April 2014 will be remembered as the month The Libertines announced they are reforming for a comeback gig at Hyde Park in July. Gigslutz scooped an exclusive on this one, which was an added bonus! Take a read below to find out what our editorial team and contributors found to be their highlights of the month…
Elliott Homer
The highlight of my April came rather unexpectedly from the world of heavy metal. No longer being fourteen years old and possessed of an irrational anger towards everything, (as you get nearer thirty, anger becomes not just rational but quite often the only response to everything) the more tattoo-laden, black T-shirt-sporting side of rock doesn’t inspire the way it once did. The vast majority of popular metal nowadays is such a bland parade of Metallica-isms the records could just as easily be crapped out by a gaggle of drooling invalids listening to ‘Master of Puppets’. Still, one band I will always have time for is Mastodon. With 2011’s ‘The Hunter’ the Atlanta quartet completed the transition from hairy intimidating blokes who play very fast and scream a lot to hairy intimidating blokes who make damn good pop songs… while playing very fast and screaming a lot. Sounding like Megadeth covering the Bee Gees and yet a hundred times better than that could ever be, new single ‘High Road’ from the upcoming ‘Once More ‘Round the Sun’ is exactly what Mastodon should sound like in 2014: massive riffs, bone-rattling bass, virtuoso drumming and epic harmonies. In fact, you can use that one yourselves. Next time you see a metalhead, tell them how much you enjoy the “epic harmonies”. The kicking will be worth it to see the look on their face.
Natasha Moran
My April highlight has to be The Bravery front man, Sam Endicott’s new endeavor, The Mercy Beat. Earlier this month, Mr. Endicott wrote a heartfelt letter to friends and fans on Facebook confirming that The Bravery have no plans to continue as a band and are focusing on their own side projects. If you didn’t know otherwise, An Act Of Mercy and Sweet could well be tracks from any of the Bravery’s albums, showing just how much creative drive lead singer, Sam has on his fellow band members. As the only two songs that he has revealed so far, it is an exciting beginning to a sad end and I cant wait to hear the rest of the album.
Kate Tittley
April seems to have been going on for about 3 months, alas it was just 30 sexy days that saw me get out and about in Manchester and rediscover what bought me here in the first place – F***in brilliant music.
I’ve been to the lofty echelons of the Arena (still the MEN to locals, no matter how hard ‘phoneshop’ try get in) to watch Bury’s favourite sons Elbow lead what can only be described as the worlds biggest group therapy session-cum-wedding disco. One of the best gigs I’ve seen in a long time – top boys!
I’ve looked on as Clint Boon and MC Tunes were awkwardly danced upon by ‘Ah Kelly’, in a retro-ly fresh evening celebrating the latter’s lost album – and now I don’t see a point in jogging unless I can play The Only Rhyme That Bites so loud it melts my retinas. Sod the ear drums, hit the eyes.
And I’ve indulged in Northern Quarter joy for Record Store Day, pawing my grubby fingers at some glossy vinyl. The vibe of that whole weekend was wonderful, the streets filling up with an army sideburn-bearers with a lot of Fred Perry and some decent trainers – the official uniform of the Manc music lover. Any one of these men could have been a musical legend, alas I couldn’t tell them apart, loving them all collectively – except when Johnny Marr shuffled past me leaving a bar. I knew who that was, I think I dribbled a bit.
Allan Nersessian
Another month and another new artist restores my faith in the current music scene. Son Little (formerly known as Aaron Livingston who has collaborated with RJD2 and The Roots) possess a smoky depth and power to his voice that is reminiscent of artists such as Marvin Gaye and Leon Ware. Sang over a blues-styled guitar lick and a free-flowing beat “Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches” paints a moody picture of departed friends and was inspired by the murder of Trayvon Martin. He describes the song as a “Wu Tang sea shanty with The Beatles on backing vocals” which is a heady mixture in anyone’s eyes / ears. Signed to the ANTI- label that hosts artists such as Solomon Burke, Tricky and The Black Keys one can only hope Son Little gets a chance to reach the same global acclaim.
April saw The Libertines announce their highly-anticipated reunion show at Hyde Park, which I’m sure was a highlight for many people, including myself! In addition to this, seeing drum and bass (literally) duo Royal Blood blow away all their talented, but dull, contemporaries on the Later… With Jools Holland show with the heavy, hard-hitting riffs in recent single ‘Little Monster’ was certainly another highlight for me.
There was no ‘Foolin about’ in April for me as I tested my wife’s patience attending six different gigs. Highlights were a constant and hearing Kristyna Myles cover version of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ gave me goose-bumps and is not something I will forget in a hurry! Indeed hearing Kristyna live was an experience to savor and that lady has ‘some voice’ as we say here in Scotland. Necking Jager and dancing with the Gramotones after their Glasgow gig was memorable and this was followed up quickly with James Walsh at King Tut’s. ‘Turning Point’ the new album by James is a belter and hearing the tracks live was awesome with an added bonus of a Stone Roses cover of ‘Waterfall’ adding to what was a memorable night. Speaking of the Roses, ‘Made of Stone’ made its TV debut and reminded everyone just how special the Roses are and how magical and timeless their music is. With the twentieth anniversary of ‘Definitely Maybe’ also falling in this month, ‘Oasis’ featured high on my playlists and hearing Bonehead and his new band Phoneys and The Freaks perform ‘Columbia’ along with Modern Faces at the Alhambra in Dunfermline in front of over a thousand people was a special moment for those in attendance. Next up was Northside, I band enjoyed back in the day with my flares jeans and baggy T-shirts and hearing these songs live brought back many blurred memories from my youth. The month was topped off with the return of John Butler Trio to Glasgow. Having spent over 10 years living in West Australia JBT is an artist I am well familiar with but as always hearing ‘Ocean’ live is something everyone should experience in their life at least once.
Nicky Lee Delise
My April highlight was dusting off my leopard print ‘Richey’ coat and heading over to the Brixton Academy for the Manic Street Preachers. Although it was the ‘Futurology’ tour, it was the focus on fan favourites such as ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ and ‘Archives of Pain’ which found me in the middle of the mosh pit (not recommended when wearing high heels by the way!) Being one of the first to hear ‘Let’s Go To War’ was a defining moment for me. In fact, their setlist left me feeling rather bipolar as in one moment I was shouting ‘YOU LOVE US’ and in the next I was rather embarrassingly blubbering to ‘Rewind The Film’. Nothing can quite top of a concert more than holding strangers’ hands and screaming along to ‘A Design For Life’, I guess that’s why fans refer to each other ‘Manics Family’?
Marty Hill
For me, it’s impossible for me to look beyond the news that The Libertines will be reforming as my April highlight. The band announced via facebook earlier this month that they are to headline British Summer Time on Saturday the 5th of July this year. With two globally celebrated records and a cult – almost tribal – following, Hyde Park doesn’t know what it’s in for. Finally getting a chance to see my favourite band of our generation is going to be incredible, so much so that even the news that it will happen is my highlight of the month in itself. Any guesses on what my July highlight is going to be? It’s Time For Heroes.
Jessica Goodman
Looking back on it now, April has been a pretty big month. The Libertines announced a reunion show in Hyde Park, we got to celebrate record store day, and I finished writing my dissertation. All good stuff really. My highlights? Aside from the relief of knowing I should never have to write another essay as long as I live, I was lucky enough to attend Jaws’ sold out hometown show at The Institute.
The first time I saw Jaws headline a venue was in a part-empty upstairs room at The Actress & Bishop (a pub on the edge of Birmingham city centre) back in December 2012. Seeing them perform on a raised stage, in a fully established venue, with a seemingly endless stream of crowdsurfers, was nothing short of incredible. Support on the night came from our finely feathered friends in Dumb and Juice, both of whom held the entire room in the palms of their hands. Say what you will about the Birmingham music scene, but nights like this just go to prove that there really is something in the sounds being crafted here that people are really falling for.
A secondary mention has to go to Germ’s low key performance at The Sun At The Station. The bands’ shows may be few and far between (they’ve had to drop out of a few lately, which hasn’t helped), but when they do play, they craft together songs that are more deliciously hazy than you could dream. Their short-but-seducingly-sweet set is one that you really should catch soon as you get the chance. Music to fall in love to.
