Kimberley-Anne Simmons

Wilkestock Festival 2018

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Wilkestock is one of the best annual events in the small festival scene. Returning for it’s 11th year, the festival provided possibly the best line up that it has ever had.  For those who aren’t aware, Wilkestock is situated at Frogmore Hill just on the outskirts of Stevenage in Hertfordshire.  The tiny  festival consists of a main arena scattered with recycled sofas, two bars, and also several other stages around the outline of the main arena, all constructed from straw bales. No bricks and mortar needed! Wilkestock even introduced a brand new addition for 2018, the “Home Grown” stage.

This years’ event basked in glorious British sunshine for the whole weekend which was perfect to lie back, relax and enjoy a cold brew to watch the huge array of bands on the multiple stages. On arrival to the site and after picking up my press passes for the weekend, security had ensured to do a full bag search to ensure everyone’s safety.  Wilkestock, unfortunately have had security problems in the past, although for this year’s fun filled weekend, they appeared to have stepped up their game.

Of course aside from the stage points, the festival also provided appropriate bathroom facitlies, a camping area- with a fancy shower block making it’s debut this year, a childrens area including crazy golf and inflatables to play on, also stalls including sales of traditional festival attire and accessories and also a glitter tent where everyone could treat themselves to a sparkly makeover (this small tent was run by some very jolly people and artists). Surprisingly this small sparkle filled tent often filled with men. It was great to see them walking around with crystals on their faces and glitter filled beards. One thing that stood out for the glitter stall was that all the glitter that was used was biodegradable and is made from plant sources.  Very eco friendly. And I can’t leave out the food court! Oh my goodness, there were some simple, yet amazing food on offer at this festival.  I sampled many, many seasoned sweet potato fries, a pizza (which in my opinion was a little over priced at £8 for a simple cheese and tomato stone baked pizza so there isn’t much to them, although still tasty), and also noodles. The Chinese/oriental cuisine vender served some delicious meals and even though I opted for the simplest most plain option on the menu – I think it was even called plain and simple noodles (which was also a vegan option), but it was big in flavour! So Wilkestock provides ticket holders with three days of great live music variety.  The whole weekend just kept giving, with brilliant performances from all.  Although I have chosen to highlight my top acts for each day of the event.

Friday 31st August 

Day one of Wilkestock 2018 was opened by grunge/rock band Tigress.  The five piece from Chelmsford took to the Main Stage to perform their edgy tracks including, “Paranoid”, “Hangman” and more. Unfortunately during their set, they were faced with a few techicnal difficulties so there were occasionally left in silent pauses while not much happened on stage to fill the silence.  Although the band did make light of the teething problems and were able to continue with their set fully, with no further hiccups.

Continuing with a heavier style of rock music, Defences put on an unusual performance. I can kind of liken their music to a combination of Evanescence meets Linkin Park perhaps.  Roaring male vocals and softer female vocals to assist.  The band released their debut album last year and appear to be doing well in the music scene.

Later in the afternoon the Bella stage opened and also had a great variety of artists. One I particularly enjoyed was Bedfordshire based all male pop/punk band Behind The Lines. Not only did they perform some awesome tracks, they also packed out the tent for the duration of their entire set!  If you like music from acts such as Bowling For Soup, Sum 41 or maybe even Blink 182, then this band will probably be one for you to check out.

Later in the day, I also got to see a great set performed by Radio 1 favourite, Fizzy Blood. A rock/alternative band who are currently making their way up into the music world. They also actually sound far better live than recorded in my opinion.  So if you get the chance to see them live, then I reccomend you buy a ticket.

The most stand out act for me on friday was Glasgow based rockers The Lafontaines.  Taking to the Main Stage, their set included mostly upbeat feel good catchy music, which got many people up off of their rather comfortable sofas.  At one point the band’s front man even leapt down from the stage to take a walk around the main arena.  He also decided to literally couch surf before leaping off of one of the recycled furniture pieces. Thanks to our photographer, there is an epic jump shot of this exact moment.  We managed to catch up with band after their set backstage and their singer was rather impressed with this photo that we had managed to capture.

Friday evening also saw another big techincal problem. Unfortunately the festival was left in darkness and almost silent as the main generator had failed (rumour had it).  This had affected almost the entire site, including the food vendors appliances. In total this issue lasted for around half an hour, although during this time the Bella Stage at the back of the site was still able to generate power. So even though the poor Main Stage was hung out to dry, the feel good party vibes continued in the Bella Stage.  Despite the rather large technical hitch, people really weren’t too bothered.  Everyone was still in high spirits and were happy to chug down their drinks from their refillable plastic cups.

Thankfully with the efforts of the organisers, volunteers and production teams, the generator was back up and running.  The site was once again lit up with light and a buzzing electric energy. Everyone was more than ready to welcome the evening’s headline act, Mallory Knox.

The Cambridge based alternative rock band were anticipated by many.  I for one, was very much looking forward to seeing them perform live.  They have had a lot of airplay over the years, particularly from the very popular BBC Radio 1.  As expected, they put on a brilliant show for us all to see, although there wasn’t too much movement on stage from the band, there was an array impressive laser light shows accompanied by smoke machines and performances of all of their well known hits including, “Black Holes”, “Ghost In The Mirror” and personal favourite of mine “Shout At The Moon”. 

Saturday 1st September

Although a little tired from Friday night’s frivolities, myself and our photographer headed back for day two of Wilkestock!  Saturday was opened by this year’s local Battle Of The Bands winners Slap.

Slap were shortly followed by the band Fiende Fatale.  Their set was just a tad eccentric and I won’t lie, the singer’s appearance was somewhat different to say the least.  With smeared bright red lipstick (putting The Joker to shame) and a vest covered in hot dogs, the vocalist dominated the space he had with his on stage antics and interesting lyrics in the band’s music including a song titled “Vegan Cocaine”. An unusual act, but it totally works, they seemed to be quite popular there that day.

Another act worth mentioning is Wilkestock veterans The Scruff.  The band have been very well recieved in previous years while performing at the festival.  The band’s lead singer Adam, opened their set with probably the most amusing statement of the weekend “I’ve had a stella for breakfast and a hash in the van on the way here, but who cares? The sun’s out!”. The Scruff have returned to the festival fresh from playing at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festival. During their set we heard songs including the band’s current single “White Flag” and the very emotional “Her”.  They ended their set with a brilliant instrumental piece before exiting the stage.

There is one act that cannot be forgotten wherever they go.  They always leave their mark. The act I’m talking about is the very bonkers Strange Bones.  There is no other place to be for this band except on the main stage.  The band, from Blackpool, brought in some impressive crowds to surround the main stage as they performed.  Before this band had even entered the arena to perform, our photographer had said to me “The singer is known for jumping into the crowds”.  Low and behold, he was spot on!  The singer leapt from the stage numerous times, not only to perform and just be part of the crowds of people but also to just lie back and crowd surf too.  As their segment went on they were still pulling in new onlookers to join the masses in the main arena.  There is only one way to describe a live music set from Strange Bones, and that is loud, lary, madness!

All female rock band PINS brought a different vibe to the day. It was a performance to showcase girl power. I heard many people infront of me using that phrase over and over again. With two band members looking like love children of Sia and Lady Gaga, they certainly brought something different with their style of music, including heavy guitar riffs. Halfway through their set the bands drummer gave us an impressive intrumental solo. The main vocalist had great onstage presence and was often seen standing up on the drumkit platform to perform.

After a fantastic performance just two short years ago, the festival welcome back Eliza And The Bear. They have just finished a tour to promote their newest album “Group Therapy” which is due for realease in October this year. As anticipated just as they did two years ago they proved to be a very popluar act within the Wilkestock community. As far as the eye could see people could be seen up on their feet dancing, even on platforms and props scattered around the grounds. We got to hear performances of their singles “Lions Heart”, “It Gets Cold”, the almighty anthem that is “Friends” and not forgetting an awesome cover of Earth Wind and Fire’s well known hit “September”.

Saturday evening was brought to a close after a performance from headline act The Fratellis.

Sunday 2nd September

Althought their was a variety of performances on the Sunday the atmostphere was far quieter and much more relaxed. Performances included sets from Minnie Birch, Didi, Zoe Phillips, Crystal Tides and more. The final act on main stage came from Oh My God! It,s the Church! What a way to end an awesome weekend!

Throughout the entire weekend inbetween each act there were also DJ sets from DJ Adam O and Matt Crawley which encouraged giant, not necessarily pitch perfect sing-a-longs.

Wilkestock Festival is an event that you will unlikely be dissapointed by, with affordable ticket prices and alot to offer as there is something there for everyone, no matter what your taste in music may be.

Don’t forget to check out the Wilkestock site for more information and next years tickets here!

For more photos by Kane Howie check out our flickr page here!

 

Bedford Park Concerts 2018!

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The first weekend of August 2018 saw the return of the brilliant Bedford Park Concerts. I had an absolute blast last year, so I was excited to attend
again. For those of you who are not already award, this is a three day event that begins on the Friday evening and comes to a close on the Sunday. The
organisers have never failed to provide a fantastic line up. Previously they have given us performances from Jason Donavon, Tom Jones, UB40, Dizzee
Rascal, Kaiser Chiefs and more. Once more for 2018, ticketholders were able to make memories with friends and family whilst watching yet another
handful of brilliant acts.

Upon entering the site at Bedford Park, I could see a wide variety of food vendors, ranging from fish and chips and pizza to vegan street food and
sweets. Also there was an abundance of bathroom facilities and access to a couple of different bars serving everyones favourite beverages. Also importantly, the teams from the brilliant St Johns Ambulance were placed in their own gazebo at the back of the park and also stationed on patrol at various locations around the site. As previous
years the event was sponsored by BMW Barons Bedford, so there was also an array of automotive beauties on display and test drive booking options.

Friday

Friday 3rd August i had the weekend kicking off to a great start. The entier evening was filled with chilled reggae and soulful vibes. At times I even
felt like I was being transported to a beautiful  beach covered in white sand with crystal clear waters in my mind. It was one of the most chilled out gigs I have ever been to.
Which was really quite nice and very enjoyable. During this relaxed segment of the evening we got to see performances from British Reggae band ASWAD,
who are best known for their infectious hit singles ‘Don’t Turn Around’ and ‘Shine’. To which were the final two songs of their set.

Also Friday evening brought us a brilliant segment from The Christians, the band had celebrated the achievement of 30 years together just last year. The band from
Liverpool have also seen huge success in their debut album which sold over a million copies. Their set included  their first single ‘Forgotten Town’
which turned out to be quite apt as they had to ask the audience exactly where they were performing which was quite amusing.  We also got to see them
perform their cover of ‘Here Comes The Sun’ which was originally performed by The Beatles after the song was written by George Harrison.

The next act certainly took it up a notch as she ramped up the energy while she dominated the stage.That lady was the sensational Jaki Graham. She
stood out in her eyecatching fringed attire while wowing us with her vocals. It was clear to see she could not wait for her turn to be on the stage.
Graham appeared to be so genuinely happy to perform, she even stated “I came out feeling like Jaki no mates,but here you all are, I love you” which was
followed by plenty of air kisses to the crowds of people before her. From Jaki, we heard hits including ‘Could It Be Im Falling In Love?’,  ‘Ain’t
Nobody’  and even new music including the title track of her new album, ‘When A Woman Loves‘.

Of course, this night belonged to one man, the legend that is Mr Billy Ocean. The Trinidadian-English recording artist is  well known for his catchy
R&B pop hits, predomintally in the 1970s and 1980s. I was born in the late 1980s but even I can appreciate his amazing talent and infamous hits.
People of all ages were so excited to see this man perform live.  Billy’s set was clean cut while he showcased his smooth moves as he dazzled in a
brilliant white suit.  Billy Ocean may not be as young as he once was, but this performance proved that age certainly is just a number.  His
performance was one of nostalgia and high emotion as he serenaded us with singles including ‘Caribbean Queen’, ‘When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough
Gets Going’, ‘Suddenly’ and the huge ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’.

Saturday

On Saturday 4th August, we got to see a very different line up compared to the previous evening.  The evening was filled with pop and dance tunes.  We
saw performances from up and coming solo act Hannah Jane Lewis, DJ sets in between main acts, male solo artist Sam Willis, who was sat for most of his
set behind a keyboard playing beautiful music and gracing us with vocals that could closely be likened to international pop star Bruno Mars.  So if
you’re looking for musical “Treasure” be sure to check out Sam’s music.  Also there was a very lively set from the band that gave birth to Harry Styles’
music career.  White Eskimo.  The quartet rock-pop band were all smartly dressed in fitted black suits and slim ties around their necks as they gave us
quite the show.  They certainly knew how to work their magic on the audience, especially impressionable girls within their teenage years.  Although,
some did try to cause a stir by chanting “Harry!, Harry!, Harry!”, the lads remained focused and professional as they were seen laughing off the little
stunt and carried on with a brilliant display of musical genuis.  The down to earth band members clearly loved to play up to the cameras and also took
time out after their set for a meet and greet with their fans at the VW Campervan style photobooth on site.

What impressed me most about these performances weren’t actually anything to do with the acts at all. I can’t continue with this review without mentioning some of the best talent that I saw all weekend.  Just to the leftof the stage as the acts were live, also live were some people communicating in British Sign Language.  These talented people were performing songs along with the acts on stage. What a phenominal idea! I’ve been to a lot of gigs and festivals since becoming a writer for such events and never once had I seen this at any other event before.  Bedford Park Concerts are one of the small handful of events that actually include this thoughtful feature to their line up.

Shortly after 8pm, hundreds of people were seen moving as close to the front of the stage as they could possibly get, as something exciting was about
to take place in the park.  All over the site I could hear chanting demanding “We want Jess!, We Want Jess!” Everyone was stood waiting in ancitipation
for female solo artist Jess Glynne. The music scene first intriduced us to the female soloist back in 2014 upon the UK release of Clean Bandit’s
mammoth single ‘Rather Be’.  Jess‘ vocals shone on the track.

Although a little later than expected, Jess walked out onto the stage, gave everyone a quick “hello” and got straight down to business to perform the
first song of her set, ‘Ain’t Got Far To Go’. The chart topper also included her well known string of hits such as ‘Right Here’, ‘Don’t Be So Hard On
Yourself’ and ‘Hold My Hand’ before then slowing things down to what I can only state was a very emotional segment of her time on stage at Bedford
Park.  Glynne stood quietly at the front of the stage to introduce her next song of the evening and then dedicated it to a young girl and her mother.
She continued to say “before I came on stage tonight, I got to meet a very special young girl, she’s so special and deserves some love”.  The singer
then continued to sing her balled ‘Home’.  Many sang along as they swayed their hands gently through the air.  It was rather difficult to hold back the
tears during this stage to be honest.  It wasa beautiful and heartfelt few moments.  Jess Glynne is well known for her upbeat pop
tracks, so the pace was picked up once again, getting everyone into the party mood they came to experience.  This performance brought so much to the
weekend’s event. Fun, emotion and pure pop brilliance!

To close saturday night, the organisers of the concerts had the perfect plan.  To end the night on a huge party! Woo Hoo! Bring on Felix Buxton and
Simon Ratcliffe, aka Basement Jaxx! The duo hit the stage and took their place behind a huge DJ deck as they pumped out some ravetastic tunes.  As they
played remixed of their own hits including the mighty ‘Red Alert‘, crowds of people were jumping around like hyper school children without a care in
the world.  All under a fantastic laser light show.  What a way to end the night!

Sunday 

As with previous years, the final day of frivolities at Bedford Park brought the most pompous yet patriotic day of my festival season calendar. The
Bedford Park Proms. Proms day has always been known to feature performances showcasing a variety of renditions of songs from musicals and film
soundtracks.  Before attending the event that day, I had said to my partner (to quote myself) “I guaruntee that we will hear music probably the biggest
film sountrack of the last year, The Greatest Showman”.  Yes,I was pleasantly 100% right! It’s a soundtrack that I personally love to listen to very
regularly, so I was excited to witness the children of the Pilgrims School Choir sing ‘A Million Dreams’ followed by the Bedford Girls School Choir
singing their version of  ‘The Greatest Show’ – which had a brilliant foot tapping routine to go with it.  Parents, teachers and pupils from both school choirs should
feel incredibly proud of their efforts during their performances.

What was fresh to see was a a brilliant set from the very talented Joe Bygraves.  It was like watching a protege of Ed Sheeran’s standing on stage with
an acoustic guitar and soft vocals.  He and his music were definitely a bighighlight of the day in my opinion.  Not only did he perform his own
versions of songs including Ed Sheeran’s ‘Galway Girl’ and Wheatus’ ‘Teenage Dirtbag’, he also had a great range of original songs to offer too, including ‘Childhood Sweetheart‘ and another, which was inspired by the fiesty fictitious character Daenarys Targaryen from the popular TV series Game Of Thrones.  Joe’s music can currently be found on both Spotify and itunes.  I highly recommend you check him out – especially if you’re a big fan of a certain red headed guitar playing male
solo artist.

The official start to the Proms begins now! The Bedford Town Band kicked things off with a pretty impressive feature.  All of their music was taken
from the 1996 film ‘Brassed Off’ which starred Ewan McGregor.

Of course, the Bedford Park Proms wouldn’t be the same without the return of the mesmerising talents that make up the London Gala Orchestra.  I’m no
classical music buff, but I didn’t need to be to appreciate just how magical their symphonies can be. They even had me singing rather loudly “Just One
Cornetto!” (Some of you will know what I am referring to there) haha. During some performances the orchestra were also joined by other guests including
the Bedford Choral Society and of course the evening’s operatic soloists. Tenor Jeff Stewart and the nation’s musical sweetheart Lesley Garrett.  Both
were intruguing and enchanting to watch as they performed both alone and together.  The pair even at one point sang a beautiful duet while drinking a
glass of tipple and dancing as if they were ready for the wow at the ballroom.

 

Lastly in true proms style to end the evening and the weekend long event, the site was filled with sea of red, white and blue flags and costumes during
a very british and patriotic segment before the big finale! A very spectacular firework display that filled the air with colour and sparkle and
contentment in our hearts.

There is no doubt about it that the organisers of this annual event deserve a huge round of applause and a pat on the back for yet another job well
done and a successful 2018 weekend event.  I loved every minute of last year, I had so much fun this year, and preparations for next year’s weekend are
already underway.  I only hope I will be lucky enough to attend as a reviewer for a third time in 2019.

For more photos click below

Friday    Saturday   Sunday

All photos by  Kane Howie www.kanehowiephotography.co.uk

Truck Festival 2018 Photo Blog

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Truck Festival the Godfather of the small festival scene is back for 2018. The four day sold out event was mostly bathed in glorious British sunshine, a huge improvement on the torrential downpours and mud baths from last year.  In my opinion it has been one of the best yet.   With an fantastic lineup on offer, it was one I couldn't miss. For the first time and fresh for 2018 the organisers introduced an early Thursday entry ticket which meant you could be one of the first to see the site and grab the best camping pitches.  It also meant that that ticket holders for this date would be able to view some additional acts.

2018 saw a more compact layout for the site, compared to previous years, which actually worked out great for myself as it meant it was much easier and quicker to move from stage to stage. There were a wide selection of food vendors around the site, including a food tent which was run by the Faringdon District and Rotary Club with all proceeds going straight to charity. The Rotary Club is a great addition to the festival as it includes people from the local community.

The festival was headlined by Peace, Friendly Fires, George Ezra and The Courteeners.

The weekend was quite the scorcher with high temperatures and the sun beaming down on us all.  Although Friday evening brought a short downpour of rain, it certainly didn't dampen anyone's spirits. People wanted to party!

There were a huge number of bands and artists performing over the weekend on different stages. The Apple Tree was new this year which was hosted by Magners, in which there were acts playing on their stage and DJ sets by bands too.

Also on the site there were kids activities, water stations, fairground rides, food vendors, bars and a selection of stalls selling clothes, glasses, hats and more.

Our photographer Kane Howie was there to document the weekend. Check out some of his work below.

Anteros on Truck Stage

 

Dream Wife on Market Stage

 

Friendly Fires on Truck Stage

 

George Ezra on Truck Stage

 

Goat Girl on Market Stage

 

I Cried Wolf on The Nest

 

Pale Waves on Market Stage

 

The Courteeners on Truck Stage

 

Paint Fight at Truck Stage

 

Sumo Wrestling at Truck Festival

 

Swing Carousel at Truck Festival

 

Crowd at Truck Stage

Magners, The Apple Tree at Truck Festival

We cant wait to see whats in store for next year. You can now purchase early bird tickets HERE!!

Fore more photos visit our flickr page HERE!!

All photos by KANE HOWIE

 

Bedford Park 2018 Preview

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Last year, I had a great time spending a weekend at Bedford Park Concerts.  It was certainly a weekend that I won’t likely forget.  So, of course, I am very excited to be able to attend again this year.  I also have no doubt that it will be another great weekend for all, jam packed with entertainment for all ages.

Friday 3rd August 2018

To begin the weekend’s event Bedford Park will be welcoming headline act, the legendary Billy Ocean.  The legend himself has sold over 30 million records all over the world in his career to date.

Billy is known for his hits “Love Really Hurts Without You”, “When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Gets Going” and “Caribbean Queen”. So warm up those vocal chords to a huge sing-a-long!

Also on the first night of the weekend (Friday 3rd August 2018) Billy will also be joined on stage by supporting acts including:

Jaki Graham

A soul singer with a powerful voice who is known to put on quite a visual show.  You can expect to hear hits “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” and also “Round and Round”.

ASWAD

ASWAD has spent two decades on the music scene and have also released an impressive fifteen albums! They also remain to be one of the best love British Reggae bands and are known for their singles “Don’t Turn Around” and “Shine”.

Loose Ends ft Carl Mcintosh

They will get you moving and grooving with unique take on the British soul sound.  They are expected to perform hits including “Hangin’ On A String” and “Slow Down”.

Last but not least of Fridays night’s support acts is The Christians.  A band that stormed their way into the British pop scene in the 80s and early 90s with singles including “World”, “Born Again” and “When The Fingers Point”. Their version is “Harvest For The World” also raised millions for well known charity Unicef.

Saturday 4th August

This date is probably the most anticipated date of the entire weekend.  Bedford Park Concerts have continued to provide us with another amazing line up to to reel us all in.  The evening will see support acts including rising pop star Hannah Jane Lewis which will be a first for the singer. Also Sam Wills will be performing too.

But of course this night will focus on the evening’s well known acts Basement Jaxx and headline act, the almighty Jess Glynne!

Basement Jaxx

Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton aka Basement Jaxx began their career as underground producers and event promoters in back in 1995.  The pair have seen huge success and have known sales of more than three million albums!  Their infamous debut album “Remedy” and their collection “The Singles” took the world by storm.  They also received a Grammy for their third album “Kish Kash” and are double BRIT award winners for the title of Best Dance Act.  They are known for their huge hits “Where’s Your Head At?”, “Romeo” and the bonkers dance anthem “Red Alert”.  Basement Jaxx are continuing to work on new projects for 2018 including working on music for a TV show which will feature on ITV.  I have no doubt that their DJ set will get everyone in a great mood.

Jess Glynne

Glynne was introduced to the music world back in 2014 as she featured as a vocalist on Clean Bandit’s Grammy Award winning “Rather Be”. Since then she has given us hit after glorious hit!  She has in her own right become one of the biggest female breakthrough artists of the UK in recent years.  Other singles fans will recognise include “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself”, “Right Here”, the more sombre “Take Me Home”. She is also now back in the charts once more while providing vocals for Rudimental’s newest single “These Days”.  I personally guarantee you will be in for an amazing set from this artist. I have seen her perform live once before and she completely dominated the event she was playing at.  

Sunday 5th August 2018

Sunday sees the return of the very popular Bedford Park Proms.  This year’s event will feature the soloist known as the one and only English Soprano Lesley Garrett.  Not only is she an incredible musician but she is also known as a broadcaster and general media personality.  Leslie has an impressive cross-over repertoire that stretches from Mozart to Meat Loaf while performing in numerous West End Musicals.  Alongside Lesley will also be Tenor Jeff Stewert, his dramatic voice means that he is always in demand not only in opera but other musical platforms too.  The Bedford Park Proms is self described as “an evening of pomp and patriotism that the whole family can enjoy”.  With over 120 performers on stage this will surely be quite a magnificent event. We will also see the return of the extraordinary London Gala Orchestra who will be conducted by Stephen Bell as they take to the stage to perform pieces including Handel’s Zadok The Priest.

On this date the organisers encourage you to bring picnics and your own drinks along too.  There is a VIP option available as well as general admission to the site.  So dust off those candelabras and get out the best plastic silverware you can buy! Because it’s Proms night!

For more infortmation and tickets visit https://www.bedfordparkconcerts.co.uk/

Geronimo Festival 2018 Review (Knebworth Park)

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It's the ultimate family festival in the UK and The Sunday Mirror have labelled it as "Glastonbury for kids!"  Yes, this review will feature the brilliant Geronimo Festival.  For 2018 Geronimo was brought to ticket holders at two different locations.  The first being at Cheshire's Arley Hall and the second being Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire.  I was lucky enough to be able to attend the two day event at Knebworth Park on the weekend of 30th June – 1st July.  

With Geronimo being the ultimate family festival, I made the most out of the event by taking my three year old son along with me.  The line up was jam packed with well known CBeebies presenters, characters and many other recognisable faces that my son believes to be his idols, so there was no way I could leave him at home with the grandparents for this one.  

The site was easy to find, although we did have to queue in a lot of heavy traffic outside of the park at the top end of Stevenage.  I believe we sat in our car and waited for around 20 minutes.  The organisers of the festival had hired traffic control teams and stationed them outside of the park to help to manage traffic levels in a more effective manner.  On Saturday morning, the workers that were taking on this role, actually appeared to struggle with the amount of cars building up, as traffic could be seen queuing onto the A1.  Although by Sunday the problems had been resolved and it was far easier to enter the site straight away without any problems at all.  

Walking into the actual festival site was like walking into a wonderland. There was so much to see and do.  At the entrance there were dancing trees, a clown on stilts, floating bubbles, balloons, brightly coloured flags, music and more. This was a festival that had it all.  At the back of the site there was access to an inflatable village, a fun fair with a large Ferris wheel, Helter Skelters, smaller rides, traditional fairground stalls and games.  There was also a climbing wall, a real life arcade where children and parents alike could be part of games like Whack-a-mole, giant Jenga and Tetris. It felt like everyone was able to be a character from the blockbuster Ready Player one.  I won't forget to mention there were also plenty of access to toilet facilities, water stations, nappy changing and breastfeeding tents as well smaller live shows including stunts, imaginative plays and a brilliant live Dino show which my son watched numerous times.  Children were asked to volunteer to meet a 'real' baby T-Rex, aptly named Rex in a fun and interactive segment.  

The whole weekend was presented by former CBeebies presenter Alex Winters. What a brilliant choice.  Not only did he introduce acts on stage, he also entertained the audiences in between set times, he was also casually walking around the site meeting everyone and would cover all of the site to promote other events going on around the site that weren't featured on the main (Castle) stage.  As the weekend event fell in the middle of a heatwave, what was also great about Alex was that he was there to be an assistance to parents to advise children to put on their sun creams, wear protective clothing like hats and drink plenty of water.  This worked very well. Also regarding the heatwave –  Winters was often seen on stage throwing out water balloons and buckets of water to the crowds of people in front of the main stage to keep everyone cool, which actually was really helpful in the scorching temperatures.  

There was also a great variety of food provided by vendors at the event.  On offer were ice-creams, deluxe milkshakes (at a whopping £8 each!), stone baked pizzas, the traditional burgers and fries, sushi, vegan and oriental street food and plenty of sugary treats for the little ones.  

Before I get to the performers that were featured at the weekend event, I would like to share with you all just how much there was to do on site.   We never once got bored as there was always something else to take part in or see.  My son was able to part in a wide variety of craft activities, which was actually really lovely as it meant taking something home.  All craft activities were FREE, but were happy to receive donations should ticket holders want to offer to support their organisations.  An example of just some of the crafts included making bug bling and pine cone insects by the lovely people from The Fairyland Trust, wicker craft which meant shaping and decorating either balloons, wings or baskets, wooden staff carving – so ideal to bring out your inner explorer or wizard. Also clay modelling, soap carving, ceramic tile decorating inside the Messy Kids workshop tent. 

Over the weekend there were so many amazing performances including shows from Sohan Bollywood – pretty self explanatory, but it was a colourful, fun and interactive Bollywood dance show where parents and children were invited up onto the stage to dance along.  Also Junior Frood – a teen dancer who has amazing talent at such a young age. He does all of his own choreography, has already danced alongside pop star Justin Bieber and is soon on his way to Hollywood to work with celebrity choreographer Brian Friedman.  Other very amusing and interactive shows came from CBeebies presenters Sid & Rebecca (who are well known for their imaginative TV programme "Let's Play") and also the very funny and cheeky pirates Cook & Line from the very popular children's television  programme "Swashbuckle".  

 

Here is some information of some of the most standout performances of the weekend:

Andy and The Oddsocks – Saturday

Andy Day is probably one of, if not the most famous of the CBeebies presenters.  He is easily recognisable for his height, big hair and his smiley, jolly nature. Andy is well known for his many adventures on CBeebies shows including "Andy's Wild Adventures", "Andy's dinosaur Adventures", "Andy's Prehistoric Adventures" and most recently his "Safari Adventures" on the pre-school aged television channel.  Now he will be known for something completely different. For being in a band!  Andy and The Oddsocks have recently recorded and released their debut album, titled "Who Invited This Lot?" which is solely aimed at young children.  At the beginning of the set, we got to meet The Oddsocks (Blu, Moxy and Mac) first as they entered the main stage.  Of course there was a big build up to introduce the main man himself (Andy Day) as band member Mac worked the audience to encourage everyone to chant "Andy! Andy! Andy!" 

Day ran onto the stage to greet the crowds of screaming pre-schoolers and some very enthusiastic mothers. Haha! The set was highly energetic and involved a lot of audience participation including bouncing giant inflatable footballs around the arena.  The band told the stories behind each one of their very catchy songs that they performed including:"Aliens", "Ninja Pig",  "Groover Hoover" – which saw the introduction of Hetty The Highland Hoover, "Dinosaur Football Legend Mega Match" and the song with a heartfelt meaning "Unique". 

I was also lucky enough to meet Andy Day backstage for a chat before they were due to grace the main stage to discuss more about Andy and The Oddsocks.  He was just as everyone imagines him to be, so down to earth and just lovely.  My son was also clearly very star struck when he got to meet his hero. Thank you to Andy for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet  with me.  

To find out what's next for Andy and The Oddsocks and to check out my interview with Andy click on the video link below:

Katy Ashworth – Saturday and Sunday

Katy is best known for her presenting role on children's television programmes "I Can Cook!" and "I Can Cook With You".  The presenter is currently heavily pregnant, but this certainly wasn't going to hold her back from putting on some amazing shows.  How she had that much energy I do not know. She is a role model for not only children but mothers alike. She sang a couple of traditional children's songs, one of them being the very popular  "Wheels On The Bus" and also songs from "I Can Cook" which I even ended up singing along to, but there was a lot of amusing puns and innuendo within her show aimed at parents so that it was certainly something that we could all genuinely really enjoy too.  I remember at one point she asked parents "Who out there eats the children's left overs?"many people admitted to this so she continued with "Oh yes, a lovely soggy fish finger on a Wednesday night after Brownies!" Katy also had the audience interacting by playing a giant game of "Fruit Bowl" which is a game where children, mums and dads all had to impersonate and represent a piece of fruit whenever she called out it's name.  Towards the end of her segment she also invited three dads up onto the stage to help her 'cook' were they helped her make a banana milkshake and the winner was presented with a wooden spatula with her name on it and the runners up being given wooden spoons with the same inscription. 

Mr Bloom & His Band – Sunday

Mr Bloom is a very popular CBeebies character played by Cornish actor Ben Faulks. He is a keen gardener and has been involved in programmes including "Mr Bloom's Nursery" and "Here And There" where he teaches children about nature, the importance of gardening and also goes on day trips with children (or as he calls them 'Tiddlers') and their families.  The famous gardener strolled out onto a stage that was surrounded by giant inflatable fruit and vegetables as he introduced everyone to his band before shortly bursting into song while playing his ukulele as they performed the well known theme tune for his programme "Here And There".  The show included a fruit and vegetable guessing game to which children in the audience won whatever food item Mr Bloom was showing on stage.  I've never known young children to be so excited over a piece of fruit or a vegetable. Many families could do with their own Mr Bloom in their households at mealtimes if that's what it takes to get children to eat their 5-a-day.  Like Katy Ashworth's set there was also a lot of innuendo filled humour for the grown ups too. Even a discussion about the possibility of the band playing music by Metallica. 

 

Justin Fletcher – Sunday

Justin Fletcher, MBE, is the man behind many lovable children's characters.  He is most famously known for his TV show "Something Special" where he appears as a clown like character named Mr Tumble. He teaches children how to use Makaton in their daily lives.  This form of sign language makes Mr Tumble a firm favourite in many family households and he is held dear to the hearts of families with children who may have physical or learning difficulties.  His show started in the most spectacular way possible, he was supported by backing dancers as he came out singing original single, the infectious "Just Party" while confetti cannons were released and filled the grounds in front of the Castle stage with bright colours.  He soon went on to sing "Happy Birthday" in case anyone at the event were celebrating a birthday around the time of the festival.  Fletcher also went on to announce that his TV show "Something Special" is 15 years old this year and that he has been in the business for  an impressive 20 years! He followed the announcement with a huge thank you to everyone for their support over those years.  There was also a further announcement that the presenter had to share with his fans, he told everyone that there will be a new series of "Gigglebiz" on it's way and that there's only 2 more weeks of filming.  Exciting stuff.  As "Gigglebiz" was mentioned he went on to bring some other well known characters of his to life including Arthur Sleep, Keith Fit and Gail Force.  His show also included a the biggest "Hokey Cokey" with the whole arena getting involved and other songs including "Let's Go Fly A Kite", "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", and "Wibble and Wobble". There was also a chance for both parents and children to show him their Makaton skills before he closed his set by singing "The Goodbye Song".  Justin Fletcher not only put on an amazing show, but he clearly had an amazing time himself too.  

My little family had the best time at Geronimo Festival, it really is a festival like no other and is perfect for the whole family to enjoy.  This is a festival that I highly recommend to everyone and one that I hope to return to in 2019.  Some details for the 2019 weekend have already been put into place including the line up. For more information about what Geronimo has in store for all of the Geronimites in 2019 check out their website.

Photos by Kane Howie

For more photos CLICK HERE!!

 

 

Amprocks Festival 2018 Review

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This weekend saw the return of Amp Rocks! The live music concert is part of the annual three day event, Ampthill Festival.  Amp Rocks is known for taking ticket holders back in time to hear music that we may not have heard for decades.  This year was no different.  The organisers of the festival also have a tradition of supporting local music by inviting the latest local Battle Of The Bands winners to perform on stage to open the weekend event. The band that kicked off the event this year was The Kazoos. The battle of the bands winner took over the stage by performing covers of hits including Florence and The Machine's "Kiss With A Fist" and the hugely popular "Valerie" – made famous by the unforgettable, late Amy Winehouse.  

After the performance from the local group there was a short interval, this gave me some time to take a wonder around the site.Just as the previous year had seen, there was plenty of facilities on the grounds. An abundance of port-a-loos, two bars and a lot of food vendors.  When in the food court area, I could see burgers, fries, hot dogs, an ice-cream van, a sweet stall and stone baked pizzas.  Although the range was good, I do have two little niggles regarding the food court.  Firstly, which actually surprised me, there did not appear to be any vegan food options other than perhaps a portion of chips, which cost £5. One food vendor even decided to charge another £1.50 on top of that if you wanted sauce on those chips/fries so if you were in the mood for cheesy chips it would have cost you £6.50. Although, I have since been informed by one of the organisers of the event that there were indeed some vegan food options, including tacos . This may have just been something that may not have been advertised as loudly as it was expected to have been.  Regarding food prices, I understand that the food vendors need to cover the cost of being at the event and they also need to make a profit, also food at events such as this one tend to be on the expensive side, but the prices these vendors were charging were verging on extortion. In this present time, Veganism is taking over the world. More and more people are choosing to live a vegan lifestyle, particularly when it comes to their diet.  So having no vegan food options was quite unusual to see at a festival scene nowadays.  The other problem that I had with the food court was where it was situated.  Last year, food vendors were set up just behind the main stage. On level ground.  This year, the carts, vans and stalls were set up at the top of a steep grassy hill with no ease of access for people who are less able.  This meant that it was quite unlikely for someone who may be wheelchair bound to be able to buy food on site.  There also appeared to be a lot of people wondering round the grounds on crutches, I saw one person on crutches struggling to climb up that hill.  

The intervals between acts were fairly short, so for the rest of the evening, I was stationed right in front of the stage to make sure I had a great view of the artists.  By this point the arena was becoming a little densely populated as more attendees filled the stage area to see the next act perform. That of course was British indie rockers, Reef.  The band are well known for their hit "Place Your Hands" and were a big deal in the 90s music scene. They have also previously played gigs at the almighty Glastonbury and Reading Festivals.  Reef are back and are currently on tour to promote their fifth studio album, titled "Revelation" which was released back in May this year.  The band were known to be rather energetic on stage in their classic years and nothing is any different now. They still have plenty of energy and charisma while performing live. Front man Gary Stringer, along with his fellow band members performed classic Reef singles including "Consideration", well known anthem "Place Your Hands" and a little preview of their new music from their current album including the titular song "Revelation" and new single "My Sweet Love". 

 

For me and I'm sure many other people that attended Amp Rocks on Friday evening, the night's next act was by far the biggest set of the entire gig.  That set was brought to us by Example & DJ Wire. The London rapper and DJ pair have played for audiences all over the world and wowed them all! They have previously played at the infamous Glastonbury Festival with singles including "Changed The Way You Kissed Me" and "Stay Awake". This set provided ticket holders with plenty of anticipation as DJ Wire first took to the stage alone to take his place at the decks.  While going 'solo' he mixed a variety of well known releases including "Sweet Dreams" by The Eurythmics, Skrillex's "Bangarang", The Prodigy's bonkers "Firestarter" and Bastille's huge hit "Pompeii".  People in front of the stage, including myself loved every minute of this extended and nostalgic intro. There were hands in the air, people up on the shoulders of their friends and relatives and a lot of dodgy dance moves.  Around 10 minutes in, on walked British rapper Example.  As he walked to the front of the stage he was singing the lyrics to his single "Say Nothing" which of course everyone else was also singing along to also.  He then went on to perform another single "Stay With Me" before then bringing the show to a brief pause to introduce himself by going on to say "Hi, I'm Example and I'm an up and coming artist from London".  Yea sure, he's not already famous at all. Haha! The bonkers set continued with performances of other well known singles including "We'll Be Coming Back" which was a Calvin Harris hit that he had featured on, also "Kickstarts" and his debut hit "Changed The Way You Kissed Me".  DJ Wire and Example put on one of the best live performances that I've seen to date. Despite Example looking a little tired (understandably) half way through his performance, he still gave us 110% to wow us all right until the close of the set. There were a lot of people there that evening all agreeing on one thing. DJ Wire and Example should have been the night's headline act.

The evening's headline act was female 80s pop trio Bananarama.  This is the first time that the band's original line up of Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodwood has been seen performing live since the 1980s.  So this really was quite something to see.  Their performance at Amp Rocks was a first for the three ladies of the band as they have never performed live at a festival event before.  The band are very well known for their hit "Venus"

 

Before the ladies made their appearance, the stage was filled with warm lighting, pink and red in colour.  The band were given a lengthy instrumental intro by the musicians who also accompanied them on the stage.  The Bananarama ladies all looked stunning in their fitted black sequinned attire.  Their set really was a giant step back in time.  With a performance that included their classic catchy pop hits "Cruel Summer", "Rough Justice" and "Robert De Niro's Waiting".  During their show, the ladies were so perfectly in sync with their moves. While showcasing vintage choreography, it was like watching an Olympic synchronised swimming team, so easily breezing through their segment.  As much as I enjoy listening to the old Bananarama pop songs and they always put me in a great mood, but I must admit, the ladies are actually far better live and worth a watch.  

On multiple occasions throughout the evening, there were random outbursts of people going into full on karaoke mode to sing the infamous "Three Lions" in homage to the current football world cup event.  Both, Example and Bananarama sang along with crowds to show their support for England. It was quite the memorable moment during both sets.  

 

The organisers of Ampthill Festival have once again, put on an amazing Amp Rocks for us all. I had a great night there.  I cannot wait to see what they will have in store for us next year.  

Photos by Kane Howie

For more photos click here!

Truck Festival 2018 Preview

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The self acclaimed 'Godfather of the small festival scene' is back!  This annual music festival takes place in Steventon, Oxfordshire and with 2018 being the festival's 21st year it plans to dominate with yet another cracking line up.  For the first time, organisers have introduced an early entry ticket for Thursday the19th July before the main festival weekend begins. Upon purchasing early entry admission, ticketholders will be able to see performances from bands and artists including Peace, Jaws, Kandia and Little Brother Eli to kickstart the weekeend.

As always there will also be a wide variety of food to cater for all and also family friendly activities for those with children.  

This years lineup includes headliners: Friendly Fires on Friday, George Ezra on Saturday and The Courteeners on closing night which will be Sunday 22nd July.  

Also featured, will be performances from Everything Everything, Circa Waves, Jake Bugg and many more. There are several stages on site with a huge selection of all genres of bands and artists. Here are just a handful of acts that are worth checking out

Hellions – A hard core punk band from Sydney,Australia.  Their music can be likened to that of American pop-punk band Good Charlotte. They will be on stage at The Nest on Friday.  

Goldrush – An English 5 piece rock band. Band members Robin and Joe aka The Bennett brothers are also the founders Truck Festival and will be performing in their band for an exclusive one off set.  What better way to pay homage to the people that made this awesome festival a reality.  This special set can be seen at the Veterans and Virgins stage on Friday.  

Anteros – This dream-pop band quartet from London have previously played alongside Two Door Cinema Club, White Lies and Blaenavon (who are also playing at Truck this year) Anteros also played sets at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds.  Their single "Breakfast" is quite a catchy, happy go lucky kind of pop song.  These will be seen on the Main Stage on Saturday.  ]

Lady Bird – The trio can easily be likened to last year's performers Slaves.  Their music style is heavy rock with agressive riffs, their songs also have a literary vibe to them while narrating stories with their straight to the point lyrics. We will be seeing them at The Nest on Saturday.  

Hey Charlie – a three piece all girl pop punk band. Their vibe overflows with girl power while playing their sugary pop songs. They have previously been on tour with All Time Low.  These punktastic ladies will be performing on the Market Stage on Sunday.  

So whether you fancy riding "Shotgun" with George Ezra or want to enjoy "Junk Food Forever" with The Amazons, Truck Festival will no doubt keep you entertained all weekend long! 

Lower Than Atlantis @ Cambridge Junction 3/4/2018

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Over the years, Cambridge Junction has played host to many great artists. On Tuesday 3rd April the venue welcomed English rock band, Lower Than Atlantis.  The quartet, who are originally from Watford in Hertfordshire, first formed in 2007.  They released their first EP in 2008 and then went on to release their first full album "Far Q" back in 2010.  

The live music gig was being held in the main stage room at the venue.  Upon arrival, the room was covered in a blanket of dim blue lighting and was quickly filling up with a relatively young crowd.  With drinks and chatter flowing nicely the audience was soon introduced to the other acts that would be joining the guys from Watford.  

For the evening, Lower Than Atlantis were joined by support acts The Faim and Milk Teeth.  

The Faim were the first of the night's acts to take to the stage. With an excited crowd of people in front of them, they jumped straight into their first song of their set, titled "My Heart Needs To Breathe" before then introducing themselves.  

This four piece pop/alternative band first formed on the 20th November 2014. The band members themselves have stated that their music has been influenced by artists including, 5 Seconds of Summer, Blink 182, and Fall Out Boy. I will also mention that their debut single "Saints of the Sinners" was also co-written by Pete Wentz, also known as the lead vocalist of rock band, Fall Out Boy. The first thought that came to my head upon hearing them perform was "they sound just like Fall Out Boy". And now I know why after doing my research. 

The Faim are a band that have a great stage presence with high energy and know how to work the crowds well, an example of this was asking the audience to jump along with them during their performance.  They are a really likeable band and when performing live it is clear to see that the four lads are very passionate about their music. As the stage is flooded with blue and green lighting, the band performed songs including "A Million stars", "Midland Line" and "Infamous". They brought their set to a close with a performance of their single "Saints of the Sinners" which is not only (as mentioned previously) their debut single release but is also about "making their mark in the world". What's worth mentioning is that the down to earth band members were also seated at their own merchandise stall at the back of the room after their set, with their family members.  Who doesn't love a good family support network? 

After a short break the second of the evening's acts graced the stage.  

Milk Teeth, a punk rock band from Stroud in Gloucstershire, are full of energy and clearly enjoy making interesting facial expressions when performing. The band are Becky on vocals and bass, Billy and Chris on guitars and Oli on drums. Unusually, just like fellow support act The Faim the drummers were set up front alongside their fellow band mates for this gig.  The band's guitar players were great at rallying the excitement from the crowd of fans in front of them. The band members also encouraged the audience to shine lights from their phones during their set.  They performed their original songs including "Nearby Catfight" – which was also the song they entered the stage to, they also showcased "Stabbed" and "Swear Jar". 

After an energetic set from Milk Teeth, along came another short interval as we stood waiting for the night's main act! During this break the venue did continue to play music into the sound system as we chatted amongst ourselves. Some rather unusual releases featured on the venues 'interval playlist'.  What stood out for many people there was the moment when Aha's Take on Me came blaring through the speakers.  It was like being at a gig in the 80s. The whole room sang along and was filled with buzzing energy.  Continuing with their vintage playlist, we were then treated to Uptown Girl which was originally made famous by Billy Joel back in 1983! The well known single got as far as the end of the intro before being turned off to welcome the night's main act. This did not go down well with ticket holders as the room was then filled with Boos and sighs of disappointment. Although these negative emotions were soon forgotten about when the band members of Lower Than Atlantis walked onto the stage.  

The band's drummer, Eddy Thrower was the first to take his place.  He sat at his drum kit and began to build the atmosphere with a small drum solo which was accompanied by synchronised strobe lighting.  He was quickly joined by fellow band mates Declan Hart on bass, Ben Sanson on guitar and then lastly the band's front man and vocalist Mike Duce.  And what strong entrance they made! They started their set with their amazing single "Had Enough".

Further into their set, vocalist Duce had requested the audience to run and mosh in front of him, before he then came down into the viewing area to begin crowd surfing with his fans.  After being carried back to the stage the band continued to play more of their music until once again their front man returned to the middle of the crowds of people.  He stood in the middle of the room with his guitar to play an acoustic version of their song "Another Sad Song".  The atmosphere was so relaxed and calm, with people sitting crossed legged on the floor in a circle around him.  Not something you'd typically expect to see at a rock band's gig. It could have been likened to sitting around a bonfire singing campfire songs. 

This was one band that certainly knew how to work a crowd! It is clear to see how much their value their fans after seeing them live.  The band's lead singer asked the audience "if anyone's got a beer then raise it up!"  he then encouraged drinkers to  consume their beverage of choice while all members of the band and fans chanted "CHUG CHUG CHUG"  and when they played "Beech Like The Tree" they managed to encourage plenty of people to crowd surf.

As the majority of musicians that perform live, Lower Than Atlantis' set appeared to come to an end after finishing their song "Words", which of course, wasn't their last song of the evening.  The band members exited the stage for a very short space of time before returning for once more for an encore.  They all thanked their fans for all of the support they have received over the past 11 years and then stated "otherwise we would be working in Morrisons, although there's nothing wrong with working in Morrisons". Nice cover up lads! 

The gig came to a close with the band's last two performances of the night which were "English Kids" and my personal favourite of theirs "Here We Go". 

Lower Than Atlantis is a band that is undoubtedly worth seeing live, they offer familiarity with their hit singles and also something completely different when interacting with their fans! Our photographer and I are now new fans of The Faim.  All three bands are continuing to tour this year with tickets still available.  

All photos by KANE HOWIE

For more photos visit HERE!

The Amazons Live at Cambridge Junction with Support Act Yonaka! 08/02/2018

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On the 8th February 2018, well known venue, Cambridge Junction, opened it's doors to ticket holders filled with excitement to see English rock band, The Amazons, take to the stage.  With an entry fee of just £17 for fantastic performances and ample parking around the local leisure complex, the venue did not disappoint. Doors opened around an hour before the gig was planned to start. Within the venue there are three separate stages J1, J2, and J3 (Junctions 1, 2 and 3).  But for this night, it was all about the acts on the J1 stage.  

The Amazons are a Reading-based quartet that formed back in 2014. Since then the band had been shortlisted for the BBC's sound of 2017, nominated for Q’s Best Breakthrough Act and have even made an appearance on MTV’s Brand New 2017 list.  The band have also caught the attention of many radio DJ's including Radio 1's Clara Amfo, Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Nick Grimshaw and Greg James. The lads have even found a big fan in Zane Lowe.  The awesome foursome (cheesy I know) are also produced by the Grammy nominated Catherine Marks (Wolf Alice and Foals). It looks like The Amazons are hotly tipped to make it big in 2018! The band's self-titled debut album is also out now!  

​Supporting and touring with The Amazons, are Brighton based group, Yonaka.  The band themselves describe their music as "dark alternate pop with heavy riffs." Yonaka's band members are Theresa Jarvis – Vocals, George Edwards – Guitar, Alex Crosby – Bass/Keys  and Robert Mason on Drums. 

​​In a darkened room filled with screams and cheers and after a short musical intro, the four members of Yonaka entered the stage to start their set with  a performance of their single "Ignorance", to which I and many individuals within the room were putting on our very best karaoke voices to sing along to.  During the high energy set, featuring fast paced lighting and stunning vocals from the band's vocalist Theresa Jarvis, they continued on to perform other singles including "Gods and Lovers", "WWBY (Wouldn't Wanna Be Ya)", the very intense and somber "All In My Head". We were also introduced to a new song titled "F**king With The Boss" – a song to which caused a tiny mosh pit form in the centre of the room.  The foursome kindly thanked their fans for "turning up" and continued on to promote the night's main act The Amazons and referring to them as "f**king amazing!"

As expected they finished their set with their most popular hit to date, "Bubblegum" to which the audience were asked to contribute with vocals along with the band on stage.  "Bubblegum" is a song that will be playing on loop in your head for a while. I've often found myself humming it to myself after seeing Yonaka perform for the first time at Truck Festival in 2017.  I really liked them back then and love them now! I am definitely looking forward to hearing more of their material in the future.  If you get a chance to see them live, then please do.  They are not an act that you would want to miss live. With lots of energy, great interaction with their audience and catchy pop/rock/alternative tracks, they are everything you'd expect from a band of their genre.  


After the excitement from the support act's performance, the majority of room was ramped up and ready for the main act of the evening to take centre stage.  Around 9pm teenage girls flocked to the front of the room clinging to the security barrier filled with excitement, fans repeatedly chanting "Am-A-Zons, Am-A-Zons!" and clearly a row of parents at the back of the room with their ecstatic teenagers in front them and their backs against the wall, that looked like they had been dragged to the venue against their will, with folded arms and yawns a plenty. 

As the chanting for the main act continued (and got considerably louder), eventually after a short wait, the band began to take their place on the stage under dim red and white lighting to perform their first song of the night "Stay With Me", which had almost the entire room bathed in strobe lighting and fans singing along too.  There were also head boppers and foot tappers as far as the eye could see.  Not including the poor bored and tired parents at the back of the room. Oh dear indeed. The four piece continued on to perform their second and third tracks of the evening – "Ultraviolet" (which has featured heavily on BBC Radio 1) and "Raindrops" before then speaking to their fans in the audience for the first time. Did they announce the title of their next song? Or perhaps thank everyone for coming to their show? Nope. They simply opened with "Hello, we are The Sherlocks!" Just Brilliant!

​​For those of you that don't already know, both artists, The Amazons and The Sherlocks have recently been involved in some rather amusing shenanigans on social media. Recently, the line up for Y Not Festival had been announced, and both acts are confirmed to perform at this popular event.  Yorkshire band, The Sherlocks were shown to appear on the fourth tier on the festival's poster. However, The Amazons are shown on the third tier of the promotional image. When The Sherlocks posted the image of the festival's line up on their social media feed the two acts had been swapped – rumour has it that the band photoshopped the original image to place themselves higher up in the third tier to replace The Amazons.  Whether the two bands are actually just enjoying some friendly banter or they genuinely don't get on, I don't know. But it certainly has caught the attention of the press and has had many people both perplexed and entertained. After all, entertainment is their game! 

​​During their show, the guys also pulled out a few surprises.  Including an incredible percussion solo from drummer Joe Emmett.  Honestly, I didn't want it to end.  It was that impressive! He was applauded with a huge roar of appreciation from the entire room of people.  Also, they included an awesome cover of T-Rex's 70's hit, "20th Century Boy". The last unexpected addition to their set was a clever move to introduce Theresa Jarvis, (vocalist in support act Yonaka) back onto the stage to perform "In My Mind" with the group.  The joining of the two acts was a brilliant idea, and worked to their advantage, creating excellent musical balance.


Throughout the evening ticket holders were in constant admiration for the band on stage. There were moments when the room was filled with people jumping and head banging. There were also times where all I could see was slow hands, phones and even a lighter (not really very safe, but oh well) in the air during tamer segments of The Amazons' set.  After performing their latest single "Black Magic", the guys left the stage and we were left once more in a darkened room. Like earlier in the evening, the chanting started again "Am-A-Zons! Am-A-Zons!". The foursome did return to the stage after around 3 minutes to finish their show with an encore performance of "Palace" and the hit that I, and most likely many others, were excited to see performed live. Their well known track "Junk Food Forever", which even encouraged a crowd surfer to come out of the centre of the room. During the their encore at the end of the night, one of the band members even stated "don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't think this was going to be this f**king amazing! Thank you".

​As much as I like The Amazons' music when hearing it recorded, I much preferred hearing it live. Their music inspires a great atmosphere when they are physically seen performing. It will be interesting to see them perform on a bigger stage and in front of a bigger audience too.  

Both The Amazons and Yonaka have a busy year ahead. The Amazons will also have a very busy festival season this year while appearing at events including Y Not Festival and Truck Festival in the summer months. Yonaka are also due to play at The Garage in Islington on 28th February 2018.  Everyone, grab your tickets now! 

For more photos click HERE!

Photos by Kane Howie

 

Coasts at Club 85-Hitchin-9th October 2017

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On Monday evening (9th October 2017) the small town of Hitchin saw the anticipated return of the band, Coasts.  A band that is well known to the local area as they also headlined the BBC Introducing stage at the town's own Rhythms of the World Festival a few years ago. The band were very well recieved  by the locals at the time so it was awesome to have the band back once again.  The band were hosted this time by the small, but awesome venue Club 85 with colourful neon decor within the all black loft sized room.  The venue also has a small bar and merchendise stalls at either side of the stage.   Something else to be excited about was the evening's warm up act, Misfires. 

 Misfires are a young, all male indie rock band from Swindon, UK. The band formed in February 2016 and began their musical journey playing for house parties which then led onto sell out gigs in local venues.  In other media the four lads have often been compared to the likes of Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Libertines. Some have even called the band the lovechild of the two big names mentioned. Misfires are currently on a month long tour with this being their first time visiting the town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. They have also recently supported The Sherlocks on their tour playing at three of their tour venues which they admitted they had a great time performing to the larger crowds.  In the short time on stage at Club 85 the band members who were all dressed in black casual clothing totally nailed it! The four guys performed their singles '22', most recent release 'Do You Wanna?' and 'Indie Kid' which the band themselves said is likely to be their next single. During the performance of their song '22' there even appeared to be a tiny mosh pit of adolescent fans jumping around. Throughout their set the band were often interacting with a group of teens at the front of the room, just laughing and joking which was great to see.  They were definitly well liked by ticketholders.  

I also briefly managed to chat to the four lads just after their performance to congratulate them on a great set, along with our phototographer. These lads are so down to earth and fun. They even mentioned that for them its not all about the stereotypical "rock and roll" lifestyle when it comes to being part of a band. They had also expressed how much they enjoyed being on tour and stated that they've performed alongside other bands who don't necessarily prioritise interaction with their fans which is why they expressed how important it is to them to remember that it's always good to make time for fans of their music.  I would highly recommend that you see Misfires live if you should get the chance. I would be very surprised if they didn't make it big in the music industry.  

After a short break to make some changes to the stage set up the main band of the night walked in and introduced themselves. Of course this band was Coasts.

Indie pop band Coasts oringinally formed in Bristol back in 2011 and have had great success ever since.  Over the years they have recieved a lot of airplay especially via BBC Radio 1 with the support from well known DJs Greg James, Huw Stevens and Fearne Cotton. Due to the support from Radio 1, the band also performed for the radio stations 'Big Weekend' festival like event in Glasgow back in 2014.  They also played at Reading and Leeds festival in the following year. The guy's self titled album was released back in January 2016. 

During their time on stage at the Hitchin venue we saw them perform singles "Rush Of Blood", "Modern Love" as well as other album tracks including "Paradise" and "White Noise".  The room may not have been large but an electric atmosphere filled the room and flooded out of the doors. Almost everyone was up on their feet dancing to the satisfying sounds. 
The five piece group also sampled some music from their new album that they are working on. "Heart Starts Beating" is just one of the tracks from their upcoming release and if it all sounds like that we should expect more great things from them. 
After an energetic set leaving what looked like an exhausted drummer as he leant back onto the screens at the back of the stage we were treated to a great performance to see the evening out. The band played their biggest hit to date "Oceans" which was great to leave us all reeling with excitement from a great evening.  The performers asked people to meet them afterwards at the merch stall for a chat and some photo opportunities. It was great to see two acts this evening that were very happy to chat to fans of their music.  

Keep your eyes peeled for more from both of these brilliant artists! Coasts have announced that they will be back on tour in April 2018 which will be in a London venue.  

 

All photos by Kane Howie

For more photos click here!