My so called life...

Just about stuff that I do.

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Love Saves The Day; Bristol; 2014

This is what makes Bristol the best city to live in, (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bristol-named-britains-best-city-to-live-in-9210931.html) music events that are well organised and just good fun.

This strong line up boasts names such as Clean Bandit, Todd Terje, Annie Mac, Jamie XX and Sunday headliner SBTRKT. The rain can't stop us on the Sunday because we mean business, so does every act on stage and apparently even the sunshine.

With no trouble, the best and friendliest security i've encountered at an event and only a pair of broken sunglasses, a lost sports jacket and cut knee to complain of on our walk home we have had a blast, bring on next year!

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Date 6: Runcible Spoon

This petit restaurant is tucked away in a side alley from the busy streets of Stokes Croft and on a Saturday night it's nice to feel like we are hiding away in a quiet, secret space. As we are both vegetarian we pre-ordered the 3 courses for £25, such good locally sourced food and then splashed out a bit on a bottle of Malbec. The ceilings are low and the walls are heavy but this small downstairs back room isn't too loud. The service is prompt and within 20 minutes we are into the starter. 

The food here tastes so good and is really well presented, all set of with a vintage themed decor and record player singing out classic music. Then by the time we are through our veggie delight of a main and considering desserts the waitress informs us that we can replace the pudding with a cocktail and to our surprise this includes Espresso Martini's. This restaurant has been my favourite 'special occasion' place to dine for years now and after this evening that has never been more appropriate.

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My first year students are graduating today. I made them this rainbow cake, it was not a political statement but just a very sweet leaving treat. 

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Harry Potter Studios?... This can't be work. Siiick.

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Hit The Deck- Bristol- 2014

Hit The Deck; A two city one dayer with one of the best selections of bands I've seen for less than £30 in a long time. This is the Bristol leg reviewed across 4 venues in the city centre but once the place is to max capacity you have to try somewhere else or wait for one in one out.

As we stock up on our pre-drinks, we brace ourselves for a queue after queue at wrist band exchange only to be pleasantly surprised that it takes seconds and before we know it we are off to The Fleece early enough to catch Nai Harvest and for our main port of call Seahaven.

The Fleece, a perfect venue for this event is rammed full of fans of all varieties of music and not too scenester which is really refreshing. Seahaven take to the stage, their sound is like an early Brand New, where every song makes you feel like you know it off by heart even if it's the first time you're hearing it. There new album 'Reverie Lagoon: Music for Escapism Only' is what brings the band here, playing tracks like the anthem 'Black and White', haunting 'Goodnight' plus new tracks 'Andreas' and 'Silhouette' make this set hard to top.

Although saying that it is Brand New who we are off to see next, so on to the much more mainstream Academy. Obviously being so early in we catch a bit of Pulled Apart By Horse (4 out of 10, The Darkness VS Muse) and Saves The Day (3 out of 10, played it too safe) before Brand New appear. They look less confident than when I first saw them supporting, yes supporting, Finch in Exeter many years ago. Lead singer Jesse Lacey holds himself in a way that makes you believe he has suffered everyone of these heart breaking lyrics he screams so melodically about and it really hurt.

Not to leave the crowd disappointed they play a very tight one hour set including every track you'd expect. In the second row we hear news that the venue had reached full capacity during PABH so, as we sing along to the finale I'm glad I suffered the previous two bands to witness this live masterpiece. I'd go as far to say that we have room for a similar band in Seahaven but Brand New will never be replaced.

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Dates 3, 4 and 5. 

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The World Is A Beautiful Place And I'm No Longer Afraid To Die...

VENUE: The Lexington, London

This band, even trying to type their name as an acronym is ridiculous, everyone associates as being responsible for the rebirth of teenage, emo music. However upstairs in The Lexington, a 200 capacity venue, we begin with support from Play Lounge. A local two-piece similar to Nai Harvest but impressive singer/drummer Saam Watkins keeps you intrigued. I even went as far as to buy 'Pilot' on vinyl, enough said. 

We swiftly move on to Empire! Empire! In this treat of a gig, only found when drunkenly scrawling through band websites. We are treated to band members from TWIABPAINLATD (ridiculous) joining the stage to build out the sound which from this PA system is holding tight so far.

Then after another round of double rums and apple juice, the headliners come on in there droves. This 6 piece are part of the Top Shelf Records family and have enjoyed a popular 7" split with Tigers Jaw, Self Defense Family (who played Bristol alongside Touché Amore). 

I'm not sure if it's the rum but their song 'Victim Kin Seek Suit' strikes a chord and we step forward to join a sway of the front section. The set is nicely rounded off with tracks from full release 'Whenever, If Ever', after receiving online acclaim backing up this full Europe tour. Tonight feels like a show i'm going to talk about for a long time and I was glad to be part of it. What a great drunken purchase, I did good and so did all the bands on tonight.

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My Mum is my hero...

It has been a hard time lately with Mum being so ill and I'd always wanted to get something done to signify how much she has, does and always will mean to me. It's the only one she can't moan about, I love it. 

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Goldfrapp

When a friend offers you a guest ticket to a band that your older sister used to love, you think you can't or shouldn't turn it down, right? Big mistake. I think the crowd is made up from my sisters friends, having once been hot on the pulse of the latest cool music and trends but 14 years on they haven't been into a music shop since they got the first Goldfrapp album on a tape cassette from Woolworth's.

We take our very close to the front seats...seats? Something i'm not used to at a gig but this is more of a very self indulgent showcase of the last Goldfrapp albums all strangely lit with a very tasteful downward light.

Alison Goldfrapp has been leading this project since 1999 and there is no doubt they have nailed the slow and wistful tales of lovers gone and dreams achieved with additional live musicians to pack the full sound. This comes into play as they approach the finale of this 150 minute show and start the radio hits 'Ooh La La' and 'Ride The White Horse', it's lucky these seats are so uncomfortable otherwise i'd be well on my way to dreaming I was the lucky one on the horse getting the hell out of here.

New album 'Tales Of Us' is out now.

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The new Summer project. 

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Metronomy

Me`tron´o`my n.1.Measurement of time by an instrument.

This sell out gig was a last minute decision for me and my friends, torn between the latest Game of Thrones episode or venturing out into the rain for what promised to be a great gig. So, we donned our raincoats, tossed a coin on who would drive and out we went with heads full of electro riffs and catchy song lyrics.

Metronomy can boast a recent music video created by none other than Director Michel Gondry (Chemical Brothers; Let it Be, Daft Punk; Around The World) the band have managed to not only get their foot on the music industry ladder in the last 12 months but leap to the bit where we all start to get wobbly legs.

The show tonight is a fine display of how it has all happened, the mood lighting, slick musicianship and shared vocals between main singer Joseph Mount and fellow band members Prior, Adelekan, Cash, and Stebbing providing well timed support to make the live experience a lot fuller than the CD.

Tonight is all about showcasing tracks from the latest album 'Love Letters' which includes monstrous crowd favourites 'The Look' and 'I'm Aquarius', it's clear there is no need for time wasting banter when they can let their insturments do the talking. With the encore completed to rapturous applause we feel wobbly legged but not from height issues, just the unexpected amount of dancing we did tonight. Good decision, well made.

The new album by Metronomy 'Love Letters', is out now.

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Second date...

...to the aquarium!

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BBC Bristol

As part of their Media course we took students to BBC Bristol to have a look around, we got to see green screens in action, use the radio booths and talk to industry professionals.

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On repeat since Hit the Deck.