March 2016 #10 by New Roots Magazine

new roots issue 10 March 2016

employed to serve plus sundara karma, behind the lens, authenticity,

obscure venues, policing grief, metallica, and loads more Photo by Ryan Dalton Rodrigues

enter shikari modern baseball creeper blood youth mindset

A Note from the team It’s only been a couple of weeks since we dropped our February issue featuring Hindsights, and we’re already bringing you over 70 pages of exciting new content! This month we spoke to Employed To Serve, and you can read the full, insightful interview on page 32. This issue focuses on exciting new features, with the expansion of our Behind The Lens feature, we speak to Joe Sheridan, Joshua Clarke, and Emily Coulter all about what it’s like being behind the camera at a gig. continuing to explore more about the industry than just the musicians, we also look at what it’s like going on tour as a merch guy, and we’ve got a cool spread featuring Charlie Steele, who works with Roam and As It Is. We also speak to the lovely Sundara Karma, as well as review their show at the newly re-opened Talking Heads in Southampton, which is part of one of the biggest Live and In Photos sections we’ve ever included. As well as all that, we also take a look at some of our favourite, more obscure venues around the UK, we debate authenticity in today’s music scene and whether it really matters anyway, plus we list some American artists you really need to check out in our brand new Stateside feature. For those of us who have been here from the start, watching our team and readership grow has been incredible, and we want take every possible opportunity we can just to say thank you. We love it when you get in touch and hearing what you guys think, so please don’t be shy - we want more and more people to get involved with New Roots. We are currently looking for contributors, photographers, as well as print and web designers. If you’re interested, message us via any of the means in the purple box on this page and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. As usual, from us all, we hope that you enjoy this, our tenth issue.

News Editor: Chloe Rose Eaton Features Editor: Harriet Stanley Reviews Editor: Isha Shah Art Editor: Adrianne Goron Sub-Editors: Dylan Carey, Chloe Rose Eaton, Amy Jones, Charys Newton, Harriet Stanley, Natalie Webb Contributors: Rosalyn Boder, Chiara Ceccaioni, Emily Coulter, Chloe Rose Eaton, Soroush Fereydoni, Adrianne Goron, Isha Shah, Joe Sheridan, Harriet Stanley, Charlie Steele, Reece Weatherley, Jack Webb, Natalie Webb Photographers: Ant Adams, Jonathan Bell, Jo Bongard, Chiara Ceccaioni, Ian Coulson, Emily Coulter, Tia Cousins, Ryan Dalton Rodrigues, Isha Shah, Joe Sheridan, Carly Tyrell, Derrick Wess

All of the material belongs to New Roots Magazine, and may not be reproduced in whole or part without prior permission from New Roots.

Contents highlights of the month

news - x repentance x

news - transit

sexism is not an opinion

what grinds my gears - stop trying to police grief

10 times brendan murphy was great on twitter

what its like being a merch guy

behind the lens - chiara ceccaioni

The Authenticity argument

uprooted

behind the lens - joe sheridan

stateside

interview - sundara karma

preview - newave

behind the lens - emily coulter

obscure venues across the uk

interview - employed to serve

metallicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s master of puppets turns 30

album and ep reviews

single reviews

live reviews

Photo by Derrick Wess

news H i g h li g h ts of the month Less than Jake announce full details of their ‘Live At The ASTORIA’ LP. Broken Teeth sign to Nuclear Blast. La Dispute release ‘Tiny Dots’ soundtrack on record story day. Slaves guitarist Laurie Vincent launches solo art exhibition. Motion City Soundtrack call it a day. Crowd funding Campaign launch for Bane’s final tour documentary. UK planning Law Amended to help protect music venues. Drawstring release ‘Clubhouse’ and Three EP on cassette. Every Time I Die are in the studio. First stream of Deftones Album, Gore is up. Bad Brains vocalist H.R launches campaign to help fund health care.

Photo by Isha Shah

x repentance x announce split “It has been the plan for a while now, but xRepentancex will be calling it a day,” the band leaves a Facebook status, marking their inectitable breakup on March 8th. “It has always been difficult for us to get together to play, given everyone’s busy schedules and the fact we live in different cities. But as our personal lives have gotten increasingly busy, we would rather end the band while we can still put in 100%, as opposed to slowly decaying and putting out music that wasn’t to the best standard we could produce. We are extremely grateful for the things we have been able to do as a band. Our last ever show will be 21st May - details to follow. We will not be booking anything else. CTW Records will be releasing a double LP of all our recorded material, including a live set that hasn’t been put out yet. Information soon. Thanks to everyone that has supported us in any way. The scene in the UK is better than ever, and

we are glad we were a small part of it.” Last shows: 12th March - Southampton 15th April - Belgium w/ Foundation 16th April - London w/ Foundation 30th April - Leeds (Outbreak Fest) 14th May - Nantes, France Our last ever show will be 21st May - details to follow. We will not be booking anything else. CTW Records will be releasing a double LP of all our recorded material, including a live set that hasn’t been put out yet. Information soon. Thanks to everyone that has supported us in any way. The scene in the UK is better than ever, and we are glad we were a small part of it. Vegan Straight Edge. xRx” Words by Isha Shah

transit

announce breakup After cancelling a European tour, the Boston quartet Transit have called it a day after ten years of producing inspiring music. “A letter to all who have shed blood, sweat, and tears with us over the last decade: After ten years of writing, recording, and living on the road, it is time for us to close this current chapter on Transit, as we have decided to direct our energy into other aspects of our lives. Since 2006 we’ve been given the incredible opportunity of sharing our music with the world, performing in over 14 different countries, and circling our own countless times.

Through all the ups and downs we have witnessed a side of humanity so caring and sincere that we now see the world in a vivid and magnificent light. As for us as individuals, we will always love each other and the records we wrote together. We love all of you for lending an ear and losing your voices with us. We will always be able to say that we had the best fans a band could possibly ask for. When we think about the road we’ll see all the faces and friends fly by in one big warm blur. Your stories and kind words helped push us along more than you may ever know.

April 21st to April 26th we will be performing an array of mixed songs from over the years at our final shows as a band. We have chosen some of our favorite intimate clubs to put this to rest at. We never expected a few basement show to turn into ten years of traveling the world, playing the songs we love. For that we will always be forever grateful. We love you all and thank you. Nothing lasts forever. Goodbye” Words by Isha Shah

FEATURE After a comment made on a Facebook group, Concert Photographers Around The World, a male photographer posted:

shooting for a venue and even shooting for ‘the’ band… It is frustrating and something people post shit in anger,” he continues to add.”

“This pisses me off in a way nobody could imagine. I got thrown out from backstage by the artist working for the venue, because they did not want me there. I had all the rights to be there, but I respected the and left. The cute “photographer “ with her tits and ass hanging out they had no problem with, and because of that they did not want me back, as they already had posed for pictures. And because of that I had to get the venue manager and explain him that because I was not dressed like a whore, I did not get the shot I was supposed to.”

Despite the female photographer trying to tell him that this guy was being sexist, he was not having it. What’s worse is that he turned it on her for exposing him, calling her silly for ‘attacking’ someone so publicly, while he has done the exact same but to an extreme extent.

This was then screen shot by a fellow female photographer, who shared his comment with the caption of, “Maybe she’s with the band, maybe she’s just a better photographer than you or maybe she’s just not a sexist arsehole and that’s why she got to stay? Why can’t a woman look attractive and still be a badass?” then caused a whirlwind of threads and comments taken to social media.” The photographer who made the original post was being outward sexist. Despite the defending comments of “it’s his opinion”, discriminating against someone based on their gender and choice of clothes is not an opinion. Sexism is never an opinion. Choosing to expose the sexist photographer caused more backlash than expected. People in the group, including the admin jumped to his defence, when the female photographer privately messaged him, asking for the sexist photographer to be removed from the group, he refused and blocked her instead. The fact that we live in a world where bringing up a controversial topic causes hatred and a backlash on the person who was simply just trying to inform people of who a person really is, is dam right shameful. “Personal attacks in the group is not acceptable behaviour. .. Everyone is entitled to express their opinions whether you agree with them or not,” the admin replies. “No… my decision is based on my own experience when

After trying to inform the admin of this group, that one of the members were expressing sexist views, and the admin completely ignoring this, social media took over as other fellow photographers saw this and got involved. Taking it among themselves people started to leave bad reviews on his page, to inform future clients of this mans behaviour and attitude towards women. The male photographer then later posted in that same group. “In regard with a comment I made: I regret that this have gotten out of hand. The original post was deleted before I could correct my self. So I’ll try here. I would like to apologize to all who were offended by the post. I’m sorry that It sounded like I do not have respect for women. I have as much respect for female photographers as I do for male. I have been overwhelmed with the negative response from this group that I respect. I do respect ALL women and feel sad that this is how I’m being perceived. I will work hard to be more considerate in the future.” Despite making an apology, discriminating against a gender and using it as blame for something that had nothing to do with the situation is wrong. Sexism is not an opinion. We will never be ridden of internet trolls and people who think they can voice their opinions, however we do have a right to bring people who think this way to justice and be told, that it is NOT right. Words by Isha Shah

sex

is not an

xism

n opinion

FEATURE

what grinds my Stop gears trying to ! f e i r g e c poli

If there’s one thing that really annoys me about music, it’s the way that people deal with the deaths of its talented creators. This year seems to have had a gloomy beginning, with what feels like far more of our favourite musicians being taken from us than normal. This is sad enough on its own, but what makes me lose it are the hoards of people that subsequently decide to battle their apparent allegiance to the artist out with others on social media. We’ve all seen the posts on Facebook that go along the lines of “Oh my God can everyone stop saying they were a fan of “whoever” just because they’re dead”. This will spark another string of comments, and the only thing that eventually comes from the initial paying of

respects, is arguments over who liked them more. Do people not see how petty and ridiculous it is? Everyone should be allowed to pay their respects when someone dies, whether they were their biggest fan or only knew a song or two. Grief is not a competition; it is not something social media troll wannabes should try and police in an attempt to boost their own egos. The effect music has on a person is incredibly individual - from tying memories to a single lyric, to devoting masses of time to becoming their ‘biggest fan’. I know that social media means that we can all get in on what everyone else is doing twenty

four hours a day, seven days a week, but the fact that we can doesn’t mean that we have to. Am I the only one that thinks it’s all gone a bit too far? If someone wants to express their sadness over the death of a musician, we have no right to stop them, that’s not fair, even if it is simply empty words. And it shouldn’t even bother us in the first place – does it really make sense to get angry because someone expressed remorse online for someone you liked more? Words by Adrianne Goron

FEATURE 8 times

brendan murphy

was great on twitter

Photo by Isha Shah

FEATURE

what it's like being a merch guy 10

I’m Charlie Steele, 21 and full time Merch Guy based in Brighton, for Roam and As It Is. How did you start off selling merch for bands? I’ve been pretty fortunate to land the job I have. I’ve been friends with the Roam guys for a while so for the early tours I went out with them to give them a hand, and progressively throughout the years I’ve met other bands and offered them my services. Do you remember the first tour you went on? Who was it with and how was that first experiences compared to now, having done it for a while? I don’t think anyone forgets their first tour; mine was a UK run with Roam. The excitement of going on tour is still there but the way you prepare for the tour is totally different now. Obviously you’re busier and a lot more is required from you but with that comes a better experience. Touring is something I’ll never get bored of and I value all of the experience I can get. What’s the best thing about selling merch for bands on tour? What do you get to experience that others don’t? I love the social aspect, not just meeting industry folk but meeting new people every night because it’s a good way of keeping your feet on the ground. I’m fortunate enough to get to see some amazing places and do some pretty cool things other might not get to, something which I never take for granted. Best/ worst parts of your job? This is a job that comes with a lot of perks, like travelling to some amazing places, meeting great people and sharing cool memories with your pals. It’s also a job that doesn’t really come with any negative qualities, yeah sometimes the drives can be long and you might have a less than ideal place to sleep but things like this are made redundant when you’re having a great time. Where are your favourite places to travel to and why? There are a number places I love visiting; Europe has always been my favourite place to travel to because the hospitality towards strangers is so nice, people are very understanding and generous. Visiting countries like Italy, Switzerland and Austria because the scenery is nothing like you’ll see when you’re back at home. The Netherlands will always be a personal favourite but I also travelled to Sweden and Denmark for the first time recently and that was pretty amazing. It sounds very basic but touring the UK will always be up there, you get the opportunity to see certain friends you otherwise wouldn’t regularly be able to see. Plus the drive into Scotland is amazing purely because of the dick trees (if you know, you know). Do you ever get sick of being behind the table rather than catching the bands play in front of you? That’s not really something that bothers me, at the end of the day it’s the job I’m being paid to do. A lot of the time the merch area will be located inside the room so I don’t miss any bands but when you’re on tour with them you don’t really need to see them every night. If I’m working in the main lobby of the venue it’s nice to enjoy the peace and quiet sometimes. Photos by Ian Coulson

You recently did the Kerrang tour with the sum41, how the was that?

The Kerrang tour is an experience I’m not going to forget any time soon. It was so good to see a huge band you’ve loved for so many years play in the size venues they did. I made a lot of new friends and managed to thoroughly enjoy myself hugely thanks to all the bands and crew for making that possible. It was a tiring tour but so rewarding. Have you had anyone try to steal merch from you or had any weird buyers approach you? I’ve never had anyone try and steal a substantial amount of merchandise but on the Kerrang tour I had a couple of drunk idiots try and take some clothing off the wall during Sum 41’s set. Fortunately a radio was easily accessible to call security straight away. I struggle to come to a conclusion as to why anyone would even consider stealing from other people, let alone following through with the act. Have you been on a tour with any other bands you LOVE, and how was that experience for you, to be able to share it with them also? I’ve been lucky enough to tour with some amazing bands, most of which I’m a fan of, such as Man Overboard, Moose Blood, Knuckle Puck and State Champs. I feel very privileged to tour with bands like this considering their stature in the scene, something which I couldn’t take for granted. If you weren’t a merch guy what else do you think you’d be doing? I’ve never been sure of what I wanted to do; becoming a merch guy was just a series of fortunate events that I decided to pursue. I’m currently finishing up a degree in Event Management, so I guess I’d probably still work within the music industry, just under a different role. If you had to pick 3 bands to sell merch for who would they be and why? It’s a question I never thought I’d ever have to answer, so this one is really difficult. 1. Dune Rats, purely because watching footage of their tour diaries and witnessing them play they are solely out to have a good time and they’re hilarious guys, plus their merch designs are on point. 2. One Direction, simply for the reason I believe Harry Styles and I can bond over the fact we both have an unusual amount of nipples. That’s literally it. 3. Home Grown, one of the only bands I’ve solidly listened to for a very long time. If I were to sell their merchandise for them it means they’ll be doing a comeback tour, and everyone who likes pop punk has been asking for that for a long time. You’re now doing merch as a full time job, can be sustainable to make a living off solely? Yeah, I recently quit my permanent position in retail to pursue merch full time. It’s always a risk but sometimes you have to take risks to do the job you want. I would never have quit my job if I didn’t have work for the foreseeable future and thanks to everyone at HMV Brighton for the support and making it easier for me to pursue this. I’m pretty lucky to have landed a tour a month which means I’m able to pay my rent and bills, as well as survive, so I do think it’s entirely possible to be sustainable. Words by Charlie Steele

FEATURE Hi, my name is Chiara Ceccaioni and I was born and raised in Rome. Three years ago I packed my stuff and moved to London where I’m currently based. I’m a graphic designer by day and photographer by night. I like to keep things busy. Music and visual arts have always both been a huge part of my life and as the years went on I decided to merge these two passions together. I had a stupid compact camera with me at shows and one time I took a nice (I thought it was nice) photo of the lead singer from Bury Tomorrow. It was this photo that pushed me to buy a DSLR camera. Then I started learning photography in my free time, watching tutorials and shooting as much as possible. I eventually started collaborating with a management and booking agency in Rome focused on the alternative scene. I love the way it makes me feel and the freedom that it gives me. I like to freeze that emotion and keep the memories alive. I do various kinds of photography. I work with clubs and restaurants and I cover events in the bartender industry. There’s one in particular which is vey funny to shoot; it’s a flair competition where bartenders compete against each other to make cocktails whilst doing tricks with their gear and flying bottles.

Photo by Chiara Ceccaioni

Behind the lens

My setup is pretty basic: Canon 6D, which I really love because of its low light performance, Canon 50mm 1.4 and a Canon 24-70 2.8 but I don’t really use it that much. I just want to be happy and at peace with

chiara ceccaioni myself whether that is by doing small shows or going on tour. I’d like to do more documentary and behind the scenes work though, as well as working directly with venues as an inhouse photographer and getting the chance to document the whole event instead of the famous “first three songs”. I like to shoot hyperactive artists and smoke! Visuals behind the band are cool too. For lights I’d say white/yellow lights and a few spotlights with red and blue colours.

Bucket list bands: La Dispute! , PVRIS, Enter Shikari, Twenty One Pilots and Paramore.

the Authenticity Argument

opinion

People keep arguing that authenticity as a driving force in music has died a gloomy death, and that today the charts and broader musical scene is filled with copycats and wannabees, ripping off the hits of ‘the golden age’, when music was still good and all that kind of crap. There’s nothing original or creative being made by just a single one of the countless talented musicians around the world in 2016? To me it seems that to argue the demise of authenticity is a lazy way of dismissing modern music as a whole, without thinking about where the music that they themselves love was created. To take it’s literal meaning, being authentic means that whatever is produced is original and thus of undisputed origin. So these undisputed icons that changed the face of music in a way today’s artists couldn’t even dream of never covered a song, or existed as part of a genre that was born from the merging of those genres that pre-existed it? Rock music emerged from rock and roll

in late 1940’s, early 1950’s American, which itself united African-American genres such as blues, jazz, and gospel, with western swing and country music. The never ending trail of musical influence has no cut off point; we didn’t reach the dawn of the 20th century and decide that everything produced so far was authentic, and that all new creations were rip off of them. To look at it from another angle, people have been covering songs for decades, there’s nothing new about it. The term itself refers to its original meaning in music – to record a rival form of the recently released version. Frequently versions of songs we instantly associate with an artist are actually covers, such as Elvis Presley’s cover of Carl Perkins’ ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, or Jimi Hendrix’s version of Bob Dylan’s ‘All Along The Watchtower’. I find it hard to think of Elvis Presley’s music as anything other than authentic; his voice alone is unlike anything seen before him. If Elvis Presley can be seen in this way solely on the

strength of his vocal talent, why do so many people not mirror their attitudes in relation to today’s icons? Beside the Adele’s and Amy Winehouse’s of our generation that manage to blow even the most closed-minded out of the water, far too few are dismissed unfairly. But here’s the thing, does it really even matter? So what if someone takes something they love and uses it to build depth into their own work. Why do so many people care if an artist’s musical influences are instantly apparent in their work, or if it sounds like something they’ve heard before. Yes, originality in music is a wonderful thing, but straight authenticity is impossible, so just appreciate good music for what it is. I think we all need to stop criticising today’s music and look at it for it’s abundance of strengths. Words by Adrianne Goron

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, n ia id r e v , a c a h featuring: it e c n a t is d e l d id eyre llew, m

ithaca 2012 - Present

Djamila - Vocals Sam - Guitar Will - Guitar Lewis - Drums Drew - Bass

The UK hardcore scene is thriving with supportive bands that uphold a great deal of talent. Ithaca from London are one of them, who are packing a powerful punch. Having showcased their music to a live crowd in July 2013, the five-piece took a massive step into the realms of everyday local shows. Ithaca, are a band botched with grave spirits and breakdowns that call a mosh. Highly comparable to bands such as, Norma Jean, Oathbreaker, and early Cave In. Ithaca recorded their first ever EP, Narrow The Way with Steve Sears at Titian Studios (Palm

Reader, Hang the Bastard). Within their early days, the band were unsure of what they were particularly doing, with a very polished record. Their most recent EP, Trespassers was recorded with the unique Joe Clayton, (exOld Skin RIP) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Nails, Code Orange). Showing off the best of their ability and what they wanted to amplify, the gang were striving for something a bit more gnarly and isolated. “Joe is world’s best guy so we had a blast recording it,“ guitarist Sam beings. “For example, it was Halloween on the 3rd night so Djamila did us all up in corpse paint, except Joe who she (without telling him) did up as Peter Criss AKA the shitty cat guy from Kiss. Basically we love Joe, go record with him if you can.” Despite their dampening inspirations of disappointment, displacement and the

collapse of relationships, the quintet capsulate hard hitting music that drives from their yearning passion. Musically the band differs. “When I write I try to take inspiration from a huge range of stuff. Some of us love Neurosis, some of us love Glassjaw, some of us love Pig Destroyer, and so if I can find a sweet spot between all those bands, we’re normally on to a winner. Norma Jean is pretty much the only band all five of us actually like so that probably says a lot!” The bands are over halfway through writing a full length. “We aim to record and release this year, so that’s taking up a fair bit of our time. However we will be heading out for a EU run at the end of May (more info TBA) and have some cracking UK one-offs booked.“ Words by Isha Shah

tracks to look out for: Trespassers

Otherworldly

Lightly introduces the whispering screams, which hold such torture and despair, it slowly sinks into powerful melodic blasts. Ithaca switch their emotions as quick as lightening with an almost instant battering of Lewisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drumming and Djamilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowering vocal range.

A constant racket, right form the very beginning, Ithaca immerse you into their heavy moshing music, with a very short intro track that is filled with gnarly openings.

Photos by Jo Bongard

tracks to look out for: refuse to feel running away

Veridian 2016 - Present Simon Jackman Rob Everett Jonny Slevin Joe Sellers Zak Watson James Marshall Stack With lyrics that would find comfort in almost anyone’s heart, UK newcomers, Veridian are not far from the mark of other alternativegone-mainstream bands such as Bring Me The Horizon. Having already secured themselves distribution on BBC Radio 1, a sell-out show months before the date – and a co-headline tour embarking in May, Veridian are going to soon become impossible to miss and a band many will take pride in for their flawless demonstration of incredible UK talent in rock music today. Undoubted masters of their art, the band recently formed from members of the two previous groups: We Caught The Castle (pop punk) and Borderline Fire (alternative rock). Since their official launch at the start of this year, with their first single release ‘Refuse to

Feel’, this six piece straight out of no other than Reading - home to one of the UK’s most successful music festivals - have been stirring quite some noise amongst music fans online Impossibly beautiful yet bitter, rugged elegance burns so brightly in fearless choruses that light up like a thousand voices chiming euphoric harmonies. You can guarantee you’ll have their songs in your head and you will be singing them for days afterwards. Warmly woven but fiercely driven alternative rock ignites and promotes mastery of independence. And with lyrics like, “Ignore the feeling to turn back,” and “Look to the future,” the band fuel confidence to recognise relationships or situations in our lives that may no longer be what they once were, and inspire us to find the strength and courage to move on. Incorporation of strings, cellos and piano however, cast a classical and ethereal haunting shadow over such fierce positivity. This creates tension, which highlights the areas of their lyrics and musical motifs that strike chords of anguish and despair. Where their stellar single ‘Refuse to Feel’ breaks down into, “I’d ignore this love, so I wouldn’t have to suffer - you

would have done the same,” the pure intent is clear and the pain behind what it has taken vocalist, Simon Jackman, to move on is at once terrifying and tangible. Veridian are not afraid to tear their chests open and lay their bleeding hearts on the table, but they also know how to write infectiously catchy choruses. And this honest approach to what can only be classified as hard driven pop rock when these epic choruses flare into action – is what really draws attention to the depth of the emotion and meaning behind their musical finesse. Bring on the next single, the world is waiting. Veridian, you have demonstrated music that has the capacity to ensnare thousands to follow your path, story and music to wherever it leads next. Watch out for their debut EP, which has been recorded at Outhouse Studios (Lower Than Atlantis, You Me At Six, Enter Shikari) later this year. To secure yourself a place at one of their upcoming shows, look up their co-headline tour dates with Young Kings, which starts on the 18th May. Words by Arriana Corr

Eyre Llew 2014 - Present Sam Heaton Jack Bennett Jack Clark Eyre Llew are probably unlike any other band you’ve ever heard before. The three-piece from Nottingham have only been on the scene for a short period of time, forming in August 2014, yet they’ve already stamped their mark on local turf and are now reaching out across the nation with plays on Kerrang! Radio’s Fresh Blood show with Alex Baker. With early singles being described as “ambient acoustic”, Eyre Llew have added a more rockier vibe to their most recent tracks but it would be practically impossible to pin a genre onto the band. Experimental, each song they produce is like a snippet of art, matched

tracks to look out for:

with gorgeous aesthetics for single covers and videos. It’s not just simply listening to a track, instead Eyre Llew submerge you into their world and it’s a truly beautiful experience that tugs you away from your own troubles and worries. There are similar elements like artists such as Tycho and Chvrches, amongst other indie projects, but ultimately the band cement their own niche sounds into a masterpiece unlike any other with impeccable instrumental talent. Eyre Llew’s most recent endeavour comes in the form of ‘The Deep’; the seven-minute track begins with gentle piano keys, before bursting with emotional, atmospheric vocals that are both ethereal and haunting. Entirely captivating, the video was released on March 1st and “follows the life of a humpback. Inspired by the touching real life story ‘The Loneliest Whale’ who can only

communicate at 52 hertz, making him deaf to all other whales.” A gorgeous, incredibly touching story comes to life with a delicately moving animation that’s enhanced by the angelic vocals and instruments behind it. The collaborative project with Dom Stables is a true piece of cinematography; it’s easy to understand why Eyre Llew are capturing peoples’ hearts and minds. The band have recently been announced for Rockaway Beach, a live music festival in Bognor Regis from the 7th to 9th of October, along with Nottingham’s Splendour Festival on the 23rd of July alongside acts such as The Darkness, Jess Glynne and UB40. The trio are also currently in the studio working on an exciting new project with filmmaker Will Carman. Words by Harriet Stanley

the deep

Fero

If you’re going to listen to this song, you simply have to watch the video that it’s paired with because whilst it’s beautiful by itself, the cinematic experience is entirely capturing and enthralling. The gorgeous piano sets the scene in the background, carrying you throughout the seven-minute track whilst Heaton’s vocals add a powerful, evocative tone, drawing out true emotion.

An orchestral delight, Fero showcases the band’s sheer talents with a variety of instruments that blend together effortlessly. The odd vocals sound as though they’re playing backward, completely mismatched yet surprisingly add a completely unique, engaging atmosphere to the track. It’s the kind of song that you’d imagine to be the soundtrack of your dreams.

2014 - Present Patrick Lewin - Lead singer/guitar Calvin Lennox - Bass Alex Peal - Drums Tim Loach - Guitar Freshly forming off the summer of 2014, the bittersweet rock band Middle Distance are brought to our attention, after being in minor bands. Lingering among the four young members, being in a serious band was something they always wanted to do. With education out of the way, the four-piece now had nothing stopping them from doing exactly that. With a years worth of planning and writing in the early stages of their carer, Middle Distance gather a wide range on influences that are captured beautifully in their first EP. “Me and Tim really like math rock and originally wanted to start a math band but neither of us were good enough so we had to make a rock band instead. Pealy loves hardcore and metal so that influences the way he plays 100% (he’s really loud) and Calv loves The Red Hot Chilli Peppers so he plays some very funky bass

lines,” lead vocalist and guitarist Patrick Lewin tells us.

slowly developing track that is floating with a melodic guitar chords.

Lyrically the band takes aspects of Morrisey’s work, filling their tracks with wit and sarcasm. The band is a sucker for really emotional and intelligent lyrics that are complimented with a great melody. The words speak for themselves, alike Christian Holden from The Hotelier. “I was really influenced by James Joyce’s writing style and was reading ‘Portrait of an artist as a young man’ at the time I was writing ‘Losing Colour’,” Lewin starts. “So I guess lyrically influenced by whatever is in front of me at the time, be it what actually happening in my life, the music I’m listening to, or the books in reading.”

“Losing Colour is our first real EP. We’d recorded demos before that but nothing we’d call a full EP,” Lewin tells us. Middle Distance recorded the EP back in April 2015 at Studio 9 in Newbury with Sam Winfield. “We are all so happy with the out come and can’t wait to go back again. Also s/o to the carpenters arms in Newbury for letting us stay for the week.”

The band have a strong bitter sweet presence to their music which is very delicate in vocals, but hard hitting when it comes to their instrumental side. Despite their alternative rock noise, they take influences from everything they come into contact with, from math to hardcore, there’s always a trace of their diverse taste pondering within songs. Highlighted in ‘English Rooftop (Part 2)’ the quartet takes a tranquil route, with a

The band is also heading back into the studio again this year to record their second EP, which should be released early this summer. From then on touring is always on the bands mind, trying to get a few good support slots, and striving for bigger shows. “I find you can play loads of shows, but if it’s just at your local venue with that same people each time it’s not going to get you much further,” Lewin begins. “So if any bands are looking to tour/ need support bands hit us up please? We’ll probably all get MxD tattoos soon as well.” Words by Isha Shah

tracks to look out for:

losing colour Your first thoughts take you to a typical Moose Blood style intro, but the vocals then sweep in and bring an upbeat bounce to the track. Patrick Lewinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocals are dominating the track with a powerful rasphyness that resembles closeness to Charlie Simpsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solo work. Vocally and instrumentally, the song is the power lifter from the record.

e l d d i M e c n a t s i D Photos by Jo Bongard

FEATURE Behind the lens

joe sheridan

Photos by Joe Sheridan, Background Photo by .........

I’m Joe Sheridan, a freelance photographer and filmmaker based the North West of England. My interest for photography came about from a holiday around three years ago when I was taking photos just on my iPhone. From then on I became infatuated with photography. I pooled some money together and started using an old Pentax Film SLR. My interest for film photography was short lived, only because when I later came across a Pentax KX DSLR that my dad had bought a few years prior my interest gradually moved to digital photography. Maybe it was the instantaneous nature of the DSLR, or some other reason, but once I started using the DSLR I would take the camera with me wherever I went. The first concert I ever photographed was a band called Brutality Will Prevail, and I learnt a lot from that first experience, from composition to lighting. From then on I was lucky enough to photograph Architects because of the fortuitous friendship I had developed with the band Landscapes. Last April I was lucky enough to upgrade to a Canon 5D Mkiii, along with a 24-70mm 2.8, and since then I have added two additional lenses, the 50mm 1.4, and 135mm 2.0. I have photographed a large amount of concerts over the last year and a half. I have slowly but surely tried to develop a style all of my own, something which at times can be infuriating but with time and patience I have seen growth which

has been acknowledged by my peers. My favourite band to photograph is The Xcerts, purely because they are one of my favourite bands. They are always full of energy and it’s infectious. The people that work at Sound Control in Manchester have been nothing but supportive of me and my work, and I love the different angles and compositions of photos I can take in there. The next best UK venue is the Leeds O2 Academy. The height of the stage is perfect which arguably can lend itself to your photos not all looking exactly the same. Personally, I have grown to enjoy a mixture of lighting, ever since my last tour with Your Illuminations, who enjoyed a mixture of a pink hue with white lighting, which as a photographer makes it easy to edit. Although, it is a constant struggle as a photographer tackling unflattering lighting and never knowing what to expect, sometimes the unpredictability of it can be fun. But more often than not when a band or artist relies heavily on one colour or back lighting this can sometimes make your job next to impossible. Saying that though, I have come to enjoy back lighting to some degree because it can create a new expression for the outcome of your work and allow you to compose your subjects in a silhouette. Other than that, I enjoy as explained previously, lighting such as red, pink or purple hues as they are not too harsh and can really make for some really beautiful compositions.

In most cases I have complete freedom to compose and edit my subjects how I see fit. Photography is about expression and music photography allows me be as expressive as I want to be. From time to time I shoot portraiture of models, which was how I got started and began to build up a portfolio. But over time I have come to enjoy less posed photos, and more candid style photos, which in my opinion feel more natural to me, and is an honest portrayal of the person I am photographing. My main goal now is to gain more opportunities to work specifically with bands, or artists, whether that be for a one off show or festival, or on a tour. I want to capture more moments of before, during and after a show, whether that be the band warming up, relaxing, and performing from different perspectives. Those moments for me as a photographer are what drive me, and get me excited. There’s something about watching people during their day-to-day activities that intrigue me to want to capture them. I went out on a six day run with my friends in Your Illuminations. It was a lot of fun to be able to shoot anything and everything, which was made all that much easier and fun because of the trust built between the band and myself. My only gripe is regarding the occasions when it is presumed that working for free should be an option. Sometimes by mere mention of a tight budget it can be suggested that I could work for free, and this can leave me feeling as if the value of my services and time is not worthy of remuneration. I say this a lot, but I can’t thank the community of photographers across the country, some of which I know personally, enough. Social media has been a great tool in this regard; giving me insight into how each individual works, and has given me inspiration for my own.

Bucket List Bands: Slipknot Blink 182 Green Day The 1975

FEATURE

statesid

Although we are blessed in the UK with so much new music at our fingertips, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always going to be envy when it comes to American tours. We can all dream that one day the UK will be gifted with just as perfectly compiled line ups. Until then, why not excite yourself with a few underground bands from the States who you may not have heard about.

dee

Wavelets 2010 - present The adventurous five-piece from Gainesville, Florida have more to them than the one band interest listed on their Facebook page. Although the band has not been active since the release of Athletics back in 2012, it is unclear if they have broken up or are just taking a break. Regardless, their music speaks for itself as the band are reminiscent of Modern Baseball’s very early work, Tiny Moving Parts and You Blew It! The quintet carry a positive melody within each track, while the vocals seem harshly screamed at times, highlighting their DIY ethic through music. Summer Vacation 2009 - 2014 With one full length you can still stream the fuck out of on Spotify, the super punkers, Summer Vacation, can be angrily blasted as you run around your room trashing it. The four guys from Southern California ended their racket after five strong years, with three members forming a new punk band called Winter Break. While active, the quartet had played shows with Joyce Manor, a band that dictate a clear influence within their hectic sound. The band also infuses sounds from Dowsing and Dads. Coma Cinema 2003 - present Described as ‘satanic gospel’, Coma Cinema from Columbia are a band I’m sure a little more of us are familiar with. Their latest release, (which wasn’t so recent) back in 2013, Posthumous Release, captures Mat Cothran’s sluggish sulk. With a record that holds a minimal sound, lacking any sort of excitement and thrill, they deliver a flat acoustic sharpness. For a South Carolinian band, Coma Cinema evokes a great essence of the area with geography references and his attitude about a town where everything moves a little too slowly. However dire and sad this may sound, his work reflects none of the basic level you would expect. While the record does lay its ground mat on desperation, Cothran twists his music with a creative mind that has a positive outlet on the possibilities in life. There seems to be a massive three-year gap in the bands musical presence, which will be explained by Cothran also being in Elvis Depressedly. All four of their releases are currently available to stream on their Bandcamp page. Chalk Talk 2009 - present A fun-loving band such as Chalk Talk, highlight the jangly adrenaline of 90’s emo/indie. Following in line with peers such as Snowing and Glocca Morra, the band bring punching music that is sure to provide a great experience for all. Their first EP, The Food Chain certainly covers the band in their rawest form, with the drums giving of a fuzzy production. Trailing Bad Influences, released in 2012, the band have clearly progressed their hectic sound, to a silk and slightly more polished tone. Midi & The Modern Dance 2008 - present A band that has more members than TWIABP&INLATD was born in 2008, called Midi & The Modern Dance. Although their social media presence has been very much dead since 2014, the band had produced some great work dating back to 2010 with Make It Easy On Yourself. The Connecticut gang, pluck through a solitary vibration of acoustic guitars that echo similar vibrations in previous tracks, while vocalist Omeed Goodarzi cracks a few soft words. Their music dips and peaks, while it clearly dates the time and place of which it was recorded in, the band have certainly taken an influence from Death Cab For Cutie’s Plans and Narrow Stairs era. Words by Isha Shah

interview

Sundara 26

a Karma On their third date of their UK headline tour, we grab vocalist Oscar Pollock and Drummer Haydn Evans for a little chat in the newly formed Talking Heads Southampton. Photo by Isha Shah

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PAIR THE WORD ‘SUNDARA’ (BEAUTIFUL) WITH THE WORD ‘KARMA’? O: “Karma could mean something bad if you do something bad, but the whole idea of beautiful karma was more precisely a beautiful action, which makes sense to us. We’re quite into eastern philosophy and what you put out, you get back in some sort of way.” WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE VENUES TO PLAY AND WHY? O: “The smaller venues we’ve played, we paid of our back, and they’ve been headline shows, so that has a different vibe. It’s your own show and people come to see you and you have to live up to a lack of expectation. When we’ve supported The Wombats or Wolf Alice, the venues are bigger, but it’s their crowd you win over. WHAT FESTIVALS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST?

O: “Secret Garden party, apparently that’s wicked. We’ve played Dot To Dot for two years now and that’s always fun. H: “We’re doing a festival in Romania and we’ve never been there, so that should be fun.” O: “I think festivals have always been really fun to play. I guess it’s more like a holiday when you’re touring abroad.” WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLAYING A FESTIVAL AND A GIG? O: “The energy, vibe and ambiance. A festival is more sweaty and fun, but they’re both fun. WHEN YOU TOURED EUROPE WITH WOLF ALICE, DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY DIFFERENT CULTURE DISHES? O: “its just pizza everywhere.” H: “We’ve never had anything interesting when we’re on the road.” O: “I don’t think we’ve had a chance yet to be honest. I can imagine going to Asia and trying cool things. We’ve never played anywhere

near there yet, but we would love to.” YOU HAVE SOME REALLY INTERESTING MUSIC VIDEOS, COULD YOU TELL US THE CONCEPT AROUND ‘A YOUNG UNDERSTANDING’ O: “The song and the video doesn’t have anything to do with each other. We just wanted to make a light-hearted fun video that would hopefully make people smile. It’s cool how it starts, and we’re not really sure how its going to go.” SO DO YOU DECIDE ON THE NARRATIVE OF YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS? O: “We defiantly handle that stuff, I think you have to be. We know people can be lazy, with letting other people take charge. However with this one, we can’t take any credit for the idea behind it, it was all the director. If you see an idea you have to run with it I guess. With the ‘Flame’ and ‘Viviane’ video, it was working with the director.

“

Karma could mean something bad if you do something bad, but the whole idea of beautiful karma was more precisely a beautiful action

”

YOU’VE ONLY RELEASED TWO EP’S, WHAT MADE YOU CALL THEM JUST ‘EP I’ AND ‘EP II’ O: “Just sheer laziness.”

it out later.” H:”I reckon I can do that, I am so doing that.” O: “You’ve got to now, its on camera.” H: “I’m coming for you, I want that t-shirt.”

O: “I was Cinderella.” H: “I was Snow White.” O: “Dom was Pocahontas and Ally was the one from Brave… Merida?

IN REGARDS TO YOUR FUTURE MUSIC PLANS, WHAT’S GOING TO BE HAPPENING WITH RELEASES? O: “We’ve got an album coming out this year.” H: “We think its coming out in September, defiantly after festivals.”

DO YOU STILL HAVE ANY CHILDHOOD TOYS? O: “I do actually. We were doing a massive clear out in my dad’s attic and we found a box of baby toys, and I have this little dog puppy fluffy thing. It doesn’t have a name but I’ll call it fluffy.”

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO ANY ERA IN TIME, WHAT WOULD IT BE? O: “The summer of ’69. Woodstock right?” H: “ The Summer of LOVE.”

WHEN YOU GO ON TOUR, DO YOU GET A SAY ON WHO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT? H: “If there’s someone we really want to come on tour with us, we usually do. It’s better that way, we have more fun.” SO YOU’VE BEEN TO SOUTHAMPTON BEFORE, SUPPORTING THE WOMBATS, HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO DO THE HOBBIT CHALLENGE? O: “No we haven’t, but we are going to check

YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY TRENDY AND UNIQUE STYLE, ARE THEY JUST FOR THE STAGE OR DO YOU WEAR THEM ON A DAILY BASIS? O: “I mean I’m probably going to wear this tonight.” H: “I probably wont wear this tonight.” O: “Hayden’s is going to wear a dress tonight.”

What bands should we be checking out now? O: “I am listening to Sunflower Bean new album, which is wicked. Besides that I’ve been listening to Father John Misty, I Love You, Honeybear album, I’ve played that loads.” Interviewed by Rosalyn Boder

On halloween what did you dress up as?

Photo by Isha Shah

preview

newave Newave is a night where we bring together local upcoming bands from around the south coast area, to showcase their musical talent. Held at the famous The Joiners Southampton on May 13th, the event gives underground bands a platform to play live music in front of an audience, a chance they may struggle with reaching. The idea for NEWAVE is to bring together local upcoming bands in the area and along the south coast. This will not only showcase the talent these musicians have, but also give them a platform to make themselves known and gain even more fans, and give them valuable experience of performing at a professional venue. Tickets are only five pounds, and all profits will be donated to the Help For Heroes charity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We chose to raise money for Help For Heroes

because one of the members in our group helping to organise, is a dedicated member to the charity due to previous involvement with them,â&#x20AC;? festival co-organiser Aidan Ruffle tells us. The bands playing are: The Lazzeretts (indie/rock) Robson Hawkins - Lead Vocals & Guitar Ed Fair - Bass Hugo Cockerell - Drums The Silent Watchmen (rock/metal) Alex - Lead Vocals Keenan John - Lead Guitar Seb Rajan-Iyer - Bass Jesse Paige - Drums Chase The Bird (indie/rock) Joe Truscott - Lead Vocals & Guitar

Archie Richardson - Guitar Nathan Collins - Drums Bass - TO BE CONFIRMED Route (indie/rock) Ewan McLeish - Lead Vocals & Guitar Cameron McLeish - Guitar Ollie Stonefrost - Bass Matt Perry - Drums Arco (rock/metal/punk) Chris Hopkins - Lead Singer Owen Petch - Lead Guitar Lexi Harris - Rhythm Guitar Theo Kent - Bass Pippa Jeffs - Drums Words by Isha Shah

FEATURE My name is Em Coulter, I’ve been doing music photography since 2013, completely self taught and based in Nottingham & Leeds. Primarily focusing on rock to extreme metal. All my friends were in bands and where I used to live used to have a huge punk scene at the time so I started taking my camera to shows my friends could sneak me into and started shooting crust punk bands. Awful lighting and beer spilt everywhere taught me alot! Currently my set up is a Nikon D800 with 35mm lens, 70-300mm lens and a Nikon D3100. Apert from live music photography I also regularly do fashion & glamour for publication. I enjoy having a time limit and knowing that anything could happen, no shots are ever the same. My favourite venues to shoot are Rock City Main Hall & Basement in Nottingham & Leeds Arena. So far my favourite bands to photograph have been Slipknot, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry, Lamb Of God, and Opeth.

Behind the lens

Hopefully I’ll be able to go on tour with bands regularly and make a full time job out of it travelling around the world.

emily coulter The only discriminating thing that I’ve been told is that I was too young to be in the photo pit, and that girls can’t be taken seriously as a paid photographer.

bucket list bands: Behemoth, HIM (Again), Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Carcass, Bring Me The Horizon, Motley Crue, Alice Cooper and Machine Head. Words by Emily Coulter Photo by Emily Coulter

FEATURE

obscure venues across the uk 32

The UK offers some of the best small, yet treasured gig venues. From The Underworld Camden to The Haunt Brighton, there is never a shortage of great local venues that continue to support growing bands. As we progress, so do the venues we host our Friday night shows at. More and more unusual places, are now the very home of live music we all love and enjoy. THE VAULTS: This 12th Century landmark features some of the largest number of purpose built vaults in the whole of Britain. Starting out as a wine vault, dating back decades ago, has now turned into a council rented temporary venue for some of the most secret intimate shows, promoted by Campaign For Quiet with the help of Oxfam. These Vaults may seem like the perfect place to host a special show with a few underground bands, but it doesn’t come cheap. At £300 a night you can rent out the tiny dungeon for a selective few. So if you fancy spending a night in the dark abyss of Southampton’s saga, then you can relive this special moment in history that used to be filled with hundreds of wine bottles. Thekla : The 400-cap venue in Bristol, hosts the likes of club nights and gigs. However, what makes this venue unique is that it is actually a boat. The only time I have been there was for the Title Fight tour last year, and to get to the main room you had to enter at the top of the boat and work your way down sets of stairs, right to the bottom. Once you were in the room though you wouldn’t have even known you were on the stationary boat and was an impressive venue in itself with great sound, cool staff and the perfect stage height combined with it being barrierless is perfect for those dives. Words by Reece Weatherley PLANET SOUNDS: Rehearsal studio by day and temporary gig venue by night, Planet Sounds shares a similar historic value to the Vaults. Located under the bridge in the old part of Southampton, the venue is caped to just 30 lucky fans. Although shows are not very frequent, the tiny venue hosts community events such as DIY Southampton every year, involving the local community. Pyramids Centre: With a capacity of nearly 1500, this indoor leisure centre is one of the best and biggest venues on the south coast. Hosting all sorts of live performances from huge alt rock bands such as Muse, to metal bands such as Bring Me The Horizon, and everything in between, this is clearly a popular venue, and rightly so. The scent of chlorine flows throughout the place and it’s impossible to forget that you’re in a leisure complex during the night, with even the toilets being the typical swimming-pool-type toilets. Not often you see this type of venue. Words by Reece Weatherley The Peel: Situated on the arse end of Kingston edging into New Malden, was a lovely little venue known as The Peel. It offered a non-barrier experience and allowed Banquet Records to put on less conventional shows, while their licence with Hippodrome was iffy at the time. Into It Over It once did a 2 hour set, as well as The Story So Far playing with Gnarwolves, and even smaller gigs like Max Raptor were held here. The quirkiest thing about it however was the fact that it was also a strip joint. Yep. I’m sure that confused the fuck out of band members when they went to load in. Sadly once again Kingston Council had to spoil all the fun and since then it is but barren rubble next to an estate. Thankfully similar shows are now held at Kingston College but sadly, all good things must come to an end. Words by Ashwin Bhandari HOUSE SHOWS: While London may seem to get all the big shows, the south and north parts of the UK are known for hosting some of the best house shows. In recent years, young promoters and students have gathered local bands such as Roam, Weatherstate, Wallflower, Don Broco and Muskets, to squeeze into their kitchen and play a full set in true punk style. Bristol, Leeds, Southampton and even Portsmouth who hold regular monthly house shows have now become a reoccurring one off in our every day lives. Words by Isha Shah

Photo by Isha Shah

interview

Emp

Photo by Ryan Dalton Rodrigues

ployed o serve It's the first Amongst the Chaos, and also the first time Employed To Serve are in Southampton, and the weather is actually bright and sunny. Joined by the brightly lit faces of vocalist, Justine Jones and guitarist, Sammy Urwin in the busy market place next the Joiners, the guys are eager to catch xRepentancex's last Southampton show, as well as Splitknuckle.

What started off as two-piece project from Woking has now grown into one of the UK’s most incendiary live bands. The local scene seems to be non-existent according to Urwin, apart from the local church, which puts on some pretty great shows. “When I was 14, there used to be something,” Jones begins. “We used to have Deaf Havana back when they were around, and a band called Open The Skies.” (Who then went on to be Palm Reader) While Woking may not be the best place for shows, “the north and the south, certainly have stronger places,” Urwin tells us. “Our circuit for the South would be, Brighton, London, Bristol, and Plymouth. Further north, Manchester and Leeds are killing it right now. So is Sheffield; I saw Renounced play a show there the other week and it had a really great turn out.” There are even some more slightly unexpected cities too. “Hull as well was amazing. There’s a good little community of people who seem to come to every show that’s on,” Jones adds. The UK scene is at its best right now, and Employed To Serve suggest some bands that you should be checking out. Jones recommends Conjurer and Brighton’s favourites, Rough Hands, a band that’s been around for a while, who have a strong and supportive following. Urwin gives a shout out to Eulogy, who are also on the same label as ETS. “I saw a band the other day, all the members apart from the vocalist used to be in a band called TEEF, they’re now in a band called Time Waster, from Brighton, and they were awesome,” he adds. Employed To Serve have been signed to Holy Roar for some time now, one of the UK’s leading independent labels. From what started out as playing shows with the owner’s band and becoming good mates, has now lead the band to be a part of a community of peers that they can all relate to. “When we first started, Holy Roar was the label we wanted to be on, basically. All of the bands that they put out, we associated with that. We were like “oh yeah that’s what we want to be doing”, and playing those kinds of shows,” Urwin explains. “When we said we were putting the EP out, he asked if we could send it over. He liked it, and wanted to put it out, so we’ve been happy ever since really.” The label is now celebrating its tenth year, with an all dayer on May 21st at The Dome & Boston Music Rooms, London. Releasing their first full length in 2015, titled Greyer Than You Remember, the band have had a drastic change since

their first EP, Change Nothing Regret Everything. Urwin explains how the two contrast. “The thing is with the first EP we did, we were all really keen, so we just wanted it to get gigging. We wrote those songs very quickly, so it didn’t take much time. We took our time a lot more with the album, as we wanted to make it more interesting and diverse.” The band view their first releases as a humble beginning, as it’s quite simple compared to what they are producing now. Jones explains how they were just trying to find their sound back then, “just, listening to different bands. I feel like we are more comfortable now, and know what direction we’re going in, whereas with the EP we were testing the waters.” The full length covers many themes and conveys them with dark emotions. The record is about “people getting caught in the trap of working, and never really perusing their ambitions. I feel like ‘oh I’m 25 now, I should probably get a house now and start thinking about kids and that’ rather than ‘oh I want be in a band or an illustrator or something like that’,” Jones explains. This is the realisation of living in a world where something that is considered to be fun may not actually bring in much money. However band-wise, the guys take a great deal of influence from Deftones.“It’s sort of cliché as most bands say this, but it’s heavier than the first one and we’re concentrating more on that aspect.” Urwin backs up Jones’s answer, with them taking influences from aged bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, who have a large chaotic aura to them. “We didn’t want to stray too far from what we did before, but you want to bring out something new. You don’t just want to spin the wheel and put out the same album again.” Speaking of influences and bands that have made a mark growing up, Employed To Serve had previously toured with Funeral For A Friend, one of Jones’s pathway bands into the heavier music world during secondary school. “That was a great privilege to tour with them. Kind of sad really, it almost feels like an end of an era. When you associate your childhood, I think of various bands and films. They started when Matt was about 16, and now he’s 30, so that’s a massive part of his life being in that band, and it’s impressive how far they have come and how great they were.” Funeral For A Friend ended on a high, with a golden record, so when Employed To Serve got the opportunity to tour with them, they could see how radiating and happy they were to just play their music. “Being a band for that long you have to call it a

“

We took our time a lot as we wanted to make and diverse

“

The thing is with the first EP we did, we were all really keen, so we just wanted it to get gigging

”

t more with the album, it more interesting

”

Photo by Ryan Dalton Rodrigues

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Oh I'm 25 now, I should probably get a house now an start thinking about kids and that rather than, Oh want be in a band

â&#x20AC;?

day at some point, you have to try different things I suppose,” Urwin adds.

to travel a long way for shows and make a greater effort.

Having the opportunity to not only tour the UK, but also venture out to Europe is always a pleasure. As most bands who have hit the road will tell you that the best thing about travelling around the mainland is the food. “Catering is really good. They get a budget from the government for all the food and drink, so they can put on the smaller DIY shows, and not be worried that they will loose a small fortune in doing it,“ Urwin tells us. “It’s very comfortable, but for any bands who are nervous about doing it because they’ve never done it before, definitely go for it, because you get treated so well.”

Employed To Serve are currently owning the new wave of bands who are rocking. “There are a lot of female fronted bands now, and it kind of just feels normal to me,” Jones explains, as we chat about an underlining issue which some female fronted bands face. “I’m not denying it’s there, but I haven’t personally experienced it myself.” With the up rise of more and more women doing what they love and being apart of a scene that is so accepting, there doesn’t seem to be this massive shock of going to a show and seeing a female scream. “We’ve been fortunate in that sense, but hopefully that’s a sign of things changing,” Urwin adds. “People who come to hardcore shows or listen to these bands and read their lyrics are usually on the same wave length as everyone else.” Sharing the same ethos of accepting anyone from a wide range of views, backgrounds, gender, and coming together

It’s not just the food that makes Europe a win; the turnouts tend to be really great as well. Here in the UK we are really spoilt for choice, as you can see a band on several different dates. Europe is so much larger, that kids have

as one community is something to be proud of. As High School Musical says, “we’re all in this together.” With 2016 already holding such great opportunities for the five-piece, new music is always on their minds. Currently in the process of writing a record that should be out in the not so distant future, touring will be filling up most of the band’s time. Planning a few dates around Temples festival in June, they will also be returning to Europe in November, hitting up Spain and France. Words by Isha Shah

nd I

”

Photo by Ryan Dalton Rodrigues

FEATURE

metallica

master of puppets 40

ca's

s turns 30

It is difficult to believe that it has been 30 years since Master of Puppets was released. The landscape of music has changed so much in that time, and a large amount of that can be attributed to this album. Since its release on the 3rd of March 1986, Master of Puppets has gone 6x platinum in the US alone. It held a place in the Billboard top 200 for over 70 weeks and it still dances in and out of the charts thanks to releases and anniversaries. Master of Puppets was the first step into a new era for Metallica, their maturing sound can be heard throughout the album, most notably on the dual flamenco guitar intro to the album opener ‘Battery’. Whilst other bands in thrash metal’s “big 4” worked to keep their music concise and to the point, such as Slayer who released their Reign in Blood album later the same year, Metallica were clearly open to more ideas than just chugging along to the same drum beats. There are curve balls all over Master of Puppets the melodic and clean first solo in the title track as well as the groove and crunch of later track ‘Welcome Home ‘ (Sanitarium). Truly the result of all four members being on the same page during the album’s small writing and recording time (only 12 weeks when compared to the years of re-writing on the band’s debut). The last Metallica record to feature the now passed bassist Cliff Burton, his influence gives Master of Puppets the expansive musical knowledge seen in moments such as the instrumental ‘Orion’. A guitar player by mind, Burton pushed the envelope on bass guitar technicality and mentality. Maybe it’s the fact that the main riff to ‘Master of Puppets’ is a go to for any beginner guitarist, or maybe it’s just the overwhelming power behind this album. Either way it’s undeniable its effects on modern music, and we may never see another album in its ilk again. Words by Jack Webb

ALBUMs blood youth

8/10

closure ep Less than ten months since their last release, Blood Youth’s second EP is a major step up from their already stellar debut, Inside My Head. Closure bursts in as an incredible showcase of what this British four piece are capable of with four clean cut and wellproduced tracks. Blood Youth kick off their new EP with ‘Breathe’; a slow melancholic number that solely features a guitar and Kaya Tarsus’ vocals like we haven’t heard before in Blood Youth’s short cycle. Not only would

it be interesting to see how the band pull off a track like this live, sitting under two minutes long, an “extended” version of ‘Breathe’ could be a great addition to any future Blood Youth release. Just when you think you’ve been lulled into a full sense of security, this band are prepared for nothing other than punching you square in the face with the following three tracks. As their second song begins there’s no question of the title with Tarsus’ screaming ‘24/7’ followed by rapid drumbeats and

the kind of harsh guitar riffs we’re used to hearing from Blood Youth. ‘Mood Swing’ is a near perfect take on the brand of metal that Blood Youth produce, featuring an insanely catchy chorus and guitar rhythms you can’t help but nod your head to. It’s hard not to draw comparisons between the Harrogate quartet and likes of former tour mates Beartooth, but if their American counterparts are anything to go by, it’s only a matter of time before this band are taking the universe by storm.

Disappointingly, the aptly titled final track and recent single, ‘Closure’, is the weakest on this EP. But even so, the title track is definitely nowhere near a bad or poorly constructed song; it’s just not as strong as the others alongside it. There’s no doubt that the EP closer is this release’s most commercial and “radio-friendly” track but it’s evident from this EP that Blood Youth are at their best when they’re at their heaviest. There’s one major flaw with Closure and unfortunately it’s a big one. It’s just not long enough. It’s almost insulting that a rising band of this calibre would release an EP with a runtime of only thirteen minutes in the hope that we’d be satisfied with it. However, with this in mind, it surely can’t be too long until we hear echoes of their debut full-length album. Words by Natalie Webb

mindset nothing less ep

Photo by Isha Shah

8/10 Hardcore is the live fast and die young cycle to music. The genre is meant to hit you in the face with its loud chaotic and aggressive tone, and with that attitude, Mindset have called it a day, but just in time for a short three-tracked EP titled, Nothing Less. While the Baltimore four piece- including members of Turnstile, Angel Du$t and Praise, have let out one final raging record in celebration of their farewell tour.

slay there way in, as things take a full prancing spin.

Following Leave No Doubt’s straight edge fuelled psyche, the title track off the EP makes a menacing start, with shredded guitar strums that break into a faster paced beat, laying the ground matt for a preface mosh. Filled with thicker rage content, the track diverts into a ganged outbreak of utterances. Grooves

Compressing three short tracks into a final EP is always going to be a hard thing, and when it comes to hardcore and all your songs are less than three minutes, picking the ultimate trio is crucial. Mindset however say a final goodbye, with straight up raging beaming vibes.

‘We’re Right’ speaks in short sharp words, as Evan Wivell’s vocals are power lifted to a snappy close. Cutting down the length of anguish, ‘Effigy’ finishes the EP with racing riffs and a muddle of vocals. Allowing room for one final silly dance, Wivell’s voice is pelted out in a spitting manor, while the track exits abruptly.

Words by Isha Shah

singles The summer war Cult of you

8/10

Architects a match made in heaven Metalcore five-piece Architects are back with ‘A Match Made In Heaven’, the first single to be released from their album All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, due for release in May this year. While it’s very similar sounding to tracks off previous album, Lost Together // Lost Forever, there seems to be more angst, more passion and even heavier guitars. The Brighton group usually focus on lyrical themes related to environmental and political issues, with this track targeting themes of war and civilian deaths. Vocalist Sam Carter’s emotive, passionate and angsty delivery of these lyrics paired with the hard-hitting drums and heavy guitars, seem to indicate that bands sound is moving into a heavier direction. ‘A Match Made In Heaven’ proves that British metalcore is very much alive and you can be certain that Architects new album will be one to look out for in 2016. Words by Chloe Rose Eaton

the amazons stay with me

There’s a beautifully raw vocal quality present almost instantly in The Summer War’s new EP Cult Of You, with opening track ‘Walk With Kings’ offering a fulfilling juxtaposition of soft drums and a sound combination of vocals. Slow building; the track grows into something embodying strength, coupled with a memorable and powerful chorus – a perfect opening to the release. ‘When The Moon Said Goodbye To The Sun’ follows a similar path to it’s predecessor track, laced with faint notes of 30 Seconds To Mars, with coarser vocals, an amalgamation that works effectively. As momentum peaks at around three minutes, the hints of 30STM are replaced by that of a very subtle Bring Me The Horizon. Pacing through ‘The Garden’ and ‘Novemberish’, The Summer War’s own style becomes increasingly apparent. The first maintains the

pace of the EP, before the arrival of the strikingly delicate latter reduces the drive to something soft and echoing; at only two minutes long I only wish this gem of a track was longer. This takes nothing from however, the arrival of the EPs powerful conclusion ‘On A Cross’, which is fast paced and well constructed. A definite highlight, the track’s repetitive chorus is nothing short of infectious, staying lodged in my head long after the EPs completion. The Manchester three-piece deliver a noticeable step up from previous release Keep Up We’re Moving On, and more importantly, a collection of tracks that are simply enjoyable to listen to. The band are going on tour in April in support of Cult Of You, and I’d absolutely recommend checking them out after hearing what they have to offer. Words by Adrianne Goron

The first single since their near-faultless EP Don’t You Wanna, The Amazons prove with ‘Stay With Me’, the rapidly mounting talent they display with every new release. Their strong individual style both musically and vocally is increasing present and refined, as well as managing to encompass elements of The Vaccines, and particularly in the track’s opening, The Pigeon Detectives. It is so easy to forget how early the Reading four-piece are into their career when they consistently deliver such incredible music. ‘Stay With Me’ is an effortless display of undeniable vocal capacity, matched with truly infectious riffs. I hope this is only the first of much to come from the band in the near future Words by Adrianne Goron

gorgeous war in my room Whilst most might recognise Joel Kanitz as the vocalist of the now disbanded pop-rockers This Century, the Arizonian has ventured out onto a solo career with his new project, Gorgeous War. As a debut release, ‘In My Room’ showcases Kanitz’s talents in other genres far from the typical rocky vibes in This Century whilst enhancing his gentle, soft voice against a poppier dance track. Though previous fans may not be enjoy it, Kanitz sounds comfortable against the newer sound and lyrically, there’s little change from his previous endeavours as he remains eloquent and catchy. It’s certainly a drastic change but one that Kanitz may find success with in the mainstream charts; ‘In My Room’ is just a little taster of more exciting things to come. Words by Harriet Stanley

munice girls from caplan to belsize

middle distance

losing colour ep

8/10

Pop punk in recent years has become quite a regimented genre. Bouncy riffs consisting of power chords fill the tracks with very little room for anything different. This is where Exeter based threepiece Munice Girls enter the picture with their debut album, From Caplan to Belsize. Not only drawing influences from punk legends such as The Ramones (who the trio covered in their split album last year), Muncie Girls are seemingly inspired by a whole range of other genres including grunge and indie rock which is evident throughout the album. Throughout From Caplan to Belsize the lyrics spell out a story of a modern day young adult with songs that are incredibly selfaware and relatable. By combining a 90s punk vibe alongside modernised lyrics, Muncie Girls create an authentic soundtrack for any 20-something year old

Photo by Isha Shah

in the UK. Full of rich guitar tones and quick drumbeats, Muncie Girls have produced an album that easily translates whilst listening to the vinyl in a dimly lit room, as well as having the potential to draw in large crowds at the likes of Download and Reading festivals. The bands currently at the head of the pop punk table have formulated a specific way that the genre should sound. Muncie Girls take this notion of pop punk and strip it back to its roots: a handful of lighthearted pop, and a heap of punk-rock attitude, topped with a light sprinkling of angst. Words By Charlie Hill

With their very first EP, the bittersweet rock band, Middle Distance are making bold tracks within the unsigned musicians. Opening track ‘Blossom’ puts us all under false pretences, with softly paced vocals that slowly seep into a chorus, adding layers of sweet guitar strums. First impressions deceive us, as the song floats every so delicately, that we don’t even see it grow. Met with an empowering loop chord progression, the track hits you fresh in the face, with an even beautifully melody. Patrick Lewin’s rugged vocals shine through, reaching a final outbreak. Sharp vocal features which relate closely to Charlie Simpson’s, become strongly apparent in the title track, ‘Losing Colour. Hit with an intro that resembles many of Moose Blood’s own. Predetermined to be a strong track from the EP, Middle Distance proves us right, with Lewin’s lyrical utterances being the highlight of the song as it dominates the light swaying music. The four collections of songs capture Middle Distance’s perfect

balance of the UK’s alternative scene. The band has clearly trademarked their hometown within their music, as it gives listeners a sturdy impression of where they were birthed. The four young members hide their youth with complex and gifted lyrics, something that most aspiring bands, seem to leave out. ‘English Rooftop (Part 2)’ sets a comparable tone, to the opening track. This little touch allows the EP to exit gently, drawing a close to the bands short expression. Soon to join the hurdle of artists, now appearing on some of the UK’s biggest stages such as, Big Sixes, The Xcerts and Fatherson, Middle Distance are the next ones to watch. Words by Isha Shah

the alchemy modern age ep

8/10 Canterbury’s The Alchemy are already off to a great start as they have gained attention from BBC Introducing. The title track from debut EP Modern Age was picked up within 24 hours of upload. ‘Modern Age’ is a straight up pop-rock song that would sit comfortably in the mainstream charts. The Alchemy have succeeded in producing a track that makes alternative rock accessible to the mainstream, with the use of a repeated melody that will get stuck in your head. Opener ‘Save Me From Myself’ could easily be mistaken for a

Youmeatsix track, with vocalist Rhys Taylor’s Josh Franceschiesque vocals, combined with pounding drums and catchy riffs. Whereas, ‘Heartstrings’ is similar to Young Guns; mixing soaring vocals, heartfelt lyrics with synth elements. ‘Blackhole Passenger’ gives Taylor a chance to showcase his spine tingling vocals. It’s the type of song that is built for stadiums and arenas. After hearing Modern Age, it would not be surprising to see the band progress to those venues in a few years. The four-piece have managed to fuse together

powerful drums, energetic guitars with a dash of synths to producecontemporary, alternative

rock. Words by Chloe Rose Eaton

SUNBATHER TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER

6/10

Sunbather have blasted into the scene with their debut EP, Tomorrow Will Be Better, bringing you their melancholy sound Corby. This emo three-piece have small hints of Basement’s “Songs About The Weather” era, as well as Daylight/Superheaven’s “Dispirit” era. With a perfectly blended sound like this, they put forward four dynamically varied songs to help you cry easier during those evenings in and alone. The vocal delivery, dreary and haunting,

with instances of background screams to show the intensity of the music. The lyrics, although not too deep, are enough to perfectly compliment the beautiful instrumentation delivered by the guitars and bass, with power and intensity matched by the drums. However, the dreariness of the vocals tends to become repetitive and predictable, leading to a lack of development in vocal delivery. At times, a surprising scream or two may be heard. This lack of

development is a massive contrast to the dynamic delivery of the instrumentation, which tends to intensify throughout the songs. This band seems to have also taken a safe route by sticking to a normal verse/chorus progression, which adds further to the predictability of the music. This may be okay in many cases, however, with an overall predictability, some change may be a breath of fresh air. Despite all this, the basslines, which are sadly hidden under

textures of guitars and drums, seem gorgeous and complex. The guitar riffs, introducing the emotion at the beginning of every song, also do a great job of showing Sunbather’s musical genius. Expect some fantastic work from this band further down the line. Sunbather are a band which will develop and deliver many emo classics in the future. And with that, we are done(bather). Words by Soroush Fereydoni

Live

s o t o h p in

enter shi

+ the wonder years

bic, bour

Photos by Isha Shah

ikari

s + the king blues

rnemouth - 22.2.16

Live

s o t o h p in

enter shikari + the wonder years + the king blues bic , bournemouth - 22.2.16

Photos by Isha Shah

Live The night opens with three-piece guitarshredding, head-banging Blaenavon. They encourage audience to “take a dip in the moonlight or drink iced tea tonight”. The frontman manages to break three guitar strings in the process. They are followed by psychedelic 80s inspired rock band, Beach Baby. With two EP’s in the bag and an album on the way later this year, indie twentysomething’s Sundara Karma already have a dedicated following. The Reading quartet have toured with Wolf Alice, The Wombats and even supported Bring Me The Horizon, but tonight they headline the newly moved Talking Heads. Tonight’s show has “a lot to live up to” remarks frontman Oscar Pollock; Bristol’s show saw crowd surfing, equipment getting broke and people getting up on stage. However, the small crowd of teens that accommodate the two-hundred and sixty cap venue in Southampton are rowdier and drunker by the minute. Spotlights appear and atmospheric music builds before the young band come on stage and radiate a vibe that can only be described as cool. They open with their new single ‘A Young Understanding’, a track which they released the new video for today. The new single features a catchy hook with harmonised vocals and displays Oscar Lulu’s slight vocal wail. The band plays more familiar tracks from their EPs I and II, including ‘Run Away’ which has a grungy dreamlike tone with an exploding chorus. ‘Freshbloom’ shows that the band are not dismissive in the slightest as they respectfully restart the song as a girl becomes injured in the midst of the feral crowd. Unarguably catchiest hit ‘Flame’ is a definite crowd pleaser which hints at a Prides sound, however the crowd is not as mental as expected for this hit. The band play songs off new album including track ‘Olympia’; “we really hope you like it”, says Lulu, and as wanted, it received a positive response from the crowd, along with new tracks ‘Lose The Feeling’ and ‘She Said’. For a band that’s name literally means ‘beautiful action’, a Sundara Karma concert is far from lacking in action, and active crowd involvement. This is particularly the case during the encore. ‘Loveblood’ with its euphoric energy sends the crowd into a crazy hysteria, as they crowd surf and clamber up onto the sweaty stage. Words by Rosalyn Boder

sundara karma talking heads, southampton 25.2.16 8/10

Photo by Isha Shah

Live

s o t o h p in

muskets

Rain

simmer

sadtastic simmer + muskets + dearist + rain the old blue last - 27.2.16

simmer dearist

dearist

Photos by Chiara Ceccaioni

Live

mindset sheffield broomhall centre 14.2.16 - 10/10 What better way to spend your valentines evening, than with Baltimore’s Mindset. With their last and only UK appearance in Sheffield’s Broomhall, the five-piece makes their energetic way to the floor stage that stretches across the room. Topping Insist’s packed set, the crowd huddle together for one final outlet of chaos to their beloved band. Their full length Leave No Doubt, gets its fair share of live play, as bodies silly walk across the stage. Debuting the title track, almost begs for the latter end of the room to join the band on stage, for a full track sing along. This is exactly what happens at a Mindset show, every person is involved whether they like it or not. With such a short set, the crowd waste no time in making full use of stage dives, as the pile up becomes cluttered, while vocalist Evan Wivell clears the stage. “Build and army and surround yourself with good people, you can do it, you can pull through,” Wivell shouts, pointing to every single head in the room. “If you’re feeling alone just look around you, you are not alone!” Finishing off his brief pause, ‘War’ kicks in, awakening everyone’s minds. Packing a punch with ‘Thrive’, fists are swung in the air, as gang vocals are demanded from the crowd who jump for the microphone, surrounding Wivell while doing so. The great thing about hardcore shows is, regardless it being their first or last, the kids who pick up a ticket and attend, always give it their all. You are just one soul in a room packed with likeminded people, who don’t even care what shirt you are wearing, or how your hair is parted, let alone your age, gender and race. Debuting a few new tracks, released of their final EP, Nothing Less, ‘We’re Right’ still gathers the attention of X painted hands, aggressively moving in the air. As each song seems to last for just enough time to catch your breath, another fast one begins, amplifying the bands positive energy. ‘Enough’ pulls the entire vegan loving faces of the Broomhall Centre, as Wivell declares the bands ethos in a few words, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” There is no better way to end their last ever UK show than with a packed room of sweaty screaming voices, as this is exactly how the show went down. Words by Isha Shah

Photos by Isha Shah

Live

s o t o h p in

creeper marr bar, worchester - 29.3.16

Photos by Carly Tyrell

Live

s o t o h p in higher power

splitknuckle

knuckledust

renounced

the flex

knuckledust all dayer Sheffield corp - 13.2.16

x repentance x

rough justice

venom prison

grove streetfamilies

Photos by Jonathan Bell and Isha Shah

Live

s o t o h p in

modern baseba

+ solemn sun + sorority

electric ballroom, lond 25.2.16

solemn sun

n all

y noise

don

sorority noise

Photos by Ant Adams

Live Where better to end Weatherstate and Wallflower’s UK tour than at a house show in Southampton? Hosted by local friends, Above The Waves Promotions, this is a celebratory night in an intimate living room packed with mates. Joining the two bands for the final show on this run is Faux’s vocalist, Lee Male. Starting the night off with a chilled and relaxed introduction, Male strums sweet acoustic rhythms as his vocals sit softly alongside the delicate melodies. Calling for a special Brand New cover, Male shouts to the crowd for a member of the audience to join him for a duet of ‘Quiet Things’. Wallflower’s own Vinicius MoreiraYeoell takes this opportunity to show off his great lyrical memory as he attempts to sing the lyrics back to Male. What started out to be a chilled solo set transforms into a room filled with people uniting to shout back the lyrics that Vinni delivers and despite some utter confusion, cackles of laughter close the first set of the night. The covers aren’t over yet, as ‘Bleed American’ by Jimmy Eat World blasts unexpectedly from Wallflower and the audience turn their attention to the latter end of the room. What better way to start a set than to immerse the crowd into screaming back lyrics to a song we all dearly love? With such little space for the five young members to move around in, they do a great job of flowing with the striking music they produce. Playing house shows is all about the fun and the vibe, two crucial things which were beamingly apparent as Wallflower slay their way through their set, also debuting a new track that gets the crowd just as hooked as their banger ‘Inside Out’. Here lies a band that can still make you feel emotionally driven, even in a venue that’s not tailored to their musical ability. Wallflower continue to amaze the faces of the crowd right until the very end. Headliners Weatherstate bang out new favourites from their recent EP Dumbstruck, to a crowd who are more than familiar with their lyrics. Instantly, they are met with waving hands and energetic bodies jumping around to their uplifting music. Having barely reached their second track, people are attempting to crowd surf, only to be hit by the low ceiling before getting back up in the air for a second attempt. ‘Stuck In A Hole’ grabs the vocal chords of the sweaty packed room, as the band heat things up by welcoming both Ryan Hyslop and Dan Bostock from Trash Boat to guest feature in a song. It was only a matter of time until another cover was set to play. Now joined by Sam Woolley and Vinni of Wallflower, Green Day’s ‘Burnout‘ draws yet more attention to the bands set. Filling the room with a constant stream of gang vocals and happy faces, Weatherstate are the perfect band to headline a house show, showing off their addictively punky attitude which the crowd undoubtedly endorses. Words by Isha Shah

weatherstate + wallflower House show, southampton 20.2.16 - 10/10

wallflower

Photos by Isha Shah

Live

s o t o h p in

the front bottoms + kevin devine and the goddamn band WR, portsmouth - 14.2.16

Photos by Elliott Mcrae

Live

s o t o h p in

fickle friends + clean cut kid + f.o.x colchester art centre - 21.2.16

Photos by Tia Cousins

Live

s o t o h p in middle distance

middle distance

big sixes + middle distance

diy space, london - 26.2.

.16

Photos by Derrick Wess

Live

keaton henson roundhouse, london - 4.2.16 - 10/10 For those who aren’t familiar with Keaton Henson, he is an English folk singer and poet, who recently announced a date in London Roundhouse, one of only a handful of shows he has done anywhere (whereas he usually plays exhibitions, even train stations – events of that nature). Another huge factor to add is that he is an anxiety-filled man. He is very private about his poetry/lyrics, he has barely been interviewed and he is known to have severe stage fright. So as you can imagine, the rarity of tonight is immense, creating such an atmosphere that is unfamiliar, yet irreplaceable. Henson, accompanied by a string quintet, enters the stage to a huge applause and opens with an instrumental song in ‘Elevator Song’. As soon as this song starts, they have the crowd’s complete and utter attention. Everyone in the sold out room is now solely focused on Henson – as if a trance has taken over the entire audience. Next they move on to two songs from Birthdays in ‘Sweetheart, What Have You Done To Us’ and ‘You’ – with both being vocal pieces. During these songs his fragility and nervousness are clear; he cuts his words short as if he is trying his hardest to conceal his lyrics, as well as de-emphasising certain lines that in the album versions, are accentuated. However, despite this being heartbreaking to witness, it does seem that the positive reactions of the crowd during songs (in the form of severe attention) and between (heavy, deserving applause), is having an impact. You get the impression that he is becoming more comfortable with facing the crowd, with little interactions with the audience being more important here than the usual gig. As the set proceeds, three new previously unheard songs taken from a new album he has been ‘‘quietly working on for the past couple years’’ are played. Mixing between instrumentally heavy, and more vocal-based songs, his creative song writing ability is projected in a very visible way. It appears that he enjoys these songs more so than others – presumably because with new songs comes new meanings behind them. As the night ends, there is an encore of ’10am, Gare du Nord’ and a truly exceptional cover of ‘Hallelujah’. This has been a true showcase of professionalism, art, poetry and undoubtedly sheer talent to an extreme degree. If you are looking for an artist who is slower, more meaningful and with an exceptional voice, then Keaton Henson is definitely worth looking in to. It’s not an easy feat to make other similar singers seem juvenile, but it has happened tonight, in the most creative and moving way. Words by Reece Weatherley

Photo: Facebook: Keaton Henson