The List

For those of you who saw my last post, I've picked up a few tickets for some exciting, upcoming gigs. 

Now.

I get around and I've seen my fair share of gigs, so much so that I keep a list of each one. This doesn't include local acts, just those that I've paid to be in the presence of. 

Some of them have been brilliant and some have been down right terrible but you know what? I'd rather remember those ones more. The ones where I can see chance of improvement, decide what I want from a show and search until I find it. 

Forgetting is no fun. 

So, take a deep breath and take it all in, here comes the list (in no particular order):

Turbowolf	Jack Penante	Goldheart Assembly
Postmodern Jukebox	Florence and The Machine	Local Natives
The Cribs	Jamie T	Los Campesinos
The Enemy	Bombay Bicycle Club	Billy Talent
Oasis	Vampire Weekend	Pulp
Kasabian	Yeah Yeah Yeah's	The Strokes
Twisted Wheel	Ian Brown	Muse
Kings of Leon	Passion Pit	Young Knives
Trivium	Queens of The Stone Age	The Streets
Iron Maiden	The Wombats	Death from Above 1979
Pendulum	Elliot Minor	We Are The Ocean
Ocean Colour Scene	Biffy Clyro	Taking Back Sunday
We Are Scientists	Doctor & The Medics	Fucked Up
Kaiser Chiefs	Hot Chip	Offspring
Tenacious D	Glasvegas	Deftones
Babyshambles	The Thermals	Miles Kane
The Killers	Kid British	Frankie & The Heartstrings
Last Shadow Puppets	Joe Carnell and The Book Club	White Lies
Frank Turner	Eagles of Death Metal	White Denim
Bloc Party	The Futureheads	Beady Eye
Fratellis	The Libertines	Tom Vek
Editors	Arcade Fire	Tim Minchin
Raconteurs	Guns and Roses	The National
Dirty Pretty Things	Weezer	Madness
Plain White Tee's	Limp Bizkit	2 Door Cinema
Artic Monkeys Reverend & the makers	Cypress Hill	Seasick Steve
Radiohead	Dizee Rascal	Pigeon Detectives
Fightstar	Gaslight Anthem	Dizraeli & The Small Gods
Prodigy	Modest Mouse	Bright Eyes
Courteeners	Yeasayer	Manchester Orchestra
The Rakes	Gogol Bordello	Jonny & Jenny
Maximo Park	NOFX	Civil Wars
Enter Shikari	Blink 182	Black Keys
The Horrors	Get Cape, Wear cape, Fly	Band of Skulls
Metric	Mystery Jets	Gillian Welch
Little Boots	Joy Formidable	Ryan Adams
Patrick Wolfe	Mumford and Sons	Spiritualized
Tame Impala	Royal Blood	The Pogues
John Cooper Clarke	Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats	Squeeze
AC/DC	Vintage Trouble

Some of these I've seen numerous times. I don't hide the fact that Ocean Colour Scene are one of my favourite bands and together with my Dad, have been to far too many shows and heard the same songs. In truth, I bloody love them. 

So.

That's the list so far.... 

Let me know who you've seen from this list and who you're excited to see this year.

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HepkattFM 

If you've lost your faith in love and music, the end won't be long.

2016 is shaping up to be a good year for music.

I know, I know. 

So many people have said this it's cliche but I'm excited. 

First up, we can look forward to a new Royal Blood album. That fabled second album that can propel you to the next level or leave you in the bargain bucket. The rowdy duo were lauded for bringing dirty rock and roll back and I'm not ashamed to admit that I got giddy at the sound they created. I caught them support the Arctic Monkeys at Finsbury Park when I had never heard of them and I'm constantly kicking myself that I spend half the set in the queue for the bar. Nevertheless they were on fire. 

Beyond that I have several gigs booked over the next few months that I can't wait to tuck in to. Later this month, I'm going to get my first live experience of Nathaniel Rateliff and the NightSweats. Their brand of messy upbeat music is something that caught my attention when I first heard S.O.B whilst surfing around on Youtube. I'm seen some footage of them performing and I get the feeling this will be a great show at Rock City, Nottingham. 

This is where it get's interesting. I've been fortunate enough to get hold of tickets for the Milburn reunion.

Now. 

These may not be a huge household name. However, I grew up in Chesterfield and spent lots of my youth at gigs in Sheffield and these guys were everywhere. These were the band that the Arctic Monkeys were seeing when setting out and you can hear so many similarities in the first album from Turner and Co to that sound that Milburn were championing. I once watched Arsenal vs Tottenham with the drummer and bassist in the Forum in Sheffield. Lovely bunch of chaps. But that's for another time. 

They are playing two dates at Sheffield City hall and the atmosphere will be one of nostalgia and mindless teenage recklessness. 

In May, I head to the city hall to see the Last Shadow Puppets. I'm very excited for the rebirth of this act as the new single seems a far throw from what the first album was. I caught them at Leeds festival first time round and was blown away by the chemistry Turner and Kane had as they quipped their way through a 30 minute set. This was prior to the first album and so felt thrown together but that kinda added to the spectacle. 

And finally, PostModern Jukebox return to the UK. It's no secret. I love these guys. They play pop music from the back of a Tardis. Best sellers of today played in the style of best sellers from yesterday. The musicians and singers that get together to offer us this are beyond talented and I'm crazy excited to travel back in time once more. 

Hopefully, there will be plenty more gigs to come and I'm always looking to catch local bands. This is why 2016 promises to be a  great year for me in music. 

Let me know who you're seeing this year and who you think will own 2016. 

Till next time.

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HepkattFM 

Taking over....Ate Days A Week

This week I'm giving you something scrumptious. 

Ate Days A Week is taking over and mixing food and music together for you happening cats.

Make sure to check out ate-days.blogspot.co.uk for more tasty morsels.

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I’m a big fan of a strange combo, and while my main passions lie in anything to do with food (sad right) I also love a strange and exciting musical mash-up, a well-executed cover that had no place being there. Like a biker band, turning up to a Justin Bieber concert and killing it anyway.

So here it is, my favourite unexpected food and music combos:

Apple + Cheese

You’ve heard of chalk and cheese? Well this is like that, yet despite being the opposites of each other, apple and cheese just gel. My favourite nostalgic treat.

Love Machine – Arctic Monkeys.

If you haven’t heard it you must. A chance to hear the now ever brooding Alex Turner having a little bit of fun. (you might even hear him smile!)

Any weird burger topping 

You can’t always beat a well-made cheeseburger, but throw anything out of the ordinary on that burger and I’m all over it.

Reptillia – The Punch Brothers

Mandolins and Indie Rock? Of course it works, don’t even question it.

My favourite to date? ‘The Scooby snack’ A giant double cheeseburger, towered atop a toasted brioche bun, with a side of delicious chilli cheese fries and topped with warm ham, onion ring, and pineapple (you thought it was a normal burger up until the end there didn’t you?) I don’t know why the pineapple works, I guess it’s like sweet and salty popcorn..

Which leads me to…

Sweet and Salty Popcorn.

It’s again like chalk and cheese, I love a salty snack, but in the cinema, there’s only so much sprite you can drink to counteract a super large salty popcorn - throw in a little sweet, and every other bite is an emotional rollercoaster of flavour. Yum.

Hey ya – Obadiah Parker

An old youtube favourite, turning an in your face Hip Hop (is it? I have no idea) song, into an acoustic masterpiece. Sometimes all you need is a guitar and a voice.

Bacon jam

I mean, its caramelised bacon that you can smear on top of a burger, sandwich, crackers, or just grab a spoon and dig right in! I mean it’s bacon, what’s not to like?

Johnny Cash – Hurt

Amazing that this wasn’t the original, as if written for the musical legend it can hardly be recognised as a cover.

Dorito Chicken

Crunchy chicken nuggets tossed in your favourite crisp. Mash up a bag of heatwave dorito’s, roll your chicken in the crumbs, bake. Et voila! Crunchy, firey and a lot more impressive than the preparation that went into it.

You are my Sunshine – The Civil Wars

Creepy folk song, covered by a cracking folk duo – it’ll give you a whole new view on a song that you probably just thought was a pleasant lullaby.

If that’s a little too dark and dreary for you; try their cover of Jackson’s I want You Back.

Twix Brownie

As good as it sounds, soft gooey chewy brownie, topped with a ayer of biscuit , melted caramel and crunchy chocolate. Heaven and calorie hell all in one delectable bite. (or 20 mouthfuls of sinful self- loathing)

Shake it Off – Scott Bradley and the Post Modern Jukebox

I could not complete a covers list without including one of these gems. Turning well-known pop songs into timeless classics. Get your jazz shoes on ‘cos you’re going dancing.

That’s it from me, I promise there’s a thousand more brilliant examples of these but it’s hard to think on an empty stomach…

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HepkattFM

Alreet...

Nah then. 

I grew up when the boardwalk was still the place to be to see the upcoming bands in Sheffield. One of the best exports has undoubtedly been the Arctic Monkeys. They've gone from track suits to church suits but the message stays the same. 

I wrote this review at the time AM was released. 

Enjoy ah kid.

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This is Chip Shops and Chardonnay; Sean Bean and Motorcycles, truly rock and roll with the lights off. AM is a long way from the Boardwalk but this still feels like a new beginning, a new twist on the Arctic trail.

Do I Wanna Know sets the scene as it seduces you with it's swaying riff and electronic drum heartbeat. It feels like a your listening to a Turner monologue whilst star gazing through an electric guitar. If this sets you up then R U MINE? knocks you out.

From the moment it kicks in you're hooked. The lyrics are both brilliant and brave as it feels set in reverse " I'm a puppet on a string, Tracey Island: Lone ranger riding". If a song had a dress sense R U MINE is in leather and shades and not taking them off to go indoors. Helders screeches in the background, linking with Turner as they quip "oh ahh" in the middle of a blatant rock song.

This slinks into One For The Road where the whole thing feels like you're watching Turner put the moves on a dame in a Jazz Club; the music is splashy and the drinks are free. The whole feel of the album is progression, you know there are songs waiting in the wings that didn't make the first team like "you're so dark" which could have easily made the cut but the balance feels right.

This is shown perfectly by the next track on the album Arabella. The start of this track is pure rock in its most subtle and yet glaringly obvious form. The way the drums are simple and yet pierce through, the guitar that skittles across the track, tip-toeing to the chorus where you are slapped in the face with the cosmic call of Sabbath style riffing. This is supposedly based on Turners girlfriend and what wouldn't be to like about a girl with Gator skin boots who smokes organic cigarettes.

Whilst this album is about growth (the only thing that has moved back is each members hair with the help of a tub of hair gel) they also point to their influences and give them a tip of the hat. Mad Sounds, a song that sounds straight out of Costellos back catalogue, (possibly because his own drummer Pete Thomas is on this one) is taken from early Arctics producer Alan Smyths original song. Then there is the much more on the nose use of I Wanna Be Yours plucked from John Cooper Clarke. This gives the record a route home from the States with lines such as "I wanna be your leccy meter, that you get cold without".

The Sheffield group were given plenty of help from friends old and new with people like Bill Ryder-Jones (ex-Coral) creating the melancholy solo in Fireside,which is backed by the 70's style backing of "shoo op, shoo op". Josh Homme a familiar face to these now belts out of 30 seconds of high pitched melody in Knee Socks and lends his voice to One for the Road.

The first single released from this album that set everyone up to AM was the R&B influenced Why Do You Only Call Me When You're High? Turner strolls though this like a trip down memory lane and the groove of the track simply chases him with Helders cracking backing in tow.

The record is kept moving throughout with tracks like I Want It all which features rising guitar only topped by the height of the vocals. No 1 Party Anthem in which you hear Turner talking about parties previous " Sunglasses in doors, par for the course" and Snap Out Of It which feels ultimately like a song from the back end of the 60's. 

This is still Rock and Roll but written by Dr Dre on the wall of the Leadmills bathroom. This record is a cosmic shot of adrenaline to those who had fallen out of love with the Arctics. Put on your leathers, turn off the lights, hold on and ride the AM Helter Skelter.

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HepkattFM

Pumping On The Stereo

Now.

You've sat back and (hopefully) enjoyed the acoustic playlist. You're feeling pretty darn chilled. 

So we need to pick it back up. Maybe it's time to get ready for your Christmas party and all associated debauchery or maybe the Christmas blues (that's a thing right?) have taken their toll and it's time to jump out that funk.

Put away the electric heater. Pop your collar. Enjoy.

Set The Fire In Me C-C  -  Tom Vek

Cassius  -  Foals

R U MINE  -  Arctic Monkeys

Left Hand Free  -  Alt J

Pedestrian At Best  -  Courtney Barnett

Come On Over  -  Royal Blood

Islands  - The XX

Loser  -  Beck

Clint Eastwood  - Gorillaz

Maps  -  Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Song 2  - Blur

Big Sur  -  The Thrills

Fire  -  Kasabian

Homesick  -  Catfish And The Bottlmen

Alright  - Supergrass

Pretty Green  -  White Denim

Inhaler  -  Miles Kane

Golden  -  My Morning Jacket

Solid Gold  -  Turbowolf

Gold On The Ceiling  -  The Black Keys

There we go.

Suitably pumped?

HepkattFM

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