Wireless Festival announce 2019 lineup

by

The highlight of the summer calendar, Wireless Festival, is returning to London’s Finsbury Park from the 5th – 7th July 2019. Now in its fourteenth year, the three-day urban music event has cemented itself as the home of urban music and London sound – the go-to event for fans of the world’s most talked about rappers and DJs. This year will see headline performances from global superstars CARDI B, MIGOS (Friday co-headliners), TRAVIS SCOTT (Saturday headliner) and ASAP ROCKY (Sunday headliner), plus Future, Torey Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Rae Sremmurd, Ella Mai, Juice WRLD, Stefflon Don, Tyga, AJ Tracey and so many more. Last year’s event sold out in record time, so fans better be quick!

Tickets are on sale here.

FRIDAY

CARDI B | MIGOS

TORY LANEZ | ELLA MAI | TYGA

FREDO | LIL SKIES | BUGZY MALONE

HEADIE ONE | IAMDDB

MALEEK BERRY | NSG | B YOUNG

SATURDAY

TRAVIS SCOTT

(UK FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)

SPECIAL GUEST: FUTURE

(UK FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)

LIL UZI VERT | YOUNG THUG | JUICE WRLD

STEFFLON DON | TRIPPIE REDD | SHECK WES

M HUNCHO | SAWEETIE

UNKNOWN T | AMBUSH BUZZWORL

STEEL BANGLEZ | CADET | DIGDAT | DENO DRIZ

SUNDAY

ASAP ROCKY
(UK FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)

RAE SREMMURD

LIL BABY | GUNNA | NOT3S | AJ TRACEY | RICH THE KID

SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD | DENZEL CURRY

D BLOCK EUROPE | LOSKI | J.I.D

RUSS SPLASH | FLOHIO | LADY SANITY

In what’s set to be the most talked about performance of the Summer – Queen of rap Cardi B and Kings of Atlanta Migos, will take to the stage for their first ever co – headline slot, in Finsbury Park next year. This will be Cardi’s debut Wireless performance.

Since the release of her critically acclaimed number one debut album ‘Invasion Of Privacy’, Cardi B has been placed within the pantheon of great rappers – The New York superstar continues to break records, she recently became the first solo female rapper to go number 1 in the US in 20 years, and her debut album broke the record for the most streams on Apple Music in a single week by a female artist. Fans can expect to hear global hits ‘Bodak Yellow’, ‘I Like It’, ‘Bartier Cardi’ and more as she co-headlines the iconic main stage alongside Migos.

Since the release of their 2018 record breaking album ‘Culture II’, Migos have established themselves as one of the hottest acts in the world and have joined the likes of Run DMC and NWA as one of the biggest hip-hop groups of all time. The Grammy-nominated multi-platinum rap sovereign group are set to bring their unique blend of hip-hop and trap to London as they co-headline the festival on Friday. With a mammoth 2018 which included billions of streams and inclusions in nearly every album end-year list, the hype has never been bigger for the Atlanta trio. Migos are poised to dominate 2019, in a year which will see the release of their fourth studio album ‘Culture III’.

Currently on his huge Astroworld: Wish You Were Here US tour; Houston rapper Travis Scott returns to headline Wireless in a UK festival exclusive performance. The Grammy nominated rapper released his third studio album ‘Astroworld’ in 2018 which was met with critical acclaim both sides of the Atlantic and has positioned him as arguably the biggest star on the planet right now. The rap icon is currently placed within the top 30 most streamed Spotify artists in the world, and his influence on pop culture continues to grow. 2019 will see him reach new heights with his Super Bowl Halftime show, various 2019 Grammy Awards nominations, and his Wireless headline performance. Expect to hear fan favourites ‘Sicko Mode’, ‘Butterfly Effect’, and ‘Goosebumps’.

Closing the Festival on Sunday in a UK exclusive is the successor to New York’s golden-age of hip-hop legends, A$AP Rocky. Since he first emerged Rocky has continuously broken the mold of hip-hop with mind-melting beats and raps, experimental sounds, and an unparalleled musical landscape rarely seen in music today. The New York rapper has been championed by fellow rap superstar Drake and has accumulated over 4.5 billion streams worldwide. Rocky is set to create a historic moment at Wireless 2019 when he performs fan favourites from his huge catalogue that includes hits from his two US number one albums and 2018 release ‘TESTING’.

Elsewhere, one of Atlanta hip-hop’s biggest contributors Future joins the line up for a special performance and the only chance to see him in the UK, bringing hip-hops centre of gravity to London and demonstrating why he is known as the king of trap. Since bursting onto the scene, self-proclaimed rockstar and ‘XO Tour Lif3’ hitmaker Lil Uzi Vert has truly shaken up modern hip-hop. Known for his high energy live show, his set is not to be missed at this year’s festival. Music visionary and multi-art form superstar Young Thug is also added to the line-up. Heralded as one of popular music’s most charismatic and crowd-pleasing live performers, the innovative rapper is set to create an unforgettable Wireless moment.

Forever championing the burgeoning UK scene, Wireless 2019 will play host to some of the hottest talent that the country has to offer. Flying the flag for London is rap queen Stefflon Don who returns to Wireless in 2019 following the release of sophomore mixtape ‘Secure’ and her place on the 2018 XXL Freshman list. Fellow Londoner AJ Tracey is also added to the line-up. The rising grime star has become one of the best in the game and will be bringing his dynamic hook-laden tracks to Wireless this year, as well as Hackney born and bred rapper NOT3S. R&B singer songwriter Ella Mai hit the mainstream in 2018 with slow jam ‘Boo’d Up’ ahead of the release of her self-titled debut album in October, which reached Top Five in the US Billboard 200. Since then she has received Grammy nominations for Song of the Year and Best R&B song, as well as a Brit Award nomination for British Breakthrough Act, making her one to watch in 2019 and one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend. Elsewhere, Manchester’s rising star IAMDDB will be bringing her mesmerizing trap-jazz vocals and infectious hits including ‘Shade’ to Finsbury Park.

Returning to the Wireless stage on Sunday are the incredible Rae Sremmurd. Based on their 2018 performance, the Mississippi hip-hop duo will once again give one of the performances of the summer. These two brothers have an ever-growing fanbase who will be treated to a memorable hit-heavy set including chart-topping single ‘Black Beatles’, ‘No Type’, ‘Swang’ and many more.

Making his Wireless debut is hip-hops next global superstar Sheck Wes. Endorsed by none other than Kanye West and Saturday headliner Travis Scott, the New York rapper released his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Mudboy’ in 2018 and has become one of the most exciting new rappers around. Elsewhere, Tory Lanez heads to Finsbury Park fresh off the ‘Assassination Vacation Tour’ with 2018 headliner Drake. The Canadian rapper and producer will be showcasing his R&B and rap fusion and 2018 sophomore release ‘Memories Don’t Die’ and ‘Love Me Now?’. Joining them is Chicago rapper Juice WRLD who had an outstanding 2018 releasing his acclaimed debut album ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance’ which included breakout single ‘Lucid Dreams’ which has gained over 604 million Spotify streams.

Californian rapper Saweetie will also be bringing her breakout single and viral smash ‘ICY GRL’ to Finsbury Park, while West London MC Fredo joins the bill after appearing on NME’s ‘100 Essential New Artists for 2019’ list and ahead of the release of his forthcoming debut full-length album ‘Third Avenue’ having proved his rapping ability with features on tracks like huge 2018 UK single ‘Funky Friday’ with Dave.

The latest addition to Festival Republic’s ReBalance programme, Birmingham’sLady Sanity will take to the Wireless stage on Sunday. ReBalance was launched in 2017 and has so far secured and provided recording time, mentorship, support, and much more to the thirteen artists that have been chosen for the pioneering project. Lady Sanity has already won the GRM Daily Get Rated Award in 2017, and last year won Best Solo Female Artist at the Birmingham Music Awards and will no doubt go down a storm at this year’s Wireless Festival.

Other acts taking to the stage across the weekend include XXL Freshman Trippie Redd, Compton rapper Tyga, Lil Baby, Gunna, M Huncho, Unknown T, Ambush Buzzworl, Rich The Kid, Lil Skies, Ski Mask The Slump God, Denzel Curry,Bugzy Malone, D Block Europe, Loski, J.I.D, Maleek Berry, Steel Banglez,Cadet, Headie One, Flohio, NSG, B Young, Deno Driz, Russ Splash and DigDat, with more still to be announced.

Download Festival announces next wave of acts for 2019

by

Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event, has announced a further 23 acts including Slayer
with their last ever UK show, The Smashing Pumpkins, Dream Theater, Lamb of God, Eagles Of Death
Metal, and more. The three-day festival takes place 14-16 June 2019 at the spiritual home of rock
in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are on sale now at downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.

Metal royalty Slayer will be making their final UK appearance at Download 2019 after 37 years of
mayhem. Their impact on musical culture cannot be overstated and fans should prepare for yet
another legendary performance which will include a barrage of classics as they make one last
celebratory sweep of Donington.

The Smashing Pumpkins will make their first appearance at Download Festival next year. The altrock and grunge legends have stunned crowds worldwide on their 30th anniversary tour and are as
ageless and seminal as ever. Loud, quiet, dreamy, stirring and everything in-between – The
Smashing Pumpkins debut Download performance is not one to be missed.

Prog-metal titans Dream Theater have been at the top of the game for 33 years. Having inspired
countless bands along their storied career, their performance will be no less grandiose as they return
to Download after a 10 year absence. They will be joined by the groove-laden modern metal
heavyweights Lamb of God, as well as Eagles Of Death Metal, who invite fans to revel in all their
rock’ n roll glory on their second ever Download appearance.

The prodigally powerful Maori-metal trio Alien Weaponry have carved their own sound somewhere
between Sepultura and Silverschair and are in good company with the heavy-metal powerhouse
Anthrax who will give fans a performance to remember. Brooding rockers Badflower are hotlytipped after the success of their poignant, powerful single ‘Ghost’, and joining them are industrial
noise-punks Black Futures who have been making seismic waves and will take the crowd on a trip
of a lifetime.

Atlanta southern rockers Blackberry Smoke will be on hand to serve up a truck load of raucous
country-infused good times. Detroit post-hardcore band I Prevail have proven that they are the real
deal and will whip the crowd into a frenzy, and so too will Los Angeles natives The Interrupters.
Ukrainian tech metallers Jinjer, led by their incredibly powerful frontwoman Tatiana Shmaylyuk, are
also added to the line up and will bring their all-powerful live performance to Download.

Man With A Mission are jumping on board with their pulse-racing hooks, riffs and giant wolf heads
in tow, and are joined by fellow genre-melder nothing,nowhere. who has taken the world by storm
with his hybrid emo-rap, pushing both genres forward as the most exciting force in the ever-growing
scene. Our Last Night whose rapid rise to success shows no sign of slowing down are also added to
the bill, as too are Riding The Low who are making the pilgrimage from Burton-on-Trent featuring
Paddy Considine on vocals.

Swedish sensations Royal Republic will also join the Download 2019 line up alongside Pop-punk frontrunners State Champs who’re fresh off the back of the release of their third album ‘Living Proof’.
Rising Nepalese metal disruptors Underside will turn up the volume and are in good company with
the well-oiled deathcore machine Whitechapel who will steam roll in to lay waste to the fields of
Donington.

Australian up-and-comers Yours Truly will be flying in with a freight of huge choruses with them, and
last but not least Floridian party starters Zebrahead are bringing the fun with no shortage of anthems
and antics to get the crowd going.

Download Festival is the home of rock music and takes place on the sacred grounds of Donington
Park, which have been associated with rock since the eighties. The festival attracts icons of rock to
its main stage, plus some of the best and hottest new acts in the world. AC/DC, KISS, Metallica,
Black Sabbath, The Prodigy, Rage Against The Machine, Slipknot, Linkin Park and many more have
all headlined the main stage.

 

Jessie J at Cambridge Corn Exchange 19th November 2018

by

On Monday 19th November, popular live music venue Cambridge Corn Exchange invited ticket holders of all ages to it’s site as they played host to one of the biggest British female pop icons- Jessie J.

After taking some time out of the lime light , Jessie J has paved her back back onto the music scene with the relrease of a new studio album and a brand new live music tour.
The solo artist was first introduced to the world of chart music when she released her debut single ‘ Do It Like A Dude’ back in 2010. The single was a hit as it appealed to a wide audience. From then on she has released hit after hit and has even worked with acts including Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and B.O.B.

Joining Jessie J on her long awaited R.O.S.E tour was London based soul artist Sincerely Wilson. The singer took to the stage alongside a guitarist as they performed a brilliant acoustic set on the night. We got a taste of his music as he sang original tracks ‘Easy To Love’ and ‘Make It Out Alive’ as well as a great way to show case his vocal range by performing covers including Princes ‘Kiss’ , Oasis ‘Wonderwall’  and not forgetting a great take on the Spice Girls ‘Say You’ll Be There’.
After a short break where music was played into the venue, the lights went off and screams from the audience roared in excitement as we were given a brief intro to the show before Jess took to the stage.

The tour is named The R.O.S.E tour relating to the names of Jessie J’s latest studio album. Each letter of ROSE was related to different parts of the show. R- Realisation, O- Obsession, S- Sex and E- Empowerment. The sholo artist made a very strong start to the show as she appeared in a gorgeous ensemble- black pvc looking shorts and a crystal entrusted fish net style over lay. She opened the night with the track ‘Oh Lord’.

For each segment of the performance there were 3-6 songs as well as a costume change and an introduction to each section. I must say Jessie J can appear to wear anything and still look amazing. Her costumes were quite memorable. As well as the black crystal attire at the beginning of the evening we also saw her wearing a pure brilliant white tailored suit and a hat- clearly inspired by the late, great Michael Jackson. As well as an Elizabethian style burgandy dress with ruffles galore. The last outfit of the evening was what made her look like the shining star that she is, as she dazzled in a golden sequin jumpsuit and gold heeled boots.
As expected we got to see Jessie perform some new tracks off of her recent R.O.S.E album, but we also got the chance to sing along to some of her more iconic hits too. For example ‘Do It Like A Dude’,’Bang Bang’ and ‘Nobodys Perfect’.

Earlier i reffered to the artists as a shining star. There is a reason for that Jessie J is one amazing and inspirational woman! She has no end to her talent and has a very impressive vocal range as many already know. However, before the event that evening I only knew Jessie as a woman that comes across as a bold artists with a bit of an attitude. Goodness me the media has portrayed this woman so, so wong.

Since I began writing music reviews around 3 years ago, I have been lucky enough to attend and review many live shows and events. I won’t lie i do have some artists that i favour and absolutely love to watch perform, but never have i seen a performance like I did from Jessie J.

Yes the show and the music was spot on and great fun, but that really was’nt what made the show for me. It was the artist herself that made the night so memorable. She clearly admires her fans and is a hugely compassionate person. I remember a couple of stand out moments to support this. The first was when she stopped her performance to go and speak to a teenage girl stood in front of the stage who was looking a little unwell due to the fact that it was crowded and warm in the room. Jessie knelt down to the young girl’s level to ask her if she was ok and to see if she needed any help. The artist also spoke to all the security in the room to kindly ask that they give out water to the audience that needed it. The second memorable moment was when Jessie had spotted a young tot with her relatives who happened to be wearing golden sequins just as she was. It turned out the tot was just three years old. As it was getting late the little lady was getting sleepy so she decided to completely change her set list by performing huge single ‘Price Tag’  earlier on so that this young girl would not end up falling asleep and missing it. After the popstar had finished performing the song she then serenaded the little girl and another memberof the audience too, by adding their names to the lyrics.

Our photographer and I even got the attention as Jessie J gave our photographer her microphone to sing along with her and shortly after had spotted me with my phone held up in the air recording her show by singing a love heart with her hands at my camera.

The female artist had a lot of time for her fans there that evening. She even spoke about her own personal experiences and shared inspirational words with everyone. She stared “Focus on yourself and loving yourself. Life is way too precious not to enjoy your life.”

Jessie J has to be without a shadow of a doubt one of the most amazing women on the planet. She gave us a performance of her music there that night, but she also displayed affection, her caring nature as well as a cracking sense of humour.

Photos by Kane Howie

First DOWNLOAD 2019 Announcement!

by

DOWNLOADERS! It’s time, your first announcement is here and we’re hyped to reveal that your #DL2019 headliners are Def Leppard, Slipknot and Tool! Plus, SEVENTEEN of the most awesome bands in the world including Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, Whitesnakeand Rob Zombie are also coming to rock Donington Park to its metal core on 14th-16th June 2019.

Classic rock powerhouse Def Leppard are making a spectacular return to headline the Main Stage on Friday at Download and we cannot wait.

In what will be their ONLY UK appearance of 2019, the Sheffield legends will be playing their seminal album ‘Hysteria’ in full and more.

Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott has said: “We are delighted to be going back to headline Download in 2019! The festival has a very special place in our hearts and it’s such a great place to play. We will be playing Hysteria in full – yes, in full! – plus a load more of the hits, and we are going to put on a very special show for our UK fans. Can’t wait to see you all there!”

The forerunners of the new wave British heavy metal movement, Def Leppard have sold over 100 million records. Donington is going to be the ONLY place in the UK this year where you can watch them rip through a full-throttle stadium-sized show and scream along to classics like ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’, ‘Love Bites’, ‘Rock Of Ages’ and countless more.

So, get set to rock like an ‘Animal’ as it’s going to be unforgettable Main Stage headline set for the Download family.

Meet your next headliners, the mighty masked metallers Slipknot! One of the most defining acts of the last two decades, the sheer power of Slipknot’s live sets have gone down in Download legend.

With a back catalogue of rock club classics – ‘Duality’, ‘Spit It Out’, ‘Before I Forget’ and ‘Psychosocial’ – Iowa’s sickest sons are going to bring the mosh for their Saturday headline set.

An appearance thirteen years in the making, we are totally psyched to announce that Tool will be making their grand return to headline Sunday at Download.

The Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum, prog-metal titans are set to take you on a grandiose career spanning journey of classic albums ‘Undertow’, ‘Lateralus’, and ‘10,000 Days’.

If those legendary headliners weren’t enough we’ve got SEVENTEEN more bands to announce today.

After slaying the Main Stage with Guns N’ Roses at #DL2018, living guitar god Slash couldn’t stay away and is riffing his way back to Donington for #DL2019 with Alter Bridge frontman for Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators.

Fresh from releasing their phenomenal third album ‘Living The Dream’, Slash and Myles Kennedy and The Conspirator’s set is going to have you wailing to signature slick solos and out of this world rock anthems.

“Here I go again on my own, Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known!” is going to ring out loud and proud over Donington Park as Whitesnake are coming to Download 2019.

Whitesnake front man David Coverdale said: “Once again, we’ve been honoured to be invited to participate in the legendary DOWNLOAD 2019…Can’t Wait To See You All & Kick Arse Together!!!…So Ready 2 Rock!!!”

If metal is your lifeblood, get ready for a large transfusion as Rob Zombie is once again going to turn Download into his own twisted carnival with a set bursting with stomp-laden classics and new tracks.

Plus, Trivium will be taking Donington by the horns to turn your stomachs with their roaring metal, Swedish death metallers Amon Amarth are going to pack a deadly punch with their Viking inspired cinematic metal and Carcass will remind you why they’re the gore-grind forefathers.

Still want more? Dutch outfit Delain, led by the world-class frontwoman Charlotte Wessels, will be a must-see for all of you symphonic metal fans. Whilst, in a Download first Die Antwoord will be getting you bouncing hard to their Zef style hip-hop.

And, punk rock covers supergroup Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, featuring members of NOFX, Foo Fighters, Lagwagon, Swingin’ Utters, are going to have you and your mates gasping for breath shouting along to their rapid-fire covers.

If you’re looking for a one way ticket to prog paradise, Sweden’s Opeth are going to deliver a set filled with classics and tracks from their 2016 acclaimed album, ‘Sorceress’.

New-school thrashers Power Trip are going to make their Download debut and get you headbanging to tracks from their sophomore album, ‘Nightmare Logic’.

And, Californian ska-punk heroes Reel Big Fish will get Donington bouncing to some solid rocksteady riffs.

Download Festival favourites Skindred are going to shake the Donington hills with their ragga metal. The unmatched energy and exuberance of frontman Benji Webbe is sure to see the return of the Newport Helicopter originating at Download 2011.

Hotly-tipped sci-fi, conceptual rockers Starset also join the line up with an ambitious, gigantic rock set that is destined for the stadiums in the future. And, Tesla will serve up classic hard rock anthems in mammoth portions for you to sink your teeth into.

Ready to give us a surefire singalong are Queensland metalcore veterans The Amity Affliction with syrupy hooks, melodic metalcore and ferocious breakdowns.

And, finally open your arms wide to welcome back post-hardcore pioneers Underoath as the trailblazers make their first appearance back at the festival since 2005.

BLOODSTOCK announce six bands as an early Halloween treat!

by

As Halloween creeps up, BLOODSTOCK has prepared an early treat and announced six new bands to join their previously announced Friday night headliner, SABATON on the 2019 bill at Catton Park.

 

CHILDREN OF BODOM land a Friday spot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage in a UK exclusive. The band entered Danger Johnny Studios with producer Mikko Karmila earlier this year to work on a new studio album, due for release in 2019, following 2015’s devilishly good ‘I Worship Chaos’. See the video for ‘Morrigan’ from that album at: https://youtu.be/jm3kDrBTlt8.

 

CRADLE OF FILTH return to Catton Park’s main stage on Saturday. The British hellfiends are no strangers to our hallowed ground and we’re keenly expecting both tricks and treats aplenty. Lead Cenobite Dani Filth had this to say about returning to BLOODSTOCK; “Obviously we want to finish what we started ten years ago, that is to finish our set! And for that alone we are really, really looking forward to bringing a massive Cradle show back to the BLOODSTOCK fans. We f**king can’t wait!” Meanwhile, watch the video for ‘Heartbreak And Seance’ at https://youtu.be/DNRIaeg6EyY, taken from their gothic horror-infused twelfth album, ‘Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay’.

 

SOILWORK also pick up a Sunday slot in a UK festival exclusive. The Swedish metallers are currently hard at work in the studio brewing their eleventh studio album and the follow up to 2015’s acclaimed ‘The Ride Majestic’. Check out the band blazing through ‘This Momentary Bliss’ (taken from their ‘Live In The Heart of Helskini’ DVD) here; https://youtu.be/3RsAF6r3gQw.

 

BLOODSTOCKers will be able to see the inimitable DEE SNIDER on Sunday’s main stage! The Twisted Sister frontman’s recent solo album, ‘For The Love Of Metal’ was the result of a challenge issued by Hatebreed frontman (and BOA favourite!) Jamey Jasta! Whilst appearing on Jasta’s podcast, Jamey told Dee that he ought to make a “true metal album” and he wanted to produce! The project forged ahead, picking up numerous plaudits on release earlier this year. Check out the video for ‘Become The Storm’ – https://youtu.be/hljBz0zTEKQ – for a glimpse of what’s in store!

 

We also welcome QUEENSRYCHE to the main stage on Sunday. The Todd La Torre-fronted outfit are putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming new album too and are giving PledgeMusic supporters an early taste! Head over to https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/queensryche2 to sink your teeth in and get your claws on all kinds of special pre-order bundles.

 

Lastly, but definitely not least, Swedish death metal luminaries HYPOCRISY join us on Sunday! With Peter Tägtgren at their helm, the band released their first record back in 1992 and have released 11 more since. The band enter the studio in January 2019 to create a new masterpiece, their first since 2013’s, ‘End Of Disclosure’. Watch the video for that title track at https://youtu.be/MJsdZ2FR3WM.

 

 

BLOODSTOCK announce SABATON as Friday night headliner for 2019!

by

BLOODSTOCK are excited to announce their first headliner for 2019! Swedish metal warriors, SABATON will headline Friday 9th August in what will be their only UK show in 2019! Check out what they had to say about returning to Catton Park’s hallowed turf to headline the festival this time around – https://youtu.be/a_m5jrhKUZs. The band have always been a huge hit with BLOODSTOCK’s crowd in years prior, so we’re excited to see them step into a headline slot. Remember their 2015 set when they brought their tank?! Watch them blast through ‘Metal Crue’ here – https://youtu.be/nt2pF7Bf944.

 

Stay tuned for more band announcements soon!

 

Standard weekend tickets are also currently available at ‘early bird’ prices (just £132 for four days of metal fun), so grab yours now at the ticket store – http://bloodstock.seetickets.com – if you want to save a few quid. Camper van passes are also available in limited quantities, but be quick, half the available spaces have sold already!

 

For those who want their VIP spot guaranteed, BLOODSTOCK’s first wave of 2019 Serpents Lair VIP tickets are also available, priced at £290. A second wave, including the Deluxe VIP packages (Luxpads, Bellepads, Podpads, etc) and a limited amount of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased standard weekend tickets) will then become available on 16th December at 9am. For full details click to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/vip-camping.

 

We trialled the deposit scheme for VIP tickets in 2018, but please note, there will be NO DEPOSIT SCHEME for VIP tickets this year.

In other excellent news, BLOODSTOCK is very proud to announce that the 2018 event raised a total of £11,872 for TEENAGE CANCER TRUST, via the guest list scheme, on-site donations and the charity stall at Catton Park. A great result for a very worthy cause so a giant THANK YOU to everyone who donated.

 

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2019. Get additional information over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

Slam Dunk Festival 2019

by

All Time Low are set to headline Slam Dunk Festival 2019; Their exclusive UK Shows of 2019.

Also joing them will be NOFX, New Found Glory, Waterparks, Story Of The Year, Gallows, Mad Caddies and Silverstien; These are just the first wave of acts confirmed.

Not only that, Slam Dunk have confirmed a larger site for Slam Dunk North After the huge success of Slam Dunk’s move to Hatfield House last year, the festival has also announced plans for a new site for Slam Dunk North, moving to Leeds’ Temple Newsam Estate so even more pop-punk fanatics can make their way to the definitive date of the alternative diary. Reaching across two stunning greenfield sites in Leeds and Hatfield on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May 2019 – Slam Dunk 2019 is the next evolution for the go-to destination of rock.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are on sale now and are available from http://slamdunkfestival.com/
Ticket Price £59. All subject to booking fees.

Against The Current & The Faim live at The Forum, London 29/09/2018

by

The O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London has played host to many amazing artists over the years.  Just some worth a mention are: Ellie Goulding, Kasabian, Ed Sheeran and Bastille.

On Saturday 29th September 2018, The Forum welcomed two more great live acts – Against The Current and special guests The FAIM. 

Upon arriving at the venue, there were queues of excited fans that trailed right around towards the back of the building.  When entering the lobby, our photographer, myself and all other attendees were scanned and had bags searched by the security teams on site.  The guidelines regarding security needed to be strict for such an event. So much so that even sweets and packets of gum were confiscated.  For those of you that may not know of The o2 Forum, here is a brief description of the venue.   The building is separated into two tiers, the floor for standing ticket holders and the upstairs balcony for a seated ticket area.  At the back of the room was a merchandise stand for both acts of the night and a bar running down the length of the room on the left hand side.

The Acts

Both Against The Current and The Faim have recently been extremely busy performing live at many locations around the world.

Against The Current are an American pop-rock band from Poughkeepsie, New York.  They originally formed back in 2011 and have grown exponentially popular with fans since their music videos on their YouTube channel became a viral sensation.

Current band members Chrissy Constanza (vocals), guitarist Dan Gow and drummer Will Ferri have all become household names around the world following the success of their early EPs and their debut album “In Our Bones”.  The trio have just celebrated the release of their second album “Past Lives”, which was released on 28th September 2018 – just one day before this live show at The Forum.  Vocalist Chrissy confirmed this by stating on stage “this is our first live show since the release of our second album!”

Playing live at The Forum this past weekend was just one short stop on the band’s busy world tour schedule.

Let’s not forget that the tickets were advertised as Against The Current and Special Guests.  Those special guests were the lovable lads that make up The Faim.

The Australian based band ( formerly known as Small Town Heroes) have seen soaring success under their new name.  Their debut single ‘Saints of the Sinners’ was co-written by the brilliant Pete Wentz of American rock band Fall Out Boy – giving the song a very edgy vibe.  The band have been rocking their way through a very busy 2018! I personally love these guys and have seen them perform live three times.  I have also been fortunate enough to meet them a couple of times too.  Honestly, they are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met.  They always have time for their fans and show the highest appreciation for their ongoing support both in person and on social media.

Live Performances

Around 8.15pm, the lighting around the stage dimmed, leaving just a little blue light on show.  Before we knew it, there were some beats coming from the drum kit as we were given a small introductory solo from the band’s drummer Sean Tighe.  As the beats continued in a looping rhythm, each band member came out on stage one by one and picked up their instruments before the final entrance came from the band’s lead vocalist Josh Raven as he ran onto the stage being greeted by a huge roar of excited screams.  One of which came from myself.  The Faim jumped straight into performing their first song of the night ‘My Heart Needs To Breathe’.

Soon after we got to see them perform singles ‘Midland Line’ and ‘When It Comes’. The latter was great to see as I’ve been to a few of their shows before and hadn’t seen this performed live.

Roughly half way through their performance, the lights dimmed once more and the high energy had eased.  Lead singer Josh introduced a song of theirs with a heartwarming message for everyone there that night.  He had said that at some point in our lives we have all been through times or periods where we have had to face situations and “negative vibes” so the song he was introducing was about learning to face our fears and deal with them to move on.  The song he was referring to was ‘Make Believe’.  It is a song that contains very relatable lyrics for so many people.  So this is one that always seems to resonate well with fans at their live shows.

Of course, the band had picked up the pace again to continue to perform.  There was so much energy both on and off of the stage.  I say off of the stage as during ‘Saints Of The Sinners’ the band’s front man came down to perform in the crowd.

The Faim even personalised one of their songs for the venue’s location.  As they played their latest release, ‘A Million Stars’, the lyrics were altered.  There is a line in the song which is as follows: “Last I heard, she was spotted in Portland, Been two years, haven’t seen her again”.  “Portland” was changed to “London” which worked really well and was a nice little tribute to all of us there.

They ended their set with the song that is also the title of their current EP, ‘Summer Is A Curse’.

One last thing to add about The Faim‘s live show in Kentish Town. The award for most amusing moment goes to the band’s bassist and keyboard player Stephen Beerkens who picked up his keyboard, whizzed around and rocked out on it hard like a guitar. It certainly made me chuckle.

After the show, both Josh and Stephen were situated at the back of the room by their merch stand to greet their fans, pose for photos and sign autographs.  I also managed to speak to Stephen to ask about what’s next for The Faim.  He said that they have had a very busy 2018, but they’ve all had the best time! They will continue to tour with Against The Current on their European tour and will also be heading to America to write and record new material. Exciting stuff!

After a short interval, a buzzing atmosphere filled the room as the night’s main act were about to take centre stage.

Will Ferri (Drummer) and Dan Gow (Guitarist) from the band were first to make an entrance, quickly followed by vocalist Chrissy Constanza. As she walked out, she was greeted by huge screams from her fans. There was one particular fan standing quite close to me in the crowd, he was appearing to be having the best night of his life as he sang along, swayed and danced.  This man even approached me to say “Chrissy has the appearance and the voice of an angel”.  The petite, but energetic vocalist was often seen performing whilst standing on a platform at the front of the stage as she showcased the band’s songs.

Against The Current opened their London show with their single ‘Strangers Again’. The song proved extremely popular with the audience as vocals from the band could barely be heard over the vocals coming from the audience as they sang along. This was also the case as they performed well known hit ‘Gravity’ where Chrissy also made a request to everyone in the room saying “If you have a light on your phone, lets light those flashlights up!”.  The room was quickly filled with hundreds of bright white twinkling lights as they swayed in the air.

As the act wowed us with performances of older songs, putting on quite the visual display under pink and blue lighting, they continued to knock it out of the park as they gave us a taste of some material from their new album.  One of the new singles played from this new album, was the band’s latest release, ‘Voices’.  This track, along with ‘Almost Forgot’ gives their latest material less of an edgy, but more of a pop sound.  I quite like that Against The Current is a band who can easily showcase such a wide range of musical styles.

The trio also appear to have a really great connection with their fans. Early into their show, Constanza noticed a fan in the crowd waving a piece of artwork, and asked the fan if she could take it from them. It wasn’t long before she was off the stage and down into the crowd to collect the picture from her fan.

As expected by the enthusiastic fans, it was clear that they weren’t ready to go home as the act ‘finished’ their set with ‘Demons’.  I’m actually quite surprised that The Forum still has a roof on its building, as all that could be heard was loud chanting demanding more.

Members of Against The Current did indeed return to give their fans more for an encore that included the acoustic song ‘In Our Bones’ before then closing with ‘Wasteland’ and a blast from confetti canons from either side of the stage.

Against The Current and The Faim gave us a night to remember, leaving us with fond memories and looking forward to future material and shows.

Both artists are continuing their current UK/European tour.  Against The Current’s 2nd studio album ‘Past Lives’ and The Faim‘s current EP ‘Summer Is A Curse’ are available to purchase and download now!  If you love your pop/rock music then go and get them now! I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

All photos byKane Howie

To view more photos click here

 
There was an error connecting to flickr. Please try again later.
1 Message:
stream_socket_client(): SSL operation failed with code 1. OpenSSL Error messages: error:0A000410:SSL routines::sslv3 alert handshake failure stream_socket_client(): Failed to enable crypto stream_socket_client(): Unable to connect to ssl://api.flickr.com:443 (Unknown error)
 
There was an error connecting to flickr. Please try again later.
1 Message:
stream_socket_client(): SSL operation failed with code 1. OpenSSL Error messages: error:0A000410:SSL routines::sslv3 alert handshake failure stream_socket_client(): Failed to enable crypto stream_socket_client(): Unable to connect to ssl://api.flickr.com:443 (Unknown error)

Indoor Pets at Bedford Esquires-22nd September 2018

by

Saturday 22nd September 2018 saw the return of Indoor Pets (formerly known as Get Inuit) to the small loft like venue that is Bedford Esquires.  The band had previously played at the venue back in 2016 when they supported Spring King.

Upon walking into the venue – on arrival, our photographer and I could already hear the loud bass beats at the beginning of the first act’s set for the evening.  The act to kickstart the night of live music was Indie/Alternative band Luna Rosa. 

Luna Rosa are a band that originally formed in 2015 and have since seen great musical success.  They have played shows up and down the country and have even racked up an impressive run of playing over 200 gigs in just a few short years! Quite the achievment.  They released their debut EP in November 2015 and their single “This One (High On The Groove)” was aired on many radio stations and was well supported by the team behind BBC Introducing.

Their music style is somewhat unique and is accompanied by the gruff husky vocals of the band’s front man.  Although at this early point in the evening there wasn’t many people in the room, the band were still well received as people watched on with their drinks in their hands and their feet tapping on the floor.

From Luna Rosa we saw them perform original songs including “Fever” and their latest single “Fear, Filth, Dirt & Death”. They finished their set at exactly 9pm, leaving time for a short interval to allow their follow up act to set up their equipment on stage.

The second act of the evening was Indie/Rock band Monarchs.  The trio performed in a very eccentric manner and gave us quite an energetic show.  All three band members were very happy to play up to the photographers and expressed they were excited to be back performing in Bedford Town.  Although Monarchs are currently an unsigned act, they are well known on the music scene as they have supported other artists such as Spring King, The Amazons, Honey Lung and The Wytches just to name a few.

Monarchs have also played to a sold out crowd on home turf in Northampton as they wowed at their own headline gig.

During their live set at Bedford Esquires, they performed singles “Darker Shade Of Black”, “Adjectives and Similies” and even latest single “You Got Me”.  By this time in the evening, the amount of people in the room had more than doubled.  They, along with the event’s main act had appeared to be very popular with the townsfolk of Bedford.

As expected, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as people of all ages were waiting for the night’s main act to enter the stage.  Upon walking on stage and briefly introducing themselves, the band members of Indoor Pets jumped straight into their performance.  Although, quite early into the first song of their set they faced some technical difficulties, causing their performance to come to a halt.  Despite the hiccup, band memebrs Jamie, Ollie, James and Rob were happy to talk the crowd through their technical hitch and were able to fill the time with jokes and laughter.  It wasn’t long (maybe about a minute) before they were back on track to give us a great energetic performance.

Indoor Pets have gained a huge following since forming and have only got better with each live show.  I have seen them live once before at Wilkestock Festival under their previous name.  I was impressed by their self labelled “Dirty Pop” style of music and heaps of enthusiasm back then.  Now I’m an even bigger fan after hearing both older and new music from the Kent based act on Saturday evening.  Their new material is a little edgier, but it hasn’t strayed too much from their original sound, which to be honest is great to see.  Their set list included singles “Being Strange” and new track “Heavy Thoughts”.  After a fun and rather bonkers set, the band exited to the left of the stage as crowds of people were left loudly chanting “Encore! Encore!”.

Less than a couple of minutes later, the lads walked back onto the stage while stating “We don’t usually do encores.  No one ever asks for them”.  They played one last song for the excited audience that stood before them.  They began to play their well known single “Cutie Pie, I’m Bloated” when once again, they endured more technical problems.  The band members appeared to find this situation rather amusing as they commented “we messed up the first song, and now we’ve messed up the last one!”  Again they were able to resolve their issues very quickly and professionally to give us all a great end to our Saturday night.

Indoor Pets’ latest single “Hi” is out now and is available to purchase on Spotify and Apple Music.  They are also continuing to play more shows in various locations over the UK until the end of 2018.

Photos by Kane Howie

For more photos click here.

Wilkestock Festival 2018

by

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!