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.

////

HepkattFM 

Top Five....Gigs

I get around.

When I was a few years younger, I blew all the money I had on going to gigs and festivals. It really didn't matter all that much who I was seeing. I just wanted to be there for the experience.

I've seen bands lugging instruments out of their van into some dingy little bar that looked more like a crack den than a stage. The kind of place where you do the safety dance. You know the one. Check for your wallet, phone and keys. Wallet, phone, keys. Repeat.

I've also seen the other side. Festivals. Academies. Arenas. I have to say I don't care for the arena gigs that much. Who has air conditioning at a gig? It's practically law to leave a gig sweating and clutching for fresh air.

Now.

I'm fairly confident the bands won't remember me, but I sure remember them. In fact, I keep a list. I've stood in front of 247 different bands and artists and some of these I've seen multiple times. For instance, I've seen Ocean Colour Scene 11 times in 11 different venues with them in varying states of band members.

So I thought I would share with you what I consider to be my favourite 5 gigs. The one thing I couldn't do was set them entirely apart. So they are in no particular order.

* The Libertines - Leeds Festival.

They arrived to Vera Lynn to crown what was their first official reformation gig. They were reckless and loud and I lost both my shoes to the crowd. It was truly exceptional. I went on to see them again in London for the second reunion and whilst they were more professional, the first gig beats it. 

* Turbowolf - The Harley, Sheffield.

This was my first and only time seeing Turbowolf live and they set an example of how to play intimate gigs. The Harley was the perfect setting for their brand of high speed punk. They're also one of the nicest bands you'll meet.

* Ocean Colour Scene - The Plug, Sheffield.

This would be one of my first gigs and my first experience of not trusting the liquid that flies backwards from the front row. I was starstruck by the sounds in front of me. Steve Craddock remains one of my favourite guitarists purely based on this gig. He was large and the sound larger.

* The Civil Wars - Night and Day Cafe, Manchester.

Romantic. That's how I would explain this one. A terrific venue full of character and characters. The Americana duo held us in the palm of their hands and brought one man next to me to tears. I swear it wasn't me. 

* Ryan Adams - Sheffield City Hall 

All that was missing from this gig was a cigar and a nice glass of red. Ryan Adams took us all on a journey and made the enormous city hall feel like someones front room. At times it was a like a stand up act just broken up with the odd song. Ryan Adams doesn't come across the pond often so when he does, jump at the chance. 

There's so many more I could choose but these are those that spring to mind.Maybe sometime I'll tell you about my trip to Little Man Tate's last ever gig, watching Kasabian with the lead singer from Reverend and The Makers, watching football with Milburn or when I pissed off Alex Turner. 

Maybe next time. 

////

HepkattFM 

Suds and Songs: Turbowolf

TURBOWOLF - BREWDOG

Music.

Alcohol.

Fewer things go as well together as the above. Whether you're in a dingy working mens club ordering pints of warm John Smiths waiting for the out of tune, out of time support act to finish or simply spinning vinyl at home with a choice tipple, it works.

In a new regular spot, I'm going to give you my thoughts on what goes well together.

First up is one of my favourite bands of 2015, Turbowolf. The first thing you notice from this Bristol based band is that their energy isn't just limited to the stage. Their records are just as lively and full of punch as their live offering.

I was able to catch them earlier in the year at The Harley, Sheffield (I spent most of my university life in this place and it's still one of my favourite haunts. Well worth a visit if you've never been) and saw first hand just how their brand of punk rock can grab you by the arm and drag you through a full throttle trip of psychedelia and moustaches.

I'm pairing this with Nanny State from Brewdog. The more experienced drinker among you will notice straight away this is non-alcoholic. The fact is, I quit drinking 6 months ago after a rather life changing experience but I've done my time drowning barrels. 

Not drinking is hard and I sure miss the sweet nectar now and then again and this is why I'm grateful to Brewdog. They have actually produced a non-alcoholic drink worth it's salt. It's a true punk drink for a true punk rock band.

So for you to truly relax and enjoy the album above (Turbowolf - Two Hands) with a beer, pick up one of the first ever Brewdog beers and enjoy a pint of Punk IPA. Once you've got the taste you can head over to Brewdog in Sheffield and experience this straight from the tap.

////

https://www.brewdog.com/bars/uk/sheffield

http://www.theharley.co.uk/

http://turbowolf.co.uk/

////

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

////