I haven't written in a while - I've been really busy, but I'm going to try and make this a lot more regular.
I've recently started listening to James Blake, who is probably the hardest person to fit in to a genre (iTunes describes it as electro/dance, and although I don't think it's really either of them, it's probably as close as you'll get to describing him). I heard his song "Limit to your Love" on XFM and completely fell in love with it. The mix of his voice, the piano, various types of drums and different beats in between pauses of complete silence makes for an amazing song. If I had read about him, rather than heard him, I probably wouldn't have botherd to listen as he doesn't sound like somebody I'd like, but I really do. I've since downloaded his "Klavierwerk" EP from iTunes and would highly reccomend it. I couldn't name hardly any of the instruments in it, they're probably mainly computer generated, but it has really opened my eyes to another genre of music which I haven't previously explored.
So, the moral of the story is to never judge an artist by their genre, and go and listen to James Blake straight away.
Sorry this is so short, I'll write something longer and better next time,
Emily
Wednesday 19 January 2011
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Frank Turner - Brixton Academy
I've decided to write a review of Frank Turner at Brixton Academy, 12/12/10. Not only because it was one of the best gigs I've been to, but also because I think Frank Turner is one of the most talent artists currently working. His lyrics are clever and inspiring at the same time as expressing exactly what he feels and along with his folk/punk music, he manages to produce some of the best music currently around.
So my friend and I turned up to Brixton Academy at 2 o'clock. The gig didn't start till 7. We were the first people there, perhaps a tad early, so we decided to go to Nandos, at least until they changed the sign from the gig held there the night before. So we finished our Nandos, stocked up on food supplies (well a 2 litre bottle of coke and fizzy apple laces, god bless poundland) and waited. In a way, I think this is one of the best parts. In a way I prefer it to waiting inside right before the gigs about to start. We meet some nice people, all because we have one thing in common, a shared passion for music and a love for Frank Turner. I don't know how to explain it, but it's probably one of the only places (in London anyway) where you can talk to a complete stranger and not be looked at as if you're mad.
Also, the best part of the evening came, well in the afternoon. My friend, another Frank Turner fan and I were sitting on the steps to Brixton Academy talking when suddenly I saw somebody turn the corner. "OH MY GOD IT'S FRANK TURNER!" I said to my friend. She didn't believe me at first (to be fair, we'd both said it to each other about 6 or 7 times before that when it was just another man with a beard). As soon as we realised we stood up and ran straight to meet him. He was really lovely and very happy to give us autographs and have a photo with us.
So after that, we waited another few hours and were finally let in. This was, of course, after all of the O2 priority customers, no matter how long they'd been waiting. Yes, despite being the first people there, we were let in after about 1,000 other people. I think it's awful that just because you're with a certain phone provider, you can be let in before people who had been waitinf 4 or 5 hours, even if you onlyarrive there at 6.30. Personally, This has made me want to avoid O2 venues in the future.
So we got in to the venue and, despite being let in to the venue after 1,000 or so people, we got up against the barrier. We saw the support acts, Dive Dive was first, who I thought were good but not amazing. After that was Ed Harcourt, who I thought was really good. It was just him on stage, but he used loads of different instruments it weird ways, I'd definately see him again.
So after that, Frank Turner came on stage. It was an energetic start, he opened with the short but sweet "Eulogy" and then went on to "Poetry of the Deed" along with a few other hits. Right from the moment he stepped on the stage, his energy captivated the whole audience and it was quite clear he was having as much fun, if not more, than us. Frank Turner certainly involved the audience than most of the aritsts I've seen before. Before he played "I Still Believe", he made sure the whole audience knew when to sing with him.
Frank Turner seems to involve the audience in another way. Between pretty almost every song, he stops and talks, though it seems more like he's having a personal chat. Frank Turner told us about his Grandma trying to get him drunk when he was ten, a messy night he had in New Orleanes and quite a few other anecdotes, before introducing his songs with lines such as "Please sing along, it makes my mum feel like I've got a real job" and "This song is about throwing a brick at a policeman when you're young and wondering if it was a good idea when you're older".
Frank Turners band leave him for a while to play a few acoustic songs, including a new acapella song about the New Forest. After this, he played my favourite song of his "Love Ire & Song" which Frank Turner (on another occasion) said "The title refers to the things I think you need in life to be happy, the perfect ingredients. Why "ire” (instead of, say "anger")? Because I feel like it." The band slowly rejoined him in the process of this song to then play "Fathers Day". Frank Turner then played mainly old songs, but he did have a couple of new ones off his new EP "Rock and Roll", including an "ode to drinking" called "The Next Round". He finished the gig with "The Road".
Frank Turner came back on a few minutes later to play "The Ballad of Me and My Friends" a song he said he wrote "when no one gave a shit". Although unprompted, the whole audience joined in with the lyrics "We're defiantely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell" which to me kind of showed how big he's become in the last 5 years since he started playing solo. 4,000 people singing the words to a song he wrote when no one gave a shit, slightly ironic in my opinion, but a good type of irony. Finally, Frank Turner, along with the only member of Dive Dive who isn't in his band and Ed Harcourt played "Photosynthesis". By the end of it, I don't think there was a single person in the audience not singing along to the lyrics "I won't sit down, and I won't shut up, but most of all I will not grow up". And after this, Frank and his band were gone (though we weren't, we were standing around asking the roadies to give us the setlist, which we obtained).
Overall, this was one of the best gigs I've been too. The amazing songs, hearing one of my favourite artists live and feeling like every one in the audience and on stage was having fun, makes for the perfect gig.
All for now,
Emily
So my friend and I turned up to Brixton Academy at 2 o'clock. The gig didn't start till 7. We were the first people there, perhaps a tad early, so we decided to go to Nandos, at least until they changed the sign from the gig held there the night before. So we finished our Nandos, stocked up on food supplies (well a 2 litre bottle of coke and fizzy apple laces, god bless poundland) and waited. In a way, I think this is one of the best parts. In a way I prefer it to waiting inside right before the gigs about to start. We meet some nice people, all because we have one thing in common, a shared passion for music and a love for Frank Turner. I don't know how to explain it, but it's probably one of the only places (in London anyway) where you can talk to a complete stranger and not be looked at as if you're mad.
Also, the best part of the evening came, well in the afternoon. My friend, another Frank Turner fan and I were sitting on the steps to Brixton Academy talking when suddenly I saw somebody turn the corner. "OH MY GOD IT'S FRANK TURNER!" I said to my friend. She didn't believe me at first (to be fair, we'd both said it to each other about 6 or 7 times before that when it was just another man with a beard). As soon as we realised we stood up and ran straight to meet him. He was really lovely and very happy to give us autographs and have a photo with us.
So after that, we waited another few hours and were finally let in. This was, of course, after all of the O2 priority customers, no matter how long they'd been waiting. Yes, despite being the first people there, we were let in after about 1,000 other people. I think it's awful that just because you're with a certain phone provider, you can be let in before people who had been waitinf 4 or 5 hours, even if you onlyarrive there at 6.30. Personally, This has made me want to avoid O2 venues in the future.
So we got in to the venue and, despite being let in to the venue after 1,000 or so people, we got up against the barrier. We saw the support acts, Dive Dive was first, who I thought were good but not amazing. After that was Ed Harcourt, who I thought was really good. It was just him on stage, but he used loads of different instruments it weird ways, I'd definately see him again.
So after that, Frank Turner came on stage. It was an energetic start, he opened with the short but sweet "Eulogy" and then went on to "Poetry of the Deed" along with a few other hits. Right from the moment he stepped on the stage, his energy captivated the whole audience and it was quite clear he was having as much fun, if not more, than us. Frank Turner certainly involved the audience than most of the aritsts I've seen before. Before he played "I Still Believe", he made sure the whole audience knew when to sing with him.
Frank Turner seems to involve the audience in another way. Between pretty almost every song, he stops and talks, though it seems more like he's having a personal chat. Frank Turner told us about his Grandma trying to get him drunk when he was ten, a messy night he had in New Orleanes and quite a few other anecdotes, before introducing his songs with lines such as "Please sing along, it makes my mum feel like I've got a real job" and "This song is about throwing a brick at a policeman when you're young and wondering if it was a good idea when you're older".
Frank Turners band leave him for a while to play a few acoustic songs, including a new acapella song about the New Forest. After this, he played my favourite song of his "Love Ire & Song" which Frank Turner (on another occasion) said "The title refers to the things I think you need in life to be happy, the perfect ingredients. Why "ire” (instead of, say "anger")? Because I feel like it." The band slowly rejoined him in the process of this song to then play "Fathers Day". Frank Turner then played mainly old songs, but he did have a couple of new ones off his new EP "Rock and Roll", including an "ode to drinking" called "The Next Round". He finished the gig with "The Road".
Frank Turner came back on a few minutes later to play "The Ballad of Me and My Friends" a song he said he wrote "when no one gave a shit". Although unprompted, the whole audience joined in with the lyrics "We're defiantely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell" which to me kind of showed how big he's become in the last 5 years since he started playing solo. 4,000 people singing the words to a song he wrote when no one gave a shit, slightly ironic in my opinion, but a good type of irony. Finally, Frank Turner, along with the only member of Dive Dive who isn't in his band and Ed Harcourt played "Photosynthesis". By the end of it, I don't think there was a single person in the audience not singing along to the lyrics "I won't sit down, and I won't shut up, but most of all I will not grow up". And after this, Frank and his band were gone (though we weren't, we were standing around asking the roadies to give us the setlist, which we obtained).
Overall, this was one of the best gigs I've been too. The amazing songs, hearing one of my favourite artists live and feeling like every one in the audience and on stage was having fun, makes for the perfect gig.
All for now,
Emily
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Take a look...
Hi,
This isn't a music related post (definately will write tomorrow though) but just short post to say my best friends started her own blog about her life so please take a look http://mylife-saskia.blogspot.com/ I know it's gonna be good :)
Emily
This isn't a music related post (definately will write tomorrow though) but just short post to say my best friends started her own blog about her life so please take a look http://mylife-saskia.blogspot.com/ I know it's gonna be good :)
Emily
Sunday 9 January 2011
Green Day
Everyone who has a slight interest in music will have their all time favourite band. Of course, everyone has more than one band that they like or are really in to, but there's always that band that tops everyone else, that you listen to all day every day, that has helped you through tough times and that you really don't know what you'd do if they didn't make music. For my best friend, It's The Script. For my Dad, Radiohead. And for me, It's Green Day. Green Day are the first band I really got into. My dad bought me a my sister both a CD for easter one year, I chose Green Day, which was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was American Idiot. I don't know why I decided to choose them, I hadn't really heard them before but thought I'd see if I liked them. I remember coming home and listening to the album in one of those old walkmans and just thinking wow. When I was 8, I didn't appreciate the lyrics as much as I should've done, but I loved the music and that's pretty much the reason I started playing guitar. As I got a bit older I looked through there old music and started getting into them a lot more. I think from the point I first heard "Dookie", that was when Green Day became my all time favourite band.
So of course, in 2009, when I see Green Day on the front of NME for the first time in ages, I was exstatic. The band had played a gig in Oakland, California, where they're from, and announced that they were releasing a new album. I was so excited to hear the album, but I also thought that a new album probably means a tour. Which meant they would probably come to London and I would probably see them. That thought alone was extremley exciting. I downloaded the album "21st Century Breakdown" as soon as it came out. Although it's hard to choose, I think that is my favourite Green Day album, although it is in tough competition with "American Idiot" and "Dookie". I can't put my finger on why I love it so much, but I think its the passion you can hear coming from the band throughout the album. I can relate to every song on there, even if only a small part of the lyrics.
When Green Day announced their tour, I couldn't believe it. I told all my friends, all of whom replied with "Green who?" or "No". I had asked most of my friends. I was starting to think I might have to go with my dad, when I decided to ask a friend who I had only known a couple of months (she's now one of my best friends, but anyway) as soon as I mentioned it to her, she said she wanted to come. I hadn't realised she liked them, but I was so glad she did. So now I had a friend to go with, I just had to wait till the tickets were released. My dad said since my friend and I were both at school he would get them for us. I got a text about 10.30 in an english lesson saying that he'd got tickets for LG Arena in Birmingham in Row YY. He had tried to get tickets for Wembley arena, which is about 10 minutes away from where I live, but he phoned up at 8.59 rather that 9.00, went through a whole load of "press 2 for..." and finally was not allowed to buy tickets because he phoned to early. He knew how much we wanted to go though, so he agreed to drive me and my friend up to Birmingham. I was going to see Green Day. I was going to be in the same room as Billie Joe Armstrong!
The day finally came (28th October 2009, I'll never forget it). My friend and I both decided we should wear tutus for no apparant reason and of course, our Green Day T-Shirts. My dad picked us up and drove two extremley excited girls for two hours. We finally arrived, took our seats right at the back and waited. We saw the very end of the support act, Prima Donna, who weren't that great and then waited. I had never been so excited in my life. A man in a Pink Rabbit costume came out and did the YMCA with the whole crowd and then two minutes later, "Song of the Century" was played over the loudspeaker and the gig finally started. I can't believe I'm actually getting goosebumps as I'm writing about this, but it was amazing. Despite being right at the back, everyone still got up and jumped around and Green Day made it so it didn't matter where you were in the arena, everyone was there to have fun.
About a month after that, tickets were released for Wembley Stadium for June. My dad again got two tickets for me and the same friend to see them again. We were again, over the moon. Five days before the gig, my friend went into hospital and couldn't come. I was really upset at the fact I couldn't go with her again. I asked another one of my friends and she was over the moon. I was happy that I was still going but still upset for my friend that she couldn't come.
Again, the day came (19th June 2010) and again, we were in tutu's. We arrived outside Wembley Stadium at 9.30am ready to wait all day. The waiting seemed to go quite fast, despite it being freezing cold. We managed to keep ourselves entertained till 4.30, when finally they let us in. We were with the first group of people to be let in and as soon as the doors were opened, we power walked (they have an "if you run, we'll throw you out" policy, we weren't going to risk that) as fast as we could and got a space right up against the barrier. I couldn't believe it. Green Day, the band who I loved so much, were going to be so close. The time was passed for the next hour or so with the whole of the standing area playing with a ball, which kept going on the stage until some idiot rodie popped it. Anyone who was there reading this will know exactly how much entertainment the ball provided. Frank Turner, the first support act who I've since seen again, came on and did a brilliant set, followed by Joan Jett and the Black Hearts, who were also amazing. Once again the pink bunny came out and then finally over the loud speakers..."Sing us a song of the century, thats louder than bombs and eternity". Song of the Century meant Green Day would be on stage any second now. I couldn't believe it. Finally, they came on to "21st Century Breakdown" and gave me the best three hours of my life. The best song for me was "Jesus of Suburbia" in the first encore. I cried with happiness, it's my all time favourite song by my all time favourite band, I've waited 10 hours to see them and I'm in the front row. This is a dream come true. That was the best 10 minutes of my life, I'm not exadurating. It was the first time I had heard it live as well, I was quite upset when they didn't play it at Birmingham. So the best night of my life came to an end, and despite having ringing ears and sore throat for a week after, I was buzzing from it for ages.
I can't explain my love for Green Day, but I'm sure you have a band who you love just as much. Green Day have been there for me whilst I've been growing up, they've taught me not to follow the majority, they've taught me to have a political awareness, they've told me to tell someone if I love them, they've told me to have the time of my life and most importantly, time and time again, they've assured me that there's nothing wrong with me.
So, that's quite a lot about my favourite band, sorry if I rambled on a bit,
Emily
So of course, in 2009, when I see Green Day on the front of NME for the first time in ages, I was exstatic. The band had played a gig in Oakland, California, where they're from, and announced that they were releasing a new album. I was so excited to hear the album, but I also thought that a new album probably means a tour. Which meant they would probably come to London and I would probably see them. That thought alone was extremley exciting. I downloaded the album "21st Century Breakdown" as soon as it came out. Although it's hard to choose, I think that is my favourite Green Day album, although it is in tough competition with "American Idiot" and "Dookie". I can't put my finger on why I love it so much, but I think its the passion you can hear coming from the band throughout the album. I can relate to every song on there, even if only a small part of the lyrics.
When Green Day announced their tour, I couldn't believe it. I told all my friends, all of whom replied with "Green who?" or "No". I had asked most of my friends. I was starting to think I might have to go with my dad, when I decided to ask a friend who I had only known a couple of months (she's now one of my best friends, but anyway) as soon as I mentioned it to her, she said she wanted to come. I hadn't realised she liked them, but I was so glad she did. So now I had a friend to go with, I just had to wait till the tickets were released. My dad said since my friend and I were both at school he would get them for us. I got a text about 10.30 in an english lesson saying that he'd got tickets for LG Arena in Birmingham in Row YY. He had tried to get tickets for Wembley arena, which is about 10 minutes away from where I live, but he phoned up at 8.59 rather that 9.00, went through a whole load of "press 2 for..." and finally was not allowed to buy tickets because he phoned to early. He knew how much we wanted to go though, so he agreed to drive me and my friend up to Birmingham. I was going to see Green Day. I was going to be in the same room as Billie Joe Armstrong!
The day finally came (28th October 2009, I'll never forget it). My friend and I both decided we should wear tutus for no apparant reason and of course, our Green Day T-Shirts. My dad picked us up and drove two extremley excited girls for two hours. We finally arrived, took our seats right at the back and waited. We saw the very end of the support act, Prima Donna, who weren't that great and then waited. I had never been so excited in my life. A man in a Pink Rabbit costume came out and did the YMCA with the whole crowd and then two minutes later, "Song of the Century" was played over the loudspeaker and the gig finally started. I can't believe I'm actually getting goosebumps as I'm writing about this, but it was amazing. Despite being right at the back, everyone still got up and jumped around and Green Day made it so it didn't matter where you were in the arena, everyone was there to have fun.
About a month after that, tickets were released for Wembley Stadium for June. My dad again got two tickets for me and the same friend to see them again. We were again, over the moon. Five days before the gig, my friend went into hospital and couldn't come. I was really upset at the fact I couldn't go with her again. I asked another one of my friends and she was over the moon. I was happy that I was still going but still upset for my friend that she couldn't come.
Again, the day came (19th June 2010) and again, we were in tutu's. We arrived outside Wembley Stadium at 9.30am ready to wait all day. The waiting seemed to go quite fast, despite it being freezing cold. We managed to keep ourselves entertained till 4.30, when finally they let us in. We were with the first group of people to be let in and as soon as the doors were opened, we power walked (they have an "if you run, we'll throw you out" policy, we weren't going to risk that) as fast as we could and got a space right up against the barrier. I couldn't believe it. Green Day, the band who I loved so much, were going to be so close. The time was passed for the next hour or so with the whole of the standing area playing with a ball, which kept going on the stage until some idiot rodie popped it. Anyone who was there reading this will know exactly how much entertainment the ball provided. Frank Turner, the first support act who I've since seen again, came on and did a brilliant set, followed by Joan Jett and the Black Hearts, who were also amazing. Once again the pink bunny came out and then finally over the loud speakers..."Sing us a song of the century, thats louder than bombs and eternity". Song of the Century meant Green Day would be on stage any second now. I couldn't believe it. Finally, they came on to "21st Century Breakdown" and gave me the best three hours of my life. The best song for me was "Jesus of Suburbia" in the first encore. I cried with happiness, it's my all time favourite song by my all time favourite band, I've waited 10 hours to see them and I'm in the front row. This is a dream come true. That was the best 10 minutes of my life, I'm not exadurating. It was the first time I had heard it live as well, I was quite upset when they didn't play it at Birmingham. So the best night of my life came to an end, and despite having ringing ears and sore throat for a week after, I was buzzing from it for ages.
I can't explain my love for Green Day, but I'm sure you have a band who you love just as much. Green Day have been there for me whilst I've been growing up, they've taught me not to follow the majority, they've taught me to have a political awareness, they've told me to tell someone if I love them, they've told me to have the time of my life and most importantly, time and time again, they've assured me that there's nothing wrong with me.
So, that's quite a lot about my favourite band, sorry if I rambled on a bit,
Emily
Saturday 8 January 2011
Hello
Hello,
My name is Emily, I'm 15 and I have a massive interest in music. I read NME weekly, as well as any other kind of music publication I can get my hands on. I want to become a music journalist, I couldn't think of a better career than writing about music. So I'm writing this blog to try and start that off, as well as having somewhere else to rant about how much I love Green Day or hate Justin Bieber than to my very patient friends. I'll be writing about artists I like, artists I don't like, reviewing albums or gigs I've been to, commenting on music news and writing about pretty much anything music related. I would also appreciate any writing tips from anyone!
So a bit about me and music. I've been playing guitar for about six years now and piano for quite a while, although I've only recently started having proper lessons again recently. As well as this I've been having singing lessons since the age of 11 and recently got accepted to the National Youth Choir of Great Britiain which I'm really excited about. I've got my Grade 4 in singing and am working towards Grade 4 in Guitar and Piano as well as Grade 5 Music Theory.
I can't really remember when I really got in to music as much as I am now. I think I started reading NME regularly about 2 or 3 years ago, so something like that. I've always enjoyed music but in the last couple of years music has pretty much become my life. I don't know what I'd do without my ipod, I don't mean to sound melodramatic but I'm constantly listening to it. I'm in to all sorts of music really, Dubstep, Dance, Electro, Soul, Folk, Rap, R&B, but my favourite genres are Punk/Rock/Indie. For me, a good song is made up of good lyrics that make you think or relate to something and obviously, good music to go with it. My favourite band is Green Day, no question. I got into them just after they released American Idiot in 2004, but in the last few years I've explored there whole back catalouge and seen them live twice, which were the two best nights of my life. Billie Joe Armstrong writes such amazing songs, the combination of music and lyrics as well as the messages the music sends are amazing. As well as that, I think they're one of the best live bands around. I know that's a bit of a biased judgement, coming from a massive Green Day fan, but Billie Joe makes the whole audience feel like they're involved, and that's coming from someone who has seen them live from right at the back (Row YY) of the LG arena in Birmingham and being right up against the barrier in Wembley Stadium.
So basically, I'm going to be writing about anything music related. Music's helped me when I'm down, livened up the dullest parties, turned the worst days better and given me some amazing memories
That's all for now,
Emily.
My name is Emily, I'm 15 and I have a massive interest in music. I read NME weekly, as well as any other kind of music publication I can get my hands on. I want to become a music journalist, I couldn't think of a better career than writing about music. So I'm writing this blog to try and start that off, as well as having somewhere else to rant about how much I love Green Day or hate Justin Bieber than to my very patient friends. I'll be writing about artists I like, artists I don't like, reviewing albums or gigs I've been to, commenting on music news and writing about pretty much anything music related. I would also appreciate any writing tips from anyone!
So a bit about me and music. I've been playing guitar for about six years now and piano for quite a while, although I've only recently started having proper lessons again recently. As well as this I've been having singing lessons since the age of 11 and recently got accepted to the National Youth Choir of Great Britiain which I'm really excited about. I've got my Grade 4 in singing and am working towards Grade 4 in Guitar and Piano as well as Grade 5 Music Theory.
I can't really remember when I really got in to music as much as I am now. I think I started reading NME regularly about 2 or 3 years ago, so something like that. I've always enjoyed music but in the last couple of years music has pretty much become my life. I don't know what I'd do without my ipod, I don't mean to sound melodramatic but I'm constantly listening to it. I'm in to all sorts of music really, Dubstep, Dance, Electro, Soul, Folk, Rap, R&B, but my favourite genres are Punk/Rock/Indie. For me, a good song is made up of good lyrics that make you think or relate to something and obviously, good music to go with it. My favourite band is Green Day, no question. I got into them just after they released American Idiot in 2004, but in the last few years I've explored there whole back catalouge and seen them live twice, which were the two best nights of my life. Billie Joe Armstrong writes such amazing songs, the combination of music and lyrics as well as the messages the music sends are amazing. As well as that, I think they're one of the best live bands around. I know that's a bit of a biased judgement, coming from a massive Green Day fan, but Billie Joe makes the whole audience feel like they're involved, and that's coming from someone who has seen them live from right at the back (Row YY) of the LG arena in Birmingham and being right up against the barrier in Wembley Stadium.
So basically, I'm going to be writing about anything music related. Music's helped me when I'm down, livened up the dullest parties, turned the worst days better and given me some amazing memories
That's all for now,
Emily.
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