PULSE FESTIVAL

You could say that the Metal-graced theme of this festival would have worked against it- but you would be wrong. Pulse festival proved to be extremely dynamic and varied. The open setting- a large field (at one end a stage and at the other a marquee) meant that there was music blaring from all ends of the spectrum to suit any palette.
Even at 9.30am (the time at which i arrived) there were tents set up and band members lurking around, distinguishable by their accompanying instruments carried around like badges of honour.
Organisers in their luminescent green high-vis jackets ran around tying up any loose ends before the festival began.
In truth, it was hard to say at which point the festival actually did begin. Delayed because of the pouring rain, there was a lot of standing around waiting... Had i been a few inches shorter, i would have been able to enjoy the benefits of my lovely accomplice's umbrella. A bag, notepad, pen and phone in hand, i felt a brolly one instrument too many. This is why, when the heavens opened, i got soaked to the bone. People were reluctant to leave the shelter of their tents, however those that did brave the downpour were rewarded by the first band to grace the main stage "Elessar"
Those that were amongst the drenched audience assured me that "these guys are heavy man, totaly mental!" Nevertheless, Elessar did not let the rain dampen the atmosphere.
The repetitive bang of a single drum whilst soundchecking gave an insight into what was to come; The way that one snare could pulsate through my ribcage and make it rattle promised volume and density at least- This band broke 20 noise regulations just by tuning up. We were not let down.
The stage exploded into juddering drum beats and squeeling guitar. The vocals alternated between beast-like grunting of the main vocalist, to the melodic harmonies of the guitarist-a trait that reminded me of "A Day To Remember" but with more blood lust. To sum up, whilst retaining melody, this band were fierce, vicious and frantic. But yanno, in that good way that makes you want to kiss someone and them punch them straight afterwards.
You know music has energy when people in the crowd communicate by sign because their eardrums have been blown in...

 

( i think the rain is so heavy here it's actually visable...)

That was the main stage, but at the other end of the large field stood two ajoined marquee tents harboring music equipment and gatherings of people. This is where i uncovered "The Unknown" -a young group of band mates Courtney, Dave, Josh and Dylan.
Managing to grab a few moment of front woman Courtney's time revealed to us that past the converse heels and rockstar strut, hid a modest and sweet young girl. She told us that she was a little apprehensive about singing covers by men, and hoped that she did them justice. And boy, did she deliver! Any worries Courtney had about living up to the covers were unfounded-from this petite girl sprung a voice that completely knocked me back. Her strong, and perfectly in tune voice belted out and her feminine touch breathed a softness into classics such as Stone Sour's "Looking at you through the glass"
The Unknown chose well-known covers such as Green Day and Guns and Roses. Whilst the animation of the crowd proved this to be a huge advantage, when Paramore appeared in their set, the comparison was naturally drawn with Hayley Williams- a voice that professionals would have difficulty immitating. Any small mistake was instantly picked up because the songs were so well-known, but Courtney gave it her all and i commend her immensley for that.
Lead did what lead is meant to do- deliver note-perfect solos, piercing and awe-inspiring. This is what punk-pop-rock is all about. As the set went on, the band became more relaxed and the nerves that were so visable at the begining were melting into enjoyment. The drummer really gave it his all whilst the bassist kept perfectly in time. 15 years old is still relativley young- a fact that perhaps manifested in their occasional timing mistakes. However i put this down to inexperience and is something that i'm sure they will work on.
( My advise would be that Courtney in particular should loosen up and believe in the beautiful talent that she has.)

This side of the field was a world away from the long-haired head-bangers of the opposite field. At this hour, the marquee was graced by girls with daisy headbands and flowery chinos. The laid-back air of tranquility was adorned by accoustic 2-piece The K.Cs If Adele and Damien-rice had a love-child, so would spring the K.Cs.
The accoustic guitar was played at  perfect volume so as to add melody and acompaniment to the singer, rather than drown it out (as other bands seemed to be doing today.) Compared to the Main stage, there was a more "gently gently" approach to enthrall and entice the listeners. Both Jake and Gabby's performances were heart-breakingly beautiful, giving the festival a taste of pure talent.
My instant reaction was "WHY aren't these guys world-renowned?!"
then came the proverbial "cherry on top"
"Sometimes i feel like throwing my hands up in the air"
You could physically see the ears prick up at the familiar line sang so perfectly and accuratley whilst retaining a certain personal twist that i can't quite put my finger on. Perhaps it was the breathy velvet voice of Gabby's. Perhaps it was the light guitar that laced the song. Whatever it was, the overall delicate response to this song was amazing and i, for one, preferred it to the origional!
Get famous already.

Before heading back over to the main stage, i manged to grab a few words with Gerogia Stanway, a blue-eyed blonde-haired boho babe who owns up to being a KT Tunstall fan, and describes her music as "pop-accoustic." Although i had unfortunately missed her set, it is always interesting to talk to a fellow music lover, especially someone as genuinley lovely as this. Her wide-eyed expression and toothy smile made her totaly approachable, and her responses suggested that this girl had as much brain as beauty. "I think women tend to lean towards accoustic music because it requires a softer touch, wheras rock music can tend to be quite angry and masculine. Perhaps that is why it is dominated by male figures." 
"Music has always been a big part of my life, and I wanted to be able to give something back."
She holds her guitar with such confidence and ease that it seems to be a part of her, like her indie influenced fashion or her well-spoken dialect.
And it seems that Georgina has had some well-deserved attention and has been signed by "Assorted records" record label, but it hasn't stopped her keeping her feet on the ground;  "Anybody wanting to get into live music should just go for it. Put yourself out there."
She is currently recording her E.P, which is out  next month.





The rain had subsided enough to allow me to wander the trecharously muddy field back to the main stage.
As I had already introduced myself as the Festival reviewer earlier today, the guys from Killing the Tyrant felt they were on "telling-us-off-for-leaving-earlier" basis with my friend Louise and I. The Northeners also spared a second tell off the "C****s" for using "their footall" -this all whilst on stage. These guys were real characters-having a cheeky laugh with the crowd inbetween songs, and the guitarist falling to his back mid-solo. Light-hearted antics merged to serious passion- The singer menacingly perching his foot on the monitor, as though threatening to leap from the stage and maul the closest being to him. However, this should come as a given. KTT are no strangers to crowds- Showmanship being the main symptom contracted from a U.K tour. (In fact, they had travelled through the night to be here, as last night they were playing in Lowestoft!)
Today played host to a band that is tight. Fierce. Energetic. (Brootal, even, as a bloke in front of me commented.) Also, they were genuine decent and cool lads that were easy to talk to and a laugh to hang out with. All the best to Killing The Tyrant on their tour. And for God's sake get some sleep. (,:

All this and these are just the highlights. I would have loved to stay for the Saturday and Sunday, but i was on holiday for the weekend, or else i'd have totally camped out.
HUGE thanks to Chloe Avon and DreamStreet Management for organising the whole thing-fabulous job guys :) Look forward to working with you all soon!

Louise and I in the pub at Pulse.

Gig of the month

Somethings in life shouldn't go together, but just do. Ham and pineapple. Fries and strawberry milkshake. Rap and rock... but who says they shouldn't?

This is the question i asked myself as i sat perched, Archers&lemon in hand, on a stool in Woody's Bar- Hednesford. I love this place, it's THE place to be on a Thursday evening for the music night. This is the kind of scene where instruments are left leaning on the bar, graffiti of Oasis and Stone roses grace the walls, and the custom are interlinked by an intricate network of who-plays-what-with-who-in-which-band. Therefore you can understand the surprise with which i watched as visiting American Rap artist "AJ" climbed onto a stage filled with amps and drums; it seemed we were witnessing the proverbial "fish out of water." You could feel the apprehension of the audience- "who is this guy, where is his guitar, and why can't he say "Cannock" properly?" The fact that he had brought with him his own backing track and payed female dancer seemed a little staged and over done. I rolled my eyes at my boyfriend, expecting an awkward set of ill-chosen rap songs delivered by an over-confident "outsider". I did feel a pang of pity for him, perhaps his bravado would have worked for a different crowd. This however, was  clearly not his scene. I braced myself for the worst.

 Oddly enough however, the quiet trepidation that met the rapper upon first glance melted into bopping of heads and tapping of feet. In an indie muso bar such as Woody's, this is the pinnacle of acceptance. Each song was received by a cheering audience (unlike earlier performers, who were so bad that people seemed suddenly clenched by in-depth conversations to escape the off-notes.)

I do not believe that it was due to AJ's confession of love for our little town of Cannock ("Kay-Nok") or even his confidence and stage presence, but rather that he was a good musician. His raps were well delivered, his melodies catchy and rhythmic. Although the majority of the audience consisted of indie rock listeners, anyone who loves music can recognise talent, even if it is not of your preferred genre.  No matter where you come from or what genre you like, it is the core love of music that binds people across the board. So what if you wear drainpipes, or or oversized gangster hoodies? Linkin Park have taken rap and rock and ran with it- From what i hear they're hardly short of a fan or two.

We owe alot to 'AJ' of Texas; Perhaps it is time we all started dipping our fries in milkshake.

Someone tell me what a "Jagger" actually is? ( I thought it was a car...)

Let's get it out there. Any artist that bases their entire song around the appeal to an omnipotent "DJ" to "turn it up"whilst writhing in what can only be described as swimwear, can find themselves absent from my iTunes collection...

Hmm, hear that strange sound?
That's the sound of me lying to myself.

Cher Lloyd is everything i despise. She's self absorbed. She's impolite. Her lyrics would be far improved if somebody threw a can of alphabetti-spaghetti at a wall.
So why the heck have i got "Swagger Jagger" on repeat?
I know how i'll get around this. I'll attribute any affection i have for the song to "The Runners" -Those who actually wrote this song.
Upon first hearing it, thought the intro was catchy. The hook is cleverly based on the nursery rhyme "My darling Clementine" so your initial reaction is 'oh, i know this.' No need to work on a new infectious melody, we have one ready made. Clever ....Then she opens her mouth.
"You can't stop staring at me, looking at me" etc.... Good Lord...
It's actually a shame, because she's a very talented singer, as she proved when appearing on singing competition XFactor. She doesn't need all this façade; the 5 inches of eyeliner and "screw you attitude" just makes her less likeable and detracts from her music. Also, she's limiting herself to a certain audience. Young chavettes will look at her and think 'Yes, this is the look', whereas older more, ahem, mature listeners may be ashamed of associating their ears with her image. Also she seems to be confirming the already well-worn stereotype that teenagers constantly stomp around showcasing their obnoxiousness.
It's not classy or sexy. She's a woman, not some 13 year old.



Grow up and lose the attitude Cher, and i might not worry about telling my friends that i actually like this song.

Injection of Jazz?

Album of the moment.

Caro Emerald: DELETED SCENES FROM THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR.

As i have already mentioned my love for jazz, it will come as no surprise that i introduce this artist to you.
I'm not going to harp on about how her success has reached from 27weeks at the top of the record list in Denmark, or the impact she is making on the rest of the world; Quite simply, this album is what happens when contemporary Jazz music is brought up to date. It's Squirrel Nut Zippers meets Duffy. It's classic meets pop culture. It has everything that makes jazz so good; the swing beat, the brassy trumpets, coolness emanating from each line- but with the catchiness and upbeat tempo of a pop song.

I dare you to listen to the first 20 seconds of his song without tapping your foot to the beat. It's sultry, it's vintage, it even has scatting; then all of a sudden the track cuts into record scratching- reeling you back to the present. The background squeeks of the decks cut through the smooth velvet feel of the rest of the song to bring a touch of modernisation to an otherwise conventional jazz theme. She takes the smoke-filled-room feel of jazz and throws in her femme-fetale influence- a touch that does not go unnoticed. As the opening song of the album, it gives a fantastic taster of what is to come. 

Gig review of the month

Band: Theory Of The Fallen

Venue: The Asylum. (Birmingham)

18.6.11

Do NOT make the mistake of thinking front (wo)man Amie Paxton is just another "rock cliché"; True, far too many bands use the ploy of propping an attractive but talentless female in front of the band for appearance’s sake only.

NOT the case with Theory Of The Fallen; from early on in the gig, it becomes clear that Paxton is the driving force behind this band. She completely stood out. Her voice seems reminiscent of Hayley Williams and/or Amy Lee, and there is something in her confidence that invites the audience into the illusion that this could be a gig of a much larger scale; it certainly has all the atmosphere and electricity one would expect from an arena gig. Their blunt punkism and skillful playing quickly won over a crowd that, let’s face it, comprised almost totally of musicians, some of whom had played moments earlier. Their approval was audible as TOTF picked up the competitive gauntlet and raised the bar of musical performance.

"We can watch the sun rise"

That haunting, wistful lyric hung in the air expectantly, until the stage convulsed, with each band-member playing flawlessly and encouraging every person in the room to join their crusade. 

They could well have the future of British unsigned rock in the palm of their hands, and in this reviewer, TOTF have found a new fan. 

Click Here to follow Theory Of The Fallen.

Mooozakk

Best cover of a song

To answer this song you must first come up with a good song that was skilfully and creatively covered by a second, equally good band.

Jolene-White Stripes.

Origionally by Dolly Parton, the entire song tugs on the ol' heart strings. Unusually, it is sung from the victim-of-the-Pussycatdoll's"Doncha'-wish-your-girlfriend-was-hot-like-me"-'s perspective.

Dolly is that girlfriend. 

So what makes the white stripes cover so good?

Well, it's accurate. All too many covers rape the song of what made it great in the first place. The familiar string picking in the intro keeps the country feel while the grumble of the drums and guitar keeps it modern. Yes, White goes a little off pitch at times, but that's what makes it great. This man is screaming his passion; He adds the punctuation to the sentance "Please don't take my man!"

A song that you always hear but you're not sure where from.
Catchy riffs that are lodged somewhere in the back of your brain, and lyrics that seem tattooed on your tongue; you know every word, but how??

"I like you, yeah i like you, and i'm feeling so bohemian like you, and i feel woo ho, woo!"
Sound familiar?
Dandy Warhols-Bohemian like you.
Reaching Platinum status in the year 2000, It's one of those songs that's just legendary. It's upbeat, fun and prods that "get up and dance" lobe in all of us.
Oh and the keyboardist is a girl. That's cool.
Her name is Zia, even more cool.

Song with the best opening line.
The Libertines...."What waster, what a f*king waster"

Music, anyone?

It's past midnight and I'm on babysitting duty for my little sister. Apart from the inane ramblings of southpark i can just about make out from the lounge, all is quiet...
TIME FOR A BLOG!
The veggie thing done with, i shall now turn my fingertips to the infamous 30 DAY MUSIC CHALLENGE. (I like my challenges, noticed?) However, I am not just impatient, but bored (And hate South Park with every fibre in my body.) Go gear up for a musical feast.

"Your least favourite song."

I bet alot of people went for the easy targets for this one. You know who i mean; Rebecca Black, Bieber... Glee. However once you actually listen to these songs from any of the above (I will defend Glee to my death) then it is easy to see why so many pre-teens enjoy this soft-pop music. Cast your mind back to when you were a eleven-and-a-half year old kid just about growing into your pristine high-school blazer, when most of your free time was spent sketching the cutest boys' names into your sketchpad with an array of coloured gel pens. Yes, Bieber is cheesy, but when you base your expecations of love on what appeared on the Disney Channel, then it fits the bill EXACTLY. So bravo Bieber, bravo.

"Your favourite song."
Tricky...Okay, at the moment i can't stop listening to jazz, so i will have to say It's "Put a lid on it" By Squirrel Nut Zippers. (The genius and quirky band name was inspired by a newspaper headline about a highly intoxicated man stuck in a tree. Make of that as you will.)
From the very first second, you are sucked into the catchy melody. This is a song that allows the singer to echo the conversation between the saxophone and trumpet. It's not exactly what the lyrics are, but rather how they are sung; you can't help but adopt an exaggerated American accent. (At one point i was also kind of Wah-Wah-ing along with the trumpets.) That it is sung by a woman makes it just that bit sexier, as though she sings "Gonna get what's mine" in a flirtatious way that it would be difficult for a male singer to achieve. I guess that's the charm of this song, you find yourself not only appreciating the flirtation of the instruments in their back-and-forth duplication of each other, but also that of the singer with the audience. And hell, this song does not simply flirt, it seduces...

                                           
                                                 Katherine Whalen-S.N.Z