Review... Foals

Let me set the scene... Think a misty Wednesday evening in Sheffield, groups of young hip things and the odd OAP congregating outside a social club; in the side room a group of Sheffield locals, drinking pints and gin and tonics whilst playing a game of backgammon or darts etc. In the main room the young hip things drink cans of red stripes and wait in anticipation. Instruments lay waiting on the stage against a backdrop of nativity-esque hangings (by that I mean shiny/glittery streamer like curtains). Scene set right this is the night that Foals are playing in Sheffield. Intimate gigs are always the best I think, seeing your favourite band, in a small venue just makes you feel so much closer to the band. The support act petite-noir, seem to keep the crowd occupied whilst waiting for Foals. The band visually looks quite cool, a mix-match of the typical indie/hipster guys are great. They have a good sound, which I think just needs a little fine tuning and I could see them being a break through band of late 2013 perhaps. After Petite-Noir finish playing, there is quite a heavy transition, we wait for what seems like an age, and I am getting antsy to see the band. At half 9, the music dims again and Foals are here, all the waiting and annoyance completely dissipates as soon as Foals begin playing. Throughout the entire gig, the band are just filled with energy, the exuberance that front-man Yannis Philippakis exudes is just highly infectious; I dare anyone to go to a Foals gig and not dance or sing at the top of your voice, no matter how cool you want to seem it is an impossible feat to not let yourself go! I think a band that can make the crowd 'shhhh' when they play Spanish Sahara but then start a mosh pit when they play Two Steps, Twice and Inhaler just has to be absolutely incredible. I have spent my life going to gigs, and I can honestly say hand on heart, that, that was one of the best gigs I have ever been to. They played all their most famous songs minus Cassius which was highly anticipated by the crowd and I think would have been incredibly received. Luckily for me they played one of their new songs My Number, which they recently performed on Jools Holland; the set list was definitely well thought out. Foals are such an established band now, they have sold out The Albert Hall and they have a hefty fan base, most of which have been with them since 2008, but when their new album is out, I feel they are going to have a huge in-flux of new fans. Foals are back, bigger and better than ever before.

Iron and Wine

One of which I have a strong penchant for, while the other, of late I have found that I am actually quite good at and have added it to my domestic attributes list.
I have digressed a little, but together Iron and Wine is an incredible artist, I have liked Iron and Wine for a while but they had been collecting dust on my itunes for a long while. But Amarni and I had a lovely day together on Friday, we went shopping and got a drink from Starbucks and chatted which are our favourite pastimes. While we were there a song came on in Starbucks and the pair of recognised it but we couldn't place the artist or anything, well suffice to say it was Iron and Wine. Thank goodness for shazam      which recognised the song and actually put and artist and title to it. Well ever since I dusted off the cobwebs from my Iron and Wine songs on my itunes and I haven't stopped listening  to them since. They have such a great sounds, they have that incredible melancholy beauty that Bon Iver have, but they have some incredible, catchy upbeat songs to go alongside those. If like I, you like the neo-folk genre you should definitely give them a little of your time.

 

Well a few blog posts ago, I was speaking of James Vincent McMorrow and how he was my favourite artist, but I had to wait and see him live before I could wholeheartedly admit it. Well Friday night me and the gals went to see him and I hereby announce that James Vincent McMorrow is my favourite artist. He was not perfect on every song, his cover of Wicked Games was absolutely phenomenal. He was already very high upon my play list on my iTunes, but he has raced ahead and so many of his songs are in my Top Played. I've been to a considerable amount of gigs, because it's my favourite thing to do; the whole atmosphere at a gig, the camaraderie between music lovers- I just love it. However James Vincent McMorrow is a very mellow artist, so I didn't really know what to expect from his gig. But he was utterly captivating, whereas some bands/singers go on tangents and stuff with the audience James didn't really say a great deal, but when he did he was witty and sarcastic -just my type of person. His band were also incredible, he is such an incredible person to see live and I'd recommend him to anyone who will listen to me.

Baddie

I've fallen back into just posting youtube videos of songs on my blog. But why stop now I suppose.
Here is blackbird Blackbird with Pure:

Next is The Perishers - Nothing like you and I:

Neon Indian - Polish Girl which is incidentally one of my favourite songs:

French Films- Take You With Me:

enjoy!

From one of my favourite films 'Heartbeats' which incidentally my best friend got me for Christmas

New Year

Same old things. All I ave been hearing is about people's New Years Resolutions, and if truth be told, I've been succombing into it myself. So far my resolution is to be a little less sarcastic and alas I have broke that already. Another one which I think I'm doing quite well with is using a wider variation of words and phrases, I hope you enjoyed the 'Alas' above, I did!
I kind of get the point of New Years Resolutions in the sense that it's a fresh start and a fresh year, but surely if there was something we really wanted to change about ourselves we wouldn't wait until the 1st of January.
Anyway, 2011 wasn't such a bad year, but it wasn't altogether a good year either, it was 50/50. One of the best aspects of 2011 was the music for me, Bon Iver's new album, Beirut's new album, Fleet Foxes new album, discovering Little Dragon and Yuck. So hopefully this will continue, what I have rediscovered on my iTunes is The Dodos and I am really enjoying them all over again.

This year my aim or resolution -seen as we are on topic- is to go to as many gigs as possible. So far I'm only going to see The Maccabees and James Vincent McMorrow, but I think this is a perfect time to see who is playing and spend some of my not so hard earned cash.

If this is redemption, why do I bother at all
There's nothing to mention, and nothing has changed
Still I'd rather be working at something, than praying for the rain
So I wander on, till someone else is saved

I moved to the coast, under a mountain
Swam in the ocean, slept on my own
At dawn I would watch the sun cut ribbons through the bay
I'd remember all the things my mother wrote

That we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you, I'd have a little trust

Two thousand years, I've been in that water
Two thousand years, sunk like a stone
Desperately reaching for nets
That the fishermen have thrown
Trying to find, a little bit of hope

Me I was holding, all of my secrets soft and hid
Pages were folded, then there was nothing at all
So if in the future I might need myself a savior
I'll remember what was written on that wall

That we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you, I'd have a little trust

Am I an honest man and true
Have i been good to you at all
Oh I'm so tired of playing these games
We'd just be running down
The same old lines, the same old stories of
Breathless trains and, worn down glories
Houses burning, worlds that turn on their own

So we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you my friend, I'd learn to have just a little bit of trust

Daughter

One of my new favourite artists to listen to is Daughter, she is absolutely amazing, I could actually listen to her all day. She has a bit of Florence Welsh about her which is incredible

Down the Rabbit Hole

Well what can I say about Glastonbury....
Anything I say doesn't seem to explain Glastonbury well enough, it's the most beautiful, magical place in the whole entire world. After being once I cannot imagine never going again, I have to now go every year it's on. I think it's 719 days till the next Glastonbury. I saw so many amazing bands I cried three times during Mumford and Sons and have finally seen my favourite band. Metronomy and Friendly Fires were amazing and Coldplay was just out of this world. Flag Hill is my favourite place in the whole world it's so beautiful in the day and night and overlooks Glastonbury, the soothing sounds of the flags in the wind, I can't imagine a better way of spending my time.

Pals, Music, Camping, Amazing Time.

I loved every single second of Glastonbury, from watching the sunset over The Other Stage to the 12 hour rain sessions.

Jack Frost

I watched jack frost the other day, and when landslide is on, I just cry. And I'm by no means a crying person. But here it is. Kleenex at the ready.