tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30171228556801014782024-03-13T21:18:03.035-07:00A Romantic CalamityFashion, Music and Lifestyle, but not excluding Travel, Literature and Feminism, blog. There's a bit of everything.Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-13015805777973393852019-07-14T12:13:00.000-07:002019-07-14T12:13:40.276-07:00ON FIRE - YONAKA, THE NINTH WAVE, TILLIE @ The Wardrobe Leeds 5.6.19 | Gig ReviewHey gang,<br />
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Today I have the absolute pleasure of writing about one of the most phenomenal shows I've ever seen in Leeds; British four-piece <a href="https://weareyonaka.com/" target="_blank">Yonaka</a>, and their fierce support acts, <a href="https://theninthwave.online/" target="_blank">The Ninth Wave</a> and <a href="https://www.whoistillie.com/" target="_blank">Tillie</a>, at The Wardrobe in June.<br />
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This show was turned up to full from the minute the first act walked on to the stage and it only got louder throughout the night. I was certain there was going to be a riot by the end of the show or that we'd break the venue, the sold out space of <a href="https://www.thewardrobe.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Wardrobe</a> hardly seeming to contain the energy in the room. If you weren't at this show, I'm not going to lie, you missed an unreal night of awesome new music, next level performances and an insane circle pit.<br />
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I discovered Yonaka back in November when I returned from Canada and was looking for some new music to reignite that side of me. Yonaka were an instant obsession for me; fierce female lead, infectiously good lyrics and solid anthems. They've just released their debut album, '<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/20XIFoAtLYdFGnDoqNwnbf" target="_blank">Don't Wait Till Tomorrow</a>', which is every bit as fully charged as it promised to be. For a debut album, it sets a new bar for all upcoming artists to aspire to. It's got grit, guts and gravity; it clearly and decisively defines Yonaka's identity and places them in league beyond their scale and reputation.<span style="background-color: white;"> If you haven't heard it yet, I promise you it will be the best thing you've done this year so far. Do it for you.</span><br />
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As it serendipitously turned out, I had a connection to Yonaka's drummer, Rob, who kindly got me on the guest list for the Leeds show of their UK tour, to mark 'Don't Wait Till Tomorrow's' release. Their Leeds show had sold out, as had most of their others, so I was so grateful to get in. Of course I'm also a huge fan of The Ninth Wave, so when I heard they were supporting I was even more sure this gig was going to be epic.<br />
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REVIEW<br />
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TILLIE<br />
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Tillie was the only act of the night I hadn't previously heard of, but that didn't matter a single bit once she took to the stage and started playing. She had such a cool look, living in LA she had that alt-rock effortlessly cool and gutsy attitude about her; dipped blue hair, neon green shirt, big boots and fishnets.<br />
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She opened the night with some awesome tracks including her singles '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkj4gakPGA" target="_blank">Faith</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fJd5y3iEXU" target="_blank">Loud Mouth</a>', playing, dancing and signing like she was having the time of her life. Tillie's sound was a balance of alt-pop and rock; it was authentic, original and awesome. Her energy and attitude won over the room in minutes and she made a great impression on the crowd. She was so pumped to be playing and commented on the spirit of Northern crowds at gigs, a reputation which all of us Leeds-based fans were happy to live up to, showing Tillie how much we enjoyed her set.<br />
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I loved the stories Tillie told us about her songs. She introduced her sarky single '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoEMcTU7ZSg" target="_blank">Mood Swings</a>' with a story about someone telling you chill out when you're worked up and it's the last thing you want to hear. The more moving and rallying story for the women in the room, was for a self-admitted 'emo' track called '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqlzKwisBzw" target="_blank">Whole Wide World</a>'. Tillie told us how an ex-boyfriend stole her intellectual property, some songs she was writing, and how as women we're told to rise above it and let it go, even when really shitty things happen to us. It's always up to us to be the bigger person, even against injustice. Her lyrics were an all to accurate reflection of how we're told to behave as women, even in situations when we're the victims; "You're too emotional, you just wanna cry, come on be tough just like one of the guys". Her performance was stripped back and raw, demonstrating a great range in her performance skills and her ability to captivate a crowd.<br />
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Tillie was truly an awesome opening act and I'm now a committed fan of her music. She told us she was about to start recording an album and I seriously hope she comes back to the UK when she's finished it. I caught her after the show to tell her how much I enjoyed her performance and she was so lovely and happy to chat to a long line of new fans wanting to meet her. If you're looking for a new girl crush with a great style, awesome tracks and a rebel attitude, Tillie's your girl.<br />
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THE NINTH WAVE<br />
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Next up was a band I have not stopped raving about since I first discovered them; the insanely-talented four-piece, The Ninth Wave. They too have been generating a huge wave of hype around their upcoming debut album, 'Infancy', the first half of which they have released, the second half set to come out later this year. With a sound so singular and exhilarating, and a spirit so visionary and dauntless, their talent and showmanship exceeds both their reputation and their level. This was the third time I'd seen them live and I swear they only take in that which makes them stronger.<br />
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They opened with their latest single, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL582lX77wU" target="_blank">This Broken Design</a>', yet another promise that their album will be unparalleled and immortal. Next they played some of their most-loved singles, my personal favourite, the anthem that is '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8giZmi_KgbI" target="_blank">New Kind of Ego</a>', and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HiO1w-uhag" target="_blank">Sometimes The Silence Is Sweeter</a>'. The 80s era was hugely influential in their early years of songwriting, but The Ninth Wave have perfectly captured the essence of their icon's whilst forming an identity of their own, creating something original and transcendent.<br />
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They played two of their new tracks from '<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/04YEtOizeFnzhl6MtWIP6r" target="_blank">Infancy: Part 1</a>', '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHzeYc8uNeA" target="_blank">Half Pure</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IybjgDizG20" target="_blank">Used To Be Yours</a>'. Their music alone is bewitching, their performances are intoxicating. Haydn and Millie are incredible frontmen, they play with such intensity and such spirit that they can hypnotise an audience. They love invading the crowd as well, encroaching on the crowd's space and being face to face with their audience to unnerve them and extend their presence in the room. Millie used the stage barrier as her platform for the second verse of 'Used To Be Yours', staring out every member of the crowd and singing right into the eyes of front row. The version they released as a single is quite subdued, (by The Ninth Wave's standards), but the arrangement they performed this time Millie filled with ferocity and fervour. Haydn was every bit as eccentric as usual, taking the lead in their closing tracks, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbeChIN9iHA" target="_blank">Reformation</a>', and their live favourite, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvSj6TD-XBI" target="_blank">Swallow Me</a>', for a climatic finish.<br />
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The Ninth Wave are honestly one of the only artists in the industry today who I believe have a sound totally incomparable to anyone else; timeless, unorthodox and nothing short of genius. Every element of their music is worthy of an act beyond their standing, their songwriting so ahead of it's time. I could not implore you enough to check them out, their music is enthralling and entirely original, their live performances a show never to be missed.<br />
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YONAKA<br />
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It's been a long time since I've seen two support acts charge an audience to such a perfect level in anticipation for a headline act at a gig. By the time Yonaka were due on stage, the crowd was shaking in eagerness for the final act of the night. When Yonaka stepped out on to the stage, both band and crowd were ready to tear the roof to the ground.<br />
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Yonaka gave this show absolutely everything their combined bodies could possibly hold from the very first lyric. They opened with '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po4rx-8SJiI" target="_blank">Bad Company</a>', the echoing of 'Oh oh, Oh oh' teasing an already anxiously awaiting crowd, then when Theresa launched into the chorus with 'Mother, can you help me?' the room was electrified. Yonaka was dancing fiercely around the stage and the crowd were going crazy in response. '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw5Wete_aPA" target="_blank">Awake</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ythvRpZF8g" target="_blank">Creature</a>' followed and so the pace only accelerated. Yonaka have an arsenal of high-powered and fiery tracks from their debut album and early EPs to fuel their setlist. This was a taster, they were only just warming up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZtRjXraox0mOaVJ3JtzssWex0bAfRnvNDzWKMPIYGGBJl560nDKB2KyV9HlrMg8Tyo2DwzRglotpWCzBKnM7fDj67gbtDdWcTVYtyblI2pjYHKicslHasRtaa_shr_uLFQ3BhYhrR08/s1600/Holly+Iles+-+Yonaka+5.6.19+-+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZtRjXraox0mOaVJ3JtzssWex0bAfRnvNDzWKMPIYGGBJl560nDKB2KyV9HlrMg8Tyo2DwzRglotpWCzBKnM7fDj67gbtDdWcTVYtyblI2pjYHKicslHasRtaa_shr_uLFQ3BhYhrR08/s640/Holly+Iles+-+Yonaka+5.6.19+-+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Their killer track '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOPVsA6Y2-c" target="_blank">Lose Our Heads</a>' had the crowd throwing themselves around the room. The circle pit seemed to take up the entire lower floor of The Wardrobe, while Theresa, George and Alex were just as reckless on stage. Before they played '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KqIqVLABgo" target="_blank">Don't Wait Till Tomorrow</a>', Theresa gave a speech about how we all go through shit at some point in our lives, but we're not alone. The crowd went mad for it and the chaos continued. Theresa's voice was unstoppable; she sang with such spirit all night and did such an amazing job of every song, never dropping the ball once even in their gutsiest numbers. The boys were also on fire; Rob was killing it on the drums while Alex and George gave some of the most energetic, instrument-playing performances I've ever seen. The energy of the entire band made for a formidable show on stage, I don't think they stopped moving for a second, totally determined to give the crowd the best show they could wish for.<br />
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To give the crowd a very brief breather, Rob and Alex left the stage for moment, whilst Theresa and George performed a beautiful acoustic arrangement of '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwuUR54ZJQY" target="_blank">Guilty</a>'. Theresa's voice was in the spotlight in this stripped back setting, but effortlessly she killed it. The arrangement gave the track a whole new temperament and turned it into a pleading and heartfelt ballad, rather than the impassioned rock track from their album. </div>
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Turning the voltage up once again, Yonaka launched into their feisty and taunting track '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOeCrQpqeOw" target="_blank">Teach Me To Fight</a>' and the crowd went wild. In the same fiery spirit, the audience were slam-dancing around the floor and having the time of their lives. Yonaka, whilst playing their asses off, were throwing themselves around the stage; George and Alex were head-banging like they were possessed whilst Theresa put up her fists with a look in her eye as if she was ready to singlehandedly take over the world.<br />
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A genius choice of closing tracks, Yonaka finished their set with '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49otEq6yG0s" target="_blank">Rockstar</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=507-bDJf3yE" target="_blank">Fired Up</a>', at which point the full intensity of their energy was unleashed and they truly set the place ON FIRE. 'Fired Up' is one of my favourite Yonaka tracks; Rob's drum beat gets into your bones and the lyrics are intoxicating. It's the perfect track to let out all your frustration and dance like a maniac to. The crowd lost their shit and half the audience was top of each others shoulders, singing their hearts out while madness ensued beneath them. It was anarchy of the best and purest kind. During 'Fired Up', George invaded the crowd with his guitar and crashed around in the middle of the room, before surging back over the crowd to rejoin the band on stage. To sing the bridge, Theresa cam down to the barrier and was nearly met with a foot to the face as a crowd surfer got thrown towards her. She returned to the stage and crashed her arms around whilst the boys were vaulting about the stage. I caught it pretty well on my Instagram story so check out my '<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyanniles/" target="_blank">Music</a>' highlights to see the full extent of the madness. It was the highest moment you could possibly hope to end a show on; the entire night had been set to full throttle and I was in awe of how unreal and insane a gig it was. Yonaka were on fire and the whole night was seriously lit.<br />
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Thank you so much to Rob for getting me into the show, I knew I was in for a good night but I could not have anticipated it being that much of a riot. A huge congratulations to Tillie, The Ninth Wave and Yonaka for what was a legendary tour and for selling out nearly all their venues. You were each of you brilliant and I cannot wait to see you guys live again following the release of more of your amazing music. Good luck and THANK YOU.<br />
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Until next time everyone,<br />
<br />
Holly<br />
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<br />
Yonaka:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/weareYONAKA" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/weareyonaka/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/weareYONAKA/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<br />
The Ninth Wave:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/THENINTHWAVE_" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theninthwave_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNinthWaveOfficial/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<br />
Tillie:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/whoistillie" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/whoistillie/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/whoistillie/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
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<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-91655334689641939172019-04-08T12:36:00.002-07:002019-04-08T12:36:46.701-07:00Backstage With Jordan Shearer - NEON WALTZ @ Headrow House, Leeds - 26.03.19 | Interview + ReviewHi gang,<br />
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I've got such a treat for you all today; I've got not only a rock solid gig to tell you about, but an interview with the frontman himself!<br />
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I'm so excited to be sharing with you the hypnotic tunes of <a href="https://www.neonwaltz.com/music" target="_blank">Neon Waltz</a>, a Scottish quartet with a sound so their own it rejects all ideas of modern conformity. I was very kindly offered the chance to see the boys play in Leeds last month by their management, <a href="http://www.ignition.co.uk/ignition-records/" target="_blank">Ignition Records</a>, as they neared the end of their UK tour.<br />
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I've actually covered Neon Waltz <a href="https://aromanticcalamity.blogspot.com/2018/02/music-review-neon-waltz-bring-me-to.html" target="_blank">before</a>, if any of you remember, for the release of their poignant EP, '<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/bring-me-to-light-ep/1346808646" target="_blank">Bring Me To Light</a>'. It was upon my first hearing of '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8X-4mn45vs" target="_blank">Bring Me To Light</a>' that kick-started my love of the boys' kaleidoscopic rock. Their sound captures a perfect symmetry of chaos and calm; with melodies that seem to echo fairground daydreams whilst their lyrics reflect an experienced realism. I was unfortunately in Canada at the time so was unable to attend a show, but a year later the opportunity finally presented itself and the boys effortlessly outshone all my expectations and delivered a beautifully transfixing show.<br />
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I was lucky enough to catch up with Jordan, Neon Waltz's frontman, before the show, who very kindly let me pick his brain about the origins of the band and all the elements that accumulated to form the charming enigma that is Neon Waltz. Jordan was so easy to talk to and such a genuine guy that he made my job an absolute breeze and we had a lovely chat which you can all read below...<br />
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INTERVIEW<br />
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H: I love your music but I find it kind of hard to place; it’s kind of Britpop-esque but more poppy, what would you say your influences are?<br />
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J: We find it hard to place as well, I’ve been asked this question a million times but I’ve never been able to give a definitive answer. I don’t really hear much Britpop in it.<br />
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H: Not any more, you’ve got an older sound to it now<br />
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J: Aye, its kind of an easy comparison to make cause we’re on the same management as Oasis and Noel Gallagher. I think a lot of people don’t know how to place it so they just think of our management and say "we’ll go that way", I don’t know. It’s not something I really hear, we’ve got big choruses and stuff so maybe thats got something to do with it. But bands that we love are like a lot of American bands like The Walkmen and The National. A band that we all love, an old band are The Band, they’re actually Canadian.<br />
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H: I don’t think I know them <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(I've since researched them and I do know a number of their songs)</i></span><br />
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J: You should listen to them, they’re amazing. There’s a film that we all kind of bonded over, the point that basically started the band, and Martin Scorsese directed it, its called ‘<i>The Last Waltz</i>’ and its about The Band and it’s their last ever gig. They’re amazing and thats something that we’ve collectively got a love for. Again, I find it hard to pin down what category we fit into so when anyones asks me in the street “what sort of band are you?” I just kind of say indie, psychedelic.<br />
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H: Yeah indie is what I think I went with last time cause I couldn’t place it, but you know that’s a good thing because you have your identity and you don’t want to be compared to anyone else.<br />
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J: Exactly and I think a lot of its to do with where we’re from as well, cause we’re from John O’Groats…<br />
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H: Yeah I was going to ask how you got into music being so far away from any sort of music hubs<br />
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J: We’re like the few people who are good at music *laughs* no there’s a lot of people good at music in John O’Groats but there’s so few people that we were the ones who were good at writing music, playing music but liked the same kind of music as well. We were all mates so we just started a band. There’s no like scene or anything so I think a lot of the time, take a city, say Glasgow, there’s a lot of bands in any city that sound similar and it’s because they’re all part of a scene. Whereas we’ve never had a scene so we’ve never been, kind of forced to sound like anyone else, we’ve just written tunes that we thought were good. We never thought that if we write like this, or if our songs sound like this, we’ll get in this little scene and then we’ll play with these bands. That just never occurred for us and I think that helped us out, it feels annoying when you’re starting out but it’s good.<br />
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H: It is good though because it gives you that sense of individuality<br />
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J: Just freedom as well you know…I don’t want to seem like I’m having a go either, if we came from Leeds we’d probably sound like a load of other bands from Leeds. We’re lucky enough I guess to come from a place where there was no other bands, you know what I mean? It was totally organic.<br />
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H: Do you have a lot of support in your hometown as well?<br />
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J: Aye yeah, its mad. I think they think we’re more famous than we are<br />
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H: I mean that’s not a bad thing<br />
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J: No, its good. But we’ll go on a night out, and its one of those places where everyone knows everyone as well, you went to school with half of the people you see out, and you might not have been mates with them at school, and you go ‘oh its that guy I remember from school’ and they’ll come up to you like ‘Jordan! Fucking Neon Waltz’ you’re like ‘aye how’s it going’ they’ve got like a job offshore or something, where they make ridiculous amounts of money, and they’ll be like ‘you want a pint’ and I’ll be like ‘aye ok I’ll have a pint of Fosters’ and they’ll go ‘aye you should be buying me fucking pints you’re rich now’ I’m like ‘rich? I’m fucking skint as a bean’ and you know its just cause they don’t kind of know the way that the music industry works and they think we’re rich cause we’ve played with Noel Gallagher and stuff but far from it. If I had a job at Tesco I’d be better off than I am now *laughs*.<br />
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H: So you put out a new song last week, ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK1tOq7ETe0" target="_blank">Friends Who Lost Control</a>’, does that mean there’s more music on the way?<br />
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J: Yeah pretty much, its the start of a steady stream of new music now<br />
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H: An album?<br />
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J: I think we’re just gonna play it a couple of tunes at a time. Instead of just leaving a big gap and then releasing an album, we’re just gonna steadily increase the interest. We’ve not released much since the debut album came out, so I think you kind of need to think logically. We’re not at the size yet where we can just release an album and everyone will be so interested, you have to build everyone back up to that kind of stage. We’re gonna be in the studio again soon after this tour.<br />
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H: And how are you enjoying the tour so far?<br />
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J: It’s been brilliant, its been like a proper step up. It’s hard to judge when you’re at home, especially in fucking John O’Groats, you kind of lose sight of what stage your bands at when you’ve not toured for a while. It’s been like, pretty much in every city a mad change, every venue been sold out and it’s been rammed, its good.<br />
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H: How much do you think your music has changed throughout your career, from ‘Strange Hymns’ till now?<br />
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J: We’re more guitar based now when we’re writing because for ‘Strange Hymns’ we had six members who would write all our songs together. Since then, our bass players left and our keys players taken a bit of a hiatus, just for life reasons, but there’s four of us now; me, two guitarists, Jamie and Kevin, and drummer, Darren. So we write between the four of us now, and I play bass and a bit of keys when we write, and Darren plays a bit of keys when we write as well. Its a lot more guitar driven, so we write songs the four of us, and if there’s a little bit that we think would add to a song, little bit of keys we add it, whereas before it was a main part of the tune. Its worked well so far anyway so we’re happy to keep going just as far as we can. If Liam, the keys player, ever has the opportunity to come back it’ll be sort of the way it was. You just have to adapt to certain situations and we’re good enough that we can do it a slightly different way.<br />
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H: What inspires the stories you tell in your songs, what makes you want to sit down and write music?<br />
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J: It’s kind of weird, the way that I write a song, the chords always come first and then I’ll just be singing stuff that doesn’t make sense but I’ll have a melody. I’ll find what the melody is and then I’ll just be singing fucking nonsense. Then I’ll listen back to it and there’s always one line that sits really well and must be something thats in my subconscious and then I think ‘thats what that means’ and then I write it, I keep that line in and then I write the song about whatever it is. So it’s always something quite personal you know, it sounds really wanky this *laughs* but you know what I mean, there’s something lingering in my head that comes out when I just sing nonsense. Well for me anyway, if I ever try sit down and write a song and think ‘right I’m gonna write about this’, it always comes out fucking shit. Its the wankiest thing I’ve ever said, but it has to come from the heart, you know? and if you’re just rambling nonsense, and one little line comes out that totally makes sense and works as a good line, find it and then thats what you build the song around.<br />
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H: What can we expect from you guys going forward now?<br />
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J: Yeah I mean obviously the main plan for any band is to be as big as they can be. [In the] immediate future, we’ll just keep releasing more music and it’ll just keep going gradually. When we started I think people expected us to be massive straight away, and I think we expected that as well cause you know everyone was telling us, like record labels and stuff. But I’m actually glad it didn’t work that way because we weren’t ready for it, and its just gone gradually up. We’re quite happy to just play the long game and keep gradually growing, and that’s the way its been for like the last three years so I’m happy for it to keep going that way. <br />
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REVIEW<br />
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GLASSHEADS<br />
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First up were newcomers to the Leeds scene, GLASSHEADS, a post-rock six piece who met at Leeds College of Music and are getting ready to release their debut EP. This was the boys first ever show and they did a pretty good job of it. Their tracks were a little more on the compositional side, with guitar instrumentals and a layer of keys faintly peppering their songs. The music was emotive, akin to a lullaby in tempo and in sentiment. With the release of their first EP coming up I think we'll see them making their way round the Leeds circuit fairly soon.<br />
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THE HARRIETS<br />
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Next up were <a href="https://www.theharrietsband.com/" target="_blank">The Harriets</a>, who had some great numbers up their sleeves! With a much more lively energy and rock'n'roll feel, they loosened up the crowd and encouraged a little dancing. They opened with a cool track called 'Cafe Disco' and then a uplifting number called 'Have Fun In Your Work Place' which let us know from the off that these guys liked to have a little fun and a jest. They had a great attitude about them, were clearly awesome guitar players and imaginative lyricists. They followed with a track called 'Television' which had a little more grit about it and a cut-the-shit message about popular culture. They finished with their latest single, titled 'Harry', which ached for you to dance with it and climaxes with a great kick at the end. They were talented and having such a fun time on stage that I reckon these boys could be an interesting one to watch.<br />
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NEON WALTZ<br />
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And then came the Waltzers. These boys were on fire, Jordan was completely accurate when he said that things had stepped up a notch. I hadn't seen them play before, but they definitely played at the level of the band they the potential to become. The show was spot on; their presence, tone and live ability were perfect, the stage their rightful home. They started with a few early songs, including '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL9_pBMYqGk" target="_blank">Sundial</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XafINfmbgQQ" target="_blank">Stranger Things</a>', which pulled the audience into the remote but beautifully vivid soundspace that we know to be Neon Waltz. Their sound is definitely psychedelic, it takes hold of you when you hear it live and seems to take you away into a dream. To quote Jordan; "We're down a G string and we're still fucking magic".<br />
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They performed a stripped-back arrangement of their introspective and gorgeous track '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__iIDO8MA8Q" target="_blank">When I Fall Asleep</a>', which was the highlight of the show for me, as its my favourite song of theirs for it's blunt sincerity. They continued with their latest single, 'Friends Who Lost Control', which roused the audience and bolstered the energy in the room with its unrelenting beat and bold chorus. It got everyone dancing and when followed with the freedom filled, coming-of-age track, 'Bring Me To Light', they lit up the room. There's a maturity and touch of cynicism in their lyrics, but its balanced perfectly with colourful, spirited melodies that seem to echo and encourage a sense of youthful optimism. Their completely singular sound was an honest joy to hear live.<br />
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The boys of course performed their fantastic song, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmuLVZKJfoc" target="_blank">Dreamers</a>', which had everyone in the room signing the principal lyric; "You should do what you love while you can" right back at them. We were all there because we share a love of good music, and it was with a total sense of camaraderie that we belted out the lyrics to a song that perfectly surmises the heart of Neon Waltz.</div>
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The lads closed the show with two singles from their first album, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZkP3X7Mkc8" target="_blank">Heavy Heartless</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDb2Rb-ujgA" target="_blank">Perfect Frame</a>', which brought the atmosphere in the room to a soul-lifting high. The climatic harmonies of 'Perfect Frame' took us all to the seashore of John O'Groats, as if we were running with the boys along the coastline, chasing the last shining light of the day. It rings with freedom and fearlessness that you want to capture, which is what makes it the phenomenal song that it is.<br />
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Neon Waltz's music is so engaging because there's something about their lyrics and melodies that resonates so genuinely with people, that it inspires a true love their sound. Their keen and distinct identity is so refreshing to hear, compared to the sea of music on the radio that you can't even tell apart, that it makes you cherish it even more. These boys deserve all the rewards of their hard work and I can't wait for them to share with us what new music they have in the pipeline.<br />
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I'd like to say a huge thank you to Ignition Records for inviting me along to the show, to Jordan for a really fun interview and to all the bands for a night of great playing. Congratulations to Neon Waltz for the success of their UK tour and good luck going back into the studio, we shall all wait here with baited breath.<br />
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See you soon,<br />
<br />
Holly<br />
<br />
<br />
Neon Waltz:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/neonwaltz/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/neonwaltz?lang=en" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/neonwaltz/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClXL0zr_avMOSFfRR5z-C-A" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1HMvS7MZ6mocKBi5iAIwBl" target="_blank">Spotify</a><br />
<br />
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<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-33392470116419834062019-03-17T13:16:00.000-07:002019-03-17T13:16:52.657-07:00STUNNING - SEAFRET @ The Wardrobe, Leeds - 27.02.19Hello everyone!<br />
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Today's post is a good couple of weeks late, not quite keeping up as I should be but I've had a very busy couple of weeks, working to finish a project before I started my new job last week(!), and I had another gig the night after this one, (that will be coming too), so I apologise for the late delivery but it's been a bit of a crazy few weeks!</div>
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But here we are and I've got an amazing gig to tell you about! I was very kindly granted a photo pass by <a href="https://www.seafret.com/" target="_blank">Seafret</a> to their BEAUTIFUL show at <a href="https://www.thewardrobe.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Wardrobe</a> in Leeds, one of the stops on their UK tour in February, and it was mesmerising. Their support acts were also incredible and the overall talent, voices and playing throughout the entire night were of such a high standard that I felt very lucky to be in that audience. It truly was a stunning show.</div>
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I've been a huge fan of Seafret since my discovery of their first album, '<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/tell-me-its-real-deluxe/1057802870" target="_blank">Tell Me It's Real</a>', in early 2016 which has since been one of my favourite albums of all time. The lyrics and stories are of heartbreak and first loves, perfectly accompanied by beautiful, modest arrangements with no unnecessary fuss and overproduction. Their sound comprises of elements of pop/rock, but they mainly write delicate, enchanting ballads and Jack's voice can send chills down your spine. I've often turned to their music whenever I've experienced moments of heartbreak and their songs take me back to those times every time I listen to them.</div>
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I've been dying to see them live for years and so I was thrilled to finally get into a show. The support acts, <a href="https://www.callumspencer.co.uk/about" target="_blank">Callum Spencer</a> and <a href="http://rosboroughofficial.com/" target="_blank">Rosborough</a>, were unknown to me before the show but I was so impressed by their playing and songs that I'm now a solid fan of them both. </div>
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REVIEW</div>
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CALLUM SPENCER</div>
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Opening the show was <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TPGhT9Q1f0AUzj1aH1B0Z" target="_blank">Callum Spencer</a>; his lovely set, preparing the audience for a night of strong voices and skilful instrumentals. He was energetic, dancing around as much as he could whilst playing his guitar as he stood alone on the stage, singing his heart out. His songs were really well written and had a similar sentimentality to country music, but with more of a popular sound. He sang a new song called 'Think About It', from his new EP, also performing the title track 'Nothing But Strangers' which is infectious and upbeat. My favourite of his songs had to be 'Say It', which talks of a relationship nearing its end but the other person not being able to admit it. His music was endearing and authentic; it was so nice to see a musician singing and playing so confidently and so well without gimmicks or pretence. It was brave and it was real, a wonderful opening to the show.<br />
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ROSBOROUGH</div>
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Next up was <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4QwedRlAAtwaXOUsBSEG83" target="_blank">Rosborough</a>, an artist from Derry in Ireland, again with a humble set of only himself performing the vocals and guitar, accompanied by his drummer. Rosoborough's music was more rock and roll, again with a powerful, gritty voice and a solid, confident sound. He started his set with his fierce track 'Fall To Earth' which I've listened to so many times since, full of gumption and guitar. He had the crowd invested after just one song, continuing to play tracks about people leaving his home town, one about the stars called 'Burn Blue', and another about house parties called 'Another Lesson'. His set was full of powerful songs, genuine stories and great melodies. Rosborough also treated us to a beautiful cover of 'True Love Will Find You In The End', originally by Daniel Johnston, which he sung with such heart, the hopeful and gentle track perfectly balancing his set. It was another awesome performance and continued the line of genuinely talented and honest musicians taking the stage that night.</div>
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SEAFRET</div>
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After two impressive performances by Callum and Rosborough, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ly0KABsxlx4fNj63zJTrF" target="_blank">Seafret</a> walked on to the stage to a huge round of applause and played the most divine headline show. They opened with a few tracks from their first album, including '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVAy3IZiL0s" target="_blank">Atlantis</a>', which plucked at every heart string with as much precision as Harry was plucking the strings of his guitar, alongside Jack's hypnotic vocals. The boys stood alone on the stage, Jack simply using his voice and Harry choosing only either his guitar or the piano, depending on which suited each track best. The effect was a spell-binding, intimate and simply beautiful show where pure talent triumphed and the true heart of their sound transported the entire room away.<br />
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The boys performed a gorgeous arrangement of one of their latest singles, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7MHU5TgqNQ" target="_blank">Can't Look Away</a>', which was stripped back and stunning. Harry's compositional skill really shone throughout the night; his ability to write such emotive melodies, on both the guitar and piano, and to effortlessly swap between the two during the show, embellishing the melodies and timing each note perfectly to take the whole crowd's breath away. Jack's vocal performance was also stunning; Seafret's tracks are full of huge ballads and powerfully sung choruses, but Jack didn't miss a single beat. Every song was magically beautiful and I spent most of the night having forgotten I wasn't the only person in the room.<br />
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Seafret continued with their gut-punching love songs, performing breath-taking renditions of '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHhkd2B87Q8" target="_blank">Wildfire</a>', '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW0PlJXxFrc" target="_blank">Breathe</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2Dsou7wCsc" target="_blank">Missing</a>'. When you buy a ticket to a Seafret show, it is guaranteed to be a emotional night. Their lyrics are as honest, heart-wrenching and beautiful as Rupi Kaur's 'Milk and Honey' poetry collection. Jack felt the need to explain to the crowd that although he writes about heartbreak, he's not depressed as you might imagine; "I have to laugh in between songs or I'll cry *laughs* I don't just sit at home crying, it's not normal for a man to be this emotional." Having said that, he then lead on to sing three of his most tear-inducing songs; a new song '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGoMZjRy9EU" target="_blank">Heartless</a>', the classic '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqsL0QQaSP4" target="_blank">Oceans</a>' and then the brutally heartbreaking '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0S6pan4MUc" target="_blank">Tell Me It's Real</a>', which if you survived without crying, than you're a stronger person than I! It was STUNNING! That song can break your heart all over again and their performance was enough to knock the air out of your body, it was something else! After they'd finished, a number of audience members shouted "IT'S REAL" and the boys laughed, receiving a massive round of cheers and applause from an emotional and wholly admiring audience. They also sung their latest single, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRztvfiu-RM" target="_blank">Loving You</a>' which was sheer, heartfelt perfection. Honestly, it was a performance of pure, faultless beauty.<br />
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Jack and Harry finished their show with an encore of '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3f4BRHwWGM" target="_blank">Bad Blood</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0afRR3cJ9c" target="_blank">Monsters</a>', their two more upbeat tracks off their latest EP, also named '<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/monsters-ep/1425013918" target="_blank">Monsters</a>', as they said they needed to finish the night with something more up-lifting. Rosborough's drummer joined them on the stage to help add a bit more rhythm and oomph to their last two tracks. It was a really strong way to finish the night, giving the so far fairly silent audience, who had spent the whole night wrapped in their own memories of heartbreak and emotion, a chance to shake out their feelings and dance a little. The boys also revealed they're writing album number 2, which I, and every one else in the room, is impatiently awaiting!<br />
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Seafret transported and enthralled every single person at that sold out show, with their hypnotising serenades and stirring melodies. It was honestly such a special gig, as I imagine every one of theirs are, but it felt like such an honour to be in the room that night. As much as it brought back the shadow of former heartbreak, it was cathartic to hear those songs played live.<br />
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The night was truly such a raw and beautiful showcase of three incredibly skilled and committed acts. I loved the show so much for the simple reason that each of the artists were just that; artists. They played with such modest arrangements, no more than two instruments at a time, and still delivered three amazing performances. There was no fuss and no theatrics because there didn't need to be, true talent can stand all by itself and induce awe on a crowd. That's what Calum Spencer, Rosborough and Seafret each achieved that night.<br />
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Thank you so much to Seafret for letting me come along to the show, I am so thankful to have finally seen you guys play live. I cannot recommend their music enough and be sure to keep an ear out for their upcoming album, no doubt I'll shout about it when it's released!<br />
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See you all soon.<br />
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Holly<br />
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Callum Spencer:<br />
Twitter<br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/callumspencer123/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/callumspencermusic/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TPGhT9Q1f0AUzj1aH1B0Z" target="_blank">Spotify</a><br />
<br />
Rosborough:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/rosboroughsays" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rosboroughofficial/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosboroughmusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4QwedRlAAtwaXOUsBSEG83" target="_blank">Spotify</a><br />
<br />
Seafret:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/SeafretOfficial" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/seafretofficial/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/seafretofficial/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ly0KABsxlx4fNj63zJTrF" target="_blank">Spotify</a><br />
<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-6036806850870940822019-02-04T12:49:00.001-08:002019-02-04T12:59:04.743-08:00Chalkpit Records Leeds Launch Party @ Oporto | SUNFLOWER THIEVES, VIOLET CONTOURS, GREEN GARDENS | ReviewHey gang!<br />
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It's been a little while and I'm sorry, January isn't anyone's favourite month is it?<br />
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One of the better things to come out of January however, was a wonderful evening I spent at <a href="https://oportobar.co.uk/" target="_blank">Oporto</a> for <a href="https://www.chalkpitrecords.com/" target="_blank">Chalkpit Record</a>'s Leeds launch party to celebrate their move up north! It was a great night showcasing three of the label's fantastic northern acts and rallying support for the label in their new home town.<br />
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Chalkpit Records was originally founded on the Isle of Wight in 2016, with the purpose of nurturing a new wave of rock stars. Artists amongst their roster include Nakamarra, Reminders, Tai High Hawaiian and Charlie O'Riain. Having recently opened a new, northern HQ in Leeds, Chalkpit have been welcomed into the scene and are sure to be an important elevator of talented music-makers going forward.<br />
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I took my camera along to their launch party so I figured I'd introduce you to the three awesome bands that kicked off a new, northern era for Chalkpit Records...<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Disclaimer: Oporto seemed to only have one spotlight that worked so sorry to the rest of the band members that can't be seen very clearly in the pictures!)</span><br />
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SUNFLOWER THIEVES<br />
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An endearing beginning to the evening, Sunflower Thieves opened the show with their soft harmonies and stirring lyrics. The Leeds-based duo treated the audience to an array of delicate vocals and melodies as easy as a summer breeze. Singing songs from their debut EP 'Hold The Storm' and their most recent release, a beautiful ballad titled 'Two Halves' which enchanted us all. The girls delivered such a gorgeous, soothing and spell-binding set, it was really quite transporting. A promising start to the evening, they have a new fan in me.</div>
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VIOLET CONTOURS</div>
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Next up were Violet Contours, who I have to say were incredible. From the off, their funky riffs had their hooks in you. Upbeat tunes full of jaunty guitars, Violet Contours evoked a more playful, daring atmosphere which could be felt throughout the whole room. The York-four piece had a such an identity to their sound; it was polished, witty and charismatic. Their sound was like a strong, fruity cocktail, it had a punch to it and you knew you were going to have a good time. I loved their tracks 'D.O.T.' and 'Pixar', every element of their sound coming together to create tracks that are original, infectious and contemporary. Aiming towards their first EP in 2019, I for one, am definitely going to be keeping an ear out for when these guys drop new music. Head-turning songs and great performers, don't miss out on these guys.</div>
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GREEN GARDENS</div>
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Finally, but in no way the least, came the charming young quartet that is Green Gardens. Their tracks were of a light, indie composition with stress-relieving qualities and elements of romance and nostalgia. Confident, they won over the crowd with their endearing personalities during between-song transitions, giving the audience a good view of their relationship as a band. Their co-vocals added nice layers to their running through green fields tempos; the perfect sound to play on a summers afternoon, lying on your back in the park, basking in the sun with your friends. </div>
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They also played an extremely new song, which I didn't catch the name of, admitting to only having played fully twice. They played it seemingly without a glitch however, and had a lot of fun with it on stage. It had more grit than their others, and a huge guitar riff compared to some of the softer tracks we'd heard earlier. It was a great set to finish the evening with, a wonderful round up of the music we'd seen so far. </div>
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The night was a great success for Chalkpit Records and Leeds' scene, everyone who attended was there because they love music within this city and want to support it. With such ripe talent in the Leeds area, I'm excited to see how Chalkpit's arrival will stimulate the scene and encourage it's growth. If they want to develop the next generation of rock stars, I have no doubt they will be left wanting in Leeds. </div>
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A huge congratulations to Chalkpit and welcome to Leeds! Hats off to all the bands that played as well, of course. Let's keep feeding this city's love of music and live shows, good luck to you all!</div>
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Until next time everyone.</div>
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Holly.</div>
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Sunflower Thieves:</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/sunflowerthieves/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/sunthievesmusic" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sunflowerthieves/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6UwPoe3ZqpC4OUuKgIinVW" target="_blank">Spotify</a></div>
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Violet Contours:</div>
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Green Gardens:</div>
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Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-62356944484816527752018-12-19T09:18:00.004-08:002018-12-19T09:18:49.672-08:00DEBUT ALBUM ON THE WAY IN 2019 - THE NINTH WAVE | Interview & Gig Review - Years End Festival 2018 @ O2 Ritz Manchester Hey gang!<br />
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Welcome to something very exciting, I'm so happy to be bringing you an interview with an epic, emerging band who are storming across the UK at the moment.<br />
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I'd like to introduce you all to <a href="https://theninthwave.online/" target="_blank">The Ninth Wave</a>, a Glaswegian group with all the ferocity and determination of a tidal wave. Their sound is unlike anything you'll hear from other contemporary artists; it is timeless and yet ahead of it's time, pop rock that is unapologetic, provocative and in a league of it's own. These compelling renegades have attracted attention from BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio, Dr Martens Presents and are next year supporting fellow Glasgow icons CHVRCHES, at the Hydro Arena.<br />
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The Ninth Wave have been kicking around for a couple of years now, and have already cultivated such a strong identity for themselves both musically and aesthetically. Their sound is unmistakable and gripping, as is their artwork, personas and music videos. They're often linked to the 80s genres of new wave and post-punk, as they have previously credited Interpol and The Cure as influences. A touch of these 80s heroes can be heard within their tracks, but The Ninth Wave have an originality that transcends everything they create. This isn't juts about the music, this is a mentality that will punch you in the face.<br />
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Co-vocalists Haydn and Millie have such powerful voices that equal each other in depth, but stand out in their own right. In my favourite single of theirs, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8giZmi_KgbI" target="_blank">New Kind of Ego</a>', Haydn's deep tone parallels perfectly to Millie's higher harmony to create such potent echoes throughout the track. In this anthem they cry out '<i>Did you forget to tell me?</i>', calling out some poor individual's miscalculation that they could wrong the members of The Ninth Wave and get away with it. As a pre-Christmas treat, just last week they released an outstanding cover of The Pogues beautiful ballad, '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c9nPEyQIro" target="_blank">I'll Love You 'Till The End</a>', which they completely transformed into their own. The video as well is a fantastic example of their visual ingenuity and style. The Ninth Wave with their no-bullshit lyrics, dauntless musical compositions, and visionary artistic style, create a force of infinite potential.<br />
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I was lucky enough to catch them at <a href="https://www.otrmcr.co.uk/" target="_blank">Off The Record</a> in Manchester last month, and then again last weekend at Years End Festival 2018, held between <a href="https://academymusicgroup.com/o2ritzmanchester/" target="_blank">Manchester's O2 Ritz</a> and <a href="https://www.thisisgorilla.com/stage_club.php" target="_blank">Gorilla</a> venues. I was kindly given the opportunity to interview Haydn, Millie and Lewis (drums), before their set and hear first hand about their upcoming releases in 2019...<br />
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INTERVIEW<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: I have to talk about this because you dropped it just yesterday; The Pogues’ cover. It’s great, and the video is beautiful, where did that idea come from?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">H: I don’t know, I guess the kind of song it is, it’s not what we normally do, so we just thought it would be nice to do something like that…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">M: Have a happy song for once</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">H: Yeah for once</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">M: All our songs are about sad things and Christmas should be a happy time. And I guess that’s kind of where the video ties into it, it is two angels but then they’re not very good at what they do so they get their wings taken off them. It’s merging the [elements]; not making it too happy by putting our own spin on it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: Lyrics are one of my favourite things that I look for in a band, I like there to be a little bit of poetry. And you’ve said you write sad songs, what inspires the stories that you tell?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">M: You can’t write lyrics to a song if you don’t understand what they mean yourself, so it always has to come from past experiences or something that you’re thinking in your head. So I think that’s what makes them really listenable, is that they’re not just pulled from thin air, it’s what’s actually happening.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: So you guys have bought out a couple of EPs now and lots of singles, is an album next for you with 2019 just round the corner?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: We’ve recorded the album already. We’re dropping it in two parts; so the first part will be out at the start of 2019, and then the second part at the end of 2019...</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">That’s the way we’re doing it, to make the songs make more sense, rather then just throwing out all the songs at once, we thought it would be better to do it in two parts. But once they’re both out it’s just one album.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: Is there an element of duality within it? Is that why you’ve split it?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: There kind of is now, it didn't when we were recording it. But once we’d picked the tracks, they kind of make more sense now; the first part has a theme and the second part has another one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: When I’ve read past interviews you’ve done, you guys said you tend to evolve and adapt your music. What’s influencing you right now? What has inspired those songs?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: Being in the studio did it, there were a couple of songs that completely changed when we were in the studio. One of the songs is called ‘Human Behaviour’, its on the album, and that was originally just like a rock demo, and then there was a point when me and Millie were sitting in the studio and she was playing piano, she was playing the chords and I was doing like a jazz thing, and then it just became like ‘Pyramid Song’ by Radiohead. So stuff like that, when you’re just all sitting down, working it out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: Do you guys experiment a lot?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: Yeah with instruments, just cause the studio we recorded it at, it’s got a wide variety of synths, drum machines, mad stuff and like mics from 1950, so it meant us going a bit crazy with that. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: You guys have been generated quite a lot of hype recently as a new band, even though you’ve been going for a while. Are you guys ready to take that next step? are you scared? nervous?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">M: It’s exciting, you can’t be nervous with things like that. We’re ready.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: I bet you’re just glad that it’s finally coming out and everything you’ve been working towards the past couple of years is out there.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TNW: Yeah.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: I was thinking of how to describe your music the other day, and I figure it’s kind of like falling down a darker and more sinister version of Alice’s rabbit hole. What else is down that rabbit hole? Is there anything else you’d like to explore?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: Well we did all that on this album that comes out, it’s not just massive choruses anymore and huge guitars. There's a lot of things that we’ve never done before, but I guess we’ll just keep doing that until people start to hate it and then we’ll stop *laughs*.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> (I don’t think anyone’s gonna hate it anytime soon.)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: My home town’s originally Leeds, have you played any of the venues around there?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: Yeah we did Live at Leeds and we did a show at, what’s that place called? It’s a venue with the glass…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">H: Oporto, we played there twice. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L: Yeah, Live at Leeds was there and just a gig, a random show there. They were both really nice, they were filled.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Q: What’s your favourite thing about Glasgow and that music scene?</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">H: It’s really cheap to live there, so if you’re a band and you start off, you can develop how you sound, and the people that you meet. I feel like in London, if you have like a rehearsal studio it’s probably like £1,000 a month, but Glasgow is so cheap you can take your time rather than forcing everything.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Thank<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> you so much guys, good luck with your set </span>tonight.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">REVIEW</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The Ninth Wave, as well as being incredible musicians, are also the most captivating performers. Haydn began their set face to face with the crowd, immediately drawing a number of soon-to-be fans into their sound. As they kicked off their set, their intoxicating riffs, moody melodies and the timbre of Haydn's voice, echoed around the tight pocket of the O2 Ritz Basement. They also looked cool as hell, as per usual.</span></div>
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The Ninth Wave had the entire audience under their sombre spell as they played some of their gutsiest numbers, including 'New Kind Of Ego' and 'Reformation'. A state of hypnosis had taken over us all as the velvety 'Sometimes The Silence Is Sweeter' poured through the speakers and into our ears. Haydn and Millie make such a formidable front team; both of them throwing all the authority of their voices and their souls into the performance. As Millie had said in the interview, you could feel the passion in their performance as the weight of the lyrics pierced the crowd. The Ninth Wave are such a fun band to see live; the intensity with which they perform and the enthralling quality of their music, results in a total possession by their sound, only breakable when they see fit to release you.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Finishing their set with their insidious track 'Swallow Me', Haydn again decided that he wanted to perform this one on level with the crowd. He stood before us as he delivered the first verse, the track starting off gently, (by post-punk standards), and as the track's atmosphere rose, Haydn too was filled with the soul of it. The rousing instrumentals of Millie and Lewis that were emitted from the stage, amplified the suspense and Haydn dropped to his knees and then to the floor, as the remaining members of The Ninth Wave rocked out on stage. He rose to his feet to cry out the final lines of; '<i>Swallow me, swallow me, swallow me, swallow me...punish me, punish me, punish me, punish me, so swallow me, swallow me, swallow me, swallow me' </i>as the track reached it's climax and cut out completely. It was a great way to end their set, and I can confidently say they had the whole audience fully converted as they wrapped up their show. </span></div>
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I had so much fun on Saturday at Years End Festival, I also got to check out some new bands I hadn't encountered before such as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BloxxUK/" target="_blank">BLOXX</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/Saytrplay/photos/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Saytr Play</a> who I now love. I also caught <a href="https://www.spector.co.uk/" target="_blank">Spector</a> headlining the O2 Ritz stage and <a href="https://www.wearecassia.com/" target="_blank">Cassia</a> as they finished off the music at Gorilla. I'd like to say a huge thank you to The Ninth Wave for answering my questions and a huge thank you to <a href="http://distillermusic.com/about/" target="_blank">Distiller</a> for granting me access to the event.<br />
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I've linked to all of The Ninth Wave's social media below so make sure you follow them in time for the release of their album in the new year, I can't wait! They've got a couple of shows lined up for 2019 already as well, so if you're nearby do not miss the chance to see them. You will not regret it, I promise you.<br />
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I wish you all a magical Christmas and a lovely New Year with your loved ones. Let's make 2019 one to remember rather than another one to moan about hey? See you soon.<br />
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Holly<br />
<br />
<br />
The Ninth Wave:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNinthWaveOfficial/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/THENINTHWAVE_" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theninthwave_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNinthWaveMusic" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
<br />
Me:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hollyanniles" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hollyanniles" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-38896546290155380422018-12-05T09:25:00.000-08:002018-12-05T09:25:17.113-08:00DIY Magazine's NEU Tour 2018 - Leeds @ Headrow House | TALKBOY, PEAKES, CARO | Gig Review 29.11.18Hello everyone!<br />
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Today I have for you three new awesome bands from Leeds that I'm so excited to be writing about.<br />
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Leeds has a great scene for live music with some incredible venues of all shapes and sizes. It's thanks to these venues that I connected with the music I did when I was younger; if I hadn't have been going to The Cockpit at least once a month to see of my favourite alternative rock bands play, I would not be where I am today. It's thanks to Leeds' live music scene that music became such an integral part of my life and clearly the right industry for me to go into. Now I'm home I can't wait to explore Leeds' scene more and help more of Leeds' music be heard.<br />
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That's why I am so happy to report that when <a href="http://diymag.com/2018/10/22/announcing-diy-presents-do-it-yourself-neu-tour-leeds-birmingham-brighton-november-2018" target="_blank">DIY Magazine's Do It Yourself NEU Tour</a> had its final panels and gig in Leeds last week, three extraordinary local bands stepped up and delivered some amazing sets. Each with their own unique sound, mesmerising set and exciting future, here is an introduction to Talkboy, Peakes and last but in no way least, Caro.<br />
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REVIEW<br />
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TALKBOY<br />
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This indie sextet kicked off the show with their fun, lively and fantastic original tracks. There was a lot going on, six people on a small stage can do that, but they suited it. Their music has so much energy; Talkboy were clearly having a lot of fun on stage and it transcended to the crowd. They were fully committed to the show and entertaining us all. They were confident and talented musicians, all the elements of their sound coming together so well. The keys, guitars and drums not drowning each other out, but uniting to make colourful melodies and an identity that is going to set them apart.<br />
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Lead singers, Katie and Calum, both had such strong voices and they complimented each other so well, making a really interesting duet. I was also so happy to listen to their lyrics, which were more poignant and narrative then I anticipated from a young band. Their new single <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/17or0FgdyEDxvDMwbgLhvj" target="_blank">Over and Under</a> is a fantastic example of their songwriting ability and everything this spirited group are cable of. On the rockier side of indie, but animated, fun and dynamic, Talkboy will be a really interesting one to watch. I wish them the very best of luck.<br />
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PEAKES<br />
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Next up came synth-pop trio, Peakes, who immediately made a big impression upon me. Their soothing and enchanting tracks had the whole crowd captivated from the get go. After the lively performance we had just witnessed from Talkboy, this was a total change of pace, but their front woman Molly had such a mesmerising voice. Their music had all of us in the audience happily transported to another place and time where only Peakes existed. Molly's lovely vocals were accompanied by perfectly atmospheric drum playing from Pete and Maxwell's ingenious keys, their tracks were fantastically composed. Their performance really was spell-binding, at times I forgot about everyone else in the room and the music was the only thing on my mind.<br />
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Their tracks <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/14wvQA3rZ856LiC7PkuOdN" target="_blank">Space</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/14wvQA3rZ856LiC7PkuOdN" target="_blank">Pray For You</a> were shiver-inducing and etherial, Molly's voice being both feather-like and powerful when she needed it to be. They also played such a beautiful cover of Kate Bush's track <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1bcFo4b9HTMB8kljTYuQj6" target="_blank">Running Up That Hill</a> which is definitely one of my favourite new tracks this month, they made it totally their own and it was so polished. I honestly thought these guys were incredible, they produce the most dreamy melodies. Their music is perfect should you need a quick little bit of escapism; put your headphones in and turn the volume up, let yourself float away with Peakes.<br />
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CARO<br />
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To close the show came the INCREDIBLE Caro. I cannot underplay how impressed I was with these guys, their music completely kicks you on your arse, you cannot deny how good they are. They were so talented, such an exhilarating sound and just so cool. Their music I would class as alternative indie/rock but it was eccentric, wacky and energetic. When they started a track you weren't quite sure where it would go but you were in for a hell of a ride; each song is a rollercoaster. I was also in awe of their completely original lyrics, both poetic and quirky in equal measure. In their single <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6MTczbDLGkpUAwsXwqSgCw" target="_blank">Closet Lunatic</a>, frontman Adam sings "Underneath your goody two-shoes there's a dirty pair of socks that you're never gonna wash no" I love it.<br />
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To top it off they were also fantastic showmen, they put on such a performance and were having so much fun dancing around the stage. They were so entertaining and I can only imagine in a bigger venue with a bigger crowd the whole room would be alive, it was so much fun. Their track <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/0P4uRcCHBZMSIhDXgTKeel" target="_blank">Eyes On The Ground</a> invites you to dance; the way Adam and Andy's riffs jump around while Bryn keeps the beat on the drums, its so hard to sit still. Their tracks are very cleverly composed and it gives Caro such an unmistakable identity. Adam has a great stage presence as well, he's an amazing front man and you can see how passionate he is when he's on stage. I could not recommend seeing them more, and I'd say look out for them but I think soon enough it's going to be hard to ignore them, they're going to be huge! I seriously dare you not to like these guys.</div>
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Thank you to <a href="http://diymag.com/" target="_blank">DIY Magazine</a> for putting on this event. The panels during the afternoon featured prominent speakers from Leeds' own music scene and gave great advice for anyone looking to get into the music industry. As you can see the show that evening was also such a success and curated so well. Thank you DIY and to <a href="https://headrowhouse.com/" target="_blank">Headrow House</a> for hosting the event.<br />
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I hope you all enjoyed this post and definitely check out these bands, so much talent and if you like in or around Leeds, I implore you to try catch these guys. That's all from me today but I hope you all enjoyed this post, see you soon!<br />
<br />
Holly<br />
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<br />
Talkboy:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/talkboyyy/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Talkboyyy" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/talkboyyy/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXl3zTANfvF9HF5-8D4CTQQ" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
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Peakes:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/peakesmusic/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/peakesmusic" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/peakesmusic/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1JvNO8gLJEMorgNZ1Au0Ng" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
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Caro:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/carotheband/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/carotheband" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/carotheband/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcky6OiKelnVStyV_sYHOWw" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
<br />
Me:<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hollyanniles" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyanniles/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-70638107082468252782018-11-15T13:01:00.000-08:002018-11-15T13:14:15.599-08:00ELECTRIC - TONIGHT ALIVE @ Fibbers, York 10/11/18 | November 2018 UK/EU Tour | Gig ReviewHey gang! It's been long enough, eh? (See the cheeky Canadianism I put there?)<br />
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I know I haven't spoken about it too much on this blog, but to quickly update you all before I dive in to this post, I've just returned home from my year to Canada! What was originally supposed to be just six months of living out in the mountains to experience a real winter, turned into a full year of living in the magical Banff National Park, and a little tour of the west and east coast...sorry to the family and friends I promised I'd be home by May!<br />
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It was undoubtedly the best year of my life; everyday there was something that made me stop and contemplate for a moment how amazing this experience was. I in no way expected my life to take this turn, but I am so, so grateful it did. I might do a post explaining properly my life there and why I decided to move to Canada, as I'm not sure I've really gone into full detail on it, so stayed tuned if you're interested!<br />
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But update over, lets dive headfirst into a review I've been so excited to write for a gig that reignited a much needed fire within me...<br />
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On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to attend the third show on <a href="https://tonightalive.com/" target="_blank">Tonight Alive</a>'s November 2018 UK/EU tour and oh my good God was it an incredible show! I've been struggling to find words powerful enough to properly translate how much of an amazing show they played, and how uplifted I felt as a witness to it. Supporting Tonight Alive on this tour were two artists I hadn't come across before; Bournemouth based quintet, <a href="https://www.wolfculture.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wolf Culture</a>, and metal veteran, <a href="http://www.jamielenman.com/" target="_blank">Jamie Lenman</a>. Before I attempt to relay the details of that evening, let me enlighten those of you who perhaps haven't come across Tonight Alive before...<br />
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I have been a devoted admirer of Tonight Alive for a number of years now; I think I first heard of them about six years ago, and saw them live for the first time at Slam Dunk North in 2013, when they played the debut tracks of their forthcoming, and utterly brilliant album, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-other-side/1220998090" target="_blank">The Other Side</a>. I enjoyed their music prior to the release of this album, but The Other Side was definitely a turning point for me and my love of Tonight Alive. It received glorious reviews and commendations across the alternative rock community, and truly cemented Tonight Alive's position as trailblazers of the genre. Every song on that record is a hit in its own right; the singles they released, such as Lonely Girl and The Ocean, were of course the key tracks the band felt best represented the album, but the remaining songs were just as much poignant and owned the same depth of emotion. Over time it has helped me process so many emotions that I didn't know how to address, their music has been like therapy for me for a long time.<br />
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The process of writing and releasing their next album however, turned out to be demoralising and exhausting chapter for Tonight Alive. Amid personal struggles and clashes with their label concerning their sound, as well as the band's image following its release, their third album <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/limitless/1052921101" target="_blank">Limitless</a> is a snapshot for the band of an unhappy period in their story. They wrote about realising the power of the human spirit but also the oppression they were experiencing. This created a feeling of two extremes within the record; the fierce and resilient side of Tonight Alive, and then some severe lows. While The Other Side was similar in this duality, it felt more connected, whereas Limitless felt a little disorientated. Don't get me wrong, it is still a very good album with some great tracks, but it's sometimes hard to listen to from start to finish because it takes your emotions just about everywhere. Limitless being a difficult album to record, it was then a difficult album to take on the road. The record dealt with pain and frustration, but without healing. After their extensive touring following its release, the band walked away from their label, Sony, and the projections they had for a band that Tonight Alive were never going to be.<br />
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In the months following the Limitless era, Tonight Alive worked through their harshest personal struggles to reclaim their voice. They each battled demons, powered through a creative all time low, and drowned out the voices that were attempting to suffocate their own. This time was especially challenging for their vocalist, Jenna, who struggled deeply with self image, her physical health and the frustration that followed Limitless. Through opening up about her mental health, finding inspiration through the power of spirituality and, as she's often quoted, shaving her head, she found liberation. This was a cathartic journey to rediscover their identity and direction as band, and after only three months of writing, they began production on Underworld.<br />
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Their fourth record, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/underworld/1296339871" target="_blank">Underworld</a> is a collection of songs that dive straight to the heart of their pain, analyses it, and grows stronger from facing their demons head on. It teaches valuable lessons about facing your fears instead of running from them, each one hurts but through it all they remain hopeful. This record flows so organically between tracks, each one tells part of a story as to how Tonight Alive have together reached a higher consciousness and contentment. It has been received delightedly by their fans, they recognised the struggles the band went though with Limitless and now their recovery and bravery in producing Underworld. With the freedom to once again be themselves, Underworld is a true portrayal of Tonight Alive's soul and that is why the fans have responded so well to the record. It is honest, fierce and beautiful, it is Tonight Alive as we have always know them.<br />
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I went into far more depth than I intended to then, but I think it's important to have an understanding of who an artist is and what fuels them to produce the music they do. My love for certain artists lies within their history, how I've matured in the same time they have and within their longevity as artists. So many musicians these days have hit singles but their albums lack any substance and so many don't break enough ground to make it more than a couple of years in the spotlight. On this tour, Tonight Alive are playing a number of acoustic shows to celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band, they are incredibly talented artists and that's why I delved into so much detail. Now you have the context, it's time for the review.<br />
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REVIEW<br />
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WOLF CULTURE<br />
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Already on stage when we arrived were Wolf Culture, a British band who this year released their debut EP, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-devils-plans-for-idle-hands-ep/1361445359" target="_blank">The Devil's Plans for Idle Hands</a>. I'd quickly looked into them before the gig, their sound is solidly pop punk and I was excited to see how well they played live. Their tracks Killing The High Horse and The Side Effects Of Being Happy reminded me a little of early Neck Deep or Mayday Parade; their melodies have that exclusively British, alternative texture to them and their lyrics are wonderfully shady and sassy at times. Being the opening act is never easy, especially if you're an unknown to the audience. Wolf Culture played a great set but didn't get too much of a response from the crowd, which at that point only filled half the room. They did leave an impression on some and I hope that other members of the audience picked up on their talent. I think they'll definitely be one to watch as their sounds is already very polished to say they've only released one EP. I think they did a good job, they just need more a little more confidence and it should evoke more of a reaction from the crowd.<br />
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JAMIE LENMAN<br />
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Next up was Jamie Lenman, who I'm sorry to say was not my cup of tea. His music had much more of a post-hardcore sound with elements of metal, which was a bit too heavy for me. Jamie Lenman was once the frontman of rock trio Rueben, but has since released a number of albums as a solo artist. He had much more of a presence on stage and demanded the attention of the crowd, but that was mainly due to the volume and intensity of his music. He was engaging and rallied the crowd's excitement for Tonight Alive, but at times he came across a little arrogant. I can't deny he had a good voice, I thought his cover of Another One Bites The Dust by Queen was very good, but I can't help that I didn't enjoy his set, it was just not to my taste. He seemed a little of an odd choice as a support artist for a band like Tonight Alive, Wolf Culture made total sense, but I felt Jamie Lenman didn't really suit the overall feeling of the evening.<br />
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TONIGHT ALIVE<br />
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Then it was time for the headline. Stepping out of the dark into the view of a single spot light, Jenna began gently with "<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Never really knew what it meant, </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just always knew that I was different", the opening line of The Other, from </span>Underworld<span style="font-family: inherit;">. All of us in the </span>audience<span style="font-family: inherit;"> were in suspense; captivated, waiting for the kick of the chorus. When it came it light flooded the stage and the crowd were instantly on their feet. It was a </span>promise<span style="font-family: inherit;"> that this </span>show was going to be an epic performance. When the moment came, Jenna removed her jacket to reveal she was sporting one of the tees from the merchandise stand, featuring the lyrics "I will not </span></span>apologise, Or lie for who I am", the final line of the second verse before the band dived straight into the second chorus, Jenna jumping about the stage and the crowd jumping below.</div>
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Off to an incredible start, they followed with some older favourites from their first two albums; What Are You So Scared Of?, Bathwater and Don't Wish which the crowd loved! Don't Wish inspired a shift in the atmosphere, the hardier side of everyone in the audience came out as we sung along to the bulletproof attitude of the song. One of the reasons I love The Other Side so much is the lyrics. They are the most important element in a song for me and Tonight Alive write such passionate and poetic writers that each song hits you where it hurts.<br />
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They paused the set here to tell the crowd that the show was dedicated to them; that it was for our enjoyment and it was their duty to deliver to us an amazing show. Jenna told us they were so grateful for our support, allowing them to do what they do and were so thankful that we had come out to see them. Their appreciation of their fans and the respect and love from the crowd inspired the most beautiful atmosphere throughout the entire show, the connection was so natural. They absolutely followed through on their promise, Jenna and the boys gave their all to every single number and the commitment they demonstrated was next level. They threw their hearts and souls into every moment they were on that stage, it was amazing to witness.<br />
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Jenna was dancing around the stage in every single number with a huge grin on her face, she looked like she was having the time of her life, totally in her element. Singing her heart out she was beyond confident, it was the knowledge that she was destined to create and play music like this.</div>
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I liked the above the shot for the two arms in the foreground on the right. You can't quite make out the words but they both have lyrics from Underworld tattooed on their forearms, with the five sunflower petals from the album cover. A testament as to how significant and inspiring their last album was to their fans.<br />
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They announced they were making a music video from the tour for their beautiful track, For You, also from Underworld. We were told the more we joined in, danced, went crazy, the more likely we would end up in the video, so of course everyone did. Jenna came down to the barrier to be face to face with the crowd, she wanted to feel the connection that had the whole room spellbound. During such a delicate and uplifting song, you could feel the love in the room between the artists on the stage and their supporters below.<br />
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Before they played Say Please, a fantastic and raw track from The Other Side, Jenna recited a powerful poem/mantra that I have desperately tried to find online but have failed to. "My higher self is my only authority" she told us, instructing all of our spirits to rise and live on an elevated level. It's this trope of strength and possibility that resonates in everything Tonight Alive do, and it is such a positive use of the reach they have as musicians, to encourage self belief and motivation in their audience.<br />
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Next came Crack My Heart and Disappear where Jenna invited us all to "bring out your freaky dance moves". She lead the way, cutting loose on stage, her body moving in perfect time to the melody. The entire room was moving, and the atmosphere was electric.<br />
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The show began on such a high, from the get go there was a current that ran through everyone in the room, but at certain points the voltage was increased. The second that the intro to Tonight Alive's most powerful anthem, A World Away, hit the crowds ears, we reached the peak. It was like something else, the whole room was magnetised as we chanted "This is not my punishment, this is my catalyst for growth, I know I will survive this, I'll be the strongest person I know". It was a moment of shared vulnerability and strength, and it was breath taking. A World Away has been one of my favourite songs since the first time I heard it and it remains one of the most empowering songs I know. From A World Away, they kept the feeling of vulnerability on full volume. They hit us with Waves, the only song they played that night from Limitless, one of the more authentic and powerful tracks from a bittersweet album. Its a cathartic song, and as Jenna sang out the final "Getting caught up in your riptide" there was a feeling of release as we gently came down from the A World Away high.<br />
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Coming to the end of their set, they treated us to some more fan favourites from What Are You So Scared Of? and The Other Side. Amelia and Wasting Away separated the original fans from the newcomers and the gutsy track, Lonely Girl, got a huge response.<br />
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They had to finish, of course, with Temple. The first release from Underworld, it was the battle cry that Tonight Alive were ready like never before; they were finally their authentic, unapologetic and untamed selves. The song has such a ferocity and energy to it, the perfect choice to close their set with. Again upholding her promise to deliver the best show she was capable of giving, Jenna came face to face with her fans and then, supported by them, climbed above the crowd and gave all of us in the pit a front row seat for the final track...<br />
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The current reignited during Temple and the whole room was alive again, the connection between Jenna and her audience was explosive. As I sang along to every word I was so thankful I was in that room, I hadn't been to a gig in over a year and they're usually a bimonthly event for me! I ached for that feeling of magnetism you get seeing your heroes play live. Tonight Alive not only satisfied that craving for me, they set my soul on fire. Their performance of Temple was pure fire.<br />
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You probably think I have written this review through rose-tinted glasses, but I'm telling the truth. I adore Tonight Alive, but they truly are doing something incredible right now. If you go and listen to Underworld you'll understand; the way they address and explore depression, love, body image and pain, gives hope to so many.<br />
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At a time where mental health is so topical in popular culture but still not openly discussed enough, it is vital that young people have a way to express feelings that they maybe don't understand or have difficulty talking about. This is especially relevant within the alternative rock community, in the wake of Kyle Pavone's recent passing, and the suicides of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington last year, it's clearly a problem that needs to be faced. Not only have Tonight Alive had the bravery to write about these deeply personal struggles, but they perform these songs every night on tour, continuing the conversation and exploring their pain. The band experience this each night with their fans, many of who are teenagers and young adults, and it allows them to process similar feelings they may be having, and gives them a way to productively confront their anxieties.<br />
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In the spirit of open conversation and transparency, I will confess that over the past two years or so, I have dealt with anxiety and OCD and at points it's been pretty bad. I told a few close friends, but there were times when I wasn't completely honest about the severity of the issue. It's something that has come and gone and thankfully I've got a lot better at dealing with my issues and I'm in a good place now. Tonight Alive's music has been so helpful and remedial for me during this time; the motifs of personal growth and empowerment within their songs have been hugely inspiring for me. Of course that's intrinsic to why I admire them so much, but I don't think you can underestimate how important it is for people who are struggling to have a way to process the fears that are controlling them. Their music is transparent, authentic but most importantly hopeful, that's why people connect to it so strongly.<br />
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Whether you're a fan of alternative rock or not, I would seriously recommend listening to their music. Even if it's not to your taste, you may take something away from it you didn't anticipate. Tonight Alive are now halfway through their tour, if they're playing anywhere near you then I seriously recommend seeing a show. You may still think I'm biased, but ask anyone, they play one hell of a good show.<br />
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Thank you all for reading this post, and if you are struggling with anything then I've attached a link to the mental health charity <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/" target="_blank">Mind</a>, who offer information and support across the UK to anyone who is struggling with their mental health. If you are going through something, please talk to someone. You are not alone and there are people out there that want to and can help you, it is not something that should be swept under the rug. You deserve to live your life to the fullest and your mental health is too important to ignore. Please seek the help you need to get better.<br />
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That's all for today everyone! Thank you for your patience and for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it. If you want to continue the discussion in the comments feel free to do so, I welcome a safe conversation about this topic.<br />
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I'll speak to you all soon.<br />
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Holly<br />
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Tonight Alive<br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tonightaliveofficial/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/TonightAlive" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tonightalive/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgd1OFjJ8ROQfjUu3KQ0XkQ" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
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Wolf Culture<br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/wolfcultureuk/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/WolfCultureUK" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WolfCultureUK/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLznRCuTX8c" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
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Jamie Lenman<br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamielenman/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/jamielenman" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamielenman/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPTjgcyaTbCnWFnX7SsgAvQ" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
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Mind<br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mindcharity/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/MindCharity" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/mindforbettermentalhealth/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
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<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-38153346272625917652018-05-29T12:13:00.000-07:002018-05-29T12:13:00.931-07:00MUSIC REVIEW + INTERVIEW | Wild Front - 'Simmer Down'Hello everyone, it's been a while!<br />
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I have some new music to tell you about today, curtesy of an endearing Southampton four-piece! Get ready for a tune that is going to strike a real cord.<br />
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I haven't said much about it on this blog, for the simple reason that I haven't had the time I'd like to dedicate to fully going into it, but for the past eight months I've living in the beautiful town and National Park of Banff in Canada. To live in a place of such breathtaking, natural beauty is surreal and an absolute dream, but there are downsides to living amongst the isolation of the mountains. Such as a lack of a diverse and energetic music scene, which as you all know, is vital to my functional existence and sanity. It was therefore such a gift when I was contacted a few weeks ago by <a href="http://www.ldcommunications.co.uk/" target="_blank">LD Communications</a> asking me if I'd like to do a little work with a rising band on their roster; the charming boys of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wildfrontuk/" target="_blank">Wild Front</a>.<br />
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As is my rule before agreeing to collaborate with any artist, I had to check them out to see if they were a band I would genuinely listen to and enjoy. I'm happy to say they passed the test! The first song I heard from Wild Front was their spine-tingling single <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8BYBtXyP6k" target="_blank">'Rico'</a>, which intrigued me and coaxed me to delve deeper into their sound. I found their music a little reminiscent to the likes of Amber Run, but original enough to prevent them from disappearing into the unidentifiable blur of the indie rock genre. There's a healthy dose of integrity to their tracks, some solid arrangements and a touch of true sentiment.<br />
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Wild Front have released two EPs until now; their debut, <a href="https://wildfrontuk.bandcamp.com/album/physics" target="_blank">'Physics'</a> in 2017 which propelled them straight into the view of some of the industry's most reputable news sources, such as Radio 1 and NME. Not to mention their being chosen to play Glastonbury's BBC Introducing Stage by none other than co-organiser of the event, Emily Eavis herself, in 2017. At the beginning of the year they also released their EP 'Stripped' which featured five of their favourite tracks in new, acoustic arrangements. I'm happy to say that this was just a prequel to the main event, and that Wild Front have since been back in the studio under the watchful ear of Fred Cox, who has helped them produce their first full album to be released later this year. I don't yet know the date of the release, but to get the ball rolling, I can share with you all Wild Front's new single, taken from the aforementioned album, their cathartic and catchy track; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tohse81dsI" target="_blank">'Simmer Down'</a>.<br />
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REVIEW - Simmer Down<br />
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This track has a flavour we can each of us relate to, and a pretty raw one at that. It's about letting go; the finality of stepping out of a chapter of your life with someone and the brutal reality of having to walk on alone. Opening with a confident guitar riff and beat, Josh's drums mimic the rhythm of your feet hitting the solid ground, almost to say 'this is life, you have to face it'. Then comes in Jack's voice with a presence you cannot ignore, similar to that of the doubt that follows a failed relationship and you in turn. This track is almost a conversation with the voice in the back of your head, the paranoia that tags along uninvited, the baggage you carry with you until that moment when you finally drop it and you're clean and free.<br />
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'Simmer Down' is a sleek and infectious track to empower your stride and start afresh a new mindset that leaves the past in the past. Jack's chorus of "How does it feel to be on your own?" will draw out the resilient side of you, it's not a taunt, it's freedom. As an opening single this bodes well for Wild Front's forthcoming album; it is polished, confident and enticing. The melody is fresh and has a good kick to it, it's a fierce track.<br />
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To be contacted on behalf of Wild Front and asked to write about their music was a gift itself, being granted the opportunity to submit some of my own questions to them was amazing. I was so excited to hear what the boys had to say about their new single, album and all of the incredible milestones they have coming up this year, 2018 is going to be a big one for them!<br />
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INTERVIEW<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: ‘Simmer Down’ has a very cathartic feeling to it, as if you’re letting go of any potential baggage you’re holding on to. What’s the story behind it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A: That’s a pretty apt description of the song to be fair. It’s based around the idea of feeling like the best thing for a relationship is actually to end it and be apart, no matter how much you want to fight the idea. How does it feel to be alone, rather than in a relationship, and is that actually the best outcome. It’s a fairly angst cry in the chorus. I’d say the chorus is more of an introspective discussion rather than an outwards expression.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: What can we expect from the new album? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A: The chilled, summery and driving vibes heard on 'Simmer Down' are certainly a theme that will run throughout the album. We have a few different aspects to our sound, so the album will be a real mix of that. Expect a bit of chilled ambience, a fair few bouncy, foot tappers and a few tracks with a slightly darker, rockier edge! Don’t want to give too much away…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: What was the writing process and production like for you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A: </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A lot of the writing starts with the four of us sitting in our rehearsal space in Joe’s (guitarist) garden and spending a little bit of time jamming on some ideas until something more solid appears. That will then be taken away and vocal lines and lyrics will be added. It sometimes happens in the reverse way, but that’s definitely been a common process for this bunch of tracks. We’ve been working with Fred Cox in his studio to produce the tracks, and he’s been such a gem to work with. We’re usually fairly set on how we want the tracks to sound when we go in with him but he’s been such a welcome addition in the process and has really understood how to take our ideas and let them flourish. He’s also hilarious, which really helps!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: What does the rest of your year look like after the release of the album?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A: </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">We’re going to be releasing a track from the album every two months up until May next year, to give every track a real chance to be heard. As a band nowadays, streaming is such a key aspect of trying to get your music out there, so we don’t want to waste any chance to get the tracks heard! We’ve got lots of festivals lined up, and then we’re off on a headline tour in October, playing Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds, London, Brighton and then our biggest ever hometown show in Southampton which we are massively excited about! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: What does playing the main stage of the Isle of Wight Festival mean to you guys?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A: It is a huge honour for us. Growing up in Southampton, Isle of Wight Festival has always been the local big festival; it’s so mad that we’ve been given an opportunity as huge as that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Q: There’s a lot of hype around you guys at the moment, with all the festivals you’re playing and from BBC Introducing. Where do you hope this will take you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A: We’ve always been part of different music projects in Southampton growing up, and we’re so overwhelmed by all the support we’ve got over the last few years. We just love playing and performing, and just hope that we get the chance for our music to be heard by more people and play to more and more people. It’s always nice to communicate to people through your own music and we just hope that will continue!</span></div>
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I'm anticipating great things from these boys this year, there's already such a maturity and identity to their music that I'm sure all of the experiences they have in store this year will foster and encourage. They are so deserving of the opportunities they have and the hype that's been stirred around them, as someone who really appreciates good lyrics, I think the stories they tell will surely connect a lot of people, which is what music is all about.<br />
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I hope you all enjoy 'Simmer Down' and are now waiting in eager anticipation, as am I, for their upcoming album. As I mentioned, Wild Front will be playing at festivals all over the country this year and if you're nearby I'd definitely check out their tour, I really wish I was home to see it! I'd like to say thank you again to Wild Front for involving me in this. I wish them the best of luck with all everything they have planned for this year and here's to this leg of their journey, may it be take them further still!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you all soon.<br />
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Holly<br />
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Follow Wild Front:<br />
<a href="https://wildfrontuk.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Band Camp</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Jackwmusic" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/wild_front?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/wildfrontuk/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/wildfrontuk/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
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Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-31628832686901273222018-02-23T20:48:00.000-08:002018-02-23T20:48:44.376-08:00MUSIC REVIEW | Neon Waltz - Bring Me To Light EPHello and Happy 2018 to all you lovely people!<br />
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Today I'm breaking the radio silence with a burst of novel, British rock music from Scottish sextet <a href="https://www.neonwaltz.com/" target="_blank">Neon Waltz</a>, who will leave a whisper of promise in your ears; this is going to be a good ride.</div>
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A few weeks ago, I was contacted by <a href="http://www.ignition.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ignition Management </a>asking if I could attend the first show of Neon Waltz's UK Tour, (which is now well under way and worth checking out if you're around), in my beloved Newcastle Upon Tyne. Unfortunately, that would be a bit of long commute from the Canadian Rockies where I'm currently residing, so I replied with regret but an interest of working with Neon Waltz on any future projects I could. </div>
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Luckily, the boys were quietly anticipating the release of their new EP - 'Bring Me To Light', which was released today, Friday the 23rd of February, which they kindly granted me early access to. Sufficient to say, I was pretty excited about it. </div>
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Hailing from the remote but beautiful John O'Groats, its astounding to find a band with such an original identity. With a sound reminiscent of their Britpop forefathers, but contemporary and more romantic in sentiment, they're a perfect fit for Ignition Records who I'm sure will nurture them perfectly as they mature and create. It took one listen of 'Dreamers' from their debut album 'Strange Hymns', which they released last August, for me to know that this sapling would bloom into a cool, polished and compelling sound. </div>
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Introductions over, lets get to the review of their newest release; 'Bring Me To Light'.<br />
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REVIEW</div>
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I'm really impressed with this EP, I think Neon Waltz have turned their humble philosophies into an honest poetry paired with some really interesting musical compositions. 'Bring Me To Light' reflects a story of growing up and moving on; exploring all of the emotions that come with that process, the end of one thing and beginning of another. They have been blessed with the honesty of vision and sentimental touch that is innate to some of the most adored of British rock bands, its a wonderful indication of what they're capable of achieving this year. This EP is really exciting and a clear message from Neon Waltz; this is who we are and you should be ready. </div>
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Track By Track:</div>
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Bring Me To Light</div>
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A strong opening to the EP; the boys waste no time in telling you that they're ready to leave the familiar and jump into the fog. The title track has a real 'coming of age' feel to it which sets the narrative for the rest of the EP. Its independence, freedom and confidence; the exquisite excitement of the adventure you've been dreaming of that has finally arrived. The melody holds an integrity others within this category lack, its not one that you'd hear opening a soul-searching indie film, instead the beat quietly motivates the listener while Jordan's endearing vocals float above you. I think this would be a great song to hear live, it has an energy that while you're stood in that crowd, it wakes up that life inside of you that can only be accessed through live music. </div>
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Watch It Fade</div>
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This track has a lovely but modest composition, perfectly telling the story that comes with a lack of direction and indecision. It's a plea to a friend, to fight for the sake of yourself and to step into the ring. It's a song of encouragement; the melody stirring in you the determination to get out of your slump. The middle eighth is filled, similarly to Bring Me To Light, with a beautiful guitar instrumental which builds end of the track to a climax, encouraging you and the embers of hope inside your chest.</div>
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Schoolhouse</div>
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Liam's keyboard is the star of the show in this one. The simple but rhythmic notes set the tone beautifully for the farewell to those childhood illusions that we all eventually wake up from. The narrative of this EP is one of coming into our own, and as we grow up we realise not everything works out as picturesque as we imagine when we're young. This track is perfectly titled; the lyrics reflecting the humility and intimacy of our romanticised childhoods and what we must do to move on. The elements of this track are simple and delicate, but as they should be to tell a tale of tragedy. </div>
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Enlightened By A Fall</div>
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I love this final track. Only 1 minute and 22 seconds long, its a humble little lullaby which I think really gives the EP a unique and poignant mark. Jordan's four lines of vocals give it a touch very close to poetry, rounding off the EP very gently and peacefully. Its simply quite beautiful and I love it.</div>
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'Bring Me To Light' was released today and I'd seriously recommend it. I've really enjoyed listening to it on repeat while writing this post and I'm intrigued to see what's next for Neon Waltz. I love being in Canada but I miss the British music scene, we are truly blessed with some incredible artists, events and venues. I really wish I could have seen Neon Waltz play Think Tank in Newcastle as I've had some great nights there and I'm really interested to see how they'd play live. I hope everyone who attended had an incredible night and I wish Neon Waltz the best of luck with the rest of their tour and with the release of their new EP. I'm definitely going to be keeping a close eye on these guys.</div>
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Thank you to everyone for reading and thank you to Ignition Management for getting me involved. I hope you are all keeping well and here's to an exciting year for Neon Waltz and British music.</div>
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See you next time,</div>
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Holly</div>
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Follow Neon Waltz:</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NeonWaltzVEVO" target="_blank">Youtube</a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/neonwaltz" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/neonwaltz/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/neonwaltz/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div>
Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-29943583479788833342017-08-16T06:21:00.001-07:002017-08-16T06:22:50.177-07:00MUSIC REVIEW + INTERVIEW | Tom Forest - Believer<div>
Hello everyone! </div>
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A bit of a break from my travelling spam today, instead an inspiring story, philosophy and fresh music from a captivating new artist...<br />
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A few weeks ago, I was approached by London-based PR agency <a href="http://lucidonline.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lucid Online</a>, asking my thoughts on the latest single from one of the artists they represent. As with all of the music I have reviewed and written about on A Romantic Calamity, I will only agree to work with an artist if I believe in and enjoy their music, this one was definitely a yes!<br />
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So today I have the great pleasure of introducing to you all Tom Forest and his faith-assuring new single 'Believer'. Somehow I've been lucky enough to not only be asked to review Tom's brilliant new single, but also been granted the opportunity to ask him a few questions. So you're all in for a treat!<br />
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Tom Forest has lovely ability to ease and elevate mood with his languid melodies and rich vocals, each song portraying an honest and sincere story, often of the purer things in life. From what I've learnt of Tom and his view on life through the research for this post, he has such a deep appreciation of the things that really matter; family, friends and working hard for your dream. He seems to have figured out how to be happy, with the love of the people around him and doing something he loves, even if its not been easy to get there. His songs have a real transparency and honesty to them, speaking of how beautiful and simple life can and should be.<br />
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Starting at the beginning; the single. This is Tom's second single to be released from his upcoming, debut album 'Hope' and tells of a feeling we've all undoubtedly experienced at times.<br />
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REVIEW - 'Believer'<br />
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This is a song that stirs the quietest parts of your soul, the modest but ever present parts of us that keep us moving even when we feel like we're losing more battles than we're winning. The things we want the most are always worth pursuing, even if the struggle makes us lose sight of what we're working towards. This is a song for moments like that; when faith flickers and the clouds seem to mirror the doubt inside us, but despite these feelings we continue to move forward.<br />
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'Believer' is a soul-sooting track that refills us with faith, in ourselves and our dreams. It's the restorative cup of steaming tea at the end of a hopeless day, its the feeling of someone unburdening your shoulders of their uncomfortable weight, the belief in the voice of your loved ones when they tell you you're going to achieve everything you set out to.<br />
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The track has such a tangible feeling to it, put your headphones in and let Tom's smooth voice drown out the rest of the world while he reassures you of yourself. With a guitar riff that simmers underneath the lyrics like your heart beats under your chest, it will fill you with grace and quiet confidence. The transcending layers of vocals throughout the track mirror the depth of belief in those closest to Tom who helped him through his own feeling of struggle that inspired the song. Through their faith in him, he found his faith in his dream again.<br />
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We all need that now and again, the embrace of a family member or the voice of a friend to let you know that whatever happens they'll be there and you will be ok. 'Believer' is the song to bring you back to solid ground, the raw but ethereal melody reminding you to close your eyes and take a deep breath. 'Believer' is a song to relieve the tension in your body and your mind; it is a humble anthem for anyone in need of solace and respite.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6BCawPFueg&t=3s" target="_blank">Click here</a> to watch the video to Tom Forest's 'Believer'.<br />
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I hope you all like the track as much as I do, after hearing it I had a few questions for Tom Forest which he kindly answered and completely affirmed my belief in his lovely outlook on life.<br />
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INTERVIEW - Tom Forest<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="">HI: The context of ‘Believer’ is a feeling we can all relate to; losing faith and momentum with our goals. What mindset did you have when you wrote it? Was it written retrospectively having overcome this feeling? Or did you write it from the perspective of someone who was helping you through this time?</span><b class=""><br class="" /></b>TG: I'm a father, have a day job, and work on music every spare hour between those things, so there is constant tension between those elements of my life; the reality and the dreams. My writing partner, Isabel and I have needed this song on and off a lot. I don't think you ever fully overcome that feeling of needing faith from outside. At the time we wrote it those were the things she was saying to me to pull me through.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br class="" /><span class="">HI: ‘Believer’ is a song that holds a lot of love in lyrics, would you say it's a way for you to repay those that supported you in the making of your album?</span><b class=""><br class="" /></b>TG: Exactly. We had one month to make the record, and no real budget. Everyone who played on the record did it out of love. Our parents took over childcare duties so we could work 24/7 to get it done. Everyone got behind us in a way that was overwhelming and humbling. I sang the lead vocal for this song with my dad looking after my baby daughter a few feet away. Most of the album vocals were recorded at home late at night with a long-suffering family member on the sofa nearby.<br class="" />The video for Believer features as many friends and family as could make the filming, the video is a visual thank you, we wanted to make portraits of them to treasure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class=""><br class="" /></span><span class="">HI: When the song premiered on The Line Of Best Fit, you said on Twitter: “we wrote this album..” who are you referring to there?</span><b class=""><br class="" /></b>TG: One of the songs on the album I wrote alone, to Isabel and our daughter, and Monster was written with Isabel and our drummer, the enormously talented Simeon Rodgers. Everything else is Isabel and me. The way we collaborate on a song is never the same. Some are both of us around a piano, some she's more of an editor. She engineered, mixed and produced the album. Because I'm the singer, the songs usually come from my perspective.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br class="" /><span class="">HI: Who or what inspires the stories your songs tell?</span><b class=""><br class="" /></b>TG: A few years ago my brother got really ill and we nearly lost him. It was an intense experience (especially for him!) and I had to write about it to process it. Those songs were the start of the album, and as life began to recover we continued to write in a biographical way. I never thought anyone, let alone our family, would hear these lyrics. The songs say things what I wasn't able to express in any other way to the people around us.</span><br />
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<span class="" style="font-family: inherit;">HI: What was the production process like for your album?</span><b class="" style="font-family: inherit;"> </b></div>
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TG: Isabel wrote a strict schedule and we weren't allowed to mess about! (See below!)</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br class="" />All the songs were written in a rehearsal room, just voice and one instrument, usually guitar, and I would always dial up a huge reverb, to try and fill the space right up with those two elements, so from writing there was this sense of a big church-like space, and keeping it simple.<br />We recorded those two elements at home and then programmed drums to find a groove. The drums were recorded in one day at RAK Studios, then Mary Cadbury came and played bass for a couple of hours. She has such unique touch, Isabel didn't edit those drums and bass at all. Mary and her sister Lucy, and Conway (Ellis) and Shonet (Zabrina Hockley) would come round to our flat, we'd blast the song at them and they just stood in front of the speakers with a live mic, singing away. The label suggested strings on four tracks and Sally Herbert made the most amazing arrangements. Mandy Parnell mastered it. She's incredible. The whole way through we had a great relationship with the label who let us get on with it, but made suggestions when we needed them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="">HI: Your debut album is titled ‘Hope’, a feeling which is clearly expressed in ‘Believer’. Are there any other themes that feature within it?</span><b class=""><br class="" /></b>TG: Its an album of two halves. The earliest songs are about loss. 'You Have A Father' is to my nephew at the point that we thought we might lose his dad. 'Brother' is about that again, but also about Isabel's brother's death when she was younger. Ultimately though, we found each other, we built a home and had a child, and thats the rest of the record, and why we called it Hope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="">HI: The artwork you’ve realised so far to accompany the tracks all feature you and your partner Isabel beneath water, what inspired that imagery?</span><br class="" />TG: We had just written a song called Superhuman about working till you get sick, till you burn out, to the point that its really serious. Both Isabel and I have history with that. We knew we were going somewhere with clear water and I kept thinking about a man in a business suit underwater, never reaching the surface. The images are stills from video shot on a go-pro- aside from that we had no specialist equipment, diving gear or way to monitor the images… just faith it would work!<br class="" />We were just experimenting when I got the shot of Isabel in the water. The crazy thing is that she was two weeks pregnant at the time, we had no idea. In that photo I'm holding the camera, she's in the water, and our daughter is there too, so that image is the turning point of the record. The album sleeve is me diving into the water, which feels like the total immersion we had in finishing the album and showing it to people - terrifying, but also exhilarating.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We've done all our artwork ourselves so far. The visual element, the underwater photos and video stills are so important to get across what this project is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">HI: How long has music been a dream for you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">TG: When I was a kid I desperately wanted an electric guitar and my dad built me a toy one cut out of a piece of wood to pretend with. Real guitars became mythical objects to me. If I don't make music I'm not me. I think Isabel feels the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="">HI: What musical influences do you have?</span><br class="" />TG: Hendrix, Buckley, Bjork, Sufjan Stevens and Portishead are really important to me, but in the time we were writing and recording this album we listened to Motown constantly. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 was in heavy rotation. We also love the new Denai Moore album, which was produced by a friend of ours, Steph Marziano, and the Sampha album is beautiful. Isabel has worked with Adele and Sam Smith and I think she's absorbed a little of that too.</span><br />
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I think the thing I love the most about Tom's story is his and Isabel's determination to see this album through, and how successfully independent it is. It's a beautiful story proving dreams can be achieved if you have a vision that everyone else can believe in too and you're willing to work for it. The gratitude they have for everyone who helped them make the record is unparalleled and it's such a lovely thing to see, modesty and humility are few and far between these days.<br />
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I wish Tom the sincerest best of luck with his album, if it's anything like what I've already heard it'll be a wonderfully rounded album that uplifts, moves and delights the listener. Tom's debut album 'Hope' is on its way, but if you'd like to hear more of his music before then I've linked to all of Tom's social media at the end of this post, including his Soundcloud, where you can find some more of his tracks.<br />
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I hope you all enjoyed this post and Tom Forest. Next time they'll be more of mine and Victoria's adventures in Europe; our third destination that was Lake Bled, Slovenia. As always thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer!<br />
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Holly<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tom Forest:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TomForestMusic/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://twitter.com/tomforestmusic" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvEvDZbjSHuvP9kQlt3p2eA" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/tomforestmusic" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a><br />
<a href="http://lucidonline.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lucid Online</a><br />
<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-20241918541989144352017-08-03T13:51:00.000-07:002018-02-20T14:00:50.899-08:00'This Is Going To Sound Crazy But...' | Ljubljana Of My LifeHello everyone!<br />
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(P.S. from Holly who's just finished writing this; it's rather long, worth it, but long. You've been warned.)<br />
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Ok so who let August happen? Hmm?? This summer is disappearing a little too quickly for my liking...it's now only a few weeks till Sophie and I head off to Canada! It's all becoming incredibly real at the moment.<br />
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Today's post however, looks not at my adventure to come, but my last. If you read my last blog post then you'll know that in June I went travelling with my darling cousin, Victoria, around the Adriatic. We had the most beautiful trip and I loved every second of it.<br />
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We saw far too much and made too many memories for me to possibly fit them all in one post, so instead I'm splitting them up by destinations. I've already documented the first leg of that journey which we spent in Croatia, so if you'd like to read that one to get a little more context, <a href="https://aromanticcalamity.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/this-is-going-to-sound-crazy-but-day.html" target="_blank">click here.</a> This is the second instalment of our Adriatic tetralogy, and so naturally comprises of the second leg of that trip, which took place in Slovenia's bewitching capitol, Ljubljana.<br />
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Prior to this holiday, I knew next to nothing about Slovenia. Mine and Victoria's cousin, Sarah, had visited the country a few years ago to attend a friend's wedding at Lake Bled, (which was to be our third destination), and had said it was beautiful, but other than that I'm ashamed to say I was rather ignorant of the country.<br />
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I am happy to say that now having visited Slovenia, it is one of my favourite places in the world. I was completely besotted with Ljubljana and Lake Bled was just surreal in its beauty. Slovenia is such a forward thinking country in terms of sustainability, technology, equality and culture that I was quite taken aback at how modern it felt. The people are so proud to be Slovenian and so content, they were modest and above all kind. I know we only saw a fraction of the country, but both the city and the countryside felt like a fairytale, it was so serene. Victoria and I both felt so peaceful and yet energetic while we were exploring Ljubljana and Bled, I think Slovenia and it's people have an innate appreciation of life which really rubbed off on us both. We had an evening and two full days in Ljubljana, it was my favourite place we visited on the trip and it has undoubtedly become my favourite city in Europe; I completely fell in love with it, (hence the title of this post).<br />
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In the weeks before we went away, I researched each of our destinations and wrote down all the things I thought Victoria and I might want to do and see (and eat) whilst we were there. Even in the time before our holiday begun, I was already being drawn to Ljubljana; I scribbled down page after page of information about Ljubljana and the things I wanted to see, examples of architecture, history and 21st century culture. I couldn't wait to visit the source of my new found fascination.<br />
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We arrived in Ljubljana at about half seven on a Thursday evening, having travelled five hours by bus from Pula. We took our bags straight to the hostel which Victoria had booked a small apartment with, quickly spruced ourselves up and headed out for some much anticipated dinner.<br />
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We left the apartment to find that it was only about 200 yards away from one of the most famous attractions I had wanted to see since doing my research, The Dragon Bridge. Constructed between 1900 and 1901, the bridge is named so because it is adorned with four fierce looking dragons, one on each corner of the structure. The dragon is the symbol of the city following a legend that before the city was founded, a dragon lived upon the hilltop which for the past 900 years has been the site of Ljubljana Castle.<br />
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(These pictures were obviously not taken that evening but instead the following morning.)</div>
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On a high of excitement thinking what the next few days would have in store, Victoria and I wandered through the streets in search of food, our direction guided by hearty noise and lights. We soon found ourselves however in the main square of the city, Prešernov Trg, and the iconic Triple Bridge which connects the square to the parallel side of the city over the Ljubljanica river. We crossed the river via the central bridge and did not have to walk far before finding a restaurant that took our fancy.<br />
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Cafes, bars and restaurants border the river on both of its banks with waterside views in their hundreds. We chose a restaurant called Zlata Ribica for its stylish, bright exterior, waterside tables and it's wide menu of local Slovenian dishes. In my research I had found that Slovenia is a country that loves it's food and farming is a big part of Slovenia's culture and industry. Due to the varying Alpine landscape and the influence of their continental neighbours, each region has its own speciality dishes; for example the Karst region is famous for it's Pršut, an air-cured ham, and Idrija in the west for a pasta dish called Žlikrofi. Slovenia's red and white wines are growing in reputation as well which hardly seems surprising given the country's geography.<br />
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This was easily one of the best meals of the holiday. The food was fresh and lovingly made as well as flavourful and beautifully presented. The waiting staff at Zlata Ribica were also very kind hosts and more than happy to recommend dishes and advise on flavour. Victoria and I ordered a jug of local white wine which was light and dangerously easy to drink, whilst we chose our mains. Victoria had the Slovenian beef goulash with gnocchi, (I think I've remembered that right) and I opted for fried chicken and ham schnitzel and a side of grilled Mediterranean vegetables. As with most of the meals so far that holiday, we swapped forks and sampled each others choices and found our meals to be equally as delicious as the other.<br />
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(These two images were taken on my iPhone, I'm sorry the quality's crap!)<br />
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Another motive for choosing Zlata Ribica was for the presence of a certain dessert on their menu. In my research I had found pictures Slovenia's most famous dessert, a layer cake from the easternmost region of Prekmurje, called gibanica. The cake consists of a shortbread base, with strudel pastry separating four different layers of fillings, usually poppy seeds, sweet cheeses and curds, walnuts and apples. We asked our waiter for the correct pronunciation as to not make fools of ourselves for the next week we would be in Slovenia, and he recommended that we share one as its very sweet.<br />
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When he brought it out to us only a few minutes later, we were thankful we took his advice! It's incredibly sweet as you'd expect, but still very, very good. The apples were complimented by the walnuts and poppy seeds whilst the cream and curds balance against the pastry and shortbread. I don't think I could have finished one by myself as I imagine a whole slice would be very heavy and we'd already had a hearty meal. We had such a lovely evening and meal at Zlata Ribica with a lovely view of the river that we were tempted more than once to go back again over the course of the next two days.<br />
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The next morning we got up early and crossed the Dragon Bridge to the other side of the river to visit the Central Market. The market had come up in my research as it is a daily ritual for produce sellers and Ljubljana locals. It takes place in the Vodnikov Trg and Pegačarnev Trg alongside the Ljubljanica river and is open 6am-6pm on weekdays and 6am-4pm on Saturdays. A wide range of produce can be found at the market including fresh Slovenian fruits and vegetables, dry-cured meats, flowers, fresh bread, biscuits, pastries and baked goods, cheese, fruit, nuts and oils. We wandered through the umbrellaed stalls and watched as the locals and the sellers carried out their business as they do everyday.<br />
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Opposite the central market and overlooking the river is 'Plečnik's Covered Market' which is a permanent market/shop front that again is open daily selling fresh, local produce. The shopfront here was named so after the architect who designed it, Jože Plečnik, who I'll talk more of later. We decided to stop here for breakfast at a bakery called Pekarna Pečjak which is located in one of the permanent shops in Plečnik's Market. We bought coffees and jam-filled pastries for less than two euros each and sat at one of their tables just outside the bakery watching the world go by.<br />
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'Plečnik's Covered Market'<br />
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As we sat sipping our coffees in the sunshine, we noticed that just by us a street food market was also taking place that day. It took me far too long to put two and two together and realise that it was a Friday and the stalls we could see and smell where actually all part of 'Odprta Kuhna', which in English means 'Open Kitchen'. This was another famous event I had come across in my research and takes place every Friday between 10am and 9pm, offering a huge selection of worldwide cuisines from local businesses and street food vendors. It was certainly very busy when we passed through later in the day, we'd planned to pick up a mid afternoon snack but decided it was far too hot to eat so instead we purchased some amazing smoothies from Green Republic's stall.<br />
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From here we headed back to the central square, Prešernov Trg, where we planned to join a walking tour of the city at 11 o'clock. We arrived a little early to soak in the scenery and people watch. The square sits right in the heart of the city, and is home to one of its most famous statues; the Prešeren Monument. The monument features a statue of Slovenia's national poet, France Prešeren with the muse of poetry holding a sprig of laurel above his head. It is also the location of the afore mentioned, iconic Triple Bridge, which is exactly what it says on the tin; three bridges that cross the Ljubljanica river. Before the whole area along the side of the river was pedestrianised, there was a valid reason to have three bridges, (one for cars and two for pedestrians) right next to each other, whereas now the whole thing seems a little eccentric, although it does look rather beautiful.</div>
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Ljubljana Castle over looking the city.<br />
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The Triple Bridge.<br />
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'Plečnik's Covered Market'<br />
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The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation.<br />
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The Prešeren Monument.<br />
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This was, I think, an art installation in the middle of Prešernov Trg which featured a range of small sprinklers suspended on wires high above the square and created an area of artificial rainfall all day long. It provided much confusion and joy for little children as they walked through the "rain" and to us tourists a wonderful burst of cool against the heat of the day. </div>
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Just before 11 we joined the large crowd forming outside of The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation where our walking tour was to begin. The company who provided the tour was called The Ljubljana Free Tour and is part of United Europe Free Tours, we found information about them through a leaflet at our hostel. We didn't need to book in advance, only turn up and sign our names on a clipboard so it was very hassle free. There was a rather large turnout that day so they split us into three groups of about 25 people. Our guide was called Janez who was a historian and had taught at the university of Ljubljana for seven years. He was very funny and gave us all so much information about the city and Slovenia's history, including some context about the former Yugoslavia and communist rule. </div>
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We begun in the square and he told us about the buildings and sights around us which I've already mentioned, and then lead us down the river explaining the artwork featured at each of the bridges that cross the Ljubljanica and when they were built. He lead us back to the Central Market and told us about the food and heritage of the tradition as well as how the the city was working to reduce its waste as Ljubljana has been awarded 'Europe's Green Capitol' for its work on sustainable development.</div>
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Next Janez took us to Ljubljana's cathedral; St Nicholas' Church. He explained the symbolism of the design on the west door of the church which depicts the complete history of Christianity in Slovenia. He also told us that if you rub the nose of one of the faces in the bottom right hand corner of the door it is supposed to keep you safe. In fact so many people have taken part in this superstition, that despite the door being made of bronze the nose has now turned gold. </div>
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We walked the short distance from the cathedral to the Town Hall and the Robba Fountain: The Fountain of Three Carniolan Rivers. The fountain depicts three river gods, one for each of the Carniolan Rivers: the Sava, the Ljubljanica and the Krka. </div>
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The Robba Fountain, designed by Francesca Robba, 1751.</div>
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Ljubljana Town Hall, as we were sat on the steps listening to Janez explain a little about the politics and future of Ljubljana, the mayor and his wife were leaving the Town Hall and came over to say hello.</div>
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We continued walking one street parallel to the river and marvelled at the quaint beauty of the city. The buildings were irregular and baroque in their style, each a different faded, pastel in colour. Many of them were shops or restaurants on their ground level and Victoria and I took note of a few we wished to come back to and investigate. What struck us most was how clean and pristine the city looked, I started comparing it to Duloc from Shrek because the modest, but slightly gothic, architecture of these buildings felt like a fairytale. </div>
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We crossed the river again and Janez took us to see the library of the University of Ljubljana, designed by the famous architect, Jože Plečnik. The city has sometimes been nicknamed 'Plečnik's Ljubljana' because his work defines so much of the city's aesthetic identity. He was Slovenian born and had many triumphs in Vienna and Prague before returning to Ljubljana in the 1920s and transforming the city to its current splendour. He was devoted to his work and put a lot of meaning into the smallest details of his work; for example, the windows of the university library do not lie flat but instead are in the shape of an open book to reflect the pursuit of knowledge of university students. Plečnik's also designed the two side bridges of the Triple Bridge, as well as the covered market, and did a lot of renovation work around the city's bridges and churches.<br />
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The University of Ljubljana Library, designed by Jože Plečnik. It is supposed to look like something from Harry Potter on the inside!<br />
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Ljubljana University.<br />
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The Slovenian Philharmonic.</div>
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We finished the tour in Kongresni Trg, just a two minute walk from where we began it in Prešernov Trg. Ljubljana is very compact city and so it's perfect for a weekend city break as you don't have to walk miles or pay for public transport to see everything. Janez gave us a final roundup on Ljubljana, telling us about the university and a little more about the politics and future of Slovenia. As the name 'The Ljubljana Free Tour' suggests, the tour was free but donations are welcome to help support volunteers like Janez who provide the tours and allow them to share their city with visitors. I'd highly recommend the tour, it took about an hour and a half in total and we saw nearly every sight on the list I'd complied and more that I had missed in my research. If you're in Ljubljana for a few days then its a means to quickly engulf yourself in the culture and learn about the short but beautiful history of Slovenia.</div>
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We spent the rest of the day wandering round the city, revisiting places we'd passed and monuments we wanted to see again. That afternoon the heavens opened in a Noah-like downpour which was so torrential it was comical. My umbrella did little to save Victoria and I from getting drenched and so we spent a little while standing under doorways and visiting churches and shops to escape the rain outside.<br />
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We stumbled across many beautiful independent shops selling Etsy-like interior items, fashion and artwork. There was one in particular we fell completely in love with called 'The Gud Shop' which sold geometric prints, illustrated notebooks and beautiful mugs and crockery. We couldn't have found a more Pinterest-worthy shop if we'd tried and we both could have easily bought the entire place. We decided we'd head back to the room a little earlier than usual to have a little rest then when the rain had subsided got dressed up and headed back out to dinner. We ate this time at a restaurant called Paninoteka where we again enjoyed good food, waterside views and a lovely atmosphere.<br />
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The next morning we went back to the market for breakfast and fuelled ourselves up on more pastry in preparation for the steep walk up to Ljubljana Castle. There are many trails that lead up to the castle, we found one leading up the hill just behind Vodnikov Trg where the Central Market is situated. The ascent took us about ten minutes, I think, as even for 9.30am it was already pretty hot.<br />
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Once we reached the walls of the castle, we were confronted with a pretty beautiful view of Ljubljana.<br />
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We paid our admission to the castle including the audio guide, and walked through an archway into a beautiful courtyard. We picked up our audio guides and spent the morning exploring the castle's various parts including the dungeon, chapel, armoury and towers, Ljubljana Grad (Slovenian for 'castle') also has a number of permanent and temporary exhibitions as well as restaurants and shops. The castle, again, looks very modern in the way they've turned it into a museum and exhibition space. The lower floors of the castle, under the courtyard and next to the dungeons, have been converted into conference rooms and there was a beautiful art gallery space there as well.<br />
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Our tickets allowed us access into all of the exhibits and museums, including the 'Plečnik Above The City' exhibit. The temporary exhibition was created to mark the 60th anniversary of his death and lasts until the 1st of October. It celebrates his work on the city's architectural identity and features his plans to restore and transform Ljubljana castle into first a cultural space, and secondly his dream of it hosting the Slovenian Parliament (these plans were never followed through but none the less are very impressive).<br />
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Our tickets also granted us access into the Slovenian Puppet Museum which must have been one of the highlights of the trip for Victoria and I. We spent about an hour in the museum even though you definitely could have done it ten minutes, but the puppets provided us with such a bizarre fascination we lost track of time! They were, without a doubt, some of the creepiest things I've ever seen which made them hilarious to the both of us. The museum is interactive and located up in the rafters of the castle in two rather dark rooms. We were the only ones there at the time which meant we could take our time sitting in the musical chairs that played you soundtracks from popular puppet films, watching puppet films that range from the 1950s to present day and playing with the shadow screens. It was honestly just such a bizarre and surreal exhibit that when we left and walked back out into broad daylight we felt like we'd forgotten the rest of the world was still there. I don't know how to describe it succinctly or truly but I don't think we stopped laughing all the while we were there. It was just very odd.<br />
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The courtyard.<br />
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Lower levels and event space.<br />
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The chapel.<br />
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I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of the exhibits because some did not permit photography and others were too dark for photographs.<br />
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Last on our castle tour was the tower. The staircase of the tower consists of two red, metal staircases that are intertwined, spiralling up and down in perfect symmetry. We climbed the ascending stairs to the top and were confronted with a view that easily outshone the one we had seen below the battlements...<br />
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We left the castle around lunch time and headed back into the city; there was one place left on our list of must-sees and one that Victoria had been waiting months to visit. Prior to this trip she had read a blog called '24 Hours In Ljubljana' and seen a beautiful rooftop bar on the top floor of one of Ljubljana's tallest buildings, Nebotičnik, which is Slovenian for 'skyscraper'. At the time of it's construction in 1933, it was the 9th tallest building in Europe and has since been home to residential flats, shops and business offices. It is popular amongst locals and tourists for its romantic roof terrace and stunning views. We stopped there for a drink and lunch, even though it was a little pricey, I'd pay for that view any day!<br />
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After lunch the afternoon was gorgeous and clear so we walked ten minutes from Nebotičnik to Tivoli Park, Ljubljana's biggest park stretching nearly 5 square km and apparently a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon. We took our books and enjoyed an hour sat on the grass soaking up the sun.<br />
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We began to feel like we were cooking so headed back into town for ice cream and a final wander around what was firmly our new favourite European city.<br />
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The National Gallery of Slovenia.<br />
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The Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre.<br />
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For our final evening in Ljubljana we went out to diner at another restaurant along the river bank which served traditional Slovenian dishes. We fell slave to our stomachs and were tempted by the risotto with prosciutto, asparagus, tomatoes and mozzarella, it was divine. We finished the evening by going for drinks in one of the bars below the street level, right on the banks of the river where we enjoyed cocktails and nutella and caramel pancakes for dessert! </div>
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I did not anticipate this post was going to be so long, I am so sorry! As is blatantly obvious, Victoria and I adored Ljubljana, it truly is an incredible city and I've struggled to shut up when telling people about it since. I think the reason I loved it so much was how much fun we had there; it gave me the same sort of feeling I get when I think back to university and how alive and free I felt in Newcastle. They are quite similar in some senses; both huge university towns that cater very much for young people with great bars all through the city, there are some of my favourite restaurants in the world in Newcastle and the food was insanely good in Ljubljana as well, they are also quite green cities with large parks in the centre of the city and they both have such friendly people with a really strong identity. I think every evening in Ljubljana when Victoria and I went out for dinner and drinks, we felt that we had such an electric mood which seemed to make every moment glow. I wish I could find the words to articulate it, but in Ljubljana we felt freedom, and that feeling is rarer than it ought to be.<br />
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Again I'm sorry this was such a long post but I hope you enjoyed reading it, I couldn't recommend Slovenia enough to anyone; it is a stunning, fairytale-like country where the people are kind, considerate and fun. For a capitol city, Ljubljana didn't feel expensive but it has so much to offer, I want to go back tomorrow. Our next destination was Lake Bled, an hour and a half's drive north from Ljubljana, pictures and stories coming soon!<br />
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I hope you're all enjoying the summer so far and make the most of what's left of it. If you're travelling, just soak everything in, you never know what may inspire you or change your mood for the next three months.<br />
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Thanks for reading, see you all next time.<br />
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HollyHolly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-64696316191990154612017-07-13T06:56:00.000-07:002018-02-20T14:01:18.262-08:00'This Is Going To Sound Crazy But...' | A Day Trip To RovinjHello everyone!<br />
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I hope you are all enjoying what's turning into a slightly elusive summer.<br />
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I'm a little ashamed that I haven't blogged in a while, especially after my last post was supposed to be a kick up the arse to sit down and write, but sometimes life throws opportunities in your direction that you were in no way expecting, but are so grateful for nonetheless. Speaking of which...<br />
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If any of you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen the shameful amount of holiday spam that I uploaded in June when I went away on a little tour of the Adriatic with my gorgeous cousin, Victoria. It was the most incredible trip, and yet a bizarre experience for us both!<br />
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Victoria is not technically my cousin but we have always regarded each other as family. Our mothers are life long best friends, just as their mothers were before them, and as I have no doubt we will be. We only see each other a few times a year at special events or our annual 'Gathering Of The Clans' weekend around Christmas so to have two whole weeks together felt like such a treat, an opportunity I hope we get again.<br />
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To say our going away together was unexpected would be a colossal understatement. Victoria had been planning and anticipating this trip for months, whereas I had two weeks from accepting the invitation to setting foot on the aeroplane! It was a bit of a spontaneous resolution, and at times an unlikely one, but as crazy as the idea was, (note the title of this post), we made it happen. I won't explain fully the reasons for the change of plans because it is not my business to discuss, I'll only say that some things we put our faith in cannot always be counted upon.<br />
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I am happy to report however, that despite the odd circumstances and perplexed emotions, we had an unforgettable trip. There were new places to discover that neither of us had previously traveled to, and old ones we had longed to revisit. Sometimes when you travel to somewhere, you return having enjoyed yourself but not really been captivated by it or really gained anything other than a sun tan. That's not what happened on this trip; everywhere we went enthralled us and left us in awe, we found ourselves falling in love with places we couldn't pronounce and being uplifted by the simple beauty of others. I'm sure that Victoria feels the same way I do, in that I came home feeling very blessed and thankful for having seen and learnt about places that have inspired and restored me. We both needed an adventure; something to reignite us by doing the things we love doing and being who we are. The world is as wide as it is beautiful, I think we both needed reminding of that.<br />
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As I said, Victoria had been planning this holiday for months and my God had she done a fantastic job! The route was wonderful, with four beautiful locations, three countries and us two running around like wide-eyed lunatics! We started in Croatia, flying to the Istrian capital Pula, where we had four days, then on to Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital city, and two days later north to Lake Bled for another two, then after a long day of travel we finished with four days in Venice. Pretty dreamy trip right?<br />
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I thought I'd come to each of these lovely places one at a time as they were all so different in character, each new place felt like a trip of its own. Croatia was our first stop so this post is dedicated to that leg of our holiday, specifically to a beautiful coastal town called Rovinj. Victoria had seen a picture of the spice-coloured waterfront on Instagram about a year before we visited and it did not disappoint, we fell in love...<br />
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Admiring the view.<br />
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My darling, Victoria.</div>
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As you can see, it is undeniably charming. We wandered through the town following alleyways that lead to the water, frequenting shops that sold countless handmade artefacts and pointing out balconies covered in flower boxes that we would want on our dream houses. The town had such an easy feeling to it, obviously it was a good spot for tourists given all the shops, bars and restaurants however as we went in June it wasn't heaving with them and we could imagine we had discovered an authentic little Mediterranean haven.<br />
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After a little exploring we sat down for lunch as it was now mid-afternoon. We chose a restaurant near the harbour called Ancora for its waterfront terrace and reasonable prices. I don't think we could have chosen a better spot, the view was humbly beautiful and had such a calming effect on the two of us as we enjoyed some divine food. We were seated to our table and sat for a good few minutes marvelling at how clear the water was just beside us and how stunning our view out into the Med looked on that gorgeously clear day. We also had a little party of jelly fish floating just next to us for company.<br />
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I had researched the local cuisine before we came away and found that Istria is, unsurprisingly, famous for its seafood. I sampled some freshly caught sea bass on our final night in Pula and it was unbelievably good. Due to Istria's proximity to Italy there are many similarities in their dishes; Istrian's enjoy pastas and risottos but the region is also well known for its olives, truffles and wine. </div>
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With that in mind, I chose the truffle tagliatelle as I was curious to try some local truffles, and Victoria opted for an Istrian style risotto which I will admit did give me a little food envy. This was undoubtedly one of the best meals of the holiday in my opinion, and I am still dreaming about that pasta and that view.</div>
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Now fuelled by carbohydrates, we tackled our way up to the top of the hill to visit the town's church and clock tower which were again, charming as charming can be.</div>
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The inside of the church was beautiful but sometimes I do not like to take pictures in churches out of respect for those worshipping. In fact you may not have been allowed to take pictures in this one, I will own that I cannot quite remember as we visited so many. Which ever the case I do not have any pictures of inside the church, but believe me it was beautiful. </div>
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We then paid the admission to the clock tower and ascended what can only be described as a death-defying, seemingly never-ending flight of very old, wooden stairs. You could see straight through the gap between each stair to the stone floor at the bottom of the tower and it probably took us about twenty minutes to carefully climb each perilous step. You may think I'm exaggerating but the adrenaline running through our veins whilst trying to get up these highly-questionable stairs was a fantastic source of amusement for the two of us! Much to our surprise considering the number of visitors in the church, we were the only ones at that time who ventured to the top of the clock tower which was wonderful as we had the view to ourselves. It also meant that because we were both wearing dresses we avoided flashing anyone on our ascent to the top, including the final little climb which was simply a ladder leading to a hole in the floor of the viewing platform. </div>
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The peril was real.</div>
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As you can see, the view from the top of the tower is gorgeous. The colours looked so rich; terracotta houses, the velvet blue sea and bottle green trees matched with that limitless sky. The breeze at the top of the tower was a dream against the heavy heat of the day, we could have stayed up there for hours.</div>
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After the inevitable descent of those awful stairs, we left the church and headed back down the hill into the town, wandering this time down a street which gallery upon gallery opened up onto before us. We stopped in one at the top, just beside the church, where I purchased a postcard and Victoria a print to frame for her new house. </div>
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The streets of Rovinj are all paved in stone that must have been there since the towns very conception, which over the years have been subject to countless feet stepping over them. The result of this is that the stones are very, very smooth, which when you're wearing sandals than are flatter than a pancake, you have to walk rather slowly and with your arms out for balance unless you should like to slide down the street on your arse instead. The two of us must have given the locals, who stood outside their shop doors to enjoy the breeze, such a good laugh as it took it us an embarrassingly long time to walk down to the flat of the harbour front again. We would have made them laugh more however should we have actually fallen over which I'm glad to say we didn't! </div>
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When we were once again at the waterfront, we decided it about time for something cold and so we went to a restaurant called Copacabana where they have a gelato bar that looks onto the street. After a few minutes of drooling and indecision, we bought two scoops each and took a seat on a bench right on the harbour front to soak up the sun and devour our insanely good gelato. </div>
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This tasted even better than it looks.</div>
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By this point it was about half past four, which meant we were faced with the choice of getting the 40 minute bus drive bus back to Pula at half past five, or getting the later bus at half past seven. We decided to make the most of the opportunity and catch the later bus which meant we had three more hours to casually spend around the town. We walked along the harbour back to the other side of town where we were spoilt for choice of lovely big sofas at the bars that line the waterfront. We ordered cocktails, Instagrammed the days adventures and called home. </div>
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We spent our final few hours wiggling our way through side streets to the sound of a choir singing at mass before stepping back on the bus and heading home to Pula. We loved our day in Rovinj and I hope it lived up to Victoria's expectations, it certainly defied mine. Before this trip I didn't know very much about Croatia, other than it was becoming a popular and cheap Mediterranean getaway. I'm so grateful that I was able to visit somewhere that usually wouldn't have crossed my mind to visit as everything was such a pleasant surprise to me. I was charmed by the gentleness of the landscape, the care the people devote to their food and its flavour, as well as the modesty of the architecture. I love the sense of simplicity there is to life like this on the Mediterranean and I would love to go back to Croatia one day. I'm so grateful to Victoria for bringing me to these places, for without her I wouldn't love them as I do now. </div>
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As I said, this was only the first of four stops on our trip so stay tuned for the next instalment and more pictures of some of the most incredible places I've ever been. It's Ljubljana's turn next and be warned, Ljubljana was my favourite leg of the trip so prepare for even more pictures and lots of superlatives! I hope you've all enjoyed this post and I'll see you all in the not so distant future!</div>
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Holly.</div>
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Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-50569868876627043672017-05-11T06:08:00.001-07:002017-05-11T06:08:59.840-07:00Mindful Musings | Hibernation, Complacency & LazinessHello everyone, Stranger here!<br />
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This post is something of a confession, public self shaming and an apology too. For a fair few months now I have been pretty darn useless, introverted and atrociously lazy.<br />
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As some of you know I'm currently working part time at Marks and Spencer in Leeds whilst saving to go back to Canada in September to work the winter season with my best friend, Sophie. For the past six months I've been working 4-5 days a week, typically nine hour shifts and almost always working till the store closes at 8pm. This has meant that I've been very tired on my feet everyday, a little under stimulated from working the quietest hours of the retail day, and sometimes unsociable because my shifts haven't afforded me much time on days that I have worked for anything other than food, sleep and Netflix.<br />
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Please don't misunderstand me, I love working at M&S; I adore the the people I work with, the work is comfortable and I appreciate every hour I am given as I need the money, even if I do grumble about my shifts every now and then. And this is what I wanted, something gentle where I don't have to carry my stress home while I'm impatiently waiting for September to come around when I leave for a country where the mountains astound me in their magnitude, and the extreme landscape and climate are respected and cherished.<br />
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I have loved these months I've had at home; enjoying seeing my parents everyday, watching time roll by week after week instead of counting down the days till my next deadline, having had time to get back into reading, exercise and cooking. After all the stress and excitement of last year, it's been soothing to take things slowly and hibernate a little. I do recognise however, that my hibernation period has allowed me to embrace my introverted side a little more than I should have, and therefore has lasted much longer than I should have let it.<br />
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In this "time-out" as I was nicknaming it, I had meant to set myself challenges or simply devote more time to the things I felt I hadn't fully committed to whilst in my final year of university; such as this blog, my reading list, my exercise regime and most importantly my friends and family. Whilst I have managed gradual progress in some of these areas, I'm conscious and ashamed to say that in others I have completely failed. My parents I have taken for granted and begun to sink into old, bad habits of contributing very little to the house, my friends I have not spent as much time caring for and making happy as my free time allows, I've hardly gotten any driving practise in, taken any photographs, and this blog I have completely neglected and at times forgotten about completely.<br />
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Instead, I've managed the gym roughly twice a week on my days off, learnt about four recipes by rote which I now repeat on rotation, read only four books since the start of the year, hardly done any planning for Canada, and neglected some of my best friends despite the fact I now live nearer to them than I have in three years. This I recognise is no where near good enough.<br />
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There it is, my confession and shame at being a pretty useless and lazy, 21 year old graduate. What have I done with all the things I achieved at university? Not a lot, to put it plainly. This desire that's building inside me to actually act like an adult even if I'm not confident I'll ever become one has come from a few, very slow, realisations: I'm 22 in two weeks and really can't consider myself anything but an adult anymore, it was around this time last year that I was finishing university and, much to my constant despair, that period of my life is very much over, in my voice and eye, which I was once incredibly proud of, I have lost both accuracy and vision, and recently I have done nothing to deserve the constant generosity of my parents and the unshakable strength of my closest friendships.<br />
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This is where the apology comes in, I'm sorry to my saintly Mum and Dad for doing next to nothing to help you around this house after you very kindly took me back post-graduation, my darling friends who I have not devoted the time and energy I should have done when you have for me, and to myself for becoming so complacent that I'm not the woman I wanted to be by now.<br />
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So where to from here? Well in the long run, Canada of course. In the meantime however, no more hibernating; I will push myself to fit more into the time I have taken for granted. Do more to help Mum and Dad, send a text every now and again to a friend I haven't spoken to in a month, fit extra bits of exercise into my day where ever I am nor no matter how tired I feel, force myself to read on my commute to and from work when really I could just fall asleep again, blog on my days off so that my vocabulary and comprehension doesn't dwindle away at the rapid pace I can currently feel it disintegrating at, and finally take more pictures, even if its just on my phone and the only editing I do is on Instagram. I feel like I've become a little boring recently, that's something I don't ever want to be.<br />
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I'm reading back through this post and finding that it sounds an awful lot like a series of lists; of failings, apologies and goals and I'm doing it even now in this sentence. Lists do generally help me declutter my mental carnage however, so if this helps than I really don't care, although I am sorry if it's a bit of a dull read. The purpose of this post was primarily a desperately needed kick up the arse for myself, from myself. If it's provided any entertainment for anyone else then that's wonderful, killed two birds with one hard stone.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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Holly.Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-733800355909827392017-02-21T13:08:00.001-08:002017-02-21T13:32:36.533-08:00Music Preview | FESTIVAL ON THE WALL, Newcastle | 4-6th August 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello everyone!</div>
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A rather belated welcome to the New Year on A Romantic Calamity I'm afraid...but I come bearing the most wonderful news!<br />
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Last week I received an email from the delightful team at O PR telling me about a fresh, independent music festival that's making its maiden showcase this August in the heart of the Northumberland countryside, and like all the best things to come out of Newcastle, its set to be a big one!<br />
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This August, just 12 miles out of the city centre, Newcastle is to announce itself the home of Festival On The Wall; an amazing display of the country's best musicians in a location beyond compare. With an explosive line up, 'Hot Tub Sanctuary', locally sourced food, 'Thunderdome' and a late night cinema, Festival On The Wall promises to deliver all the best of the North East in one astonishing weekend.<br />
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I will forever have a place in my soul for Northumberland and Newcastle Upon Tyne; after many beloved Easter holiday trips away with the family and my three years at university, I will never stop adoring the region for its beauty and its people. It has never failed to inspire me; the city's architecture, the untamed sea and countryside, the generosity and proud attitude of the people, and I'm not the only one to have noticed.<br />
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Festival On The Wall is the brain child of founder and director, Dale Mason, who after compiling an amazing team of local and equally passionate partners, has turned Festival On The Wall into what will be one of the most anticipated festivals of the summer. The line up looks insanely impressive already, featuring a number of homecoming acts who are set to flatten the Northumberland countryside in one weekend.<br />
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The North East has produced some of the most talented musicians of recent years, especially in the rock genre. Brian Johnson of AC/DC, Mark Knopfler of the Dire Straits and Andy Taylor of Duran Duran all descend from the North East, affording the respect that Newcastle Upon Tyne has earned as a undeniable source of inspiration to the British music industry. It is only natural therefore, that this August Festival On The Wall should exhibit some of the region's most celebrated contemporary artists on their main stage.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Headlining the opening night of Festival On The Wall will be the resilient Pet Shop Boys, who hope to awe their audience. Lead vocalist and North Sheilds-born Neil Tennant said, <span style="line-height: 22px;">“We are looking forward to bringing our futuristic show to a wonderful historic area in the North East” and he's not the only local making a return as a headliner. </span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the Saturday night,
Hexham-bred Pete Doherty will lead the invincible Libertines to glory as
Festival On The Wall proves its historic worth on the national map of
iconic summer music festivals. Maximo Park will be supporting their Northern brothers
throughout the weekend as well as an array of incredible acts such as Twin
Atlantic, Mark Ronson and The Sherlocks. The all important Sunday headline
is yet to be announced, however I've been promised its going to blow you
away. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeBbbFbbx-vCWx0BDrzUbYbR6WyGUSgvCD3nOM2bNj2h3Jco-jLm0yPwwRCqqnZPvAByboyeYlApjP_y6B8ruZGNXsi0QLIaaPgF5yk19B2ElyNy51sIToVkrV-5qbC95_nn_JqgHLlQ/s1600/The+Libertines+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeBbbFbbx-vCWx0BDrzUbYbR6WyGUSgvCD3nOM2bNj2h3Jco-jLm0yPwwRCqqnZPvAByboyeYlApjP_y6B8ruZGNXsi0QLIaaPgF5yk19B2ElyNy51sIToVkrV-5qbC95_nn_JqgHLlQ/s640/The+Libertines+.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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A festival of this magnitude and anticipation is obviously amazing news for Northumberland, not only will it showcase some of Newcastle's strongest musical acts, but also its finest food. Typically at festivals (at least in my experience), the usual standards of food and drink are comprised somewhat; booze is lukewarm, water is a forgotten virtue and mass fried burgers/hotdogs/chips leave you feeling even more slimy than you usually would after spending three days in a tent. However Festival On The Wall hopes to change that. </div>
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After three years of university in Newcastle I can honestly say that all of my favourite restaurants and the top contenders for the best food I've ever eaten nearly all reside in Newcastle. Festival On The Wall have wisely invited some of region's top restaurants to join them in a magnificent display of fine dining as well as a number of carefully selected global street food vendors and artisan marketers. As well as this, FOTW offers a modern way to self-catered camping with 'Click and Collect' services and ice for your beer while you're busy enjoying the music! </div>
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The location of Festival On The Wall, named so because of its occupancy of the site of Hadrian's Wall (you remember that guy who tried to keep the Scottish out? Who knows why, you Scotts are lovely!), will also provide a stunning backdrop beyond compare to any other festival in the country. The site is only 12 miles from Newcastle city centre and yet located amongst 350 acres of privately owned farm land which promises to demonstrate some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK. As well as this, FOTW has a commitment to green policies making it one of the most sustainable festivals of the summer. </div>
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As well as the obvious benefits to those involved directly with the festival, Northumberland County Council also believe it will do wonderful things for the local industries and encourage tourism in the region, long after the final song has been sung on the Sunday night. As both an ex-tourist and ex-resident of Newcastle Upon Tyne and Northumberland, I couldn't encourage anyone to visit anymore fiercely than I currently do. Northumberland will honestly stay with me until I die, not because I lived there for three years, but because of how I lived there for three years. Those days truly mean the world to me. </div>
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After reading everything I could on Festival On The Wall, I have no doubt that it will bring out the very best of Newcastle in full colours. I have such an admiration for the independence, integrity and warmth of Newcastle and its people and its those qualities that I really feel are going to stand out with this festival. I sincerely hope that I shall be amongst those crowds come August the 4th.<br />
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That's all from me today I'm afraid, but I will be posting a spotlight on the Sunday headliner when announced as well. Join me in eager anticipation of who it will be!<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful week,<br />
<br />
Holly.<br />
<br />
For full information on Festival On The Wall, click <a href="http://festivalonthewall.com/#5AFw7oY8cW07Yydy.97" target="_blank">here</a>.Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-32592358626749214692016-12-20T09:14:00.002-08:002016-12-20T09:15:59.936-08:00Two Weeks In AlbertaHello darlings!<br />
<br />
(A quick note from Holly who just finished the end of this post: fair warning, this is an unashamedly long post, but its worth it!)<br />
<br />
Well it's really nearly the end of 2016, and while it has been one of the best years of my life with some of the most incredible experiences and ever so cherished people, it has also been my most tiring, stressful and trying year. So much has happened that I struggle to believe it all happened in only twelve months; in January I was still at university, in June I was at Graduate Fashion Week, in July I graduated, in September I had my heart broken and I went to Canada! And now in December, I'm back at home with a casual job trying to save up so I can go back to Canada next September to work a winter season in Banff!<br />
<br />
Which is exactly why I am writing this post today, it has been an exceptionally busy and turbulent year for me and regrettably I haven't been on top blogging form, so I decided before the end of 2016 I had better write about one of the most exciting things to happen to me this year, which as you've probably guessed was Canada.<br />
<br />
I went with one of my best friends in the entire world, Sophie, flying out there in September, returning in October wanting more than anything to jump straight on a plane and go back again. The trip has shaped the direction of our lives for the next year as we had the most phenomenal time and two weeks was no where near enough for either of us.<br />
<br />
I've been to Canada once before with my family back in 2011 (which feels like 80 years ago), when we visited our family friends, Graham and Debs, in Toronto (Mississauga). From there we drove south to Niagara and then north to French River, Lake Huron and back down to Toronto. It was an incredible trip which involved cities, mist, glamping, skunk hats, motels, lakes, boats, scrabble, a lot of driving and some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. I fell in love with the country and knew I had to come back, this time in pursuit of bigger lakes and mountains.<br />
<br />
Sophie is one of my best friends; we've known each other since secondary school and have a scary number of things in common, which included a need to see Alberta for ourselves. We'd been planning this trip for about two years, promising to go together the September after I graduated from university. Well I graduated in July...and so the flights were booked!<br />
<br />
The two weeks we spent in Alberta were without a doubt the best two weeks of my life, it sounds regrettably cliche but its ridiculously true. I wasn't in the best of moods before we went and having just graduated I was still getting over the lingering stress of university, as well as being bewildered by which direction I wanted to go with the next stage of my life, as well as some other big changes...I was just completely overwhelmed in a vast array of confusion that even the reality that we were going to Canada had hardly sunk in the day before we flew! But when we got there I instantly forgot each of my stresses without even a conscious thought of letting them go.<br />
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We flew to Calgary, Alberta, which we immediately felt at home in. We arrived in the evening so checked into our hostel and then headed out for some food and drink before returning to the hostel to be in bed by nine Calgary time as we'd been awake for something ridiculous like 20 hours.<br />
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The next two days however, we packed a lot into, and I don't think I've ever walked so much in my entire life.<br />
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Downtown Calgary.</div>
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Calgary is a beautiful city, admittedly not a vastly exciting one, but it has a lot of culture and history, as well as respect for the beautiful province in which it is situated. We walked 40km on our first day here exploring Downton, Stampede Park, Fort Calgary, Inglewood and St Patrick's Island which included the zoo. The weather was beautiful that day and it gave us such a hope of what the rest of the trip was going to be like; and it just got better.<br />
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Stampede Park.</div>
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As it we were a few months late for the stampede, the park was understandably empty. We did however buy tickets to the ice hockey from the Saddledome for our final night in Canada in two weeks time which was definitely one of the best nights of the holiday.<br />
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This was our favourite spot in Calgary; on the bank of the Bow River just ahead of Fort Calgary. The river water was so clear and the golden colours of the trees on the river bank were just sublime. The spot here by the maple leaf seats was perfectly quiet despite being so close to the city and the autumn sun shone beautifully that day. Throughout our time in Calgary on days when we were to travel and didn't have a lot of time we would walk into town to buy coffee then return to this spot simply to admire the modest view and enjoy the sun.<br />
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Fort Calgary, home of the North West Mounted Police.<br />
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Calgary Zoo was fantastic, and I could have added a lot more pictures of all sorts of animals but I've gone with the ones we could have encountered whilst in Canada, including: mountain goats, grizzly bears, black bears, cougars and elk.</div>
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After a wonderful two days in Calgary we travelled to Banff, which was without a doubt the most beautiful place I've ever been in my life. I honestly cannot express how blown away I was by the scenery that we beheld there, the colour of the landscape changed with the mood of the weather each day which is why its been so hard for me to work out what I want to do with these images because there is next to no continuity between the days on which I took these photographs. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Bow Falls Viewpoint trail and Hoodoos trail.</span></div>
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We spent ten days in Banff, longer than we had thought we would stay but upon arriving and falling in love with it, meeting some wonderful friends and discovering how expensive it would be to go to Jasper and how little we would see of the area we thought it best to simply stay. Which was undoubtedly the best decision we could have made. We went on some amazing hikes, ate a ridiculous array of glorious food and had some hilarious adventures with the best of people. <br />
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Mount Norquay.<br />
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Some of the most amazing things happened to us in Banff; from by chance being rescued from the rain by a generous school bus driver who drove us to the natural springs, to having to walk for two kilometres along the Trans Canada Highway because we took a detour on a hike, to walking through the woods in the middle of the night onto the Fairmount's golf course in the hope of spotting the northern lights. Each day was so humbling because we just could not believe the scenery we were surrounded by or the company, there was not a single day when I wished we had done something different and I'm so grateful for that.<br />
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Sundance Canyon. </div>
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The Bow River continued to be one of my favourite aspects of the landscape as we followed it from Calgary to Banff. These pictures below were taken from the Marsh Trail, one of the local hiking routes, which helped fuel my love for the river. The colours were again stunning and a few days later when we went canoeing on the Bow, the gorgeous weather of that day just made it even more beautiful. Canoeing was definitely one of the highlights of the trip simply because of how content Sophie and I felt when were doing it. I have to say, canoeing down a crystal blue river, surrounded by autumn trees in the brightest sunshine, whilst listening to 'Vibe' by Miller Blue with your best friend is an unparalleled feeling.<br />
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The Marsh Trail.<br />
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As we were going to be missing out on the sights in Jasper and had a bit of money spare, we splashed out one day and booked a one day tour with Brewster to see Lake Louise, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake and the Athabasca glacier. I know its cheesy and undeniably touristy to go on a bus tour rather than making your own way to the lakes but it was the only way we could see them and honestly, I thought it was great! We were really lucky to have a small group and our tour guide, Tim, was hilarious, granted we didn't have long at each of the lakes but the drives between each of our stops was just as amazing as the landscape got even more breathtaking the further north we went. We went up and down mountain passes, followed winding rivers through their valleys and gazed in awe at the wilderness we drove through. <br />
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Lake Louise was unbelievably stunning, as was Bow Lake. They're both fed by glaciers and the processes that take place during the movement of the glacier have lasting effects on the water giving them their crystal clear, blue colour. Peyto Lake we viewed from a farther vantage point but was again incomprehensibly blue and magnificent. Last was the glacier experience, which was again hard to believe. I'll admit I was a little underwhelmed by the view of the glacier from the Discovery Centre but when you consider how much its retreated due to climate change and you think about how far down the valley it used to stretch, you take back that thought. Stepping onto the glacier however, was exhilarating; the wind speeds that day were up to 100kmph which made it much colder than we were assured it usually was!<br />
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Lake Louise.<br />
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Bow Lake.<br />
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Peyto Lake.<br />
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The Athabasca glacier and Skywalk.</div>
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Waterfoul Lake.<br />
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Since returning home I've been in a perpetual state of holiday blues, so much so that its turning into a case of holiday mean reds (brownie points for those of you who understood the Breakfast At Tiffany's reference there)! I don't think I'll ever be able to get over the abundance of such pristine scenery; the staggering magnitude of the mountains that surrounded Banff were homely rather than imposing and the gentle flow of the river inspired adventure. I couldn't bear to leave at the time as back home I had no job to go back to, no house of my own and many of my friends were either back at university or settling into new jobs far from me. Two weeks was no where near enough.<br />
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Views from the summit of Tunnel Mountain.</div>
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Our last night in Banff was one of my favourite from the holiday; as it was the last night in Banff for a few of us that had met that week so we decided to get our little squad together for a takeaway, film and trip to the pub. It was the perfect evening to round off our time together and it was so lovely to think of how much fun we'd all had hanging out that week when we'd only met seven days prior. Charli, Emile, Alex, Kurt, Jacob and Marc I am so grateful to you all for your company that week, it truly made the trip.<br />
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Upon arriving back in Calgary with Charli for our final two days in Canada we returned to some of favourite spots and discovered some new ones. On our last full day we went up Calgary Tower to marvel at how insanely flat Calgary really is and gaze longingly in the direction of the mountains and Banff. There was not a single cloud in the sky and we were blessed with gorgeous weather yet again for our final day. We also went to an ice hockey game that night to see the Calgary Flames play the Winnipeg Jets which was unbelievably good fun. I played hockey for years in school so I really enjoyed the match and was blown away by what a spectacle of a show the game was with flame throwers, half time shows and bizarre competitions literally every five minutes.<br />
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This post actually falls inline with the most wonderful news, I found out today that my application to go back to Canada on a working holiday visa has progressed to the next stage and so this time next year I might be writing to you from Canada! I am desperate to get back, I just did not get enough. And while I am very happy with my pictures, they feel like holiday snaps to me rather than considered photographs which I would publish as obviously I didn't have time to sit around each day waiting for the perfect shot. If I go back next year I'll have more than enough time to get my arse in gear and chase the best photographs, I want to capture the scenery at it's very finest.<br />
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So there you go that was our trip! I have of course shortened it considerably as so many wonderful things happened and so many photographs were taken I couldn't possibly put them all in one post but you get a good flavour. It truly was the trip of a lifetime and I feel so blessed to have been able to see the things I did. I should also say a huge thank you to Sophie for not getting sick of me while we were there and for making the trip the two best weeks of my life, I owe you big time darling.<br />
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This may be my last post for 2016 so if I don't speak to you before hand, I wish you all the most delightfully festive of Christmas' and a happy and peaceful New Year.<br />
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Holly.<br />
<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-13247963821151799742016-11-15T09:57:00.001-08:002016-11-15T10:20:07.217-08:00GIG REVIEW | VANT - The Cluny, Newcastle 12/11/16 | Dr Martens #SFSTOUR16Happy Tuesday everybody! Today, as promised, is the review of what was easily one of the best gigs I've been to this year; VANT at The Cluny, Newcastle, for Dr Martens STAND FOR SOMETHING Tour 2016.<br />
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Last month I published a <a href="http://aromanticcalamity.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/gig-preview-vant-cluny-newcastle-121116.html" target="_blank">preview</a> of this years iconic Dr Martens STAND FOR SOMETHING Tour focusing on the headliners of the Newcastle date, <a href="http://www.wearevant.com/" target="_blank">VANT</a>. As this is a band that I love, I was of course very excited for this opportunity, even more so because the gig was set to take place in one of my favourite places in the world. I've missed Newcastle so much since graduating university; its an incredible city and I feel so at home there, Bradford seems exceedingly dull in comparison.<br />
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As the gig was on a Saturday I suggested to two of my best friends in the world, and flatmates of the last two years, Harriet and Sam, that we have a little reunion. They didn't take much tempting, and a reunion was unanimously and instantly agreed upon. As Sam lives in Sunderland, he offered to have Harriet and I stay for the weekend.<br />
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So on Saturday morning I caught the train from Leeds arriving in Newcastle around noon to meet up for lunch with one of my best friends from home, Cam, who is studying in Newcastle. We took the occasion as an excuse to visit Quilliam Brothers' Teahouse, which remains one of my favourite cafes in the city. I'd recommend their seasonal toffee apple tea, and the peanut butter brownies!<br />
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Harriet's train arrived a few hours after mine as she was travelling up from London. As I headed towards central station to meet her, I happened to bump into of my darling friends Beth from my course and her boyfriend Marc, who were also visiting for the weekend to see VANT play The Cluny. Utterly delighted and surprised we had a quick chat and agreed to meet up at the gig. I arrived at the station practically shaking with excitement at the thought of seeing so many of my friends in one weekend, as another of our old flatmates, Matt, who is still studying in Newcastle said that he was free to come along to the gig too. I found Harriet where upon we became even more excited, (if that was possible) and from Newcastle we caught the Metro to Sam's house where we were reunited, and greeted with vegan cupcakes made by Sam's lovely mum Denise.<br />
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After a long needed catch up over our cupcakes, we got dolled up and headed back into the city. Upon arriving in Newcastle, so happy to be back there together, we headed to NUDO for some much needed sushi and a glass of wine. After much hilarious deliberation upon the route we should take down The Cluny, we set off, wandering past many of our old haunts and reminiscing.<br />
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When we arrived we found Matt as well as Beth and Marc, who disappeared to watch the support act, <a href="https://twitter.com/lifebanduk?lang=en" target="_blank">LIFE</a>, who they knew from their home city of Hull. We however stayed at the bar for a drink and a catch up with Matt as we hadn't seen him since May(!). Then about five minutes before VANT were due to come on stage we headed into the performance area and the six of us settled ourselves in a spot in the middle of the crowd in eager anticipation.<br />
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I was extremely elated by this point to finally be seeing VANT play live; I discovered them around April time, and Harriet and I had actually planned to see them play The Cluny in May, however our final year deadlines were upon us and we decided much to our devastation we'd have to miss it. I've loved them from the first time I heard 'Parking Lot', however since being asked along to review the gig and writing the preview, discovering more about the band's political views on Brexit and the US election and what they stand for, they really fascinated me and I was curious to see how they would portray that live. If you follow them on Facebook or Twitter you've probably seen the video they uploaded last week of their impromptu street performances around London aiming to inspire discussions amongst people concerning the US election. Following the result, front-man Mattie publicly spoke out about his devastation concerning the new President elect very eloquently in an <a href="http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/vant-politically-charged-band-fears-world-following-american-election-1838103?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social" target="_blank">interview</a> with NME. Their passion and use of music to promote equality, consideration and protection of the environment inspired my huge admiration of them. At last, I had the privilege of being a member of their adoring audience.<br />
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REVIEW<br />
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VANT's performance on Saturday night was one that they could be nothing less than proud of; they gently enticed the crowd into a contagious admiration of their playing and spirit, so by the end of their set, every audience member's mind and heart was galvanised.<br />
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I'm ashamed to say I did not recognise the song they opened with, and the atmosphere felt like it needed a kick within the first few tracks, but not even a song later, and almost subconsciously, the whole room suddenly lifted and we were all in a weightless animation. 'Karma Seeker' and 'Do You Know Me?' were met with glorious episodes of dancing and chanting, and then Mattie treated us all to a front row view of 'Birth Certificate'.<br />
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It took me a moment to work out that somehow he wasn't on the stage anymore and then spot him walking through the crowd in our direction. He put down his mic stand right behind where Harriet, Matt, Sam and I were standing and so by a stroke of unbelievable luck, we had the best seats in the house as he beautifully sung out some of his most poetic lyrics. On his return journey to the stage at the end of the song, he received countless pats on the back by his grateful audience, the band then continued with their exceptional show. They also treated us to a half-pace arrangement of 'Peace & Love' halfway through their set which seemed to make the lyrics all the more heartfelt.<br />
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There also seemed to be a turning point about halfway through, in conjunction and inspired by their playing 'Parking Lot'; what was dancing towards the front of the crowd, turned into full and unashamed slam dancing, and it was brilliant. The need for release overcame the audience and the unbeatable ecstasy that only comes with hearing your favourite songs being played live was instantly in abundance. From what was a wanting start, the show had insidiously built and by the time they played 'Fly-By Alien' the entire room was magnetised.<br />
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Towards the end of the show, Mattie took a moment to thank the audience for supporting them and fuelling their ability to perform and speak out about current issues. Almost as soon as he mentioned the US election, the whole crowd seemed to all at once throw their middle fingers in the air and begin to chant "FUCK YOU TRUMP! FUCK YOU TRUMP!" which Mattie was evidently very grateful for. It was really nice to see the political motifs in their music come through so clearly in their set and song. They of course, finished with 'Peace & Love' which was the perfect way to round of the gig; it filled us all with such a strong contentment and a humbling appreciation of what was an amazing evening of incredible music. We left with such smiles on our faces, and my hunger to see VANT perform live was thankfully appeased.<br />
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My front row seat for 'Birth Certificate'...<br />
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'Parking Lot'<br />
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(Aw you guys *blushes*)<br />
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Dr Martens boots of course!<br />
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"Have a wonderful night, have a wonderful life."</div>
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VANT were the perfect band to headline the Newcastle show of the STAND FOR SOMETHING Tour; they're so outspoken about the things that truly matter and they possess all the ferocity and gumption that the Dr Martens embodies. They're a perfect match for Newcastle as well, a city full of spirit, diversity and love.</div>
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I would just like to say thank you to The Zeitgeist Agency for inviting me along to the show, and a huge congratulations to VANT on an exceptional gig. I'm also very grateful that the show gave my darling friends and I a wonderful excuse to surround ourselves with each other in the city where we met. I had such a wonderful time. </div>
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That's all for now however I will be back soon, so don't go anywhere.</div>
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Holly.</div>
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VANT:</div>
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Webiste: <a href="http://www.wearevant.com/">http://www.wearevant.com</a></div>
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Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/wearevant">https://www.youtube.com/user/wearevant</a></div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearevant/">https://www.facebook.com/wearevant/</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/wearevant">https://twitter.com/wearevant</a></div>
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Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wearevant/?hl=en">https://www.instagram.com/wearevant/?hl=en</a></div>
Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-49553071077012297122016-10-07T08:09:00.000-07:002016-10-07T10:49:15.776-07:00GIG PREVIEW | VANT - The Cluny, Newcastle 12/11/16 | Dr Martens #STSTOUR16Hello everyone! I hope you've all had glorious summers!<br />
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I have something incredibly exciting to tell you all today, something that I'm incredibly proud to be involved in. This autumn, Dr Martens' invincible STAND FOR SOMETHING tour is returning to the UK. Hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen, because this is going to be something else.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: Curtesy of Dr Martens</span></div>
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Music has been intertwined in the Dr Martens identity since their conception in 1960; the classic workman's boots were adopted by nearly every rebellious youth tribe of the late 20th century, music was a as much a form of self expression as their distinctive aesthetics. Whether it was the skinheads or the 90s grunge kids, each of these alternative subcultures all stood for something, either collectively or individually. That's what Dr Martens is; its a movement that transcends generations and individuals.<br />
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The STAND FOR SOMETHING tour has provided some of the most deserving, unique musicians an incredible platform over the last few years to show the world what they stand for. Last year the tour featured Scottish heartthrobs Twin Atlantic, broody Lonely The Brave as well as Dutch Uncles, Palma Violets, Bury Tomorrow and The Wytches. </div>
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The tour this year fits perfectly in conjunction with the release of Dr Martens' next generation of classic footwear, the <a href="http://www.drmartens.com/uk/c/dms-lite" target="_blank">#DMsLITE</a>; a contemporary spin on the iconic 1460 boot with a third less weight than the original, ready for a diverse 21st century audience. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: Curtesy of DrMartens.com</span></div>
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This year the set list is fully loaded with a variety of the most unapologetic and formidable forces in emerging music today. Three artists have already been announced, with supports yet to be confirmed and a secret London headliner yet to be revealed, let me introduce you to the burning stars of 2016's STAND FOR SOMETHING tour. </div>
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Kicking off the tour in Liverpool in only a few weeks time, one of the most compelling electro duos in recent years, <a href="http://www.frmtn.com/" target="_blank">Formation</a> will be bringing a set full of contagious and chill-inducing melodies. Set to give the male dominated grime scene a real run for their money, fierce femme fatale <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/PaigeyCakeyTV" target="_blank">Paigey Cakey</a> will be treating Birmingham to her unmistakable sound on the 29th. </div>
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And finally onto the special feature for today's post, the attitude-filled VANT, who are explosively redefining the standards for modern rock music will be tearing down the roof of <a href="https://www.thecluny.com/" target="_blank">The Cluny</a> in Newcastle this November. I'm thrilled to say that I'll be attending and will return to A Romantic Calamity with a review for you all, one that I can only hope will do justice by the band. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: Curtesy of The Zeitgeist Agency</span></div>
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I've been following VANT for about 7 months which isn't too long but this love runs deep; the second I heard 'Parking Lot' that was it, sold. I've felt recently that I've been craving a fresh, heavy bit of British rock in my life and VANT have definitely curbed my hunger. I know that the likes of You Me At Six and Twin Atlantic will always be there, but there's something about VANT; they're invigorating. </div>
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Each song is anthem that can transport you and pulls you on your feet to dance, everyone needs songs they can sing along to and every VANT song is a song you can that you can do just that with. I've heard great things about them when they play live and I am honestly so excited to see at The Cluny. It's the perfect venue for them too, it was one of my favourite places in Newcastle when I was at university and I've had some great nights there. The performance rooms are quirky and can hold a lot of energy if the crowd is right, I have no doubt VANT will attract an amazing crowd. Located just out of town in electric Ouseburn, it's the perfect location for Dr Martens' STAND FOR SOMETHING tour; homely, well-loved and unforgettable. </div>
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VANT released a new EP in August, titled '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoP4kc03tFM" target="_blank">KARMA SEEKER</a>' after their seductive new single, however they're also releasing a new track on Monday 10th October titled 'Peace and Love' which they completed following the horrifying attacks in Paris. I'm intrigued to hear the lyrics on this one, especially as on their Facebook page they noted how hollow they felt those words and the phrases' meaning have become. </div>
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So, after all my fan-girling, I hope to see many of you at The Cluny on November 12th when VANT will deliver a show that I have no doubt will be one the best you've ever seen. I honestly can't wait. </div>
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I'll leave all the tour dates and locations for the #STST0UR16 at the end of this post as well as all of VANT's links. I've hope you've enjoyed it and keep an ear out for what these formidable headliners will do next, it's going to be really interesting. </div>
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As always guys I'll see you soon, I've just returned from an absolutely soul-enriching two weeks in Alberta, Canada and I have a vast multitude of pictures to share with you. It might take a few posts to show them all however, I had just cause to take a bucket tonne of photographs. I hope you all enjoy your weekends! </div>
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Holly</div>
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Dr Martens #STSTOUR16 Dates/Locations/Headliners:</div>
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15th October: Liverpool: The Scandi Church - Formation</div>
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29th October: Birmingham: The Rainbow Courtyard - Paigey Cakey</div>
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12th November: Newcastle: The Cluny - VANT</div>
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26th November: London - TBA</div>
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VANT:</div>
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Website: <a href="http://wearevant.com/">http://wearevant.com</a></div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearevant/">https://www.facebook.com/wearevant/</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/wearevant">https://twitter.com/wearevant</a></div>
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Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn8BpCQ0F7pHY1mZB_nk3PQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn8BpCQ0F7pHY1mZB_nk3PQ</a></div>
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KARMA SEEKER - EP out now!</div>
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'War and Peace' - Single out Monday 10th October </div>
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Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-14991315443041032352016-06-30T13:18:00.002-07:002016-06-30T13:18:20.268-07:00Single + Gig Review | FLAWES - Consolation - The Brudenell Social Club 15/06/16Hello everyone! I'm back with more music today, and it's good, really good.<br />
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I'm sorry this is a little delayed but I was on holiday in Derbyshire with my friends last week so no work got done and this week hasn't been particularly easy either, but here I am finally!<br />
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A few weeks ago I was very graciously offered the chance by A Gent Publicity to see and review new, Pop/Alt band FLAWES live as they embark on their first UK tour. FLAWES are an endearing three-piece from London, who have generated quite a momentous intrigue around their debut EPs. Having conquered Radio 1's 'Introducing Track of the Week' along with appearances at Live at Leeds and The Great Escape Festival, I was eager to discover more about their music.<br />
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As is my rule when I'm contacted by bands or artists to review their music on A Romantic Calamity, I only agree if I would genuinely listen to the music. I want to celebrate great music on this blog and so before agreeing to review FLAWES I had to investigate their sound. I was thoroughly satisfied with everything I heard.<br />
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The first single of FLAWES' that I listened to was 'Don't Wait For Me' simply because it was the track the most people had been talking about. After the first chorus I had already made up my mind to review them, the torn-apart melody and spine-tingling vocals really appealed to me and so I couldn't say anything but yes!<br />
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I thought for the single review I'd go for FLAWES most recent single, 'Consolation', which happens to also be my favourite song of theirs. I'm going to follow with the style I've been practising in my first few reviews as I feel it's working, so enjoy!<br />
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SINGLE REVIEW - CONSOLATION<br />
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'Consolation' is layered with a variety of electronic melodies which engulfs the listener in a bubble, where the layered and packed lyrics also circulate before you. Close your eyes and the black seems wholly appropriate for the elusive and evading meaning of this track. Because of this, it makes it hard to place such a song, however when the lyrics are presented before you, it all becomes very clear.<br />
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It's probably only me that does this, but I have a playlist on my iPod titled 'Train Playlist'; which is full of break up/nostalgic/home sick songs mainly written and performed by alternative, American bands. This playlist is for those days when you're travelling alone or its been raining for what feels like forever and the sky looks like its never been anything but grey. Every now and again, we all have days when we just feel blue; we become suddenly reflective and a little hopeless as to what our lives have become. But we go to bed and by the next day we've shaken it and life rolls on. 'Consolation' is for those blue days.<br />
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On days such as these, I usually find myself walking a lot or taking multiple train journeys doing boring errand type jobs by myself (hence the title of the playlist), or I like to go on a walk near my village just to clear my head a little. The time I have decided I would therefore play 'Consolation' is when walking across the bracken-covered moors just above my village on such a blue day. When I was a child we lived just below them and so we would walk across them every Sunday. They're one of my favourite places in the entire world and they're incredibly beautiful, even on an overcast day they look wonderfully broody.<br />
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After listening to 'Consolation' for the first time I wanted to explore the lyrics further, and I found them elusive but full of such emotion. When delivered to your ears through Josh's textured and enticing voice they become so raw. I often turn to walking on the moors when I feel I need too centre myself again, or I'm slightly at sea, 'Consolation' is the tale of a soul at sea.<br />
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Imagine yourself atop an uneven, evergreen plain that stretches across the valley and rises up the hill behind you. Its covered in patches of bracken and sometimes reveals the copper bedrock underneath. As you walk, a soul clutching for something intangible, the wind rushes through your hair with little violence and the words "You're crowding up the stars that lit my way up to you" spill through your ears into your mind. If you completely give in to the track, release all other distractions you'll see thats its an exhausted plea disguised in deconstructed Pop/Alt. If you really let it transport you it will, and by the end of this burst of hidden expression you'll feel a cathartic reality.<br />
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The montage of electronic, instrumental and spoken melodies create a wonderfully subtle but memorable track. 'Consolation' isn't in your face but its highly impactful. This refreshing and relatable delivery from FLAWES I feel will rapidly project them into the public eye, they've generated a respectful name through their carefully curated sound and aesthetic. Listen to the track and you'll understand my excitement at being invited to watch them play.<br />
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To see the official video for 'Consolation', click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0UPD5gsKn8" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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GIG REVIEW - THE BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB 15/06/16<br />
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I agreed with their publicity that I would attend their show at The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds on Wednesday 15th June where they were performing with Australian band SAFIA. My Dad had recently discovered the Brudenell after going to see ones of his 80s bands there and thought it was a fantastic venue, so for the past year he has been avidly searching their website for a gig that the two of us would want to go to. I had been granted a plus one and so I thought this would be a good opportunity for us to finally go to the Brudenell, (he also dragged me to see Dr Feelgood a few weeks before so now we were even, and anyway, I needed a driver!).<br />
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We'd checked the website for stage times and it said doors opened at 7.30 so we got there about twenty to eight. I'd never been to the Brudenell before but from Dad's descriptions I was intrigued; he'd told me it was in the most bizarre spot in the middle of a housing estate and that he was amazed they get the bands they do. As we got closer to venue, my slightly vague expectations of the Brudenell became even more cloudy as the area became an even less likely location. The Brudenell is quite something else, it was an old social club (duh!) and it looked like one too, I couldn't help sharing Dad's surprise at its reputable name.<br />
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When we got inside it looked even more like a social club but the atmosphere said different. We walked in to a door from which a hell of a lot of screaming and heavy instrumentals were coming, as well as FLAWES there was another gig that night. The audience and muffled roars suggested something like metal. Dad and I got a drink and started looking around for the other gig, I could hear a slightly distorted 'Don't Wait For Me' coming from the other room behind the bar so we went to investigate. We entered a room that looked as if it had been decorated in a similar style to our games in our cellar which I'm pretty sure was last revamped in the late 80s. We could hear FLAWES however and happened to walk straight into their soundcheck. Smooth.<br />
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Feeling like a pair of mugs, we walked back towards the door where there were some tables and sat down with our drinks. We didn't think it would be long till they started playing until one of their event crew up a sign saying they wouldn't be on stage till nine. Well done us; we had successfully crashed a soundcheck and arrived an hour and half before the show started. Smooth.<br />
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As it drew closer to nine o'clock however, Dad and I found that we still among a few actually in the room, the band and crew included. At five to nine a few groups of girls confusedly walked in and went and sat down near the stage so we thought we'd do the same, by the time FLAWES walked on stage I don't think there were more than 25 people in the room.<br />
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Regardless of the humble audience however, FLAWES still came on and performed a brilliant show. They had fantastic symmetry as a band and Josh's vocals stirred each member of the audience. In between one of the songs they announced that it was the drummer's, also called Josh, Mum's birthday so we all cheerily wished Christine a happy birthday as she was among the audience. FLAWES played most of the tracks off their new EP 'CTRL' finishing of course with 'Consolation' and 'Don't Wait For Me' which Josh sung beautifully.<br />
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I sincerely wish that for FLAWES' sake their was a bigger audience, I think everyone present thoroughly enjoyed themselves but obviously with a bigger audience comes a more inspiring atmosphere.<br />
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After FLAWES was SAFIA, the headline act. SAFIA are a three piece from Australia who came on about 10 o'clock I think but unfortunately we couldn't stay for all their set as Dad wanted to get home. They also played a good show, their music was a little more upbeat than FLAWES but it wasn't much to my taste I'm afraid.<br />
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Although it was a bit of an odd gig I still really enjoyed myself, I can't say that my Dad particularly connected with the music but he's not exactly into modern day alternative genres. I'd like to say hats off once again to FLAWES and SAFIA however for putting on great sets and not appearing at all disheartened at the low turnout. I think half the problem was that most of the students that usually congregate at the Brudenell and attend it's gigs had all gone home for the summer, as I had, which unfortunately didn't help the numbers. Oh well, their loss! I has a good night!<br />
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So that's all from me today, I'd like to say a warm thank you to FLAWES for inviting me along and introducing me to their music, I'll definitely be keeping an ear on them in the future. I hope you all enjoyed this post and if you'd like to check out FLAWES here's where you can find them:<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7yflVh4rYv4o7iDgbVA-bA/feed" target="_blank">Youtube</a><br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/flawesband" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Flawes" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FlawesBand/?ref=br_rs" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
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Thank you, as always, for reading my blog and I shall see you all very soon.<br />
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Holly.<br />
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<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-91032021113604082492016-06-14T11:19:00.000-07:002016-06-14T11:19:15.764-07:00A Delightful Birthday At Alnwick GardensHello everyone! I think it's about long time I got myself back into blogging, don't you?<br />
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I'm proud to say I've finished my BA Hons Fashion Communication degree at Northumbria University and am only waiting to hear my results and graduate, which is quite terrifying. I do now, however, have an unnerving amount of time on my hands so it's probably about time I updated you all and got myself back into a routine of writing and photography.<br />
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Today I wanted to share with you all some lovely photographs that I took on my birthday. I turned 21 last month and now can no longer find a respectable argument for my not being a real adult. Despite this daunting fact, my 21st birthday weekend was one of the most magical and memorable of my entire life and I'm so grateful to everyone who made it beautiful.<br />
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My birthday this year fell on a Friday and so the day before my birthday my boyfriend took me out for a day in Newcastle. We went for lunch at a tea rooms near my house called Cake Stories before walking into town where we went to The Baltic Museum and then the cinema to see The Jungle Book (which I highly recommend you go see if you haven't already as it's simply charming). We then went to a restaurant in the centre of town called Lola Jeans for dinner, which was excellent, (again I'd recommend) before coming home to curl up in bed and watch The Muppets: Treasure Island. I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of that day but it was absolutely lovely, thank you Lewis.<br />
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On the morning of my birthday I awoke to a lazy morning spent with vegan pancakes and my amazing flatmates Harriet, Sam and Sean where upon they gave me my first birthday present of a beautiful Crosby Vinyl Player accompanied by Catfish and the Bottlemen's fantastic album 'The Balcony'. I cried.<br />
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We then all set off in Sean's car for an afternoon in Alnwick. We'd been talking of going to see the gardens there all year and I was desperate to visit the famous Barter Books before I left Newcastle and it was merely a 40 minute drive away. Seen as I've taken to flowers and beautiful gardens through a few compelling places I've visited in the last year it seemed only natural that we should go to Alnwick on my birthday. I know it's not exactly your typical 21st birthday celebration but I'm an old soul and it was the best so I really couldn't care less.<br />
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I of course took my camera and it turned out to be such a beautiful day, therefore I of course took buckets of pictures.<br />
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Album cover.<br />
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Beauty and the Beast's rose.<br />
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Me and wifey.</div>
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From the gardens we headed to Barter Books which was incredible, it's the most beautifully curated bookshop I've ever seen and all second hand. I picked up three vintage classics to add to my growing library. Upon arriving back in Newcastle we all got dolled up and headed into town for a night out which was my favourite of the past year. Gotham then Flithy's, cheap but brilliant.</div>
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The next day my parents drove up to visit with the most incredible, champagne afternoon tea, balloons, flowers and presents. It was the best and my Mum really excelled herself. I then took them Dabbawal Street Food Kitchen for dinner where the food was amongst the best Indian's I've ever tasted. They stayed overnight and the next day we went down to the Quayside Market for a wander and then walked up to the Fat Hippo Underground for lunch (for the third time in one post, I'd highly recommend, we basically went to all my favourite places so I'd recommend them all ok?). </div>
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Ok so it definitely wasn't your typical 21st birthday weekend, but it was absolutely perfect. I can't thank my friends, Lewis or my parents enough for indulging me so much in one weekend, they might have seemed like modest things or places we visited but they were wonderful and the best way I could think of to round up my three years in Newcastle. </div>
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I really hope you all enjoyed this post and enjoy the pictures, I don't need to assure you it was the most beautiful day. </div>
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I'll speak soon.</div>
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Holly</div>
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Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-17890139685965224722016-03-22T12:56:00.001-07:002016-03-23T04:40:26.412-07:00Music Review + Interview | Miller Blue - Cold Hands<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Hello everyone! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Its been a while I know (when is it ever not with me?!) but as always, uni work takes precedent over blogging. I'm back today with another single review and what was one of the funniest interviews and photo-shoots I think I'll ever have the privilege of conducting. This entire experience was so much fun and I hope that comes through in this post, enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Once again this process began the way it did with Colour Of Spring, with a rather unexpected email. This time from the management behind 19 year old Miller Blue; an incredibly talented artist from Shropshire studying music at Leeds Uni. Just as I do with every musician that contacts me asking for a review, I have to listen to their music before I agree to write about it as I only want to post content on this blog that I am passionate about. Luckily with Miller Blue's music, I was instantly hooked. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Miller Blue is a hard artist to define, his genre is mainly Electronic with splashes of Hip Hop and R'n'B. At 19 its surprising to find an artist with such an evident influence of a variety of genres, especially those of Miller Blue but it only adds to the maturity and strong sense of identity to his music. I was asked to review 'Cold Hands', his first single off his new, entirely self-produced EP 'Persistence' which suited me down to the ground as its my favourite off the EP. Here is my review, if you want to give it a listen, you can watch the new music video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4L-T3y-kDI">here.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">In my last single review I spoke about when and where I'd play that song, I quite liked writing from that perspective so I think I'll keep it up for this one too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">REVIEW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">On my iPod I have a wide array of playlists with slightly nonsensical names which are a great source of amusement to my flatmates but make perfect sense to me. One of my most frequently clicked on playlists is one called 'Visions', named so after The Maine's wonderful and spooky track off their 'Imaginary Numbers' EP. On this playlist there are many more equally moving songs consisting of complexing lyrics or chilling instrumentals such as Our Last Night's cover of 'The Heart Wants What It Wants', 'Therapy' by All Time Low and 'I'll Be Good' by Jaymes Young. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The time for such a playlist, is late at night once the rest of your house is silent with sleep and you're still awake searching for something though you have no idea what. Knowing that sleep is going to evade you for at least another hour, you reach for iPod and overhead earphones. Then once the first note of those haunting melodies, stories and emotions flood between your ears, you fall into a cathartic state of blue understanding. Amongst the songs on this sits Miller Blue's 'Cold Hands' which evokes a hopeless and yet un-resenting feeling of impossible pursuit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The track opens with an erie guitar riff that foreshadows the sweet, nightmarish familiarity of heart torn thoughts that we've all experienced at some point. As Miller's spooky vocals begin, the atmospheric direction is set for the rest of the track and goosebumps are instantly raised on your arms. The minimal production allows for a closer connection to the lyrics, giving the metaphors a much more demanding gravity. The words "I open doors, just in hope that you will be there" I'm sure is a feeling we can all relate to, if not I speak for myself at least.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The ascending percussion thats consistent throughout the song rings similar to the sensation of steps upon the ground, as if you were chasing that something from before that you couldn't quite reach. As you're transported deeper into the track, the repetition of the lyrics adds to the apparition-like state of whichever ghost is haunting your consciousness at that late hour. The chorus kicks in and so does the emotion, Miller's raw expression is deepened and we're shown a whole new level of honesty. Lying in your bed in the dark of your room, think of nothing else but those lyrics and everything else will begin to disappear. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">As you can probably tell from my maybe too elaborate description, I love this song which made me all the more excited for the chance to interview and photograph Miller Blue. I met Miller one Wednesday afternoon in early March at Leeds train station, Leeds being a handy location for the both of us. As soon as we got chatting I instantly felt like we were friends - I speak on behalf of myself alone of course! Miller is one of the friendliest, funniest and open people I think I've ever met. I don't think we once ran out of things to talk about throughout the whole afternoon. We exchanged so many silly stories about uni, gigs and just random anecdotes which I have no idea how we came to talking about but I didn't mind at all, I hadn't laughed that much in ages!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">After leaving the train station we headed towards Starbucks for a cup of tea and shelter from the cold for our interview which went down as such, enjoy!:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">INTERVIEW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: So Miller you produced everything for ‘Persistence’ by yourself?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;">MB: I did yeah.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Thats quite impressive! </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Thank you very much. Yeah I did it all in my room, I’d only been producing for like a year or so. I think it was because studio costs are pretty mad, especially when you’re not in a band because normally you spilt it in a band and my music was more electronically based as well so I think I just wanted to do it all myself.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Did you enjoy the independence of it?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Oh yeah it was great! I mean I enjoy writing with other people, but I think because it was my first EP I wanted to be all me from myself so I did all the writing, production, the artwork. I just wanted to do it all myself and just say ‘Its me’ if that makes sense.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Would you do it again?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah definitely. I think with this next one I am working with other people. My manager wants me to get used to writing and the way it works in a studio with other producers because I haven’t done that before because it had all been done in my room, on my own, other than my Mum downstairs, she’s just like “Shut up!” (laughs) But yeah I’d definitely do it again on another project, I’d love to do that.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Listening to your EP, its quite evident with your music that you like lots of different genres, did that mean that it was harder to identify your sound?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Without a doubt, initially I produced mostly hip-hop but realised I’m white and I sound weird when I rap (laughs) its the truth! But I was trying to work out how to incorporate hip-hop in with what I’d started to listen to more recently like a lot of electronic, jazz, RnB, I think I just took a lot of influences from different genres and ended up having this sound, finally. For the first year or two I was writing songs I just wrote songs in different genres without having a particular style. It was more like I was just writing random songs and you couldn’t put them together. So with this I wanted to make sure that throughout the EP you could hear the sound within each song even though there are different genres in each song as well, so you can still have one particular sound.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Do you think ‘Persistence’ reflects everything you are as an artist or is there another side to your music that you’re going to share now?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: I think the first EP was more themed based on my view of how the world is; like the universe itself and, if I’m honest, it was a few stories about girls that had gone wrong, I was just pissed off! (laughs) I just thought I’m going to write about this, thats why in the album artwork I drew a girl with like the universe inside because thats what the theme was for the EP and I couldn’t find an album artwork that suited what I wanted. But yeah there’s definitely another side of my music that hopefully people will hear in the future.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: So about ‘Cold Hands’ you’ve released the video for it, seen as you were so involved in the production of your music and the artwork, how involved were you in the production and concept of the music video?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: The guy who filmed the video I’ve worked with him before doing little videos and stuff so I was pretty comfortable with him so we had a sit down, had a listen to the song, chatted about ideas, because I thought the visuals could really reflect whats being said. I think the idea was that this guy was in a dream, like a dream state, trying to get to this girl that he’s not with anymore but he can’t get to her because they’re not together, so its meant to be a nightmare almost, he keeps following her and he can’t get her. Have you seen the video?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Yeah I thought it was really good </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: I think it would be hard to grasp that if you’re not sure of the concept but yeah. I had a lot of input with the ideas of it, but he pretty much directed all the shots, I wasn’t too sure on the shots as I’m not really clued up on videography but yeah it was really fun.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Where did you film it? The locations looked gorgeous</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Do you know where Llanrhaedr is in Wales? its like a waterfall there, we filmed some shots there and then we basically drove around to a few different forested areas and mountain type areas nearby, it was all really nice but so cold, like minus four hundred, it wasn’t! (laughs) But it was so cold, I should have worn make up on the video because watching it back I was stood near the waterfall, freezing, I’ve got rosy ass cheeks, and my ears, I look like I’ve been beaten up! </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: No you didn’t </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Ben: A little bit, just slightly (laughs) but yeah other than that I really enjoyed it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: ‘Cold Hands’ has quite a different feeling and mood to the other songs on your EP, how did the writing of that compare to your other ones?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: It was a lot more personal than the others; it was about a time when I’d gone to a pretty dark place, I moved past it but I knew it was still there so I thought I needed to write about it because when I write music I think it helps me filter things and reflect on them. I wrote it really quick, I think I wrote it in two days, then it was done in like a week. I think I got a lot more involved in this song, in the feeling of it than the others just because of how much it meant. I tried to keep the production pretty basic because theres a lot going on in some of the other songs but the vocal really stands out in this song, like its the forefront of the music I think, and thats because I want people to be able to get the emotion from the words and not from the song, if that makes sense?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: You said in an interview on your Youtube Channel that you wrote quite a few metaphors into ‘Cold Hands’, would you say you’re quite reserved with your feelings or do you just want it to be relatable without exposing too much?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: I think with all the songs I write I don’t tell people my stories in terms of, complain to them about whats happened, I think once I’d written it I’d got it out of my system so I’d already got past it for me. I think the feeling can reflect through how I’m singing it and people can base their emotion off that as opposed to being directly about what my story was. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: What inspires you lyrically?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: It depends, it can either be, sometimes it can be songs I’ve heard before; like listening to how people write. Chet Faker writes metaphorically a lot, I listened to his ‘Built On Glass’ album like so many times, for three weeks straight I was just sat there like ‘I love this song!’ I listened to it again last night for the first time in a while and I remembered why I loved that album so much, it was great. Its normally based off something thats happened to me, and then I try and work out what I’m trying to say, and then how to say that without saying it, and I think of words that mean the same thing without actually saying it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: So you created all the artwork for ‘Persistence’ yourself as well, are you quite a visual person? Did you enjoy that element of it?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: I really enjoyed it, it wasn’t actually planned because I’ve never really painted before.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: You’ve never painted before?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Well I did a little bit of art in school but nothing where I was into it. I literally went to get art supplies to do this one piece, I only bought one canvas and I was like ‘Right I’m going to do this’ and I just did it in my room one day, finished it. If I’m honest, it looks a lot better now I photographed it and edited the colours a little bit</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Oh did you Photoshop it?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah slightly, well pretty much just a filter if I’m honest. Ollie, my manager, kind of wants me to keep that going so I’ve done paintings for ‘Cold Hands’ and ‘Marigold’ too because they’re going to be the first two singles. I think in the future I still want to have input on the artwork, I think it gives it more of a meaning if you relate to it and why its like that from you, as opposed to someone else drawing it for you. But I really enjoyed it.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Its really good</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Did you like it?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Yeah I think its really quite reflective of the mood of your EP</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Thats what I really wanted to do. I tried different artworks and asked a few people to draw up ideas but in the end I realised I needed it to reflect the theme of the EP and I think it does that actually. I was really happy with it in the end which was surprising because when I was starting to draw it I was like ‘This is going to be shit, it really is. Mum have a look at this’ and she said ‘Yeah it doesn’t look great’ but in the end I was actually really happy with it. I’m glad I took the time to do that.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: So now you’ve released the EP are you doing any shows to accompany it?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: At the minute I’m just pretty much working out my set up because all I’ve really been doing is little acoustic things here and there, but I want to play it electronically. I can’t really afford to have a band so I think I’m going to end up using, its called a Ableton Push, its basically a little sample pad, a little melody pad that you can play different things on. I’m going to use it for the mini keyboard, so its just a keyboard but you put synthesised sound on it. Basically play my tracks as they are on the EP live using that so you can get the feel of it, because I think acoustically it doesn’t really reflect what I’m trying to do in the music as much. But I will be doing acoustic shows in the next few months, you know SoHo in London? that famous strip of bars, Ronnie’s Jazz Club, the guy who wrote ‘Worry’ with Jack Garret, has asked my manager if I can play there on the 19th of April. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Wow thats incredible</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Which I was like fully taken back by, loads of famous artists have played there like James Bay, Jack Garret, Years and Years, theres quite a few. So I’m really looking forward to that, but I’m going to do an acoustic set with my friend Chris. Its more of a development year this year I think in terms of my playing, because I think production wise and writing wise, I’ve got what I need there, but I’m not ready in terms of live to be pushing things out like labels and stuff like that. Because I think they want a full package these days, they want everything ready to just go.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Yeah they just want to get it out as soon as they can commercially </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah they don’t really want to put time into nurturing people anymore.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Its good that you want to sort that out now first</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah I think you only really get one sort of chance with doing it, like pushing it out properly so I don’t mind spending as much time as possible waiting for it to be ready for that.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Especially when you’re at uni as well you can’t really jet off all the time.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Its pretty stressful even in first year, trying to balance my time. My time management is so bad, 1 out of 10, I keep trying to sort it; I’ve got to go buy a diary later cause I don’t look at my phone one and I forget. I have a gig in April that I didn’t realise and I have a showcase I’ve got to go to on the same date and now I’ve got to cancel the gig, so depressing. Yeah I’ll be doing quite a few showcases actually, my managers got quite a few good connections with like people in Sony. He came out of nowhere, he rung me up and was like ‘I’d like to manage you’ I was like ‘I don’t know who you are’ (laughs) so we had a good chat and I went down there.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Where’s he based?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: London, he lives in Essex but we normally meet in London.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: He’s not on a label or anything?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: No he’s got his own management company but he’s really good friends with two guys who are called MoJam as a production duo, they won a Grammy, they produced on Sam Smith’s first album, Emeli Sandé’s album. Normally they always charge people to record with them or they’ll only record with people who are signed, but Ollie played them my stuff and I’ve been in for like two sessions with them now and they’re doing it for free, they really want to help me with it. It all came out of nowhere, it was like the first week I started uni I got the call just before I got here, like the day before, so I moved into Leeds from a little village and then that week I had to go down to London for the first time, it was just all a bit stressful but its been great.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: So its all moving quite fast then?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah but he’s making sure we do develop properly before he pushes it to anyone.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Well well done you, thats brilliant!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Thank you very much. I’m really excited for it, I really am, I don’t really say it to anyone because you don’t want to come across as a dickhead, but I’m really looking forward to it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Final question; what’s the dream? Where would you like to take your music?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Sorry I’m just being really manly (Ben reaches into his coat pocket) and getting some lip balm (laughs). Although I try not to look too far ahead, I think you can get caught up doing that and then you forget what you’re doing at the moment, right now I’m just trying to keep making music that I love and hopefully things will come as they’re supposed to. I’d love to get by, just literally get paid for doing what I love doing, thats all I really want. I know a lot of people will say that but genuinely if I could make a decent living off my music I’d be more than happy. We’ll see what happens.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: Well by the sounds of it you’re moving very quickly and very well</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah it has come out of nowhere but you’ve got to stay grounded with it all and let things come as they do. My Dad’s a massive, massive help with all these things, he wants to be really involved with it and he’s really helpful and Mum’s the same. My Dad had a similar thing when he was younger and he didn’t quite make it, he had loads of meetings with different reps from big record labels and stuff with his band and they ended up breaking up. I’ve forgotten the band name now, but two members of his band left,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">joined another band, used some of the songs he’d written and ended up getting in the charts!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Holly: You’re joking?!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">MB: No they had one song that went to number one and my Dad heard it when he was in a tent camping on like a lads holiday, and he heard it and he recognised the base line on it because he wrote it with them. I’ve forgotten what they were called! I’ll get back to you on that. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;">Holly: Thats brutal!</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">MB: Yeah so I think because of all that he’s trying to make sure that it goes right and that I don’t get too caught up in it all. Its a really hard industry, its brutal; you have to be hard-skinned with it, you have to be able to take both [the negative and positive] from people and not be too put down from it because otherwise you’ll just give up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">After our lengthy but entirely enjoyable chat, we headed down towards Granary Wharf and the canals for the photo-shoot in a sort of improvisational search for a good location. The weather was gorgeously clear, though cold, which made the recently regenerated area all the more charming and the pictures turn out far better than I could have hoped for. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br style="font-size: medium;" /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I was quite anxious that the imagery we produced would have to reflect what is already a very stylish aesthetic which Miller has developed for himself, musically and artistically but once we got to the images there was no such issue and Leeds delivered majestically as it always does. Miller Blue was a delightful subject in front of the camera which again made me much more relaxed and allowed us to have such fun with the pictures. Here's my favourite selection, I hope you like them as much as I do:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">So as you can imagine, the day was an absolute pleasure and privilege to be a part of. Miller Blue is an wonderfully grounded but undeniable young talent who I suggest you all keep an eye on over the next year or two. I've linked all his social media and Soundcloud at the end of this post so go on and have a nosey. I'd like to say thank you Miller Blue and his manager Ollie for the chance to do this, it really was a really good laugh and joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Thats all for today from me, I hope you enjoyed reading today's post and I'll see you at some point in the future - I shan't commit to posting again soon as uni is most likely going to kill me in the next few weeks! But I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and I'll see you soon(-ish).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Love</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Miller Blue:</span><br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/millerblue"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">SoundCloud</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MillerBlueMusic/?fref=ts"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Facebook</span></a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/MillerBlueMusic"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Twitter</span></a>Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-59666666525672896862016-02-26T05:29:00.001-08:002016-02-26T05:33:07.032-08:00Gig Review + Interview | Colour of Spring - Wharf Chambers 19/02/16Hello everyone!<br />
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I'm back with A Romantic Calamity first today! (another one!). I've been so excited about writing this post and am so happy I can finally share it with all of you.<br />
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If you read my last post (go give it a read <a href="http://aromanticcalamity.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/music-review-pillow-colour-of-spring.html">here</a> as it will give this one a little more context) you'll know that Colour Of Spring, an alternative band from Leeds, asked me to review their new single 'Pillow' and invited me to their launch party in our home town last week. I was so excited as the single gripped me from the start and I'm now a huge admirer of them and their music. Its not a genre that I've listened to a lot recently but I feel this could be the beginning of a more indie chapter for me, and one that I'm currently really enjoying! Shane, Robin, Tom and Bryce were not only kind enough to invite me to the gig but they also to let me interview them too. I took one of my best friends, Sophie, with me and we both had such a lovely evening. The band are such a genuine bunch of guys and the gig felt really special. Here's my experience of the evening, I hope you enjoy it!<br />
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It began, as most evenings out usually do for me, with an inevitable wardrobe malfunction. It was a lot colder than I thought it would be. It would appear high waisted, ankle grazing jeans, an ironic mid riff, a scarecrow-esque checkered shirt and a coat is not warm enough attire for a Friday evening in February. Luckily the shivering concealed my irrational, nervous jitters as Sophie and I walked towards the whimsically decorated pub, Crowd Of Favours, where we were meeting Colour Of Spring for the interview a few hours before the gig. We get inside and Sophie buys us both a drink to try and calm me down. "I feel like I'm watching you panic before a first date!" she says to me, it was a similar level of nerves believe me! Although as soon as we met the band about an hour later my ridiculous nerves seemed even more ridiculously unnecessary.<br />
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I text Robin, (guitar and vocals for the band), to say we were sat by the door of the pub to which he replied that they were running late and that we should meet them at the venue for the nights festivities in about half an hour. Relaxing as I realise I have just enough time to pretend I'm a functioning human being, Sophie and I enjoyed our drinks whilst deciding that the next time we have a night out in Leeds we're definitely starting at Crowd Of Favours, its such a cool pub.<br />
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Later on we made our way towards Wharf Chambers, a venue we discover is a hub for any kind of artistic, political or musical individual in the Leeds area. Standing outside the venue I couldn't help thinking that this part of the city centre, which I have failed to explore before now, reminds me incredibly of Ouseburn in Newcastle for both its atmosphere and look. After a short wait outside the club, a white van carrying Colour Of Spring turns up, out of which Robin and rest of the boys emerge remarking "Late for a gig in our own town how embarrassing!". I believe a new bass guitar had to be located, all will explained...<br />
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We enter the club house into a delightfully quirky bar area where the interview will now take place. The band spend five minutes arranging their things before Shane (vocals and guitar), Robin and Tom (bass) sit down at a table with us for what was a wonderfully funny and natural interview. My initial nervousness disappearing almost instantly as we laughed through the next fifteen minutes whilst they told me all about their music and tour. Here's a more concise edition of what happened when they foolishly let me interrogate them:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">INTERVIEW</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: You’re launching 'Pillow' tonight with a party in your home town, this is going to be a really obvious question and I probably know the answer already, but I’m presuming you’re excited?</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">All: Oh yeah! *laughter*</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Kind of nervous as well </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Yeah I mean we’re playing to a load of our friends and friend’s bands</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Its a lot of expectation in a way but its good, its good nervousness </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Yeah and pretty tired considering this is the penultimate show</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: I feel like we’re too tired to be excited! *laughter*</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: You’re coming to the end of your tour now, is this going to mark a new chapter for the band? Whats next after you’ve finished the tour?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Yeah definitely! Its kind of, for me, its sort of the end of the first chapter. We’re moving on to a much bigger one, coming up to releasing bigger things. We’ve only done singles up until now, we’re looking to releasing much bigger stuff and touring more frequently.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Definitely, I think when you first start out as a band you end up getting lots of little support slots, supporting bigger bands then you get to the stage where you tour and then from that point on you concentrate on doing tours rather than lots shows here and there and everywhere.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: We’ve been saying for bands in their first year it can actually be quite easy getting shows around where you live because its new and exciting, and people want to book you, your friends want to book you. Its after you’ve done your first tour and one of your big releases, its sort of like do you have the longevity? are people still interested? and we’ve been doing quite well! (laughter)</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Yeah its been good, and the other things is when you drive to the other end of the country, you’re like how is anybody even going to turn up for this? how has the news got that far? It seems obvious because of the internet but you know you still have that thing; am I going to go seven hours down the motorway to Canterbury and play to two people? </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: That didn’t happen! *laughter*</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Yeah that didn’t happen! *laughter*</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: You’ve only got two gigs left on the tour, which has been your favourite city so far?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: I really liked Brighton, we played to the least amount of people in Brighton, but I just like Brighton, so that was my favourite. *To Shane* You loved Canterbury didn’t you?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: I loved Canterbury, I’m from York and it was like being in York again. The scene was really cool, the promoter was awesome, a really hard working girl and people are into it. In London people just seemed like they were too afraid to show they were interested in anything and in Canterbury it was completely the opposite! They were loving it and it was a great turnout, great place to play; we played a burrito bar upstairs and we all got free burritos! *To Robin* Would you say Canterbury?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Yeah, I would have said Brighton if we hadn’t turned up at the last minute and played. I love Brighton as a city but I think Canterbury was cool because it was probably the coolest show because everyone was so enthusiastic.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: Also York was really good as well</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Oh yeah York!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: York was a great show, we put it all on ourselves, sort of in the basement of a pub and obviously brought all our own PA and because I’m from York all the bands we played with were my friends so it was nice</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: A nice homecoming then?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: That was nerve-wracking for me, playing in front of people I’ve known for a long time.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: I think I was more excited for that because I really liked watching the support bands, obviously these [Waterfall and TRASH] will be good as well.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: It was almost like we’d down the launch in two legs; we did York and because the labels from York as well and this is sort of like the second leg of that.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: I’m studying in Newcastle, so naturally I have to ask, what was the show like there? What did you think of the city?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">All: Yeah it was really good!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: It was good fun! Charlie, the promoter, he’s a really cool guy, really hard working as well, he put us up in his place which was nice of him and we went for a few drinks afterwards. The show was good; good turnout, support bands were cool. It was another one of those shows where people were actually you know showing that they were interested rather than just standing looking like they were zombies.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: Yeah I find Geordies are like that, they’re just very upfront about everything but its great!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: It was amazing, I saw a bunch of girls going into a Greggs for a pre-night out pasty and they were all like proper dressed up just in Greggs!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: You do it at the end of the night as well, they’re open until like 6am!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: A pre and a post?</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: Yeah exactly! A pre and a post!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: I’m into that, I love Greggs!</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">- Newcastle, you’ve done me proud.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: What would you say has been the defining memory of this tour? Has there been one thing that you’ve thought 'that’s what I’m going to remember from it'?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: *laugh* Until last night, I wasn’t so sure but probably Robin smashing Tom’s bass!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: Oh yeah I forgot about that!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: *through gasps of disbelief* Because it was not something I was expecting, none of us were expecting it! But people watching could have seen how shocked the rest of us were! Because I turned around to get some feedback off my amp</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: I just dropped my bass, to make a noise and I just thought I’d look at my phone</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: And then we just heard a bang! and it was just Robin just smashing the bass on the side *laughter*</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: Glass was flying everywhere!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: It was pretty interesting like! *laughter*</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: A talking point at least! </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">*all take a moments reflection*</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: I told a funny tractor joke, its too long for this interview though, its a very long joke! But when Tom’s bass string snapped last night, it was in the middle of a song and so we sort of got the point in the song where there’s a break and we switched basses out, but while we were switching basses I was telling this joke and just as I said the punch line we went back into the song!</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: I was going to say our merch guy sleepwalks when he’s drunk, and we were in the van and he got up and thought he could get out of the van on the motorway to go to the toilet so we had to like grapple him down back into the seat! </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: He also spilt about two litres of cherryade on me.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Oh yeah we just sent over this speed bump and he just squirted cherryade all over Shane, so for like the next four hours while we were travelling Shane had to sit in a sticky jumper and with a sticky face</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: I tried to dry myself off with a hand-dryer in McDonalds!</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: This is quite a personal question, because its what interests me most about music, but whats the writing process like for lyrics with you guys? How does it start?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Well usually I’ll come up with like the song, is what I call it, like the chords and the lyrics, I’ll write them and do it on an acoustic guitar at home. I’ve explained before in interviews, its sort of like a symbiotic process where I’ll play the chords and the way the chords resonate, the voicings will make me think of pictures and images and I’ll translate that into the words, and they sort of write each other. Certain chord progressions have certain moods which evoke me to sing certain things, and I’ll just play them over and over again and sing anything really. I mean a lot of the times its nonsense and my subconscious turns it into something and thats how it comes about a lot of the time. I’ll then bring those chords and ideas to the band and we bring them to life; everyone has a hand in arrangements and everyone just pitches in from that point from the bare bones.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Robin: Yeah I’d say from the initial idea that Shane has we do a lot of jamming, cause I write a lot of the lead parts, I might say to Shane ‘can you just literally play that chord and riff for the next ten minutes’ then I’ll just like jam it out as I’m just trying to work it out and Tom does the same and then Bryce has usually got quite good ideas of where we can put middle eighths and stuff.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Yeah Bryce is really good at arrangements </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: All the structural stuff, he knows a track should flow </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Yeah I’m really bad at writing choruses and stuff, like if you listen to a lot of our songs, I think only two or three have choruses</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: You’ve started writing more choruses nowadays</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: I’m just selling out, I’m becoming pop!</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Holly: Have you been writing a lot of new stuff recently then?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Yeah we had a bit of a song writing dip where I wasn’t writing anything and so we were just focusing on the songs that we’ve got, making them as good as they can be. But in the past couple of months I’ve been writing loads so we’ve got loads of new songs, some of which we’ve put into the set for the tour, and some of which we’re just writing now. We’ve still got loads of new stuff to come out, I was a bit worried in that dip cause I was thinking ‘maybe its gone’ but I guess it just comes in waves, its not something you can sort of try and do, it just comes as and when.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Holly: What’s the dream for the band? Where do you want it to go in an ideal world?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: Moving on in the same direction that we are I suppose, I’m not in it for playing the O2 Arena or anything I’m not fussed, I just want people to like our music. The main idea for the band is to write music that we’d want to listen to and thats what I’m happy doing. I’d like to just carry on making records and touring and promoting and selling them, if we get to keep doing that and people turn up to the shows then I’m smiling.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tom: Slowly get a bigger van, hotel rooms eventually! No floors!</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Shane: The goal is for when we’re touring to sleep in a bed every night.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;">Bryce (drums) then joined us for a few quick photos, many of which are a little too grainy for my OCD photographer's</span></span><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">snobbery to cope with </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">because</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;"> there wasn't a lot of light in the room, but here are the ones I felt summed up the atmosphere best.</span></span><br />
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(Shane, Tom, Robin, Bryce)<br />
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Tom and Robin trying to look "natural" for me, thanks guys! *laughter-fuelled eye roll*<br />
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The boys then disappeared to set up for the gig and Sophie and I walked back along Boar Lane to 1871 for some dinner. We got a little carried away with how good the menu looked and ordered four sharing platters to share; chicken wings, dirty skins, gourmet fries with cheese and pork and heaped nachos. It's safe to say we didn't finish any of them as our eyes were naturally bigger than our bellies but oh my god did it taste good! I'd definitely recommend the food in there, 1871 is the restaurant attached to the Leeds Marriott but of course you don't have to be staying there to go in for a drink or some food.<br />
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After a few hours of food, cider and gossip, we returned to Wharf Chambers where the bar was now full. Sophie and I made our way through a door at the back of the room and turned into a cosy little gig space filled with far more stylishly dressed people than ourselves and Robin sat at a table, welcoming people to the gig and collecting ticket money. Ten minutes later, the first support act, Waterfall, stepped up onto the stage and began their set.<br />
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WATERFALL<br />
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Waterfall are a young band, also from Leeds, but despite their age got the show off to a great start. Their music had a hazy feeling to it and was a little noisy at times, although this excess of noise gave a real feeling of release as they smashed the notes from their instruments.<br />
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TRASH<br />
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The second support band were called TRASH, signed on local, Leeds label Clue Records, who I instantly enjoyed. Again a young band but very talented; they were fun, upbeat and quintessentially indie. My favourite song of theirs was 'Workout' which is their new single to be released soon. They had a very modest but endearing impression on the audience and put a smile on everyone's face.<br />
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COLOUR OF SPRING<br />
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And then the headliners; Colour Of Spring, who killed it! The combination of their dusky shoe-gaze, Shane's creamy vocals and the cosy venue made for a truly intimate show. I don't know if its because they were in their home town and surrounded by friends, or whether this is something that was present at every gig on their tour, but everyone in both the band and the audience seemed to feel so at ease and reassuringly content during their set. The atmosphere was so transporting that even though I was taking photographs to be used on here and for my university work, the bubbling stress of my degree seemed to disappear from my mind completely. It baffled me how the band were still so humbled by the support they'd had across the tour, even though they put on an incredible show. It was wonderful to see them play in such a fitting venue and I couldn't agree more with Shane from the interview, I don't think I'd want to see them play the O2 Arena but I'd pay to see them at Wharf Chambers again in a heartbeat.<br />
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After their set, Sophie and I went to find each of the Colour Of Spring boys to congratulate them, all whom looked so happy and as if all their lives' dreams had been fulfilled. I am so grateful they invited me to what was such a genuinely, lovely evening. I'm sure they played a brilliant show in Manchester on Saturday night and I hope their tour has inspired them to get back to writing so they can get back out and tour as soon as possible. I wish them all the best possible luck with their next chapter and for Trash and Waterfall.<br />
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So there you go everyone, my first ever gig review! I hope you enjoyed this post and I've been contacted by a few other musicians recently as well so watch this space as you'll be seeing a few more of these kind of posts in the future!<br />
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As always I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you soon!<br />
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HollyHolly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-41023040496753326942016-01-31T12:23:00.002-08:002016-01-31T12:31:34.368-08:00Music Review | Pillow - Colour Of Spring<div style="font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;">Hello everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0px;">Its been a while! I hope your new years have all kicked off to a wonderful start. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I know I’ve taken a rather long leave of absence from this blog but last semester was just too incredibly stressful and hectic which unfortunately meant that blogging had to move down on my list of priorities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I won’t try to catch you up with everything from the last four months as we would literally be here all day. Sufficient to say, I’ve been so close to crumbling under the weight of my work, have somehow come out of the other side of it with good marks and have had some of the most wonderful times of my life celebrating my best friends’ 21sts and a delightful Christmas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But I’m back today with A Romantic Calamity first! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Since my blog was nominated for a NE Bloggers award, I’ve had a quite a few people emailing me about events or reviews that they’d like me to post about on my blog. Although this is incredibly flattering, I’ve been a little hesitant to accept some of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Without going into the whole politics of bloggers being paid to advertise things on their blogs and how genuine they all are, I don’t write this blog for the purposes of becoming famous for it. I write about things on here that genuinely interest me and I want my blog to have integrity. Therefore on this blog I will only write or post about people/brands/events that I have a genuine interest in and that I think are worth saying something about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So finally, I’m getting to the point of today’s blog post; here is A Romantic Calamity’s first ever single review! A few weeks ago I was approached by a band from Leeds called Colour Of Spring, asking me to review their new single ‘Pillow’. Before I could agree to reviewing the single, I had to check them out as I would not be comfortable writing about something that I don’t appreciate. Luckily, Colour Of Spring are amazing, so I was more than happy to review them. So here is my review of their wonderful new single Pillow:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m one of those people who, no matter what emotion they’re feeling, has to find a song that translates it, otherwise I won’t be able to process that emotion properly and it will just hang over my head until I do. I have to do it for everything, if I’m pissed off or have a case of the mean reds, I need to find a song that mirrors it almost instantly. I cease to function otherwise, its a pursuit that can take weeks if I’m feeling particularly complicated or picky. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I do the exact same with what I’m doing; for example if I’m travelling somewhere then I need to find a song that reflects that pastoral side of myself. I even tailor my gym playlist around the emotions I want to feel when I’m there. Its full of angry, break up songs and melodies about empowerment to build me up for a hard workout, testing and pushing my body.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So when I first heard Colour Of Spring’s new single ‘Pillow’ I, naturally, had to picture when and where I will play this song corresponding to my mood. After debating between road tripping across the southern American states and tumbling through a meadow on a summer’s day, both of which seemed far too mediocrely indie for such a warming song, I finally settled on an answer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The setting was a much more humble circumstance, one I’m sure we can all relate to. The perfect occasion to play Pillow, is on those purely blissful mornings when we are gently awoken by the warmth of the sun creeping through our curtains. On those days when nothing of consequence demands our attention and we are mercifully left to our own leisure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The introductory notes build steadily as our eyes open and take in our reassuringly, familiar surroundings. Nothing compares to the comfort of our own space, except maybe the melodies Colour Of Spring have forged through their instruments. The soothing but encouraging vocals will breathe life back into your previously slumbering body, coaxing you out of bed towards the window, following the sun as if you could taste it. It is a song for broody, stirring, quiet days which belong only ourselves; ones filled with lemon and ginger tea, hand written letters and casual bed hair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m not going to pretend I know a lot about music or the definitions of music genres, but I do know when to play the perfect song. Colour Of Spring were a unexpected but welcome break after I’d been listening pretty religiously to We Are The Ocean and Bring Me The Horizon over Christmas, who I’ve now fallen in love with. I haven’t heard anything similar to Colour Of Spring in a while and although this feeling may be a little premature, given the current Antarctic conditions in Newcastle, they are definitely getting me in the mood for a summer of freedom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Pillow is only Colour Of Spring’s third single to be released and I’m very excited about hearing what else they have in store for 2016. I’ll be reviewing a gig they’re playing in Leeds on the 19th of February at Wharf Chambers as part of their Pillow February tour so stay tuned for that or I might even see you there! I’ve added links to all of their social media and website at the end of this post so be sure to go check them out as they’re definitely worth a listen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I hope you have a wonderful week ahead and look after yourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Speak soon,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Holly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Colour Of Spring:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Website: </span><a href="http://colourofspring.co.uk/">http://colourofspring.co.uk/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/colourofspring">https://www.facebook.com/colourofspring</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Soundcloud: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/colourofspring">https://soundcloud.com/colourofspring</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/_colourofspring">https://twitter.com/_colourofspring</a></span></div>
Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-34021357849143949822015-10-09T14:45:00.002-07:002015-10-09T14:45:52.878-07:00OOTD | Feet Don't Fail Me NowHello everyone! Holly the hermit here!<br />
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I am so sorry I've been so quiet for the last month, its absolutely disgraceful blogging behaviour! I do have a good excuse though, I'm finally back in Newcastle for my final year at university! I'm so happy to be back after what seems like forever, but I'm terrified at the prospect of this being my last year. I suppose we all have to grow up eventually...but not just yet right?<br />
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I've had a lovely few weeks adjusting to being back at uni and now I feel like I'm ready to fully throw myself into third year. I had a wonderful, mind exploding inspiration burst earlier so I'm feeling good about all of my briefs now which is a relief. This semester should be a very busy one but full of all sorts so I'll try keep you guys in the loop and put as much of it on here as I can.<br />
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But anyway to today's post...Seen as I'm back in Newcastle I felt an OOTD was in order, to get me back in the swing of blogging and get me feeling creative again. Enjoy the pictures!:<br />
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So in these pictures I am decked out completely in Zara and Dr Martens. The skirt and jumper are new purchases (oops!) from Zara, the jumper I think was £30 and the skirt £26(?) and my bag and shoes are both Dr Martens.<br />
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The song this post is named after is Feet Don't Fail Me Now by Foxes. I loved her first album and by the sound of the new singles she's released this album's going to be even better! Feet Don't Fail Me Now came out about a month ago but I've been returning to it again and again because I just love the lyrics. They really motivate me and I've needed that the past few weeks having started uni again.<br />
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I am also so happy to announce that I have been shortlisted for the North East Bloggers Awards 2015! I've been shortlisted for the music category as well as <a href="http://www.nerdpit.co.uk/">Nerd Pit</a> and <a href="http://nemm.org.uk/">NEMM</a> so good luck to both of them! I'd also like to say a massive thank you to Dr Martens, who are sponsoring the category, and thank you to OPR who organise the event. I can't wait for the awards ceremony as its the first time my blog has ever been nominated for an award and I'm sure it will be a fantastic and wonderfully entertaining evening.<br />
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That's all for today I'm afraid, but I'll be back with more adventures or rants or god knows what sometime soon. Please be patient with me as it is going to be an extremely busy few months, but I'll do all I can to blog as often as possible. I hope you're all well and happy, if any of you have started new schools or university good luck and enjoy yourselves!<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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HollyHolly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-53855703433775550662015-09-01T02:16:00.000-07:002015-09-01T02:16:05.596-07:00Mindful Musings | A Note To Men In Nightclubs/BarsHello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the last of this wonderful summer.<br />
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I have a few things to vent about today...<br />
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I went on a night out the other day to Leeds with one of my best friends and we had an amazing time. We hadn't been out together since February on account of her working and me being away at university so this was well overdue and I was really looking forward to it.<br />
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We had a brilliant time however a few things, or rather people, nearly ruined it for me. Truthfully, they didn't ruin it at the time because I was a bit too drunk for them too bother me then, but now I've looked back at it I am becoming increasingly infuriated.<br />
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I won't go into the specific details but in reaction to the incidents/comments that occurred on my night out, I have a few things I'd like to say to men in nightclubs/bars:<br />
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1. Just because its now late at night/early in the morning, it does not mean no one will notice or care if you're a whore.<br />
I'm not that drunk that I don't judge you for trying it on with every girl in the building. You physically disgust me.<br />
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2. I go out in town to dance. I repeat, to dance.<br />
Unbelievable I know, that I should go somewhere which provides an environment for exactly that purpose so that I can enjoy myself by dancing until the early hours, but that is my reason. If I wanted to go out to meaninglessly get with five men in one night, I'd join a swingers club. If you can't tell from my ridiculous dancing that it is all I want to do that evening, then you're an imbecile.<br />
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3. I am perfectly willing to dance with people I don't know, as long as I give my consent.<br />
If a guy grabs my hand and starts dancing with me, as long as I'm ok with it and say so, I am perfectly happy to dance with him. As I've previously mentioned, I go out to dance, so I don't mind dancing with people. If you try to start dancing with me and I walk away or say no, following me round the club and trying to physically pull me away from my friends will not encourage me to dance with you. Instead you'll end up with a restraining order.<br />
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4. If I dance with you but do not want to kiss you, that does not make me a tease.<br />
Did I say I was going to kiss you then refuse to at the last minute? No. That would make me a tease. If I'm dancing with you thats because that is all I want to do. If I wanted to kiss you, you'd know about it. I wouldn't purposefully tease or lead anyone on, thats just cruel.<br />
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5. I dress up for a night out in town because I want to look good. I do this for myself.<br />
Not for anyone else's benefit, but for my own. I get dolled up with a nice dress and I take special care with my hair and makeup because I want to feel good about myself. Please believe me when I say, I could not care less what you think or whether you like it. I don't know you, so why would I care? Your opinion, regardless of whether its good or bad, will not have any effect on me. The sun will still rise in the morning and I will go about my life no differently because of your opinion, so please keep it to yourself.<br />
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6. If I'm wearing a skin tight or short dress, it does NOT imply the following things;<br />
- I am out "to pull".<br />
- I am wearing it to attract attention to myself.<br />
- I give you permission to touch me. Anywhere. Get your fucking hands off me.<br />
- I am being a tease.<br />
The most likely reason I'm wearing this dress is because I like it, I don't give a shit if you do. The decision to wear it was mine, your opinion is irrelevant. Did I know you before I came out? No, so why on earth would I care?<br />
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7. If you say to me "Kiss me" and I say no, please respect that decision and either carry on dancing with me, or go away.<br />
I am a human being, not a inanimate object. I have a right to do whatever I want to, the same way you do. If you ignore my response and continue trying to shove your tongue down my throat, you'll end up with a slap. Additionally, telling me to "Chill out" because you're ego can't deal with rejection, will result in you being told very sharply to fuck right off. I do not need to chill out and I certainly do not need some drunken, horny, stranger telling me to do so. Seriously, fuck off.<br />
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8. Three minutes worth of conversion does not mean I am any more likely to kiss you than if I knew nothing about you.<br />
Just because I now know maybe your first name and where you're from, I am not bursting with desire. If this surprises you than you seriously need to keep your ego in check. There are 3.5 billion of you men on the planet, your name and current city of residence does not make you special.<br />
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9. Saying to me "You're so fit" is the most pathetic and laughable way you can attempt to seduce me.<br />
I mean really? Is that honestly the best you could come up with? How long were you working on that line? A whole of one second? If you even consider repeating those words to me you can just leave, you clearly do not care enough to give me more than a seconds thought. Forgive me if I'd care for a little more. Up your game, its embarrassing.<br />
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10. It is perfectly acceptable for my boundaries and standards to be different from yours.<br />
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and is allowed to do whatever they want, within reason. If you want to go out and get with someone, fine by me as long as that person is similarly comfortable with it. If your expectations are higher than mine, that does not mean I have to meet them. I am allowed to decide what I do and what I don't do, that decision does not belong to you. If you don't like my decision or my boundaries, fucking lump it. Your ego is the least of my worries.<br />
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11. Just because I don't want to kiss you does not make me frigid.<br />
Or rather the adjective I got on this particular instance; "timid". I'm not fucking "timid", I'm just not interested. There is a difference. I shake my hips a lot when I'm dancing because thats just how I dance, do you seriously think I would be dancing as boldly as I do if I was frigid? Lack of interest is why I don't want to kiss you. If you have to pretend theres something wrong with me so your ego doesn't get bruised, then grow the fuck up.<br />
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12. Keep your hands to your fucking self.<br />
Trust me, you do not need slide your disgusting hands across my waist or arse whilst trying to move past me. We can all see the metres distance between me and the next person that you're trying to walk through. Therefore there is no reason for you to press your body up against mine and touch me whilst trying to walk past. Alcohol consumption by either party does not give you "touching rights", which by the way is a disgusting and fictitious concept. You have no right to touch me. Just because I've had a drink does not mean I will not punch you and call you a twat for molesting me. Also saying "Excuse me" does not make it forgivable, you dickhead.<br />
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I think this is the end of my complaints list, however I still feel irritated because I don't feel I've expressed myself well enough because my fury is clouding my grammatical judgement. I still feel too wound up by some of these things that I can't think or write coherently and articulately. I apologise for the swearing but this is how infuriated I can become by these things.<br />
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I am a feminist and I hate the bad reputation it currently has as a group of angry women violently fighting for our rights. Whenever I get in a discussion about gender equality I always try to remain as calm as possible as thats the best way to be persuasive, but women go through this way too often for me to remain calm anymore. I do not deserve to have my night ruined because of some arsehole who thinks he can touch me just because he's drunk and we're in a dark room. Quite often I purposefully cover myself up in high collared tops or jeans on a night out specifically so I don't get groped and yet it still happens. I shouldn't have to alter my wardrobe because I'm worried I'm going to be harassed, especially when the outfit I want to wear isn't inappropriately revealing anyway.<br />
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Right, I better shut up before this post gets even longer and I anymore angry. If you're reading this and are guilty of any of the offences listed above, please think seriously about your actions and how it affects us women. It might seem like nothing to you but feeling violated should not be a regular part of a night out. Respect people's decisions, they are humans too. But be warned, if you act like a pig, you'll be treated like one.<br />
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Speak to you soon.<br />
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HollyHolly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017122855680101478.post-80716242926412271452015-08-19T11:56:00.003-07:002015-08-19T11:56:53.110-07:00OOTD | Cinderblock Garden Hello everyone, how are your summers all going?<br />
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I know a few of you are probably getting bored of me talking about Cornwall still, but to be perfectly honest I don't care! It was too wonderful and too beautiful for me not to want to share it and wish I was still there.<br />
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This outfit that I'm sharing with you today, a few of you may recognise from a post on A Freak Of Fashion I wrote last year, but I love it and I feel so myself in it that I always return to it.<br />
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I wore this outfit on the day that the pictures in my last post were taken when we went to Plymouth and Looe. These pictures were taken once we returned to Newquay and as the sunset was so beautiful that night Katie and I went for a walk along Fistral Beach and took these pictures.<br />
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These are absolutely stunning so thank you and well done to Katie for taking them! I'm sorry there are so many but it was impossible to choose a few favourites. I haven't edited any of these because I wanted you all to see how gorgeous the sky was that evening without thinking it was thanks to Photoshop. Enjoy...<br />
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So as you can see, it was stunning! The skyline looked incredible and I was so envious of all the surfers in the water enjoying the last few minutes of daylight. I absolutely adored surfing and I can't even begin to think how lovely it must have felt to be out in the waves that evening. Its no wonder that I am now set on living by the sea one day is it?<br />
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In this post I'm wearing one of my favourite dresses that I bought a few years ago in the summer sale in Warehouse. I've paired it with my vintage Levi's waistcoat, my Roxy flip-flops and my vintage sunglasses from Flip in Newcastle. Dead simple I know but as I've said I adore it and feel so comfortably myself in it that I don't care if I wear it to death.<br />
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The song this post is named after is one that I have adored since the very first time I heard it. When All Time Low brought out their new album, Future Hearts, this year there was one song that stood out for me even though they were all fantastic. Cinderblock Garden sounds like a strange title but I swear it is one of the most romantic and beautiful songs I've ever heard. I still find myself singing it randomly throughout the day and after I discovered an even more beautiful acoustic version that was it, I was completely obsessed. Please go listen to either the original or the acoustic version (they're both on Youtube) as I need more people to share my love of this song, its too heavenly.<br />
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So, I hope you enjoyed these pictures and if you aren't now dying to go to Cornwall I'm not sure you're sane, please consult an expert. As always there's more coming soon so don't go away. I hope you're all doing well.<br />
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Holly<br />
<br />Holly Ileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054960900098351597noreply@blogger.com0