Search for rock tunes performed on Thursday, 8th January 2009.
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Various Artists: Big Tunes: Ministry of Sound
If you are part of the clubbing scene at the moment, you will either already be familiar with these tunes, or you soon will be as they continue to make waves in the clubs.
The Zeds span three generations, playing an irresistible mix of ska, punk, rock and reggae grooves that appeal to all tastes.
indie pop rock
Apparently the result of a tantrum after his record label told him that his initial efforts were too depressing we have former mopey alt.country boy turned 80's rock god.
funk rock
indie rock
alternative rock
indie rock
indie rock
country rock
Interview: Pulled Apart by Horses
Pulled Apart by Horses are a new, sickening, rock-dirge act who seem to be getting a little bit of attention, even though they've only played about four gigs and have two tracks on MySpace. Chris Lowe asks this motley crew what the deal is.
The Scaramanga Six @ Leeds Festival 2006
Smartly dressed in suits The Scaramanga Six deliver edgy rock tunes with lyrics as sharp as their threads.
The Nervous Shakedown: Untitled
Well known for their sleazy stoner rock The Nervous Shakedown have been spreading their own brand of guitar filth across West Yorkshire.
Sad times rule at the Well as the latest Monte Carlo incarnation comes to an end. Sad, but happily the tunes as just as fine as ever, as Carl's voice soars above the tight rhythms of his fellow Montes.
Kid Symphony release debut album on 21st June...
Leeds' Kid Symphony, aka Chris Langdon and Pete Denton, released their debut album, The Underqualified last week (21st june).
The reformation of the late-nineties' most brutal of crowd pleasers is welcome news as 3 Colours Red once again rock like Armageddon.
I like Milburn a lot. They're one of the reasons I started reviewing because you never know when you'll be sent a gem of a CD to cover that you just absolutely love.
Earl: What Are You Waiting For?
Now this one's a hard one, not often do I recieve or listen to dance tunes with a huge amount of interest, but as I put this CD on, I suddenly like dance music!!
Easyworld @ Leeds Festival 2001
Touting hangover - blasting melodic indie-rock, the three immaculately dressed Sussex kids that make up the delectable Easyworld are a brilliant tonic early on Saturday morning.
Awesome Funky Magic from the tightest, heaviest, most powerful 4 piece in Leeds! Maji are not to be missed!
On entering The Cockpit the support band (M.A.S.S I believe) are nearing the end of their set, after a brief listen we decide to stay in the bar and prepare to jostle for a position near the front of a packed crowd.
After debuting on a handful of live shows the band have a healthy C.V of support slots with Silver Ginger 5, The Jellys and playing with Terrorvision at their last ever gig (which incidentally was their first) Butterfinger are absolutely amazing.
The Terminals @ Escobar (Wakefield)
Mother always said, "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all". With that in mind perhaps I should just progress directly to talking about Jack Afro.
All Its Worth: The Golden Spoon Theory EP
Research says that All Its Worth, an emerging four-piece from Pudsey are a 'punk rock band' with influences listed as Muse, Placebo, 3 Colours Red and Hole, yet their debut EP is more fittingly described as catchy, guitar pop ditties.
The Charlatans @ Leeds Festival 1999
Well the year goes fast doesn't it? Another year and yet another festival at Leeds' Temple Newsam Park and yet again this is another one that we all enjoyed.
The Darkness: Permission To Land
You must understand, The Darkness are not a joke band. This is not the Electric Six playing it for laughs.
Here are six recorded songs from a Halifax band with the same name as a tune by muso wonderbillies Dark Star.
Imagine Status Quo with occasional bongos. Got it? Ok, that's half way to the sound of 10,000 Things.
Simon - guitar, piano and vocals Adam - lead guitar Chris - bass Dave - drums Well except for colplday and the music, and of course blazin squad, the british music scene is a shambles, where here to rock it back into shape with a mixture of melodic tunes, uplifting ballads, screaming instrementals and a lead guitarist who enjoys lying on the floor at sponge.
Fear Factory @ Leeds Festival 2001
Fear Factory must be doing something right if they still manage to attract thousands of young kids to their show, all donned in black t-shirts and all clearly intent on going fucking mental.
Bad Beat Revue @ Joseph's Well
There are about a dozen people in the room but I think somebody has forgotten to tell Bad Beat Revue's front man.
The Humour @ Leeds Festival 2008
The Humour are all about chugga chugga rock played with strutting ego and a confident American accent.
Formed in 2004, Move To Cuba are a three-piece consisting of Mark Regan, Matt Poole and Chris Powel - a frenzied guitarist with a soul shattering voice brought together with a gut-punching rhythm section.
33 years ago, Hawkwind came onto the psychedelic scene, and have continued to push music outer and further away from the mainstream, while influencing space and post rock and to a large extent the techno end of the dance spectrum.
Cube scare me. It defies all rules of rock when even the drummer is good looking. Yet it makes sense with the mirror-posing rock that they play.
Northern Ireland's loss is Manchester's gain regards Jist, originating in the former and decamping to the latter.
If The Vine is less than half empty then The Terminals performance is anything but half-arsed. Singer Phil Privelidge teeters on one leg as his eyes bulge and his vocal cannon rains more blows on our ears, already battered to submission by the howitzer guitars and gunshot drumming.
The Smokestacks are... Will: vocals / lead guitar Joel: vocals / rhythm guitar Owen: bass Ben: keyboards Tom: drums / vocals Formed in 2003 in the Level 5 Burns Ward of Leeds General Infirmary, after being struck by rock lightning, The Smokestacks have been perfecting their sound around various Leeds venues ever since.
Nikoli are supreme. Uplifting, sweeping tunes with buried distorted guitars that drive their songs on.
It's been a long time since we last heard from The Downfall with their last CD 'Atrofeed' which got rave reviews from several sites, and I think they've just about managed to keep the tradition.
Band Profile: Johnny Poindexter
Johnny Poindexter's music was often described as bleak, bold, beautiful, and anything inbetween. Safe to say, you wouldn't find it down the disco.
The band that was once Baby Chaos is now Deckard. Like their former self, Deckard have not yet quite been able to really break through and let the world know what they are all about.
The Glitterati @ Fibbers (York)
After some initial confusion it turn out this is the Phluid I already know of, not a York band by the same name.
The CD cover is black and the font looks rather gothic so I am not expecting any summery pop as I slip Misled Vision's demo into the tray.
Bradford slacker rock outfit Harmacy are a bit of a find. I've never heard of them before but if they're gigging locally I'd recommend checking them out.
Here we have three tracks that could be heard anywhere across the land. Grungy punk rock is the order of the day but there's neither the tunes nor the talent to match the enthusiasm here.
A half full Fibbers sees local lads Sixty 6 take to the stage for their first ever gig. The youthful three piece burst into their opening number with a degree of confidence and if I'd not been told you wouldn't have thought it their first time on stage.
So this is where rock music got to! It has become interesting again. No skateboards, no tattoos, no trouser furniture, no monitor wedge posturing.
Bad Beat Revue @ Joseph's Well
Let's get this over with. Western Suburbs have a female drummer. She's hot. Men stare, under the pretence they are watching the singer of course, but you can see their eyes wander slightly toward the back of the stage.
Grandmaster Gareth: The Party Sounds Of Grandmaster Gareth
Give this man a minute and he'll give you a melody. He'll give you a surreal story in sixty seconds. He'll even give you a bonus track that's half as long as the album itself!
Band Profile: Seven Story Mourning
post-hardcore emo
The final night of Ash's tour falls in Leeds due to the gig being postponed from a couple of weeks ago.
A night of ROCK down the Royal Park... when isn't it these days? The Royal Park is getting a name for itself now as a more rock sort of venue, possibly due to promoter Steve Kind's insistance that all bands rock at all times.
Wrathstonbury is, believe it or not, one of the most important dates on Leeds' live music diary. Eighteen bands compete with beer for your attention.
I've been impressed with Manchester three-piece Fi-Lo Radio ever since I stumbled across their 7" single "Pretty Bones"; and when they showed they could cut it live too - a gig at Josephs Well late 2001 saw Fi-Lo Radio win over a rocking Leeds crowd - I reckoned they'd be ones to watch in 2002.
Adequate Seven @ Joseph's Well
WOW! What can I say about this band? They are brilliant, they have come on so much since the last time I saw them early in 2002.
An already sold out gig sports an impressively long guestlist, which makes for a very cramped Cockpit this evening.
Despite some speculation as to the true identity of The Rebellion Threat Kills, tonight's mysterious support band, it's clear that much of the enthusiastic audience at the sold-out Pack Horse venue were given a tip-off that Sammy USA were the act in question.
US Maple @ Brudenell Social Club
Monday nights. It's the start of the working week (Christ) or it's still the weekend for the proverbial student.
The Offspring @ Leeds Festival 2002
The elder statesmen of tuneful pop rawk showed the kids how to do it all over again as the sun set over Temple Newsuam on the first day.
Samson Bedford - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar Kev Shirley - Lead Guitar, Vocals Chris Hall - Drums, Vocals Boa Internationalè - Bass, Vocals Late in 2004 four young men of high ambition formed a band called Volcanoes.
For me the Tea Time Shuffle is both a blessing and a curse. The great thing is you get to see 5 decent bands and at the same time are provided with the opportunity to start drinking at 6pm.
Somehow while living the rock 'n' roll lifestyle Red.Star.Line managed to find the time to whip up a whole album.
"Lick Your Ticket" is Chikinki's major label debut but is by the letter of the law their difficult second album.
Good old rock and roll that's what Vatican Jet dish out! Apparently standing in for Being 747, these lads did a great job!
There's not a lot of bands that can make you feel like you're on a mind-altering drug when you're actually chronically sober.
The Longshots: Million To One EP
'Ex-Girlfriends' kicks off in incendiary fashion and sets the tone for the next eleven and a bit minutes of your life.
The Hair @ Leeds Festival 2006
The BBC Raw Talent Unsigned Stage makes a welcome return to the Leeds Festival and warmly welcomes The Hair to tread its boards.
Firstly an apology. I'm going to get a bit nostalgic in this review. Please bear with me. Back in the crazy days of the Leeds Music Scene (circa 2001) I saw a band play several awesome gigs at The Well.
"As far as ambition, hard graft and commitment are concerned, no-one has a patch on us" ... that's as maybe, but as far as songwriting and putting your finger on a good tune there's plenty that do.
All My Friends Are Dead @ Mixing Tin
Two things struck me when All My Friends Are Dead started playing. Just where the hell did these guys come from, and what took them so long?
Bloody hell, it's busy in here for a Monday. Usually a night of rest following the weekend, but tonight a haven of rock and roll activity the likes of which we haven't seen since...
Dashboard Confessional @ Leeds Festival 2006
Chris Carraba and his band entertain the main stage with their heartfelt, lyrically strong tunes, laden with rich melody and lush vocal harmonies.
Various Artists: Heathen Angel - Volume 2
The last compilation album I bought was Now 29 on cassette back in 1994 and the last time I saw it was in 1998 when it was discovered in a draw full of old musty books after which it was thrown into a plastic bin bag and donated to some orphans.
Shed Seven: Why Can't I Be You?
After playing a weekend of gigs at Fibber's those stalwarts of various York bars are back with a new single.
Motion City Soundtrack @ LMUSU
Through my own ignorance, I had not heard much from these guys, who have been one of the most influential rock bands in the word.
Some songs are just ace. This is one of them. It just makes you feel good and want to sing and dance along.
Modey Lemon: Thunder + Lightning
Garage rock duo/trio Modey Lemon burst out of Pittsburgh to not only kick out the jams but to actually boot those jams firmly in their jammy balls.
Kiosk: One Day I'm Going To Go STRATOSPHERIC On You And, Chances Are, You'll Thank Me For It
This EP has the bestest title ever. Annoying to type out. Stupidly pretentious. Vastly ambitious. Impressive.
Instant Species: The Take Away EP
If I had my own way, Instant Species would write all of their songs in the style of the third track on their latest CD, "The Take Away EP".
With people still slowly drifting into the venue The Glitterati take to the stage. A crack of drums and a howl of overdriven guitars sees the band launch into 'Heartbreaker' and a rampant set that keeps upping the energy levels with each song until you feel veins are going to burst somewhere on stage.
The Rakes: Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep)
The Rakes sound like a million different bands, they talk about the same ambiguous subject matter as a million others but yet The Rakes do seem to hold a very special concentration of charm to single them out for extra attention.
Five bands. The Fav. For free. F me! It must be Easter Sunday. First on The Acutes bang out their bluesy rock which, when you consider the band have no bass player, brings obvious but perhaps unfair comparisons with The White Stripes.
What once was Parva is now The Kaiser Chiefs. With a brand new set and a brand new sound the band introduce their new selves to us with "Less Is More".
Soundtrack Of Our Lives @ Leeds Festival 2002
The second that Soundtrack Of Our Lives step onto the stage, the biggest conceivable raindrops begin to plummet from the sky.
Foley (2) @ Royal Park Cellars
My first trip of 2004 into the deep dark depths of the Royal Park Cellars. It's often dirty rock you find emanating from the cellars but this evening it's an altogether more mellow collection of bands.
As a second encounter with Barnsley's badly named Gaia (and they're not even crusties!) is thankfully a little more promising but still cuts a firm trench in the middle of the rock/pop highway.
I've been listenig to some cool CDs recently. The new Martin Grech album is rather insane and the lastest effort by This Et Al is a bit of an epic while Dalek has been opening my mind to a whole new side of hip-hop.
Leafeater @ Pennington's (Bradford)
Leafeater are on top form tonight, showcasing tunes from their eagerly awaited debut album which they are releasing in April on their own label GAK Records.
This second self-released EP, from Manchester based 4 piece Finka, carries on what the band's "The Whistleblower" EP started a mere 6 months ago.
Spitfire Charlie: Childish Thoughts
These days, releasing CDs more regularly than a wet day in Yorkshire, Spitfire Charlie are no doubt looking to build on their recent 3 minutes of fame found in the hands of Steve Pac-a-mac.
"Radio 1 on the Road" comes to Leeds in June...
Radio One are coming to Leeds in June as part of their "Radio 1 on the Road" event. The 3-day event takes place between Friday, June 6th and Sunday, June 8th and will be based around a series of sessions at LMUSU.
For the most part, this Lincolnshire based folk-rock outfit, offer pretty ordinary acoustic picking/strumming tunes of the brand that will be eternally popular in pubs whose name begins O' or round the campfires of crusty festivals.
Buzz Forward & Space Boy: All the way from outer space...
We should all be wary of music that takes itself too seriously and is full of pomp and self-importance...
Insider information is great, but useless if it doesn't get shared whilst on the other hand there's some things that are better left unsaid.
Third Eye Blind: Out Of The Vein
Another American band that have failed to break the UK market, perhaps down to a seeming unwillingness to tour these shores.
Whoa! Where did this come from? Like a rabid dog let out of its cage whilst on numerous class A drugs, The Lies are all about fast, loud, in your face songs.
The Glitterati @ Fibbers (York)
"We all wanna be big, big stars but we don't know why and we don't know how". So sang Counting Crows, which subsequently became their 'how'.
Volcanoes hail from the new Leeds (Sheffield). The four piece have a stripped back indie blues sound that although not devoid of influences, has a pretty strong personality of its own.
Monday nights are always strange nights for gigs. It's kind of like an extension of the weekend, but with the knowledge that it's Tuesday the next day and still a full week of work ahead.
The opening guitar induces a wince, the shaky drumbeat turns the wince into a grimace and as the vocals come in teeth grind until there's nothing but flesh.
On arrival at The Cockpit it appears I'm not on the guestlist after all. Spotting a man with a clipboard who looks like he must be part of the touring entourage I explain my predicament.
It's splendid when a trip down to a nearby pub results in you getting nicely sloshed and seeing a good band.
Mr Shiraz @ Warehouse (Huddersfield)
Well if there was ever a rock 'n' roll town, it's gotta be Huddersfield. Why bloody Huddersfield? I asked Mr Shiraz and their pop impresario and all-round genial chap of a manager, and they all just said 'You'll see'.
The Pigeon Detectives: Untitled
The Pigeon Detectives are one of the most entertaining live bands around Leeds at the moment. On stage their frantic and furious frontman belts out shambolic rock 'n' roll gems like there's no tomorrow, often threatening to decapitate one of the band's guitarists as he throws his mic stand, microphone and himself around the stage in an uncontrolled fit of pleasure.
There always seems to be something rather good going on at The Faversham at the moment. In tonight's case we're treated to a single launch party in aid of those young new wavers O Fracas, the single in question is "Zeroes and Ones".
Various Artists: At Least You Can Die With A Smile On Your Face
Do you have a special friend who sends you compilations of their very secret favourite tunes? Someone you love enough to want to discover new bands to play for them?
The crowd gather nervously near the back of the room as The Pigeon Detectives open up the evening's musical jamboree.
Venues with pillars are shit. Especially big huge stone ones a few feet square. That aside, the Blank Canvas is a rather cool venue and seems to be increasingly used.
The winners of Zane Lowe's Fresh Meat (?!) award open the proceedings with some rock and roll. Brighton garage rockers The Lodge have a heavy twinge of The Stooges about them, and play simple but catchy singles 'Piece of Cake' and new tune 'Noose'.
Electric Mud Generator: Souls of Infinity
Appropriately with a name containing the word "mud" this is a dirty throaty blues rock stab from the Leeds outfit.
Southampton scamps Black Nielson swan onto the stage with all the demeanour of your average tramp plodding down the lane to the offie to buy a four pack of kestrel super strength.
This Et Al: The Figure Eight EP
We'd seen angry young men come and go before, and Leeds has been brim-full of earnest tunefulness for years, but from the early days This Et Al seemed like something a little different (remember the red shirts?) But here, three years on from the split 7" that launched Dance To The Radio, the main differences between themselves and contemporary Leodensians such as the band with whom they shared that single, ¡Forward, Russia!, seem to revolve around the resolute failure of the national media to pick up on their efforts.
If anyone's guilty of throwing the term "sounds like Tool" around, then it's me, and maybe Simon Glacken, but in this case, Broken have obviously been studying their copies of 'Lateralus' and 'Aenima'.
Urban Eyez @ Unity Day Festival 2003
Hyde Park's Unity Day Festival could be described as a mini Glastonbury, complete with kid's field, several music stages and all sorts to look at and petitions to sign.
For any regulars on the Leeds music scene, the Cellars has always and will always hold a very special fondness in our hearts.
The Bellrays: The Red, White and Black
The down and dirty bass guitar riff of "Remember" kicks off this second Poptones offering from The Bellrays before some rolling drums interrupt proceedings along with strangled guitar for company and then we're off into a rifftastic headlong dash to the chorus.
I never realised there were so many Candians in Leeds, I'm pretty sure they outnumber non Cannucks here tonight.
The Blind Lemons @ Blue Bar (Harrogate)
Good lord. A decent gig in Harrogate. Might have known they were outsiders... We check out the fantastic but poorly-monikered Blind Lemons at the Blues Bar.
This 3 song debut from York students The Calvo Contract is "grunge-metal"... so that'll be rock then.
It was the first Bad Sneakers of the new term and things got off to a riotous start with Leeds scenos-a-plenty heading down to check out this evening's musical talent.
Shallowend: Now You Can Own The Experience
If you had never heard acoustic music played well. If you had never heard well-written songs. If mumbling rock with no particular words was your only listening pleasure.
Did you hear the one about an unknown band from Teesside, the guy who runs a Smiths night and the room upstairs in The Fenton?
Signal Generator: Square Wave EP
The "Square Wave" EP from Huddersfeld's Signal Generator (Peter Morttram) is four tracks with (as far my lugs can tell) not a square wave anywhere.
Everything is running late and A Destructive Issue aren't sure if they are soundchecking or actually on stage for real.
Fortune Drive: Recent Advances Vol II
This is not as the title might suggest, a back to back collection of "bonkers" dance tunes as is usually the case with anything suffixed with "Vol 2".
Out of all three bands playing at the Futuresound gig tonight it's obvious as the crowd disperses onto the dance floor which band most people have come to see.
A hectic lifestyle means that it has taken me a good week or two to actually get round to playing this CD.
Eureka Machines @ Leeds Festival 2008
Eureka Machines charge up the whole show for the next three days by demolishing Friday's graveyard slot, tearing out classic rock songs like Saturday night was already half way through and speeding us all up to life-threatening pulse levels.
Considering there wasn't a lot of promotion for the showcase this evening at Leeds Mine this was one hell of a night.
This is straightforward simple soft rock from somewhere in the early 1970s. Three tracks, three slightly different grooves with an identifiable consistency.
Hurrah it's a concept compilation album here. The basic idea is that "internationally renowned" architect Will Alsop came up with a new exhibition called "Supercity".
I was slightly nervy before reviewing this CD; the reason being that I'd heard a number of people comment adversely on it - at first I could see what they meant; but the more I've listened to it the more it has developed.
Even during the early stages of her career, Cara Robinson was writing and recording with notable artists from a huge range of musical genres, including David Holmes, LTJ Bukem and upcoming EMI artist, Corrine Bailey-Ray.
In the field of heavy metal/ hard rock, some bands try their very best to push forward the template to an otherwise limited genre.
Every time I go to the Packhorse, Leeds seems to be in the middle of a hurricane or similar. The walk from the city centre up to Hyde Park is a blustery and soaking one, but once inside things start to pick up immensely, with one of the most impressive local lineups at the venue in some time.
indie pop
Taz (Bass and vocals) Kate (Guitar and vocals) Ultraxine are a female-fronted, harmony driven pop/punk/rock duo based in Leeds.
The Amazing Pilots @ Royal Park Cellars
Any band with a name containing the word "fury" give you a huge hint as to what they're going to sound like before playing a note, so it's no surprise that Two Wheel Fury provide a riotous, fun affair ranging from punk to alternative rock sounds.
Charly Six: Get Drunk, Screw, Get High
The boys that once were Brass Monkey are now the men standing up to be counted as Charly Six. With a sound that has undergone several incarnations there has always been some question as to which C6 would be turning up.
Neil Cowley Trio @ Millennium Square
The Leeds Jazz festival has become an easy way for the average music lover to be exposed to a whole host of talented Jazz musicians from across the UK.
Apart from having a similar name to Hundred Reasons, there isn't much you can say about this band. As I listen to the opening track, I get the feeling the song isn't going anywhere.
Nick Copland - vocals, keyboards, shouting and hitting stuff, Paul Farago - bass, trousers, Simon Wood - keyboards, trombone, knob-twiddling.
Tonight's showcase at Josephs Well was in aid of Link Community Development to raise money for the Leeds University Hitch hike to Morocco.
Ryan Shirlow and the Bloody Marys @ Fibbers (York)
I'm starting to feel like a York correspondent for LMS as I stroll down to Fibbers to catch one of Leeds' most talked about bands of the moment.
Hooks For Hands - The Carling Stage A packed out and excitable Carling Tent rips into a huge roar as unknowns Hooks For Hands take to the stage.
Accolade: Something In The Sky
There's a strong voice and some nice open tunes here. The simple chord changes are fluently done and a Radio 2 audience beckons.
Record label boss for Badly Drawn Boy, DJ, entrepreneur, sleeve designer, tea maker and generally good bloke Andy Votel has his own proper album out.
Sadly missing the workaholic Being 747 (four gigs this week for them!) it was straight into the nitty-gritty of Futuresound.
London trio Plastik are straight down the middle Indie pop-rock merchants, unfazed by scratchy angular scenes that no doubt surround them and standing tall on the back of well written tunes rather than the right look.
I'd never previously seen any of the bands I saw on Wednesday night but when I left at 11:15pm I felt like I'd heard three of them somewhere else before.
So this is it then, the final one of these gigs for a while, ending what has been a great season of gigs at the Well for the Blue Star chaps.
Welcome to SG #9 and welcome Embrace, virtually the only 'Leeds' band to achieve success since god knows when.
A pretty quiet start to the evening for a Saturday night in Leeds, and bloody cold too, so I was looking for something to warm my cockles.
All Star 69ers @ Joseph's Well
Tonight's Northern Xposure event is opened up by Welsh band Novello, who play interesting, energetic, loud rock music.
This is such a good idea, and such a good CD that everyone should know about it. Xi have self-produced a three track demo CD that shows exactly where the band have got to after four years of steady graft and four drummers.
Afternoon are new to me. But experience has its mitts all over this accomplished demo. Learning that they recently did support for Oceansize at Joseph's Well made me even sicker at having missed that gig.
Saturday night saw the debut for new club night: Fake Hips upstairs at the Library Pub. Having arrived slightly late to see the full set from openers The Electricity In Our Homes, I can't say I regretted my tardiness from what I heard.
York, eh? Lovely place, full of historical importance and quaint old streets full of olde shoppes. As for music though, it's probably not the first place you'd look for talent.
e·mo·tion (-mshn) n. An intense mental state that arises subjectively rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a strong feeling Emo is a type of music that is rapidly gaining popularity in the UK, despite being popular in America for some time now.
You have to admire this 4 track EP from Manchester's Nun. Whatever you feel about music, this massive, sprawling mini-epic is worth a listen if not to see just how far they push things.
Local showcases are always unpredictable and without pretense thus making them top reviewing candy. Occasionally rousing, sadly more than often easily forgettable and very very rarely awe-inspiring.
Ahhh, you can't beat a bit of a shuffle in the late afternoon, and this month Mr. Rob Paul Chapman's showcase again failed to disappoint.
So I'm wondering where my drunken comrades are and thinking if I'm going to get my coat back from the bag they have before I have to brave it back out into the winter night.
My Awesome Compilation @ Joseph's Well
It's fair to say My Awesome Compilation's debut full length 'Plans' didn't exactly "break" the band the way it could and probably should have done.
There was a bit of an air of anticipation, for this gig. Parva's first hometown gig for a while, riding the back of their recent chart position, The Catheters shooting up the airwaves and the press' adoration for The Libertines, made this something of a "must-see" gig.
Wildhearts @ Scarborough Castle
So this is what I missed Leeds Festival for then. Catching the train out to the coast first thing on a Saturday morning (well, halfway to the coast - due to trouble on the line I end up getting a bus from York) to see the last ever gig by both Wildhearts and Terrorvision, today has the omens of being a good day.
AntiProduct @ Brudenell Social Club
If there was one thing that fatally crippled the "nu-Brit-indie" uprising of last year, it was the lack of general excitement and, more to the point, characters about the whole thing.
Joseph's Well tonight is certainly a strange place to be. Sweltering and packed to the rafters with anybody who's anybody, and anybody whose not, in the whole of Leeds.
four day Hombre @ Royal Park Cellars
Tonight brought together three great bands for the re-birth of the Panama Nights, now scheduled for every Saturday at the Royal Park Cellars.
If theatre was the chosen style then Loqui came right out and did it properly. Their cast of oddballs was choreographed around Rob Chapman (trombone, vocals and ego) and their music swirled, raced and bewitched.
This three track demo gives notice of an interestingly slap-happy West Yorkshire band with leanings in a Stephen Malkmus direction.
Why, oh why, oh why?? What is it with female bass players? Now I've been in bands with three myself and my current partner in rhythm, Miss Ravelle, is an exception to this rule...mostly anyway.
It's a wet Monday night in Leeds and the Swedes are here to rock us, alright! As steam rises off the unfortunates who have queued in the misery outside, winter blues are quickly vanished by the arrival of punk rockers Sahara Hotnights.
Viva Voce: Get Yr Blood Sucked Out
The follow up to their acclaimed international debut The Heat Can Melt Your Brain sees man and wife team Viva Voce broaden their sound...
Another cracking line-up courtesy of the Blue Star boys, this time with a bit of a rockier edge leading to possibly the fullest showcase since Leeds Music Scene maestro Dave Sugden and Joseph's Well manager Karl Baird began the monthly nights back in December 2000.
Brutal Tinkerbell @ New Roscoe
If ever there was a lesson for new bands to learn then Future Sons Of Rome are it. 1) Your singer should never wear sunglasses unless you are playing on the main stage of a festival or have sold out a well lit arena.
Cash Mattock: 21st Century Sleaze
God this is a tricky one, so it's going to be really brief. First off because this album contains 17 songs of which describing each ones sound would take me forever (the press release which came with this CD is 4 A4 sheets long!), but primarily because this guy is a bloody nut, and his album hums with this undertone.
Lapdog @ Woodkirk Valley Country Club
The summer madness continues with a spanking good night of local music at The Strychnine Lounge last Friday - four bands, yup four bands - one stage and a room full of people demonstrating that the upward trend of the venue is continuing.
The Landaus look a bit of an odd bunch on stage. There's the Britpop esque bassist, Taylor Hawkins on the drums and two singing guitarists who help bridge the indie to rock gap whilst sounding at times like Caleb Followhill.
The Scaramanga Six @ Leeds Festival 2007
Wintermute - The Carling Stage Wintermute's prize for winning the Cockpit's Futuresound competition is the opening slot at the festival, 11.30am on The Carling Stage.
This was a night to remember - it rocked! And it ROCKED! And the longer it went on the better it got.
The memories are hazy, the order of events may not be quite right but I know two things; beer flows freely in The Fav and amazingly it didn't rain, or at least certainly not enough to water down my Sol or to kill any of the musicians on stage.
First up tonight are Imodiom; to say the least they are unprepared. After an unsure start the set quickly went downhill.
The Alarm: In the Poppy Fields
The Alarms' fresh new CD has two halves. Tracks one through six are clear throated, sharp sounding 80s post punk rock, evoking U2, Echo and the Bunnymen, Big Country and The Alarm.
Paranova @ The Old Cock (Halifax)
The Old Cock has recently been celebrating the renewal of is entertainment license, and a decent sized crowd had assembled in what is the town's temple of live music. The support slot was filled by a band new to my ears, a swampy rock outfit named The Roller 6ix.
Talk to us about their stalker and news of a pending debut album...
Sky Larkin @ Leeds Festival 2007
Turbofruits - The Carling Stage Hailing from Nashville these fresh faced blues-punks are a thrilling kick off to the day.
The Fratellis @ Leeds Festival 2006
Day three: my, doesn't time fly? The sun's out too, which is a welcoming start to the day especially for those camped out near the Main Stage for the first of two Flogging Molly appearances.
What is a Juma? Well it depends on whom you ask... To some it's a dance riddled drug fuelled monster of funky rock and roll.
While many of Leeds' rock fans were the other side of town (Razorlight at LU) some of us were supporting local talent.
The Scaramanga Six @ Joseph's Well
Malevolent. Not the crowd - the band. Politburo take to the stage. No lights, a speedy, last minute soundcheck.
Chicken Legs Weaver @ New Roscoe
First, a grumble. Tonight, there were three great acts on for a measly three quid, on a well though out bill, in a venue just outside the city centre, with probably the most consistently good sound in the city.
Jalopy Pop is a sugar filled, super happy, smiley faced ride from start to finish. Song after song of catchy, infectious American pop that is so chirpy that it could brighten up the day of the most miserable, down in the dumps bastard.
The Holiday Plan: The Wasting Time EP
The amount of shouty, disjointed emo grows bigger by the day, and it ain't about to die down any time soon.
Kyte have been floating around for a wee while now, but with precious little in the way of released material.
Those of you whose interest in the rock press goes no further than Kerrang! might be a bit surprised to learn this but there is actually quite a burgeoning sleaze/glam metal scene underground in the UK at present.
Irish Ratbag Mickey Charbagaz resides round these parts, he touts his wares on myspace, has lots of cuties leave messages of love and adoration and he looks rock and roll...
It's Saturday night, the cellars are dark, and Steve Kind is bellowing for us to greet rock uber-beasts CATYLYST, and as they take the stage amidst the roar of two distorted guitars, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat with my fist poised for punching the air and I'm ready to rock.
It's a chilly Saturday night, and my feet have past the point of freezing. Upon reflection, acid pink sling-backs are unsuitable for an occasion where any amount of walking is required.
Lightning Bolt @ Brudenell Social Club
Arriving at the venue around 5pm, the Brudenell Social Club is already packed out with a whole variety of people.
After already being one up on the fact I had seen these girls perform all these tracks live, whilst supporting The Almighty in Sheffield, I was interested to see how well it sounded on more produced level because their set was pretty bloody good.
Shaun T Hunter: For Adults and Brave Children
Shaun T. Hunter has an album on his own label called "For Adults and Brave Children". He has sent 6 of its 15 tracks for review.
There's little more that LMS can say about Emmet. We've already creamed our collective pants over their brand of high class dance music, or as everyone seems to call it, 'dance music it's ok to like'.
I arrive at the Cockpit just in time to see openers Captain take to the stage. They go on to set the tone of the evening with their shimmering, often delicate indie pop music.
Band names get more elaborate these days. It's a shame the music they produce doesn't. Now It's Overhead are very dull to watch and listen to.
Metal is on a definite upsurge at the moment, what with Limp Bizkit topping the charts and Amen on the front cover of NME and so on.
Fleet Foxes @ Brudenell Social Club
Opening for the hotly-tipped troupe were seasoned performers Beach House. Appreciated by the hushed audience, Beach House played some very melodic tunes in this short set despite singer Victoria Legrand's largely indiscernible vocals.
I'm intrigued. Track three on this CD is called 'Reykjavik 101', which is a sort of name check of one of my favourite films ever.
A half-filled room welcomed London-based three-piece The Primms onto the stage. Having heard the quite average two-track "Do You Know The Future?" EP (released on Destabilize Records), my hopes were less than high, and, unfortunately, the same blandness and mediocrity of their recordings was evident in The Primms' live set.
Wheat: Everyday I Said a Prayer for Kathy and Made a One Inch Square
A rather morbid album title and a rather uninspiring band name wouldn't make this album stand out to most people.
Donning a pair of mucky old Converse Trainers - I headed down to Bad Sneakers, I felt, suitably attired.
I've never seen the Mixing Tin so packed midweek, especially for a Monday night! So it looks as though we are in for a treat with the band line up this evening - or so I thought!
Its been four years now since The Dandy Warhols hit the Uk scene with their classic track "Every Day Should be a Holiday", which followed their self-titled album released in 1995.
The Sugars: The Curse Of The Sugars
The Sugars appear to have been purveying their darkly sweet brand of rock 'n' roll to us lucky Leodensians for some time now, but this semi-eponymous long player is their debut full-length offering.
Fold your hands you walk like a rock star. The Dandy Warhols represent the triumph of substances over substance and their first two albums are testament to this with a handful of quirky, catchy and perfectly snotty pop gems along with dawdling tunes you might call "Atmospheric" or "Filler" if your in generous mood.
More funky house music? Oh yes. King Booty sound like some sort of cross between those endless 'chilled dance music' CDs you see clogging up valuable space in Virgin Megastores and the sound of French dance music from about 1998 - 1999.
Duncan McFarlane Band @ New Roscoe
Hmm.... the New Roscoe you say? Isn't that where the tribute bands play? Well yes I suppose it is, but periodically they offer a night over to a group of performers who can really write songs and play them without pretending to be someone else.
The Vine seems to have a cross section of every genre of rock 'n roll tonight, as we move through pseudo funk, light indie, Maiden-esque metal and then finally some anthemic indie stompers.
Tonight the Highwood, yet again packed to capacity saw another three bands from Leeds' increasingly fertile music scene.
The Tennessee Traincrash @ The Vine
The intimate carpet, curtains and ceiling lights of the Vine's upstairs room dispense a surreal good humour to all who have entered the packed-out space, up here on the edge of abnormality.
There's always been a place for humour in music. All the best bands had wit without being cheesy and over the top with it, and tonight proves that humorous observations and amusing asides don't mean you have to be the Grumbleweeds.
I love gigs like this. You go down to some random (admittedly, in the case of the Faversham, glorified) pub on the outskirts of the city to see a band or two that you've never heard of and to be brutally honest, probably never will again.
Foo Fighters @ Leeds Festival 2002
After a f**king long walk home the night before and with a mild sense of too much Carling I opted to drive in on Sunday and be entertained with the knowledge that my car awaited at the end of it all.
COMPETITION: Win a pair of tickets to the first Independent Leeds Music Awards night on 7th January
Leeds international beatbox star Shlomo is set to host the first Independent Leeds Music Awards event on January 7th 2006, and we have a pair of tickets to give away for the event.
The Hi Fi Club is nicely full. Not heaving. Nicely full. It's a Friday, and the young and beautiful of Leeds have come out.
Eureka Machines: Being Good Is Okay (But Being Bad Is Better)
Chris Catalyst appears to have had his sinister fingers in any number of Leeds-baked pies in recent years.
Pounding of drums and wail of guitar signifies that My Exploding Heart have come to the stage. Singer/guitarist Danny Carr thrashes out power chords like it's the last time he'll play a gig while faces of orgasmic exhilaration come from frantic drummer Mike Quarry.
Various Artists: Dance To The Radio: What We All Want
If you don't live, eat and breath it, the Leeds music landscape has almost been unfathomably applauded for the bands it produces and the nights that exist within its figurative walls in recent years.
Biffy Clyro @ Leeds Festival 2007
Mute Math - The Carling Stage The New Orleans quartet are perhaps only known thus far as recently re-doing the Transformers theme and for their excellent video to "Typical" which has attracted over 1 million views on Youtube.
Rockadile play a set of familiar tunes with an uncommon competence and jovial showmanship. Yes, to repeat, it's well played and audience-friendly and gently bounces off of the evening and the environs with big hearted smiles all round.
The first 29 seconds of this 6 track EP from US newbies Revelation Theory sounds pretty damn good. Consisting of hard, dirty drop D riffage and that unmistakably 'fat' American drum sound.
Richard Thompson Band @ Irish Centre
Described in this month's Uncut as "...one of Britain's greatest living songwriters" - and surely even this glowing accolade does not do justice to the musical genius that is Richard Thompson.
Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies @ The Vine
Whiskas - Transmission promoter and tonight's doorman - is stressed. The doors are open, thirty punters are milling around already and The Black Helicopters are still sound checking.
I arrived at The Vine late to see there was a change to the original line-up for the night. Wakefield three-piece Soberskin had conceded their slot third on the bill to open the night.
A charity gig for the Asian earthquake appeal saw local men-of-the-moment Kaiser Chiefs headlining on the eve of their short tour in America, and saying a fond farewell to the Joseph's Well crowd that has championed them over the last year and more.
Catylyst are not having a good night. But it's not their fault; a series of cock ups with Chris' guitar and a bad sound due to the P.A man's efforts (or lack of) didn't do this outstanding band any justice.
A Silver Mt. Zion @ Brudenell Social Club
It's sold out tonight at this tiny venue, which comes as a pleasant surprise considering these bands get very little coverage this side off the Atlantic and tonight's gig kicks of with Little Wings.
It's been one long round of scaring A&R men since we introduced you to those 'Frenchcore' nutters les Flames!
All dressed in black; sultry with stiff motions, Mother Vulpine's heavy QOTSA style guitars lap over some gorgeous male to female harmonies.
Viva Stereo: The Surface has been scratched EP
Sounding like the bastard love child of Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and Death In Vegas' Richard Fearless, Viva Stereo are cooking up quite a sound.
"Welcome to your new job/ hope you have a wonderful first day" goes one of the lines in 'First Day', the riotous major label debut single from Sunderland's The Futureheads.
Victoria Holdsworth chats with Kava Kava main guy Pat Fulgoni.
The Vine is hardly buzzing tonight, which is a shame I think - all three bands here tonight have some definite potential, and some support early on in their careers wouldn't hurt.
Saturday night and four bands take to the stage at Leeds' Premier pub/venue location, The Duchess. First up are the duo of Andy Parrott & Rob Karl, who unfortunately I missed.
The Sunshine Underground @ Brudenell Social Club
It may be cold outside, but the atmosphere inside the Phoenix Club-esque venue is anything but. With fierce rivalry and bitter competition all too common in most "scenes", the camaraderie and genuine mutual respect among the Yorkshire bands playing this evening is heartening to see, and sets the tone for the night.
Bilge Pump @ Brudenell Social Club
The Brudenell Social club played host to three bands, all helping to raise funds for the Asian Earthquake Disaster appeal.
The Xenith Sound @ Royal Park Cellars
The basement of the Royal Park pub is pretty empty as Nex take the stage, but it quickly fills up once the reverberations can be felt through the floor upstairs.
For fuck sake, it's deafening in here. Irony is that I avoid suggesting to the soundman that it could be worthwhile him twitching his fingers in a general right to left and downward motion because, quite frankly, it is soooo loud he would not hear my request.
The Pigeon Detectives @ Leeds Town Hall
The Big Fight; Could two support acts be more different? Round One, Micky P Kerr vs. Air Traffic. Ding Ding Ding.
Army Of Freshmen are like young kidults with limitless energy and their live show is exhausting to watch.
The Hundred Reasons journey is probably a blueprint many bands will not attempt to imitate. It's been one plagued by both in house bad decisions and the most malicious of record label misdemeanour.
'Intense and claustrophobic music from Bradford. Extra proof, as if anyone needed it, of the Leeds/Bradford axis of musical accomplishment. More edge than a very edgy thing.'
First up at Tuesday's Elustrious night were Leeds skank-meisters UNIT - a seven-piece whose horn enhanced take on dub was straight from the lo-fi, speaker-shuddering rulebook of 60s and 70s Jamaican studio supremo King Tubby.
A Northern Chorus: Spirit Flags
I know this band. Well, sort of. I remember about a year ago, that someone was posting on the Sigur Rós message board talking about (because he was in) a band called 'A Northern Chorus'.
Ok so it's another wet dreary evening at Leeds and I have no idea where the Faversham is, that is until I realised that it was right behind the Uni which made me feel like a complete knobby creek.
Up first tonight are US based band Five O'Clock Heroes. Perfecting cheerful pop sensibility alongside dirty rock they possess a fiery sound, with each beat of the drum, each bouncy bass line and vocal melody perfectly executed to produce a catchy rock sound.
Various Artists: Elevate, 21 Pop And Indie Gems From The Underground
The beauty about underground albums like 'Elevate' is that they can really surprise you. There are no preconceptions about the artists.
Minus The Bear @ Joseph's Well
Minus The Bear are a breathtakingly awesome band with a sound so in tune with the times whilst being apart from other bands of the guitar-electronics melody section, base-drums rhythm section set up.
The Charlatans @ The Refectory
It's been six years since the Charlatans were on a stage in Leeds (festivals excepted) and there have been several major changes in that time.
Drifting, as they do, in a special dimension of their own, Galitza pulsate on a separate cycle to the ones we can normally understand.
As readers will see from the by-line at the bottom, we are breaking our rule of not reviewing our own gigs.
I thought Leeds was all about indie rock n roll and skinny white boys with guitars?? NO! Of course it's not you silly boy.
65 Days Of Static @ Brudenell Social Club
Aaah the all dayer. The closest thing you get to a mini festival, and with a rather interesting 8 band bill scheduled for the Tasty Fanzine event, the Brudenell Social Club seems to be slowly buzzing with prospect for the bands to come.
Band Profile: Captain Wilberforce
Formed after an impetuous fit of song-writing one weekend early in 2004, multi instrumentalist / vocalist Simon Bristoll, aka Captain Wilberforce, has come a long way in a short time.
Scatter: Women Of A Certain Age
"Scatter's debut CD 'Judas' was a lament to Leeds Utd golden boy Alan Smith's vile decision to join Man Utd." Aaah, football fans.
The best kind of pop music is pop music that knows it's pop music, and isn't afraid to tell everyone just how pop it is. Gavin Miller explains...
Ric Neale: Hasn't Heard of You Either
Ric Neale does faultless pro-style songs with a contemporary r&b flavour. Great voice, slick sidemen and a warm jazz inclination add up to a luxurious journey through eight memorable tunes.
Electric Six @ Brixton Academy (London)
An evening of pure cheesy-student-rock music laced throughout with lyrics befitting the kind of teenage cliché that surfaces so often on title sequences to All American Highschool dramas.
This 10 track CD on Eggbert Records is a celebration of traditional guitar pop values. Danny Slack, Sam Forrest, Dave Hunt and Tom Johnson do timeless craftsman-built songs as if English punk had never happened.
Beautiful Feet @ Royal Park Cellars
I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that as much as anything else when it comes to gigs, the 'flow' of an evening's entertainment is as important as the quality of the music in catching and holding people's attention.
After the sun goes down on a rare glorious spring day in Leeds, Idlewild are creating havoc among the crowd gathered in Leeds Met Uni S.
After spending Saturday watching sport, namely Leeds Utd beating Liverpool, then spending the early evening at Joseph's Well, where the glamorous (or is it sexy?) Albeit were set to headline yet again, I ventured down to The Rocket.
Does an increase in age signify a decrease in dress sense? In the middle of a completely black-donned audience, whose average age is around 16, stands a balding 25 year-old.
It seems that everywhere you turn these days, someone is writing a review or on TV or maybe just down the pub declaring the excellence of the current Leeds music scene.
The Research @ Brudenell Social Club
Quite what The Engine Room think they're doing by opening the evening with The Nervous Shakedown, I do now know.
There's not a great crowd down tonight, but there often isn't for opening bands so hopefully it'll fill up later.
The Royal Park Cellars has a rapidly growing reputation, and gets better every time you catch a band down here.
The Scaramanga Six @ Joseph's Well
Review featured with permission from www.whisperinandhollerin.com Wrath Records are a new label in Leeds, based around 4 bands who have a lot in common.
Duels @ Woodhouse Liberal Club
Dance to the Radio was an event. Is it possible to review an event? Even straight description couldn't get deep enough into the complexities and impossibilities of making such a thing not just happen but happen so brilliantly.
The A.M. @ Fez Club (Sheffield)
If you have never been to, or played the Fez Club, I would recommend that you go. Nice staff, a friendly atmosphere 'Moroccan' / middle east décor and silken sheets for the bands to hide behind and call their dressing room.
Baby Rattlesnakes @ Original Oak
It's not what I was expecting. In fact I don't think anyone could be prepared for this gig. The Original Oak.
A Swedish hitchhiker near York asked if I played a musical instrument and when the answer was no he told me he was returning from Ireland.
Inner City Sumo @ Cardigan Arms
It wasn't a huge crowd that braved the Kirkstall Road winds to see these 4 bands in The Moog Productions evening at The Cardigan Arms.
Many people erroneously laugh off the Kaiser Chiefs as mere Britpop pretenders, but imagine if they had actually been born into the dregs of Britpop in 1995 and not quite made it - thus leaving the music business quietly to play at local snooker clubs wearing sunglasses, a la Rick Witter?
Two Wheel Fury @ The Refectory
This is the honest truth: I just got off the phone to a friend of mine and when I mentioned that I had been to the student union Battle of the Bands, she said "Oh, and did the winner of the event happen to be a metal type band who did some well known covers?" The formula is that obvious then.
So it's my first time back at the Well since that whole unfortunate 'incident' when The Stills overran by about six hours or something.
SAVING LENNY The first impression I got of this band was the noise. Two guitars can often be noisy and in this instance that was the case.
Two support bands. Why? Why oh fucking why? Maybe I need clarification, but I thought the whole point of a support band was to warm up the crowd for the main event, not take away all the time from them?
Proper Charlies: Andy Roberts catches up with Charly Six prior to their Royal Park gig...
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Leeds Town Hall
So then ladies and gents lets go back a couple of years when Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Strokes and the White Stripes were unleashed on us surrounded by a haze of media frenzy and unadulterated cool.
Poor Pifco. Unfortunately for them, the organisers of tonight's event, Tiny Cat, haven't realised that for those living outside of the city centre the cutoff point is basically about 11pm.
Thursday @ Leeds Festival 2006
Saturday is all about the killer sequences, from the likes of Rise Against and Boy Sets Fire on the Lock Up Stage, to the incredible mid afternoon New Yorkshire mash-up on the Carling and ultimately to the two heavyweights jiving it out at the top of the bill for commercial indie supremacy.
Having settled myself down before soundcheck with - wait for it - a glass of water (not being one to skint the rock and roll lifestyle), I watched with interest as a varying and frankly baffling array of workshop tools, guitars, miniature drumkits and animal-print amps were wheeled onto the small stage by an equally delightful assortment of long metal hairstyles, arranged tent-like above the leather-jacketed Fobia, and the tie-and-shirt-type figures of headliners, Diawara.
For the uninitiated in things Nasty, Nasty Fest is the coolest, most fashionable festival in Leeds. This is the land of the true fashionista, where colossal hair for the boys; plunging neck lines for the girls and the most god damn cool clothing available to mankind are compulsory!
First up, playing to a half empty square, are The Motorettes. These Geordie guys aren't half bad really, even though they fit the mould of typical indie rockers.