saxon proved as ever, that they are up there with the best of them If you are lucky enough to have Saxon come to your town or city, be sure not to dither over getting your ticket. Seize the day and get yourself along, you won't regret it

The album 'Carpe Diem' is available right now wherever you stream your music or from saxon747.com

BREE RUNWAY

BREE RUNWAY

Pop superstar in-waiting Bree Runway unveils her surprise release, WOAH, WHAT A BLUR! - an ode to her fans for their ongoing support, and to a year of nourishing herself and her craft. Bree says of the record,

"Bree now is more awake than she's ever been I'm pressing restart after what a blurry year this has been," she says of the collection of songs and its title "I became alive again putting this together, for a minute I wasn't in the room, but I am now Working with the producers I love and feeling more empowered has me ready to embrace who I am and my strengths. WOAH, WHAT A BLUR! is an embodiment of how blurry this year felt personally and professionally. It's visiting the deep depths of my soul and showing everyone exactly that."

Produced by long-term collaborators EASYFUN, LIOHN & Khlar (ATM, APESHIT, DAMN DANIEL), WOAH, WHAT A BLUR! is bathed in self-love, shedding away any doubts about how Bree sees herself and the artist she'll be going forward.

Etched into the five-track composition, is a carefully crafted sound-palette, fusing rap, electronica, rock and soul providing the ideal canvas for Bree Runway to affirm her position within the genre-bent pop landscape of 2022, as well as ruminate on her deepest insecurities and sewing herself back together stronger than ever.

The banger that is BREEE! leans into Bree Runway's braggadocio spirit, utilising the LIOHN & Khlar's graceful balance of synths, soft piano-keys with a menacing bass informing her every note. "She can't sleep where I sleep, tell her to get like me," she warns, BREE oozes confidence and taps into her rap leaning side.

On FWMM, the singer usher's future-lovers to be careful, not distorting her mental health "When you're touching me be gentle," she pleas across the sombre mid-tempo Of FWMM, Bree Runway says she's "finished" with half-baked love

Doubling down on her recent Rolling Stone UK Breakthrough Artist win and cover feature, Bree also debuts her previously teased Stormzy collaboration, PICK YOUR POISON First spending time together at 2022's Coachella, Stormzy revealed that PICK YOUR POISON was ready and waiting in his archive for her vocals, "It's overwhelming to hear Stormzy say that I'm a star He's always made me feel comfortable as an artist in the UK," she shares Written namely by Stormzy with a contributing verse from Bree, the wistful ballad, is a daringly beautiful dissection of heartbreak, with both Bree and Stormzy delivering standout performances articulating their growth as artists and informing the next generation of British music.

WOAH, WHAT A BLUR! follows the fashion forward viral hit, THAT GIRL, and what's been an introspective few months for Bree Runway. She's regrouped with friends and family and readied herself for an incredible 2023 which includes a headline show at London's Kentish Town Forum on April 6th. Tickets go on sale at 10am GMT Wednesday 14thDecember 2022 HERE

Videographer/documentarian Nathan Miller has put together a recap of some of Bree's highlights across 2022 which includes exclusive behind the scenes footage and some insight from Bree for her fans.

ADULT LEISURE

ADULT LEISURE

release their debut EP 'The Weekend Ritual'

Bristol-based melodic alt-indie four-piece Adult Leisure released their acclaimed debut EP 'The Weekend Ritual' on December 2nd 2022.

After previously helping to usher in Bristol's indie boom of the 2010's, guitarist David Woolford and bassist James Laing (Moon Club), vocalist and lyricist Neil Scott (Aztecs) and drummer Nathan Searle (Towers) came together to form this new project following a thirst to create during the pandemic, formed via countless video calls during the heart of 2020's UK lockdown.

Their debut single 'Things You Don't Know Yet' was released in March of 2022, championed by the likes of BBC Upload and God Is In The TV as a 'mighty impressive debut offering', followed up by their second single 'Modern Son' in July 2022 and their subsequent debut hometown show, a swift sell out, with rave reviews coming in from the likes of Bristol Gig Guide.

Their debut EP The Weekend Ritual was written, recorded and produced by the band themselves in its entirety and mixed by Ollie Searle. With their signature jangly guitar swells and heartfelt vocals, coupled with their hearton-sleeve subject matter, this is Adult Leisure truly announcing themselves as a band not to be missed.

Reflecting on the EP, the band state, "we've always wanted to produce an honest and homegrown debut selection of songs which both showcases our ability as musicians, but also keeps in line with our honest grass roots style.

We wanted people to hear us with no filter or 3rd party influence. In an industry where so much is insincere, we wanted to give people us and us alone."

Prior to the EP's release came its leading single Control, released November 18th. Combining gorgeous melodies, infectious choruses and glistening guitar lines that would make Johnny Marr blush, Control is a tale of tortured love, yet sugary sweet from start to finish.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the single the band state, "Control focuses around an immeasurable love to which it's clear the object of affection isn't the wisest choice, yet still the lover is drawn ever closer, due to the overwhelming presence the recipient of their adoration has within their life.

They are the drug they can't seem to pry themselves away from. They are hell, yet they are home and this is the battle the lover is having with themselves."