Katie Nicole's

I write about music, art & magazines *

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* MUSIC - APRIL PLAYLIST

Soul Searching - Solrey Dear No one - Tori Kelly Paper Doll - John Mayer

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* MUSIC - MARCH PLAYLIST

All of Me - John Legend  Down - The Kooks  Blonde (Acoustic) - Bridget Mendler

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* MUSIC - FEBRUARY PLAYLIST

Home - Jess Glynne Into The Night - Blaenavon Rumour - Chloe Howl   Depreston - Courtney Barnett Saturn Returns Album - Empty Pools 

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"Art is supposed to make you feel warm and fuzzy, not stupid. 'If we can remove the judgement', he enthused, 'if we can remove the anxiety, its like we came out of Pluto's cave.'"

Editor's Letter, Vanity Fair On Art (Nov. 2013)

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* MUSIC: FESTIVAL PREVIEW, Live At Leeds Launch 2014

Well, haven’t we done well!

Ella Eyre (BBC Sound of 2014 Runner Up) and current UK Number One Clean Banditt have each booked headline slots with Live at Leeds 2014.

A lesser event may have left it there, but a further 200 acts will perform 2nd - 5th May in a city wide spectacle. The shear scale of the line-up illustrates the annual music festival's commitment to searching for, and promoting, new talent. Kodaline, Snarky Puppy and Pulled Apart by Horses's presence in particular will undoubtedly generate an awful lot of excitement. 

True to its core ethos, Live at Leeds remains a staunch advocate of the local music scene. The chosen singers, songwriters and performers are surely delighted to be sharing the bill alongside national musicians. Samuel S. Parkes illustrated West Yorkshire's creative potential best during his pure, acoustic set at the launch party tonight.  

Either inspired by its 'Best UK Medium Festival 2013' nomination or harboring an agenda to rival Leeds Music Festival, the event will also deliver an ‘Unconferenced Series' of workshops hosted by guest speakers from across the music industry.

It will ultimately be very hard to measure any improvement in the quality of year’s festival over the last because it sold out entirely in 2013 and will undoubtedly do the same this spring. 

Get tickets here: http://www.liveatleeds.com/

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* MUSIC: FESTIVAL ART - St. Jerome's Laneway Festival, NZ

My love for this poster is impossible to verbalise. Just look at it, everything about it is simply brilliant. The fact that it promotes an event happening over 120,000 miles away is entirely beside the point.  Not only is the line up pretty great - yes, Chvrches, Daughter, Haim, Lorde and Vance Joy (check out 'Riptide'!) are all on the same bill - but the pop art illustration is instantly attractive. If not entirely relevant to music, a cat in a basket and a bird wearing a Fez have made a great bedroom poster at the very least.

More intriguing than this however, is how this is festival originated in Melbourne but is now rolled out across Australia, South East Asia and North America. As far as I am aware, this is an incredibly unique concept - I could only draw the smallest comparison to the duality of the Reading and Leeds Festivals here in the UK. 

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* ART: ‘ART OFFICIAL LIVE'. A Bretski Installation, Leeds

Inner city parking is quite simply a nightmare. I’d guess that most of us have fantasised about driving straight into the shopping centre after losing the last remaining space to an aggressive green people carrier.

Local Artist Bretski clearly resented this predicament. Boldly parked up in the middle of Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre since the New Year was his white, scrap car. Apparently expecting his genius to be imitated by fellow shoppers, and worried that he would be unable to spot his vehicle in the ‘crowd’, this blank canvass was transformed by a bright flurry of graffiti today.

In a somewhat theatrical performance, Bretski  considered ideas from his passing audience and decorated the interactive exhibit during the Art Official Live event commissioned by Leeds Trinity. 

This is the first installation of three to be housed here over the coming months. (http://trinityleeds.com/centre-information/public-art)

* I have requested an interview with the Leeds based artist & would love to feature him as ‘Artist of the Week’, should I hear from him. 

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* MUSIC: RECORDED REVIEW. Nina Nesbitt, ‘The Hardest Part’ Single

Not to be confused with Coldplay’s The Hardest Part, Nina Nesbitt released her same titled track to tease her debut album, PEROXIDE. In retrospect her previous single (Selfies) had prophesied the gravity of this song and its accompanying video -"I’ll post it up in black and white / with a depressing quote on my life." 

Usually upbeat, Nina has created an overtly contemplative and mournful song which opens stating the need “pretend you’re happy/ pretend we’re fine”. Emotive and entirely relatable to those very recently scolded by love, this is another highly personal song about a breakup. Initially the tentative acoustic ballad relies upon a shy guitar rhythm, before the song briefly regains its colour and conviction two thirds in. Here it becomes something more recognisably 'Nina'. Although she has heralded this song as her personal favourite, it is unfortunately not nearly as creative or as enjoyable as the more uplifting tracks that she has become known for. Aside from an interesting butterfly metaphor, it seems that both her originality and talented voice have been somewhat stifled by grief.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlukrBF_nMI)

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* JOURNALISM - GRAMMAR NERD, SUB EDITING PRACTICE

ORIGINAL CONTENT - (http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/18190/) not my own.

* A couple of issues:  - A few grammatical errors and incorrect tenses. 

MY REWRITE - "Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks were back in Leeds for the first time since the millennium to promote their sixth studio album - 'Wig Out At Jigbags.'

Initially, the band did sound dated but they shined after a couple of tracks because they blended several styles within a single song. Despite this intricacy, the set relaxed the audience too well, and the lack of crowd movement was something that bothered the band. Whilst they encouraged their fans to dance, they didn't feed their energy through their performance - the tracks chosen simply didn't inspire people to dance or jump. 

Maybe that is just the lazy January vibe? But people, appreciate their instrumental tangents!

Confident, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks continue to show that they love perfoming live and how they ultimately have nothing to prove.

Jonna Gruesome, a group of students bored of university, also came along for the ride and you can hear the good that practicing has done for their music. Developing the genre, the band added a fresh perspective to the punk rock style by blending elements of rock into their sound. The audience recognised their energy - the fact that no one ran away is a testament to how well they incorporate radical elements with ease. A decent, live band."

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Cheeky Chaps, Leeds' Hyde Park.

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Cute Kong, Leeds' Hyde Park.

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Best visual / social feature from Frankie Magazine (Issue_)

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* MUSIC - JANUARY PLAYLIST

Rather Be - Clean Bandit Full Circle / She Wants To Know - Half Moon Run Australia (Don't Ever Let Her Go) - Satellite Stories Young Blood - Saint Raymond  Scar - Lucy Rose  Lover Not A Fighter - Tinie Tempah ft. Labyrinth 

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* MUSIC - 2012/13 ROUND UP

I have attended too many gigs to count this year, so I'm paranoid that both the Brudenel Social Club and Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds are sick of seeing the me dancing alone with a notepad and a huge smile on my face. 

As much as I love Leeds' live music venues though, I can't deny how much I love to work at the summer festivals! A personal highlight of this year was definitely watching the Rolling Stones perform live in Hyde Park, London after working for the event all day. My go to story about standing next to Radio 1 queen Jameela Jamil as we watched Jagger do his thing is definitely one that people are very bored of! 

* This is what I have been up to: - Production Office Assistant, Kendal Calling Music Festival. Aug. '13 - Spectator Support Volunteer, British Summer Time Hyde Park. July '13 - Event Steward, Leeds Music Festival. '12. 

I am waiting to here back from my application to work in the Production Office at the London O2's Country to Country Festival in March '14. Whilst I don't want this blog to be genre specific, I think that this is an amazing opportunity to study an internationally acclaimed, indoor festival - which would definitely be a unique experience. 

I have also attending the following events, I think I am obsessed... 

- Association of Independent Music: Women in Music & Entertainment Networking Event, June ‘13 (Here, I met with Kerrang! Editor in Chief James McMahon and watched Krissi Murrison interview Jo Whiley!) - Oxjam: Gig-Maker Training Day: Everything from Music Event Production to Promotion Aug. ’13

I work as often as I can at live music events because I am so keen to learn about how they are designed, run and operated. It is brilliant being the other side of the fence to the fans - I think that experiences like this credit my written critical opinion in some small way, as well as satisfying my need for music. 

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* JOURNALISM - 2012/13 ROUND UP

Over the past year, I have attended as many workshops and office open days as my free time would allow in order to experience as much of the magazine industry as possible. I really hope to attain a professional work placement during 2014, it is something that I have dedicated myself to working towards.  

* Here is a brief list of what I have been up to so far:

-  Bauer Media: Introduction to e-publishing July ‘13, Editorial Experience Afternoon June ’13, Media Training Day -  Magazine Advertising & Marketing May ’13 - The Guardian: What Sub-Editors Wished You Knew Masterclass, May 13. How to be a Journalist, '12.  - Hearst Corporation: Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Media Masterclass April ’13

I practically live at Village (an independent magazine shop) and Munro House (an independent publisher) here in Leeds, I am so passionate about the magazine industry and the creative people who are driving it. 

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* JOURNALISM - GRAMMAR NERD, SUB EDITING PRACTICE

ORIGINAL CONTENT - (http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/18023/) not my own.

* A couple of issues: - A few grammatical errors ('when the Neil'), incorrect tenses & occasions where fewer words could replace many. 

MY REWRITE -  "'Classic-electronic doghouse' is the genre that Clean Bandit have aligned themselves with, which essentially translates to mean that the band are electronic music at its finest. Each of their three singles have visited the UK top 100 over the past two years and that is even without releasing a full album. [They secured their first UK number on Jan. 26 2014 with 'Rather Be.'] Although they have recently been supporting Bastille, tonight they headline their own gig at Leeds' Cockpit.

Here with them from London is singer Rainy Milo, a lady who fills the room despite only being supported by a drum and a backing track. The audience was addicted to her voice, which was versatile enough to easily translate both soft and gritty tracks. Although partially resolved by the set's variety, unfortunately her music was occasionally too relaxed for a live gig. Whilst 'Bank Robber' disputes this somewhat, it is perhaps fair to say that Rainy Milo is a stronger recording artist.  

Conversely, Clean Bandit had an amazing vibe on stage. Even when Neil (Violin) and Grace (Cello) weren't playing, they danced as hard as the most dedicated of us. The atmosphere also benefited from the connection between the vocalists who were supporting the band - they assimilated with the group perfectly. However, a little more effort should have instead been invested into their live mix ... but we should probably forgive them because they gave us new track 'Up Again.'    Obviously, 'Mozart's House', 'Dust Clears' and 'Legendary' were the highlights - all the hits! Not only did these songs translate well live, but they adopted a new persona. Tonight, we heard more emotion and intensity than in their recorded counterparts. Lets not give them too much credit mind, we could just blame our dodgy headphones... but their two covers, one being 'Robin S's 'You Got To Show Me Love' , were astounding though. Damn. 

Clean Bandit definitely earnt a deserved encore, something which not every new band is due. Please go see them loads and dance until your feet fall off!" 

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* JOURNALISM - GRAMMAR NERD, SUB EDITING PRACTICE

ORIGINAL CONTENT - (http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/18135/) not my own.

* A couple of issues: - A few grammatical issues, the paragraphs needed re-arranging & some words were repeated. - Occasionally vague ('their 2010 EP' / 'the final song').

MY REWRITE -  "So, InSatellites have arrived with their 'No Wave' EP and we're pretty excited by their refined mixture of grunge and alternative-rock. A follow up to their 2010 EP ('Closer To You'), these Yorkshire lads really show off their improved song writing. Opening with a sad and melancholic track, 'No Wave' builds to celebrates the vocal talents of guitarist Jack Burgess-Hunt who is supported by some backing harmonies. Up second but definitely the main highlight, is the song 'Sylvester.' Here, a great melody, a catchy chorus and a little progressive guitar riff team up to make your ears sit up and pay attention. This is basically a simply designed, gritty alternative rock song.   In its entirety, the EP demonstrates the malleability of the band's sound by exhibiting both mournful and in your face alternative rock. Sadly, the final track 'Cornered' is hardly memorable and fails to set the band apart from their rivals. In spite of this though, it was worth listening and giving them a chance."