Arkells, This Century, The Maine - Electric Ballroom, London

It's not often when I drag Rob out to a gig for a band I like that he goes straight to the merch stand after their set and buys a CD.  But that's what happened with the Arkells.  They had the whole rock thing right down, the audience was fully engaged despite this being the first band on.  We'll eagerly be looking out for their return to the UK - the Jackson Square CD that we picked up at the show was on the hifi for the whole of the next day and the songs Pullin Punches and Whistleblower are firmly fixed in my head.

Second up was This Century, and it seems that although this is only the first time in the UK, a lot of the audience had done their homework and were already familiar with their music.  It was like a giant singalong/dancealong and I think even the band were surprised.  Having said that, The Maine are excellent at promoting the bands they take on tour with them, and they seem to have pretty good taste.  I think it was more my kind of thing than Rob's, but with a number of EPs and a full length record under their belts, I will be watching and listening with interest for what happens in the future.  I hope that they will be back in the UK, because it seems that they will be pretty popular with people here and again they looked and sounded great on the stage.

Onto The Maine then.  Although Pioneer was released at the end of last year in the US, it was only officially put out in the UK recently with the addition of 6 extra songs (Pioneer & The Good Love).  When I first heard the new songs, I thought, yeah, I could see maybe why they didn't make it onto Pioneer.  By the time I'd heard them through twice I was sitting there going 'These are my favourite songs they've ever done.  Ever'.  Sometimes I listen and I hear bits of old school 50's and 60's rock n roll with the 'oooh-oooh-oooh's' and the 'sha-la-la's' and the 'bye-bye-bye's', and then sometimes I hear something more modern and Killers-esqe, but there's always variety and crazily catchy guitars and drums. In the Maine's whole catalogue, there's not a single song I don't like or skip over, and this is my go-to band when I can't make my mind up what I'm in the mood to listen to.  So I know, when I go to a live show, I'm not going to be disappointed.

The gig was fantastic and it was so good for them to finally get a decent amount of time as the headliners - no offense, but they are too good in their own right to keep playing support to other bands. With 3 full length albums behind them, and this being the Pioneer world tour, we got most of what is on the latest album mixed up with some of the older songs (which are sounding better with age anyway).  

What I like about The Maine is that although you have the recording of a song on a CD at home, when it gets to the stage, they have played around with it and although it might sound a little different, it also sounds brilliant.  The average age of the audience has also gone up, and there were more fellas in the audience - the ones around me were singing along and discussing how fab the band were, which is a nice change from the girls shouting 'John, take your shirt off' - although there's still always one, isn't there? (no, it wasn't me)

So, we came home happy, having done a little dancing, a little singing, a lot of laughing (mainly at Garrett's Celine Dion impression) and now I shall eagerly await them going back into the studio for the next album.  In the meantime, their DVD 'Anthem for a Dying Breed' is out this month and for those in the UK, Pioneer & The Good Love is out on spotify right now.  Go listen.  And then go and buy it. (my favourite is Hello World - I think I may be singing it in my sleep, it's so stuck in my brain).

Chickenfoot @ Brixton Academy

On Saturday evening I went to see Chickenfoot.  It's a supergroup.  An American Rock Supergroup.  My husband bought the tickets.

I almost played their music the day before on my little ipod thing just to get a feel for it.  But then I stopped myself and thought - what if I'm really disappointed and then I don't want to go to the gig.  So I left it.  It was to be a surprise and I wasn't going to have any preconceived ideas.  However, the evening before I also went out with a friend, S, who was singing the praises of Joe Satriani as though he was the best musician that ever lived, he was terribly excited about going to see this guy live.  So much for no ideas.

We walked in to an audience of mostly middle aged men and a few couples here and there, it was a lot like I'd imagined the audience of a rock supergroup to look.

After the warm up from Red, White and Blues (they were ok, a bit repetitive I found), Chickenfoot came on stage to a wild reaction from the audience.  They obviously all had years of history and experience on stages, they looked completely at ease in their sunglasses with their rock swagger.  As Sammy Hagar (Van Halen) belted out tune after tune, I was pleasantly surprised by their whole delivery, and how tight they played as a group.  One of the highlights for me was seeing this crowd of men raising their arms to do the kind of arm swaying normally undertaken by an audience of teenage girls at a boyband concert.

S was proved completely right, some of the guitar parts that Mr Satriani played were so fantastic that my eyes couldn't keep up with what his fingers were playing on those strings.

The set was complete with a few random rock screams, and they said they were just there to play the kind of music that they enjoyed without needing to prove anything to anyone or hit any sales record, and it was obvious they were having the time of their lives.  I know I was, and I'll definitely come back to see them live again if given the opportunity.  A stellar night out listening to some terrific pros.

Pioneer release day

Today is an exciting day for me.  It's Pioneer release day.   (You can't miss that cover, can you?)

The Maine first popped onto my radar a few years back.  They were all pretty young back then, on their first full length, a couple of EPs behind them, but with, I'm guessing, someone to tell them what to look like...and popping them into a certain genre... sheesh...Even back then the music lodged itself in my brain and wouldn't get out again.  They went straight into my personal top 5 artist list, where they have remained for the last few years.

Now onto their 3rd full length album with Pioneer, they've gone from awww to phwoar and are all grown up (I know, I know, I can't really talk, at some point you have to at least pretend to act your age).  It's pleasing to see that they are finding their own way and learning to do things on their own terms, a route which a number of bands seem to be taking these days to get control back of the sort of music they want to produce.  Pioneer, pulled together without the Warner record label, is a testament to how much they have changed, and that they felt comfortable taking such risk is good as a fan to see that they have such confidence in their own music.  At the same time, it is clear that it has been a venture undertaken without any of the arrogance that might have come with that - they are humble, nervous and excited enough to wait and see what the reaction is from other people.

Their second album (Black and White) is one of my favourites and without a doubt it's the one I'll always pull out when I'm after a burst of sunshine.  In comparison, Pioneer is much rockier - if Can't Stop, Won't Stop is the cherryade, then Black and White was the fruity alcopop, and Pioneer is the darker, stronger shot of American whiskey. It feels again like an evolution, more serious in some ways and arriving as a sort of statement piece I think - 'This is who we really are'.

A huge favourite for me and the track I can't quite stop playing is 'Heroine', which makes me want to glam up like a rock chick, turn the music up and dirty dance round the flat.  I've seen the live performances on youtube, and although it's slightly different on the album, it's very sexy indeed.

'Some Days' was put out a couple of weeks before the album release, and again, it is stupidly catchy, with the lyrics 'Some days they taste like lemonade, some days can feel like razor blades' and honestly, isn't that so right?  The lyrics are clever and truthful and I think something everyone can relate to.

The others on the album I'll leave you to discover for yourselves, but it's a fantastic mixture of songs with more adult themes and a bunch of different sounds.  The Maine should be proud of what they have achieved with this album.  They should be one of the strongest contenders for best rock band of this generation, especially having seen them find their groove as a unit and raise the roof in a live setting.  I'm absolutely convinced that at still such a young age, if they are already this good, then at some point they will play to Wembley Stadium.

What I love about The Maine is that they are so interactive, one of them is always doing an interview or video, or sending out photos, writing a blog... you name it, they are constantly in touch with people.  Its a band that feels like it has a heart and a soul.  They have been doing track by track info on the new album in the run up to today, and will be doing a live stickam chat tonight to celebrate the release.  Check it out, I promise you won't regret it.  7.30pm PST http://www.stickam.com/themaine   (a little late for those of us in the UK).

Pioneer is out on iTunes now.  The Maine tour the UK with All Time Low early next year.

The Prince's Trust Rock Gala 2011

I feel terribly lucky to have been at this event.  Not only had I never been inside the Royal Albert Hall before, but to be offered tickets in a box, to a charity concert, was I think one of the nicest ways to first experience it.

Having read the lineup for the event, I wouldn't have said that there was anyone on the list that I'd have particularly paid money to see, but when you step inside the auditorium, the atmosphere just feels good.  You know that the money raised during the evening is going to a great cause.  I'll admit, I felt a bit posh and spoiled, sipping my champagne, but it was nice, just for once.

The headline act was Pete Townshend who seems to be everywhere at the moment.  I'm not familiar with his music at all, not quite old enough to have been brought up on it, so whilst he was good, it wasn't really my cup of tea.  Thankfully, someone pointed out that 'Won't get Fooled Again' is used in one of the CSI series, so I did recognize that one!!

However, I was very pleasantly surprised by a lot of the other acts.  I'd say the highlights for me were probably Cerys Matthews (performing Catatonia's hit Road Rage, plus covers of Ring of Fire and Love Me Tender) and Joss Stone (I've had Super Duper Love stuck in my head all day), who both sounded spectacular, and also Boy George and Julian Lennon who were so much better live than I would have ever expected.

But with so many other well known names on the bill and in the house band, and the audience up on their feet many times throughout the show, it just felt like a really lovely evening all together.  And next year, I would happily pay for a ticket to see something like this again.

The event was being filmed to be shown on Christmas Day on Sky Arts and Sky 3D channels, so if you can catch it or record it, then do.  It's well worth a watch, but I don't think it will beat actually being there in person.  Look out for me on the telly - I'm the overexcited one dancing whilst trying not to fall out of the box.

Madina Lake @Electric Ballroom

My first time in the Electric Ballroom for a gig and I found it a pretty good experience. It felt big enough that I was completely comfortable to stand where I could have some space and I still had an amazing view of the stage.

First support was Super Happy Fun Club, another Chicago band. I really liked their sound and their vibe, plenty of energy on stage, and I'd had a quick little listen to some of their music before the gig and recognised some of it so it must have got stuck somewhere in my head. They delivered a solid set.

Next on was My Passion. I thought they were also pretty good, but maybe a little heavy for my personal tastes and the lighting guy seemed to be going a bit mad with the strobe which wound me up a bit. But, it was bursting with energy and they sounded great as a live act.

Onto Madina Lake then. From the second they stepped out, I started grinning like a fool and I don't think I stopped until the lights came up at the end of the show. Their whole vibe is so infectious, and it was a totally different atmosphere to last August when they had to play without Matthew whilst he was recovering. That time, totally emotional, and this time absolutely on fire and sparky - they looked as though they had a brand new lease of life, and a proud confidence that a band has when they know they've delivered the best music of their careers so far, produced exactly as they wanted.

The set was a pretty balanced selection of tracks from all three albums, including 'Howdy Neighbor' and 'Imagineer' from latest album WWIII. If I'd been in charge of picking the set, I would have picked an almost identical list, possibly with the exception that I'd have thrown in 'Across 5 Oceans' as I think it lends itself to jumping around with a big crowd of people and singing at the top of your voice. Without giving too much away, I'll say that the staging was pretty thoughtful and immersive which added to the buzz.

My only real criticisms of the show were that the sound in the venue wasn't the best ever and Jeezi was a little in the shadows at the back of the stage, but at least his drums were on a platform this time so he wasn't completely lost behind the other guys.

Overall a fantastic and fun show from four truly brilliant and inspiring guys. I went home happy, uplifted, and exhausted, and that's all I can really ask for.

The Bluetones @O2 Shepherds Bush Empire

Last week, my husband, whilst in a pub trying to explain who these guys were, said that they were like the 3rd Britpop act after Oasis and Blur. I laughed and told him not to be ridiculous.

Having said that, as the gig on Friday night started, and they burst onto the stage on their farewell tour, I thought, well, maybe if I'd paid them more attention at the time, I'd have thought they were the 3rd Britpop act as well. There was something about them, it was easy to tell that this was an excellent touring band who clearly still has a pretty big following.

I have grown used to being at gigs where I'm one of the oldest there. Since The Bluetones is more one of Rob's favourites than mine, and because they are a band who were probably most famous in the 1990s, the crowd was very much different. For starters, when we were a few minutes late after the doors, we walked into a nearly empty venue. We could have stood at the barrier if we had wanted. Instead we chose a nice high viewpoint next to the bar and had the perfect view for the whole evening.

Clearly though, many of the crowd had followed the band since university days and were treating it as a step back in time. There were moments of now fully grown men jumping around like young boys, which was quite frankly hilarious to watch. Although they played a few songs that I didn't really know, they also played a lot that I did. Whether that was down to hubby playing them in the house, or I had actually paid more attention than I remember whilst I was at university, I was glad that I probably knew more than half of the set, and during the old favourites, the audience were all too happy to sing along and get right into the spirit of things.

Personally, I'm not all that keen on Mark Morriss' voice, although it is hugely distinctive, but during the instrumental parts, it occurred to me that the sound is quite rock and roll, which I am a huge fan of - and you can't really argue with the fact that they have been playing shows for 17 years. That's pretty good going. Apart from anything else, there was a lot of humour and plenty of energy in the show, which meant that I did actually enjoy it all very much. And it was nice to be at the farewell tour, knowing that they aren't going to be playing again as a group, the atmosphere was a little bit special. 8/10.

Plain White T's, 100 Club

Whoa, what a gig.

But let's start at the beginning. I had never been to the 100 Club. Hubby had been called out to the States and so he couldn't make it (he was pretty gutted) and all of my friends apparently were away/already had plans. So I took a deep breath and went to my first gig all by myself. Thankfully, within a few minutes of arriving at the venue, I met Nikky, Laura, Kirstie and Claire.



I also realised that whilst I wasn't particularly early, I was first in the queue. Amazing. And a couple of the guys came out for a chat (or perhaps to just go out to McDonalds), but they did stop for a couple of photos.

The club is teeny (capacity is about 350), with a long thin stage couple of feet off the floor, and no barrier, so we had an excellent spot.

Onto the music. Support was provided by Jack Savoretti and his band. From the first strum of his guitar and words he sang, the audience were clearly up for a big night as they pumped out song after song full of energy. The sound is pretty hard to describe, it's got tinges of country music, funk, soul and his voice I can only describe as beautiful and just a little bit edgy. And without the ego that you get from some people with beautiful voices, just lots of fun and smiles. I think he and the band picked up a whole roomful of new fans, it's one of the few times I've seen an audience nearly as nuts for the support as for the main act. Please do go and check it out, there's plenty of live videos up on his facebook page


So then, the Plain White T's. A lot of people had been patiently waiting for this gig, and it really was worth the wait in every sense of the word. I don't think I can actually find fault. The setlist was a fabulous mashup of a load of songs from the new album plus favourites from the previous ones.

The thing I love about the band is that over all of their albums, there's not a single song I dislike. There's one that freaks me out, because it's utterly bonkers (Cirque dans la Rue), but the rest I love to the point that they are my albums of choice whenever I'm travelling or chilling out. To be honest, they could have sung anything and I think I would have been happy (the cover of Runaway on Daytrotter is one of my favourite covers ever, I love sixties music and they pull off this sound perfectly). Their own songs make me feel warm hearted and lovey. And I think that during some of the banter, the guys hit on what makes them different from a lot of other bands - they are a pretty romantic bunch! It's damn brave and big of them to put pieces of themselves out there like they do. And fair enough, that's not everyone's cup of tea, but to me, if you listen carefully to the lyrics, if you hear some of the stories behind why they were written and then you REALLY listen to them, then there seems to be a connection to experiences which any of us might have gone through or felt (the hubby always laughs when he hears Natural Disaster and points at me, no idea why).



So let's talk about the live show. Firstly, the songs were better than you hear on the albums because of all that added extra liveness and excitement. They can really SING - no auto-tuning here baby. The harmonies are stop you in your tracks beautiful, it's louder, sweatier, closer, and with a good deal of extra oomph. I have no idea how De'Mar didn't fall off his stool, he was going for it with the drums so much (I'm awestruck). Lots of concentration, lots of smiles (and a couple of teary-eyed emotional moments from the guys during particular songs, which were quite sweet to see). The finishing touch was a collection of very beautiful guitars and spiffy outfits to tie into the Wonders of the Younger album artwork. It felt a bit like being in a dark entertainment tent at a fairground or a circus. They described the latest album as a way to try and get back to the fun way things used to be when you were younger, before you have all the grown up stuff to worry about. It's a beautiful thought, right?



They kicked off with the lead track from Wonders of the Younger, 'Irrational Anthem' which just explodes after a few seconds in to a massive tune. I was also really happy to hear Tom sing one of my favourites on the album 'Broken Record', it just makes me giggle, it's got a bit of a retro feel to it which I love and it's impossible not to groove to it. We also got to hear 'Sunlight' from Big Bad World album. It's one of my favourites although I always seem to end up with a trembly chin and tears running down my face. (I'm pretty sure nobody saw that tho). It was fab to hear the lead being taken in a few of the songs by Tim, and 'Rhythm of Love' from the new Wonders of the Younger album was full of the light and mellow sound of his voice. Of course the set wouldn't have been complete without Hey There Delilah, which is probably the song that introduced most people in the UK to the Plain White T's. The full setlist is below.



I think everyone is hoping that next time they won't leave it so long, and with the bosses there to see how things went, and the reaction from the crowd (who seemed to know most of the new songs - always a good sign), I'm certain they will be back soon.

I honestly can't knock anything but like a miniature 0.1 off here (I think it could have started 30 mins earlier so people didn't have to leave to go get coaches/trains before the end). I love their music, the live show was perfect, and they were sweet and chatty, and also more hilarious than I ever realised, so for me - 9.9/10. Intimate gigs are fun; it's fab to be in a place with other people who are there because they are so into the band and the music. And what with all that beautiful magic and imagination in the air, I think I might just have fallen a little bit in love with them all.

Plain White T's played:
Irrational Anthem
Boomerang
Our Time Now
Big Bad World
Welcome to Mystery
Rhythm of Love
Revenge
Take Me Away
Write You A Song
Broken Record
Our Song
Sunlight
1,2,3,4
Cirque dans la Rue
Last Breath
Hey There Delilah
Hate
Wonders of the Younger

Photos courtesy of Nicky Barrett and Kirstie Keir.

Mayday Parade @ Koko

Thursday night was the first time I've ever been to Koko in Camden. I thought it was a really great venue, with plenty of places to stand if you wanted a good view of the stage from above. The queue was pretty huge when we arrived as it always tends to be for Mayday Parade, so when we actually got in, we only caught half a Blitz Kids song (although this sounded pretty cool!) and decided against going down on the main floor. Instead, we headed upstairs for a great balcony view and the bar.

After a quick equipment change, out came American Band A Rocket To The Moon. They said it was their first time in the UK, but it seemed like they were already very well known - the girl next to me was clearly VERY excited, as were most of the crowd down by the stage. And I have to say I could see why immediately. Their songs were catchy and memorable, and after coming home and listening to a few of their tracks again, I can say that the live performance outshone their recorded material and gave it a little extra oomph, which to me is always a sign of a band who are going to do well. I must now immediately go and buy their album as I'm completely hooked. To see them on their first time in the UK, is something a bit special I think - I'm pretty sure they could sell out a headliner next time. 9/10

After ARTTM came New York band, We Are The In Crowd. Again, they were good, but something didn't quite gel right with me. A female lead singer was something a bit different, but I wasn't that keen on their ripped jeans look. Their sound was ok, and I thought that their extremely tall guitarist had a great voice, and the lead singer was pretty good as well but it didn't blow me away like ARTTM had. I didn't find the songs as memorable or as catchy. Still, I thought that they were ok as a support act, but I wouldn't go to see them again specifically. 7/10

Finally after a long wait (for no apparent reason), Mayday Parade took to the stage. I'd been a little disappointed in their October shows last year, but at the end of the day, I love their music and albums so decided to try again. Given that we were up high, we had a better view, and also I think the sound was better from up there. They started well, smashing through their songs, the energy of this band is just crazy, and the fans feed off it too. I was, as usual, particularly impressed with the drummers arms flying all over the place, but also the fact that he did a good amount of the backing vocals. They included 'Terrible Things' from their 'Valdosta' EP, which was a nice touch to freshen up the set a little, and again a really great song - but really, they have two albums worth of amazing material to choose from, so I don't really feel like the shows are too similar. Thankfully they'd ditched the part of the show where they would stop a song halfway through to get the audience to shout out (which attracted boos from the audience last year). Towards the end, I did feel like the lead singer was starting to run out of steam a bit with the vocals, but they slowed it down and sang the crowd pleaser 'Miserable at Best' pretty well. Next time I'd love to hear 'Save your Heart' as I think it's also a beautiful slow song that would make a bit of a change.

I think it was an improved show from last year, and my cousin was really impressed, this being the first time she had seen them; she said she was immediately off to listen to their music again. One thing though, whenever I see Derek, I just want to chop all that long hair off - I like to see a singers face while they sing, dammit! 8/10

Showcase:Live, Queen of Hoxton

My first time downstairs at the Queen of Hoxton, and what a super little venue!

This was my first time at Showcase:Live, and I'll definitely be going back. We had the pleasure of seeing Polar Night, The Pictures and finally Steve Appleton.

First on, Polar Night had that lovely full band sound, and to say this was their first London show I was mighty impressed. The room was already packed when we arrived, and I could feel my feet tapping along as I stood at the bar, I could happily listen to this music anytime, I look forward to seeing what's next for them.

The Pictures played a two person acoustic set. Apparently these guys were well known from the TV show Must Be The Music, which I have to admit I never watched, so really, not a clue what to expect. Bizarrely, the two people who played the set were the lead singer and the one who appears to be the drummer in the full band setup, but here was playing guitar. I have to say that the three of us were TOTALLY mesmerised by the drummer's cheeky grin...this was lighting up the room with his smile territory, not many people can do that. The lead singer was a bit nuts, but they were really excellent, so I'd love to see them as a full band. Here's the video from Must Be The Music.

Finally, Steve Appleton. You'll see that we saw Steve Appleton earlier in the year, and he was the main draw for us to this gig. A little bit different to last time, and without a full band, he played a couple of older songs, but mostly demo'd some new ones, which were really great. This man has more talent in his little finger than I have in my whole body, and between the guitar, the keyboard and using his new loop station, the sound was full and interesting. He even managed to pull off Twist and Shout out at the end for an encore. I very much look forward to hearing more from him.

McFly

I had a lot of comments and eyerolling from people when I said I was going to see McFly. This I do not understand, because I think secretly some of these people guiltily like them. I think there was some jealousy going on because I was openly able to admit that I like them and I was going to see them live.

There's a bit of a backstory here... In the place where I work, there also used to work a grown man, we will call him M. On Fridays, M would get woken up by the radio wishing him a Happy McFly Day and with the playing of the McFly track 'Star Girl'. M would then make his way into the office, and pass on Happy McFly Day with the playing of the track out loud to the office and singing along with it. This reminded me how good and fun and silly they actually are, and that I really enjoy their music. Therefore when the show came along, we got tickets to see it, but sadly M couldn't come along with me, so I took my cousin instead.

So... the gig!

The boys kicked off with the track 'Party Girl' from the new album (Above the Noise, released 15th November 2010). Now, the video for this track is rather a lot raunchier than the McFly that I'd seen before. Interesting for me that they are taking this new direction, McFly are getting sexy. They are also releasing their first mini-feature film, which has 7 of the songs from the new album. More information on that is on their website, but it seems that they've been very busy boys!

The live version of Party Girl sounded pretty close to the recorded one, and I'd say that most of the audience knew it, so from the first note, everyone was up and jumping and dancing around and singing their little hearts out. The vibe was one of pure entertainment, and that's the reason I love bands like this, it's a complete pleasure to be at their gigs, and the audience ranged from pre-teen kids all the way to people my age, older and a few with white hair! Fun for all the family :)

The band played through a number of the tracks from older albums... I felt especially giddy at hearing them do Star Girl live... but they also tried out some of the material from the new album. I very much liked it, and I'm sure it'll only grow on me... a little bit older and wiser but still with a polished sound and lights show that makes you feel on top of the world, these boys really do know how to throw a concert.

Mayday Parade, Islington O2 Academy

8th October & 11th October
------------------------------
Yep, Mayday Parade were double-headlining alongside The Maine. I decided to write them up separately. For me, these were dream gigs. Two of my top 5 bands playing on the same night.

I love both the Mayday Parade albums, they are two of the favourite albums that I own, love every song from both of them. The last time I saw them in April, the sound in the Forum was terrible. I wasn't sure what to expect this time.

Almost as soon as The Maine had left the stage, the pushing forward started. It was the same in April, I don't know what makes these fans go nuts for Mayday, but the queues round the block and the crazy fan moshing are unlike anything I've ever seen for any other band. It's like they spray some magic potion into the air. The thing is, Mayday are good live, if you know the songs, but they are not the most brilliant band ever - at some points they sound like just a lot of noise. They are a bit wild, a bit wacky, they jump around a lot and play their guitars over their heads.

Yes, I love the songs, I really get into it and sing along, and jump a lot, but whereas The Maine improved on their songs by singing them live, this wasn't the case for Mayday - which was disappointing for me - the recorded stuff sounds much better. A couple of times, the band stopped mid song to speak to the audience, which felt a bit gimmicky and I don't think went down particularly well.

However, they did pull together an impressive setlist from their songbook, and it made the set seem longer than just over the hour that it actually was. Everyone got to sing along to the hugely popular 'Miserable at Best', which was pretty sweet, and with both Black Cat and Jamie All Over in there as well, it made it a good gig for me. Given that the tickets for both The Maine and Mayday Parade were only £12, I'm giving it 7.5/10.

Muse, Wembley Stadium

Any die hard Muse fan will probably tell you that this was the best gig they've ever been to. I knew almost nothing about them, apart from the odd song I might have heard Rob play in the house, but that I wouldn't necessarily have known was them.

Support was from I Am Arrows, White Lies and Biffy Clyro who I've not seen live before but thought they were all really good and got the crowd geared up for the main act... although they didn't turn the volume up until they played Green Day's Holiday right before Muse came on.

So, it was September 11th, and Muse kicked off their show with silver suits, a procession of flags and the song Uprising. All at once, everyone on the pitch standing put up an arm, and there started the sound and lighting spectacular that would carry on for 2 hours.

The pace was pretty furious as they went through their songs, and then a few slower ones which kicked into crowd stompers half way through. But by three quarters of the way through the show I was really ready for a break. Even from the back of the stadium, it was so loud and so full on that it made me feel a bit sick, so I can't imagine what it would have been like in the pit.

The thing I took away from this, not knowing much about them was that Muse are space-agey. The set was an impressive spacey looking building built in a V shape pointing out toward the audience, with screens down both sides and lights over the band pointing out towards the audience. There was a flying saucer complete with alien girl doing acrobatics on a wire which came all the way around the stadium, and a very bright light up suit on one of Muse, which made my eyes go all funny, so I have no idea how he coped with wearing it while playing the guitar. Also a podium in the middle that spun round in a spaceship fashion, and the usual streamers and big balloon type objects filled with paper. All in all though, there wasn't much talking to the crowd, they just came in and got on with it. They know how to command the stage and the audience though - I've never seen a mosh pit where the entire floor from the front to the very back was jumping in unison, but this was it.

I think perhaps had I known more of the tracks I'd have found it better, but by the end, I was just tired of the lightshow, and the songs were beginning to sound the same. So for die-hard fans of Muse, it was probably the gig of their life. I thought it was pretty good, but definitely not gig of the year, for me anyway. 8/10.

Here's one of the videos to give you a feel for the show, and this was probably my favourite part, but there are plenty on youtube so go have a look.

Glow @IndigO2

Rob and I headed out to a showcase of unsigned talent last night at the Indigo in the O2 arena. This is a 2350 capacity venue inside the O2 dome. I've only been here a couple of times, but as a gig venue I absolutely love it. There is seating upstairs which can be used for certain gigs, but when the main O2 arena was built, this smaller piece clearly wasn't an afterthought. The sound is fantastic, and they've put in extra special features like beer taps which can pour a pint in 7 seconds, and the back of the stage opens up after the gig straight out onto the carpark for easy loading and unloading for the band!

Rob was lucky enough to get himself a press pass to the event, and so managed to get in front of the barrier for the whole gig. I was standing front row for the whole evening as well, and was lucky enough to be able to grab his spare camera to take some snaps myself.

The lineup for the evening was pretty varied, we saw 6 different bands - 'til Dusk kicked off the evening, and they were a cracking start, their whole rock and roll thing was right up my street and they obviously had personality and a sense of humour, despite their friends in the audience trying to put them off! Check out their music here:
http://www.myspace.com/tildusk

Second up was Kellie-Leigh, and this lady has an amazingly strong voice. She looked and sounded every inch the star and looked like she was having a whale of a time up on the stage. To be honest, I can't believe she's unsigned, I reckon she's got a brilliant career in front of her, I'd quite happily buy her music any day.
http://www.kellileigh.co.uk/

Edit Select came next, I wasn't sure what to make of them, at various points they sounded a little like madness, they were pretty quirky, catchy and good fun!
http://www.myspace.com/editselectband

Fourth in the line-up was Kites. Really wasn't sure about this band at all, but out of nowhere this huge following of people appeared behind me and was really going for it. Check them out for yourselves: http://www.wearekites.com/

Chasing Ora was next. Again, not really my kind of music, I like something a bit heavier, but make up your own mind by having a listen here: http://www.myspace.com/chasingora

Finally, the reason Rob and I were there, Morning Lane. These guys clearly have the look down perfectly, I was thinking Jared Leto meets Jeffrey Dean Morgan for the lead singer, but they played a really solid set and an encore. Have a listen and see what you think: http://www.morning-lane.com

Pictures to follow soon!

Black And White

So, a few weeks ago, the lovely shiny new album from The Maine came out. I was a bit slow off the mark with this one, and didn't order the deluxe edition, I seem to have something against pre-ordering, not sure why. Anyways, I did order it on the website a week or so later. And it's sooooooo pretty. In the deluxe edition, you basically get handwritten notes by the band on the making of the album. I love this... all the behind the scenes stuff fascinates me. I'm the one who watches the extras on DVDs, lol.

I'd heard a couple of tracks from the album on the band website, and I would say that the album as a whole has a completely different feel from the first one - Cant Stop, Won't Stop. This one feels somehow more grown up, John's voice is much more rock and roll, and as I listen to the album, I can't help thinking that it has a distinctly classic rock sound. I'm not completely sure yet if this is a good or bad thing, but of all the songs on the album I'd say that I really like most of them - although particular favourites for me are Right Girl, Inside Of You, Fuel To The Fire and Listen To Your Heart which are all insanely catchy and make me want to sing my head off and dance around.

I'm glad that these guys are now on their second full length album - to celebrate the release of Black and White, these crazy guys did 24 hours straight of promotion and live video streams - just when I was getting up one morning, it was about 2am their time, they all looked totally shattered, but I caught the live stream of Pat (the drummer) learning how to make doughnuts I think it was... I love these little insights, and I thought he was a real sweetie!

So anyways, go buy the album, or check out the music on their website here.

I'm also terribly terribly pleased and excited that they will be coming over to the UK at the beginning of October to do a double headliner with Mayday Parade, one of my other top 5 bands. Better be quick though, some shows are already sold out!

Bim

Ok, so I'm really late with this. But I wanted to tell you about Bim. They played at one of the EQ live nights that I am completely addicted to, and as such I completely missed everything they did as I was sat at the other side of the bar, talking to friends I'd not seen for ages. Needless to say, Rob told me that they were great, so when I saw that they were doing a small gig at the end of July, my guilt and interest prompted me to get tickets, and Rob and I ended up in the very cool but very tiny Workshop (under the Roadtrip bar) in Old Street.

So Bim are Tim and Rebecca. They are both terribly adorable. The gig that they were doing was for the launch of their album, Scatterheart. I love the artwork for this album, and the songs are just beautiful. Particular favourites of mine are Stay in My Memory and The Battle, and I've found myself listening to the album on my phone when I need some chillout music.

You can catch Bim at Cargo on 28th August, go check out their website and music here!

Graffiti6

26th July in a packed, baking hot room in the Vibe Bar, East London. A couple of hundred people were there for the single launch of Graffiti6 song 'Annie You Save Me'. The single has been getting good airplay in the UK, and it's a corker of a song.

Graffiti6 is a collaboration between producer Tommy D and singer/songwriter Jamie Scott. To be honest, it's like no sound I've heard before, and its this sound that has been on my headphones a lot recently. It's pretty chilled out and uplifting, and as a live 6 piece they are absolutely cracking. On top of all that, they are both friendly and funny. Their collaboration is completed with the addition of artist Jimi Crayon, whose artwork is distinctive, unusual and used in their live shows in background projections, and on their merchandise... (my pink graffiti6 t-shirt is absolutely one of the favourite things I own now).

Graffiti6 have already played a mini uk tour and have had sold out shows in the Netherlands. Definitely one to watch, here's the video for the single Annie You Save Me.

The Temper Trap, Somerset House

Last night I went with friends to see The Temper Trap. I don't remember exactly what first got me listening to them, it was a while ago, but this is an Aussie band that I really like, although I can't exactly put my finger on why.

The lead singer knows how to work the stage, he moved around it all snake hips like, and switched between instruments a number of times - my favourite moment being a drum bashing once they'd poured water onto the top. The bass player mainly stuck out to me for his wacky hair and lovely black shiny bass guitar.

It had been a while since I'd listened through the album, and I couldn't really remember most of the songs, but I found that the stage show, the lighting and just the general atmosphere made up for that. They finished with the fantastic Sweet Disposition, and set against the backdrop of Somerset House, where the sound always comes across so well, and the beautiful lighting, it just added so much to the atmosphere. One of the best all round shows I've seen this year.

AIR, Somerset House

I'd never really heard of AIR, but Rob is quite a fan, so we got tickets to see them in the Somerset House summer season.

I did know a few more songs than I thought I did, Cherry Blossom Girl being one of them.

Overally, I thought the gig was OK, but thought the tickets were a bit overpriced. For £30 a head once you've added on the fees, it would normally be a band I really liked who would get me to spend that much to see them live. I found the music quite repetitive, but the other people in the crowd seemed to be having a good time, so maybe it was just me.

All in all, a more chilled out affair than the gigs we saw last year. I think I prefer to listen to that sort of music straight off a CD, the live gig-ness doesn't add much for me personally.