The Mic Winter 2019 Edition

MILES MILES KANE KANE

review + interview

photo: Dan Mills

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM’S OFFICIAL MUSIC MAGAZINE

+ razorlight interview + don broco interview + Unicef x The Mic preview and interviews with the bands

The Mic Issue 46 with special thanks to...

The Committee Tristan Phipps Emilio Cruzalegui Abby Clarke Alana McKenna Michael Clarke

President Editor in Chief Communications Secretary Marketing and Social Media Treasurer

Designers

Katie Searle Beth Dunnett Jase Neal Kajal Bains

contributors Patrick Donnelly Becky Waldokc Sean Hubbard Arthur Joshua

Ben Strandring Louis Romer Cameron Chadwick Lucy Gray

musicians/interviewees Razorlight Don Broco Miles Kane Enter Shikari Sugar Thief

Ava Saint Camaro Spilt Milk Society

sponsors And to all labels, venues, managers, promoters and PR companies who provided us with gig, interview and promotional opportunities.

Our next magazine (Issue 47) is due for release in April Join The Mic for just ÂŁ4 for the year!

For any review, gig or interview requests, email us at themic@themicmagazine.co.uk

/TheMicNotts

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@TheMicNotts

www.themicmagazine.co.uk

CONTENTS INSIDE THIS ISSUE ARTICLES:

UNICEF X THE MIC:

Our top 10 albums..............................4 Should artists date thier fans............10

Ava Saint...........................................30 Camaro.............................................31 Spilt Milk Society..............................32 Sugarthief........................................33

FEATURES & INTERVIEWS: Razorlight ........................................14 Miles Kane ......................................18 Don Broco .......................................24 Enter Shikari ...................................28

top 10 albums

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Miles Kane – “Coup De Grace” Kane is back with an electrifying set of hard new tunes, oozing the energy and style so undeniably associated with the Scouser. The hard-hitting, raw riffs of Kane and his equally talented collaborators (Jamie T and Lana Del Rey) make for an exciting 35 minutes, that cements Kane as the seminal performer of the British indie rock scene we all know him to be.

Louis Romer

Arctic Monkeys Perhaps one of the most anticipated releases of 2018 - the Arctic Monkeys 6th studio album was also their most ambitious by far. Stepping away from the traditional rock band formula, the monkeys utilised much more piano and synthesiser - creating a very different sonic atmosphere

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to their previous work. Alex Turners lyrical wit is once again prevalent and, coupled with the instrumentation, it’s very difficult not to feel like you are a guest in Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino. Sadly, the middle section of the album features a couple of lacklustre songs which feel rushed thus diminishing the overall quality of the album. However, the rest of the album features excellent song writing and has left me excited for what will come next.

Ben Buffery

The 1975

“A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships”

An outrageously eclectic take on modernity’s apocalyptic extremes, A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships, is a masterpiece of a record produced almost in its entirety by frontman Matty Healy and drummer George Daniel, and is perhaps today’s answer to Radiohead’s iconic OK Computer. Tackling addiction, social media, fame, promiscuity and mental health amongst other issues, the album is an eye-watering and soul-shuddering account of current life. The record’s reflection on the development of modern society over the past decade runs parallel to its reflection on

the development of modern society over the past decade runs parallel to its reflection on the maturity of the band and most noticeably, Matty Healy.

Never afraid to shy away from new challenges, the band boundlessly wind through genres ranging from romantic jazz to bouncing Afrobeat and folk balladry. The 1975 have always dared to entertain, and from beginning to end, their third record promises a roller-coaster of emotion, addiction and sheer joy.

Ben Strandring

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top 10 albums 3

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Pale Waves

My Mind Makes Noises The debut album of Pale Waves came out in mid-September and included their popular singles ‘Television Romance’ and ‘Kiss’. It was an emotional collection of songs addressing love, heartbreak and loss. Although some argued that the album sounded monotonous, the style and attitude of Pale Waves was obviously appreciated as it charted at number 8 on the UK album charts.

Abby Clarke

Slaves

Acts of Fear and Love.

It's apparent that the boys were keen to try their hand at some softer more resonating sounds, with songs like 'Daddy' and succeeded immensely. However, with no lacking of classic Slaves' sounds like 'Artificial Intelligence', the boys truly hit the ball out of the park with their third album. A definite musical highlight of 2018.

Lucy Gray

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DMA’S For Now

Punchy, melodic, well rounded – Ozzie rockers ‘DMA’s’ gifted us their second studio album in late spring to a great reception. A hit with fans and critics alike, ‘For Now’ swaggered its way up to 13th in the UK album charts - and propelled them into an incredible summer performing with the likes of both Noel and Liam Gallagher, the latter citing ‘Break Me’ as a ‘biblical’ tune. While

title track ‘For Now’ may be a forceful, ‘Kasabian-esque’ guitar track brimming with fight and bite, the soft jangly riffs in ‘Warsaw’ creates the musical equivalent of smoothly spreading butter over hot toast. If you’re into your guitar driven indie rock, these guys are definitely worth a listen.

Tristan Phipps

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SHOULD ARTISTS D

This topic always causes lots of debate as it is a very slippery slope for musicians to tread. On the one hand, why should musicians be any different from members of the public and be able to control who they do or don’t fall in love with? But on the other hand, there is a definite power imbalance between a fan and an artist, even if it is just for the beginning of a relationship, that must be handled carefully and correctly so as to stay away from any form of abuse or coercion.

There are of course several very famous cases of musicians dating their fans and then going on to have very happy marriages. Examples include Billie Joe Armstrong and his wife Adrienne Nesser who met at one of his concerts and married in 1994. Also, the three Hanson brothers who sung MMMBop all met their wives at their concerts too.

from 5 Seconds of Summer and Cody Simpson, but they haven’t done so to date.

Howeve However, there seems to be a lot more cases in which a happy marriage with children isn’t the end result. Robbie Williams admitted that in his early years he had a problem with sex and used to sleep with “young” and “inexperienced” fans. Joe Jonas also said he used to take advantage of his fame and go on dates with fans when he was about 16.

There have also been numerous cases where musicians have been accused of sexual misconduct including ‘Nothing But Thieves’ (who denied all claims), ‘Moose Blood’, ‘Pierce The Veil’ and ‘With Confidence’. Lead singer of ‘Brand New’ was also accused and apologised for his actions.

It is undeniable that a musician will be in a position of power above a fan and whether or A lot of other musicians have admitted that they not they can overcome this to create a healthy would be open to dating fans if the situation relationship is a massive question. It is very arose - including Harry Styles, Luke Hemmings situational dependent, and, in each situation,

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DATE THEIR FANS? you would have to ask about who the fan is, what their own story is as well as the musician involved and how the relationship is progressing. These sorts of questions cannot be answered by anybody apart from the musician and the person they are dating so it is impossible to tell until the relationship either goes horribly wrong and is plastered across the news or ends in success, marriage and a happily ever after.

You also have to ask whether the size and popularity of the musician has any effect on the answer to this question. Less well-known musicians who are just starting out are less likely to be idolized in the same way as bigger more popular artists. Does this change whether or not they should be dating their fans, and if it does, where is the line?

Also, you cannot ignore the fact that in most of these reports and allegations, it has been a male musician with a female fan. This raises a lot more questions in itself such as should male musicians be more careful when it comes to

dating fans than female musicians, or are female musicians dating fans just under-reported or less likely to talk about their own experiences.

Overall, there is no way to stop love and it seems a shame to prevent dating between musicians and fans full stop. However, great care must be taken to ensure that the relationship is healthy and honest, and this is where some artists have fallen down. Artists must make it their responsibility to ensure that whoever they are dating is not being influenced by their fame to be coerced into doing things that they would not be ready for in a usual relationship. They must acknowledge that they are in an unusual position in the public eye and therefore at greater risk of things going wrong, and therefore necessary precautions must be taken.

There is nothing to say that musician-fan relationships cannot work out, it’s just a lot more complicated than the average relationship.

by Abby Clarke

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REVIEW AND INTERVIEW

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On December 7th, Nottingham’s Rock City became the crucible for a glam-rock, nouveau punk cocktail - Miles Kane style. After a 5 year break, the Wirral lad has been breathing life back into his solo career and continuing to do what he does best; performing.

Kane’s repertoire is brimming with a medley of tracks from his new album ‘Coup De Grace’ as well as a peppering of classics from his past records. It’s also interesting to see Kane bring disco into the mix, audaciously enmeshing his genres with the finesse of a craftsman. Perhaps this hybridity is responsible for the wide appeal of Kane’s music, the diverse turn-out for the Friday gig a testament to the fact.

I am pleased to find that the altogether buzzing, chaotic support act - bonkers Mancunian quintet ‘Cabbage’ - serve as the perfect entree for the night. Their frenzied performance and distinct indie-rock evocative style is intense but builds adrenaline high, gearing us up for the main man.

It all begins when the lights dim and a mirrorball is lowered over the stage to Candi Staton’s ‘Young Hearts Run Free’, Kane’s first time travel and loving tribute to the 70s. Looking sharp in a suit of all white and half buttoned silk shirt, he swaggers on stage oozing front-man vibes. Eyes streaked with silver makeup, Kane looks every bit the retro glam-rock idol.

Straight away we are launched into the bucking ‘Silver Screen’ before thrusting ahead with crowd favourite, ‘Inhaler’. Bathed in red stage light, the high voltage version laden with driving bass tones and iconic guitar riffs give the soulful taste of rock and roll a much deserved spotlight. Without abating the gritty vocals, Kane struts boldly across stage through ‘Give up’ pausing to fist bump an eager front row fan. Dripping with boisterous energy, traits from wrestling come to the fore in the delivery of the brilliant Bolan-esque ‘Cry on My Guitar’. A composition branded by guitar-led cocksuredness, Kane fists the air to the line “Shalalalala, oh yeah” in sync with pulsating lights.

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An array of languid ballads wedged between the rock anthems mellow the atmosphere and offer some respite from the freneticism. Later on we hear the jazzy ‘Shavambacu’ but first ‘Killing the Joke’, a dirge for the lovelorn and brokenhearted.

Following the crescendo Kane waits for the applause to die, giving a final strippeddown rendition of the chorus. His raw, impassioned vocals almost drowned out by the crowd.

The place slows down and Kane has us in the palm of his hand, compelling us to silence with little more than a gesture. We are lulled by a synthesised version of old favourite, “Colour of the Trap”, the titular track of his first album. A ballad about a vexing past love, the pouty frontman points into the crowd as if spotting his “girl” there. Then in a U-turn move, Kane hits us with a surprise re-upholstered version of Donna Summer’s ‘Hot Stuff’. An admittedly odd choice which may not be to everyone’s taste, it can still be said that the cover snugly fits into the lineup and abides by Kane’s rule of blending genres.

Killer ’Coup De Grace’ and throwback ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’ excite a furore and help a chant for ‘Miles, Miles, Miles’ gain momentum. By the close of the night it becomes a fully ‘Loaded’ rallying cry, in that moment propelling his status.

What I can only describe as the anthemic 2011 single ’Come closer’, is metwiththe unbridledenthusiasm of the crowd showing that it undoubtedly deserves its place in the encore. Kane beckons and cajoles us to come closer to the stage grinning fiendishly. Finally, he thrusts his Gibson ES-335 aloft in a clinching blow.

Rock city certainly gave Miles Kane the stamp of approval. He will surely be welcomed back to Nottingham for a third time, perhaps by which point we will get to see his fully evolved and singular style.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH:

MILES KANE

Nice to meet you Miles, thank you for finding some time to answer some questions for The Mic!How are you feeling for the upcoming dates of your tour? Excited to perform?

My pleasure! Yes, I mean we’ve had a couple of weeks off from touring but, you know, I love being on stage so I can’t wait. I’m just excited for rehearsals this weekend.

Why “Coup De Grace” as the name for your third album?

Because, umm, it means the final blow, the end. It’s two reasons really. One is that I love wrestling and It’s my favourite wrestler’s finishing manoeuvre, so that’s one. I didn’t know what it meant and when I found out it means ‘the final blow, the end’ I thought a lot of these songs are about a moment in time in my life, talking about feelings and stuff and down to the emotions. So it was kind of like putting them all to bed as well, but I think its the tunes really if I’m being honest with you.

What inspired the visuals for your 3rd record and how did involving Finn Bálor in the music video for ‘Cry on My Guitar’ come about?

‘Coup De Grace’ is his finisher, Finn Bálor’s. I’m a massive fan of wrestling. Me and him became friends over 4-5 years ago when I started following him because I was like “he’s going to be a super star”. He was following me back and he sent me a message saying I always listen to your ‘Inhaler’ when in the gym. I said I’m a big fan of wrestling. Anyway that was it - we just became friends and he’s a nice fella, you know, and I asked him to be in this [the video] and he did. It all worked out, you know, and I’m really happy he did because It’s just such a special moment in time, it will never happen again. He did it in such a cool way, it’s like a scene from a Bond film.

In past interviews you’ve referred to this as your “Adele album” - what exactly do you mean by this?

Yeah I mean, you know, when you say something like that it’s like I don’t literally mean I’ve made an album like Adele. That’s just when people ask me that, it’s just like a response to try and make it light-hearted, you know what I mean. But you know it’s just an honest album, so I guess you could say it is really.

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As we know, you worked with Jamie T on the ‘Coup De Grace’ songs and Lana Del Rey on the track ‘Loaded’. How was it collaborating with them and in what way did they help you creating the album?

Working with Jamie was great, you know, we got into this groove and I couldn’t have made it without him and he was really there for me at that time. We’ve been friends for a long time, last year we spent a lot of time together and he helped me get through what I was feeling and that will stick with me until I die. With that, we wrote songs as well and that helped me get through it. He’s just the best, you know what I mean. So I couldn’t have done it without him really. I think it’s the most honest, solid body of work I’ve done really to be honest. I think it’s definitely lyrically it’s most honest. I do like lyrics that are melancholy but I like the songs that feel up and upbeat and positive. I like the contrast of those two and that’s what I search for really and achieved that.

Some of your critics have suggested co-writing and collaborating too much could be hindering the creation of your own sound. What would you say is the trademark Miles Kane sound?

I mean yeah you could sit on your own on the acoustic cross legged on a carpet and wail your heart out and that’s fine but that’s not my style you know. And I have done that and can do that. Any collaborative thing I’ve done that has been used or has any substance is only through either being friends or it happened naturally. I have been set up, you know where you get put together with someone but that has never really worked out for me. If you wanna go deep you’ve gotta be with someone you know or is your mate. That was the only way I could’ve written this because there’s an understanding of you as a person and the situation itself because they’ve seen it first hand as well.

But whether you wanna write on your own or whether you need help or you just like collaborating, it doesn’t really bother me really what anyone says. Whatever anybody wants to do I don’t really have an opinion as long as they are enjoying it - whether you’re or your own or its with someone.

How do you feel about being called the “Retro bro” of Alex Turner?

Sorry, who’s dubbed me as that?

An NME article I believe!

Right, they say “you’re the retro brother”?

I don’t know. I mean I haven’t heard that but I’ll take that, yeah cool.

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You wear a kind of Glam punk suit in the video for LA Five Four (309) [And been named one of GQ’s 50 best dressed British men (2015)]. Is it fair to say presentation is important to you and your music?

Oh yeah, Love that! I’ve always loved clothes, you know at the moment I want to wear jumpsuits and makeup for gigs. It stems from my love of Marc Bolan and stuff like that.

It looks good because I’m not afraid and it feels comfortable for me. I don’t really feel any different in a jumpsuit with eyeliner and silver makeup on than I do if I’ve got a denim jacket on now. I just see that it feels cool and I’m going to roll with it.

What made you release the single [‘LA Five Four (309)’] on Halloween?

It’s because I though it was a bit spooky and a bit out there. I just finished it off the week before and it was a real big rush and I called my mate to do the video literally the day before and it was beautiful. It was a great artistic project. I just thought, I know exactly visually what I want it to look like and this song is cool and whatever and a mad punk tune and just f*cking doing it, you know. It’s not a big thought process and that’s sort of how I want to keep going.

How do you feel about The Last Shadow Puppets being used for TV soundtracks like Peaky Blinders? What are your thoughts about being associated with other projects like this?

I’ve only seen one Peaky Blinders, I’ve never seen it really. I have heard that though my aunties tell me they use “Used to be my Girl” a bit - and “Bad Habits” - Bad Habits yeah, I mean yeah I need to get on the iPlayer don’t I haha. I mean yeah, if I hear a tune on something like that and it looks cool then you know, yeah! Go for it! Visuals with music is cool if it’s right and is good.

And finally, if you could collab with any artist alive or dead for your next single who would you choose? …. I’d say Mike Skinner from the Streets Thank you Miles! Good luck for the upcoming dates on your tour and we look forward to seeing you in Nottingham in December!

Great, I can’t wait for that one, that’s the second to last one! Alright, lovely. Take care, Ta-ra!

-Becky Waldock

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IN CONVERSATION WITH

ROB

DAMIANI

How did the band form and who were your main influences at the time?

So, three of us went to Nottingham Uni, but we started back at school. We didn’t play too many shows, it was a standard school band kind of thing, and we maybe played only three shows over our uni period.

So, we started out in Bedford and went to Nottingham uni, Simon came from Norwich, but it was hard as there’s just so much going on. We didn’t want to call it a day on the band even though it was hard to practice, I think there was one time where three of us trekked it over to Norwich.

I don’t know if it’s the same, but are the practice rooms in the union building still?

I imagine it’s pretty unrecognisable now, they’ve changed it a lot since.

They were sort of near the downs, up the hill from the student union. But yeah, we used to book out those practice rooms, and joined BandSoc! We got a few gigs with BandSoc and

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a few of our own at Junction 7 but I don’t think we played anywhere else while we were actually at uni.

At what point did you think you could make a career from it?

I think it was after uni when we were applying for jobs, and none of us were enthralled with the thought of starting the job looking process. I’m sure people will verify this but it’s very rare to find a first job that you actually love. It was a bit like “Oh sh*t there’s nothing really out there”, you know?

We all loved playing music and it was something we all wanted to do, so we thought “why not just give it a go?”. A lot of people took gap years after uni but we just threw ourselves into band life. We did everything we could, booked as many shows as we c o u l d : f u l l y D I Y. T h i n g s s t a r t e d going well, we were getting more and more shows and started getting more interest! It then got to a point where we were offered our first record deal with SONY music and then it turned into a

f u l l - t i m e h o b b y t o a r e a l i t y. O n c e you start making money and have a legitimate backing - then i t s t a r t s t o f e e l r e a l . M e n t a l l y, it’s a huge thing. It took a few years to get there but we’ve never looked back since.

What was the first festival you played?

The first one would have been download festival which was an incredible first festival to do. I think we did the Camden crawl in London and a few bits and bobs like that, and they are a great vibe, but we loved being out in a muddy field with the tents.

That’s when you’re like “Oh sh*t”.

Which festival that you’ve played excited you the most?

I mean, Reading. It’s always been a massive festival for us.

Since we were kids, and in-between Uni, we were spending our summers going back to Reading. That was probably where we decided to give it (the band) a go. We were working there for Oxfam, where we got free tickets to help out and pick up tents left over at the end, and we were walking around like “Sh*t, we could do this” or “Sh*t, we could play the main stage”, so it was there that we decided to start the band p r o p e r l y. R e a d i n g h a s a p l a c e i n the heart.

F u n n y y o u s h o u l d s a y. I h a d the privilege of catching you at

your secret set at Reading 2017 under the alias “The Prettyboys” – was it hard to keep the plans for that set on the low down?

It was, and it was a very different build up as there’s that extra excitement as a secret set.

We knew a lot of people would probably guess it, but at the same time we were walking on stage not knowing for sure if anyone would be there.

From my point of view, the atmosphere was crazy as you guys walked out! I think you opened with “Pretty”, and, having not seen you before, I remember thinking, “I’m way in over my head here!”. All part of the fun.

Ye a h , t h a t w a s i n s a n e . P r o b a b l y one of my favourite moments e v e r.

Glad to have shared it with y o u ! Yo u a l l p u t o n s u c h energetic shows and look like you’re all having a great time – is there a song in particular you’re enjoying playing at the moment?

I think the new one, “Half Man Half God”, and we’ve played it a few times now and it’s just a p r o p e r f r a n t i c b a n g e r. I t ’ s v e r y m o s h y, i t s v e r y d a n c y. W h e n e v e r you get a new song in the set – it mixes it up and adds some excitement for ourselves but also for the crowd who haven’t heard that song before – so

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Photo: Marcus Maschwitz

They’ve been really supportive, and it’s almost like you’ve won them over already because they’ve seen what we’ve done in the UK. When you come over to Japan or The USA its like “Sh*t, they are playing arenas! They’ve played Wembley! They must be legit”. They give you a chance which is nice.

Yo u ’ v e p l a y e d s o m e b i g a r e n a s already of course, but after ‘Priorities’ or ‘Automatic’, you went back and played some more intimate gigs again, could that be on the cards in the foreseeable future?

there’s some extra energy in the a i r.

Has it been received well so far?

Ye a h , I t h i n k p e o p l e k n o w w h a t ’ s coming from the intro, and then there’s the very obvious build where it all comes smashing in.

It’s always a good sign when people are shouting it out too.

So, you’ve taken Don Broco global in 2018, how did cities l i k e To k y o o r N e w Yo r k r e c e i v e your music?

It’s been really interesting. It’s taken a few years to take our music out to the states and Japan.

But, especially the crowds in Asia, the crowds have b e e n o n b o a r d s t r a i g h t a w a y.

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P o t e n t i a l l y. I t ’ s s o m e t h i n g w e always like to do, to bring it home, and really focus on what g o t u s i n t o p l a y i n g o r i g i n a l l y. A s much as I do like playing the arena gigs, there’s something special about an intimate show or a sweaty club venue. It’s a very different experience. I think the crowd appreciate it more, and we love it!

What are your plans for after the show in Nottingham? Any chance we can see you in Ocean?

Well it is a Friday night… and that is where the song came from: it was born on a night out in Ocean. Obviously being a Nottingham student, it’s in your DNA to have a sing song in O c e a n . U n f o r t u n a t e l y, i t w a s n ’ t a Uni of night where the song was born though. I don’t think I’d ever been to a Trent night at uni,

but the song came about on a night out after we played with “Bring Me The Horizon”. I’d lost my voice, and was feeling super depressed, and my voice had c o m p l e t e l y g o n e . R e a l i s t i c a l l y, I should have gone straight to bed but a few of my mates were trying to get me out to make me feel better –

I mean, you have your standard nights out: Rock City was always fun, or if there was a Detonate event on, and I was a big fan of Stealth when they opened up all the rooms. But, yeah there’s something just so disgusting but i n c r e d i b l e a b o u t O c e a n . Yo u can’t get away with that kind of club once you’ve left uni.

I mean, a legend would…

Tr u e . I t ’s p r e t t y s p e c i a l h a v i n g this huge room where people take their clothes off and dance to glee.

Of course, yeah. So, we went to Ocean, and Baywatch came on, and I thought “F*ck it, I’ve gotta get involved!”. It completely turned my mood around.

I have to ask, was it the final song? Because obviously the lyrics claim it was, but at UoN the song comes on with the song comes on with two hours to go!

I t h i n k i t m a y h a v e b e e n a c t u a l l y.

Or maybe I left early that night!

I can’t remember! We now normally play ‘T Shirt Song’ as the final song of our sets!

Well I hope to see you Ocean. I’ll buy you a VK.

in

Strawpeedo?

Of course! Or we can go full r a i n b o w, g e t e v e r y c o l o u r, a n d complete the set. What was your favourite club when you were a student in Nottingham?

I have to say Ocean. There’s something so sh*t about it that makes it so good. I mean, you

And you see so many people you know in one place. It’s very easy to overlook but something you’ll l o o k b a c k o n f o n d l y. T h a t ’ s something I don’t think you can ever recreate in any other walk of life. I look back on those days with really with really fond memories.

A n d f i n a l l y, i f y o u c o u l d h a v e w r i t t e n a n y s o n g i n h i s t o r y, what would you have wanted to have written?

It’s the song that everyone knows every word whenever anyone hears it.

I don’t understand how it works…

“Bohemian Rhapsody”. It’s such a weird song: there’s no chorus or no repeated parts, it shouldn’t work but it does!

Thanks for taking the time to talk, catch you at the show next week! b y Tr i s t a n P h i p p s

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I R A K I R SH

ENTE

Enter Shikari brought all the splendour of their arena shows, and their stage presence honed over fifteen years of experience, to their sold out intimate (for them) Rock City show on Friday 15th January - becoming the first band to headline the venue with the new floor.

As usual they brought an incredible light show, and while they were unable to fit their quadrophonic sound system in the venue, I can easily say that no one was missing it due to the sheer energy that the band produced. This was replicated by the crowd from the very beginning of their set – the entirety of the floor did not stop moving at all.

Their setlist was taken mostly from 2017’s The Spark and also a celebration of the ten-year anniversary of 2009’s classic Common Dreads - playing several rarities and crowd favourites off of that legendary album such as ‘Step Up’, ‘Hectic’, and ‘Gap In The Fence’ alongside newer offerings such as ‘Undercover Agents’, ‘Rabble Rousers’, and giving ‘The Revolt of the Atoms’ one of its first live outings. However, there were also the usual array of Shikari hit songs both old and new: ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Arguing with Thermometers’, as well as their signature remixes and mashups – most notably ‘Gandhi, Mate Gandhi’ into ‘Mothership’, which in turn turned into a cover of the Faithless hit ‘Insomnia’.

Additionally, we witnessed the now legendary Shikari quick-fire round: beginning with old school anthem ‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ from 2007’s Take To The Skies, which was swiftly remixed into ‘The Last Garrison’, from 2015’s The Mindsweep, before the entire dancefloor erupted with ‘…Meltdown’ from A Flash Flood of Colour (2012) - and then finally finishing their main set with the Reso remix of hit song Anaesthetist.

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Giving the crowd just enough time to draw breath again, the encore began with ‘Juggernauts’ – the song that to this day still holds the world crowd surfing record - and the sold-out Rock City crowd certainly did their best to make sure this still holds up, climbing over each other at a pace seen at few other gigs. However, there was only one way that this show was ever going to end - with the lead single off The Spark as Rou and the entire crowd in unison proclaimed that they wanted to ‘Live Outside of all of this’ in a display of unity only seen at Shikari shows.

Support came from Brighton’s Black Peaks and Palaye Royale, and Black Peaks certainly made Rock City their own. With hits off their new album All That Divides going down a storm with the crowd, I can confidently say that they walked away with many new fans that evening. Palaye Royale on the other hand were perhaps the wrong fit for a Shikari show. Their brand of alt-rock felt generic and uninspired when compared to the two other experimental and exciting bands on the bill - and their controversial actions on social media did not do them any favours, nor did their promotion of their paid meet and greets. The latter being something which Enter Shikari have been against from their earliest days - with frontman Rou always arguing that if a band charges for meet and greets than are they really worth meeting?

Enter Shikari have been masters of the live show for years now - planning everything to perfection, from the light shows all the way to the crowd pleasing set lists. This smaller venue tour shows how legendary their performances now are: I overhead many people leaving the venue talking about how that was one of the best shows they had ever seen. They are certainly now the ultimate live band, and it is exciting to see where they will take it from here in bigger venues and with even bigger productions (if that is even possible). We were given a taste of the future with the debut of new song ‘Stop The Clocks’, and, if the crowd reaction is anything to go by, it will certainly be received well when released.

Sean Hubbard

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Unicef x The Mic is a collaborative show that we put on each year - combining up and coming artists in the music industry and charity fundraising. This year we have some of our biggest names yet, including Indie-rock band Sugarthief, 5-piece Spilt M i l k S o c i e t y, w h o h a v e p l a y e d a t f e s t i v a l s s u p p o r t i n g t h e l i k e s of Superfood and Fickle Friends, and local Indie Pop and rock bands C A M A R O and Ava Saint.

AVA S A I N T

AVA S A I N T w e r e o u r f o u r t h a c t t o be announced for UNICEF x The Mic and will be opening the show for us.

Having recently supported Don’t Forget Rupert at their sold-out show at The B o d e g a i n D e c e m b e r, t h e y a r e back with their feisty pop-rock music to start the night with a bang.

The band consists of lead singer Holly Ta y l o r - G a m b l e , Ty l e r H e a n e y, G r e g F o r s y t h a n d J a c o b Davies and they’ve had a really successful 2018 supporting bands such as CHILDCARE at Rescue Rooms, The Fine Art at the Angel Society

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Microbrewery and also headlining venues such as Rough Trade Nottingham, The Maze and playing Dot 2 Dot festival as well as Y Not? Festival with support from BBC introducing in the East Midlands.

fierce fashion and Holly’s confidence never fails to raise t h e e n e r g y o f t h e c r o w d a n d AVA SAINT certainly won’t disappoint when they open for UNICEF x The Mic. Definitely get down early if you want to see a bit of on-stage attitude with a bit of punk and rock-n-roll to open the night right.

CAMARO Joining us for Unicef x The Mic are four-piece indie pop band CAMARO. Formerly known as ASHFIELDS, they have a new lead singer and the event is set to be their first performance as a new band.

CAMARO bring with them feel good, tropical pop vibes as well as a bit of fun and cheekiness from the group. Lead singer Tiegan Donovan (Tigs) was doing solo work before she was asked to join CAMARO and after hearing some demos you can tell that she fits perfectly with the new sound. Guitarist and song-writer Carl who was an original member of ASHFIELDS is excited to get back on stage performing and

can’t wait to share the new music they’ve been working on with fans who have stuck by them through a lot of difficulties in the past.

They’re currently working with Outlaw music who also work with the likes of Nina Smith and Rob Green, both of which have had very successful years.

Already recording in the studio and planning to release an EP soon, CAMARO are also hoping to tour and pick up festival s l o t s o v e r t h e s u m m e r, s o a charity show in a small venue like The Bodega will be a great chance to see them perform an intimate show before their journey to bigger things gets started.

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S P I LT M I L K SOCIETY Headed by Harry Hanford, the Birmingham based band has been going since the summer of 2015. They have seen an impressive growth of audience both on streaming platforms and in gig presence on the local, and recently national, indie circuits.

They have gone from small shows in Birmingham to bigger venues and audiences up and down the country - including Liverpool, Leeds and several London events, including a sold-out Camden assembly gig in the summer of 2018. The band i n c u d e s H a r r y, t h e l e a d v o c a l i s t a n d s o n g w r i t e r, J o s h H y d e , t h e lead guitarist, Freddie Joustra, keys, Rob Ford, Drums, and Steven Holmes on bass. Their latest three singles ‘Backseat’, ‘Turtleneck Boy’ and ‘Orange’

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have cemented the bands progressive style and follow the success of previous singles such a s ‘ S h e Ta s t e s l i k e S u m m e r ’ a n d ‘Amsterdam’.

Although successfully making each song u n i q u e f r o m o n e a n o t h e r, t h e y manage to carry the same style through all their work making them both recognisable and very easy to get into. Their live performances are highly energetic and always see the crowds bouncing off the walls before the first song has even finished. The future looks bright for Spilt Milk Society with big things to come: festival appearances, new music, sell out headline shows and so much more. They are definitely a band to watch.

SUGARTHIEF

The final band to grace the stage on this great night will be Midlands band ‘Sugarthief’. Having completed some amazing s u p p o r t s l o t s a t s o m e h u g e v e n u e s w i t h ‘ T h e Tw a n g ’ – i t ’ s a b o u t time that they brought their chilled indie rock vibes to Nottingham’s Bodega. We managed to catch up with the band to ask them a few questions ahead of their Notts debut:

How did the band form and what pushed your sound at the beginning?

It originally all started when me (Jack) and Jordi who are brothers began writing our own stuff and playing live just a c o u s t i c a l l y.

We started exploring Birmingham and it's indie scene and realised we wanted to become a band so we recruited Luke and Reece from school and began playing and writing as a band!

something out by the end of the year to set us up for 2019!

After some huge sold out shows in Birmingham and a f t e r s u p p o r t i n g T h e Tw a n g , how does it feel to be taking the sounds of Sugarthief to Nottingham?

“ G o o d L u c k I H o p e Yo u M a k e It” appears to have been incredibly well received, was it a smooth project? were a bit worried We releasing Good luck because it had been over a year since we had released anything. We were sick of having all this new stuff that no one had heard unless they had come to show so we kind of a rush-released good luck at the end of 2018. So, I can't say it was the smoothest project but we were so happy to have

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It's always exciting taking our music to new places, we're definitely ready to spread our name across the country now which is why we've been doing more and more tours. Notts has been on our list for a while now so we're buzzing to play there for the first time!

Is there a particular track you’ve enjoyed playing recently?

The single we're releasing in February called 'Modern Man' has been pretty fun, although it's unreleased people seem to go pretty mad for it so it'll be cool to see people's reactions when we play live once it's out!

What was the first festival you guys went to as fans, and which performance stood out for you?

In 2016 we all went to Truck

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Festival for the first time (still our fave festival) and the first act we saw was Willie J Healey literally as we arrived and he was just incredible, we've been big fans ever since and got to play with him a little while ago which was cool!

Do you prefer being in the studio, recording and writing, or being out on tour?

That's a tough one. I'd say that we are more of a recording band these days, we take our time in the studio and really try to experiment with recording techniques and sounds and make sure everything sounds the best it can and we love that process!

But, not many things beat the b u z z o f p l a y i n g l i v e - T h e Tw a n g t o u r, a n d p l a y i n g s t a g e s a t festivals like, Isle of Wight, Y N O T, T r u c k a n d K e n d a l C a l l i n g were some of the best days of our lives, but a rammed small

venue with the crowd singing along gives us a real high.

What are Sugarthief ’s plans for 2019?

We're releasing a 7 song EP towards the end of March, playing a load of shows leading up to it across the c o u n t r y, t h e n h o p e f u l l y r i d i n g that wave into festy season and onwards!

If you could collab with any band or artist, dead or alive, for your next single, who’d it be?

I think recording with The Beatles during the Seargent Pepper era would be the ultimate, we get a lot of inspo f r o m t h a t ! C u r r e n t l y, I t h i n k i t ' d be cool to record with someone like Kevin Parker ( Ta m e Impala) just to see how he'd take our sound and add his golden touch of genius.

L a s t l y, i f y o u c o u l d h a v e w r i t t e n a n y s o n g i n h i s t o r y, what would it have been?

Echoes by Pink Floyd - simply a masterpiece.

Ti c k e t s a r e a v a i l a b l e f r o m t h e B o d e g a o r S U w e b s i t e f o r £ 8 , a n d everyone is welcome!

B y Tr i s t a n P h i p p s , A b b y C l a r k e , a n d A r t h u r J o u s t r a

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