London’s Field Day, which is for 2017 a single day event, featuring very little other than some absolutely brilliant music. Set in the not particularly picturesque, and not particularly exciting location of Victoria Park in East London, Field Day has a well-earned reputation for booking up and coming acts, and being chock full of drunk hipsters – 2017’s offering shouldn’t disappoint on either count. The obvious big draw this year is a rare appearance from Warp-records legend Aphex Twin, and there’s also the usual winning blend of eclectic and uber-hip smaller acts. There’s plenty of our favourites with the likes of Kevin Morby, Julia Jacklin and Forth Wanderers, while with high-profile slots for Run The Jewels, Slowdive and Thee Oh Sees, there’s surely something for everyone. The main question is just how you’re going to fit all those bands into one day?
Field Day – Victoria Park, London
Saturday 3rd June 2017
10.00am – 11.00am Field Day 2017 announce an incredible list of names to play East London’s Victoria Park next summer including Death Grips, Flying Lotus, Jon Hopkins (DJ), King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, King Sunny Ade, Moderat, Mura Masa, Nicolas Jaar, Nina Kraviz, Omar Souleyman, Silver Apples, Whitney and more. This huge wealth of talent will join headliner Aphex Twin, who will close Field Day’s brand new breathtaking indoor second main stage arena “The Barn”. Field Day 2017 takes place on Saturday 3rd June
Full Lineup so far: Aphex Twin // Áine Cahill // Death Grips // Flying Lotus // Fatima Yamaha – live Flamingods // Forest Swords //Gaika // Haelos // Hunee // Imarhan Jon Jobse // Jon Hopkins (DJ) // Julia Jacklin // Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith // Kevin Morby King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard // King Sunny Ade // Lena Willikens // Marcel Dettmann Methyl Ethel // Midland // Moderat // Moodymann // Mura Masa // Nicolas Jaar Nina Kraviz // Omar Souleyman // Silver Apples // Slowdive // S U R V I V E // Whitney
London based The Slowcoaches (who are releasing their next album Nothing Gives this weekend) were once described by NME as “Thee Oh Sees, but with even bigger balls.” And although the comparison makes sense in terms of genre–both fall under the loose category of “garage rock”–it doesn’t particularly make sense otherwise, as The Slowcoaches have pulled together a sound that is much more of a callback to punk bands like X (with a tinge of pop) than it is to the post-punk bands that came after. The music is fast and loud, the vocals unwavering and aggressive, and the energy will make you want to get off your feet no matter where you are. This London trio Slowcoaches finally bring their debut album into the world. The fast, furious, clatteringly majestic and downright fun ‘Nothing Gives’ is released via Leisure and District. Each track is a fireball of fuzz and sweet female vocals – think a mix of The Flatmates, Ramones, 53rd and 3rd Records and Shop Assistants. It’s instant, record that you will play twenty times a day. .
This week the band Marine have returned with a brand new single, Red Fruit.
Describing their music as fable-electric, Marine are a fascinating and interesting prospect; musically walking the line between pop, folk and rock, whilst lyrically exploring ancient tales of mythology and the underworld and melding them into personal and emotional musings. Their new single Red Fruit is a fine example of Marine’s framework; the creativity of , mixed with a smooth 1990’s pop-tinged lead vocal, and the sort of soaring, bewitching backing vocals . Marine are a band tricky to pigeon-hole but very easy to enjoy.
The band are currently putting the finishing touches to their upcoming debut album, recorded with the exceptional Rob Ellis.
Lead vocals/guitar by Cara Sebastian
Backing vocals/guitar by Ruby Jack
Bass by Beth Dariti
Drums by Kaja Magsam
Written & Perfomed by Marine
Produced by Gordon Raphael & Marine
The London band have become professionals at creating a dark mood and a dangerous feel around their raw punk sound and visual performances. They continue to do so on their newest track set to be released as part of the follow up EP to “Unwelcome Light” which was released in March of this year.
‘Ghost Tape #10’ has a slightly chilling title to begin with which matches their sound, The track is indulgent in its darkness and seductive in its temperament. Pounding and succinct it lulls you in and never lets you go.. Taken from a reference to the US’s psychological warfare during the Vietnam war, where they would scare Viet Cong soldiers with ‘recordings’ of their deceased – you quickly see which way this is going.
It’s basically every nightmare you ever had, but damn it’s good.
‘Waiting’ is the debut single from South London by way of Rome duo, Malihini.
Giampaolo Speziale and Federica Caiozzo met in early 2015 in Rome and, in what Federica describes as a “moment of surrender”, decided to start making music together on a road trip through Austria, Germany and Poland. The duo gathered thirty improvised musical ideas and spent eight days recording with their friend and drummer Alberto Paone in a Roman studio.
In June of this year, Giampaolo and Federica decided to break from their previous musical incarnations and moved from Rome to London, taking with them a hard drive of songs, a battered suitcase and vinyl copies of Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left and Stevie Wonder’s Hotter Than July. Settling in Camberwell in the house of an Egyptologist, they set about mixing the songs, the first fruits of which is the single ‘Waiting’.
Built around a simple Korg MS2000 synth refrain and featuring both Federica and Giampaolo on shared lead vocals, ‘Waiting’ takes us through the minds of a wrongly accused death row inmate and his lover who’s become delusional, lost in a dreamworld.
Giampaolo Speziale and Federica Caiozzo met in early 2015 in Rome and, in what Federica describes as a “moment of surrender”, decided to start making music together on a road trip through Austria, Germany and Poland. The duo gathered thirty improvised musical ideas and spent eight days recording with their friend and drummer Alberto Paone in a Roman studio.
Prom are like nails down a blackboard. The kind of sound that on memory would have you shifting in your sleep. They’re caustic and cutting. Sardonic and scathing, the group have an agenda for discordance that they strive to make starkly evident. To call their output surf rock is too simplistic; that aspect is warped into waves of fervid sound by the group’s unrestrained and perverse aggression.
Each drum beat is a militaristic call to arms. Each screech of guitar a war call. The London-dwelling four piece are purveyors of stirring sludge-punk that’s as instant and raw as a blow to the head.
“I’ll teach you how to play” is an invitation spat with venom. It’s as enticing as it is menacing. Front woman AngelaWon-Yin Mak bluntly states – “The vocals are ugly”.
Steven Van Zandt’s and his Little Steven’s Disciples of Soul band performed a rare show at a smaller venue in the same complex as the Indigo at the 02 Arena.
The longtime Bruce Springsteen collaborator and star of The Sopranos Steven Van Zandt performed his first London show for over 25 years at BluesFest . Two weeks ago came the unexpected and extremely welcome announcement that Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul were booked to appear at the show in London on October 29th, as part of the annual Bluesfest — and with the horn section .
“It’s not so much a reunion as a rebirth,” said Steven, acknowledging that the line-up changed regularly after the golden years of 1982-83. After several presales earlier in the week, tickets went on sale to the public on October 21, eight days before the show, and were eagerly snapped up. To allow Steven time to attend the Bluesfest double bill of Richie Sambora and Bad Company in the O2 arena next door, it was made clear that the Disciples would not be taking the stage until 11pm, after a support set by The Marcus King Band. following an introduction by Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five, the stage curtains parted to reveal the 15-piece Disciples Of Soul orchestra (with five horn players and three female backing vocalists), all dressed in black,
As they blasted into “Soul Fire” (a little-known Van Zandt co-write for The Breakers), it was a thrill to hear that high-volume, intoxicating, invigorating, inspiring wall of sound, propelled by guitars and horns, bolder, bigger, brighter and better than before, evoking past glories and ushering in a new future. Wearing his familiar full-length jacket (similar to the ones worn by the original Disciples in the early ’80s), Little Steven contributed impassioned lead vocals and fiery guitar solos, revelling in his rediscovered role as frontman. And so it continued for the next 130 minutes, as the band worked their way through a powerful and varied 22-song set, ( see Setlist below )
The remainder of the original material in the show broke down into several categories: songs from the Men WithoutWomen album (“Forever,” “Inside of Me,” “Until the Good Is Gone” — not as many as expected); songs from the Freedom No Compromise album (“Freedom,” “Bitter Fruit”); songs written for the first three Asbury Jukes records (“I Played the Fool,” “She Got Me Where She Wants Me,” “Some Things Just Don’t Change,”“Trapped Again,” and “I Don’t Want to Go Home,” introduced as “The first song I ever wrote”); songs written for the Asbury Jukes comeback album Better Days (“Coming Back,” “All I Needed WasYou”); plus “Ride the Night Away” (co-written with Steve Jordan and recorded by Jimmy Barnes and later by the Asbury Jukes) and main set-closer “Goodbye” (from the still-unreleased Lost Boys album project).
In recognition of Bluesfest, the Disciples proved their flexibility and versatility by including covers of “Killing Floor” (Howlin’ Wolf, played in the style of the Electric Flag recording), “The Blues Is My Business” (Etta James), “Groovin’ Is Easy” (Electric Flag), “Love Disease” (The Paul Butterfield Blues Band), “Down and Out In New York City” (James Brown), “Walking By Myself” (Jimmy Rogers) and “Can I Get a Witness” (Marvin Gaye), the traditional encore back in the days of the original line-up.
Little Steven ( Van Zandt) & The Disciples Of Soul were joined by Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora for their last song, a little later in the evening: a cover of the Marvin Gaye hit, “Can I Get a Witness.”
After two hours of high-energy rock, soul, funk and blues (New Jersey-style, by way of New York City and London, England), Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul took their final bows. It had been a triumphant return and a huge success, reminding older fans just how good Steven’s original songs are and introducing them to others who had previously been unaware of his musical life beyond the E Street Band. After this masterclass, the audience were thoroughly satisfied and perhaps just a little awestruck, could only stand around until security threw them out, talk about what they’d just seen and wish there was a late show, so they could do it all over again. It was nearly 1:30am, but nobody wanted to go home.
This was the first Little Steven and theDisciples of Soul show in 25 years. No more are currently planned.
Setlist;
“Soulfire”
“Killing Floor”
“Coming Back”
“Forever”
“Inside of Me”
“I Played the Fool”
“The Blues Is My Business”
“Until the Good Is Gone”
“Ride the Night Away”
“Groovin’ Is Easy”
“All I Needed Was You”
“Love Disease”
“She Got Me Where She Wants Me”
“Some Things Just Don’t Change”
“Trapped Again”
“Down and Out in New York City”
“Freedom”
“Walking by Myself”
“I Don’t Want to Go Home”
“Bitter Fruit”
“Goodbye”
“Can I Get a Witness” (with Richie Sambora)
“Thank you London, and everybody who came in from all over,” tweeted Steven the next day, “thank you for the wonderful encouragement last night. Very much what I needed.” He then celebrated the end of the Bluesfest weekend by attending the double bill of Jeff Beck and Van Morrison at the O2 Arena.
Little Steven now appears determined to reactivate his long dormant solo career next year, after his commitments to Bruce Springsteen in Australia and New Zealand are complete (he has already said that he will not be leaving the E Street Band to pursue his own interests as he did in the ’80s). “I’ve ignored my own stuff too long,” he said recently. If everything goes to plan, 2017 will see the release of a new album and the re-release of Steven’s older recordings (possibly as part of a retrospective boxed set) in addition to a “proper tour” with the Disciples in the summer on both sides of the Atlantic. Time will tell whether the line-up will feature the same international blend or whether the Disciples will have a more American flavor next time. Given the prohibitive costs involved, it may not be possible to take 15 musicians on the road, so some trimming may be necessary. The setlist would also undoubtedly feature some changes, with fewer covers and more songs from the new album or from Men WithoutWomen. If so, this makes Saturday night’s unforgettable London concert even more unique and the audience even more privileged to have witnessed it.
False Heads were cemented when old school friends Luke Griffiths (vocals/guitar), Jake Elliott (bass) and Barney Nash (drums) came back together in mid 2015.Describing their sound as crack rock punk, their insanely catchy lo-fi riffs alongside Griffiths biting lyrics soon reached the ears of Libertine Gary Powell who didn’t hesitate to sign them to his own label, hailing from east London and Essex, playing in what they describe as a ‘crack punk rock’ band.
Having already earned a nod of approval from Iggy Pop himself (These kids make a lot of noise, I like it”), they’re cementing a reputation for epic live shows and support from the likes off BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music.
Psych-rock three piece False-Heads have a blistering new EP of huge riffs and garage fuzztones, Wear and Tear, released on Hi4Head Records.
Their lead single opens this four track release in classic ‘quiet-loud’ manner, with a pounding rhythm section backing the vocals, bringing to mind ferocious London duo Slaves, before crashing into a doom laden, Sabbath-worthy guitar chorus.
The London-based foursome are following up their long-awaited debut album Ways To Forget. The new album a long time in the making was recorded between home and Kent’s Squarehead Studios with Kristopher Harris (Matthew & The Atlas, Bear’s Den).
The next track to premier is the glorious synth pop “Whippoorwill” it follows complex cut “In Memory” and bell-sampling pop ode “Changeling”. It’s a stunning outing from Clock Opera, with the stark emotion front and centre . Subdued keys and crispy percussion back frontman Guy Connelly’s falsetto vocal, working in tandem to provide moments of poignancy rather than steal the limelight; by the time the chorus hits, all the elements are acting together to make sure you’re left breathless.
Speaking about the track, Clock Opera say: “It’s about an inability to escape a loss, trapped in a recurring dream, a haunted onomatapoem. Probably the simplest song we’ve done, it came out all in one piece, a bare and exposed half-life companion to ‘Changeling’.”
Talking more generally about the album, Connelly adds: “A lot of the album is about loss, absence, holes, haunting, questioning identity. To be specific, the majority of the songs were inspired by a miscarriage. A lot of the others were driven by the fallout from it.”
Vanishing Twin began life as a solo project for Orlando. After releasing a concept cassette on her own label TheRe-Alignment of Magnetic Dust (RAM), and playing the songs with different musicians. Gradually the band formed into a formation of people who all shared similar taste and similar ideas, and in the process the sound became much bigger than Orlando as it incorporated these different musical personalities. So with that the band chose a new name and a new identity.
With influences too many to name. There are a few vinyl lovers in the band – with collections of interesting and obscure music from all over the world. We have a deep love of library and soundtrack music that heavily influences our sound and approach, but equally they are interested in Latin jazz, outsider pop, African funk, minimal classical music, industrial, no wave and other intriguing cocktails of sound.
The live show is all about conjuring magic, about casting a spell, and opening a door into another world for a brief time. The visual is an important part of the whole picture for us – the creation of a complete entity. Vanishing Twin sounds like oblique pop, lost soundtracks, radiophonic experiments and eternal juju.
The album was recorded and produced with Malcolm Catto at his studio Quatermass Sound Lab. The Band didn’t do many takes, just went for the right performance and atmosphere. Then took the recordings away to experiment with overdubs and effects before bringing them back for mixing.
The Fat Angel Sings 