tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68431175969879328982023-11-16T03:33:21.021-08:00Milly.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-53964565371592144712011-09-04T10:08:00.000-07:002011-09-04T10:10:56.799-07:00Alkaline Trio - Damnesia<div id="_mcePaste" style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Originally published at </span></span></span><a href="http://www.rhythmcircus.co.uk/music/alkaline-trio-damnesia/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Rhythm Circus</span></span></span></a></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="300" src="http://www.rhythmcircus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/alkaline-trio.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" title="alk3" width="300" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
Marking a band’s big anniversary often calls for something special, be it a tour or a ‘Greatest Hits’-style compilation, and Illinois punk-rooted trio </span></span></span><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Alkaline Trio</span></span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> aren’t ones to miss the party – in their own special way. Instead of offering up simply a track listing of hits that fans will undoubtedly already own, to coincide with the band’s fifteenyear anniversary they’ve put together a compilation of tracks remastered in a semi-unplugged, acoustic setting.</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span></div></div><div id="_mcePaste" style="line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Formed in Illinois in 1996, the current line-up consists of original founding member Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar), along with Dan Andriano (vocals, bass) and Derek Grant (drums). 1998 marked the release of their first studio album, Goddamnit, followed by Maybe I’ll Catch Fire (2000), From Here To Infirmary (2001), Good Mourning (2003), Crimson (2005), Agony & Irony (2008) and This Addiction (2010), leading up to the release of Damnesia this year.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></div></div><div id="_mcePaste" style="line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The album is compiled of twelve fan favourites spanning the band’s career, along with two brand spanking new original songs and a cover, and available not just on CD, but on vinyl with a souvenier branded Zippo lighter available as part of a package. One huge benefit of the unplugged style is the ability to notice the quality songwriting presented in the tracks – something the Trio are able to hit the nail on the head with is writing dark and sometimes starkly depressing lyrics, without straying into the realms of melodramatic emo fodder. Alkaline Trio have a rare ability to make love songs that aren’t generic or full of soppy cliches – as well as being masters of angst and misery. The more intimate feel allows the macabre metaphors often hidden within the songs to come to the forefront. This Could Be Love’s twisted lyrical genius is amplified by a moody piano overtone, creating a darker overall feel than that of the original recording.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></div></div><div id="_mcePaste" style="line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Whilst some songs on Damnesia are stripped down, Clavicle and We’ve Had Enough are supported by folksy, uptempo guitars – and the latter keeps the background shouts, showing that the Trio are still in touch with their punk roots. The folky sound continues with their cover of the Violent Femmes’ I Held Her In My Arms. Often going unnoticed on 1998′s Good Mourning, Blue In The Face comes close to the original recording, but cleaned up significantly. Similarly, You’ve Got So Far To Go shows that the only downside of the album is that if you’re a fan of the rough, demo-feel of some of their older material, you won’t find much of that here. But the slicker production that the band have grown into is evident here, and has plenty of upsides. Skiba’s voice sounds in better form than ever, and Dan Andriano’s vocals are perfectly suited. The American Scream, one of the newer tracks taken from their most recent album, is given the full on piano treatment allowing Skiba’s lone voice to rise to a perfect climax, and bears some similarity to the style of Skiba’s solo material.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></div></div><div id="_mcePaste" style="line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">As well as fan favourites, they’ve thrown in a couple of new tunes to wrap your ears around. Amongst the melancholia of their back catalogue, a common theme is having a good old drinking sesh – or drinking away your misery, depending on the song. Olde English 800 is an ode to the liquor of the same name, going so far as to call it a love song about how the ‘charcoal filtered sun yellow malt liquor’ making ‘grey sky blue’, even with ‘pop’ and ‘ahhh’ sound effects. Perfect to complement a chilled out afternoon drink. Preferably of Olde English 800. Compared to the rest of the album the other new track, I Remember A Rooftop, does feel a little underwhelming – but it’s nice enough.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></div></div><div id="_mcePaste" style="line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">If you’ve heard one Alkaline Trio song, there’s a high chance it’s Private Eye, with it’s fast, punk guitars. The Damnesia version is a far cry, with just acoustic guitar and synth backing, once again bringing out the stunning lyrics. The album closes with singalong favourite Radio (with the lyrics ‘shaking like a dog shitting razorblades’, who WOULDN’T sing along?), and it’s an incredible vocal delivery from Skiba, managing to balance heart-wrenching depression and spitting angst perfectly. Faint backing violins create a melancholy soundtrack, and the final 60 seconds after the song finishes, the mic is left on to capture the sounds and talk of the studio.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></div></div><div id="_mcePaste" style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">One thing that can be taken away from this album is that when you strip away the catchy punk riffs, what’s left are some beautifully crafted and thoughtful melodies with dark overtones and stunning lyricsism. They’ve managed to do enough to some already outstanding material to give a refreshing new take on almost every song, as well as adding in a few new extra bits to boot. If you’ve been adverse to Alkaline Trio’s punk-inspired sound before, give Damnesia a try – especially if you’re a fan of acoustic-style tunes. And if you’re a fan…well, chances are you’ve been spinning this album for the past fortnight already…</span></span></span></div><div></div></div>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-47537744445370460752011-03-08T13:31:00.000-08:002011-03-08T13:31:14.680-08:00Scottish optimism pulls on the heart Sucioperro – The Heart String & How To Pull It<br />
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Published on <a href="http://www.pugwashnews.com/2011/03/review-scottish-optimism-pulls-on-the-heart/">Pugwash News</a><br />
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Under-the-radar Scottish rock trio Sucioperro can already boast plenty of fans in the music world, having toured with Hell Is For Heroes, Fightstar and Oceansize to name but a few. The Heart String & How to Pull It is the group’s third full-length release, and comes straight off the back of recent EP ‘Reflexes of the Dead’ released just a week earlier on Feb 28th.<br />
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If vocalist JP Reid seems familiar, it might be because he makes up half of Marmaduke Duke, alongside Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neill.Comparisons can easily be drawn between the two; Reid’s vocals have a sense of melodic dischordance with a strong Scottish tone, reminiscent of early Biffy material, although The Heart String & How to Pull It has a distinctly lighter feel.<br />
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EP title track ‘Reflexes of the Dead’ is a simple, pretty little number enhanced by the female backing vocals that punctuate the album. ‘That’s Why You Pull Me In’ is accompanied by a hip-shakingly jerky guitar riff bound to get toes tapping, whilst some tracks such as album closer ‘Hands’ have a more acoustic feel. Lyrically, optimism is the hero of the day and the songs are often uplifting, euphoric numbers. Relatively simple instrumentation and dreamy chimes give the album a relaxing feel. On the downside, a few of the songs do feel a little repetitive and lack a real kick, at times feeling like the songs blend into each other. However, for laid back, pretty guitar tunes, you won’t go far wrong by giving The Heart String & How To Pull It a listen.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-44111534876436468252011-02-22T15:16:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:16:55.527-08:00Architects - The Here and NowFeatured <a href="http://www.pugwashnews.com/2011/02/review-architects-build-towards-change-in-the-here-and-now/">here</a> at PugwashNews.com, and in Issue 51 of the publication.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Review: Architects build towards change in The Here And Now</b></span><br />
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Architects- The Here and Now- Out Now<br />
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Blowing up on the metalcore scene in the past couple of years, The Here and Now is the latest offering from Brighton-based Architects. The follow up to 2009′s Hollow Crown (incidentally, one of my favourite albums of that year) seems to take quite a step away from its predecessor, notably less heavy and leaning more towards the post-hardcore than metal sound. In fact, at times it seems like a completely different band. Tracks such as Learn to Live showcase a more melodic sound that wouldn’t seem out of place on an Alexisonfire album, and as a whole the release is peppered with more clean vocals than would perhaps be expected of the band. The frantic riffs and agressive vocals still show up, particularly in Delete, Rewind, but the overall sound of the album seems lighter and much more polished than expected.<br />
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Not necessarily a bad thing, however – An Open Letter to Myself is a slow-burner in the same vein as the title track to Hollow Crown, showcasing vocalist Sam Carter’s improved singing and has the perfect build-up to do so. Heartburn is an anthemic ballad-esque track that strays even further into the softer side, and will divide opinion. Stay Young Forever features Comeback Kid’s Andrew Neufeld and injects a frantic dose of crunch and agression. On the subject of guest vocals, The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato pops up for closer Year In, Year Out/Up and Away, a seven and a half minute track which hits the nail on the head for mixing the heavy and melodic and throwing in all the elements of the album, and the band’s overall sound.<br />
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Fans of the heavier sound they’ve been accustomed to may be disappointed by the album, but at the same time, it has a more commercially accessible vibe which will undoubtedly draw in some new listeners. It’ll definitely divide opinion – some will accuse the band of purposely taking a more commercial direction, others applaud for blowing new life into the often-tired metalcore genre. With a few songs feeling slightly same-y, and a feel that there’s something missing, it doesn’t quite stand up against the band’s previous releases. However, taking it as a standalone, it’s a strong album that provides an enjoyable and relatively diverse listen and a few outstanding tracks.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-43765205896271896412011-02-22T09:51:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:25:22.241-08:00Deftones - Diamond Eyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.metalsucks.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/51sl5SkRiML._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Written for Pugwash News, also published <a href="http://www.rhythmcircus.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=485:deftones-diamond-eyes&catid=48:cd-reviews&Itemid=124">here</a> on Rhythm Circus.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Released earlier this month, Diamond Eyes is US melodic rockers Deftones' sixth studio offering, presented with artwork that is quite frankly terrifying for an ornithiphobic like yours truly. To give a brief background, the band have been around since 1988 - although debut album Adrenaline was not released until 1995. After the release of fifth album Saturday Night Wrist (2006), the band began work on their next release, due to be titled Eros, when bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident. The band made the decision to indefinitely delay Eros, and instead start work on an album that became Diamond Eyes.<br />
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The opening, title track has the unique sound of the band marked out in under a minute, with vocalist Chino Moreno's vocals ethereal and distant-sounding, almost as if the were recorded in a completely different place and time. Make no mistakes though, Deftones are no chillout band, and their often heavy and highly experimental style is showcased on this album of delicate, distinctly different tracks.<br />
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As tracks such as Beauty School and Sextape particularly reveal, Diamond Eyes is perhaps one of the outfit's lighter album offerings as a whole, concentrating more on creating a ghostly, atmospheric sound. But the band's heavy roots still show through, CMND/CNTRL showcases a more angry vocal, and the verses in particular give a nod to the nu-metal influenced music that came hand in hand with the skateboards and baggy jeans of the 1990s/2000s. However, there's no staleness or nostalgia here, as Deftones manage to still keep their sound modern and interesting.<br />
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The closing track, and a standout moment on the album, is a cover of Japan's Ghosts - a song the band completely put their own stamp upon. The echo effect on Moreno's vocals combined with experimental, disjointed riffs, percussion and drone elements creates an almost unsettling, eerie feeling. Although the album doesn't quite live up to previous offerings, such as Saturday Night Wrist, Diamond Eyes continues to demonstrate perfectly the band's ability to create complex and beautiful songs. Even when using someone else's song, as seen with Ghosts, the final product of whatever Deftones create is sure to be original, captivating and unique.<br />
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Featured on: <a href="http://pugwasharts.tumblr.com/">http://pugwasharts.tumblr.com/</a>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-48788010523043229892011-02-21T15:18:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:21:00.644-08:00The Great Rock Battle of Summer 2010: Download vs. Sonisphere<h2><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Originally featured on <a href="http://pugwasharts.tumblr.com/">Pugwash Arts and Ents tumblr</a>. Preview piece.</span><br />
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The Great Rock Battle of Summer 2010: Download vs. Sonisphere</h2><h2></h2>This summer, two festivals will battle to be crowned the UK’s biggest rock festival. Both have heavyweight headliners, and with plenty of bands already announced, who will ultimately triumph?<br />
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First up is the established Download Festival, and it’s a special year as 2010 marks 30 years since Donington Park hosted the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival, which spanned 16 years and played host to a plethora of heavy metal legends such as Iron Maiden, Guns’n’Roses and Judas Priest. After a break, Donington continued it’s reign as the UK’s Rock mecca, with the rebirth of the festival in 2003, renamed Download and spread across 2 days - increasing to 3 days in 2005, and featuring headliners such as Kiss, Metallica and Slipknot.<br />
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For its 30 year celebration, promoter Andy Copping has managed to scoop <strong>AC/DC</strong>, who played at Monsters of Rock back in 1981. Also headlining are <strong>Rage Against the Machine</strong>, fresh from their ‘victory gig’ at Finsbury Park the previous weekend, and another dose of classic rock in the form of <strong>Aerosmith</strong>. However, it’s not just about the main stage - on the second stage, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor’s band, <strong>Stone Sour</strong>, actor-turned-musician Jared Leto’s <strong>30 Seconds To Mars </strong>and Welsh metallers <strong>Bullet for my Valentine</strong> are all taking top billing. If it’s classic rock you’re into, Sunday will be paradise with G’n’R frontman <strong>Slash</strong>, <strong>Cinderella</strong> and <strong>Ratt</strong> on the mainstage. If modern alternative and rock is more your bag, <strong>Coheed and Cambria</strong>, <strong>The Dillinger Escape Plan </strong>and <strong>The Blackout </strong>are all worth checking out, and for the metalheads among you, there’s <strong>Megadeth</strong>, <strong>Lamb of God</strong> and my own ‘ones to watch’, <strong>Taking Dawn</strong>.<br />
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Download has always been the forerunner when it comes to the UK rock festival, but last year, it had its first major competition in the form of <a href="http://uk.sonispherefestivals.com/" target="_blank">Sonisphere</a>, held in the grounds of Knebworth House. Led by ex-Download bigwig Stuart Gailbraith, and part of a series of festivals in six different countries, the UK leg spanned 2 days and was headlined by Metallica and Linkin Park. The setup featured two ‘main stages’, and bands played straight after each other alternating from stage to stage, hence the name Sonisphere - ‘a sphere of sound’.<br />
This year, Sonisphere is back, with the legendary <strong>Iron Maiden </strong>and German metal gods <strong>Rammstein</strong>, reknowned for their crazy onstage antics and theatrics.<br />
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As well as a full 2 days, the music kicks off at 6pm on the Friday, with <strong>Alice Cooper </strong>closing and a Rocky Horror theme. The general undercard is also very strong, showing a large metal emphasis with bands such as <strong>Slayer</strong>, <strong>Anthrax</strong> and <strong>Fear Factory</strong>. As with Download, the festival is diverse, also making appearances are post-hardcore outfit <strong>Fightstar</strong>, Welsh emo-rockers <strong>Funeral for a Friend </strong>and the infamous <strong>Motley Crue</strong>. Billed as ‘special guests’, crossover dance/rock act and festival favourites <strong>Pendulum</strong> will be treating festivalgoers to a set, and for something a little bit different, <strong>Henry Rollins </strong>will be performing his spoken word show.<br />
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For the lucky ones who get to experience both (at this point, I may have a slight smug grin…), it’s going to be a VERY good summer, however, with both festivals packing plenty of rock punch, the decision between the two could be a tough one for punters. But whichever festival you go to, be it Download, Sonisphere or both, you’re sure to have your wellies well and truly rocked off.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-21487004252262935032011-01-22T15:46:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:46:22.944-08:00Anberlin - Live ReviewOriginally published in Issue 49 of Pugwash News<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Anberlin (support: Hawthorne Heights, What Now)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 21/11/10</b></span><br />
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What Now opened the show, giving a solid yet somewhat generic performance to a relatively unresponsive crowd with movie soundtrackesque songs and performance of catchy new single Toy Soldiers. Special guests were Hawthorne Heights, probably taking some of the crowd back to their teenage emo phase, with a small contingent of very excited fans singing every word. The band were quite slow to get into their stride, despite starting with plenty of energy something seemed to be missing. Performances of well-known tracks This Is Who We Are and Ohio Is For Lovers marked the performance finding its feet and the crowd warming to the band. Material from new album Skeleton showed a slightly more mature sound, although still definitely pandering to their emo-pop style, and ended with a singalong to Niki FM, which had anyone with memories of the song mouthing the words.<br />
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Anberlin took to the stage with raptuous cheers and immediately incited movement into the previously static crowd with We Owe This To Ourselves, and the words were bellowed back at them during Paperthin Hymn. New material from latest album Dark is the Way, Light is a Place played a big part in the set, with songs such as 'Take Me (As You Found Me)' and 'Pray Tell' recieved just as well as the older songs. Vocalist Stephen Christian's performance was pitch-perfect and energetic - his impressive vocal far surpasses that of any X Factor contestant or two-bit 'popstar', and was showcased perfectly on acoustic track 'The Unwinding Cable Car'. The downside of this was that in parts, the show could've done with more of a 'live feel', and the band's interaction with the crowd was very limited. However, using samples and instrumentals to link between each song gave the whole show a sense of flowing seamlessly, and combined with a forest backdrop, the whole performance had a very atmospheric feel. After disappearing briefly, the band treated the fans who had been chanting for the song all night with Ready Fuels, and the explosive reaction showed just how much this show had been enjoyed and appreciated.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-51908987485808265252011-01-22T15:38:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:39:05.643-08:00How to get work at festivalsPublished <a href="http://www.mookychick.co.uk/lists/how-to-get-work-at-festivals.php">here</a> at MookyChick.co.uk<br />
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<h1></h1>Summer festivals! What's not to love? Being outside in the sun (fingers crossed), cider in hand (admittedly probably lukewarm, but hey, it's August...) and your best friends, with your favourite band rocking your wellies off - be it Glasto, Reading, Download, V or Bestival, the summer music fest is becoming a staple in music lovers' yearly calendar. In the gloomy early months of the year, it's those kicker headliner announcements that give festie junkies something to look forward to.But, unfortunately, these festivals don't come cheap, with many tickets to the bigger events costing you around £200 of your hard-earned cash - or at least your student loan. For those who need their fix but can't afford the tix, there's another option - volunteering.<br />
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There are plenty of positions out there which allow you to work usually around 3 6-8hr shifts between Wednesday and Monday, and offering free entry to the festival in return. When not on shift, your time is your own and if there's a band on that you'd sell your granny to catch, you can usually work your shift patterns around them. Speaking from experience after volunteering at Sonisphere festival last year, it could be a weekend you'll never forget. From the party that is staff camping and the new, like-minded friends you'll make to seeing your fave acts for free, to having something exciting and different to whack on your CV, festival work is filled with perks. Admittedly, there may be an initial investment of a deposit but this will be fully refunded after the festival, and the work itself barely feels like work, so you can usually soak up the atmosphere and have a laugh while you're at it. <br />
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<b>Campsite Assistants (CATs) and festival stewards</b> are the most common roles available. They involve a range of activities, located in, as the name suggests, the campsite. You could be helping campers find their way to the loo, helping them put up their tent, or simply sitting down and having a chat and being a friendly face.<br />
<h2>Where to get festival work</h2><a href="http://www.thebetterfestivalgroup.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="Festival work - jobs and volunteering at festivals">The Better Festival Group</a> - born from the 'Love Not Riots' campaign, not only are they a great bunch of people (I should know, I'm one of them) but this is a group with a conscience and an aim to improve festivals for their attendees.<br />
<a href="http://www.hotboxevents.com/" target="_blank" title="Hotbox Events">Hotbox Events</a> recruits and manages the CAT festival staff and volunteers at the Reading, Leeds, Latitude and Big Chill Festivals. The <a href="https://hotboxevents.paamapplication.co.uk/hotboxevents/" target="_blank">Hotbox festival application</a> usually goes live in early March each year; you can sign up to their <a href="http://www.hotboxevents.com/community/newsletter/" target="_blank">newsletter</a> on their website.<br />
<a href="http://www.festaff.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="Festival work - jobs and volunteering at festivals">Festaff</a> - hires staff for a variety of UK festivals - they haven't updated for 2010 at the time of writing, but they have a newsletter that you can sign up for.<br />
<a href="http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/stewarding/index.html" target="_blank" title="Festival work - jobs and volunteering at festivals">Oxfam festival stewards</a> - There's also the option of working for a charity - Oxfam hire stewards, which are very similar to CATs, and also campaigners, who promote the charity through fun initiatives over the weekend, so you can party for free <i>and</i> get that warm fuzzy feeling.<br />
<a href="http://www.workersbeer.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="Festival work - jobs and volunteering at festivals">Workers' Beer Company</a> - hire bar staff (without the obscenely long shifts) in return for a ticket, and also donate a chunk of their profit to charity.<br />
These are just some starting points - it's always worth browsing sites of the festivals themselves for other opportunities.<br />
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A few words of advice though - make sure you know exactly what you're setting yourself up for. I have a friend who volunteered to work Reading Festival a few years back, and the shifts he was asked to work were ridiculous - long hours with barely any time to enjoy the festival itself. Also, unless you're working purely for the cash, steer clear of a lot of festival bar work - another job that may not let you enjoy your weekend. <br />
Be sure you check exactly what shifts you'll be expected to work before you dive in. Other than that, there's nothing to lose and loads to gain from working at a festival - so all you need to worry about is getting a <a href="http://www.mookychick.co.uk/lists/funky-festival-tents.php" title="funky festival tents">funky festival tent</a> and a pair of proper bitchin' wellies!Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-21919225717455565332010-12-12T07:52:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:25:42.938-08:00A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEBAYfBuqcxuHoSKnK7KkK59s6UbeJzarCIjWZtq5S9URdXsRVJo7DxvZhX90hIewZH4VnwkZpYkmB_laMZRcLJc5Ap_Gm3oVqumfGCdsv_oLFsXa5DtHF83peRY1Ir7GKz4khgZ5M5s/s1600/a-day-to-remember-what-separates-me-from-you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEBAYfBuqcxuHoSKnK7KkK59s6UbeJzarCIjWZtq5S9URdXsRVJo7DxvZhX90hIewZH4VnwkZpYkmB_laMZRcLJc5Ap_Gm3oVqumfGCdsv_oLFsXa5DtHF83peRY1Ir7GKz4khgZ5M5s/s320/a-day-to-remember-what-separates-me-from-you.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">A Day to Remember have come a long way since covering Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone, and the Ocala quintet are back with their fourth studio album and follow-up to 2009's Homesick. Opening with the gut-punch first riffs of Sticks and Bricks, you'd be forgiven for thinking A Day to Remember have leant more towards the heavier, more brutal side of their sound, but the album offers their traditional mixing of styles that have been demonstrated throughout their musical career, right from their first studio album, 2005's For Those Who Have Heart. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Combining angsty yet often hopeful lyrics with upbeat, rousing guitar riffs, vocalist Jeremy McKinnon effortlessly hops from guttural growling and melodic screaming breakdown to catchy chorus. All Signs Point to Lauderdale is catchier than flu as it bounces along, with tongue in cheek lyrics 'I hate this town, its so washed up, and all my friends don't give a fuck', a chorus just made to spend hours bothering your brain in the best possible way.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
As with previous albums, there's a softer side too. Tracks such as single All I Want and the stunning This Is The House That Doubt Built feature completely clean vocals, where the emotional tone in McKinnon's voice really shines. Their trademark gang vocals pop up - It's Complicated and album closer If I Leave will undoubtably create an electric atmopshere live, where the fans are often as loud as the band themselves. A Day to Remember may well have been pegged by critics as a 'scene band' - part of the passing trend of screamo hipsters, but their latest offering proves they showcase a sound different to many of their middle-of-the road peers. A perfect amalgomation of pop-punk excitement and elements of metalcore brutality, if you enjoy this album, make sure you catch the band on their UK tour in January for what will be an absolutely phenomenal show.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
9/10</div>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-24086336552529234442010-08-10T11:46:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:26:00.514-08:00The Ricky Gervais Show - The Complete First Series (2010)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51bzedLONvL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51bzedLONvL.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Ricky Gervais has always split my opinion - I wasn't a fan of The Office, although I found Extras slightly more watchable. However, on a long car journey to Birmingham with some friends I discovered the Ricky Gervais Show podcasts. The insanely random conversations that the three of them have remind me of the strange conversations I often have with my friends – wonderfully entertaining yet quintessentially pointless. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Following the success of these podcasts, which earned them a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for the most downloaded podcasts, the trio released their ramblings onto the DVD world, coupled with animated characters, which bear a stylistic resemblance to the Flintstones. Seth McFarlane, creator of infamous cartoon comedy Family Guy branded the show ‘the best animation [he has] ever seen’. The show is set in a cartoon recording studio, interjected with illustrations of their ramblings – often abstract, so very much suited to the tone of the show. A particular highlight is the ‘Monkey News’ feature, introduced by cartoon-Gervais pulling his shirt off and turning into a chimpanzee. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The real star and centrepoint of the series is the irrepressible chump, yet undeniable genius of a man that is Karl Pilkington. Responsible for much of the insanity and leading many of the rambles, Karl’s animated persona sits at the end of the table, with a slightly bemused and vacant expression on his little cartoon face as Gervais and Merchant mock him senselessly. His train of thought is astounding, with a deadpan serious delivery, and it really makes you wonder what on earth goes on in his perfectly round little head. Although Gervais and Merchant are comedians and a vital part of the proceedings, it is the musings of Pilkington that really steal the show.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, the series does not bring new material per se – instead, animation has simply been added to the original podcasts. The Special Features also give little extra – mainly just TV ads and trailers where additional material would have been very welcomed. The show is definitely worth a watch as the animation complements the podcasts brilliantly, but if you’re expecting something entirely new, you’ll be disappointed.</div>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-10298827855936166492010-06-25T12:17:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:27:26.381-08:00An introduction to...Silent Descent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/78/l_5b1ca4318b0d1f41f0a574f5ee3da24e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" ru="true" src="http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/78/l_5b1ca4318b0d1f41f0a574f5ee3da24e.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Welcome to a brand new section of the blog, where I catch up with the best unsigned and up and coming bands and recommend them to you, dear readers! For the very first feature, I managed to catch up with Silent Descent, an up and coming metal outfit hailing from Dartford, Kent, a band who Metal Hammer magazine praised as 'the trance metal juggernaught the world has been waiting for'. After impressing the crowd at the Download Festival Boardie Takeover for the second year running with their innovative and exciting sound, I managed to ask a few questions!<br />
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<b>Looking back, how did your Boardie Takeover performance feel?</b><br />
After coming off stage in '09 we all felt that it would be a long time before we ever got to experience something like that again, but this year was bigger and better - it really felt like headlining one of the stages at Download. <br />
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How did the crowd respond to your set?</b>The crowd were amazing - looking out and seeing people sing along to your songs in such mass is an unreal feeling and seeing them all jump in unity as the songs climaxed was un-frikin-believable. <br />
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<b>How was you overall weekend at the festival? What were your highlights - musical or otherwise?!</b><br />
We all stuck it to the man whilst watching Rage and our vocalist managed to get back stage for Stone Sour, being Corey Taylor's number 1 fan (and he definitely is) he was ridiculously stoked. <br />
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<b>How did the band come together?</b><br />
We've been together a good few years now, but all started back in 2004 with our vocalist and guitarist in a shed with paint pots for drums and an Argos Yamaha Pacifica - surely how all good bands start out? Over the years I think we've gone through 40-odd members, so when you say 'band come together' it's been a long old search to find the right people. <br />
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<b>And what plans do you have for the future?</b><br />
With any luck get signed to a major label and get on tour? In failing that we'll try and win Britain's Got Talent. <br />
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<b>Finally, is there anything else you'd like to say to the readers of the website and those who attended the takeover?</b><br />
Thanks to everyone that came and saw us and supported us at the Boardie Takeover! It was the maddest gig we've ever played and will hopefully see you all soon if we get touring later this year. <br />
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To hear more from Silent Descent (and I reccomend you do!), check out the band's <a href="http://www.myspace.com/silentdescent1">Myspace</a>!<br />
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If you'd like your band featured in this new section, get in contact!Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-5404403547253195082010-06-16T09:49:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:28:15.438-08:00Download 2010 - Wellies, Wombling and Wonderfulness - Sunday<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs598.snc3/31493_10150186005845707_522400706_12893338_6526601_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs598.snc3/31493_10150186005845707_522400706_12893338_6526601_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
S<i>ome weird and wonderful people.</i></div><br />
A less bands-packed day than the previous one, we caught the last song from <b>August Burns Red</b>, <i>Composure</i>, which showcased their unforgivingly heavy style that has transferred them from a small tent to the second stage in the past two years. <b>Switchfoot</b> were next reminiscent of stadium rockers Nickelback. Slowing it down for movie-moment ballad <i>Dare You To Move</i>, they added deeper layers of instrumental to the song giving it a heavier sound, perhaps more appropriate for the Download crowd. Singer Jon Foreman's vocals were brasher and grittier than on record - however, this proved a positive thing as it gave the songs a new kind of depth. Ending on <i>Meant to Live</i>, featured on the SpiderMan 2 soundtrack, the crowd perhaps didn't know much about this band, but seemed to enjoy them nonetheless.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005655707_522400706_12893324_6245969_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005655707_522400706_12893324_6245969_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>The cheese hat got around a lot. Dirty little cheesy hat whore.<br />
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What do you get if you cross Anthrax, Fall Out Boy and Every Time I Die? New 'supergroup' <b>The Damned Things</b> consist of Rob Caggiano (Anthrax), Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy) and Keith Buckley (Every Time I Die) on vocals. A strange mix, but one that seemed to work, with heavy riffs and manic drumming, a far cry from the sugary pop-punk of Joe and Andy's previous band. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs598.snc3/31493_10150186005760707_522400706_12893333_2929672_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs598.snc3/31493_10150186005760707_522400706_12893333_2929672_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>One of my favourite flags of the weekend...</i></div><br />
During <b>Dillinger Escape Plan</b>, the gorgeous weather that had been working overtime turning me the colour of a mahogany dining table gave up, and the heavens opened. Having to head back to my tent for wellies, I managed to miss a fair few bands, including the inimitable <b>Steel Panther</b>, who covered Backstreet Boys track<i> I Want It That Way</i> (expect a post about that soon too!), so the next band I managed to catch were pop-punkers <b>Zebrahead</b> while sheltering in the Pepsi Max tent. Playing catchy and fun songs, even those who had simply ventured in for shelter from the rain were bopping along, and joining in the charming chant of 'MINGE'. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005815707_522400706_12893337_3283333_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005815707_522400706_12893337_3283333_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i>Unfortunately, unlike this dude, I seemed to miss JLS's secret set on the Red Bull stage...</i><br />
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Closing the day's proceedings, and the festival itself, were the legendary <b>Aerosmith</b>. Opening with the classic <i>Love In An Elevator</i>, Steven Tyler gyrated around the stage in tight trousers and sequins. Despite being 62 years old, he had the energy of a 20 year old and a strange kind of sex appeal that I don't quite understand, but there were definitely plenty of ladies hot under the collar - especially when he stripped the sequins to reveal a tight vest. After a stunning rendition of <i>Cryin' </i>that showed Tyler's voice had certainly not diminished with age, Joe Perry took on lead vocals at points and gave the eager crowd 'a lot of blues in a short amount of time'. The lights went down, and some famililar opening strings were heard, and the crowd went crazy for power ballad <i>Don't Wanna Miss A Thing</i>. With lighters and glowsticks in the air, the mass singalong to the song gave me (and probably everyone in the arena) goosebumps. <br />
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After a short break, their encore featured dramatic and theatrical <i>Dream On</i>, one of my personal highlights of the set, and had <i>Walk This Way</i> had everybody dancing. Thanking us and each other before they left the stage, Aerosmith were easily some of the best headliners I've seen in my 6 years of attending the festival, and more than worth facing the rain and mud for.<br />
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A massive thanks go to all the people I camped with, met and spent time with this weekend. I love you all!Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-42641267922739423502010-06-16T09:46:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:39:49.796-08:00Download 2010 - Wellies, Wombling and Wonderfulness - Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005585707_522400706_12893320_2580778_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005585707_522400706_12893320_2580778_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hanging out with two gorgeous ladies before Thursday's Boardie BBQ</i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i></i><i></i>Up and about earlier than the previous morning, I paid a wonderful visit to the Luxury Loos hair straightening facilities for a very un-festivalish grooming session, before heading for the second day of music. <br />
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Managing to catch 15 minutes of The Blackout playing an acoustic set at the Jagermeister truck, and despite the band's admission that it was out of their comfort zone, their songs translated well to the stripped-down session. This was cut short by a wander to the Main Stage, where Atreyu were playing early due to a switchover with Flyleaf, who were running late. When performing at the festival a few years ago, the vocal performance was poor, with drummer and clean vocalist Brandon Saller often out of tune. This year however, he showed his talent as a musician by keeping both the vocals and drumming perfectly tight. Combined with frontman Alex Varkatzas providing the more agressive, screaming vocals, the band gave a solid and exciting performance.</div><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005780707_522400706_12893334_3768119_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005780707_522400706_12893334_3768119_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><i> </i><br />
<i>Everybody loves a man-train!</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Comparisons of <b>Flyleaf </b>singer Lacey Mosley are often made to Evanescence's Amy Lee, however Flyleaf blew Evanescence's shaky 2007 performance out of the water today. Mosley could well be one of the best female vocalists in rock, with not only a pitch-perfect voice with incredible range, but also the ability to emit agressive, angsty growls and screams. The rest of the band were energetic and engaging, with one guitarist climbing onto a speaker stack and diving off, all while keeping musically tight with the rest of the band.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs598.snc3/31493_10150186005685707_522400706_12893327_5745468_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs598.snc3/31493_10150186005685707_522400706_12893327_5745468_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Download festival: Full of rock fans going bananas...</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Sticking at the main stage, <b>Five Finger Death Punch</b> brought the aggressive metal sound they are known for, with an attitude to match. A band that split the crowd, there were both cheers and boos when their set was cut short due to Ivan Moody inciting crowd mayhem during <i>Dying Breed</i>. Perhaps in a fashion that could be considered arrogant, the band wore their own t-shirts, but arrogance aside, the band's fans seemed satisfied despite the shortened set.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005865707_522400706_12893340_1616400_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005865707_522400706_12893340_1616400_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i>Chilling with Aled 'I'm not the singer from Keane' Phillips from Kids in Glass Houses, who were watching The Blackout about five feet away from us!</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">After casually taking in <b>Lamb of God</b> (not a massive fan, but clearly popular with the Download fans), avoiding <b>Megadeth</b> and taking some boys shopping (yep, I didn't even buy anything!), <b>The Blackout</b> gave their fourth performance in just two years. The sextet had a special addition, Kids In Glass Houses drummer Philip Jenkins, and a charming 'Fuck The Blackout' banner which summed up their faux-egotistical yet self deprecating manner perfectly. Singalongs were inevitable and rousing, particularly to the beyond infectiously catchy <i>This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things</i>. The band also gave an instrumental tribute to headliners AC/DC and Rage Against The Machine, as they had done in 2009 with the year's big bands.</div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005880707_522400706_12893341_6551673_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005880707_522400706_12893341_6551673_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>This Is Why...I haven't put photos of bands on this blog.</i><br />
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</div><div style="border: medium none; text-align: left;"><b>Deftones</b> on the main stage were a big draw for the crowd, with their trademark etheral vocal style teamed with heavy riffs and musical backing translating perfectly to the festival setting. Their set proved an excellent opportunity to sit and relax while taking in their unique, melodically intricate songs.</div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005740707_522400706_12893331_4662529_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005740707_522400706_12893331_4662529_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i>Phil shows Craig, our resident American, some love!</i><br />
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<div style="border: medium none; text-align: left;">Headlining the Ronnie James Dio Stage were US rock outfit <b>30 Seconds To Mars</b>, fronted by actor Jared Leto, who sported an outrageous pink mohawk. Theatricality definitely proved a part of their act, with constant guitar swapping and the inability to stand still from Mr. Leto himself. During a few songs, he left it to the crowd to sing along with the choruses of well-known hits such as <i>Attack</i>, perhaps leading to questions on whether he could remember the lyrics he had written himself...luckily, the fans seemed to know what they were doing! As well as filming for their new video, and a <i>Happy Birthday</i> singalong to a friend, the band were joined by a special guest for breakthrough hit <i>The Kill</i>, Deftones' Chino Moreno, whose vocal complimented the chorus perfectly. For the finale, Leto invited fans to 'come on stage' (yes, I laughed. Quite a lot) and sing along to perfect summer anthem <i>Kings and Queens</i> - and plenty took him up on this offer, making the performance one to remember for plenty of them - and a stunning ending to a stellar day of music.</div></div>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-64054263173470835402010-06-16T09:34:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:30:23.245-08:00Download 2010 - Wellies, Wombling and Wonderfulness - Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005415707_522400706_12893303_369251_n.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>All aboard the shuttle bus!</i><br />
<br />
</div>All over the web, there are probably plenty of blogs cropping up about the weekend - and plenty of pictures. So I've decided to illustrate mine with a personal touch. Instead of professional looking pictures of the acts, expect to see shots of what really made my weekend - the people, the moments, the things that made the weekend truly memorable, accompanied by little anecdotes from the weekend. They're likely to be posted on the wrong days, as they cover the Wednesday and Thursday too, but hopefully they'll give you all an insight into how it's so much more than the bands that truly made it a fantastic weekend.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005480707_522400706_12893309_2752053_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005480707_522400706_12893309_2752053_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>The most excited man at the festival or leaving it too late to trek to the campsite loos?</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
36 Crazyfists were on their usual excellent metalcore form, despite below par sound quality, and the personal peeve that their best known track, Slit Wrist Theory, was played at a faster speed - something which seems to often happen at their festival performances. They also showcased new tracks from their upcoming release, however it was clearly the oldies that had the afternoon moshpit fiends working overtime. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005730707_522400706_12893330_3744649_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005730707_522400706_12893330_3744649_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>He didn't want to go that way...</i><br />
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After a run (well, a leisurely stroll via the hog roast stand!) over to the second stage, this year named the Ronnie James Dio stage as a tribute to the fallen metal superstar, A Day To Remember played a storming set. Two years ago, the Florida clan were playing to a small but devoted crowd, but this year presented a huge mass of bodies extending back into the space, showing how far these guys have come in such a relatively short time. During their set, it's easy to see why, as their mix of catchy tunes and crunching breakdowns had the crowd singing, stomping and causing a riot. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005620707_522400706_12893322_7910074_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005620707_522400706_12893322_7910074_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chilling with boardies at the Download Forums Boardie BBQ. And yes, that gorgeous vision in shocking pink is my boyfriend.</i> </div><br />
Back to the main stage, Killswitch Engage (replacing Wolfmother, who were forced to pull out due to illness) showed exactly why they are considered a Download favourite. Despite yet more problems with the sound, a seemingly running problem, the crowd's voices were in full force for their closing track, their cover of Dio's Holy Diver, not unusual as a closer, but this year, it felt understandably more poignant.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005850707_522400706_12893339_7789836_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs538.ash1/31493_10150186005850707_522400706_12893339_7789836_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>The local zoo had organised a day trip out - even big cats need to rock out!</i><br />
<br />
When it comes to supergroups, Them Crooked Vultures hold some of the rock world's most prestigious stars, drummer Dave Grohl, . However, their set was middle of the road, relatively dull and certainly didn't put the 'super' in supergroup. A newish conception with just one album to their name, most of the punters seemed to know exactly WHO they were, but when it came to what they were playing, it was a different story. The set did serve as a nice opportunity for a few to indulge in a nap though, before the evenings headliners...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005650707_522400706_12893323_1511310_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs578.snc3/31493_10150186005650707_522400706_12893323_1511310_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Fitting headgear indeed for a man whose surname is Cheeseman...</i><br />
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Now, I'm torn on AC/DC. Before discussing the set, lets look into their appearance with regards to Download Festival itself. Their name was missing from merchandise, they didn't appear on the lanyard or programme, and it generally felt as if they were playing a gig at Donington Park, that happened to coincide with the festival. Fair enough, the band are a massive coup for the organisers to book, especially as they vowed never to play a festival, but many seemed to feel the band were snubbing the festival.<br />
<br />
Controversy aside, the band blew the majority of the festival punters away. Issues with vocals and a ridiculously long solo were thrown aside as the band blasted out their biggest hits, sending the crowd wild to Back In Black, You Shook Me All Night Long and the other songs that have made a massive impact on the history of rock music. The stage show was as epic as expected, with a large train and blow up doll - 'Rosie' to those who know a bit about the band. As someone who's not a massive AC/DC fan, I probably didn't appreciate it all as much as the die-hards, and disagree with their snubbing of the festival. Despite this, they managed to impress me and entertain, giving a performance that could easily be remembered as legendary.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-40277386645120016372010-05-26T06:51:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:32:12.862-08:00The Kraken Wakes...or does it?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs445.snc3/25543_400674762928_504872928_3866317_4565101_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="267" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs445.snc3/25543_400674762928_504872928_3866317_4565101_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anyone who has resided in (and many who have visited) our fair city of Portsmouth will recall the wonderful public house named The Registry, or, to it's many loyal fans and customers, The Reg. More recently, they may recall the closure of said pub. And it's replacement, The Kraken Wakes. Although very much in the 'Save the Reg!' camp, I decided to withold judgement on the quite frankly rubbishly named new venue until I'd seen it with my own eyes.<br />
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However, today I paid The Kraken (the Krak?) my first visit, after handing in a lengthy piece of coursework and fancying a bite to eat and a quick drink. Upon entering, my first obervation was just how dead the place was - granted, The Reg wasn't often bursting at the seams with bodies at 12.20pm, but it was often populated with students having a mid-day chat over a cheap burger. The new decor is, quite frankly, overdone and fussy and the music playing in the background was some dull minimalist sounds that sounded like the worst kind of elevator music.<br />
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We decided to ignore this negative start and check out the food menu. £4.95 for a burger, seems like a good deal. However, when said burger comes with no bun, no chips....basically, a meat patty with a little bit of rabbit food on the side. Anything else was around the £7-£7.50 mark...for a burger and chips. Not including a drink. Ridiculous. It's a pub in a student area, not a restaurant. When a beer and burger can be purchased at nearby pubs such as The Fleet (which seems to have taken on a lot of the 'old Reg crowd') and Wetherspoons for under a fiver, it's a wonder this place sells anything...<br />
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Now, I know I haven't been there on a busy night, and all the fanboys and girls will bleat on about the 'atmosphere being amazing, you can't get that in the day!', but I also picked up a programme of events happening throughout April/May. With the exception of an oddly out of place metal night and Southsea Mafia live band/DJ night Awesome Noise (the only reason I'd visit this pub again), all the music events seem to gravitate towards indie/trendy types - the old days of hearing all sorts played through the jukebox is long gone. Previous DJs played alternative and rock - but clearly the venue's preferred clientele has changed radically.<br />
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I wanted to like it, I really did. The building itself is gorgeous, and in a brilliant location. Perhaps I'm just not enough of a hipster, as overall, the Kraken Wakes reminds me of some pretentious indie bar in a 'trendy' central London borough. However. We are not in Soho, but a heavily student populated area of Portsmouth. Like many I loved the Reg, but this is not complaining for the sake of complaining. I'm not adverse to change - if the place had been somewhere more welcoming and relevant to student budget, then perhaps I would have discovered a new favourite haunt. <br />
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Verdict? Dear Kraken, go back to sleep. Not much love, Milly.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-57526956026681947352010-05-06T03:44:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:32:45.409-08:00The Stepfather (McCormick, 2009)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.amctv.com/horror-hacker/the-stepfather-2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://blogs.amctv.com/horror-hacker/the-stepfather-2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For most, gaining a stepfather comes with its difficulties - but in this remake of the 1987 film of the same name, for troubled teenager Michael Harding, it really is hell. Upon returning from military school, Michael discovers his mother engaged to 'David Harris' (Dylan Walsh), who everyone around him seems to have fallen in love with too. But, is he REALLY who he says he is? With the help of his girlfriend Kelly (Amber Heard), he begins to investigate the family's new alpha male.<br />
<br />
In contrast to the truckloads of identikit slasher flicks bombarding our screens, The Stepfather <br />
gives a real sense of suspense building - reminiscent of 2007's Disturbia (Caruso). The premise behind the film plays on the belief that one's home is a place of safety, and the fact that this safe haven can be infiltrated by a killer is extremely unsettling. Incidentally, the film is based upon the true story of John List, who killed his family then disappeared - we discover 'David' has done this on multiple occasions, in his bid to find a family who don't 'disappoint' him.<br />
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Another difference to the common slasher movie, which are often ambiguous of the killer's identity, is that we know from the outset that 'David' is a killer - thanks to a particularly disturbing scene in which 'David', at the time going by the name Grady Edwards, prepares to leave his current residence. As he casually makes coffee and toast to the perfectly chosen sounds of Silent Night, the camera slowly tilts to a shot of a young boy sat at the kitchen table...a normal family scene...except that the boy is dead. The film's attention to small details, such as 'David' rearranging the children's toys before he leaves reinforces his psychotic persona.<br />
<br />
Walsh plays the 'evil stepfather' perfectly, showing a happy, family man mask when he is interacting with the Hardings, but (with particular credit to the cinematography), when he turns away we see his face mutate into the monster he truly is. The opening revelation creates a high dramatic tension - we see the entire family (except Michael, that is) taken in by this stranger - and from this, we notice his little slips. The fine subtleties in his facial expressions and the build up of his anger and sociopathic nature creates a powerful tension. <br />
<br />
The Stepfather is a truly disturbing movie - and McCormick, although having only one other feature film to his name (although extensive work in television), seems to have a knack for creating a movie that is suspenseful, disturbing, and actually genuinely scary - without resorting to blood, gore or cheap thrills.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-31796210602127923352010-04-28T09:40:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:33:06.868-08:00The Pretty Reckless - Make Me Wanna Die<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/theprettyreckless/default/pretty-reckless-performs-hob-dallas--large-msg-124536326645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/theprettyreckless/default/pretty-reckless-performs-hob-dallas--large-msg-124536326645.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>What springs to mind at the mention of US TV show Gossip Girl? Poor little rich kids who like to shop? Stereotypical pretty girls bitching at each other and stealing their best friend's man? Grunge-style chick rock? Probably not the latter, but Taylor Momsen, who plays Jenny Humphrey in the show, is creating a buzz with her band The Pretty Reckless, releasing their debut single, Make Me Wanna Die, on May 17th, through Interscope. <br />
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Make Me Wanna Die, featured in the box-office smash superhero flick Kick-Ass, follows the very tried 'grrl-rock' path, however Momsen's vocals are more memorable than many offerings seen in the past. The vocal delivery seems less Avril Lavigne, teen queen of whiny chick-rock in her heyday, but more of a homage to the likes of Courtney Love and Juliette Lewis. Most of the buzz surrounding the band has centred upon Momsen herself and not the music, however one of the track's strongest points is its crunching, dark riffs, not quite a million miles from the likes of old-school grunge.<br />
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It's hard not to be impressed when you find out that Momsen is just 16 years old - with a successful acting and modelling career under her belt, and this track looking to be a success in the US and beyond, with an album due for release in September. Unfortunately her career away from the music world is a potential pitfall - can people <i>really</i> believe in her angst? This aside, Make Me Wanna Die is, overall, a suitable and competent offering, however with the grass roots talent displayed, the band have all the potential to really make incredible music.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-31915641102910613352010-04-26T07:48:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:33:21.469-08:00Fake-Up: The Con of Counterfeit CosmeticsApologies for the lack of content, I've been busy with a Phil invasion, lots of Uni work and a lovely trip to London. New new content coming soon, including a film review, however, for now here's something recently published in <a href="http://www.upsumedia.com/pugwash">Pugwash News</a>...<br />
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<br />
I recently decided, after excellent reviews from friends and a trial of some myself, to treat myself to a new eyeliner, in particular, a MAC Fluidline gel liner. Officially priced on the website at £12.50, I was excited to find one on Ebay priced at just £10, with free postage and packing – being a skint student, that saving of £2.50 meant an extra drink on a night out – fantastic! Fast-forward to a few days later, a parcel was stuffed through my door, which was of course instantly ripped open to reveal the eyeliner I’d been lusting after since testing it out. I applied it straightaway, even though I was going nowhere and my plans involved sitting around the house all day. But unlike my previous experience of the liner, 10 minutes after the application, I resembled a hybrid mutation of a panda bear and the result of ten rounds with Mike Tyson (this may be exaggerated slightly. But you get my point.). Disappointed, I remembered hearing about fake cosmetics beforehand – when making my purchase, I looked for obvious examples of counterfeiting, such as the MAC logo on the box. Logging onto the internet to find out more, I stumbled upon a plethora of sites with information about how to spot fake cosmetics, particularly on Ebay.<br />
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The problem with buying from auction sites such as Ebay, or unofficial internet stockists, is the product not being in front of you – so any opportunities to check for the more subtle signs of fakery before you make your purchase are limited. And the downsides of these counterfeits can be more serious than panda eyes-unlike the real thing, some of these products will be peddled untested – so who knows what they could do to our faces...not to mention the detrimental impact they cause against legitimate manufacturers and the beauty industry itself.<br />
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My advice? Go to the source and buy from the official stockist – it may well involve paying more, but you’re guaranteed the quality that comes from the real deal. And as for my experience, I received a message from Ebay informing me that the auction had been declared to be breaking Ebay rules, and I’m hoping a refund will be on its way - £10 which will go towards the purchase of a genuine Fluidline!<br />
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UPDATE: After this article was submitted, I recieved my refund, and didn't even have to send back the fake product, and went out and got myself the real thing. And was not disappointed! Perhaps I'll review it...haha.Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-14702057745572811222010-04-06T21:20:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:33:30.006-08:0030 Seconds To Mars - Bad RomanceAlready winning the poll for the Radio 1 Ultimate Live Lounge Cover with their radical reworking of Kanye West's Stronger, 30 Seconds to Mars have been in the Live Lounge again, this time choosing Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. Changing the tone of the song to produce a more melancholy and sinister sound than the original, they once again create a unique and exciting take on an already-popular song.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><object height="385" style="clear: right; float: right;" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x7spoPjx7hs&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x7spoPjx7hs&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></div>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-4334071786049107642010-03-30T09:01:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:33:40.221-08:00A Day To Remember - Pyramids Centre 15/3/10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Day To Remember</span><br />
Support: Architects, Your Demise<br />
Portsmouth Pyramids Centre 15/3/10</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3442475213_d87ff19770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" nt="true" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3442475213_d87ff19770.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Entering the venue, I breathe a sigh of relief that, as with the seeming trend of gigs these days, my 5ft 1 self actually has a hope in hell of seeing, thanks to a large portion of the audience being barely in their teens, and therefore pre-growth spurt. Ignoring the monstrosity that is a ‘Mrs Oli Sykes’ t-shirt, I make my way to catch Your Demise open with a bang to an excited crowd – although it’s clear to see they’re mainly here for the headline act. <br />
<br />
Architects gave a strong performance, however seemed muted at points despite vocalist Sam Carter’s efforts to get the crowd going, who were seemingly less responsive, excepting a small portion of loyal fans. A shame that a large portion of the crowd probably only knew them due to Carter’s vocals on Bring Me The Horizon track The Sadness Will Never End, as they currently lead the way in the growing British hardcore scene. <br />
<br />
The last time the Pompey crowds saw A Day To Remember, they went down a storm supporting Bring Me The Horizon (yep, them again...) hit the stage to rapturous cheers and applause, hitting hard with ‘Fast Forward to 2012’, an unexpected yet appreciated opening song. <br />
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The Ocala boys had clearly aimed their set at fans who had been there from the beginning, playing tracks from earlier released ‘And Their Name Was Treason’ and ‘For Those Who Have Heart’- although it was standout tracks from latest album ‘Homesick’, such as singalong-friendly ‘The Downfall of Us All’. Despite these recieving an eager reception, the excitement of die-hard fans to hear old favourites was clear, and the crowd as a wholewere generally consistent, with just a few lulls when rarer or slower tracks were played.<br />
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Things were slowed down a little with the frankly stunning cover of The Fray’s Over My Head, and Have Faith In Me - the only downer was the band’s slightly sexist claim that they ‘had’ to play the soft songs ‘for the ladies’. A notable omission was the removal of previous 'set staple' Kelly Clarkson cover, 'Since You Been Gone', showing the band moving onwards and upwards, and being known for their own original work. After ending on arguably their best known track ‘The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle’, and the young’uns poured out to waiting parents, it’s easy to see that A Day To Remember are a band that aim to please their fans - and succeed.<br />
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This review can be seen in <a href="http://www.upsumedia.com/pugwash">Pugwash News</a><br />
<a href="http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3442475213_d87ff19770.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thelivestorybook.com/2009/04/a-day-to-remember/&usg=__p_3mg6U4cZ167aLLR6QvNWT7x0Y=&h=332&w=500&sz=197&hl=en&start=1&sig2=ZO3YD2n9-pvGsc3AQEcVeA&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=X4quGp4ltEba8M:&tbnh=86&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Da%2Bday%2Bto%2Bremember%2Blive%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4DSGJ_en___GB361%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=4x2yS5z8F9Tr4gaejPSFAg">Image credit</a> (for illustration purposes only!)Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-57908339572074171952010-03-22T15:53:00.000-07:002010-03-22T16:20:13.350-07:00New Town Killers (Jobson, 2008)<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">'All you have to do...is hide.'</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Think hide and seek is a kids' game? Think again. Richard Jobson's New Town Killers (2008) is a gritty cat-and-mouse thriller that follows ruthless private banker Alistair (Dougray Scott) and sidekick Jamie (Alastair McKenzie) who make down-and-out Sean (James Anthony Pearson) an offer he can't refuse. In order to make himself £12,000 to pay off sister Alice's (Liz White) debts, he simply has to hide in the city for 12 hours. Sounds easy, but the killers have eyes everywhere, and if he's caught, he'll be facing not just losing the game, but losing his life.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><a name='more'></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">I bought this film on a whim, after seeing it in an ex-rental sale and finding the synopsis intriguing - and also assuming it was a US release. However, the Edinburgh setting gives a different twist on the traditional gangster movie - taking away the slick cliche of Hollywood gangster, choosing council estates as a backdrop which paints a far more down to earth picture. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Director Richard Jobson, who returned to his past as a singer-songwriter and wrote the film's theme song, is clearly at ease with this genre. The film neither drags nor rushes, and has just the right amount of violence, demonstrated brutally, but at the same time realistically, engaging with 'yob culture' in a fight between a gang of local youths and Alastair. The film's stunts are well-shot and inventive, with the character of Sean demonstrating parkour-style jumping and climbing. It is also worth commending Pearson (as Sean), a relative unknown, for performing most of his own stunts. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i92.servimg.com/u/f92/12/82/64/77/79848110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://i92.servimg.com/u/f92/12/82/64/77/79848110.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Scott is highly convincing as Alastair, and spits his character's misanthropic rants about those in the margins of society - who are chosen to play the game - with vitriol and believability. On the opposite scale, White (as Alice) gave a credible performance as a vulnerable young woman whose problems were on top of her, and faced the prospect of ending up a prostitute to pay her debts. The character also acts to show Sean's soft side through his devotion to his sister, and his willingness to help her by whatever means he can.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Although the premise is an unrealistic situation, the way Sean reacts seems believable and makes the viewer question what THEY would do placed in his situation. Overall, New Town Killers is fast-paced and visually exciting. With an interesting, exciting plot and a competent cast, it ultimately showcases everything that's right with British film at the moment. A must see for fans of dark action-packed thrillers.</div></div>Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-23623563290146707452010-03-19T11:09:00.001-07:002010-03-22T16:19:05.488-07:00The Paedophile Pandemic.Okay, quick one as I have lots to do this evening but saw this news story on a forum I visit, and found it interesting. You can read the full article <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258914/Facebook-objection-installing-panic-button-meeting-Home-Secretary-Alan-Johnson.html">here</a>, but the general gist of the story is that Facebook are being pressured to place a 'paedophile panic button' on their site, for children who suspect the person they are talking to could be part of society's current most-witch hunted creatures - the paedophile.<br />
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The recent death of teenager Ashleigh Hall, who, for those who don't know, was killed by someone she thought was a good-looking teenage boy who she met on Facebook, has thrust the paedo-panic gripping the nation back into the media circus scaremongering spotlight. Although a tragic incident, Facebook alone cannot be blamed for the teenager's death.<br />
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Instead of focusing on the paedophiles themselves, society needs to focus on educating young people. I myself have met people I discovered through the internet, some which have developed into great friendships. Instead of simply demonizing all internet users as possible paedophiles, measures should be taken to inform children and young people on how to meet internet friends SAFELY. Speaking on the telephone, seeing the person on webcam or using Skype, and meeting in a busy public place and taking a friend along, for example. Common sense is the order of the day here - something our excessively PC current situation completely brushes aside.<br />
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Facebook itself cannot be blamed for this incident - if she had any suspicion of the person she was speaking to not being who he said he was, she shouldn't have gone to meet him. And if, seemingly, she didn't suspect anything, it wouldn't have even crossed her mind to use a 'paedophile panic button'.<br />
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We live in a society where children are no longer allowed the innocent pleasure of sitting on Santa's knee at Christmas, where a teacher is unable to give a crying child a comforting hug without fear of persecution. The notion of 'PAEDOPHILE!' is something that hangs heavily over childhood innocence - and in a reverse effect to the intended, it can actually be detrimental to this innocence.<br />
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Edit: Edited to spell paedophile correctly. It's been a long day...Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843117596987932898.post-69983036240322707742010-03-18T15:16:00.000-07:002010-03-18T15:31:36.207-07:00Intro.It was a long time coming, but I've finally got round to making this. Fiddling around with HTML has taken up plenty of this lovely Thursday evening, along with a filling, if slightly sub-par Chinese takeaway and plenty of episodes of Supernatural.<br /><br />My name is Milly 'Vanilli' Youngman. Aged 21, on the verge of turning a terrifying twenty-two (how's that for allitteration?!) I'm a second year Film Studies and Drama student at Portsmouth University, as the handy little 'About Me' box with my nice little picture states.<br /><br />Things I like: Music of many different genres, Alkaline Trio, intelligent TV sci-fi/drama shows, Supernatural, eating things that are bad for me, going to the gym in a vague attempt to rectify this, spending time with fantastic people.<br /><br />And as for things I don't like...you'll probably be hearing plenty about those.<br /><br />Why am I doing this? Well, firstly, like many others with ambitions leaning towards writing/general creative jobs, it's a way of getting my work out there. Secondly, as a place to vent about some of the many things that irritate me, also the many things that amuse/fascinate/entertain me. And don't worry, there'll be no 'today I ate some Weetos, then went for a walk' style crap. Unless something highly thrilling happens during my day. I'm also going to be putting up a few old articles/pieces/reviews to start me off.<br /><br />So keep an eye out, content coming soon!Millyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943463515742105850noreply@blogger.com0