Ride - SWX, Bristol - 14th September 2024
It’s been a busy 2024 for Ride.
Following the release of their latest album Interplay back in March, Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Steve Queralt and Laurence Colbert haven’t been off the road, hitting Europe, the United States, east Asia, and Australasia.
Indeed, following this UK tour they are heading back across the pond for some pre-Christmas shows, yet if they are tired after such excessive touring, there is no hint of fatigue on display during a buoyant Bristol set (September 14th).
While the crowd does take a while to warm up (likely due to the early start time because of a Freshers Night also booked in at SWX) it’s no reflection on the band, who open with a zippy, driving rendition of recent single ‘Monaco’ before the grizzled verse and glistening, dreamy chorus of ‘Portland Rocks’, both from Interplay.
Interview - Fat Dog
Image by Pooneh Ghana
South Londoners Fat Dog are in the eye of the storm right now. Their fine debut album WOOF. was released last week, after months spent cultivating their sound on the live stage.
This week, the five-piece are performing at record stores across the UK in what has become a key element of the promotional trail: a short performance followed by a signing session for all the delegates in attendance.
Sometimes, the amount of audience members surpasses three digits, and so – while it’s an excellent way for bands to connect with their fans – the whistlestop tour can also be quite gruelling.
Before their session and gig at Rough Trade Bristol, Live4ever was able to grab some time with three members of the group: saxophonist and keyboardist Morgan Wallace, Chris Hughes (keyboards and synths) and lead vocalist, guitarist and architect Joe Love. While the trio were in good spirits and happy to talk, it’s fair to say they were still suffering from the effects of the night before at Rough Trade East London.
Interview - Keyside
Keyside - Credit Unknown
Merseyside has done it again.
Stretching back even before The Beatles, the region has consistently been churning out great music, specifically great guitar bands. From Gerry & the Pacemakers to The Farm, Echo & The Bunnymen to The Coral, there’s also been something in that royal blue Mersey water.
Next in line is Keyside. While only two of the four-piece are actually from Liverpool (guitarist Ben Cassidy and singer/songwriter Dan Parker), their sound is quintessentially North-Western. More seriously, Parker’s lyrics cover matters which are horrifyingly prominent in the city but also across working-class areas in the UK.
The quartet – also made up of Max Gibson on bass and Oisin McAvoy on drums – release a new single today (September 6th). ‘Runaway’ is their most accomplished track yet, with an EP to follow in 2025. Recently they sat down with CLASH to give a bit of background on where they are now, and where they are going.
Fat Dog - WOOF.
‘I wanted to make something ridiculous because I was so bored,’ claims Joe Love, architect behind Fat Dog.
As a modus operandi it’s laudable for its lack of interest in po-faced, stifling sincerity, and based on the evidence of WOOF., Love has been true to his word. This debut album is truly ridiculous, in the most wonderful sense of the word.
Formed after lockdown – during which Love had been making demos to keep himself sane – he corralled Chris Hughes (keyboards/synths), Ben Harris (bass), Johnny Hutchinson (drums) and Morgan Wallace (keyboards and saxophone) for his band.
Fat Dog had two edicts: to be a healthy band who looked after themselves, and there would be no saxophone presence in their music. Kudos for both principles (particularly the latter) even if they haven’t stuck to them, but there is no way one can make this music without indulging in hedonistic pastimes.
Forwards Festival 2024
FORWARDS festival 2024, Photo by Eljay Briss
Now in its third year, Forwards Festival is slowly muscling its way up the food chain of the UK festival scene.
After eye-catching headliners The Chemical Brothers (2022) and Aphex Twin last year, organisers have once again delivered the goods with one old (LCD Soundsystem) and one new in the form of Loyle Carner for the 2024 iteration.
However, a gauntlet for weekend highlight is swiftly laid down by Hak Baker, whose skanking, knees-up ‘G-Folk’ approach sets out a stall, with the Londoner proclaiming the set his favourite of the festival season.
Considering he graced Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and many more, it’s high praise and a positive start, capped with a buoyant rendition of the powerful-but-fun ‘Windrush Baby’.
Over on the East Stage, witnessing Romy direct the audience in confident and strident fashion is a reminder of how far she has come; a world away from the shy, softly spoken pop star of 2010.
Her dusky, intimate vocals soar across the field, juxtaposed against the massive rave-up she orchestrates, including a blissful, sky-kissing ‘Enjoy Your Life’. Four Tet follows suit, striking a perfect balance of ironic, tongue-in-cheek remixes and his usual pulsating electronica.
https://www.live4ever.uk.com/loyle-carner-forwards-fest-2024-review/
Interview - Courting
Image by Charlie Barclay Harris
In contrast to a scorching first day, the Saturday crowd at Reading Festival 2024 experienced torrential downpours all morning.
Liverpudlian indie rocks Courting were unlucky enough to be performing on the Main Stage as the heavens opened, but it didn’t dent a buoyant, cobweb-blowing set. Indeed, cheekily the band slipped in a cover of the Oasis hit ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ midway through their second number ‘Crass’.
After the set, frontman Sean Murphy O’Neill sat down with CLASH to discuss the set and what next for his group.
https://www.clashmusic.com/features/we-just-power-through-clash-meets-courting/
Interview - Wunderhorse
Image by Polocho
With their second album Midas about to land, complete with plaudits abound, Wunderhorse are in the midst of taking the next step up rock’s ladder. Their Autumn tour includes a date at Brixton Academy to precede a European tour and support slots for Fontaines D.C. in the U.S.
They are, in short, hot property right now. Their set in the Radio One Tent at Reading Festival last Saturday very nearly eclipsed their Dublin comrades for Act of The Day and their dusty, timeless rock music could be spearheading a new revolution.
Before the set, Jacob Slater (singer, guitar), Jaime Staples (drums), Harry Fowler (guitar) and Pete Woodin sat down with Clash to discuss the new album, the festival set and what comes next.
https://www.clashmusic.com/features/midas-touch-clash-meets-wunderhorse/
Yannis & The Yaw - Lagos Paris London
Back in 2016, a mutual friend pitched the opportunity for Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis to work with legendary drummer Tony Allen.
Long a fan of his work with Fela Kuti – demonstrable in his band’s fusion of rock and elaborate percussion – and with Foals taking a sabbatical after the monster success of What Went Down, Philippakis headed to a studio in Paris.
Joined by Allen’s regular collaborators Vincent Taeger on percussion, Vincent Taurelle on keys and Ludovic Bruni on bass and guitar, the musicians locked into a jam which would evolve into a track called ‘Walk Through Fire’, thereby setting a tone for the two-day session.
Though the sessions were fruitful, with Allen and Philippakis remaining friends, scheduling conflicts and the pandemic meant the project was put on the back burner, compounded by Allen’s death in 2020.
Now, over four years later, Yannis has put the finishing touch to what will be an ongoing project in the form of this Yannis & The Yaw EP, its Lagos Paris London title referencing the locations where the music was produced.
https://www.live4ever.uk.com/yannis-and-the-yaw-lagos-ep-review/
Lana Del Rey - Reading Festival, 24th August 2024
Lana Del Rey - Credit Unknown
RIP Elizabeth Woolridge Grant. Born 1985 – Died 2024 .
At least, if you were watching the screens on the Main Stage at Reading Festival on Saturday night, you could be forgiven for thinking Lana Del Rey had passed away. For the entirety of her set, the screens were filled with little else but her visage, a 75-minute montage of the singer’s life and times.
It must be nice to have such bullet-proof self-confidence, but to arrive 15 minutes late meant that Del Rey was already on the back foot. Not that she seemed remotely bothered, stating that she intended to sing two more songs after closer ‘Video Games’ before the organisers pulled the plug. Even her end-of-show fireworks were late.
https://www.clashmusic.com/live/lana-del-rey-headlines-reading-festival/
Fontaines D.C. - Reading Festival, 24th August 2024
Image by Simon Wheatley
Pros of announcing your festival lineup way six months before the event? Anticipation is allowed to ratchet up, punters have time to digest and make their decision, and a longer lead time to sell tickets.
Cons? Organisers run the risk of putting the hottest act in the world at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon.
Fontaines D.C. were announced as fourth down on the Main Stage back in February, a placing which always looked dubious. Now, post-’Starburster’, post-‘Favourite’ and in the thralls of rave reviews for fourth album Romance, the world is Grian and co’s for the taking. Only two days old, much of the material is box-fresh and ripe, and it shows. If ever it was a band’s time, late August 2024 belongs to this quintet. The only question mark is over how the band will going to condense their now hefty back catalogue into a preposterous tight 45 minute set.
https://www.clashmusic.com/live/fontaines-d-c-supply-reading-festival-with-a-defining-moment/
The Prodigy - Reading Festival, 23rd August 2024
The Prodigy - Credit Unknown
Much has been made of the new stage at this year’s festivals. Dubbed ‘The Chevron,’ organisers boast that it features ‘bespoke creative visuals, cutting-edge tech and a world-class sound system.’ Taking all that into account, Melvin Benn and company have chosen the perfect inaugural act on a clear late summer’s night.
Since the passing of Keith Flint five years ago, The Prodigy have been slowly but surely reclaiming their status as giants on the live stage. Essentially, their maxim (ho-ho) has been to continue doing what they do in Keith’s name, but harder. The void left onstage still exists, but Maxim has taken on the extra responsibility respectfully, judging which vocal gaps to fill tastefully while delivering his own lines with customary venom.
https://www.clashmusic.com/live/reading-festival-the-prodigy-stun-chevron-stage/
Pet Shop Boys - Their 15 Best Songs
Pet Shop Boys - Credit Unknown
Suburbia
One for those who lived in the towns based tantalisingly close to the bright lights of the cool city, but just that bit too far away. The samba percussion, keyboard-generated barks and brooding thud threaten one song before it explodes into something else altogether, gliding into the sky with a heavenly, sumptuous hook. Musically, ‘Suburbia’ makes town life seem exciting, yet the lyrics tell the truth. The frantic middle-eight, ‘I only wanted something else to do but hang around,’ says it all.
What Have I Done To Deserve This?
Possibly one of Neil Tennant’s most emotive vocals, with his delivery needy for the verse but downtrodden in the chorus. He must have realised he needed to up his game when they somehow convinced Dusty Springfield to participate, who sprinkles majesty and glamour on to an already sparkling piece of music. The frail, insecure keyboard riff works well against the confident percussion, with each section adding something new to the mix. It could only be created in the 1980s, yet it’s timeless.
Full article: https://www.clashmusic.com/features/pet-shop-boys-their-15-best-songs/
Kneecap - Reading Festival, 23rd August 2024
Kneecap - Credit Unknown
Despite the beautiful weather, there is undeniably a sense of fatigue around Richfield Avenue. With many having been onsite for 48 hours already, Reading Festival is struggling to wake up.
American country pop star Dasha does her best to raise the mood as she opens the Main Stage, but her singalong anthems – as pleasant as they are – merely keep a fatigued but crowd awake. Seb Lowe follows, receiving a similarly muted response, despite his best efforts.
But Kneecap won’t be denied. They may about to become movie stars, but the music still comes first and they take the stage – amid a tangible sense of anticipation – for the first BIG set of the day. As they have done so far all throughout 2024, the Irish trio rise to the challenge without even breaking sweat.
https://www.clashmusic.com/live/kneecap-just-tore-reading-festival-a-new-one/
Six New Bands To Check Out At Reading Festival 2024
Early it may be this year, but the August Bank Holiday can only mean one thing: Reading & Leeds Festival. For the last 30 years, the event has evolved from its rock roots to span the genres, and this year is no different.
While the 2024 edition includes some heavyweight headliners (Blink-182, Fred Again.. and Liam Gallagher), there is excellence to be found across the bill all the way down to mid-day on the BBC Introducing, as is tradition.
After much deliberation – countless other names could have been featured – CLASH has put together a list of six unmissable new artists across what will undoubtedly be another epic weekend.
https://www.clashmusic.com/features/six-must-see-new-bands-at-reading-leeds-festival-2024/
Interview - Earl Slick
Image by DiMazio
In rock music, stage left is a curious position. On the one hand, they are the person who stands to the side of the main attraction, the foundation that allows them to fly but rarely offers them a chance in the spotlight. On the other, they have the accolade of playing on some of rock’s most revered recordings, and alongside some true giants.
Earl Slick knows this better than most. The legendary guitarist has played alongside David Bowie, John Lennon, and Carl Perkins. Keith Richards features in one of his songs, while Mick Jagger, Robert Smith, and George Harrison have all crossed paths with the New Yorker. The list goes on.
Slick’s is a unique tale, which he and lauded rock journalist Jeff Slate have compiled for a new autobiography, the elegantly titled Guitar. Ruthlessly edited, the book reveals a small slice of some of the tales Slick can tell across his 50-year music career. Recently, CLASH caught up with the virtuoso to discuss that career, the book, and his experiences working with some of rock music’s most innovative characters.
After earning his stripes as a guitarist on the New York scene in the early 1970s, Slick was brought in during Bowie’s Diamond Dogs tour in 1974. Infamously, the tour completely changed midway through, as Bowie eschewed the theatrical elements of the show to embrace a more soulful sound, which would culminate in Young Americans. “It was weird,” Slick explains, somewhat understatedly. “Because we had a lot of success with the Diamond Dogs show in the States, the big set and all that stuff. Then we took a break, and when we came back it was a whole other thing. It was pretty much a new band and the direction was new. I wasn’t very fond of it. I can do change, I get that but… it was a strange one.”
10 Years On: Sleaford Mods - Divide And Exit
Ten years ago, the UK was in – what was presumed – a poor state of health. The repercussions of the 2008 financial crisis were in full swing, with the coalition government of the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats four years into their austerity programme of cutting public services in a bid to rebalance the books.
Of course, little did we know. Compared to what followed, 2014 could be considered halcyon days. The only referendum in sight was a matter for the Scottish people of independence from the UK. Boris Johnson was Mayor of London, still riding high on the 2012 Olympics-enabled boost to his profile, while Liz Truss was working her way up the Tory’s greasy pole. Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer had no public profile, the former making his millions in California while the latter was pre-politics and pre-knighthood, having just received the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, whatever the hell that is.
Yet there was an unmistakable air of a country and people undergoing hardship, only two years after the false dawn of the Olympics. The music industry was still struggling to come to terms with the streaming explosion and – in addition to belts being tightened – the money was rapidly moving elsewhere. Between movements, the album charts were laden with familiar names: Kasabian, Paulo Nutini, Lily Allen, Coldplay, while Ed Sheeran was eating the planet with his second album X. Meanwhile, on 19 May 2014, Sleaford Mods released a new album: Divide And Exit.
https://www.clashmusic.com/features/sleaford-mods-divide-and-exit-ten-years-on/
Soft Play - Heavy Jelly
Life is cruel.
As touring commitments concluded for the artists formerly known as Slaves back in 2019, the two-man band were falling apart, barely able to even speak to one another despite playing to their largest-ever audiences.
It was agreed that a break was required, before real life intervened.
As well as the pandemic, Isaac Holman was thrown into a mental health crisis (suffering from two separate forms of OCD), while the mother of Laurie Vincent’s children sadly passed away after a cancer diagnosis.
Both needed time to heal and pursued solo projects: Holman channelled his vulnerabilities into two fragile albums under the moniker Baby Dave, while Vincent expanded his sonic palette via the Larry Pink The Human project.
IDLES - Cardiff Castle, 12th July 2024
Image by Tom Ham
It’s getting a bit silly now. Why aren’t IDLES headlining every festival this summer?
Yes OK, the Bristol-based band were atop the Other Stage a fortnight ago, a huge step up from their afternoon set on the same stage two years earlier.
Yet their 2024 performance was a tour de force; well-judged in execution, pace and emotion, as they’ve been doing for years. They are ready. Their time is very much now.
Equally, their headline set in Cardiff was a masterclass. Rather than hit the ground running (a pace otherwise relentlessly maintained throughout the rest of the set) the pensive ‘IDEA 01’, with subtle bass and – yes – Kid A anxiety is a mood setter.
As are the first three minutes of ‘Colossus’, slowly ratcheting up the anticipation and excitement before an explosion of rock music in its second half, like a shaken-up bottle of Coke which must – needs – to relieve its pressure.