Friday, October 14th, Digital, Newcastle - Ghostpoet. Not a usual genre of music i would find myself in attendence of, however he comes highly recommended from JACques and the man has never lead me astray. I will be attending this gig with an open mind and fresh from thoroughly enjoying (and purchasing) 'Survive It'.
The second gig i would like to give special mention to is, Josh Pyke, performing at Glasgow's Nice 'n' Sleazy for a meagre £7.50. It would be rude not to. Coming all the way from Sydney, Australia, Josh brings a feel good acoustic sound with some excellent lyrics to match. Give this a listen and consider joining me if you're in the area.
Aloe Blacc is just starting to play on the radio, I Need A Dollar is what people are starting to talk about and i recently saw him live in Glasgow's Oran Mor. The venue was brilliant, an old church now converted into a bar and live music venue, intimate, cosy, brilliant for up and coming acts, acts with great vocals like Aloe.
His voice was fantastic and Loving You Is Killing Me really got the crowd going. A lot of music was being played around him too, with a full band in session. All very talented musicians. My favourite part of the gig was when he posed that we all start a Soul Train, the room split down the middle and whoever was at the back of the opening would parade down the middle, dancing, grooving or doing whatever they felt fit the music. This was quite a spectacle!
I thoroughly enjoyed the gig and i cant wait till Aloe releases more music. He encored with a duet with his support act Maya Jupiter and then quickly made it to the back of the room to sign autographs and push his merchandise. A stand up gentleman, making sure to get some face time in with his fans.
Ill leave you with a smashing cover of Billie Jean done by Mr Aloe Blacc. Peaches.
We had been waiting, excited for this gig for some time now, after we missed out in December we couldnt wait to see Angus & Julia Stone live. Myself, JACques and my sister, mini Peaches in tow, we headed from my flat in Stirling for Glasgow's ABC. JACques making the long trip from Boro, i commend him on his dedication to the cause.
Julia opened the set, she played a gentle piano as a hush fell on the crowd then swiftly broke into Hold On, the opening track from their album Down The Way. Both were in fine form, Julia's voice is powerful, exciting and has a great range, one of the best ive ever heard, while Angus calmly seduces the crowd, oozing cool through his acoustic talents and good dress sense.
Even the stage was beautifully set up to match the beautiful people performing. The set went on, playing crowd favourites such as Big Jet Plane and And the Boys. We were even treated with a brand new song from each, Angus and Julia. Not only did they impress with the performance, their on stage presence was excellent, Julia willing to share her influences and motivations behind her song writing and Angus likewise. They each told of their musical influences, James Taylor and Neil Young, and Julia even did a cover of the James Taylor song You Can Close Your Eyes.
They encored with a beautifully done Mango Tree, Julia impressing us all once again with her range of talents, playing the trumpet in this song. The entertainment went on after the gig as we happened to bump into the pair out in the street, both of them kind enough to sign our ticket stubs and even had time for a quick chat. Both seem really genuine, down to earth people.
A great night had by all, well worth the wait and i will always be on the look out for new music and gig dates. Here's a video from the very gig we attended. Enjoy. Peaches.
My friends, tonight i have two gigs to inform you about. The first will be attended by myself and JACques, a gig which i am very excited about and one that i have been trying to attend for a couple of years now. I first heard of Angus & Julia Stone in the summer of 2009 and i have been a huge fan and follower since. I just missed out on tickets to see them in Leeds back in December of last year but finally i am seeing the mezmerising act that is Angus & Julia Stone. Glasgow's ABC, Tuesday, 19th of May.
The second act is soul/R&B singer, Aloe Blacc. He has been around for a while but his recent album 'Good Things' has really put him on the map. Im really looking forward to hearing his voice live, backed up by a live band. I would liken him to a modern day Al Green, while Spotify relates him to the Roots and Kanye. Very soulful. Glasgow's Oran Mor, Thursday 28th of May.
Reviews and videos coming soon from both. Peaches.
The eagerly anticipated, Beady Eye. Their tour sold out within minutes and i happened to come by a ticket due to a friend's misfortune on a very drunken evening out. Four lads, a road trip to Manchester, we were set.
Liam and his boys opened with 'Four Letter Word' and it kicked the crowd off (who were already buzzing, just from singing along to 'i am the resurrection' played over the loud speakers). Lights flashing, noise levels rising, Beady Eye, cranked out all the new songs, sparking massive positive reactions. In particular, 'Bring the Light', 'The Roller' and encoring with 'Sons of the Stage'.
The four lads on the other hand encored with a few pints on Canal Street, those of you who know Manchester will know that's not the usual encore destination but we moved with the crowds and had a cracking night. Peaches.
The Wombats live in Newcastle's O2 Academy. Lively, energetic, crowd pleasing. They really turned up for this gig, turning the crowd into an ocean of arms. Waves of fans bounced to some new tracks from their eagerly anticipated album, which is due out in April. 'Jump into the Fog' a particular favourite. But still busting out the popular songs from their first album, as seen in this video, 'Moving to New York' a big crowd pleaser. Peaches.
I would just like to take this opportunity to alert you all to one of my favourite new iPhone apps - Shows - never miss a gig app. It will cost a meer £1.79 of your hard earned cash and in return it will sync with your iTunes and location and give you gig updates for any of your artists and alert you when they are playing near you with a push notification.
