Dork, April 2018 by Dork

THIS MONTH...

EDITOR’S LETTER HIYA!

“THIS ALBUM’S A BURGER” P26 HINDS

“WE WANTED TO BE A BIT MORE HONEST AND OPEN UP” P44 SUNFLOWER BEAN

“THIS BAND IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS” P20 FICKLE FRIENDS

“FUCK I’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A DECADE NOW!” P38 KATE NASH

“IT WAS SAFELY THE BEST GIG WE’VE EVER DONE” P54 SEA GIRLS

“YOU GET THIS SENSE OF MILD-CELEBRITY...” P4 GEORGE EZRA

“SOMETIMES I’M LIKE, ‘WHAT AM I DOING?’”

“I FEEL LIKE I’VE BEEN PREGNANT FOR FIVE YEARS”

P14 NILUFER YANYA

P16 FENNE LILLY

CONTENTS

“RAGE IS ALWAYS A PART OF ME” P8 BLACK FOXXES

“JUST GOOD VIBES. THAT’S WHAT THE MESSAGE IS” P40 THE MAGIC GANG

P4 UPDATE P12 BANGERS P14 HYPE P20 FEATURES P46 REVIEWS P51 GET OUT P54 DORK LIVE! P62 ANY OTHER QUESTIONS

EVERYONE LOVES A BANGER. No, not the ones you eat. The ones you listen to. The prime currency of all mind-blowingly, exciting music. While the guy in the cardigan - probably trying to impress you about how deep and sensitive he really is - might want to go on about those snoozy acts with their ‘challenging’ sound, we know better. The real fun is to be had when it all goes off. And, Dear Reader, Fickle Friends know how to make it all go off. Their road to their first Dork cover has been long, but it’s also been littered with the kind of songs that set pulses raising, arms aloft, and klaxons honking. Now they’re finally dropping their debut album, and it’s absolutely bloody glorious. They’re not the only long term band crush delivering their first full-length this month, though. The Magic Gang are coming of age with the kind of timeless classic we’ve long been hoping for. Add to that second efforts from our mate George Ezra, the madcap Hinds and the impossibly ace Sunflower Bean, and we’re in for a treat. We’re also bringing you something new this issue. Flick towards the back of the mag, and you’ll find our new live section, ‘Get Out’. It’s packed with the latest live reviews, news, festival updates and gig listings, so you never need miss your favourite bands passing through your hometown again. Aren’t we great? STEPHEN ACKROYD Editor / @stephenackroyd

DORK

Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden Associate Editor Ali Shutler Contributing Editors Jamie Muir, Martyn Young Events Liam James Ward Additional Design: Martin Crandon Scribblers Alex Bradley, Alex Thorp, Alice Mortimer, Ben Jolley, Cal Cashin, Chris Taylor, Dillon Eastoe, Jack Press, Jake Hawkes, Jasleen Dhindsa, Jenessa Williams, Jessica Goodman, Josh Williams, Lily Beckett, Rob Mair, Rob Mesure, Sam Taylor, Steven Loftin Snappers Hollie Fernando, Molly Daniel, Neelam Khan Vela, Roger Deckker, Sarah Louise Bennett, Patrick Gunning, Phil Smithies, Poppy Marriott, Warwick Baker Doodlers Russell Taysom P U B L I S H E D F RO M

THE BUNKER

W E LCO M E TOT H E B U N K E R.CO M

P O B OX 390, H A S T I N G S, T N34 9J P

All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. DOWN WITH BORING

UPDATE IF IT’S NOT IN HERE, IT’S NOT HAPPENING. OR WE FORGOT ABOUT IT. ONE OR THE OTHER.

LOVE IS DEAD CHVRCHES HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR THIRD ALBUM, AND THEY’VE BROUGHT A MATE ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

After a bit of teasing, in the form of last month’s banger ‘Get Out’, the Scottish trio have finally let us in on the follow up to 2015’s ‘Every Open Eye’. Titled ‘Love Is Dead’, the full-length is set to ’drop’ on 25th May, and sees the band teaming up with ‘outside influences’ rather than take their usual self-produced route. That means nine tracks working with 2017 and 2018 GRAMMY Producer of the Year Greg Kurstin - who basically has worked on 72.3% of all big pop projects over recent years (think Adele, Sia and, erm, Liam Gallagher) - and one with BRIT Award Producer of the Year 2018 Steve Mac. Speaking about the album, the band’s Iain Cook explains: “We’re fucked, the world is fucked. But there’s an ellipses at the end. It’s Love Is Dead. Like, how did we get to this point? And how do we move on from this point? It’s Love Is Dead, we’re fucked, what’s next?” One of the songs Chvrches self-produced - new single ‘My Enemy’ - also has some help, in the form of The National’s Matt Berninger. “We’ve all been huge fans of The National for a long time,” says Lauren Mayberry. “We had played a few festivals together but really got to know Matt when we were involved in 7 Inches For Planned Parenthood, a fundraising and awareness campaign that he spearheaded. It’s really inspiring and reassuring to meet other artists you admire and realise that they are trying to do some good in the world. We kept in touch after that and, when it came time to record My Enemy, Iain and Martin suggested I email Matt to see if he’d like to sing on it. We never realistically thought he’d have time to do it but he replied right away and recorded the track at his house the next day.” P

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STOP PRESS! (and also moustaches)

a e dreamy Declan McKenn Why - WHY - does our mat le used to Bea Ian one the like have a moustache ironic? Is his lip cold? have on Eatenders? Is it

PRETTY SHINY PERSON T H E TO P STO RY

T H E N I C E S T G U Y I N P O P ( A N D F O R M E R D O R K C O V E R S TA R , N O L E S S ) , I T ’ S T I M E F O R O U R PA L G E O R G E E Z R A T O D R O P H I S B R A N D N E W A L B U M . H U R R AY ! WO RDS: JA M I E M U I R. PH OTOS: PH I L SM ITH I ES.

“N

ow right here,” pouts George Ezra, putting on a distinctive Louisiana drawl. “It’s insaaaaaneeee!” Nope, this isn’t a shocking new twist on the next chapter of his already humongous career, but the result of George spending the previous weekend wrapped in S-Town, the revered podcast that took the world by storm. It’s indicative of George Ezra in 2018, a man who can balance the staggering heights of stardom that surround him with the ability to take a moment, poke your head out of the whirlwind and soak in simply being alive. “You know what, it’s just so nice to be busy again,” explains George, a glint in his eye now that he’s back on the trail and gearing up for a blooming massive year. “It’s shit when you can’t contribute in some way, y’know? It feels nice that I’m doing my thing again. Someone said to me the other day, I was doing some promo in Germany, and this dude said, ‘You’re always happy. Whenever I see you, you’re always happy.’ And I was like, mate… I’m in Germany talking about music. It’s brilliant!” For the huge stages and millions singing along to his words across ‘Wanted On

THIS IS HAPPENING THE LATEST NEWS. ISH.

G ET M O RE AS I T H A P P E N S AT RE A D D O RK .C O M .

Voyage’, its following years have been a journey of discovery for George, coming down from a schedule of continuous touring, commitments and appearances, selling more records than most of the acts laid out in these pages combined. What came next though, was a myriad of different moments that shaped where he sits today. “My biggest fear on the first record was what effect it was going to have on my personal life,” notes George, reflecting on how he felt as things truly kicked off. “When you’re building up through a record and what comes with it, you get this sense of mild-celebrity almost, but you’re never in the same place long enough for it to affect you, and then you’re not home either. “That’s what I was most worried about, and it was fine. The fact of the matter is, you’re not a criminal,” he laughs. “Nobody’s going to pull you aside and say, ‘Hey, what the fuck are you doing?’ They’re either going to say I love what you do, they’re not gonna have a clue who you are, or they’re gonna know who you are and won’t come up to you because they don’t like what you do - I had nothing to worry about, really.” Coming off the road did have its effects

though. Suddenly with a blank diary for the first time in two and bit years, adjusting to the real world again was a challenge. For the first time in his life, George sensed a feeling of anxiety, even if he didn’t know exactly how to describe it. “I was extremely fortunate in the sense that my experience with it, I detected it quite early on and was aware of it. That combination of not having commitments anymore, or a reason, and just different things going on around me like all of us in the world. I thought I don’t know what this is, why I feel the way I do - part of me is probably decompressing from coming off tour and putting that first record to bed, but there was definitely something more to it than that.” It’s a moment that feels encapsulated in a track like ‘Get Away’, a glistening number that sits pride of place on new album ‘Staying At Tamara’s’. ‘It’s never been this way before / shut down by anxiety / it’s never been this way before / you better get away’ it rolls, and it’s exactly what George did. Decamping to Barcelona was a vital move, and a decision that not only shaped the album to come but the next step in George’s life.

MUNA HAVE A NEW EP OUT, SORT OF

HAIM ARE ON A NEW TWIN SHADOW TRACK

It’s called ‘Saturday’ and you can stream it now on readdork.com. It’s from Twin Shadow’s new album ‘Caer’ (pronounced kaair), that’s out on 27th April.

“It was really important that I did that. The good thing about spending time on your own and taking yourself out of your comfort zone is that you force yourself to think in a way you wouldn’t normally think. You slow down, so I was having adventures still, but going slowly. When you’re around the people you know and love, you actually can feel less present because you’re so comfortable. When you’re surrounded by people that are new to you and new sounds, even silly things like currency and language and climate - it helps you to be a bit more aware of what you’re doing, and that really helped me,” George explains. Scribbling notes down onto paper that pulled together lyrics, observations, drawings and more - “It’s part teenage diary, part sixth form poetry, part song names, both fiction and real accounts - if anyone read it, it’d be embarrassing.” - he made an active choice to live those words, taking himself into new terrain and leading him to the front door of a woman named Tamara. “On the first record, I would write and stay at promoter’s houses or at a student’s house after I’d play, but I’d never done it properly,” recalls George, “and there was a lot less need for me to do it this time. I

Yep, it’s really a year since Muna released their brilliant album ‘About U’, and they’re celebrating in style. Not with a flashy party and a big cake (well, not that we know of - Ed), but with a new EP ‘One Year On’, featuring ‘acoustic’ takes on three of the songs from the record.

SPECTOR FIBBED, BUT IT’S ALL OKAY NOW

Remember that Spector EP we told you about at the start of the year?. The one that was supposed to be out back in January? Well, it wasn’t. It wasn’t out in February, either. It is out now though, dropping back on 9th March. There are some tour dates, too. We’re sure Spector are very, very sorry. DOWN WITH BORING

“IT FEELS NICE THAT I’M DOING MY THING AGAIN” could have started in a hotel or an apartment, but my thinking was… well, my thinking was, fuck it! If it’s crazy in a bad way, I can leave, but there’s also the element of it being amazing. Even if they just live normal lives and are able to point me in the right direction for where’s good to eat and where’s not, that’s a nice touch.” It was much better than that. “There was vinyl everywhere, and her friends were musicians, artists and designers, were in fashion and were around a lot. I don’t know what it is, but it’s a different pace of life there, and it did me a world of good. They’d go out a lot and work Monday to Friday so I’d usually get involved in the red wine before they left,” cracks George, “but I was reading a lot, walking around day and night and I dunno - you feel safe there.” Gazing into the positives of the world and finding joy in switching off from the world, it’s a feeling that rings through the entire album. Looking at life in 2018 from a completely different perspective, ‘Staying At Tamara’s’ feeds off those wonderful moments - finding new love, learning to embrace yourself and dreaming of more. It’s a confident and beefed up step from George that takes the earnest tales of his debut and lights a fuse for an ever bigger firework display. Optimism reigns supreme, whether it’s the collective happiness of ‘Pretty Shining People’, the carefree swagger of ‘Don’t Matter Now’, surf-pop vibrations that ring off ‘All My Love’ or the pep-talk hope of ‘Only A Human’ - it’s a record all about putting faith back in the person standing next to you. A statement that George must have set out from the start to deliver, right? An instantly recognisable giggle emerges. “I think, I didn’t have a clue, really,” he cracks. “What I did know is that I enjoyed playing in front of people - whereas writing the first one I didn’t really know how it felt to stand on a main stage and have people sing along, whereas this time I was like, ‘That feels fucking great’ and I want that. The shared energy when there are thousands in a field

THIS IS HAPPENING THE LATEST NEWS. ISH.

G ET M O RE AS I T H A P P E N S AT RE A D D O RK .C O M .

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singing along. If you’re in this game of pop music, then there needs to be, or it appeals to me, to have this element of camaraderie - let’s join in and sing together.” Having a ball in the studio, combining his vital trip to Barcelona via stops in Norfolk, Cornwall and the Cotswolds, it’s an album that sounds like it was made from a bunch of mates gathered in one space. “With the first album, I was obsessed with really synthetic noises,” points out George. “Like, even with ‘Budapest’, we really fucked around with the bass and then on ‘Did You Hear The Rain’ we ended up with a didgeridoo loop on it - it was that moment of being let loose in the studio for the first time and being like, fuck it, we can do anything. This time, after playing for two years with a band, I was kinda really keen to get more acoustic or traditional instruments on the album. There’s still the wonky sounds; I think I’ll always love that, but toned down a little bit.” From start to finish, ‘Staying At Tamara’s’ is a record that knows what it wants to achieve: for you to grab your friends, grab strangers and pull them close, making you sing along even if it’s your first listen. Take ‘Hold My Girl’, a track that feels destined to be played over and over at weddings and stuck on repeat on radios all over the world - it’s a warm and welcoming feel that George has taken from his trips across the globe. Stepping out from your comfort zone and allowing yourself to try something new is a philosophy George is passionate about. “I can’t recommend it enough for people,” he implores. “I’m as bad as everyone else. You need time and to be able to put money aside for it, but it’s an amazing thing to do.”

what the world can throw at you yet with the brimming hunger to do more - George Ezra’s next step is already glistening with unfiltered fun. “All of us function so much better when we have a purpose, no matter what that is,” he notes. “I know what to expect now, whereas on the first album there were times when you feel a bit like a deer in the headlights, but I don’t get it when bands and musicians are all grumpy, I’m like… you’re touring the world, man! “Yeah, you miss your family, and you miss life events sometimes - I’ve missed weddings and funerals and everything in-between, but it’s not for any other reason. I love it. There’s a balance to be had, but it’s amazing.” Sometimes, we don’t need to be rallying against the world - but celebrating its sheer beauty. George Ezra is, making sure to poke his head out into the breeze to savour its wondrous positives and hilarious absurdities. Because of it, things are only set to get bigger. “Mate!” he exclaims, as the topic of travelling around the country continues and the inevitable discussion on coach travel rises. “There’s one that stops off in Bristol - if you book it at the right time it costs like eight quid; it’s insane. That doesn’t even cover the cost of petrol, does it? I don’t know how they’re running that racket, must be a cover-up of sorts!” as that infectious giggle returns. We’re keeping an eye out, George is keeping an eye out - Paradise can be all manner of things. P George Ezra’s album ‘Staying At Tamara’s’ is out 23rd March.

With experience now in his pocket, aware of

POD FUTURE

...AND ACTUALLY, WE’VE GOT A HOLY TRIFECTOR OF AWESOME IN ACTION AT ONCE! See, we’ve been doing the maths, and, if we’re right, we’re about to have The 1975 in full action at the same point in time as the mighty CHVRCHES and the equally mind-spaffingly awesome Years & Years. Three vital, important bands, all with things to say and bangers to drop, occupying the same space at the same time. Gives us goosebumps, that does.

Seriously, Dear Reader. If not, mag down, streaming service open, and search for ‘Make Me Feel’. You’re absolutely not ready for this funk, but you’re going to get it anyway, you lucky blighters.

AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!

“It’s almost a label I’ve given everything outside my record,” George explains. “Whether that’s charities, the podcast - there’s something else I’m looking into as well, but I really love the idea of that being my thing and label for outside of music. I can’t believe the reaction the podcast has got. With everything else, I do I have a gauge of what different outcomes mean, but with the podcast, I haven’t got a clue! I know I enjoy podcasts, but I have no idea how many other people do!”

To celebrate their recent tour, Everything Everything dropped a new EP. Singer Jonathan Higgs explains: “After reading some statistics on male suicide we felt inspired to write a new song dealing with male identity and depression; ‘The Mariana’. We also wanted to release a song called ‘Breadwinner’, which we recorded with James Ford a year ago.”

Oh God. Oh blimey. This is the big one. We already know so much about the third album from The 1975. We’ve got the title, obviously - ‘Music For Cars’. We’ve got a few track names. We’ve had two new haircuts in two months. But at the same time, we know so little about the third part of the band’s eradefining trilogy of albums. We think it’s gonna drop on Friday, 1st June - which means as we head towards April we’re surely getting close to some sort of announcement - and maybe even a first track too? Or maybe they’ll hold it all back for a huge reveal on the big day. Honestly, Dear Reader, we don’t have a bloody clue. If someone would like to fill us in before we pop, that would be lovely.

HAVE YOU HEARD THAT NEW JANELLE MONAE BANGER?

Not only spending his time working on a new album, the past 18 months has seen our mate Geoff get involved in loads of different things under the banner George Ezra & Friends. From working with mental health charity MIND, to the launch of a new (and chart-topping) podcast featuring the likes of Ed Sheeran, Royal Blood, London Grammar and more, he’s a very talented chap, this one.

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING HAVE RELEASED A NEW EP

IT MUST ALMOST BE TIME FOR THE FIRST SIGNS OF THE 1975’S ‘MUSIC FOR CARS’, RIGHT?

CHARLI XCX IS GOING ON TOUR WITH TAYLOR SWIFT

HRH Queen of All Pop Charli XCX may be the crowned ruler of everything good in our heart eyes emoji, but apparently the world is still catching up, so she’ll be supporting Taylor ‘stadium tour’ Swift this summer, which should be lovely.

You’ve probably already seen this, but if not, you need to. Before the ‘BRIT’ ‘Awards’, Dua Lipa popped in to BBC Radio 1 to ‘lay down’ a ‘session’. A musical one, not just going off on the lash with Grimmy. ANYWAY, our Dua, she didn’t travel alone. Instead, she assembled the Avengers of Awesome Pop - Charli XCX, MØ, Zara Larsson and Alma - to back her up on a killer version of ‘IDGAF’. Then, as you’ll read in a few pages, Alma herself dropped a new mixtape featuring Tove Styrke and Kiiara. And MØ. Because obviously. Then - THEN - because we’re not done, Raye, Mabel and Stefflon Don teamed up for a new track, ‘Cigarette’. Is anyone stupid enough to not thing girl gangs are significantly cooler than smelly bands of pub rock boys anymore? Nah, thought not.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE NEW VAMPIRE WEEKEND ALBUM IS COMING BUT WE’RE BUZZED ANYWAY Ezra. Ezra! Ezra! Ezra! Ezra! EZRA! EZRA! EZRA! E-Z-R-A!!!!!! Put the fucking album out already, yeah?

WITH THEIR NEW ALBUM,

B L AC K FOX X ES

H AV E TA C K L E D T H E I R D E M O N S A N D C O M E OUT SWING ING. “I’M IN A MUCH BETTER

in the box

“W

e’re a really exciting band, and people should take note of that,” laughs Mark Holley, plucking the words out of everyone’s mouths; but then, that’s what Black Foxxes have always done. Debut record ‘I’m Not Well’, with its scrawled confusion and bold confessions, took anger, frustration and loneliness and gave it a voice. Follow-up ‘Reiði’ digs a little deeper. It’s more dynamic, more considered and moves with real purpose. Keys, strings and space litter the record but the band haven’t lost that fire in the pit of their stomach. That rage, it’s there in the title, and it makes itself at home throughout. “I consider [opening track] ‘Breathe’ almost an extension of what ‘I’m Not Well’ was mentally and the lyrics reflect that,” Mark explains. “As the album goes on, it’s me understanding who I am and finding out how I cope with all this. With that first record, I’d never had those feelings of anxiety or depression before. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on. I didn’t want to be there; I didn’t want to write about it. These weird, angsty, bold lyrics we flying out of me.

LOL!

“This time, there’s a lot more measure. There’s a lot more understanding of what’s going on. I’m in a much better place mentally, but I always find myself reflecting and writing lyrics that are super dark. That’s why we’ve called the album ‘rage’. You can balance your mental health out. You can feel a lot better, but it’s always a part of you. I’ve found that rage is always a part of me. “It just seems to come out when I’m writing; I don’t sit down and think about lyrics. They just come out of me. I don’t know what I’m singing about, then I listen back, and it makes a lot of sense. I understand rage. I did understand everything a lot more by the end of this record.”

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H O L L E Y. W O R D S : A L I S H U T L E R . P H O T O S : S A R A H L O U I S E B E N N E T T.

what it is with us and dingy rooms, but we tend to write songs in practice spaces. If they can sound good in a small space, it’s going to sound fucking great on a stage or in a recording studio,” Mark says from another dingy room, today a barn in Cornwall in the middle, writing for album three. “We found with these songs; they had so much space.” It allowed the band to toy with trumpet, strings and keys. “It’s not that it changes the Foxxes sound, it enhances it. It takes a song that sounds great to a different area. That’s something you’ve got to do album to album.”

There’s a lot going on with ‘Reiði’. Their first record was “just loud scuzzy rock,” but this time out the band are far more playful. ‘Oh, It Had To Be You’ is a gentle sparkle-burn, ‘Am I Losing It’ is based around an acoustic guitar, while ‘JOY’ captures the band back in their scout hut rehearsal space, surrounded by walls of feedback and playing like no one is listening.

“You can hear, it’s a lot more ambitious,” he continues. ‘Manic In Me’, a song about how “other people can balance out this rage that’s inside me,” came about after listening to loads of Feeder and Oasis. “I wanted a ‘Buck Rogers’ moment. I think every songwriter does,” while the likes of ‘Flowers’ and ‘The Big Wild’ see Black Foxxes give themselves more options. “This album could fit into so many different worlds. We really tried to evolve and bring in these new elements. The lows are much lower; the highs are much higher. We just tried to make a fun album that doesn’t get too tiring from start to finish.”

“That’s the way we write; it’s just three of us in a scout hut or a dingy room. I don’t know

There’s a confidence to Black Foxxes. More than listening to industry hype or the

I don’t sing or anything now, I just play this drum. Will Joseph Cook (@WillJosephCook) This isn’t strictly what we meant by ‘more bangers please’, Will. Okay I have a feeling I may be a bit late on the band wagon, but jeeez The Beatles were a pretty righteous band. Isaac Gracie (@isaac_gracie) Wait until Isaac hears McFly.

PL AC E ,” E X PL A I N S F RO N T M A N M A RK

Time for a pre-gig shave lol, puberty is such a gas Ten Tonnes (@ten_tonnes) Yes, lad. Learn the lessons of Declan McKenna’s ‘tache (p.4). More bangers, less Beale. I was advised against tweeting this Shame (@shamebanduk) Guys, think we’ve got a new strapline.

promise of the next big thing, it comes from a pure belief in what they’re creating. Truth, honesty and knowing they’re not alone. “Everyone just wants that hit. They want you to be massive overnight. We’ve never been one of those bands. We want to create the best body of work we can, we want to record a shit-ton of albums, and when it happens, it happens. If that’s ‘Reiði’, it doesn’t matter. I’m just really proud of it and think it’ll sit really nicely in the collection of Black Foxxes records.” Black Foxxes are an exciting band, and people should take note. “We’ve got this spark as the three of us. How we write and what we write about, that eventually will take off. There are real moments on this record where people will go ‘Oh fuck, this band really can bounce around genres. They’re not going to be doing one thing. What the fuck is their third album going to be like?’ And that’s what I want this band to be like. I want people to second guess us and not know where they stand with us. We’ll always just do our own thing. We want to make people ask questions, be on their toes and not know what the fuck is going to happen next.” P Black Foxxes’ album ‘Reiði is out 16th March.

Woke up at 4am inspired to make an Arrested Development meme saying ‘Here’s my number, so call me Maeby’. Can’t believe someone got there first. I really felt like this was going to be my moment. Marika Hackman (@MarikaHackman) “Alright, My Chemical Romance. Enough farting around. Time to get back in the studio and make another album. Think of the kids.” Mark Hoppus, Blink-182 (@markhoppus) Co-signed, us.

BILLY BRAGG / KING CREOSOTE / CHARLOTTE HATHERLEY CUD / THE LOVELY EGGS / MARNIE / THE SURFING MAGAZINES THE MEMBRANES / EVIL BLIZZARD / THE MAGIC OF THE BEATLES MUSH / CATTLE & CANE / FIZZY BLOOD / GALAXIANS WIYAALA / DRAHLA / DYLAN CARTLIDGE / SHATNER’S BASSOON GLASS MOUNTAIN / MI MYE / ZOZO / TEAM PICTURE ADORE //REPEL / CAPE CUB / THOMAS RAGSDALE I SET THE SEA ON FIRE / PEANESS / THE FIRE HARVEST TORIA GARBUTT / LAMINATE PET ANIMAL / SIMON WIDDOP COLOUR OF SPRING / ENGINE / THE BOXING / LOUX GENEVIEVE WALSH / MUGEN / BEARFOOT BEWARE / RADIDAS THE GOLDEN AGE OF TV / PRINCE OMARI / THE HARRIETS HOT SOLES / NAPOLEON IIIRD / ONE DAY, AFTER SCHOOL DARK DARK HORSE / KERMES / CRAKE / BROADS / YOI SILVER WILSON / SARENA LEE SATTI / BETH HOLLAND JAMIE THRASIVOULOU / FLOODHOUNDS / KIEREN KING THOMAS & THE EMPTY ORCHESTRA / LAURA TAYLOR THE BLEEDING OBVIOUS / SUX BLOOD / ROSE CONDO MAMILAH / FIG BY FOUR / EMILY JANE / LOZ CAMPBELL LOUIE JAMES / NO FIXED IDENTITY / GEMMA BAKER BEDFORD FALLS / MAYA KALLY / MIGGIE ANGEL RICHARD DANIELS / CHARLIE PADFIELD / THE TIDY WIVES

02/06/2018

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Get A Hobby...

GEOWULF

time

CHARLIE

WE’RE SUPER NOSY, HERE AT DORK. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT BANDS FAVOURITE PANCAKE RECIPES ARE, WHAT THEY WATCH ON TV, WHAT THEY HAVE ON THEIR BEDSIDE TABLE, AND WHAT THEIR HOBBIES ARE.

I F Y O U ’ R E A H A R D C O R E B A S T I L L E F A N Y O U P R O B A B LY

In the second of a new series, Geowulf’s Star Kendrick tells us all about her love for yoga - a hobby that’s good for both the body and soul. Grab a mat, and embrace the urge to downward dog...

SOU N D C H EC KS, H E A LSO F I N DS TI M E TO M A KE M USI C

Hey Star, what drew you to yoga? Are you selftaught? I started doing yoga at a stressful time, and it really helped. I was self-taught initially, but now I’ve been on a few retreats and try to go to classes regularly. Did you find it tough to learn? It’s easy to learn, but it takes a lot of time to be really good at. I’m still working on that. How often do you indulge in your hobby? I used to try to do three-four hours yoga a week. I’ve been a bit slack recently... gotta get back into those kinds of hours again, hey.

Do you have to have a special set up to do it, or can you have a go wherever? I like classes because you don’t get distracted. Obviously, you can do it at home. Doing some sun salutations first thing in the morning will have you feeling goooood. Do you have any favourite styles or positions? Everyone loves a downward dog.

RECOGNISE

C H A R L I E B A R N E S’ F A C E F R O M A L L H I S

T I M E S P E N T O N S TA G E W I T H D A N S M I T H & C O A S P A R T O F TH E I R TOU RI N G BA N D. W E L L, SO M E H OW B ET W E E N A L L T H E S U P E R G L A M T R AV E L L I N G A N D L E S S G L A M OF HIS OWN - AND HIS NEW RECORD’S A GOOD ‘UN. W O R D S : S A M TAY L O R .

Hey Charlie, how’s it going? Hullo, Dork! I’m feeling very fantastic thanks. I hope you’re also feeling really good, Dork. Tell us about your new album, then. What’s ‘Oceanography’ about? Oh, it’s all very ‘woe-is-me’ isn’t it? For the most part, this album’s about the idea of ‘making it’ and success and trying to work out what you want out of it all and feeling unbelievably guilty for being riddled with all of these sorts of thoughts while simultaneously actually doing quite well in terms of a career and all of that. I was struggling a lot with the whole music thing for a while. I was feeling fairly close to just jacking it all in and getting a proper job or whatever. But over the last few years, I feel like I’ve worked a lot of things out. It’s all good. I’ve realised that the fun part of making albums is the making part, and we shouldn’t concern ourselves too much with what comes afterwards. That part is what can really kick your teeth in sometimes. Did you have a good time writing and recording? I get to work with one of my biggest heroes, Steve Durose from Oceansize, so it’s a pretty sweet buzz of a time, aye. Lots of the making of this album was done separately, with me putting down bits and bobs of ideas in dressing rooms and hotels and the suchlike, while Steve was putting it all together and adding loads of his own ideas in his studio room at home. So the bulk of the writing and arranging happened over email, and that meant I’d get a file to listen to now and then where Steve had completely flipped one of the songs on its head or something, and I got to hear his

fully fleshed out idea rather than looking over his shoulder while it was all put together. That was cool. Then we had a period of a month or so towards the end of the last Bastille album campaign where we started booking time together in a studio and a holiday cottage in Wales we like to use for recording guitars, so that meant we got to hang out loads and make some nice grub and whatnot. It was great going into those chunks of time with a solid idea of what we needed to do and what sounds we needed to get down. Meant we got to focus as much on making curry and playing Trivial Pursuit as we did on playing guitars. I’m slightly over-egging it here, obviously… In what ways is it a progression from your last record? The main thing I was keen to do this was time round was to be a bit more streamlined in my writing and make an album that hung together as a whole piece rather than doing too much wild genre-hopping like the last one. That forced me to be a bit more cut-throat than I’d grown used to being, so that felt like a pretty big step for me. I think I was a bit less precious about stuff than last time; I think I’ve been getting better at making decisions that feed the song rather than my ego. Steve’s had a much bigger input on the arrangements and playing this time, he wrote and played loads of the guitar, bass and keyboard parts. There are moments in the album where pretty much the only thing I’m doing is singing, which I’m quite pleased about really. Has your time playing live with Bastille influenced your own sound at all? Big time. Of course it has. It would be

fucking ridiculous of me to try and suggest otherwise. Over the years with Bastille, I’ve been able to see some of the songs go from their early inception to the final result, and therefore I’ve seen how, let’s face it, one of the best songwriters working today, puts it all together. I’ve learned a lot. Seeing how the different parts we’re all playing fit together has shown me that less can be more at times, which is something I’ve always been crap at realising. Also, given that we’ve done so many festivals over the last few years, I’ve seen tonnes of artists I wouldn’t ordinarily find myself listening to, so that’s opened my mind up to a lot of new styles and sounds. It’s been bloody great. What’s the best place you guys have travelled to together? Ooft. That’s a toughie. New York’s a given, right? The tour we did in Eastern Europe and Russia last year was a bit of a mindblower too. However, and I’m pretty sure the guys would agree with me, that the big highlight of our travels over the past few years was white water rafting on a day off in Boise, Idaho. If you wander around Dan’s Twitter feed for a bit, you’ll find the little tour diary video about it. Our excitement is palpable. What was it like having Dan join in for ‘Will & Testament’? Pretty. Fucking. Cool. Right? I hate showing people demos of things, so the guys just knew that I was often beavering away with my headphones on while we were on tour… Eventually, once Steve and I had ‘W&T’ pretty much ready to go, I sent it to Dan, with the suggestion that it might be quite cool for him to add some BVs to it, because, let’s be frank here, my falsetto sounds like a terrifying old lady from a horror movie. I’m not exactly swimming in pop star raspiness like Dan. So, after we’d finished touring, he made sure we got a morning in his (totally glorious) studio in London to get his parts recorded. He even made lunch. It was delicious. What a nice man. You lived in Leeds for a bit, didn’t you? Why did you move away? I sure did. I went to University in Huddersfield, and after graduating pretty much all of my friends and I moved over to Leeds. We moved over at the perfect time too; it was just at the point that all the best places started opening up; Laynes, La Bottega, Friends of Ham, Bundobust… I ate and drank extremely well for someone on café wages during the Leeds years. Eventually, because of the pretty intense touring schedule, my soon-to-be-wife and I decided that it probably wasn’t right for us to be living so far from our families given that I’d barely ever be home, so we returned to the nest in dear old Lichfield. It’s nice to be back. It still has the best sandwich shop on the planet. It must be hard to spend time at home,

What are the main benefits of doing yoga? The meditation aspect is huge for me. Meditation, in general, is pretty huge. The benefit of yoga too is that you start to feel connected with your body, and aware of when things feel right or wrong; you feel stronger physically and mentally. How would you recommend newcomers get into the hobby? Buy a mat, get to a class. Anything else we should know? It’s good for depression, anxiety and existential crises. P Geowulf’s album ‘Great Big Blue’ is out now.

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ALMA HAS DROPPED A NEW MIXTAPE, AND IT’S PACKING SOME ALL-STAR TEAM UP ACTION. Titled ‘Heavy Rules’, Alma’s new six track effort didn’t come with much warning, landing earlier this month having been announced just a few days prior. It’s a bit of a banger, featuring collabs with fellow pop stars MØ, Tove Styrke, and Kiiara. “The ‘Heavy Rules’ mixtape is super important to me,” says Alma. “It’s the most real I’ve ever been lyrically, melodically and more. Thanks for listening, can’t wait to come and play them for you soon.” The release also comes alongside fresh tour dates, including shows in Glasgow, Manchester and London this May. P

“I WAS FAIRLY CLOSE TO JACKING IT ALL IN AND GETTING A PROPER JOB” what with being on the road so much? That’s the hardest part. And the guilt that comes with it. Seeing all of these incredible places and having far more than my fair share of wonderful experiences, but not being able to enjoy them with the person I care about the most. We’re getting better and better at making sure we really value the moments I get to have at home. The last song on the new album is all about that. It’s called ‘The Weather’, and it’s the one weepy piano ballad I allowed myself this time around. How do you find time to work on your own material? Well, on tour you have about half an hour of soundcheck in the afternoon, then a couple of hours around showtime, and besides that, you’re usually completely free. So, certainly, towards the end of the ‘Wild World’ campaign, I started to crack the whip on myself and spend my afternoons getting on with something productive. On our last US tour, I booked myself into local recording studios for three-hour blocks in the afternoons so I could record vocals. That was really good fun actually, and I very much intend to carry on doing stuff like that, it’s a fun way to get to know a different side of a city. Between those studios and sitting around in dressing or hotel rooms with my headphones on and a tiny keyboard, I managed to get some work done now and then between the adventures. Did creating this record give you any ideas for what you want to go on to write next? I’ve been thinking about that a bit this week, actually. Without wanting to give too much away (given that I’ve only finished like one song so far…), I’ll just say that this time around, I’m keen to move away from the heart-on-sleeve, soul-searching material, and maybe try a little bit of acting… What are you up to over summer? Are you playing any festivals this year? Well, I’ll be hitting a fair whack of festival stages with work, so booking in festival appearances for myself is quite difficult, but I don’t mind that so much. With my own material, I prefer the intimate settings of small venues and half-empty cafes, so I’ve booked in a handful of UK shows with my band (now featuring Ed, formerly of the band Fish Tank, so that’s pretty exciting!). We’ll hopefully trundle over to the continent at some point too. Besides that, we’ll do whatever we can, and I’ll definitely try and sort out doing some solo shows again because those can be really good fun. Besides that, I’ll just be ruddy grafting, won’t I?! P Charlie Barnes’ album ‘Oceanography’ is out now.

CALENDAR EV E RY T H I N G G O I N G O N THIS MONTH.

5 T H A P RI L

IT’S 24 YEARS SINCE KURT COBAIN DIED TODAY

That means it’s one year from being able to read rewritten versions of all those think pieces about Nirvana you originally saw four years ago! 6 T H A P RI L

LOADS AND LOADS AND LOADS OF ALBUMS ARE OUT TODAY!

Goat Girl, Hinds, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Manic Street Preachers, Fenne Lilly, Tom Misch, Hop Along, Island... LOADS.

9 T H A P RI L

HAPPY BIRTH-WAY TO YOU

Yep, it’s Gerard Way’s birthday! And to celebrate, he’s gonna bring back My Chemical Romance, right Gerard? Gerard?! Also celebrating this April: Brendon Urie (12th), Win Butler (14th) and Justin ‘Bon Iver’ Vernon (30th). 13 T H A P RI L

THERE BUT BY THE GRACIE OF... ERM... ISAAC

Yep, yer man Isaac Gracie drops his debut album today, so go swoon at that before breaking out the party pants for first efforts by Confidence Man and Middle Kids.

27 T H A P RI L

HIP HIP MONÁE, MORE ALBUMS ARE OUT TODAY!

Janelle Monáe, Speedy Ortiz and DMA’s all drop albums today. The first is something we’re especially looking forward to hearing, ‘tbqh’, Dear Reader.

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ARE YOU LISTENING?

Dork is once again teaming up with Are You Listening? in Reading for a day of top-notch bands, and raising money for learning disability charity, Mencap. Head over for sets from Field Music, IDLES, Her’s, Yonaka and more. Tickets are on sale now what are you waiting for?

YES , MAT TY HEA LY FRO M THE 1975 ’S HAIR IS DEF INIT ELY WOR TH A RUN NING FEAT URE . STO P BEIN G BOR ING. Last month, we showed you that our Matty was sporting an ‘interesting ’ purple-slash-pink-slash-probably-lilacactually barnet. Now, he’s changed it up again. Going for the ‘blonde with extreme roots’ vibe, he sort of looks a bit like he’s going to audit ion for a Green Day covers band. Does this mean anything for The 1975’s new album, ‘Music For Cars’? Erm. Loads. Loads and loads. Just don’t ask us exactly what. P

DOWN WITH BORING

BANGERS CHVRCHES

MY ENEMY (FT. MATT BERNINGER)

If you’re looking for cool points, Scotland’s premier recent exports of synth-pop awesomeness teaming up with the leader of everyone’s favourite sad-but-nice-time heroes seems a good place to start. On paper, it’s a combination that should work, and so it proves on record too. Intertwining over the slow-burning embers of previous all-out banger ‘Get Out’, ‘My Enemy’ is all about the feels. Matt Berninger’s smoky vocal wistfully glides through the verses, while Lauren Mayberry’s instantly identifiable tones soar through the chorus. Odds on, this is already set to be the highlight of one of the albums of the year. Stephen Ackroyd

BLOSSOMS

I CAN’T STAND IT

You know what to expect from Blossoms. And while, for some, pushing new boundaries of more ‘intellectual’ pursuits may be more their speed, the Stockport quintet know their game better than most. Packing a synth line straight from indie’s locked top drawer, ‘I Can’t Stand It’ is the sound of a band doing

what they do best. A banger built for sunny fields, lovely afternoons and probably a few ice cold beers along the way, sometimes it’s the simple things that really matter. Stephen Ackroyd

PEACE

POWER

When they first burst onto the scene back in 2012, Peace bolstered an energy and excitement that practically screamed a good time. Ferociously fun, and above all, freewheeling, theirs was a spirit that promised listeners the world if they wanted it. If it’s true that a fine wine only gets better with time, then Peace are vodka shot. Intoxicating to an extreme, kicking just as strongly as the first time around, new single ‘Power’ is a statement of intent – and not just for the band, but for anyone who’s listening. All brash attitude and brazen refrains, the song is a call to arms that wears its heart on its sleeve with pride. Jessica Goodman

PALE WAVES

HEAVENLY

Already a blistering favourite, ‘Heavenly’ is now a re-tooled and re-energised

YES, BLOSSOMS DID PRETEND TO HAVE A SCRAP BEFORE ANNOUNCING THEIR NEW ALBUM, AND WE’RE STILL NOT SURE EXACTLY WHY. 12

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heavyweight that fizzes with energy and excitement; a track that in ten years time we’ll still be putting on indie disco playlists. That ability to capture vulnerable emotions yet reach for more is insatiable, like a band slotting into gear with purpose, born for packed arenas. What makes ‘Heavenly’ even more vital? It’s the moment where naysayers can throw their worries in a bin, with a band not just infectious but exciting. We’re living in a Pale Waves age now, and that sits absolutely swell with us. Jamie Muir

CONFIDENCE MAN

DON’T YOU KNOW I’M IN A BAND

Born out of boredom of the sheer volume of ten-a-penny psych bands coming from down under, Confidence Man are a breath of fresh air for those that like to move their feet. The fun that comes with the band is an ironic smugness, and new single ‘Don’t You Know I’m In A Band’ cranks that to the extreme; the words “Always a place for me, the VIP / The drinks are always flowing, and I’m smiling cause the drugs are free” are belted atop the thunderous disco grooves. It’s further proof that Confidence Man are the most fun breakout band of the year. Cal Cashin

What should a band do when announcing a new album? Drop a big old banger? Sure. Blossoms did that - you can see proof above. A nice video? Some lovely artwork? A bit of teasing? Or should they engage in what seems to be an entirely fictional inter-band scrap across social media and red carpets? Not many choose that last option, but that’s what the Stockport gang did in the run up to the reveal for ‘Cool Like You’ - set to arrive on 27th April. Apparently their ‘fake-spat’ was for a ‘mockumentary’. So that’s okay then. Daft blighters.

COURTNEY BARNETT

NAMELESS, FACELESS

Renowned for her witty deadpan on the mundanities of the everyday, Aussie cult fave Courtney Barnett – and the release of ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’ – was a refreshing divergence in a music industry flush with mass political statements. Since dropping that spectacular debut, she’s tirelessly toured, dropped some bangers and collaborated with folk-rock king Kurt Vile on a bluesy rock LP. Now? Now she’s previewing her solo second ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’, dictating the power struggle, but a la Courtney. Barnett manages to maintain her signature satire while crushing misogyny on ‘Nameless, Faceless’, a track which blasts the egotistic male with brusquely empathetic and gloriously bad-ass grunge. It’s dark, twisted, but sadly no fantasy; she still explores the ‘everyday’ but with heavyweight concepts alternative to her typically quirky anecdotes. But don’t fret, this isn’t detrimental to her lyrical common-touch. ”I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and spit out better words than you.” Same. This track of triumphant lo-fi psychedelia is a quiet-to-loud anthem of grunge-pop at its best, Courtney continuing her distinguished demeanour of breezy, jangly, guitar melodies combined with hard-charging, cutthroat choruses. Minor guitar lines, ominous spiralling riffs and delectable distortion back dark lyricism paraphrasing novelist Margaret Atwood. “Men are scared that women will laugh at them” but “women are scared that men will kill them.” Concise yet poignant, Courtney just wants to “walk through the park in the dark” without clutching her keys. Misogynists might think they can remain anonymous in their attacks, hiding in the dark or behind an online screen, but Courtney has just called them out big time in banger form. Alice Mortimer

T H AT ’ S R I G H T, I T ’ S T H E T H AT ’ S R I G H T, I T ’ S T H E

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HYPE ESSENTIAL NEW BANDS

NILÜFER YANYA L O N D O N U P-A N D - C O M E R

N I L Ü F E R YA N YA

H AS B E E N F I Z Z I N G W ITH P OTE NTI A L

F O R A W H I L E N O W : 2 0 1 8 W I L L F I N A L LY S E E H E R E X P L O D E .

W O R D S : S T E V E N L O F T I N . P H O T O : M O L LY D A N I E L .

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Having been slowly releasing singles and EPs over the last couple of years, making it on to the coveted BBC Sound of 2018 list, and starting to tour like it’s nobodies business, it’s now all leading to a fulllength effort - though it’s slightly different to how she’s used to working. Especially considering some of those previous tracks were written a couple of years before ever being released. “There’s lots I’ve already written before that I think would be good on the album, but I just haven’t had the time to rework,” Nilüfer begins. “It’s weird writing - I don’t want to say to a brief, but it’s kind of like that. Everything I’m writing now could be on the album, as opposed to just a release - it’s a relief though, it’s nice.” The relief in her voice is evident and no surprise really. It was only last year that she was able to quit her job, and even now her calendar is filling up mighty quickly. There’s an upcoming headline tour in May, a potential second trip across the pond after her first couple of shows over there in September of last year - as well as festival season. But, going back to her newly discovered freedom of working, she continues. “It’s really exciting. It feels like the natural to way to want to work, so it’s nice that I’ve got to this point now where I can do that.” Building herself up to this point, especially as a solo artist, was, she says “daunting”. But the idea that the pressure is on even more now that she has something to fight for hasn’t escaped her. In fact, it’s made her more aware of the gift that comes from being a new artist discovering yourself away from prying eyes.

“IF I DON’T INSPIRE MYSELF THEN THERE’S NO POINT” “You get the sense that no one’s expecting or watching what you’re doing. You can just do whatever. You can’t make a mistake because, you know, no one’s listening or telling you to put out whatever. That’s quite freeing, I think.” Quickly reneging this idea though, she muses with laughter: “But then also if no one’s listening to you, it’s like, what’s the point?” While her quiet answers occasionally betray this uncertainty, but there’s also confidence as she continues her thought. “I never [actually] felt like oh what’s the point, but you put all of your energy into this one thing, and if it doesn’t work at some point you have to change tactic.” Having to analyse what you’re doing, especially as a new artist, is scary - but it’s something Nilüfer is hyper-aware of. “If I don’t inspire myself then I won’t be able to write anything, and then there’s no point - I may as well do something else. A big fear I have is not going anywhere - it’s just going to stay the same, or just slowly get worse,” she says earnestly. Nilüfer needn’t worry, though, she has the hype machine well and truly moving, especially after support slots with the likes of Broken Social Scene, The xx and Mitski. “Sometimes I feel like I’m going backwards, and getting worse - and sometimes I can be like, ‘Oh wow, this is really developed!’ “I hope I’m developing, but I think right now my focus is a lot more on songwriting itself. I’d like to also weave that in with more musical aspects, and the live show and the live setup. That’s something I’ve always

been interested in; I don’t feel like that’s my strongest point.” “It’s a long process,” explains Nilüfer. “I don’t really know what I want. Actually,” she pauses. “I do know what I want it to sound like. I want it to sound raw and simple stripped back and quite clean in some parts, but it’s quite hard to get that across to the audience because the audience has seen so many things before.” While Nilüfer sees her live set as needing a bit of fine-tuning, her recorded work is a different story. Having amassed over five million Spotify plays - and counting - she’s certainly doing something right. “I don’t want it to sound like a highly produced, highly finished product because a lot of music sounds so finished and very perfect. Nice round edges and everything,” she asserts. “Sometimes I’m like, ‘What am I doing, why don’t I just make it sound better?’ But it doesn’t mean that it is [actually] better.” It’s statements like these that give Nilüfer the real upper hand; it also gives her music more heart. “That’s what you want from music, so it inspires you somehow. Just to get your mind working, and [so] you understand the feeling.” “I’m still very much on the journey of trying to move forward,” she concludes. “Obviously, getting to thinking about an album stage, that’s a point - but that’s not an endpoint. That’s just kind of where I’m at the moment. I haven’t finished. I haven’t even started the journey… it’s kind of like I’m still at the beginning.” P Nilüfer Yanya tours the UK from 18th May.

RECOMMENDED NEW NAMES

SPIELBERGS

Noisy Oslo trio Spielbergs are gearing up for their debut EP. ‘Distant Star’ is due for release on 27th April via new British label, By The Time It Gets Dark on CD and download, and as an extremely limited edition blue and gold glitter cassette. It’s preceded by alt-rock banger ‘We Are All Going To Die’, which is a lot more fun than it sounds. You can hear it now on readdork.com.

PEGGY GOU

If you’ve been keeping even the most clogged up ear to the underground you’ll have struggled not to hear Peggy Gou’s name mentioned in hushed tones. The South Korean-born, Berlin-based producer has been making music for a couple of years, but more recently has crossed the lips of tastemakers across every shade of the spectrum. New EP ‘Once’ is her first release in nearly a year and a half. Check out ‘It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)’ and prepare to fall hard.

KIM PETRAS

If you’re looking for prime pop markers, Kim Petras has them coming out of her ears. Already hooking up with HRH Queen Charli XCX for ‘Unlock It’ - the gloriously repetitive banger at the heart of her recent ‘Pop 2’ mixtape - recent single ‘Faded’ scored praise from all corners, both achingly cool and decidedly mainstream. Following it up with the equally fantastic ‘Heart To Break’, this is no one hit wonder. That next big thing label could just stick.

Photo: Warwick Baker

reating a fusion of soulful tunes with jazz influences and using space as an important component, Nilüfer Yanya is distinctly different to everyone else making their way up the musical ladder. She doesn’t want to be one of those who throws everything at you in the hope it’ll stick. Every note is planned out to create intricately woven, delicate instrumentation to pair with her nonchalant, yet crushingly beautiful, vocals.

ROLLING ROLLING BLACKOUTS BLACKOUTS COASTAL COASTAL FEVER FEVER Melbourne’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are paying the UK a visit this May, and with a debut album ‘on the way’, it’s set to be a tip-top year, says vocalist Fran Keaney. Words: Sam Taylor

Hey Fran, how are you all at the mo? Having a good 2018 so far? Having a good time thanks. We just finished an album, which should see the light of day soon. We also just finished up Laneway, a really great festival that tours through Singapore, New Zealand and Australia. It was hot and relentless and fun. We saw bands like POND and Anderson Paak and Cable Ties blow our heads off, a few different times. Back home again and eating vegetables. You’re based in Melbourne, right? What’s it like over there for up-and-coming bands? Melbourne is a perfect little incubator for bands and gig-goers. We have heaps of dedicated venues putting bands on most nights of the week, a community of punters who support the bands, independent labels and independent record stores working to put the music out, and a few really strong community radio stations run by volunteers and funded by listeners that keep the whole thing pumping along. What do you most enjoy writing songs about? Absurd little melodramas. Stories that are big deals for the tiny characters. You’re touring the UK soon, have you spent much time here before? Is there anywhere you’re especially looking forward to visiting? We went over to the UK in September last year and had a ball. Our friend Grant tried to put us onto the Scotch Egg. It was very dry. I couldn’t get beyond the outer layer to the egg. Is there a sauce you’re supposed to use with it? Do you dunk it in milk or something? But everything other than that was great. We had a really great time in London, especially at Moth Club and at Rough Trade. We also really enjoyed Manchester but were in and out in a few hours. Heaps of our favourite bands are from there. I’d like to have a proper look around next time. What else have you got coming up this year? We’ve got some headline shows in Sydney and in Melbourne on 6th-7th April before we head overseas for Coachella and a bunch of shows around the US in April and May. Then we’re heading to the UK, then Europe in May and June. More shows to come too. Just teeing all that up now. We’re wanting to get back in the studio as well, hope to fit that in in the middle of the year... P Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever tour the UK from 18th May. DOWN WITH BORING

“THEY AREN’T JUST SAD BALLADS ABOUT BOYS FUCKING ME OVER” And even though I didn’t want to do that musically, the sense of community was a lot stronger in allowing people to have a say in my music and it being more of a group thing rather than me just sitting in my bed writing sad songs about myself.”

FENNE LILLY

F E N N E L I LY M A K E S T U N E S T H AT A R E H E A RT B R E A K I N G Y E T

W O N D E R F U L LY H O P E F U L . H E R D E B U T A L B U M ‘ O N H O L D ’ I S

“

OUT THIS APRIL.

W O R D S : B E N J O L L E Y. P H O T O : H O L L I E F E R N A N D O .

t feels like I’ve been pregnant for five years and now the baby’s here; it’s nerve-wracking because I’ve never done anything like this before, and I never thought I would. I’ve had to prepare myself emotionally. If it flops and no-one listens to it, or if people hate it, I’m not sure what I’m going to do...” Dork has only been speaking to Dorsetborn Bristol-based Fenne Lily for half an hour, but it feels like we’ve been through an entire therapy session together. Selfdeprecatingly honest, she’s understandably nervous about the upcoming release of her debut album ‘On Hold’. After all, she never even intended music to be her career. “I fell into it by accident,” she begins, remembering stealing her brother’s guitar as an early teen to prove she could learn it better than him. “I’d just sit in my room and play guitar... it’s kind of sad,” she laughs. “I used it to deal with the fact that I wasn’t very good at making or keeping friends.” Fenne’s lyrics, consequently, come from a place of anxiety. “When I started writing I had my first boyfriend and was struggling to deal with the fact that I wasn’t overly comfortable with going to parties and being a teenager; that I was anxious and I didn’t know that was okay. At that time I was like, ‘I’m a freak, all I want to do is cry...’” Admittedly unsocial back then, one of her

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earliest songs, ‘Top To Toe’, was the product of three weeks at an after-school club. “My mum wanted me to do something social, so I went to this songwriting workshop and wrote it. It was probably the most productive I’ve ever been,” she jokes. Soon after that, a friend convinced Fenne to upload her music to SoundCloud and live shows quickly followed. “I didn’t have any other songs, so I started writing more in-between doing my GCSEs, AS-Levels and driving to Bristol for gigs,” she remembers. Having grown up in rural Dorset to punk and Queen-loving parents, Fenne had learnt ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ word for word thanks to her dad by the age of just 10. “They had massive record collections but I just thought, ‘I’ll tread my own path, I’m not going to listen to your stuff’, so I disregarded a lot of amazing music and listened to Kings of Leon and Elliott Smith instead!” She also remembers following Warpaint around the country with a friend at 14. “We got her dad to drive us, and he would wait in the car, read a book or go for a meal, and we’d sleep in the car on the way back,” she recalls. “He was so sweet!” Before moving to Bristol around 16, Fenne was comfortable with just her guitar; but when she arrived her perspective widened. “All the friends I made were in noise bands or doing weird experimental electronic stuff.

Now, Fenne takes a bassist and drummer on tour with her - and it’s something that’s helped her mentally and musically. “There’s a lot more scope to show, they aren’t just sad ballads about boys fucking me over. It’s more like making something good out of something shit!” she suggests. Although her songs are written from a place of sadness - it’s impossible not to get choked up when listening to ‘For A While’ Fenne’s biggest fear is “people thinking that I’m wallowing in feelings - because I’m not.” Rather than emotional, Fenne describes herself as an angry person. “I would rather shout than cry,” she considers. “But it just so happens that my voice is super soft and I have to whisper everything, so people think I’m really affected by everything,” she laughs, going on to explain the journey of songs that make up her debut album. “They’re all about the same break-up, but they chronicle being sad, then angry, then apathetic and then when you pretend you’re not angry but you definitely still are.” After holding onto the songs for at least a year, she’s adamant there’ll be a quicker turnaround with the next record (which she started working on the day after finishing the first). “I got really attached to these songs and didn’t want to change them; I feel that’s quite unhealthy.” Before sitting down to prepare album number two properly, Fenne’s going on a massive tour. “I’m excited,” she enthuses, saying that touring is her favourite part of being a musician. “I only started writing songs so that I could play live. “I’ve done a lot of touring on my own supporting people, and although it’s really nice to jump in a van with a random band and play all their shows and talk to their fans, it’s going to be refreshing to talk to my own group of people,” she considers, clearly eager to get on the road. Despite an extensive run of shows and festival slots scheduled for the next few months, having fans of her own hasn’t quite sunk in for Fenne. “It’s mental that people are buying tickets to come and see me,” she ponders humbly. “That’s still insane - even if twenty people come to each show it would be an achievement!” P Fenne Lily’s debut album ‘On Hold’ is out 6th April.

DORK

PRESENTS...

LIVE!

THYLA

Hopefully you’re already acquainted with Brightonians Thyla because they were supporting INHEAVEN on the recent Dork Live! tour, which you definitely went to, right? Singer/guitarist Millie tells us more about her band. Words: Sam Taylor Hey Millie, how was your tour with INHEAVEN, are you guys buds? Any fun stories from the road? Tour was amazing! Playing every night for two weeks straight in cities some of us had never even been too was the dream. We met so many awesome young people that love the music we write. It was our first time on the road, and we couldn’t have dreamed of better company. INHEAVEN are an inspiring lot to watch; their live show is massive! Music aside they are beautiful humans, and we got on like a house on fire. The highlight for me was our snowy day off together in Manchester, we went to a wicked place called The Troff in the Northern Quarter, had an epic roast and equally epic amount of wine. When did you realise you wanted to make music, did you have a musical upbringing? I learnt the clarinet and some piano as a kid. My mum is a concert pianist, her dad is a conductor, so the gene definitely runs in the family. My passion for writing music, however, developed later than most. I didn’t pick a guitar up till I was about 16. I could hardly string a chord progression together, but as soon as I could, I had something to say over it. Songwriting made me feel good; it was extremely natural to me, so I just kept doing it. How did you guys get together? We met at Uni in Brighton, we were all in bands, playing every week wherever we could get gigs, the scene down here is very inclusive, so you quickly get to know all the players. After a few years of cutting our teeth in different line-ups, we found each other started writing together, and Thyla was formed. What would you most like to achieve during your music career? Of course, there are definitive markers in every musician’s career that you dream of hitting… Pyramid Stage at Glasto is mine. But I think I can speak for everyone here in saying that most importantly we want to write an album that stands the test of time, inspires future musicians, and connects with people on a personal level helping them through whatever struggles they might have. What are you guys working on at the mo? Do you have lots of exciting plans? It’s all moving fast for us! Expect an onslaught of music this year and hopefully something physical to take home. We’re supporting our mates [and current Dork cover stars, no less - Ed] Fickle Friends at Concorde 2 in Brighton on 19th March, that’s the next chance to catch us live, and we have a bunch more shows to announce so stay tuned. P Thyla play Dork Live! shows at the Purple Turtle in Reading on 19th April and Norwich Arts Centre on 12th May.

THE NINTH WAVE 8 0 S P O S T- P U N K A N D N E W WAV E A R E

T H E N I N T H WAV E

ome bands just strike immediately with everything they do and represent. The Ninth Wave - with their inviting mix of glam-noir sounds, looming darkness and a penchant for more than simply the usual band conventions - are already drenched in a philosophy and style that’s irresistible the first moment you plug in.

80s embraced, there’s a glorious mix in play. The shimmering pop sheen of tracks like ‘Heartfelt’, ‘Liars’ and standout heavyweight ‘Reformation’ are laced with a darkness, like the sound of a band emerging from the bleakest moment with panoramic hooks and dreaming of the heights they could one day reach. It’s an insatiable cocktail that could only have come from the streets of Glasgow.

“It’s something that has grown with the band,” explains frontman Haydn Park-Patterson. “[It was] never a deliberate thing, where at the start we decided how we were going to look or how we were going to sound - our outlook has evolved with the music.”

“It all came together quite naturally,” explains Lewis. “I’d been in hundreds of different bands in Glasgow. I started to see Haydn more on Sauchiehall Street, and one day he asked me to play drums - that kinda thing happened for everyone,” he continues, turning to nodding heads and the cracking of smiles.

The band are gathered outside on a chilly winter night at London’s Sebright Arms before one of their biggest headline shows to date - and there’s a sense of gritty optimism for what’s ahead. “Over the last year, our sound has evolved a lot,” chimes in drummer Lewis Tollan. “That could change, but we’ve got to that point where we have an idea of what we want to be.”

The beating heart of Glasgow city centre, it’s the sort of place you’ll catch staggering groups after a big night out, busting groups ready to kick-start a huge one and enough characters and mysterious figures emerging in the middle of the night to shape all sides of humanity. There’s a reason why it’s a city that has been voted both the most friendly place in Europe, as well as the most violent.

Fusing a callback to the new romantic swagger and post-punk melodies that the

Meeting co-vocalist Millie Kidd and synth player Louise McLennan over the course

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G ET M O RE AS I T H A P P E N S AT RE A D D O RK .C O M

’S FO RTE, A N D IT M A KES TH E M O N E O F TH E H OT TEST

N E W B A N D S C O M I N G O U T O F G L A S G O W R I G H T N O W.

ISAAC GRACIE’S DEBUT IS NEARLY HERE

Isaac Gracie’s debut album is coming very soon indeed. The self-titled record will be released on the 13th April via Virgin EMI. “Over the course of the two years it took to complete this record, I learnt more about myself and about music than I had in the entirety of my prior life,” says Isaac. He’s heading out on tour soon, too, kicking off in Manchester on 11th April.

WORDS: JAMIE MUIR

of line-up changes and scenarios slotting into place, it was the perfect surrounding to discover who they were as a band. Putting on DIY shows in its many venues, winning acclaim and support from Scotland’s emerging music champions and turning heads at every opportunity - it’s given them a freedom to explore.

“If you go to a gig and the band play a good gig then you leave thinking ‘That was a good gig’,” starts Millie. “But if they play a good gig and they’re also doing something really interesting, something to look at which sets the scene a bit more and gives you more on what the band are all about then you’ll walk away thinking, ‘Fucking hell that was good’.”

“Glasgow’s music scene is so small that the only reason we met was because of the scene and going to gigs,” lays out Millie. “If it wasn’t there then I don’t think we’d be the same or even here today. All the venues and everything, they’re small enough to get all your friends in, and it’d sell out, so they’d be really good!”

‘Fucking hell that was good’ is a phrase The Ninth Wave are going to have to get used to. Embraced as a collective force painting their own stunning portraits of the future, it’s unpredictable what they do next. That’s what makes them exciting. Ambition? It’s there and ready to kick through. “I think, maybe, being able to create all of our ideas to make them sound how we imagine them, and hearing that back in real life - that’d be the best thing,” notes Louise.

It’s given The Ninth Wave a focus on being something different. Already, they’ve collaborated with the likes of Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey on exhibitions (often touted as the ringleader of London’s next generation of club kids), and how they approach the live stage also rips with individuality. From using bins as percussion to an unmissable mannequin that’s set to feature in their next steps - a Ninth Wave show is unlike any other.

STELLA DONNELLY HAS A NEW LABEL, A RERELEASED EP AND A NEW VIDEO

Stella Donnelly has signed a brand new deal with Secretly Canadian, and is re-releasing last year’s ‘Thrust Metal’ EP. Set to drop physically on 22nd June, she also has a new video for ‘Mechanical Bull’. Stella is set to hit the UK this May for a run of shows that includes a set at Live At Leeds.

“Playing Brixton Academy too,” chimes in Lewis. “That’d be pretty great.” The Ninth Wave aren’t ready to just take over; they’re ready to reimagine what success looks like. From Sauchiehall Street to the world. P The Ninth Wave’s EP ‘Never Crave Attention’ is out 20th April.

ZAC FARRO’S HALFNOISE HAS RELEASED A NEW EP CALLED ‘FLOWERSS’

Paramore drummer Zac Farro’s other musical crush Halfnoise have dropped the first track from a brand new EP. Titled ‘Flowerss’ (no, that’s not a typoo), it’s out on 4th May and follows up on last year’s ‘Velvet Face’ EP. Blissed-out, sunny day indie rock, you can check it out the title-track on readdork.com. It’s really very good, ‘FYI’. DOWN WITH BORING

SPORTS TEAM LONDON G ROUP

SPORTS TEAM

1 0/ 1 0 L I V E S H O WS . . .

est London’s Sports Team are a precocious bunch. A six-piece originally hailing from Cambridge, they started off as musical primitivists making music that was highly energetic to compensate for their lack of proficiency. However, as they prepare to release their debut EP ‘Winter Nets’, it’s clear to see the group have already come a long way. If the malignant stomp of ‘Stanton’ hasn’t won you over, their energetic live show will. While the band prepare for world domination, we caught up with frontman Alex Rice. Hey Alex, can you tell us about the beginnings of the band? We met studying at Cambridge. There wasn’t much of a guitar scene in the city, or really much appetite for one. We started putting on our own shows, and slowly people came round to it. We were lucky to all have the same attitude, we loved playing live and weren’t worried about much beyond that. How has your sound developed since then? We’ve got better at playing our instruments,

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A R E T U R N I N G H E A D S A L L O V E R T H E C A P I TA L , A N D I T ’ S N O T J U S T F O R T H E I R

WO RDS : CA L CAS H I N . PH OTO : PH I L S M I T H I ES .

and the songs have improved, but it’s stayed constant in a lot of ways. Our sound developed out of our limitations as musicians, and the dynamic between the six of us. None of us had been in bands before, and none of us were skilled enough to copy bands we liked, so we just went about it the best we could. I think because of that, we’ve ended up with a sound of our own. Your song ‘Camel Crew’ seems to have ruffled some South London feathers. We wrote ‘Camel Crew’ late last summer. It was about the time that scene of bands from the Windmill [venue in Brixton] were breaking. The lyrics were around for a while before we released it, from live videos I suppose. I don’t think anyone really knew what to think about it. We started getting asked about it at shows, and it slowly developed to the point where it was being talked about as this big “diss track”. We’d get asked about “that song you wrote about Goat Girl”, or Shame or Happy Meals. Some people got pretty upset about the whole thing. Duke from Happy Meals would come to shows, stand at the front and just glare at us. There are still some pretty wild theories

MATT’S MALTEASING HIS NEW ALBUM (AND IT’S GONE BACK A BIT)

Yes, we know we told you Matt Maltese’s debut album was due in May, but it’s gone back a bit. The as-yetuntitled album (ahem) is preceded by new ’un ‘Greatest Comedian’. “It’s a love song, really,” says Matt. “It’s me blaming fate for love failing. What’s the point in blaming yourself when you can drag a higher being into it?”

about what it’s about. I’ve always thought it was pretty explicit; but then I did write it, which helps. Do you see yourself apart from the South London scene, then? I think that phrase has already become so blunt. You see bands from Bristol and Manchester being talked about as part of it now. It’s lost all meaning. It’s like anything, though - it’s a nice way to build a little hype and then very quickly it gets out of hand, and you see bands tripping over themselves to get away from it. A lot of that early group of bands had the same management, which probably had something to do with it. Geographically we’re well away from it. In terms of the bands; there are some we like, and others we don’t. How are you feeling about your ‘Winter Nets’ EP? We’re happy. It’s a set of songs that we’d had knocking around for a while and wanted to get out. We’re pleased by how well it seems to be going. We just heard it’s being sold over in Japan, which is strange to think about. Abbie McCarthy has got behind it, so we’ve been getting a lot of Radio 1 plays,

DON’T YOU KNOW CONFIDENCE MAN HAVE A NEW ALBUM?!

Confidence Man have announced a new track (see: Bangers), their debut album, and a world tour. The weird but wonderful Aussies will release their first full-length ‘Confident Music For Confident People’ via Heavenly on 13th April, followed by a London show at Village Underground on 30th May, plus lots of festivals over the summer.

which none of us expected. Dave McCracken [‘Winter Nets’’ producer] told us we’d hear the songs differently when they were public. I don’t think any of us believed it, but he was spot on. It’s still strange. What non-musical things influence you? We’d all probably have different answers. Lyrically, it’s things I read, or hear popping up. Jokes, or odd phrases - things like that. It’s all quite organic. Cyril Connolly. Bits from newspapers. I just finished People of Providence by Tony Parker which has started to bleed into some of the newer songs. What are your hopes for the future of Sports Team? We’re very ambitious. In the near future, we have another four or five tracks ready to go. We don’t want to be one of those bands dragging out releases. Longer term, we’re very focused. South London scene aside, Shame have shown what ambition can do. We’re all for throwing the dice. In two years time we could be back doing day jobs, so why not put it all in now? P Sports Team’s debut EP ‘Winter Nets’ is out now.

BAD NEWS CLUB HAS RELEASED A NEW SONG, ‘ABSENT’

Good news! Bad News Club has released a new’ un to celebrate his recent London show at Servant Jazz Quarters. “‘Absent’ was written after a trip away from home, as an ode to the items I had left behind,” he explains. “Where [debut] ‘The Painter’ was recorded in one-take on my iPhone, this song was more complex.”

DOWN WITH BORING G E T E V E RY I SS U E D I R E CT TO YO U R DOOR FROM LESS THAN £40 A YEAR RE A D D O RK .C O M / S H O P

CHARLIE BARNES Oceanography In Stores Now Recorded on the road while touring with arena-filling pop behemoths Bastille as part of their live line-up. Features the tracks ‘All I Have’ & ‘Will & Testament’ Supporting Bastille on the following sold-out UK dates: 10.04 - Manchester Apollo 11.04 - Edinburgh Usher Hall 13.04 - Bristol Colston Hall 14.04 - Sheffield City Hall 16.04 - London Royal Albert Hall CD Digipak / LP + CD / Digital Album

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FICKLE FRIENDS

H AV E N ’ T

TA K E N T H E S H O R T R O U T E T O THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, BUT NOW THEY’RE HERE, THEY’RE PAC K I N G T H E B A N G E R S T O BLOW UP BIG TIME. WORDS: JAMIE MUIR. P H O T O S : S A R A H L O U I S E B E N N E T T.

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DOWN WITH BORING

cheer goes up. One look around the open floors of the East London brewery and it’s clear where it’s coming from. Around one of the long benches making up the room, pitchers of lager are here, and they’re here for Fickle Friends. It’s a matter of days before the band head off on another extensive headline tour, something that’s become second nature to them, and spirits are understandably high. “I said to our manager jokingly to get a pitcher in, and literally one has come up,” points out Jack Wilson, as the rest of the band - Harry Herrington, Chris Hall and Sam Morris - begin to pour away. “Don’t worry,” jumps in lead singer Natti Shiner, “we’ll get on that later”. They’ve definitely earned their moment for a few beers. For nearly five years, Fickle Friends have been leading their own charge, one of sun-soaked pop hooks and an ability to take everyday moments and amplify them to sizzling new directions. Searing with ambition, they’re dazzling in their anthems and unabashed in all their technicolour moves. A story that’s undeniably modern yet a throwback to doing things ‘the old fashioned way’, they were born to be a special band. Even if that does mean beauty sleep is hard to get.

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Take Jack having a quick nap earlier today in the rehearsal room the band have in Brighton (“I drifted off, when I woke up where I had no idea what time it was”), or Natti nodding off on the train. There’s plenty of time for dreaming, and Fickle Friends are dreaming big. “My mind likes to wander and fantasise,” explains Natti, turning to Jack as they chat away. “Imagine if our album came out and we just became really fucking successful? Like people fucking loved it and then suddenly everything went crazy. That’s what I daydreamed about when I was having my nap on the train, but you’ve got to be realistic. We’re an indie band, and we’ve done things the old school way - we’re a slow burner. “It’s kinda weird right now going from feeling so much pressure to write songs for an album, to now feeling the pressure of just waiting for it to come out and hoping people will like it. It’s been a long time coming.”

HE STORY OF FICKLE FRIENDS IS ONE OF TIME AND DETERMINATION, a coming together of mates down on the coast of Brighton and a

never-relenting passion to be something more. There never was a proper game plan. “I never thought I would be in a band,” points out Natti. “I wanted to be Ellie Goulding really, do it all by myself. Then there was this realisation of like, I’m not good enough by myself to do this, and I was just terrified. So I started to pick people, saying I wanted to start a band and basically just asking around.” As becomes clear when spending time in Fickle Friends’ company, this is a gang of mates who bounce off one another. Whether it’s laughing away at quickfire jokes, snapping polaroids or bringing up tales from the countless days, weeks and months on the road - it’s a puzzle that could only work with each of them in place. “I think I fell into this band,” offers Jack, remembering the moment he joined the fray. “I genuinely would never have pictured me being in this band when I was younger, but I’d always wanted to do music. I kinda wasn’t doing anything, so went to Uni to try and work out what I wanted to do and meet people.” “I remember being at a party, and we were both really drunk,” continues Jack, prompting laughs from Natti. “At the time I was doing this solo project just as an idea, and Natti was doing Fickle Friends which looked really different to what it is now. I was looking for a keyboard player and

someone to do backing vocals, and we were both there, and we were so very drunk. I remember we were talking, and we were just like ‘please be in my band’, and we agreed that I would be in Natti’s band and Natti would be in my band.” “Oh yeah, I remember being really jealous because he got a song on When The Gramophone Rings,” picks up Natti, “which was my favourite blog at the time. I was so fucking jealous.” While Jack’s solo project may not have lit up the world, Fickle Friends were here to stay - using any spare second they could to practice and write together. The excitement that comes from finding like-minded mates is a flame that set fire to Fickle Friends’ burgeoning ambitions - bolstered by a city where they were free to see shows every night, write whenever possible and work out who they wanted to be not just as a band, but as people too. Finding that clear path to what Fickle Friends would be, their influences came to the fore and soon they had the backbone they needed. “It was a mess when we started,” notes Jack. “We were into different stuff, and we didn’t

agree what a clear vision was of what we were doing. We just started playing together, and slowly it happened. We reigned things in and worked out exactly what we wanted to do and what band we wanted to be.” “We would write a song acoustically and would just throw ideas at it,” details Natti. “Then we started getting into a routine where it would be me, Jack and Harry coming away from playing together and writing in a bedroom - and we all have very similar tastes in music, so things started to get a bit more consistent.” “We started listening to a few more similar bands like Friendly Fires, Two Door Cinema Club and Phoenix and that was where it started off,” continues Jack. “At that point it was like, yeah - this is what we want to do.” Quickly, things exploded. For many bands, the mad rush of acclaim and eyes on what you’re doing comes a few years down the line. For Fickle Friends, it was their first offering into the world that took off. ‘Swim’, full

“I WANTED TO BE ELLIE GOULDING REALLY, DO IT ALL BY MYSELF” -NATTI

of effortlessly suave pushes and pulls, was met with the sort of reaction only a band on the cusp of a mammoth breakthrough could ignite, pulling Fickle Friends from the small bedroom sessions to one of the most talked about new bands on the web. “We put that out, and people got really excited about us, but we had just started out as a band,” elaborates Natti, thinking back to that moment and how such a height had met with their early moves. “It was really, really weird. It was our first proper song, and it was on Billboard and shit - it was mental. From our side, we had just written another song, and we couldn’t understand why everyone was blown away by it.” The wave of adulation catapulted them to a stage that, looking back, they weren’t prepared for. “We were really excited about things going on, and you don’t really think at that moment ‘we’re not ready’,” recalls Natti. “Our manager at the time was showing us all these industry names who wanted to come to our gigs, and we would be saying to each other ‘OH MY GOD, Virgin are coming - Island are coming!’

“Your mouth starts watering a bit, but then if you actually think about it, there was no fucking way in hell any decent A&R person would sign our band at that moment. It was just one big mess with one good song. They came to the show, and we just fucked it up. Big time. They then left us alone, and then we kind started, y’know what I mean?” Fickle Friends needed that moment, that point to stop and evaluate, to think clearly of what they wanted to do next and where they needed to get to. Clearing the slate yet building on the foundations ‘Swim’ had laid out, they cranked things up a notch. Unsigned, and with only the money they had in their back pocket, Fickle Friends were going to have to do things by themselves - jumping at every opportunity and working their way up and down the country whenever they could to build what they had. “It was definitely a lot easier in our last year of Uni when they would let us go off and play all of these gigs, but we slowly stopped going with everything we had going on,” remembers Jack. “We would jump at every opportunity,” continues Natti. “There was this gig in Dalston where our friend’s band was meant to be playing, and they had to drop out, so put up an ad on Facebook asking for a support

DOWN WITH BORING

fact that our writing itself has become more pop as time has gone on. It’s also just been what we’re listening to, like for example, Zedd released a track the other day, and we listened to it, and thought fuck that’s good. Then the next songs we wrote was almost a homage to that, but still sounding like Fickle Friends. If you have the luxury of writing music, you can literally write exactly what you want to listen to.” Fickle Friends see a moment in time taking place, where pop’s credibility sits at an all-time high, and the lines between genres are blurrier than ever. “You can literally do what you want now,” points out Jack, “as long as the production comes across cool then nobody cares.” “Like, fundamentally pop stands for popular music. It’s anything that is commercial at the time, and that’s such a broad fucking spectrum of music,” jumps in Natti. “I think of Fickle Friends as a progressive pop band, still very much a live band with indie roots but y’know, with pop music in those roots too.

band to slot in. We were like, ‘Yep’. So we jumped on a train with all of our stuff and played this gig. It was mental, we started playing so much, and we didn’t realise about the money side of things till after Uni, and we were like, oh fuck we’ve got 30 festivals to do, and we also have to work. What the fuck are we going to do?” They would push for everything. Applying to play shows through competitions on festival websites, racing to do gigs even if it meant horrendous journeys back late at night - the band was everything to them, and they were damned if someone was going to try and pull that away from them. As Natti notes, “we were driving ourselves everywhere and completely self-sufficient. No tour manager, just ourselves. “We were saying the other day about this time on our first tour where we finished in Leeds, and me and Chris had to be in work at 9am in Brighton the following morning. So we had to be dropped off at the National Express bus stop in Leeds at midnight to drive down to

London Victoria to then get the 6am train down to Brighton to then just walk straight into work.” Jack cracks up in amazement at their predicament. “I remember waking up in Travelodge to look at my phone thinking, woah, they’re at work right now.” Natti’s head falls into her hands. “Absolutely harrowing. It’s times like that when you think, ‘Oh my god, why?’ Absolutely horrible. Thinking about how you’re going to pay your rent the whole time... But there was never a moment where we thought, this isn’t worth it. We knew we were onto something.” Something was right. Word spread quickly of Fickle Friends’ live prowess and the songs they were working on, building on that first moment where ‘Swim’ crashed into the world. Over the course of two years, the band played 53 festivals - following a similar story of doing everything themselves and driving across the country for shows wherever possible.

“There was a time we did Radio 1’s Big Weekend,” drops in Natti. “We had to put all of our stuff into wheelie bins, the massive ones, that we then rolled up to the BBC Introducing Stage with. No buggies or anything, people were looking at us like, ‘What?!’” There was time in the studio that ended up being paid for by Jamie Oliver (yes, that Jamie Oliver). It all added to an evolution in the band’s sound that embraced the unabashed memories of pop, with heavyweight hooks at every turn and the sort of unfiltered hunger for the hugest moments. It’s been natural for the band and now dazzles spectacularly in everything they do. “I always used to write songs that I thought I was capable of doing,” expands Natti, thinking back to those early days when she was writing singer-songwriter tales and now with the band big ‘uns like ‘Hello Hello’ and ‘Brooklyn’. There’s a clear line why. “When you have a band, it completely changes. I think the sound has come from the

ALL ALL THE THE B BANGERS BANGERS

“I don’t know why I think of this as a poignant moment of pop being credible, but when Justin Bieber released his last album and ‘Sorry’, previously he was considered as the furthest from being cool and then suddenly it completely changed.” “He represents that change and transition,” notes Jack. “Like The 1975 represent that transition in indie music being pop, too.” It comes at a prime moment for Fickle Friends, fused with lush sounds and fizzing energy, they’re ready with a soundtrack of being alive and growing as a young person in the 21st century. They’ve always captured that moment of freedom, dreaming and fear that comes from growing up, and across ‘You Are Someone Else’, they deliver on a dossier that could very well be the diary of every young person plugging into 2018. That vulnerability of openness is a constant throughout the record, whether it’s unsure of who you are, unsure of how you feel about others and unsure of what’s to come - all bathed under neon lights and confetti. Heartbreak, anxiety, devastation - but with the energy to pick yourself up and dive head first into life again, ‘You Are Someone Else’ captures it all

Y THE TIME MOST BANDS GET TO THE RELEASE OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, THEY’VE GOT ONE OR TWO GOOD SINGLES IN THEIR BACK POCKET. FICKLE FRIENDS MUST LOOK AT THEIR PEERS WITH SMUG, SATISFIED GRINS. AS THEY DELIVER THEIR FIRST FULL-LENGTH, THEY’RE IN POSSESSION OF ENOUGH BANGERS TO SINK YOUR AVERAGE POP MEGASTAR. THEY’RE NOT B-GRADE EFFORTS EITHER. SOLID GOLD, EACH AND EVERY ONE. HERE’S A RUNDOWN.

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and it’s why so many are hooked under Fickle Friends’ spell. “The album spans the last six years of trying to be an adult,” explains Natti. “Through adolescence and growing up as a millennial or whatever. From the age of 18-25, it’s the most fucking confusing time of your life, y’know? Romantically, personally, socially, everything! It was all about writing that down on paper, and it helps that I can only ever write if I’m feeling weird about something. “The songs sum up so much, things that everyone’s felt like so hopefully people will be able to connect with something on there at least. Some are about specific moments in life, and sometimes they’re more of a universal thing - but like those specific moments, when I hear the song, I can remember how I was feeling on that day.” The result is an album distinctively Fickle Friends, beefed up to take on the world. The sort of record that ties itself perfectly together, full of those 80s beats and all-encompassing anthems that are begging to be sung back at them by thousands upon thousands - it realises their panoramic vision and then aims for more. Whether it’s the stadium-sized choruses of ‘Glue’, ‘Lovesick’, ‘Brooklyn’ and ‘Say No More’, to the calypso strobes of ‘Rotation’, ‘Bite’ and ‘Midnight’ or the spine-tingling ‘Wake Me Up’ and ‘Paris’ - it’s a record of many varieties but one overarching point that connects it all: life. ‘You Are Someone Else’ is an album to get the glitter out to, to whack all over your face and then skip down the street to meet your mates. Life is ridiculous, it’s always changing, but at least there’s tomorrow, and, for tonight, there’s always the dance floor.

LL THOSE YEARS AFTER THAT DODGY INDUSTRY NIGHT WHERE THINGS DIDN’T GO TO PLAN, Fickle Friends are now undeniably ready. Getting the sort of reaction that most bands would kill for with three albums out, they’ve already ticked some pretty sensational moments off their bucket list. Take that big ‘ol night at London’s Kentish Town Forum last year for instance. Jack recalls it still, almost four months on, with a sense of wonder.

SWIM If we were giving Fickle Friends a calling card, ‘Swim’ would be it. Tropical vibes, a bridge to heaven and a chorus that lights up the sky, it sets the tone for everything that’s followed. “You are not alone,” the refrain goes, “for the last time I am sure.” Exactly the message 2018 needs.

“THIS BAND IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS” -NATTI “I remember when we got to the venue, I had this moment where I looked out on the stage, and we’ve played some big stages before, but I remember walking out and thinking that it was a real adults venue,” he says. “We’re a real band now, there’s no denying it. With the fact we didn’t even have an album out, it really was just the beginning. When you see bands that you’ve loved for years playing the same venue, and now you’ve done that too, it’s a pretty mad feeling.” Natti takes a moment to pour some more red wine into her

BROOKLYN When Fickle Friends hit the jackpot, they hit it big. Part of a run of singles which went bigger with every step, ‘Brooklyn’ is a pitch perfect banger from the top of the pile. The sound of a band confident in their own skin. From here on out, the game was already won.

glass. “I still consider ourselves sometimes as a band playing these 100 capacity venues, so when they’re putting up the lighting rig and rolling on the fucking hundreds of palm trees onto the stage, it makes you realise things.” After all the relentless nights, the moments where they scrambled to make ends meet and the glorious highs that have come from countless weeks pushing, writing, playing and dreaming - Fickle Friends’ time is now. What started as a pipe-dream now feels like a certainty, Fickle Friends are the pop band the

CRY BABY From the opening boopy beats, ‘Cry Baby’ was here to lay down a challenge. Strapping one of the best alt-pop choruses in recent memory, it’s the kind of banger that can defuse any dancefloor. Bitter sweet good-day-bad-day vibes, you’d struggle to find better.

world needs right now, and the bright lights are only going to get brighter. Those years and years evolving have given them that unique benefit of experience, in a world of streaming hits and shifting trends they already know that the hard work is just going to continue, and none may be as prepared for it as they are. “I’m very aware of the fact that this band is not an overnight success,” notes Natti, “and I don’t think we ever will be. It’s a slow burner, but I think that’s maybe a good thing for us and longevity. Getting to the point where Two Door Cinema Club are now, where

HELLO HELLO “You’re a winner, even though you think you’re not,” goes ‘Hello Hello’ - equal parts nervous lust and pseudo empowerment. Deadly effective pop banger on the surface, like everything Fickle Friends do, the lyrics show something deeper beneath the surface.

you can do album after album, you can headline festivals, can play The O2 - that’s the dream, but we’re full-time musicians! That’s the fucking dream, right? “Things might change when this album comes out, because I think people have kinda pigeon-holed us a little bit. I open up Twitter and see people saying that we are like Paramore and The 1975’s love-child, or say we sound like Pale Waves, and I just want them to listen to our album and see we’re not like that. That’s the beauty of having an album, we can now show off all of the different sides of what we can

GLUE If there’s one glorious trait that connects all of Fickle Friends’ bangers, it’s their ability to transport the listener to another world. It could be a cold, windy, dark day in Bolton, but the minute ‘Glue’ hits the sun is out. Cocktails on the balcony at sunset in a hazy, Mediterranean paradise there’s no surprise it’s so addictive.

do.” The band finish off the pitcher and crack away in the spirit of old childhood friends. Over the past few years, they’ve experienced the highs and lows that come with being in a band determined to lay out their own path and willing to push themselves to the furthest extents to get there - and now, they’re on the cusp of a glorious new chapter. Fickle Friends have promised the big-time for so long, and now the full technicolour wonder of their world is about to be beamed loud and proud for the world to hear. For now, there’s pizza on the way and the chance to grab some much-needed respite before it all kicks off, thinking of what’s to come. Chatting about how people will receive the album, Natti continues to think. “Maybe everyone will love the more off-kilter indie songs, and our next record will be moving away from pop.” There’s a pause. “I mean - who fucking knows, but it’ll be what we’re into.” Fickle Friends. Doing things their way since 2013. Next stop? Wherever they want to go - nobody’s going to stop them now. P Fickle Friends’ album ‘You Are Someone Else’ is out now.

HARD TO BE MYSELF Liquid confidence and selfdoubt doesn’t fit the usual banger template, but we’re living in the era of juxtaposition. Muted beats explode into an oasislike chorus (no, not *that* Oasis), proving that - when it comes down to it - even future pop stars have the same doubts as the rest of us.

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New You to

H I N DS A RE BAC K W I T H T H E I R

SECOND ALBUM, AND IT SEES THEIR UNIQUE BRAND OF

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E NTH USI ASM TU RN E D U P TO 11. WORDS: ALI SHUTLER. PH OTOS: N E E L A M KH A N VE L A.

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so you have to accept them,” Carlotta reasons. “It’s hard to accept mistakes. It’s not that easy, and when you find a new person, you’d love to be awesome for them. You want to be better. Choosing love as a reason to try to make a better version of yourself. I think that’s beautiful.” As for ‘Tester’, “It’s got the lyric: ‘Should I have known before that you were also banging her?’, so that’s all you need to know about that track,” explains Ana with a smirk. “We like taking album titles that aren’t from the record and are more a statement of where the band is at the moment,” Ana explains. “‘I Don’t Run’ is going against those rock’n’roll rules of ‘live fast, die young’ or ‘do this now and don’t care about tomorrow’. We’re against that. We’re not going to run.”

“S

it here,” instructs Carlotta Cosials with a grin. We do as we’re told, taking an empty seat in the middle of Hinds and instantly, we’re part of their gang. It’s the same immediate entanglement that skips through their second album ‘I Don’t Run’. Well-worn, comfortable and with the edges beginning to fray because of constant, loving use, the record sees them more deliberate and considered, but still having the most fun imaginable. The band are a little tired following last night’s show at London’s Sebright Arms and the party that followed. “What a night,” they beam. It’s a familiar feeling ‘cos since the release of debut album ‘Leave Me Alone’, Hinds have been on a seemingly non-stop journey around the world. Everything that’s happened so far, “wasn’t even a dream,” begins Ana Perrotte. “It came so early; it’s something we didn’t dream of. We didn’t have the time. This life chose us.” “We’ve missed playing live,” she continues, and the fact they’re not already soundchecking in another venue, in another city is a little weird. “Last night was like an appetizer of touring,” starts Carlotta. A little soup or garlic bread. “After that, we’re excited for the whole year. We’re not going to stop. Last night was like having the candy in your mouth, then having to take it out,” she continues, before pausing. “I think we’re hungry still.” As for the new album, it’s the full works. “It’s a burger with double cheese,” explains Carlotta as the band pile on more and more toppings. Bacon. Fries. Onions. Ketchup. Everything, really. That hunger, it’s definitely not going anywhere.

used that many metaphors because we wanted to speak clearly. It’s braver, and it sounds funnier; it has a sense of humour,” she promises. “It’s so bad of me to say this, but it’s better.” ‘I Don’t Run’ still twirls with a fuzzy charm, but the music, the lyrics and the feelings behind it all are larger and more complex. There’s no sheen in the way as Hinds, “try and make people feel things. We wanted that live feeling, We still wanted a total rock ‘n’ roll classic,” explains Ana. “On the first album, suddenly we had a xylophone or something like that. On this album, there’s not another instrument in sight. We’ve only used two guitars, a bass and drums.” More compact, the band’s glistening personalities are fully locked together now, bouncing off one another as they toy, tease and twist about the record as the sad moments dwell for longer, the happy moments sparkle brighter and the moments of anger don’t hold anything back. “It’s a practical thing,” starts Ana. “Everything is more powerful now. Whatever we say, it’s more powerful because we know how to say it and we know how to play it. We always prioritise being clear, being passionate and expressing everything.” she continues. “You can’t be yelling all the time.” “Of course, we are better with our instruments,” smirks Carlotta. “Not by a lot, but at least we’re better.” “It’s experience, too,” continues Ade Martin. “Being in Madrid and going to uni doesn’t inspire the same feelings as touring for three years, meeting people or going to Australia. Those feelings become way bigger, and you can tell on the record.”

Everything has changed for the band since ‘Leave Me Alone’. “We’ve played so many shows,” grins Ana. “We’ve listened to so many things, and we’ve been everywhere. We’ve changed as people.” And that shows in ‘I Don’t Run’.

“The thing about touring is that it gets intense,” explains Carlotta. “You lose your perspective a lot of the time, and suddenly small things become bigger. You get angry about nothing, you get stressed about nothing, and you fall in love, again and again. Everything that’s usually small is magnified.”

“’It’s bigger, stronger and it’s more direct lyrically,” Carlotta explains. “We haven’t

‘Leave Me Alone’ was a record about love, all hope for new experiences and new

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“This album’s a burger with double cheese” - Carlotta

people, while ‘I Don’t Run’ is about “not love,” Carlotta continues. “There’s no word in English, but in Spanish, you can say ‘desamor’. It’s the opposite of love, but it’s not hate. It’s what comes after love ends.” Sometimes heartbreak, sometimes the peace of new beginnings, it’s a record of strong feelings, she explains. “‘I Feel Cold But I Feel More’ is the first song we wrote for the album. Ana and I went to the beach, and we were both single. We’d just broken up with our boyfriends, and it was a very special trip. When you’ve been with someone for so long, you forget how to be single and how to be with a friend. Suddenly you’re thinking about flirting with other people, falling in love with other people, and that freedom of being single is special. “It’s not that you’re not free when you’re in a relationship, but it’s different. In that moment, it felt like suddenly the world was ours. We didn’t mind if it was true or not.” Elsewhere the “you” in ‘New For You’ is “a person you love.” A song about selfgrowth and making peace with flaws, the track knows full well that you have a past that you cannot change. “Sometimes you’re going to wish you hadn’t made mistakes, but they’re with you forever,

The title is also a promise of control. “For the first record, everything was a rush,” explains Amber Grimbergen. “The writing was a nightmare, the recording was the same, and the music videos were the same. For this one, we made the decision that it wasn’t going to happen again. Every single we do is going to be well thought out.” “What’s going to come next this year is going to be tough and crazy, but you’ve just got to take a deep breath, and we know what’s coming. It’s not going to be a surprise,” assures Carlotta. “I’ll show you how to fight for more,” promised ‘Garden’ way back on their debut and Hinds haven’t stopped since. Yes, the band constantly look like they’re having the absolute best time onstage and off, yes everything happened quickly for them and sure ‘I Don’t Run’ makes you want to call your friends, head to the beach and forget about everything else, but there’s more to Hinds than goodtime escape. They used to feel like they had something to prove to people, and now they don’t. “When we started the band, we decided to be ourselves. We play in the way we play, and we are the way we are.” They’d rather try something and fail, then wait until they know for sure. They wear their mistakes like armour. “It’s not that we like the mistakes, we do try hard to avoid them, but the way everything happens, it’s just impossible.” So, they roll with it, never dwelling but always hoping for better. “We’re tough with ourselves,” starts Amber. “Because of how we started and being ourselves, making mistakes is not easy. It’s not easy when there are so many people seeing them or talking about them. We will never do something just to prove something, that would never be the final goal. But sometimes it does feel good to change peoples opinions or get them to hear something they wouldn’t expect.” Fearless, brilliant and determined to have a good time, ‘I Don’t Run’ is the sound of friends ready to take on the world. Bristling with confidence, the band know what’s around this corner and are hopeful for the next. “I would love to change history with this thing that is Hinds. Hinds existed in this moment, and they did something for the world.” P Hinds’ album ‘I Don’t Run’ is out 6th April.

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FOREVER A N E W A L B U M A N D A H I T N E T F L I X S E R I E S ? I T C O U L D O N LY B E

K AT E N A S H

WORDS: JOSH WILLIAMS.

ate Nash has been a busy bee. Between starring in Netflix hit Glow, and working on a musical, she’s also recorded new album ‘Yesterday Was Forever’. With Glow taking priority, the record was relegated to weekends. It was pretty hard going, Kate explains from LA where she’s putting the finishing touches to the album.

“It’s harder than I initially imagined it to be in terms of the energy expenditure; on Glow, it’s so high because of all the wrestling and the physical nature of the work,” she considers. “It’s hard to then get into the record on the weekends, but I did it, and I’m feeling good about it now. It’s just making sure I had enough time to recover from all the wrestling and stuff too.” Despite it being five years since her last full-length ‘Girl Talk’, Kate says she’s been “recording through all of those years”, and just needed time to figure out how to release it. The album sees Kate sprinkle more of her pop magic but also push herself to new places, which she says comes fairly naturally. “I get bored otherwise. I like to push myself to do new things, and it’s just a more interesting way of making music. It’s challenging doing new things, but then with the right people it feels less intimidating ‘cos you’re having a good time in the studio if you’re with the right people.” Kate explains: “I did the record with two different producers. It’s always an exciting moment when you find people that you connect with ‘cos it doesn’t come about all that often. It’s really exciting when you’re like, ‘Oh these are the people I’m gonna do the record with’.” Despite talking to labels, Kate chose to use Kickstarter to fund the release of the album. “I haven’t had the best experience with people from record labels, to be honest. My experience is I go to these rooms, and I just don’t necessarily trust those people or feel comfortable. I look back at my experience and think that the industry doesn’t care about nurturing people, the industry just wants to make money out of someone that’s hot right now. “I just felt like my fans’ wellbeing

“THE INDUSTRY DOESN’T CARE ABOUT NURTURING PEOPLE, IT JUST WANTS TO MAKE MONEY” and staying independent was more appealing, ‘cos that way I can also just do whatever I want and make the music that I wanna make and not worry about being held back for a year. I hear a lot of negative experiences; I’m not sure what state the music industry is really in to be offering people career guidance.” Staying independent allowed Kate to work without pressure on both the album and Glow. “We could just set whenever we wanted to. We said February to people on Kickstarter, but the good thing about it is you can just communicate with people and say, ‘We decided to go March just to make sure we could give it enough lead-up time and stuff’.” Kate describes working on both the album and the show as a “learning experience to figure out where to put my energy at the time and to make sure I was rested,” she says. “The show’s had an influence on me overall because of confidence, like learning to wrestle and having this new physical relationship with my body and just being around all these amazing women. It’s been amazing, life-changing.” As a result of the show’s success, Kate’s “had experiences where I’m recognised as [her character] Britannica and recognised for Glow. The main thing is people not realising that it was me in the show. People would be like, ‘I thought I recognised you...’, but then like, ‘Oh my god that’s Kate Nash, that’s so crazy!’ That’s the main reaction; people don’t realise it’s me until afterwards then they’re like oh my god!”

Last year, Kate did a ten-year anniversary tour for her debut album ‘Made of Bricks’, but she insists that didn’t have an effect on her new album as she’d “already pretty much recorded it by then.” The experience did, however, make her “really excited to release music again,” she says, “because it was such a joyous, celebratory experience. I feel like looking to the past is always good. It’s been quite a reflective experience, in general - that’s why the album’s called ‘Yesterday Was Forever’. I’ve been looking through archival stuff; it’s important to look at where you’ve come from and then think about the future from there, to see how far you’ve come as well as celebrate that. “I feel like I have been looking back at the last ten years because a decade is quite a celebratory thing, you know? It’s quite an achievement to be like, fuck I’ve been doing this for this long now!” Kate is taking the album on tour in the US this April. “I’m gonna do sort of a mix of all three records,” she says of her set. “I’m gonna try and bring elements of the ‘Made of Bricks’ tour like the theatre. The stage set we had for that was beautiful, so that’s gonna be cool to try and bring out to the US. Also, obviously I’m gonna play the new material. It’s getting the balance right that could be a little hard.” Much like her upcoming tour, Kate’s forthcoming musical will be a mix of old and new, but she remains somewhat

tight-lipped on the story, revealing: “It’s a pretty exciting story about following your heart and each character has their own struggles. How are you gonna overcome them - are you gonna fall apart, or follow your heart? I enjoyed working on a musical because there’s something really simple about, ‘Okay, this is the story we need to tell’ - and then you just have to tell it through song.” Kate says that the album isn’t political, but that “the climate definitely has affected all of us, it’s pretty difficult to ignore. I just tried to make art that feels as true to me as possible, and heartfelt, so that people have music that’s meaningful when there are difficult political things happening. Music and art are always there for people during difficult times, and it’s important to fight for your true voice through that.” She also reveals that the track ‘Musical Theatre’ is about her mental health. “It’s about my brain. When I wrote that it was a way of being able to describe my OCD and anxiety, and when it feels like I’m going crazy. I know people reacted to that when I toured last year, and we raised money for the charity Mind; it’s connected to the song and it’s just such a great way to connect with my fans, just being honest about shit that everyone has gone through.” While she did have a specific mission statement for the album, “it changed,” Kate explains. “It took so long to get here. I went back a little bit towards my pop roots at the beginning, and then it felt like an evolution of [2013’s] ‘Girl Talk’ as well, in a way. It’s just taken so long. I started recording it in 2014, and only now it’s coming out. It’s kinda weird to think that’s one record, but sometimes it just takes time to figure it out. It’s just meant to be. “I was thinking about it when I was listening to all the mixes, and there were points where I was frustrated and wanted it to be out immediately. I think that the record is better for the time it has taken, and there’s no reason to rush because there’s no point in putting out a record that’s bad or isn’t ready. It’s all for a reason. Just gotta trust the universe.” P Kate Nash’s album ‘Yesterday Was Forever’ is out 30th March.

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FEELS LI KE IT’S B EEN A LO COMING, NG TIME RIGHT? W ELL, T H E M AG IC GANG ’S DEBU ALBUM IS T F I N A L LY HERE, AN E V E RY T H D IT’S I N G YO U ’ D WA N T AND MOR IT TO B E E.

WORDS: J ESS I CA GOODMA PH OTO: R N. OGER DE CKKER.

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t’s been three years since Brighton’s buzziest quartet released their debut single, and it’s been a long and winding path the band have taken since then. Over the course of three EPs, a series of successful tours, and an abundance of festival performances later, The Magic Gang are at last stepping up with their long awaited debut album in tow, ready to show the world exactly what they’re all about. “We’ve been playing some new songs live for the first time,” Kristian Smith states, with a laugh. “It’s really hard work!” Having pushed the boundaries of their creativity, the group are driving ever forwards to meet the high expectations they set for themselves. “It’s good though. It’s a good challenge,” Kristian adds. “It’s really exciting playing new material, testing it out. A lot of it was quite well received, so it’s really fun. It’s really exciting.” Excitement is something The Magic Gang are no strangers to. Performing live the band hold their audience in the palm of their collective hand, keeping the energy bouncing and the room dancing long into the night. Theirs is a freewheeling appeal that’s seen them go from strength to strength, selling out all bar one date of their upcoming headline tour before the release of their album was even announced. “It’s crazy!” Kristian exclaims. “It’s just mad how it’s all sold out,” he laughs, before quickly adding “we’re really happy with it, obviously.” “It’s an amazing, amazing feeling,” Jack Kaye echoes. “It’s pretty surreal. I feel like people have somewhat committed to something they haven’t heard yet, which is so incredibly encouraging.” Expressing a very real gratitude towards anyone who’s ready cut loose and fancy free at their shows, it’s this mutual admiration and respect that’s seen The Magic Gang earn such a secure place in the hearts of their fans. “People know that what they’re going to be hearing on that tour is the album,” Jack states. “The fact that they’ve just jumped into that and bought tickets without having heard it is really flattering and really, really encouraging.” Fans can rest assured: with the release of their debut album The Magic Gang are presenting themselves at their most ardent and most addictive best.

“Just good vibes. That’s what the message is” As the architect Michael poses in an episode of The Good Place, “You know the way you feel when you see a picture of two otters holding hands? That’s how you’re going to feel every day.” Such is the energy that The Magic Gang have always presented during their immersive live shows, through their numbered EPs, and now, at long last, on their delightful debut album. Compiling their best material to date, through a selection of old favourites and striking new numbers, this debut record is a representation of everything the band have grown to be.

“I think we always intended on making the first album the best of everything we’ve done up until the album being made,” Kristian portrays. “We thought that’s what a debut album should be: it should be all the good stuff, regardless of when it was from.” So that’s exactly how the album has shaped up: older favourites bound and flourish with more energy than ever, while new material showcases the ever expanding breadth of what the group are capable of creating. “I think we did an alright job of choosing the right ones?” Kristian laughs. “Instinctively we were quite keen on putting all of our new stuff on there and kind of ignoring the older stuff, but some of those older songs are some of the best we’ve got still,” Jack portrays. “Just because we were excited to put new stuff on there, I don’t know if that was a reason to cull all our old

what we’ve always been about,” Kristian mulls. “But we always intended to have moments on there that were a bit more expansive and alluding to a wider taste in music.” “We knew we had more room to work with, so we were quite keen to have a chance to showcase a bit more of what we can do,” Jack agrees. From straight up guitar pop anthems, through piano led wonderment, and back again, the record is a blueprint to the DNA that has made the band who they are today. A rich tapestry of influences and inspiration, the album ties itself together with the distinctive energy that makes The Magic Gang, The Magic Gang.

material.” Instead, what The Magic Gang have built is “a snapshot of all the best stuff from the start,” and with it’s release the group are inviting the rest of the world to celebrate every moment of that with them.

“I think there is a general message and vibe across the whole thing,” Kristian offers. “All of the songs are about friendship and love and family and good vibes,” he explains. “That’s what the album means to me: it’s good vibes.” “I think it’s quite sincere, in a way,” Jack adds. “We’re not trying to pull any rock star clichés or anything like that. We’ve taken it very seriously. We’ve put everything into it. We’re putting something out that is just us, trying to write the best music we can.”

Recorded in the rural countryside of Oxfordshire at the end of last year, the sessions for the album allowed the group to really hone in on what it was that made them tick. “It was sort of like a weird holiday retreat,” Kristian recalls. “We were really isolated in the middle of nowhere, but I think it was good for us.” Forsaking the city for solitude, the band worked hard to capture the songs and sounds that would convey exactly what this band are all about.

Releasing what they describe as “an outlet to have fun and switch off,” it’s taken the band a long time to reach this point, and they’re determined to make every moment matter. “For us, it’s been a very long time coming,” Kristian laughs. “For me it’s really exciting to just get it out, and crack on with stuff. I really like the idea of starting another one soon and just getting on with it.” “I can see us writing another album very, very soon as well,” Jack agrees.

“It was kind of a bit of an easy process in a way,” Jack describes. “We just wanted to make sure that we got recording right, and make sure that we got a lot of energy in the recordings.” “It was all about getting the live energy into the recordings,” Kristian echoes. “We wanted it to be representative of the live show to the best of our ability - while still making it listenable, obviously,” he teases.

Keen though they are to keep pushing forwards, for right now, the group are content in their moment of calm before the storm. “There’s a bit of a feeling of it being out of our hands,” Jack chuckles. “We’ve done our bit. Now, to some extent, we just have to wait and see what happens, and see what people think of it. I feel quite good about that.” Hoping for, if anything, a sense of “longevity,” it might have taken a long time to get here, but this is still only just the beginning of the adventure The Magic Gang are inviting us all to join them on. “Just good vibes: that’s what the message is,” Kristian reiterates. And really, what more could you ask for? P

Heavily influenced by their time on the road, The Magic Gang’s debut album conveys the same resilient spirit that has made the band such a sensation on stage with an effortless charm – and then some. “Maybe on a surface level, if you pick apart all the tracks they’re very straight up pop songs. I think that’s

The Magic Gang’s self-titled debut album is out now.

The top 5 magic gangs that aren’t The Magic Gang Take That

“Could it be magic?” they asked. But they knew it was really. They had to. Let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for their spell casting skills, how on earth did Howard and Jason make it in the biggest boy band in the world? And in many ways, aren’t The Magic Gang the new Take That?

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Harry, Ron and Hermione

The tightest of squads, with the ability to defeat mega-evil super wizards, they may not have been able to drop bangers, but they could shift millions of pounds worth of books, cinema tickets and merch.

Willow and Tara

We’ll be honest, Dear Reader, we’re still getting over the

trauma of that scene in the peerless Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And if you have to ask, then thank your lucky stars you’re still living in a world of innocent joy, we’ll never truly love again.

The Spellmans

Sabrina and her aunts were cool, don’t get us wrong, but does anyone else in this list have a talking cat?

No. Well, there you go then. Salem rules.

Little Mix

Firstly, Little Mix can do ‘Black Magic’ that makes people fart putrid green gas uncontrollably in the presence of hot boys, so we’re hardly going to leave them off the list. Secondly, they’re Little Mix, and Little Mix belong in every Top 5 ever.

S U N F L O W E R B E A N A R E TA K I N G T H E I R I R R E S I S T I B L E T U N E S U P A N O T C H : “ W E WA N T E D T O B E A L I TT L E B I T B R AV E R , ” E X P L A I N S G U I T A R I S T N I C K K I V L E N . W O R D S : J A K E H AW K E S . P H O T O : H O L L I E F E R N A N D O

unflower Bean are back in the UK, but it hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride. After a five-hour flight delay, they arrived at the airport to find all of their bags had been lost. They’re surprisingly chipper about the ordeal, though. “We were only slightly hindered and stressed out, we’ve been lucky it hasn’t happened more,” says singer/ bassist Julia Cummings, to agreement from singer/ guitarist Nick Kivlen and drummer Jacob Faber. The reason those delayed flights and lost valuables aren’t denting Sunflower Bean’s happy-go-lucky attitude might have something to do with the imminent release of their new album, ‘Twentytwo in Blue’. It’s been a long time coming, as Jacob explains: “We started writing it at the beginning of 2017, right after we got off of touring [debut album] ‘Human Ceremony’. We got the soul of all of the songs down in early 2017, and then we were able to craft them and give them a lot of love in the studio for the best part of a year.” He pauses and laughs. “Which is a bit different from ‘Human Ceremony’, which we just banged out in a week!” “That was fun in its own right too,” Julia adds. “I think the intentions were different on this one. Making and touring ‘Human Ceremony’ made us realise we knew how to be outward, how to put on a show and mosh. We still love doing those things, and they’re still a part of us, but with the new album, we wanted to try to dig deeper and discover a different part of ourselves.” “We also saw a lot of amazing acts on the road,” she continues. “Seeing so many great songwriters made us think about what we wanted to be, how dedicated we were and what we wanted the next few years to look like. I think we decided we wanted something a little bit more inward facing. All of our music marks a place in time, so that made it feel like more of a natural decision.” It’s a real change of pace for the band, and one which you can tell took a lot of guts to make. “I think one of the main differences between this album and the first is that we wanted to shed some of that guard we put up on ‘Human Ceremony’,” Nick explains, picking up from Julia. “We wanted to be a bit more honest and

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“The audience we found on the first record fired us up to write the second one as well. Going on the road and meeting all of these people that were connecting with our music in places we had never even been was incredible, and I think we used that as a muse to write for and help conceptualise what we had learned on tour.” Jacob agrees: “I think there’s outside pressure inherently there, but we’re all very good at managing it. We knew we had a lot in us to put into the record, so I think the pressure was good, at least for me.”

open up. Because the first album had a sly, winking sense of humour to it, and I think we wanted to stop using that as much and be a little bit braver. It was partly down to a change in attitude and a growth in confidence after the first album, but it also meant trying something completely new.” “We’ve grown as people,” Jacob interjects. “Years of touring help, and just digging deep into who you are. It’s always a work in progress, but on this record, we’re definitely more confident, and able to live with that.” It isn’t all about finding inner peace and ignoring the world, though. “There’s always going to be outside influences in your music,” Julia says, when asked if the album is completely inward facing. “A record that we’ve kept in mind is Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Tusk’, especially that experimental aspect of it. We’re pretty tender about people making that comparison to Fleetwood Mac, but I can hear it more on this record than in our previous work. “Bands like Gorillaz that have been making interesting, exciting work for a number of years have influenced us too. We worked with Jacob Portrait from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and he was great at keeping things weird and telling us not to second guess ourselves, which helped us stick to what we wanted to do.” “I’m always listening to music,” she adds. “If there’s music in a coffee shop I l can’t help but listen to it, I can’t turn it off! If we’re sitting in traffic in the tour van

and something like ‘The Idiot’ is playing by Iggy Pop, I’ll lose my mind. I like that record, but if we encounter slowdown on the highway and it’s on, I can’t deal with it.” “Speed has so much to do with it,” explains Jacob. “There’s this interesting thing I think, where if you’re driving a car and you slow down it feels like the music should too. Some funny synaesthesia.” Citing Fleetwood Mac, Iggy Pop and Gorillaz as influences shows that Sunflower Bean draw from a wide range, but that doesn’t mean they’re indiscriminate. “I think a big part of the band has always been rejection,” Nick says. “When we first started playing shows in the Brooklyn DIY scene around 2014, we wanted to do the opposite of what everyone else was doing, and now on our second album, we decided to completely throw out everything that we were doing on the first one! We wanted to see if we could run in a different direction with it.” Was this change in direction a response to pressure after ‘Human Ceremony’ was released? “Honestly I don’t think I felt any pressure,” Nick replies. “When we got together to first start working out ideas in late 2016 we had this amazing creative explosion. Every day we had new stuff, and it was great, just this massive build-up from the year of touring when we didn’t have time to write together. We made a lot of material very quickly, and it was a creative and fulfilling time.

“I feel more pressure now,” admits Julia, referencing the fact that the album is finished, but not actually out yet. “Annie Mac premiered our song ‘Twentytwo’ on Radio 1, and all night beforehand I couldn’t sleep. I just get so jittery and excited, especially because we didn’t say anything about the record for so long. I think because of that the real excitement is getting it out there. That full circle of actually getting the songs into people’s hands will be pretty awesome. “We have been playing new stuff at shows though. We’re in the UK for the album’s actual release [23rd March], so we’re treating that as the ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ kick off tour. Expect us to be playing stuff live that we’ve never played before; it’ll be really special.” “We’ve got Sorry with us on the tour too,” she continues. “We try to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s going on, that’s how we found them, and we love their tunes. Oh, and we saw Dream Wife for the first time at Benicassim last summer, they’re going on tour in the US with us. I just remember seeing them and thinking to myself, ‘Wow, this is so special’. We’re excited to take them along with us.” “I’ve got this really bad habit on tour,” Jacob begins sheepishly. “We’ll be touring with a band, hearing their songs through a green room wall for a month or two, and then I’ll go home and listen to them and get extremely attached. I should probably do it the other way around…” P Sunflower Bean’s album ‘Twentytwo In Blue’ is out 23rd March.

DOWN WITH BORING

REVIEWS THE OFFICIAL VERDICT ON BASICALLY EVERYTHING.

ALBERT HAMMOND JR

FRANCIS TROUBLE

eeeee While his output up until this point has been hit and miss, with his fourth album, ‘Francis Trouble’, everything aligns for The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr to strike hard and fully present himself as his own entity. Opener ‘DvsL’ screams echoes of The Beatles’ experimental opus ‘Sgt Pepper’s’, while ‘Muted Beatings’ lustrous imagery of “waitresses to good to forget”, proves that Albert isn’t just a master of the axe, but also one hell of a wordsmith. It’s this M.O. that follows ‘Francis Trouble’ throughout - and considering it’s inspired by Albert’s search for identity through his knowledge of the loss of his twin in utero, it’s rather spectacular. Each song presents itself as a cinematic journey on this search for who he really is, while most importantly, crafting a musical canvas that has never sounded so good. Steven Loftin

BLACK FOXXES

REIÐI

FICKLE FRIENDS YOU ARE SOMEONE ELSE eeeee TH E RE ’S N O S UC H TH I N G AS TO O M A N Y BANG ERS.

ickle Friends feel like childhood mates. Ever since they dropped ‘Swim’ into the world, they’ve dazzled brighter than most - combining unabashed freedom with doe-eyed innocence that has had us following their every move. ‘You Are Someone Else’ revels in letting off party poppers in life’s

most confusing and heartbreaking moments. The sheer size of cuts like ‘Hello Hello’, ‘Swim’, ‘Say No More’, ‘Wake Me Up’ and ‘Brooklyn’ is jaw-dropping, delivering the sort of big-time pop licks that come from years spent honing their live craft before spearing it straight into the anthems they’re blaring. Calling upon lost love, first loves, friendship and simply not knowing what the future holds, the vulnerability under the glossy hooks shines brightest on ‘Heartbroken’ and the chilling ‘In My Head’, while ‘Bite’, ‘Rotation’

and ‘Midnight’ show off their electro-leading sense of adventure, fusing those lush singalongs with throbbing bass and cutting lines to splendid effect. Fickle Friends have always dared for more. It’s why ‘You Are Someone Else’ is such a barnstorming success, a soundtrack of youthful dreaming from a band in prime position to become a generation’s most beloved soundtrack. Sugary sweet, it’s a force that practically signs Fickle Friends as gatekeepers for where indie-pop goes next, and in their hands - it’s going to be mesmerising. Jamie Muir

eeeee Black Foxxes’ debut ‘I’m Not Well’ found them raging, cranking their instruments to eleven and battling through. ‘REIðI’ sees the trio branch out, bust lose and find some clarity. Informed and inspired by an extended trip to Iceland, singer Mark Holley sounds more reflective than he did, and this comes through not just in the band’s lyrics but Holley’s more diverse vocal delivery. Never abandoning their sound, Black Foxxes are able to push the boat out and find their place, with the final howl of “Now I understand rage” encompassing the confidence and acceptance on show. Having toured for years and climbing festival bills, ‘REIðI’ finds Black Foxxes ready to step out on their own. Dillon Eastoe

HEAR THE HOTTEST NEW RELEASES AS THEY DROP, 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

L I S T E N N O W AT R E A D D O R K . C O M O R V I A T U N E I N O N I O S A N D A N D R O I D .

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CHARLIE BARNES

OCEANOGRAPHY

eeeee If you’ve done your required reading from our hallowed pages, you’ll already be more than familiar with Charlie Barnes. Found touring the world as the fifth member of really-bloody-massive arena botherers Bastille, our Charlie isn’t simply a hired gun, but a fine musician in his own right. And really, there are worse ways to spend your time than performing for one of the most rabid fanbases on planet indie. It’s a sideline that should see him well with second full-length ‘Oceanography’. Epic, sweeping anthems abound, the album’s title track setting a lofty bar early on. The subtle but effective ‘Will & Testament’ even finds room for a guest appearance from Dan Smith on backing vocals. Far more than someone else’s second fiddle, Charlie’s ready for the limelight. Stephen Ackroyd

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS

MAY YOUR KINDNESS REMAIN

eeeee “Is that American dream dying?” Courtney Marie Andrews asks on ‘Two Cold Nights in Buffalo’. Where last year ‘Honest Life’ was largely

HEY MATTHEW FROM DEMOB HAPPY, RECOMMEND US SOME STUFF

informed by the barstool stories Andrews picked up working in a Brussels bar, the songs on ‘May Your Kindness Remain’ belong much closer to home. Across ten songs, Andrews ruminates on the disintegration of the American middle class as seen through her own eyes touring the country over the past year. Rather than snarl at the administration, she calls for community and civility through Springsteen-style tales of overcoming everyman struggles. Having left her days as a backing singer firmly behind her, ‘May Your Kindness Remain’ finds Courtney Marie Andrews stepping out more confidently than ever and serving up classic country with a modern message. Dillon Eastoe

MANIC STREET PREACHERS

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

eeeee It’s clear from the opening onetwo of ‘People Give In’ with its circus-like stomp becoming a romantic swell, and ‘International Blue’ with its cliché Manics pomp, this is more than just another album from a band now almost 30 years old. Nicky Wire’s lyrical prowess continues to shine, which combined with James Dean Bradfield’s masterful Welsh vocals continues the band’s penchant for huge yet intimate moments. ‘Sequels of Forgotten Wars’ is traditional Manics with Sean Moore’s drumming underpinning

Bradfield’s riffs, while ‘In Eternity’ channels Berlin era Bowie. ‘The Left Behind’ sees Wire take the mic for a fitting end to an album which sees the old commie punks turn their attention to a more romantic vision. Josh Williams

EELS

THE DECONSTRUCTION

eeeee Breaking away from the contriving Americana-disguised-as-indierock tripe turned out on eleventh album ‘Cautionary Tales…’, Eels find themselves flourishing once again, with frontman E. looking outwards rather than inwards on ‘The Deconstruction’. The album looks back as much as it does forward, reuniting E. with Mickey Petralia in the production chair for the first time since 1998’s ‘ElectroShock Blues’, which is perhaps where ‘The Deconstruction’ sits closest to in terms of artistic exploration, albeit with the addition of sweeping orchestral movements that underlay and interplay with occasionallydistorted, often-jangly guitar licks and funk-driven basslines. ‘The Deconstruction’ is a creative sigh of relief for an artist who had driven his songwriting machine into a block-shaped coma and left it to lie in wait for a cure, despite its disastrous desire to stray from the pace at unnecessary times. Jack Press

TV show you couldn’t live without: Seinfeld is surely the greatest show ever made. I recently got a TV again after years without one. Adverts are so poisonous, man. Save your brain and mute that shit. Best purchase of this year: I try to avoid the gratuitous purchase of material goods, as wanky as that sounds. Retail therapy is a shallow and fruitless form of self-help. I’m guilty of it though. Bought a pretty sweet hat the other day and felt about 5% cooler for a bit. Anything else you’d recommend: I always thought sunglasses in the rain were underrated. Especially if it’s a drencher. Visibility - 1, fucks given - 0. P

THE MAGIC GANG

eeeee

here’s a glorious juxtaposition to the music of The Magic Gang. Both fresh and impossible exciting, but also classic and timeless, they’re a band delivered by DeLorean from a simpler, more wholesome time. From the opening tight harmonies of ‘Oh Saki’, the template is firmly set. Building on a back catalogue of sunshine-heavy standouts, the familiar bangers aren’t left out - ‘All This Way’ jangles with abandon, ‘Alright’ finally fully grown into the anthem it always threatened to be. There are still new gems to be found, though - prime amongst them the brilliant ‘I’ll Show You’.

FENNE LILLY

ON HOLD

eeeee

Last good record you heard: ‘Freedom’s Goblin’, Ty Segall’s new record came out at the end of January, and it’s rammed with bangers. He’s so prolific and can waver a bit, but when he’s on form, it’s golden. Favourite ever book: That’s so tough. Murakami’s books are my happy place, but maybe The Sea by Iris Murdoch takes it.

THE MAGIC GANG

DEMOB HAPPY HOLY DOOM eeee e

emob Happy have come a long way since their 2015 debut ‘Dream Soda’. That album was young and zealous; their follow up ‘Holy Doom’ is a strikingly matured effort that retains their infectious energy in poppy vocals and grungy fuzzed out guitars. ‘Holy Doom’ is full to the brim with the best hooks the trio have come up with to date, and rock is still at the core. The pairing of infectious beats on the candid ‘Loosen It’ before the sleazy surf rock echoes on ‘Fake Satan’ creates a sublime marriage that’s both retro feeling and itchingly cool. ‘Running Around’ acts as the nexus,

Gleaming shimmers of sunshine through the cracks in the curtains as birds softly chirp and your head rings out like an alarm-sized migraine. Your sheets are soaked in your tears, and your heart and your head aren’t on speaking terms. A beautiful morning in the wake of tragedy, the dawn of a new beginning brought on by the pain of the loss of love. Few singersongwriters capture the feeling of lying between hopefulness and hopelessness in their twilight years, let alone on their debut album, and yet at the age of 20, Fenne Lily commands this feeling through music and curates it like art in a museum to be understood in whatever way needed. If you’re looking for an album that’ll break your heart in the wake of unrequited love, look no further. Jack Press

GOAT GIRL

GOAT GIRL as the latter half of the record explores the ‘Doom’ in the title: the dark and bubbling ‘Maker of Mine’, the head-spinning and straight up punk of ‘Spinning Out’, and the jagged ‘Gods I’ve Seen’. ‘Holy Doom’ is a testament to the journey it took to make it; an all-embracing encapsulation of the godly and ungodly. Jasleen Dhindsa

eeeee ‘Goat Girl’ is a maniacal record, a journey through muddied waters far from your homely idea of London’s concrete thoroughfare. The murky rockabilly of lead single ‘Cracker Drool’ and the slackjaw rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Country Sleaze’ only give away a small quotient of their sound. Tracks like the nightmarish

Showing a new, but still gloriously familiar side to The Magic Gang, it towers head and shoulders above all previous expectations. Just when we thought we knew what to expect from The Magic Gang, they prove they’ve still got that sparkle up their sleeve. Stephen Ackroyd

skit ‘A Swamp Dog’s Tale’ and the higgledy piggledy ‘The Man With No Heart or Brain’ indicate that this is a band with a broad sonic palette and interests far beyond just thrashing six stringed instruments to quell boredom, as they effortlessly create their own urban, dystopic spaghetti western throughout. The ease at which a whole other world is created, and the amount of catchy and effortlessly cool melodies on the way, ensure that Goat Girl’s debut is not only accomplished, but special. Cal Cashin

TOM MISCH

GEOGRAPHY

eeeee Every now and then an artist comes along and creates something which feels genuinely innovative. Tom Misch fits that bill and then some. The 22-year-old has received his fair share of hype since he first emerged from South London, but it’s the way in which he fuses genres with such ease, creating something altogether new and exciting enough to justify that hype. The 13 tracks on ‘Geography’, Misch’s debut album, bristle with soulful energy and bare the fruits of a craft he’s been honing ever since he began releasing music to SoundCloud at the age of 16. Contemporary jazz-inspired guitar music has seen something of a resurgence in recent years, but there’s few who can touch Misch on this showing. Alex Thorp DOWN WITH BORING

“I’M ALWAYS MAKING THE SONG THAT I WANT TO MAKE” T H E N E W A L B U M F RO M N YC - BAS E D S U B P O P F O U RS O M E

lot has changed for New York native Greta Kline since she progressed from prolific Bandcamp musician to critically acclaimed star with her band, Frankie Cosmos. The group’s third album ‘Vessel’ is their biggest deal yet, released on legendary label Sub Pop. But then, Greta Kline has become accustomed to handling big deals. “I got to skip over having any added pressure because the record was almost done when we signed to Sup Pop,” she explains. It’s easy to see why the label fell in love with her band. The first two Frankie Cosmos albums, 2014’s ‘Zentropy’ and 2016’s excellent ‘Next Thing’, were beautifully considered and moving indie-pop vignettes chocked full with melody and smart turns of phrase. This time, Greta and the band wanted to make something to deal with added expectation, but do it their way. “The only added pressure is feeling that each release is a little more precious and has more people behind it every time. There’s more effort going into each release as opposed to just putting out music whenever I want. I’ve been putting pressure on myself to make

FRANKIE COSMOS

S E E S B A N D L E A D E R G R E TA K L I N E

T RY I N G O U T S O M E N E W T R I C K S . . . WO R D S : M A RT Y N YO U N G

sure that these are songs I want to keep playing for at least a year.” In many ways, ‘Vessel’ is the ultimate Frankie Cosmos album. It’s an affirmation of their ethos and attitude and a questioning realism about life and being in a band that are going places. “A concept that I think relates to a lot of stuff on the record is the idea of a vessel,” begins Greta. “Something that you can put something into or take something out of when it’s full or empty.” The vessel in question is Frankie Cosmos, and the transition from homemade Bandcamp creator to working full-time musician is at the heart of the album. “It’s about just being a musician with other people and those kinds of relationship,” elaborates Greta. “Depending on people and trusting people, the positive and negative and fears and benefits that go along with having close relationships.” The more things change though; the more they stay the same. As ever the songs on the 18 track long collection are mostly short and sweet but filled with musical intricacies. There is one strange little quirk, however, in that the longest recorded Frankie Cosmos songs are first and last on the

record and are exactly the same length, clocking in at an epic 3 min 28 seconds. “I didn’t even realise that,” laughs Greta. “That’s pretty wild!” No longer able to just throw things out online like the 40+ homemade records that Greta has previously put out, the goals for Frankie Cosmos have changed slightly. “My biggest goal was to not play the songs live until the record comes out. I’m excited to go out touring playing this all-new material,” exclaims Greta. Used to no longer just working on her own the band are flourishing: “Everybody’s skill is incredible. It’s really fun to make music with people who are such good writers.” Despite their success, the evermodest Greta plays down how far Frankie Cosmos have come. “I have a hard time thinking about it as achieving something. The band is growing constantly, and we’ve achieved a certain amount of success which is amazing. We get to tour, and that’s the way I relate to my own music. I’m always making the song that I want to make.” ‘Vessel’ might be an album about the realities of life in a working band but outside of the band music provides a lesser role in Greta’s

life. Perhaps that’s what helps keep Frankie Cosmos sounding so fresh. “I’m messing around with visual art,” she says “I don’t actually listen to a lot of music, I really like TV. It’s funny how people often don’t spend a lot of time fixating on the thing that’s their career. I’d imagine that people working on a movie set are listening to music in between takes rather than watching movies. When I’m in between tours, I’m watching TV.” Her interest in pop culture,

particularly comedy naturally bleeds into Frankie Cosmos’ music and the wry humour that makes her songs so engaging. “Everything that we take in affects our writing,” she concludes. “I’ve been reading a lot of autobiographies of comedians recently. I really like humour, and that makes it into my songwriting. I have a lot of inside jokes with myself in my songs.” P Frankie Cosmos’s album ‘Vessel’ is out 30th March.

FRANKIE COSMOS VESSEL

eeeee ‘Caramelize’, opening, rattles along over driving bass and drums, as does second track ‘Apathy’, with Greta Kline’s voice - often doubletracked, singing high harmonies with herself - floating celestially. ‘Being Alive’, a reworking of a track from 2014’s ‘affirms glinting’, flits between a joyous, almost punk-pop thrash and a shoegaze tempo. One of the best songs here, it also seems to mark a turning point in the mood of the songs, with the frank but sweetly-delivered realisation that perhaps living “matters quite a bit/

even when you/feel like shit”. While previous Frankie Cosmos albums have used some very short songs to excellent effect, emphasising Kline’s poetic, plainspeaking lyrics, all too often on ‘Vessel’ the shortest tracks break up flow a little. At 34 minutes, though, it’d be odd to suggest that ‘Vessel’ outstays its welcome. Rob Mesure

You need these albums... The best albums from the last few months.

SHAME

DREAM WIFE

LO MOON

SONGS OF PRAISE

DREAM WIFE

LO MOON

’Songs Of Praise’ shouldn’t just be an essential listen for 2018, but one that’ll be looked back on as a moment where things changed. Gripping, rich and ready to drag you from your seat, people are going to know about Shame, and know exactly what they’re destined to become. Jamie Muir

From their first brilliantly discordant steps, Dream Wife have always felt a cut above - every move calculated in the moment, matching pinpoint accuracy with the sparks of immediacy. Their debut album isn’t a roll of the dice, but a laser-guided WMD. Stephen Ackroyd

‘Lo Moon’ sits between experimental rock and lush electronica. Never boring, nor overtly difficult either, it’s the kind of record that connects on all levels. Slot firmly into their own groove, what could have become an artistic overreach instead becomes an effortless success. Stephen Ackroyd

READDORK.COM

THE ORIELLES

SILVER DOLLAR MOMENT

The Orielles have always been tremendous, but on their debut album they manage to surpass even that, producing a special collection of tracks that effortlessly fizz through genres and eras with an irresistible charm. It’s a simply joyous statement of intent. Jamie Muir

KATE NASH

YESTERDAY WAS FOREVER

eeeee After more than a decade in the trenches of planet indie. There’s no doubt Kate Nash is her own person. It’s a trait that’s seen her switch between musical personas, never seeming less than comfortable in her own skin. Opener ‘Life In Pink’ is yet another perfect fit, storming its way to a gloriously trashy-yet-catchy slacker punk chorus, but the most endearing part of ‘Yesterday Was Forever’ is the subtle shifts between tracks. ‘Take Away’ packs a beat straight out of New York circa 2001s coolest corner, ‘Hate You’ and ‘Karaoke Kiss’ both find their own corners of the zeitgeist, while the spoken words of ‘Musical Theatre’ recall past glories. Never sitting still, Kate Nash is still anything but boring. Stephen Ackroyd

EDITORS

VIOLENCE

eeeee ‘Violence’ is a little different - its sleek electro wouldn’t sound out of place on the Blade Runner soundtrack with its pounding drums and pulsing synths. Opening track ‘Cold’ draws in and dispels the notion that this is just another Editors album, while it’s almost possible to hear the pulsing neon lights on the title-track. However, at times it feels almost too forced. ‘Darkness at the Door’ sounds huge but lacks heart while single ‘Magazine’ stumbles around between synth punches and a lack of conviction. The album’s high point comes with ‘Counting Spooks’ - initially sounding like filler but turning futuristic through with a hedonistic filter. ‘Violence’ feels like it’s missing something, but that doesn’t mean that their spark has burned out yet. Josh Williams

GEORGE EZRA STAYING AT TAMARA’S

‘Pretty Shining People’ - everything about George Ezra’s next step is steeped in that feeling of hope and camaraderie, finding the golden nuggets in a darkening world. Taking that preconception of a songwriter with an acoustic guitar and smashing it to pieces, this is a pop record with muscle that grabs on first listen, flitting over jumping bass on ‘Shotgun’,

COMBAT SPORTS

eeeee

eorge Ezra went blooming huge in 2014. His debut album ‘Wanted On Voyage’ sold millions, he played across the globe and became a national sweetheart in the process. You’ll have heard all about it, and we’re pretty sure you will have sung along to ‘Budapest’ at the very least many, many times. So where do you go next, after all that success? Well, ‘Staying At Tamara’s’ is packing a beefier punch than ever before as a record full of eternal optimism and wholesome joy from one of the nation’s most direct and soaring songwriters. Hooks abound, ready to be sung along at the biggest stages possible - whether that’s the runaway gallop of ‘Don’t Matter Now’ or the glistening heights of

THE VACCINES

‘Get Away’ and the explosive ‘Paradise’ with ease. ‘Hold My Girl’ is the sort of track that’ll be played over and over at weddings and have hearts melting, while ‘Hold My Love’ fuses blues and pop in a manner that immediately pictures late-nights gathered around a band with whisky pours abound. More than anything, ‘Staying At Tamara’s’ is packed with confidence from a voice that’s taken the dark world around him and crush it into a cocktail that’ll have you jumping and smiling in no times. Yes, these are some troubled times, and yes, there’s darkness surrounding a world of threat and fear - but there’s much more beauty than we think. ‘Staying At Tamara’s’ is a reminder of this, with enough ready-made anthems to make George Ezra the pop star we need. Jamie Muir

he great British indie band may have struggled to garner the plaudits previously heaped in spades over recent years, but that doesn’t mean there’s no skill to the art. In a genre that still connects with the masses better than most, The Vaccines are masters of their craft. Always more interesting than their more heavy footed peers, ‘Combat Sports’ is a record of surface level adrenaline mixed almost seamlessly with deeper, more nuanced ideas. ‘Your Love Is My Favourite Band’ fizzes in all the right places, but with an even handed touch so often lacking elsewhere. The machine-gun intro of ‘Surfing In The Sky’ is classic Vaccines, while ‘Nightclub’ is secretly in contention as one of the bangers of 2018 so far. While ‘Combat Sports’ may be an album in its own time bubble - it’s

OF MONTREAL

WHITE IS RELIC / IRREALIS MOOD

eeeee When Kevin Barnes releases new material, you can assume you’ll have heard nothing else quite like it - a sentiment which is even truer on this latest release from of Montreal. The album itself is inspired by both finding love, and falling for the idea of simulated reality - you know, those two classic songwriter tropes. Going for a far more dance-infused sound, it’s always nice when experimental artists continue their exploration of everything that makes them who they are, and Kevin does this by the bucket load. Steven Loftin

a record that musically could have come at any point in the last decade or more - there’s a sense of escapism that releases The Vaccines from the shackles of trends and expectations. It’s own greatest hits, every track feels like an indie mixtape smash. From the insistent drive of ‘I Can’t Quit’, to the sweeping ease of ‘Put It On A T-Shirt’ or the soothing tones of ‘Young American’ - there remains more to The Vaccines that meets the eye. Stephen Ackroyd

PREOCCUPATIONS

NEW MATERIAL

eeeee Preoccupations’ first two selftitled albums (under different names) were feats of simmering post-punk brilliance. Tracks like ‘March of Progress’ and ‘Anxiety’ were bone-clattering, cathartic affairs; preoccupied with shaking off the shackles of alienation and disillusionment. Much like their first two, their latest album, aptly named ‘New Material’, is very much like a therapy session on a roller coaster. From the word go, the album endeavours to rattle you every which way in search of an answer, as Matt Flegel explores the human condition. Chris Taylor DOWN WITH BORING

THE DECEMBERISTS

I’LL BE YOUR GIRL

HINDS I DON’T RUN

inds’ debut album ‘Leave Me Alone’ was a gloriously messy affair, a food fight of wondrous excitement, not much time and the want to do things their own way. Two years and one never-ending world tour later, the band have taken the very best of that forward to ‘I Don’t Run’.

‘New For You’ sparkles, all gang vocals and self-belief while ‘Tester’ stomps about the place, furious and razor sharp. Across ‘I Don’t Run’ the band play with movement. Fearless at one hundred miles an hour, unafraid to slow things right down to a quiet whisper, Hinds have learnt to wield their beaming charm. From the assured wink of ‘Finally Floating’ that promises to know what you’re dreaming about to the sunburst new beginnings of ‘I Feel Cold But I Feel More’, the band surprise and delight at every turn.

Opener ‘The Club’ is moody and melancholic - for all of eight seconds before the bouncing energy of Hinds crashes the sombre party, light pouring in through the four personsized holes in the wall, and transforms things. Restrained and flamboyant in equal measure, the song takes Hinds’ lo-fi approach and blows it wide open. This happens again and again throughout ‘I Don’t Run’ as the band finds new ways to shine and new methods of making you grin.

More deliberate, more considered, ‘I Don’t Run’ is bigger than Hinds have dared to tread before, but thankfully, they still haven’t painted over the cracks. Hinds are giving it their everything, flaws and all. Rather than take away from the precision, that direct route from a fire in the gut to flaming truths sees the passion untethered and the emotion magnified. It teeters on the edge of chaos more than once, but this time out, Hinds are in total control. Ali Shutler

SUNFLOWER BEAN

when the title ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ is taken into account: an acknowledgement that the trio all turn twenty-two this year. What’s special about the band and their latest album, is the continued commitment to embracing their standing as a guitar band, their authenticity permeates through every track on the album, but the instrumentals heard in ‘Puppet Strings’ stand out as sounding as though a good dose of pure, unadulterated fun went into its composition. Sunflower Bean have once again created an album that is unique and fresh, while still keeping to a tradition that evokes some of the greatest achievements is modern music history. Lily Beckett

eeee e

TWENTYTWO IN BLUE

eeeee Somehow, the comforting twangs of melody strummed up by an eclectic spread of guitars throughout ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ evoke a similar sense of nostalgia that underpins Sunflower Bean’s debut album, ‘Human Ceremony’. While certain tracks on the earlier album wouldn’t have seemed out of place backtracking an indie comingof-age film, the new album suggests a never-before-seen kind of maturity for the band, which is perhaps even more poignant

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HOP ALONG

BARK YOUR HEAD OFF, DOG

eeeee

If their last release ‘What a Beautiful World’ showcased their most accomplished songwriting, The Decemberists also found they were slipping into habits and getting too comfortable. Uprooting themselves from their usual studio in Portland, Oregon for their eighth full-length, The D’s are getting weird to keep themselves interested. Describing the album as a ‘party at the end of the world’, Meloy and co. sound like they’re having a lot of fun, despite the lyrics being replete with doom and despair. Who else would feature a chorus of children yelling “We all die young!” before a haphazard saxophone solo? Despite their dark subject material, they’ve never been a group to take themselves too seriously, and never has Meloy’s tongue been jammed so firmly in cheek as on this collection of apocalyptic tunes. Yes, everything is awful, but heaven knows we could all do with seeing the funny side once in a while. Dillon Eastoe

Hop Along started life as a solo project, and for three albums Frances Quinlan’s lyrics and vocals have been the star of the show – ‘Bark Your Head Off, Dog’ sees the music take equal billing, and the result is a mixed bag that intrigues, excites and frustrates in equal measure. Naturally, Quinlan still sounds incredible, and the album moves Hop Along forward in a bold new direction, throwing up confident and striking arrangements along the way. To do so, however, it meant trading in the stripped back soul and raw emotion of their previous output. It’s a decision that just about pays off. Rob Mair

THE WONDER YEARS

SISTER CITIES

eeeee The Wonder Years have ensured these are the golden days with a sound that takes them to a whole new level in ‘Sister Cities’. After weeks of mysterious postcards, teaser videos and cryptic messages, no one would have expected the bold direction they’ve taken for their sixth album. Dan ‘Soupy’ Campbell still devastates with his vocals and his bleary-eyed worldview, but it’s delivered with a soundless sugar-coated way. The predecessor to this album, 2014’s ‘No Closer To Heaven’ felt transitional; a foot still in those pop-punk roots and one trying to be “more” and their return manages to dive headfirst into new, darker, territory. They may have come out swinging from a South Philly basement in their early days but now they are at home on huge stages, and they have songs to match that too. Alex Bradley

YOUNG FATHERS

COCOA SUGAR

eeeee One of Britain’s most intriguing bands, it’s difficult to pigeonhole Young Fathers. Previous records have seen them play with distorted disco (‘Get Up’), pacey art rock (‘Shame’) and wonky afropunk (‘Old Rock N Roll’) to bold effect. If there’s one thing that ties their work together, it’s that there is always darkness lurking in their stylish shadows. It’s a trick that hits real fruition on this, their third record. ‘Lord’ sees gentle lullaby melodies punctured by startling ripples of feedback, whereas ‘In My View’ carries a hefty dose of nostalgia to early 00s RnB, taking a step back from the political edge of their previous work in the name of self-preservation. Young Fathers deliver every track with an urgency that forces you to listen. The result? ‘Cocoa Sugar’ is a highly intoxicating blend. Jenessa Williams

DOWN WITH BORING

GET OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIVE MUSIC

WITH THEIR SECOND ALBUM KICKING U P A S TO R M , YO R K S H I R E ’S F I N E S T A R E A F O R C E TO B E R E C KO N E D W I T H O N T H E ROA D.

PHOTO: SARAH LOUISE BENNETT

round the time of their debut album ‘The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets’, live shows used to be an intense blitz of sweat, frenzy and cramming as much movement as they could into those chaotic hunks of time. Only ‘Captivate You’ stood to the side as a promise that they were so much more than reckless abandon. New album ‘Knowing What You Know Now’ takes that candle and burns the place down. Now, anything goes for Marmozets. And they bloody love that freedom. Tonight at London’s ULU, it’s all systems go. From the cherry pie smile of ‘Play’ through the cracked black mirror of ‘Major System Error’ and the terrified electricity of ‘Insomnia’, the band takes ownership of every angle. They’re constantly teetering on the edge of control, but it doesn’t matter if it’s a kerb or a cliff-face, their arms are open, welcoming their fate. That grin is devilish. It’s a carefree declaration of war. None of that time away has dampened their rampant confidence and not one of their brand new moves, pulsating fury or heartfelt entertainment, ever dares to tread near tentative. From the opening chime of ‘New Religion’, crawling and colossal with its rolling eyes, tilted head and spotlight embrace, the band look like they belong. Every track from the new album seems to take Marmozets somewhere unexplored, yet each new burst of colour underlines their daring brilliance. The polish of their ambition is cut with their need to play. A wondrous sense of danger scratches in the shadows, but tonight, Marmozets are lit up. The mob have always been impossible to box in, taking everything and anything they fancied and making it their own. But tonight, with their new record behind them, Marmozets kick over the crates of expectations and stand on top of them. Welcome to the future. It already feels like home. Ali Shutler

THE LINE-UP FOR 110 ABOVE FESTIVAL IS RIDICULOUSLY GOOD

The line-up for 110 Above is out, and it features loads of our faves. Heading up the bill are Peace and Fickle Friends, who both have new albums, with ‘Kindness Is The New Rock and Roll’ due on 4th May, and ‘You Are Someone Else’ out now. They’ve also booked The Magic Gang, Marika Hackman, Blaenavon, Marsicans, Ten Tonnes, Bloxx, and loads more. 110 Above will take place from 3rd-5th August in Leicestershire.

THE XCERTS, BLACK PEAKS AND SLØTFACE ARE PLAYING 2000TREES

2000trees has announced lots more names, including The Xcerts, Black Peaks and Sløtface. Also new to the bill, are: Ho99O9, Hellions, Dream State, Press To Meco, Fangclub, Gallops, Nervus, Black Futures, Gender Roles, Bitch Falcon, Lady Bird, Sun Arcana, Haggard Cat and Sean Mcgowan. They join Enter Shikari, Creeper, At The Drive In and loads more. 2000trees will take place from 12th-14th July in Cheltenham.

DOT TO DOT HAS SIGNED UP THE HORRORS, PALE WAVES, MARIKA HACKMAN AND MORE

The first line-up announce for Dot to Dot is here, featuring The Horrors, Pale Waves and Marika Hackman. Also on the bill, are Dermot Kennedy, Mahalia, Turnover, Bad Sounds, Gus Dapperton, Bully, Easy Life, George Glew, Our Girl, Sports Team and loads more. The event will take place across three locations, Manchester on 25th May, Bristol on 26th May and Nottingham on 27th May. For more info, visit dottodotfestival.co.uk.

LONG DIVISION HAS ANNOUNCED SOME MORE BANDS

Wakey takeover Long Division has confirmed a few new additions: The Surfing Magazines, Fizzy Blood, Evil Blizzard, Life, ZoZo, Wiyaala and The Membranes. They’ve also announced some details for this year’s arts and culture programme, ‘A Manifesto For A New Wakefield’, including a panel with Billy Bragg. Long Division will take place from 1st-3rd June, across various venues in Wakefield. DOWN WITH BORING

A new batch of bands has been announced for this year’s Reading & Leeds, including Kate Nash, Fickle Friends and Milk Teeth. Travis Scott, The Kooks, Pendulum, The Vaccines, Slaves, Don Broco, Wilkinson, Deaf Havana, Shame, Lewis Capaldi, The Horrors, HMLTD, SWMRS, The Front Bottoms, Bad Sounds, La Dispute, Sea Girls and The Night Cafe are also newly confirmed. They join headliners Kings of Leon, Kendrick Lamar, Panic! At The Disco and Fall Out Boy, as well as Wolf Alice, Dua Lipa, Sigrid, Pale Waves, The Magic Gang, Creeper and Dream Wife. There’s also room for Brockhampton, Hinds, The Wombats, Diplo, Post Malone and loads, loads more. Reading & Leeds takes place at Reading’s Richmond Avenue and Leeds’ Bramham Park over the August bank holiday weekend, between the 24th and 26th.

first ever UK headline slot. Also playing, are: Slamboree, Dub Pistols, Koyo, Lost Colours, Too Many T’s and more. Blisscamp will take place from 5th-8th July in Hampshire.

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD, HMLTD AND FENNE LILY HAVE SIGNED UP FOR GREEN MAN

ARCTANGENT HAS CONFIRMED 17 NEW BANDS

The second wave of acts for ArcTanGent is here, led by Glassjaw, Shellac and Pelican. Also new to the bill, are La Dispute, Arcane Roots, Alcest, Zeal & Ardor, Black Peaks, VENNART, Delta Sleep, Telepathy, Scalping, Wren and more. ArcTanGent will take place from 16th-18th August in Bristol.

BRITISH SEA POWER, HONEYBLOOD, DREAM WIFE AND MORE ARE PLAYING INDIETRACKS FESTIVAL

The first batch of bands has been released for this year’s Indietracks Festival. Thirty five new artists have been announced for

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the Derbyshire based festival, which takes place from 27th-29th July at a 1950s steam railway. The names include the likes of British Sea Power, Honeyblood, Dream Wife, Girl Ray and Happy Accidents. There’s also room for The Lovely Eggs, Sacred Paws, Darren Hayman, Anna Burch and more.

BAXTER DURY AND MR JUKES HAVE JOINED THE LINE-UP FOR NEW “MICRO-FESTIVAL”, BLISSCAMP

Blisscamp – an intimate new event from the folk behind Blissfields – has announced a few new acts. Leading the new additions are Baxter Dury and Mr Jukes, who join a bill that already features Gold Panda in his

Green Man has announced a load more bands, including their third headliner. Leading the new names are King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, marking their first ever headline set. They join fellow billtoppers The War on Drugs and Fleet Foxes. Other newbies include Floating Points, Cate Le Bon, Anna Calvi, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, HMLTD and Fenne Lily. 2018’s event will take place from 16th-19th August.

THE CHARLATANS ARE PUTTING ON THEIR OWN TENDAY FESTIVAL

The Charlatans have announced they’re putting on a festival in their hometown, Northwich. The ten-day event will include four headline shows of their own, on Monday 14th, Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th and Friday 18th May, at Northwich Memorial Court. They’ll also be hosting an exhibition of rare Charlatans memorabilia, a week of live bands at The Salty Dog pub, plenty of aftershow parties, a vinyl record fair, film screenings and podcasts.

MORE NAMES FOR THE GREAT ESCAPE

AND! THEY’RE OPENING A NEW FESTIVAL SITE ON THE PEBBLY BEACH, TOO.

The Great Escape has not only announced some more bands, but revealed plans to host sets on the beach with a new 2000-capacity festival site. Rory Bett, MAMA Festivals CEO says: “With demand and drive for new music and an ever-expanding festival, creating our first, very own festival site on the beach is the most exciting news in TGE’s history and we couldn’t have a more perfect spot than right on the seafront. The Beach will become a magnet for music lovers during the festival and we can’t wait to open the doors.” Over 80 new acts have also joined the bill, including Dork cover stars Superorganism, Tom Grennan, Nervus, Anna Burch, Bad Sounds, Nilüfer Yanya, The Spook School, The Faim, The Night Cafe, Gender Roles, Peaness, Sea Girls, Phobophobes, Honey Lung, Japanese Breakfast, Let’s Eat Grandma, Nelson Can and Goat Girl. The Great Escape will take place across multiple venues from 17th-19th May.

LOADS MORE BANDS ARE PLAYING LIVE AT LEEDS

SUPERORGANISM, BAD SOUNDS, THE VACCINES, RAE MORRIS, YAK, THE NIGHT CAFE - LAL2018 IS LOOKING BLOODY BRILL. Live At Leeds always books basically all our favourite bands. It’s ridiculous, really. Aside from our obsession with Yorkshire puddings, it’s the main reason last year we hosted a super buzzy Dork stage at the event, and we’ve one this year too. Who’ll be playing is still a closely guarded secret, but in the meantime there’s another new line-up announce, which you may have gathered from the interview to your right features cheeky duo Ewan and Callum Merrett, aka Bad Sounds. Former Dork cover stars Superorganism are also heading oop North with their 5* self-titled debut record, as well as former Dork cover stars King Nun, with their 5* rowdy live bangers. More faves come in the form of The Vaccines with their new album ‘Combat Sports’, IDLES, Rae Morris, Yak, The Night Cafe, Easy Life, The Xcerts and so many more we’d need a whole extra tree of paper to fit them all in. They join The Magic Gang, Ten Tonnes, Sorry, Yungblud, Sports Team, Peace, Circa Waves, The Horrors, Bloxx, Anteros, Blaenavon, Pale Waves and Spring King. What more could you want, eh? Live at Leeds takes place on Saturday, 5th May in venues across the city. Tickets are on sale now, visit liveatleeds.com for all the goss.

THE WYTCHES AND GENGAHR ARE LEADING THE FINAL LINE-UP ANNOUNCE FOR HANDMADE FESTIVAL

The last line-up announcement for Handmade is here. The new names are headed up by The Wytches, Gengahr and Black Peaks, with Low Island, Geowulf and Kamikaze Girls also newly confirmed. They join a mammoth bill, including Drenge, The Big Moon and Spector. The weekender will take place from 5th-6th May in Leicester.

Q&A

BAD SOUNDS

Hey Callum, what are you up to? Hi Dork, I’m trying to make samples, so we don’t get sued for sampling other people. It’s fun and dorky… you’d like it. How was your tour with Rat Boy? Was it a messy one? It was great! Possibly my fave tour we’ve ever done. We got to go to Ireland for the first time, and we all got seasick on the ferry, so I guess it was a messy one. Last time we supported Rat Boy we were v v green and sorta learning a lot while we went, and this time I think we knew a little about what we were signing up for and all his fans are so great. They’re basically the best audience to be a support band in front of because they’re so enthusiastic and we totally vibe off that on stage. Did you guys hang out together much, or do any touristy things? With Ratty? Nah not really. We had a great night out in Newcastle (aka “Toon” for those in the know) with the Ten Tonnes guys who were also touring with us. We ended up being turned away from a karaoke bar and then watching a drag queen battle royale. It was v v fun.

BASTILLE ARE HEADLINING WILDERNESS FESTIVAL, ‘FYI’

Bastille, Jon Hopkins and Chic & Nile Rodgers are among the first names to be announced for this summer’s Wilderness Festival. The Oxfordshire festival is set to return from 2nd-5th August, with other acts confirmed including Baxter Drury, Confidence Man and Kamasai Washington. There’s also room for Chk Chk Chk, IAMDDB, Palace, Dan Owen, My Baby, Billy Lockett, Mahalia, Joy Crookes, Carmody, Freya Ridings and Stereo Honey.

What else have you guys been up to lately, do you have new music on the way? We’ve been writing and recording a lot! Really excited to get this stuff out. Of course, there’s new music we’ve barely even scratched the surface yet. When can we expect your debut album then? No pressure, lads. Definitely releasing an album this year, working on it as we speak. Pressure? Naahhhhh I don’t really feel like we have anything to live up to yet so I feel like with this first album we’ll still be showing people what we’re all about. Some people get it some people won’t. We’re very keen to ditch a few associations that have stuck to us along the way so far, aka we are not an indie band or a funk band or an electro band or any combo of the three and we’re very keen to prove that to people. You’ve just been confirmed for Live At Leeds. What was it like when you played last year? It was cool. We got to re-connect with our G’s Superfood and just wander around the city for the day. Leeds is dope af. We were playing a venue quite far out of the centre, and we were on pretty late too which meant that everyone was the specifically to see us and also they were really drunk. V spicy. Do you think any of your new songs will make an appearance during your set? Yerrrr I can’t wait. It’s really cool to test out new tracks live, we really saw the effect it had on audiences on our last headline tour.

CHVRCHES, THE HORRORS, SHAME, ISAAC GRACIE AND MORE HAVE JOINED THE BILL FOR CITADEL

CHVRCHES are leading the additions for Citadel, along with Fat White Family, Leon Bridges, Honne, La Femme, The Horrors, Isaac Gracie and recent Dork cover stars, Shame. Set to take place on 15th July, the new names join Tame Impala for a UK Exclusive. The event was previously held in London’s Victoria Park, but this year they’re moving to Gunnersbury Park.

When it started we hadn’t released ‘Are You High?’ and you could tell it was new to the audience, then it was released on the second date of the tour, and by the end, everyone was singing it back to us! It was so weird to see that transition in practically in real time. Is there anyone else playing who you’d like to see? Our boy Dylan Cartlidge is the freshest guy around right now. Will absolutely be there for his set and so should errrrbody else. Have you spent much time oop North? The thing that sucks is that we obvs grew up in the south, and down here for some reason, they make out as though the north is rough and cold and hard, but it totally isn’t! All our fave cities are up north Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester - except Oooh Charles who is practically mayor of Bristol. What’s your favourite thing about citybased, multi-venue festivals - working loos or not having to camp? All of the above. I hate camping. I always feel like someone is gonna stand on my head. What else have you got coming up over the summer? Lots of festivals and stuff. It’ll be our first time at Reading & Leeds, so that’s gonna be awesome. Hopefully, we can collaborate with a few cool people and share some new music. P

V FESTIVAL REPLACEMENT, RIZE IS HERE

The line-up for the event replacing V Festival this summer has been revealed. Titled Rize, it will only be held at the site of the traditional Essex leg in Chelmsford, after Richard Branson announced Virgin would no longer be headline sponsor. Described as a brand new event, the line-up has Liam Gallagher and Stereophonics pencilled in to headline across August 17th and 18th. They’ll be joined by Bastille, Years & Years, Rag’n’Bone Man, Circa Waves and more. DOWN WITH BORING

DORK

WE’RE TAKING THE BEST BANDS ON THE ROAD, EVERY MONTH.

LIVE!

O N E O F T H E M OST E XC I T I N G N E W I N D I E BA N DS O N T H E B LO C K ,

SEA GIRLS

H AV E J U S T F I N I S H E D A C H A O T I C A L LY

B R I L L I A N T D O R K L I V E ! T O U R R O U N D T H E U K . W E C A U G H T U P T O G E T A N U P D AT E O N W H AT W E N T D O W N .

acked venues, crowds outside asking for spare tickets and an unbridled fever that flows through the gathered fans - it can only be a moment of special significance. For Sea Girls, tonight is just the third headline show they’ve played in the capital, and yet it’s a gridlock - sold out and in demand, there’s ample reason why. It can be easy to dismiss four-piece indie bands as simply one of many, but Sea Girls have something gloriously special up their sleeves. Led by the prowling and captivating figure of frontman Henry Camamile; tonight is a box office smash of the ambition and stages they want to frequent. The blending mix of murmuring power and chills rings through ‘What For’ and its back and forth splendour, and it’s a mix that immediately makes them stand out in a sea of guitar bands wanting to carve their own niche. Not just ready for crowd-pleasing majesty, they look for the most unexpected highs - ‘Heavenly War’ is a conversational touch that builds and builds into an infectious highlight, while ‘Lost’ triggers moshing bodies and crowds perching on each other’s shoulders to revel in its gritty realities. It’s in that where Sea Girls become something unlike many other guitar bands out there, able to meld that feeling of being at Knebworth and seeing a band who can change the world, but also of one sticking to their own terms. They’re an act

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W O R D S : J A M I E M U I R . P H O T O S : P AT R I C K G U N N I N G .

who should pull acclaim to their front door, with a frontman whose as magnetising as he is real. Coming back on stage to round out the night with ‘Call Me Out’, tonight feels like a lucky look into a band with a golden future. Anthems ready to be sung along from the first note, it’s only when you’re in the presence of Sea Girls that you realise how big they could become. Redefining and owning that idea of what a guitar band can be, a sold-out Omeara is just another string to their already impressive bow. Judging by the roars and cries that call out for more tonight, we’re gonna need a bigger venue to host their next inevitable step. After that barn-storming moment, Dork caught up with lead singer Henry Camamile to get his thoughts on arguably the biggest night Sea Girls have had so far. WELL, THAT WAS A CRACKING ONE LAST NIGHT, HOW WAS THAT FOR YOU? Absolutely amazing, best gig I’ve ever done. Safely the best gig we’ve ever done.

There was something very special about it. The energy of the crowd massively hit me, which is something I’ve never experienced before. Everything came together for it. HOW DID IT FEEL PLAYING A SOLD OUT VENUE? DOES THAT ADD A BIT MORE PRESSURE OR MAKE YOU TREAT THE SHOW DIFFERENTLY? It added to the pre-show excitement, and you could feel the tension in the room. You know it’s popular, so people have an expectation of us. But I wouldn’t say it gives me a different approach to the show. I care if only one person really wants to watch us, so we always play all our songs to the full because that’s what any show is about. But playing this show felt better than I could have imagined. I clapped for the crowd at the end because they had been so with us all the way. HOW DID THE SHOW COMPARE WITH OTHERS YOU’VE DONE IN THE PAST, DOES IT FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE GETTING BIGGER? It’s been my favourite for sure, so much recognition for the songs with everyone

singing with me all the way through. I won’t forget this one. It feels like the shows are growing for sure and we have been really lucky that more and more people want to come and see us. WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE GEARING UP FOR THIS TOUR - PLAYING YOUR BIGGEST SHOWS TO DATE AND GETTING NEW MUSIC OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO? It has been very exciting getting ready for the tour and rehearsing. It’s great we are finally doing it. I don’t want the dates to end. Getting so much music out already has lifted the shows because people are starting to know the songs now. HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE AFTER THE SHOW LAST NIGHT? GET A FEW BEERS IN? Yeah, I got pretty sauced, we couldn’t just go home. It was such a special night, and we were buzzing after the gig. I think I was the first one to bed though. IS TOUR LIFE TREATING YOU WELL? Tour life is great. Lots of fun, lots of music, lots of new fans. Bristol was very rowdy, and it has been striking getting so much love in our first headline show out of London, selling out that night too. I can’t wait for the next shows in Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow now. The food had been a mix on tour. I’ve had a great Chicken Tikka Masala, but had some uninspiring sausage and mash the night before... P

ALEX LAHEY

‘S DEBUT

A L B U M ‘ I LOV E YO U L I K E A B R O T H E R ’ I S R I D I C U L O U S LY G O O D, A N D SH E’S B RI N G I N G IT TO TH E U K TH I S M A RC H FO R A D O RK L I VE! TOU R (WHICH WILL ALSO BE R I D I C U L O U S LY G O O D , F Y I ) .

Hey Alex, how’s it going? What’ve you been up to since the album release? Hey! I’m going really well, thank you. Since my record came out last October, I spent quite a bit of time on the road up until Christmas and am now on the tail end of a break from touring which has seen me writing my next record and spending time between Melbourne and Sydney. How have you found the reaction to ‘I Love You Like A Brother’? Extremely humbling and motivating. It has been so cool to watch this record and the songs within take on lives of their own - far beyond the bedroom in my mother’s house in which they were written. It just inspires me to get back into the process of making another one. I’m hooked! Has the record opened any new doors for you? I think by default, having more songs out in the world for people to listen to translates to having more people listening to my music, which has resulted in some really enthusiastic crowds and great shows, which is awesome. Are there any songs from it you particularly enjoy playing live? Definitely, the songs that weren’t part of the live set until the album came out - ‘Awkward Exchange’, ‘Backpack’ and ‘I Love You Like A Brother’ come to mind. Have you spent much time touring the UK before? This will be my third time touring the UK and my band, and I love coming back to play shows here. The first time

the AL show ever left Australia was to tour with Tegan and Sara through the UK, so I think this part of the world will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason. Are there any places on this upcoming run that you’re especially looking forward to visiting? I’m really excited to go back to Dublin and heading to Belfast for the first time because the Irish are the loudest crowds I’ve ever encountered. Do you indulge in any touristy activities when you travel? If the tour is a quick one, absolutely! But when you really have to pace yourself because you’re

DORK

on the road for ten weeks in a van trying to get enough sleep and keep fit, you tend to want to take it super easy when you have that rare moment of being able to sit still or catch a snooze. What else have you got coming up over the summer? Some touring through Australia, including a coastal run which is very quintessentially summer! Also lots of writing, enjoying time with my friends and family, and overhauling my pedal board like the nerd that I am. P Check out Alex Lahey’s upcoming Dork Live! Tour dates below.

UPCOMING SHOWS

LIVE!

MARCH 20 Alex Lahey, Botanique Witloofbar, Brussels 21 Alex Lahey, ACU, Utrechy 23 Alex Lahey, Omeara, London 24 Alex Lahey, Studio 2, Liverpool 24 Alex Lahey, Hare and Hounds 2, Birmingham 26 Alex Lahey, Bodega Social Club, Nottingham 27 Alex Lahey, Record Junkee, Sheffield 27 Daphne & Celeste, Boston Music Room, London 29 Alex Lahey, Think Tank, Newcastle 30 Alex Lahey, The Mash House, Edinburgh 31 Alex Lahey, Black Box, Belfast 31 Anteros, Superglu, Llovers, The Old Blue Last, London

DORK’S HAVING A FREE EASTER PARTY AT THE OLD BLUE LAST AND IT’S GOING TO BE AMAZING! Hohoho, meeeerry Easter! It’s time for another of Dork’s festive parties, this time with those lovely spring bunnies, Anteros. We’re teaming up to take over The Old Blue Last in London on Saturday 31st March, for a night of fun, frolicks, and not paying an entry fee – because it’s absolutely free. In support we have two more of our fave up-and-comers, in the form of Superglu and Llovers. If you’d like to celebrate the day of chocolate eggs with us, you can pick up your tickets via Dice now. There’s even a handy waiting list system for when it’s full. See you there, yeah?

APRIL 01 Alex Lahey, Grand Social, Dublin 19 Thyla, Purple Turtle, Reading 28 Are You Listening? Festival, Reading MAY 05 Live At Leeds, Leeds 05-06 Handmade Festival, Leicester 12 Thyla, Arts Centre, Norwich 17-19 The Great Escape, Brighton

GUIDE

The

ALL THE SHOWS YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MONTH, AND SOME YOU PROBABLY DON’T.

ON TOUR

ROLO TOMASSI Rolo Tomassi are old hats at this touring game, having spent much of their decade-plus laying waste to venues big and small all over the world. This month, they’re taking their new album ‘Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It’ on the road. Words: Sam Taylor Hey James, how’s it going? I’m well thank you. We’ve just played the second of two album release shows and had a wonderful weekend celebrating with friends. Are you looking forward to taking your new album on the road, then? Yes absolutely. This weekend was the debut of some new material which we were itching to play live, and it went wonderfully. Will any of the tracks be getting their live debut on this batch of dates? Absolutely! We’ll be playing a good chunk of the new record lives in amongst older material. What’s your favourite song to play live? Of the new tracks, ‘Whispers Among Us’ has been really fun so far. In terms of older tracks, Stage Knives is a lot of fun on the keys for me personally. How do you prepare for going on tour? Practice, practice, practice. Is there anywhere on this upcoming run you’re especially keen to visit? Budapest and Berlin. The former because we had a great albeit brief visit there a couple of years back and I loved the city. The latter because it’s a Friday night, a lot of our pals are out there or travelling out there, and it’s Berlin!! Do you do touristy things while you’re out, or is it mostly just hotels and venues? We try and find a balance wherever possible. We enjoy visiting new places and trying to take some culture. Finding good vegan food is a must. Who are you taking to support? Palm Reader and Cryptodira will be joining us on this run. You’re playing a few festivals this year, aren’t you - do you have any more still to announce? We do! Unfortunately, I can’t announce anything I’m afraid...

SUNDAY 1ST APRIL Bournemouth, Jessie Ware, O2 Academy Bournemouth Brighton, Jeffrey Lewis, The Hope & Ruin Coventry, Jonas Blue, Ricoh Arena LIVE! PRESENTS... Dublin, Alex Lahey, Grand Social Glasgow, Greta Van Fleet, Saint Luke’s Glasgow, No Age, Mono Glasgow, Sunflower Bean, Stereo Hull, We Are Scientists, The Welly Club Leeds, Actress, Mount

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Kimbie, Headrow House Leeds, Hannah Wants, Mint Warehouse Leeds, Arcades, The Library Leicester, The Wonder Stuff, O2 Academy Leicester Manchester, Kamaal Williams, MC DE, Albert Hall Manchester, The Blow, Gullivers Stoke On Trent, Weirds, The Underground MONDAY 2ND APRIL Edinburgh, Big Thief, La Belle Angele Leicester, Daphne & Celeste, The Firebug

London, MØ, O2 Academy Brixton London, The Rubens, Scala London, No Age, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club Manchester, Big Thief, Manchester Academy Manchester, Rolo Tomassi, The Deaf Institute Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Otherkin, Jumpin’ Jack’s Southampton, Shonen Knife, The Joiners

TUESDAY 3RD APRIL Birmingham, No Age, Hare & Hounds Birmingham, Sam Smith, Genting Arena Birmingham, Black Foxxes, Mama Roux’s Bristol, The Vaccines, O2 Academy Bristol Bristol, Sunflower Bean, Thekla Cambridge, Lower Than Atlantis, Cambridge Junction Glasgow, Rolo Tomassi, Audio Glasgow, Otherkin, The Garage Leicester, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, The Musician London, George Ezra, O2 Academy Brixton London, Rhye, KOKO London, Ginger Baker, The Jazz Cafe London, The Blow, MOTH Club London, Panda Bear, Village Underground Nottingham, Big Thief, The Rescue Rooms Oxford, Girli, The Bullingdon

THURSDAY 5TH APRIL Birmingham, Rolo Tomassi, The Asylum Bournemouth, The Vaccines, O2 Academy Bournemouth Bournemouth, Sleeper, Old Fire Station Brighton, Sunflower Bean, Concorde 2 Bristol, Shame, Thekla Bristol, Girli, The Louisiana Galway, Pillow Queens, Roisin Dubh Glasgow, Nilufer Yanya, Broadcast Guildford, Shonen Knife, The Boileroom Halifax, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, The Lantern Halifax, Jeffrey Lewis, The Grayston Unity Kingston Upon Thames, Goat Girl, Banquet Records Leeds, SG Lewis, Belgrave Music Hall London, Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, Royal Albert Hall London, Friendly Fires, O2 Academy Brixton London, Declan McKenna, whenyoung, O2 Forum London, Greta Van Fleet, O2 Academy Islington London, Big Thief, KOKO London, Cosmo Sheldrake, Village Underground London, Suuns, Scala Manchester, Walk The Moon, O2 Ritz Manchester, Night Riots, Night & Day Cafe

WEDNESDAY 4TH APRIL Birmingham, George Ezra, O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham, Sam Smith, Genting Arena Brighton, Cosmo Sheldrake, The Haunt Cardiff, Shame, Clwb Ifor Bach Derry, Hudson Taylor, Culturlann Ui Chanain Dublin, Macklemore, 3Arena Glasgow, SG Lewis, The ABC Glasgow, Night Riots, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Glasgow, Let’s Eat Grandma, Stereo Leamington Spa, Lower Than Atlantis, The Assembly Leeds, The Wonder Stuff, O2 Academy & Underground Leicester, Josienne Clarke, The Cookie Liverpool, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, Leaf On Bold Street London, Rhye, Heaven London, Greta Van Fleet, O2 Academy Islington London, Simian Mobile Disco, Deep Throat Choir, Barbican Centre London, Eleanor Friedberger, MOTH Club

Declan McKenna

Manchester, Otherkin, Jimmy’s Newcastle upon Tyne, The Wonder Stuff, O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, Let’s Eat Grandma, Riverside Newcastle Norwich, MØ, UEA Oxford, Public Service Broadcasting, New Theatre Oxford Sheffield, Courteeners, O2 Academy Sheffield Sheffield, The Virginmarys, Cafe Totem Southampton, Black Foxxes, The Joiners FRIDAY 6TH APRIL Barrow in Furness, Nilufer Yanya, Barrow Library Bedford, Sleeper, Esquires Bournemouth, Public Service Broadcasting, O2 Academy Bournemouth, Shonen Knife, Sound Circus Bristol, Avalanche Party, The Mothers’ Ruin Bristol, Rolo Tomassi, Palm Reader, Cryptodira, Exchange Cambridge, The Vaccines, Cambridge Corn Exchange Dublin, Arcade Fire, 3Arena Gateshead, Portico Quartet, The Sage Gateshead Glasgow, The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, The ABC Glasgow, Lissie, Òran Mór Leeds, Walk The Moon, Leeds University Union Leicester, The Virginmarys, The Soundhouse Liverpool, Girli, Sound Food And Drink Liverpool, Spinn, Arts Club Liverpool, Shame, District London, Sam Smith, The O2 London, Sunflower Bean, Sorry, KOKO London, Goat Girl, Rough Trade (East) London, Tigers Jaw, Slaughter Beach Dog, Worriers, Bush Hall

London, Macklemore, O2 Academy Brixton London, Otherkin, The Garage London, Black Foxxes, Heaven London, Peggy Gou, Village Underground Manchester, Declan McKenna, whenyoung, Manchester Academy Manchester, SG Lewis, Gorilla Manchester, Cosmo Sheldrake, Soup Kitchen Margate, Madonnatron, Tom Thumb Theatre Newcastle upon Tyne, Space, The Cluny Northampton, Sisteray, The Black Prince Nottingham, Demob Happy, Rock City Swansea, Lower Than Atlantis, Sin City York, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, The Crescent SATURDAY 7TH APRIL Birmingham, The Vaccines, O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham, Harry Styles, Genting Arena Birmingham, Walk The Moon, O2 Institute Birmingham, Otherkin, Muthers Recording Studio Brighton, Tigers Jaw, Slaughter Beach Dog, Worriers, Bau Wow Club Brighton, Shonen Knife, Patterns Brighton, Public Service Broadcasting, Brighton Dome Bristol, MØ, O2 Academy Bristol Bristol, Black Foxxes, Thekla Bristol, Night Riots, The Louisiana Derby, 2Q Festival 2018, Various Venues Dublin, Shame, Whelan’s Glasgow, Space, The ABC Glasgow, Pinact, Stereo Leeds, Cosmo Sheldrake, Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett

Rolo Tomassi tour the UK from 3rd April.

Lincoln, Lower Than Atlantis, The Engine Shed London, Middle Kids, MOTH Club Manchester, Arcades, Castle Hotel Manchester, Panda Bear, Gorilla Norwich, Girli, Epic Studios Nottingham, George Ezra, Rock City Nottingham, Black Foxxes, Bodega

SUNDAY 8TH APRIL Bath, Idles, Lice, Komedia Birmingham, Macklemore, O2 Academy Birmingham Bristol, Goat Girl, Rough Trade Canterbury, Eat Me, Canterbury University for the Creative Arts Glasgow, Demob Happy, Broadcast Gloucester, Lower Than Atlantis, Gloucester Guildhall Hebden Bridge, Nerina Pallot, Trades Club London, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, MOTH Club Manchester, Arcade Fire, Manchester Arena Manchester, Tigers Jaw, Rebellion Manchester, Girli, The Deaf Institute Manchester, Lissie, Gorilla Margate, Public Service Broadcasting, Margate Winter Gardens Nottingham, Madonnatron, Melt Dunes, Rough Trade Nottingham, Goat Girl, Rough Trade Nottingham, Tiny Moving Parts, Bodega Nottingham Sheffield, Let’s Eat Grandma, The Plug MONDAY 9TH APRIL Bath, Lower Than Atlantis, Komedia Birmingham, Nerina Pallot, Cattle & Cane, The Glee Club Birmingham Birmingham, Night Riots, O2 Academy Bristol, Pillow Queens, HyBrasil Music Club Bristol, Walk The Moon, O2 Academy Bristol Bristol, Blitzen Trapper, The Fleece Bristol, Koyo, The Louisiana Dublin, Dua Lipa, Olympia Theatre Leicester, Trembling Bells, The Cookie London, Sam Smith, The O2 London, Lissie, Village

Gorilla Norwich, Demob Happy, The Waterfront Studio Southampton, Girli, The Joiners Southampton, Lower Than Atlantis, Engine Rooms York, Her’s, The Fulford Arms

Photo: Poppy Marriott

Headrow House Leeds, Let’s Eat Grandma, Belgrave Music Hall London, Macklemore, O2 Academy Brixton London, Sam Smith, The O2 London, SG Lewis, Electric Brixton London, Avalanche Party, The Water Rats London, Rolo Tomassi, The Garage Manchester, The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, O2 Ritz Manchester, False Advertising, Forever Cult, Peaness, Soup Kitchen Manchester, Demob Happy, The Deaf Institute Manchester, Decades, The Deaf Institute Norwich, Sleeper, Norwich Arts Centre Oxford, Wilkinson, O2 Academy Oxford Pontypridd, Lower Than Atlantis, Muni Arts Centre Sheffield, Madonnatron, The Washington Sheffield, Girli, Record Junkee Sheffield, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, The Plug Southampton, Tiny Moving Parts, The Joiners

Goat Girl Underground Manchester, The Vaccines, Manchester Academy Manchester, Harry Styles, Manchester Arena Manchester, Let’s Eat Grandma, The Deaf Institute Newcastle upon Tyne, Goat Girl, The Cluny Newcastle upon Tyne, Demob Happy, Northumbria University SU Newcastle upon Tyne, Tiny Moving Parts, Think Tank? Nottingham, Little Comets, The Rescue Rooms Plymouth, Idles, Lice, The Hub / DBs Live Sheffield, Shame, Leadmill TUESDAY 10TH APRIL Birmingham, Demob Happy, The Flapper Brighton, Koyo, The Hope & Ruin Bristol, Girl Ray, Thekla Cambridge, Public Service Broadcasting, Cambridge Corn Exchange Colchester, Shonen Knife, Greydolf, Colchester Arts Dublin, Dua Lipa, Olympia Theatre Edinburgh, Goat Girl, Sneaky Pete’s Edinburgh, Nerina Pallot, Liquid Rooms Glasgow, Blitzen Trapper, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Leeds, Shame, Brudenell Social Club London, Sam Smith, The O2 London, Night Riots, Camden Assembly London, Pillow Queens, Sebright Arms London, Her, The Jazz Cafe London, Lissie, Omeara Newcastle upon Tyne, Girli, Think Tank? Underground Norwich, Walk The Moon, Waterfront Nottingham, The Vaccines, Rock City Sheffield, Little Comets, Leadmill WEDNESDAY 11TH APRIL Birmingham, Let’s Eat Grandma, The Castle & Falcon Brighton, Trampolene, The Hope & Ruin Cambridge, Shonen Knife, The Portland Arms Edinburgh, Bastille, Usher Hall Exeter, Lower Than Atlantis, The Lemon Grove Glasgow, Little Comets,

Òran Mór Guildford, Pillow Queens, The Boileroom Leeds, Blitzen Trapper, Brudenell Social Club Leeds, Tiny Moving Parts, Key Club Leicester, October Drift, Dryden Street Social London, Arcade Fire, The SSE Arena, Wembley London, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, Tom Clarke (The Enemy), 100 Club London, Harry Styles, The O2 London, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, O2 Academy Islington London, Shanghai Blues, Hoxton Bar & Grill London, Walk The Moon, O2 Forum London, Girli, The Garage Manchester, Isaac Gracie, Gorilla Newcastle upon Tyne, Shame, The Cluny Nottingham, Girl Ray, Bodega Nottingham Sheffield, Nerina Pallot, Leadmill Southend-on-Sea, Idles, Lice, Chinnerys Swansea, Public Service Broadcasting, Guildhall and Brangwyn Hall THURSDAY 12TH APRIL Birmingham, Koyo, Sunflower Lounge Bournemouth, Air Traffic, Old Fire Station Brighton, Pillow Queens, The Albert Bristol, The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, O2 Academy Bristol Bristol, Trampolene, Exchange Bristol, Porches, Rough Trade Cardiff, Tiny Moving Parts, Orchards, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, The Virginmarys, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, Let’s Eat Grandma, The Globe Edinburgh, Madonnatron, Chupa Cabra, Sneaky Pete’s Glasgow, Dua Lipa, The SSE Hydro Glasgow, The Vaccines, O2 Academy Glasgow Glasgow, Shame, Stereo Hebden Bridge, Girl Ray, Trades Club Leeds, Isaac Gracie, Belgrave Music Hall Liverpool, Public Service

Broadcasting, Liverpool Olympia Liverpool, Goat Girl, The Shipping Forecast London, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, O2 Academy Islington London, The Orielles, The Garage London, Harry Styles, The O2 London, Gwenno, Hoxton Hall Theatre London, Arcade Fire, The SSE Arena, Wembley London, Tom Clarke (The Enemy), Dingwalls London, Blitzen Trapper, Hoxton Bar & Grill London, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire Manchester, Nerina Pallot,

FRIDAY 13TH APRIL Belfast, Marmozets, The Outlet Building (Oh Yeah Music Centre) Birmingham, The Virginmarys, Actress And Bishop Bournemouth, The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, O2 Academy Bournemouth Brighton, Swimming Tapes, The Green Door Store Bristol, Bastille, Colston Hall Bristol, Let’s Eat Grandma, Colston Hall Cardiff, Andrew W.K., Yonaka, Cardiff University SU Cardiff, Trampolene, Clwb Ifor Bach Dublin, Walk The Moon, The Academy Dublin, Goat Girl, The Grand Social Edinburgh, Isaac Gracie, The Mash House Glasgow, Madonnatron, Chupa Cabra, Broadcast Glasgow, Girl Ray, The Art School Glasgow, Aquilo, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Leeds, The Orielles, Brudenell Social Club Leeds, Pillow Queens, Chunk Leicester, Public Service Broadcasting, De Montfort Hall

BOOKING NOW PEACE

Glasgow Saint Lukes (8th May); Sheffield Leadmill (9th); York Fibbers (11th); Derby Venue (12th); Hull Welly Club (13th); Norwich Waterfront (15th); London O2 Forum (16th); Southampton Engine Rooms (19th); Bristol SWX (20th); Reading Sub89 (22nd); Leicester Dryden Street Social (23rd); Birmingham O2 Academy2 (24th)

ALMA

Glasgow O2 ABC (21st May); Manchester Club Academy (22nd); London Heaven (23rd)

COURTNEY BARNETT

Leeds O2 Academy Leeds (29th May); Glasgow Barrowlands (2nd June); Manchester Academy (4th); Bristol O2 Academy Bristol (5th); London Roundhouse (6th)

HAIM

Glasgow O2 Academy (10th June); Manchester O2 Apollo (11th); Dublin Olympia Theatre (12th, 13th); London Alexandra Palace (15th, 16th)

RECOMMENDED

BOOKING NOW

Jumpin’ Jack’s Nottingham, Code Orange, The Rescue Rooms Preston, Nerina Pallot, Preston Guild Hall & Charter Theatre

MITSKI

Manchester Gorilla (19th September); Glasgow Saint Lukes (20th); Dublin Tivoli Theatre (22nd); Leeds Brudenell Social Club (24th); Bristol Trinity Centre (25th); London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (26th)

IDLES

live bands on the One of the most exciting are hitting the road planet right now, Idles to unleash their this April as they prepare m. This is one albu nd seco ted hotly anticipa s! not to mis

YONAKA

London Electric Ballroom (11th October)

JORJA SMITH

Norwich UEA (4th October); Bristol O2 Academy (5th); Newcastle O2 Academy (7th); Glasgow O2 Academy (8th); Manchester Albert Hall (10th); Birmingham O2 Academy (13th); Nottingham Rock City (14th); London O2 Brixton Academy (17th)

FRANKIE COSMOS

Manchester Gorilla (28th May); Glasgow Art School (29th); Bristol Fleece (30th); London Scala (31st)

SHAME

Bristol SWX (15th November); Portsmouth Pyramids (16th); Leicester O2 Academy Leicester (17th); Sheffield Leadmill (18th); Leeds Stylus (20th); Manchester O2 Ritz (22nd); Newcastle University (23rd); Glasgow O2 ABC (24th); Norwich Waterfront (26th); Oxford O2 Academy (27th); Birmingham O2 Institute (28th); London O2 Forum (30th)

SPECTOR

Sheffield Plug (20th May); Nottingham Bodega Social Club (21st); Bristol Thekla (22nd); Manchester Gorilla (23rd); London Scala (24th)

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM

London Eventim Apollo (20th, 21st July); Dublin Vicar Street (23rd); Glasgow Barrowland (24th); Manchester O2 Apollo (25th)

BLOSSOMS

Stockport Plaza (4th May); Leeds O2 Academy (7th); Newcastle O2 Academy (8th); London O2 Forum (10th); Manchester O2 Apollo (11th); Norwich UEA (12th)

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Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett

DRENGE

Liverpool Invisible Wind Factory (25th April); London Islington Assembly Hall (26th); Bristol Lantern (27th); Brighton Old Market (28th); Manchester Gorilla (2nd May); Glasgow Art School (3rd); Newcastle Riverside (4th)

l), Plymouth The Bath Komedia (8th Apri nery’s (11th), Chin d then Sou ), Hub (9th h), Milton Keynes (12t Hall ic Mus e sgat Ram entry Central Cov h), (13t s Arm furd Crau Bootleg Social Library (14th), Blackpool h), Manchester (15th), Glasgow G2 (17t ven (19th) Gorilla (18th), London Hea

Leicester, Lusts, The Cookie London, Bondax, Village Underground London, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, Casey, Endless Heights, Rarity, The Boston Music Room London, Shonen Knife, The Garage London, Arcade Fire, The SSE Arena, Wembley London, Kero Kero Bonito, DIY Space For London London, Demob Happy, The Borderline London, Air Traffic, KOKO London, Tiny Moving Parts, The Dome Manchester, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, Manchester Academy Manchester, Koyo, Soup Kitchen Manchester, Little Comets, Manchester Academy Manchester, Porches, The Deaf Institute Manchester, Shame, Gorilla Milton Keynes, Idles, Lice, The Craufurd Arms Newcastle upon Tyne, Nerina Pallot, Think Tank? Newcastle upon Tyne, Tigers Jaw, The Cluny Sheffield, The Vaccines, O2 Academy Sheffield Watford, Lower Than Atlantis, Watford Colosseum SATURDAY 14TH APRIL Bedford, Shonen Knife, Esquires Birmingham, The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham, Trampolene, Actress And Bishop Birmingham, Little Comets, O2 Institute Brighton, Demob Happy, The Haunt Cardiff, Girli, Clwb Ifor Bach Coventry, Idles, Lice, Coventry Central Library Dublin, Nick J.D. Hodgson, The Grand Social Edinburgh, Public Service Broadcasting, Usher Hall Glasgow, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, The

Garage Glasgow, Harry Styles, The SSE Hydro Glasgow, Porches, Mono Glasgow, Walk The Moon, The ABC Glasgow, The Monochrome Set, Stereo Hull, Nerina Pallot, Fruit Leeds, Tigers Jaw, Brudenell Social Club Leeds, Avalanche Party, The Library Leeds, Casey, Endless Heights, Rarity, Key Club London, Pendulum, Printworks London, The Vaccines, Alexandra Palace London, Tom Clarke (The Enemy), Bush Hall London, Andrew W.K., Yonaka, O2 Forum Manchester, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Albert Hall Manchester, Dua Lipa, O2 Apollo Manchester Manchester, The Orielles, Gorilla Manchester, Pillow Queens, No Mercury, Night & Day Cafe Nottingham, Shame, The Rescue Rooms Reading, Swimming Tapes, Purple Turtle Sheffield, Goat Girl, Picture House Social Sheffield, Bastille, Memorial & City Hall Southend-on-Sea, Lower Than Atlantis, Chinnerys SUNDAY 15TH APRIL Birmingham, Andrew W.K., Yonaka, O2 Institute Birmingham, Arcade Fire, Genting Arena Birmingham, The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham, Shonen Knife, Hare & Hounds Birmingham, Nick J.D. Hodgson, Actress And Bishop Brighton, Lower Than Atlantis, Concorde 2 Bristol, Little Comets, The Fleece Bristol, Tigers Jaw, Slaughter Beach Dog, Worriers,

Exchange Bristol, Demob Happy, The Louisiana Edinburgh, The Monochrome Set, Voodoo Rooms Glasgow, Pillow Queens, The Glad Cafe Glasgow, Isaac Gracie, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Glasgow, Hinds, SWG3 Leeds, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, Leeds University Union

Leeds, Koyo, Brudenell Social Club London, Tom Clarke (The Enemy), Oslo Manchester, Dua Lipa, O2 Apollo Manchester Manchester, Tiny Moving Parts, The Deaf Institute Manchester, Aquilo, Gorilla Middlesbrough, Girl Ray, Westgarth Social Club Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Casey, Endless Heights, Rarity,

MONDAY 16TH APRIL Birmingham, Aquilo, O2 Institute 3 Birmingham, Goat Girl, Hare & Hounds Brighton, Mallory Knox, The Haunt Bristol, Trivium, Code Orange, Power Trip, O2 Academy Bristol Dublin, Harry Styles, 3Arena Glasgow, Arcade Fire, The SSE Hydro Leicester, Shame, The Cookie Liverpool, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Liverpool Olympia London, Bastille, Royal Albert Hall London, Porches, Village Underground Manchester, Lauv, The Deaf Institute Middlesbrough, Public Service Broadcasting, The Middlesbrough Empire Nottingham, Ducking Punches, Bodega Nottingham Oxford, Little Comets, O2 Academy Oxford Plymouth, Casey, Endless Heights , Rarity, Plymouth Underground Sheffield, Girl Ray, Leadmill Southampton, Tigers Jaw, The Talking Heads York, Isaac Gracie, The

RECOMMENDED

TUESDAY 17TH APRIL Birmingham, Dua Lipa, Genting Arena Birmingham, Trivium, Code Orange, Power Trip, O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham, Shame, Hare & Hounds Brighton, Iron Chic, The Haunt Bristol, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, SWX Bristol Bristol, Alexis Taylor, The Fleece Cardiff, Mallory Knox, The Globe Glasgow, Joan As Police Woman, Old Fruitmarket Glasgow, Idles, Lice, The Garage Hove, Nerina Pallot, The Old Market Kingston Upon Thames, Tigers Jaw, Slaughter Beach Dog, Worriers, The Fighting Cocks Leeds, Akala, Belgrave Music Hall London, Lauv, O2 Academy Islington London, Goat Girl, The Garage London, Nick J.D. Hodgson, 100 Club London, Otzeki, Oslo Manchester, Casey, Endless Heights, Rarity, Satan’s Hollow Manchester, Hinds, Gorilla Manchester, Girl Ray, The Deaf Institute Newport, Ducking Punches, Le Public Space Reading, Shonen Knife, Sub89 & The Bowery District Sheffield, Public Service Broadcasting, O2 Academy Sheffield Sheffield, Isaac Gracie, Leadmill WEDNESDAY 18TH APRIL Birmingham, Casey, Endless Heights, Rarity, The Asylum Brighton, Little Comets, Concorde 2 Bristol, Shonen Knife, The Ramonas, Exchange Bristol, Hinds, The Fleece Bristol, Aquilo, Thekla Cardiff, Dua Lipa, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Cardiff, Happy Accidents, Kermes, Toodles & The Hectic Pity, Gwdihw Cafe Bar Dublin, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, The Button Factory Exeter, Mallory Knox, The Cavern Gateshead, Joan As Police Woman, The Sage Gateshead Leicester, Koyo, Eyes Of Albion, Colossloth, The Musician Limerick, Mercury Rev, Dolans Liverpool, Trampolene, Heebie Jeebies & EBGBS London, Shame, Electric Ballroom London, Nothing Nowhere, Camden Assembly London, Holly Miranda, The Islington London, Kawala, Omeara London, Girl Ray, Jerkcurb, Fake Laugh, Heaven London, Madonnatron, Melt Dunes, Arxx, The Lexington

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Photo: Tim Easton

Crescent

London, The Detroit Cobras, Under The Bridge Manchester, Holly Miranda, Night & Day Cafe Manchester, Skindred, CKY, Manchester Academy Newcastle upon Tyne, Thomas Truax, Roxy Girls, Swine Tax, Cumberland Arms Norwich, Kele, The Waterfront Studio Oxford, MC Lars, O2 Academy Oxford Portsmouth, Code Orange, The Wedgewood Rooms

SH A M E

first great album Fresh from delivering the r stars Shame are of 2018, former Dork cove nsive UK headline heading out on an exte some bloody big tour – and they’re doing shows.

April), Bristol Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach (4th Magnet (6th), Thekla (5th), Liverpool ffield The Dublin Whelans (7th), She enell Social Club Leadmill (9th), Leeds Brud (11th), Glasgow (10th), Newcastle Cluny Gorilla (13th), Stereo (12th), Manchester ms (14th), Leicester Nottingham Rescue Roo ingham Hare & The Cookie (16th), Birm Electric Ballroom Hounds (17th), London ingdon (19th), (18th), Oxford The Bull h), Tunbridge Wells (20t nt Hau The Brighton t) (21s m Foru The

London, Nerina Pallot, The Jazz Cafe London, Nada Surf, The Dome London, Kero Kero Bonito, DIY Space For London Manchester, Akala, O2 Ritz Manchester, Nick J.D. Hodgson, The Deaf Institute Manchester, Idles, Lice, Gorilla Manchester, Alexis Taylor, The Ruby Lounge Newcastle upon Tyne, Coasts, Riverside Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, Code Orange, The Cluny Norwich, Andrew W.K., Waterfront Nottingham, Isaac Gracie, The Rescue Rooms Southampton, Iron Chic, The Joiners Southampton, The Academic, Heartbreakers THURSDAY 19TH APRIL Belfast, The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, AW, The Empire Bar & Music Hall Birmingham, Joan As Police Woman, Birmingham Town Hall Brighton, Girl Ray, The Haunt Brighton, Alexis Taylor, Patterns Clonakilty, Pillow Queens, De Barra’s Glasgow, Akala, The ABC Glasgow, Salad, Broadcast Glasgow, Trivium, Code Orange, Power Trip, O2 Academy Glasgow Leeds, Trampolene, Brudenell Social Club Leeds, Lucy Dacus, Belgrave Music Hall Leeds, Iron Chic, Brudenell Social Club Leicester, Goat Girl, The Cookie Liverpool, Her’s, Heebie Jeebies & EBGBS London, The Academic, Sea Girls, The Garage London, L.A. Salami, Omeara London, Hinds, Electric Brixton London, Aquilo, Oval Space London, Nerina Pallot, The Jazz Cafe London, Idles, Lice, Heaven

London, Little Comets, Electric Ballroom London, Kero Kero Bonito, DIY Space For London Manchester, Nada Surf, Gorilla Newcastle upon Tyne, Nick J.D. Hodgson, The Cluny Newcastle upon Tyne, The Virginmarys, Think Tank? Norwich, Skindred, CKY, UEA Nottingham, Casey, Endless Heights, Rarity, Rock City Nottingham, Happy Accidents, Kermes, Sarah Carey, Rough Trade Nottingham, Shonen Knife, Bodega Nottingham Oxford, Shame, The Bullingdon Petersfield, Marika Hackman, Bedales School Portsmouth, Andrew W.K., The Wedgewood Rooms LIVE! PRESENTS... Reading, Thyla., The Purple Turtle

Dork

FRIDAY 20TH APRIL Belfast, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Ulster Hall Birmingham, Isaac Gracie, O2 Institute Brighton, Hinds, Concorde 2 Brighton, Holly Miranda, Pipeline Brighton, Shame, The Haunt Bristol, Ought, Exchange Bristol, Nada Surf, The Fleece Bristol, Nerina Pallot, Thekla Bristol, Tellison, Peaness, The Attika State, The Louisiana Edinburgh, The Virginmarys, Opium Glasgow, Nick J.D. Hodgson, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Glasgow, Trampolene, Broadcast Glasgow, Lucy Dacus, The Hug & Pint Leeds, Joan As Police Woman, Howard Assembly Room Leeds, Goat Girl, Brudenell Social Club Leeds, Happy Accidents, Kermes, Milk Crimes, Wharf Chambers Leeds, Little Comets, Church Leeds Leicester, Salad, The

Soundhouse Limerick, Pillow Queens, Dolans London, Dua Lipa, Alexandra Palace London, Baby Shakes, Abjects, Das Clamps, MOTH Club London, Desperate Journalist, Oslo London, Alexis Taylor, Omeara Manchester, Trivium, Code Orange, Power Trip, Manchester Academy Manchester, Andrew W.K., Yonaka, O2 Ritz Manchester, Shonen Knife, Night & Day Cafe Manchester, Avalanche Party, Jimmy’s Oxford, Kier The Cellar Sheffield, Her’s, Picture House Social Southampton, Skindred, CKY, Guildhall Stoke-on-Trent, Mallory Knox, The Sugarmill SATURDAY 21ST APRIL Birmingham, Coasts, O2 Academy Birmingham Brighton, Goat Girl, The Haunt Brighton, Desperate Journalist, Bau Wow Club Bristol, Akala, SWX Bristol Bristol, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sylar, O2 Academy Bristol Cheltenham, Templeton Pek, The Frog And Fiddle Coventry, Republica, The Empire Dublin, Pillow Queens, The Workmans Club Edinburgh, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Usher Hall Edinburgh, Trampolene, Sneaky Pete’s Edinburgh, Her’s, The Mash House Galway, Mercury Rev, Roisin Dubh Glasgow, The Low Anthem, Stereo Glasgow, Andrew W.K., The Garage Leeds, Ought, Brudenell Social Club Leeds, Nick J.D. Hodgson, The

Wardrobe Leicester, Huey Morgan, Dryden Street Social London, Trivium, Code Orange, Power Trip, O2 Academy Brixton London, Amusement Parks On Fire, The Victoria (Bow) London, Amusement Parks On Fire, The Victoria (Dalston) Manchester, Salad, Manchester Academy Manchester, Lucy Dacus, Gullivers Newcastle upon Tyne, MC Lars, O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, Little Comets, O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, Gengahr, Think Tank? Norwich, Nerina Pallot, The Waterfront Studio Nottingham, Skindred, CKY, Rock City Nottingham, The Lovely Eggs, The Spook School, Witching Waves, Forest Tavern Oxford, The Academic, The Cellar Oxford, Isaac Gracie, O2 Academy Oxford Oxford, Leader, The Jericho Tavern Tunbridge Wells, Shame, The Forum SUNDAY 22ND APRIL Belfast, Nada Surf, The Limelight Birmingham, Lucy Dacus, Hare & Hounds Birmingham, The Academic, Mama Roux’s Brighton, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Brighton Centre Cardiff, Akala, The Globe Dublin, Mercury Rev, Whelan’s Glasgow, Mallory Knox, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Glasgow, Ought, Stereo Glasgow, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sylar, The ABC Leeds, Gengahr, Brudenell Social Club London, Awolnation, Scala London, Joan As Police Woman, Royal Festival Hall

MONDAY 23RD APRIL Birmingham, Ought, Hare & Hounds Bristol, Isaac Gracie, Thekla Cambridge, Kele, The Portland Arms Cambridge, A Hawk and A Hacksaw, Dead Rat Orchestra, The Blue Moon Dover, TTNG, The Booking Hall Glasgow, Nada Surf, Stereo Glasgow, Gengahr, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Hove, Joan As Police Woman, The Old Market London, Havok, Darkest Hour, Cephalic Carnage, The Underworld London, Iron Chic, The Dome Manchester, Mallory Knox, Rebellion Manchester, The Low Anthem, The Deaf Institute Manchester, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sylar, O2 Ritz Newcastle upon Tyne, Manic Street Preachers, The Coral, Metro Radio Arena Nottingham, Akala, The Rescue Rooms Portsmouth, Nerina Pallot, The Wedgewood Rooms York, Apologies I Have None, The Bennies, The Fulford Arms TUESDAY 24TH APRIL Birmingham, Akala, O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham, Mallory Knox, Mama Roux’s Birmingham, Youth Club, Hare & Hounds Birmingham, Peaness, Sunflower Lounge Bristol, Coasts, SWX Bristol Bristol, The Low Anthem, Thekla Bristol, Boy Azooga, The Crofters Rights Bristol, Apologies I Have None, The Bennies, Exchange Bristol, Lucy Dacus, The Louisiana Colchester, Say Sue Me, SuperGlu, Sam Eagle & The Lemon Lizards, Colchester Arts Glasgow, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The SSE Hydro Glasgow, Skindred, CKY, The ABC Glasgow, Ginger Snaps, Stereo Hull, Shonen Knife, Adelphi London, Ought, Drahla, The Garage London, TTNG, Delta Sleep, The Dome Manchester, Joan As Police Woman, The Stroller Hall Manchester, Gengahr, Gorilla Southampton, MC Lars, The Joiners Stirling, Mercury Rev, The

Tolbooth Tunbridge Wells, Kele, The Forum WEDNESDAY 25TH APRIL Aberdeen, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, AECC BHGE Arena Birmingham, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sylar, O2 Institute Brighton, Isaac Gracie, The Haunt Bristol, Joan As Police Woman, St George’s Bristol Bristol, Skindred, CKY, O2 Academy Bristol Bristol, Salad, The Fleece Bristol, Cosmo Sheldrake, Exchange Cambridge, Nada Surf, The Portland Arms Dublin, Awolnation, The Academy Edinburgh, Mercury Rev, The Caves Glasgow, Manic Street Preachers, The Coral, The SSE Hydro Leeds, The Academic, Church Leeds Leeds, TTNG, Temple of Boom Leeds, Ginger Snaps, Oporto Bar & Restaurant Liverpool, Drenge, The Invisible Wind Factory London, Charlotte Day Wilson, The Jazz Cafe London, Lucy Dacus, Omeara London, Hot Water Music, Electric Ballroom London, Cancer Bats, Death By Stereo, Funeral Shakes, The Underworld London, Jenny Wilson, Birthdays London, Blanco White, Bush Hall London, Ulrika Spacek, Corsica Studios Manchester, Converge, Crowbar, Grave Pleasures, Manchester Academy Norwich, Akala, Waterfront Plymouth, MC Lars, Plymouth Underground Sheffield, Shonen Knife, The Plug Southampton, Coasts, Engine Rooms Southampton, Boy Azooga, Heartbreakers

THURSDAY 26TH APRIL Aberdeen, Mercury Rev, The Tunnels Birmingham, Ginger Snaps, Sunflower Lounge Birmingham, Gengahr, Hare & Hounds Brighton, Natalie Prass, Bau Wow Club Brighton, Part Chimp, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar Brighton, Lucy Dacus, The Hope & Ruin Cardiff, Kele, Cameron AG, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, Her’s, Gwdihw Cafe Bar Dover, MC Lars, The Booking Hall Edinburgh, Broken Records, Summerhall Glasgow, The Academic, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Leeds, Twisted Wheel, The Library Leeds, Shonen Knife, Brudenell Social Club London, Converge, Crowbar, Grave Pleasures, Electric Ballroom London, Youth Club, O2 Academy Islington London, Boy Azooga, The Waiting Room London, Isaac Gracie, Hackney Empire London, Coasts, O2 Forum London, Low Island, Scala London, Cancer Bats, Death By Stereo, Funeral Shakes, The Underworld London, The Low Anthem, Dingwalls Manchester, Plan B, O2 Apollo Manchester Manchester, Trampolene, Night & Day Cafe Norwich, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sylar, UEA Nottingham, Mallory Knox, Bodega Nottingham FRIDAY 27TH APRIL Aldershot, Bellevue Days, Samoans, Dead State, West End Centre Birmingham, Manic Street Preachers, The Coral, Arena Birmingham Birmingham, Plan B, O2 Academy Birmingham

RECOMMENDED BASTILLE

see them playing Bastille’s new tour will cert halls with intimate venues and con and a choir, a string and brass section, of tracks from performing reworkings ‘Bad Blood’. albums ‘Wild World’ and

Photo: Corinne Cumming

(10th April), Manchester O2 Apollo h), Bristol Edinburgh Usher Hall (11t ffield City Hall Colston Hall (13th), She rt Hall (16th) (14th), London Royal Albe

BOOKING NOW GOT A GIG? ON TOUR? HAVE A RECORD OUT?

YUNGBLUD

London Dingwalls (30th May)

THE XX

Belfast Ulster Hall (21st May); Dublin Tivoli Theatre (23rd, 24th)

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FRANZ FERDINAND

Manchester Victoria Warehouse (22nd September)

ASH

Blackpool, Trampolene, Bootleg Social Brighton, The Low Anthem, The Hope & Ruin Brighton, Salad, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar Bristol, MC Lars, Hy-Brasil Music Club Bristol, Her’s, The Louisiana Edinburgh, A Hawk and A Hacksaw, Summerhall Glasgow, Mercury Rev, CCA Glasgow, Avalanche Party, Broadcast Leamington Spa, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Assembly Leeds, Skindred, CKY, O2 Academy & Underground Leeds, SLUG, Brudenell Social Club Leicester, TTNG, The Cookie London, Akala, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sular, KOKO London, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The SSE Arena, Wembley London, Night Flowers, The Lexington London, Cancer Bats, Death By Stereo, Funeral Shakes, The Underworld London, Spectres, Housewives, E B U, The Victoria (Dalston) Manchester, Clinic, The White Hotel

Manchester, Natalie Prass, Band On The Wall Manchester, The Academic, The Deaf Institute Manchester, High Hazels, Jimmy’s Norwich, Ginger Snaps, The Owl Sanctuary Nottingham, Gengahr, The Rescue Rooms Nottingham, DMA’S, Planet, Rock City Southampton, Kele, Heartbreakers Southend-on-Sea, Youth Club, Chinnerys York, Shonen Knife, Fibbers SATURDAY 28TH APRIL Birmingham, Natalie Prass, Hare & Hounds Bristol, Gengahr, Thekla Cardiff, Boy Azooga, Clwb Ifor Bach Coventry, Feet, Kasbah Derby, MC Lars, The Hairy Dog Exeter, itoldyouiwouldeatyou, Kermes, The Cavern Glasgow, Plan B, O2 Academy Glasgow Lancaster, Baxter Dury, Lancaster Music Library London, Bicep, The Roundhouse London, American Nightmare, The Underworld

London, Skindred, CKY, O2 Academy Brixton Manchester, Manic Street Preachers, The Coral, Manchester Arena Manchester, DMA’S, Planet, Manchester Academy Oxford, Kele, The Cellar LIVE! PRESENTS... Reading, Are You Listening? Festival, various venues Scunthorpe, Twisted Wheel, Cafe INDIEpendent Sheffield, Trampolene, The Harley Skelmersdale, Part Chimp, The Engine Rooms Southampton, Akala, Engine Rooms Worthing, Ride, St. Paul’s Art Centre York, Salad, Fibbers

Dork

SUNDAY 29TH APRIL Birmingham, Skindred, CKY, O2 Institute Brighton, American Nightmare, The Haunt Brighton, Akala, Concorde 2 Bristol, Kele, The Louisiana Dublin, Of Mice & Men, The Academy Exeter, TTNG, The Cavern Glasgow, Natalie Prass, Mono Glasgow, Yo La Tengo, SWG3 Glasgow, SLUG, The Hug & Pint Manchester, A Hawk and A Hacksaw, Soup Kitchen Newcastle upon Tyne, Plan B, O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, DMA’S, Planet, Northumbria University SU Southampton, Gengahr, The Joiners MONDAY 30TH APRIL Belfast, Of Mice & Men, Wage War, Sylar, Queens University Belfast Student Union Bristol, TTNG, Chiyoda Ku, Steve Strong, Exchange Cambridge, Gengahr, The Portland Arms Glasgow, MC Lars, The ABC Glasgow, METZ, Stereo Leicester, Movements, The Cookie London, Angel Olsen, Union Chapel Manchester, SLUG, Soup Kitchen Manchester, Yo La Tengo, Manchester Academy Nottingham, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Motorpoint Arena

Sheffield Leadmill (16th October); Glasgow O2 ABC (17th); Bristol SWX (19th); Birmingham O2 Institute (20th); Norwich Waterfront (21st); Manchester O2 Ritz (23rd); London O2 Forum (24th)

GEORGE EZRA

Sheffield Don Valley Bowl (18th August)

BROCKHAMPTON

London KOKO (20th, 21st August); Dublin Helix (22nd)

MARMOZETS

Norwich Waterfront (4th May); Liverpool O2 Academy (5th); Exeter University Lemon Grove (7th); Northampton Roadmender (9th); Coventry Kasbah (10th); Oxford O2 Academy (11th)

NOW NOW

London Dome (14th May); Birmingham Mama Rouxs (15th); Bristol Exchange (16th); Manchester Night People (21st)

TWIN ATLANTIC

Newcastle Riverside (24th May); Norwich Waterfront (30th); Southampton Engine Rooms (1st June); Cardiff Tramshed (3rd)

PALE WAVES

London Heaven (24th May)

THE DISTRICTS

Tunbridge Wells Forum (31st May); Leeds Brudenell Social Club (1st June); Exeter Cavern (4th); Guildford Boileroom (5th); Ramsgate Music Hall (6th)

GARBAGE

Edinburgh Festival Theatre (4th September); Glasgow Barrowlands (5th); Bristol St Phillips Gate Arena (7th); Birmingham Digbeth Arena (8th); Manchester Academy (9th); Nottingham Rock City (11th); Newcastle Northumbria SU Institute (12th)

DOWN WITH BORING

Sløtface ANY OTH ER Q U E S T I O N S WITH...

This month, Haley from Sløtface runs the gauntlet of our random, stupid queries.

Hello. How are you? I’m pretty good considering it’s winter, but I’m freaking sick of the dark. #NorwayProblems. When’s your birthday? 26th April. Feel free to send gifts. What was the first record you bought? ‘Dookie’ by Green Day. Still great. What’s your biggest accomplishment? The past few summers I’ve been a counsellor at the girl’s rock camp LOUD! in Norway which is probably my favourite project and the thing I’m most proud of being a part of. Which defunct band would you most like to reform? No Doubt or Rilo Kiley. What’s your favourite smell? Cinnamon buns baking in the oven. What was the last thing you broke? Probably a pair of ear-buds. I always buy the cheap ones that give me a slight electric shock when I wear them outside, and I’m constantly losing or breaking them. Who is your favourite member of One Direction? Gotta go with Harry. It’s the hair and the love of classic rock and roll. What’s the worst job you’ve ever done? When I was a kid, we used to sell

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raffle tickets door to door for the Norwegian National Holiday and for sports teams and stuff, which I absolutely hated. What’s your favourite pizza topping? Blue cheese and buffalo sauce. Have you ever seen a ghost? No, but I have terrible eyesight, so I often wake up in the middle of the night and think there are creepy, tall figures in my room before I find my glasses and see they are usually

just clothes. What’s your earliest memory? Running around outside my family’s first house after we moved to Norway, playing in the trees and the forest, picking fruit. What’s your most treasured possession? My signed copy of Patti Smith’s ‘Just Kids’. If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you

choose? Large-scale human selflessness? What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? Went spelunking in a really tight and tiny cave once. Scared the shit out of me. No thank you caves. If you won the lottery, what would you spend the cash on? A small cabin somewhere in the woods I could live in when we’re not on tour. That’s the dream.

What do you do for fun? Go to gigs, read books, watch movies, hike. What’s your favourite joke? Anything written for Broad City or by Larry David. How punk are you out of ten? Like a 7. I do sing in a somewhat punk band, but I am also an old crazy lady. P Sløtface’s album ‘Try Not to Freak Out’ is out now.

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