Sea Girls - Great Hall - 22/11/22

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It’s a funny story how I discovered Sea Girls. I was driving along the narrow roads between Betws-y-Coed and Bala in the summer of 2021. My playlist had come to an end and there was nowhere to pull over in sight. Spotify began to play my recommended songs – which never seem to be of any interest to me – when ‘All I Want to Hear You Say’ came on. 

In the coming months, I became completely infatuated with the song – I’d listen to it in the shower; when walking around; before I went to sleep. It was like nothing I’d really heard before and I loved it. 

The London-based band sold out Cardiff Uni Great Hall on Tuesday evening, with a crowd of varied ages and genders hanging onto every word they sang and every chord they struck. 

Lauran Hibberd, whose monthly listeners on Spotify equate to 88,000 at the time of writing, opened for the band. Her charismatic approach got the crowd engaged, while her stage presence demanded the attention. ‘Average Joe’ off her 2022 album ‘Garageband Superstar’ was the standout anthem. 

The four-piece indie-rock band opened with 2019 single ‘Damage Done’ and followed up with ‘Lucky’ off their 2022 album ‘Homesick’ before addressing the crowd for the first time to the pandemonium of onlookers.  

It was the first time I’ve been to a gig and seen the majority of the crowd being loyal supporters. You couldn’t move for Sea Girls t-shirts and people screaming as they recognise the next song from the first chord played.

Captivating frontman Henry Camamile was idolised by the flock of avid supporters, who repeated most lyrics back to him. Lead guitarist Rory Young danced around the stage as though he was one of the crowd members. 

Arguably the most entertaining sequence of tracks were ‘Violent’, ‘Lonely’, ‘Sick’ and ‘Do You Really Wanna Know’, with each song gaining greater reaction than the last. 

Their encore included ‘Daisy Daisy’, ‘All I Want to Hear You Say’ and ‘Call Me Out’, ending with their two most popular songs in true indie-rock band fashion. 

If you haven’t witnessed one of their shows live, I’d really recommend you do. Their variety of melodic, dancey and mosh-pit-worthy songs is fantastic and I’m sure people of all ages would have a great time. 

Blossoms - Great Hall - 26/11/2022

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Despite the torrential downpour outside and the disappointing week for Wales at the World Cup, Blossoms reminded those who attended their gig at the Student Union that you can still have a blast with live music. 

I’m no stranger to Blossoms, having already seen them numerous times at Reading Festival and in my home city Bristol, but this gig was something beyond what I had already seen of the band. I was saying to my friend afterwards how it was more like a performance or an event rather than a gig, with a great support act from Brooke Combe beforehand, followed by a great selection of tracks from the likes of Oasis and Neil Diamond to really get the crowd in the mood.

The atmosphere was electric and when the band walked on the stage, opening with one of their signature tunes ‘At Most A Kiss’, the room was bouncing. The band were unbelievably tight, and lead singer, come guitarist, come pianist, come harmonica(ist!) Tom Ogden roamed the stage like he owned it. 

Some songs would lead blissfully into the next without mention from Ogden, reinforcing their tightness and capabilities as a band. A special mention to the three additions to the original 5 of the band, who really boosted the live sound created on the evening, making it sound just as if it was pre-recorded.

Ogden also gave some interesting insights at times as to how some of the tracks were written and the backstory to them, my favourite in particular being ‘Ode to NYC’, which he revealed was originally written for a Netflix show, only to be pushed aside once the band recorded it. Unlucky Netflix! This was also where Ogden showed off his musical prowess playing guitar, as well as singing, and then a beautiful harmonica solo to finish the song. 

Charlie Salt on bass and backing vocals, Myles Kellock on keys, Josh Dewhurst on lead guitar, and Joe Donovan on drums all put on a show as well, interacting with Ogden as he led from the front. 

If you’ve heard or indeed listen to Blossoms, you’ll be aware that their music is usually quite fast and energetic, as was evident on the night with songs like ‘I Can’t Stand It’, ‘Your Girlfriend’, and ‘How Long Will This Last?’. However, the 8-piece became a solo for one song, where Ogden slowed it down with his acoustic and piano, playing first album track ‘My Favourite Room’ which was a spectacle in its own right.

They finished the show big with arguably their most popular song and another old classic ‘Charlemagne’, which was the perfect way to close the show, with people on other’s shoulders and the room bouncing once more. 

I have to admit, I’ve seen some good gigs, including the ones I’ve seen from Blossoms in the past, but none compete with this one. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it! You won’t regret it. 

Snakes Don't Belong In Alaska and Kong Lives – The Moon - 11/11/2022

Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska

Three men walk into a bar. One is wearing a light-up rainbow afro with a mortarboard hat, one dons a Starship Enterprise uniform, and the last man hides his face with a demon mask.

While this may sound like the set-up to some bizarre joke, it was in fact the sight that greeted patrons of the Moon, a music venue located on Womanby Street, on Friday 11th of November.

While the Moon is not a particularly spacious venue, the room was soon packed to the rafters with an enthusiastic crowd of metalheads and alternative music lovers – most likely also drawn in by the fact that it was a free gig. I had personally not been planning to go out that night, wanting instead to have a lazy night in, however, I chose on an impulse to attend after being invited on a Tinder date. Having said that, I have to admit that the outing turned out to be well worth it, even if it was a full and utter whim on my part, due to the unique and interesting sounds presented by the two bands that played.

Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska, a psychedelic rock band based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was formed in 2015 by Aaron Bertram, Alex Johnston, and Chris Watson and joined by Jarrid Kolodnicki in 2020. However, in early 2022 Watson departed the band, leaving them to function as a power trio. Since the beginning, the band has been formed with the idea of improvisation in mind, with the trio themselves describing their sound as ‘face melting psychedelia’. When discussing the conception of the band’s sound, Bertram stated: ‘We had a gig supporting Laundered Syrup at little buildings in Newcastle, possibly early 2016 and we came up with this crazy idea of not using any of our rehearsed material, just getting up on stage and jamming. The rest is history.’

The band’s most recent release, an album called “INTERSTELLIC PSYCHEDELIC” was made available for purchase on August 5th, 2022. This record may be defined as having elements of space rock, krautrock, and even a unique take on the idea of jazz. Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska was supported by Kong Lives, a post-metal/doom band hailing locally from Newport, formed in 2016 by ex-members of the bands Tradish and Desalvo. Riding off of the high of their 2021 album ‘Thy Kingdom Kong’, the four-piece band played an energetically heavy set consisting of nothing but extraordinarily lengthy songs, including Rose Ascension, a 23-minute piece split into two separate parts – the longer of which hails in at a remarkable sixteen minutes. This is uniquely impressive for this specific band due to the heavy metal vocals sustained over the course of these lengthy tracks. I can personally only liken their sound to bands such as Neurosis or Isis.

Their sound also has elements of shoegaze, with an airy mixture of blended vocals, distorted guitars, effects, feedback, and loud volume.

Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska entered the stage at 10pm, accompanied by a futuristic voiceover that sounded like it came right out of Star Trek. Nobody quite knew what to expect from the relatively unknown band, the majority of the patrons only attending due to the free entry, so anticipation was high. However, from the moment bassist Aaron Bertram began to play, the room erupted into movement, the crowd already riding the buzz of Kong Lives’ dynamic set. What followed was something I could only describe as an hour of psychedelia, with the band improvising a full 40-50 minutes of free-form rock, a constant flow of music that just seemed to have no end, nor even any breaks. This is not to say it was boring – far from it, I found it utterly fascinating to watch how the band responded to each other’s subtle cues to change the music in little ways that kept it interesting. It was amazing to see how you pick up on little things in the music once it had been a constant background noise – I realised I was picking up on even the smallest changes in, for example, the bassline.

Even as someone with zero knowledge about anything technical in relation to music, I found myself deconstructing everything that went into the pure mind-melt that was Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska’s set. After around 50 minutes, the music simultaneously came to an abrupt stop with what seemed like little to no communication, leaving the room in stunned silence as we were confronted with the thought of ‘what just happened?’. One of the band members – the one who wore a rainbow afro – broke the silence by leaning into the mic and muttering what were the first words we’d heard from them for the entire set. “Thank you,” he said, nodding his head towards the crowd. “That was our first song.” With that, the crowd erupted into laughter and applause, giving Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska a warm exit as they dissipated to the bar.

Overall, for saying it was a total whim, I found myself utterly blown away by the uniqueness of the two bands I’d seen. From the absolute riot of the energy provided by Kong Lives – I was half convinced I’d go deaf by the end of the evening – and the pure psychedelia of the jam session played by Snakes Don’t Belong In Alaska, there was something to please any alternative music lover.

Eve Astle

Kong Lives

The Architects - Cardiff International Arena- 14/11/2022

Earlier this year, Scottish rock legends Biffy Clyro announced a UK arena tour with Architects; the announcement caught fans of both bands' attention.

I knew as soon as the tour was announced that I didn’t want to miss this lineup, with Architects being a favourite of mine. Having just released the mammoth new album ‘The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit’ on the 21st of October a whole new setlist was in the making.

After headlining the Motorpoint in May with Sleep Token and Malevolence, it was time for their swift return. Opening their set to brand new track ‘deep fake’ the night was off to a start and being able to witness this from the second row was truly an almost magical experience.

Not once slowing down the energy, it was then time for ‘tear gas’, a track with a catchy chorus that will get stuck in your head for days. Throughout the whole set, the sound was massive, filling the arena with vocalist Sam Carter’s haunting screams and powerful clean vocals.

Later on, they performed arena rock gold ‘Meteor’ with the arena singing in harmony to ‘I should be moving mountains but I’m like fire in the snow’ solidifying that this song is a staple in any Architects setlist. ‘Dead Butterflies’ was the standout moment for me, with the whole venue swaying and holding their phone torches in the air. As expected ‘Doomsday’ woke the venue up; both casual and super fans were in their element.

Finishing off their set was ‘when we were young’ and ‘Animals’ , both huge tracks that successfully got the crowd’s energy up for Biffy Clyro.

Deaf Havanna - Tramshed - 8/11/22

Deaf Havana kicked off their 2022 UK tour in Cardiff’s Tramshed, on the 8th of November. This was to sing new songs from their 6th studio album, ‘The present is a foreign land.’ 

Originally a band of 8, only 2 remain of this alternative rock band. Brothers, James and Matthew Veck-Gilodi from Norfolk were brought back together during the pandemic as they ‘felt the urge’ to start writing songs again and so that’s exactly what they did. Preforming 9 songs from their new album and 16 from the rest, they brought a good stage presence and a whole load of talent. 

But before their 95-minute set two support acts took to the stage. The first one was, an alternative and indie band ‘Jaws the Shark’, with lead vocalists and guitarist, Olly Bailey, successfully hyping up the crowd between preforming his new releases. And ‘KHAZALI’ brough a whole new vibe to the stage, the lights were lowered, and he performed his indie pop songs, alongside his striking dance moves. 

But the lights were lowered for long, as the room flooded with adoring fans, Deaf Havana’s set was about to begin. At 9:15pm the crowd went wild as they ran on stage catching everyone’s attention. ‘Pocari Sweat’ was the first song they performed and the fans knew it word for word, their vocals filled the room. They also went on to sing, ‘Trigger’, ‘England’ (which was accompanied with an English chant), ‘Worship’, ‘Evil’ and ‘Nevermind’. The crowd then sang happy birthday to Deaf Havana’s own, Mathew, who responded with ‘Wow thanks guys, I am so happy to be here.’ 

And you could really tell the brothers were, not to mention the crowd as well. Repeatedly   screaming ‘I love you’ one fan showed her dedication as James even recognised her as he jokingly said, ‘oh no not her again.’ The crowd then laughed, and the band carried on playing a couple more songs, such as ‘Kids’, ‘On the wire’ and ‘Sinner’.

‘One more song’, ‘one more song’ gradually got louder as the crowd begged for another as it got towards the end of their set. And to the fans delight they got an encore of 5! – at this moment the atmosphere was unbeatable. And I can say, I have never been to a concert where the fans are in such awe of the artist, and this was really warming to see. 

This was the first night of the tour, and Deaf Havana commented on Instagram the success of the night. “Thankyou for last night Cardiff, what an unbelievable crowd.”

They have 5 tour dates left around the UK and tickets are still on sale. 

Boston Manor Review - Great Hall 14/10/22

Boston Manor are back and better than ever with their newest release ‘Datura’ which will

serve as part one of two releases. The Blackpool five piece saw themselves shoot even

further into the limelight in 2020 with mammoth ‘GLUE’, it was going to be hard to top an

album like this. Earlier this year they were finally able to tour ‘GLUE’, bringing alongside

them Movements and Jools.

‘Datura’ was released on October 14th 2022, when the band were in the heart of Cardiff

ready to perform an acoustic show and a supporting role for Alexisonfire. I was able to catch

both sets, solidifying for me that Boston Manor are simply one of the best live bands of

modern times. The album opens to title track ‘Datura (Dusk)’ which is a very Boston Manor

way to open the album; the lyrics ‘we’re scared and we’re alone’ haunting their way through

the track. We then move onto my personal favourite from the record ‘Floodlights on the

square’ in which we get a further glimpse into vocalist Henry Cox’s wonderful vocals. The

two powerhouse singles of the album are next with ‘Foxglove’ and ‘Passenger’ with catchy

choruses and hooks that will become staples at live shows. Whilst I found ‘Crocus’ to be my

least favourite on the album it is still a memorable, catchy track. Ending the album is ballad

‘Inertia’, meaning ‘to remain unchanged’, tells the tale of coming back to the same thing each

time, no matter how far he goes ‘Inertia,you are still my home’.

You can catch Boston Manor on their short UK run in December in which they are

performing at the likes of Blackpool, Bournemouth or Leicester and at 2023’s Slam Dunk

Festival.

As Everything Unfolds – Throwfest Review

Picture this. There’s a buzz in the air. A sea of thick black eyeliner and Halloween costumes. The stomp of Doc Martens on the cobbled pavements of Womanby Street. The sound of heavy guitar and cheers waft through the doors of Clwb Ifor Bach and the Moon.

Saturday 29 th October saw the 2022 return of Throwfest, Cardiff’s favourite heavy music festival. This year’s line-up featured an impressive roster of bands and music acts, including headlining act As Everything Unfolds returning to Clwb Ifor Bach immediately following the release of their new single, Felt Like Home.

As Everything Unfolds have been my favourite band since the first time I saw them live, so as you may imagine I was thrilled to hear that they were returning to Cardiff before the end of the year.

Based in Buckinghamshire, England, As Everything Unfolds have been on the scene since 2013, but shot into popularity following the release of their 2018 EP, Closure, which had overwhelmingly positive reviews. However, it was their 2021 album, Within Each Lies The Other, that solidified As Everything Unfolds as a well of potential in the alternative scene. Incorporating elements of progressive metal and post-hardcore, the band have garnered a diverse following of die-hard fans.

As Everything Unfolds featured on the downstairs ‘Tiny Rebel’ stage at Clwb Ifor Bach as the headlining act, gathering a decently sized crowd when considering the format of the festival and the overlap of acts. However, while the crowd may have lacked in number when compared to an exclusive gig, they made up for it in their enthusiasm, screaming the lyrics to each and every song, including the brand-new single, Felt Like Home. An impressive feat, considering it had only been released just over a week prior! The intimacy of the venue also meant that we, as fans, could interact with the band before, during and after the performance, creating an atmosphere that you really don’t get with larger spaces. I had the opportunity to chat to multiple members of the band one-on-one after the show, which was a wonderful experience as I was able to express my love for their music personally – and receiving a signed copy of my favourite album was also a plus!

A highlight for me was my personal favourite song, Greyscale – a softer, slower song seemingly, from my perspective, detailing the experience of living with depression and finding the beauty in smaller things. Greyscale, being less heavy, gives lead singer Charlie Rolfe the chance to show off her voice, which has been likened by critics to fellow alternative singers Hayley Williams (Paramore), Amy Lee (Evanescence), and Becca Macintyre (Marmozets). Greyscale is a standout amongst the heavier songs of the album, in my opinion, a breath of fresh air amongst a plethora of loud, energetic beats. I found as well that it was a total people pleaser, the crowd knowing every word almost as well as Rolfe herself.

Rolfe got the chance to display her impressive range with the performance of one of my personal favourite songs, Wallow – perhaps the song that made me first fall in love with the band when I saw them first as an opener for Holding Absence. This passionate, raw depiction of the feeling of love and betrayal features the juxtaposition of Rolfe’s guttural metal scream set alongside her soft, ethereal melodies, backed against a soundtrack of heavy guitar and percussion.

The energy in the room changed when the crowd heard the distinctive opening scream, a mosh pit immediately opening in the centre as fans chanted along. What followed was an intense performance of jumping, pushing, and overall fun – the sort of high-powered energy that any experienced gig-goer knows and lives for.

The feeling of being in amongst this crowd was incredible, creating a buzz that can’t be recreated by any other experience.

It was a true display of how amazing it is to be in an intimate crowd of like-minded individuals, caught up in nothing but music.

Perhaps one of the best parts of the show was the live premiere of the new single, Felt Like Home. I had personally avoided listening to the song in the week leading up to Throwfest, finding myself a big fan of experiencing new music for the first time live. However, I can safely say that the single has been playing on repeat in my head ever since.

Speaking on the song, Rolfe says “This song is a more personal story. It’s about embracing those most vulnerable moments in your life and making yourself feel comfortable in them, making them feel like home. Don’t ignore things that have made you who you are, leave those worlds open ever so slightly and learn to grow from it,” Felt Like Home is the first insight into their highly-anticipated second studio album, which is slated for a 2023 release – if we can wait that long!

Two things are for certain – firstly, wherever they bring the sound next, it’s sure to be amazing. Finally, they sure know how to put on a show!

Chrissie Hynde The Globe 18/10/22

On Monday night the ex-Punks were treated to a great Billy Idol set in the International Arena with his polished Las Vegas style Punk Rock greatest hits show.  There were no greatest hits in evidence at the Globe on Tuesday night with Chrissie Hynde.  Instead, we were treated to a non-stop barrage of old-fashioned Rock n Roll fused with Punk Rock edge and Akron, Ohio chutzpah.

Fresh(ish) from the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at Wembley - Chrissie had set expectations beforehand that these intimate dates would not go down the well-trodden path of Pretenders hits, but instead the short set would be littered with tracks from the later (but lesser known) Pretenders albums, her 2014 solo album “Stockholm” but still with treats like the “Adulteress” from Pretenders II slotted in for good measure.   Nobody looked in the least bit disappointed and Chrissie herself (in contrast to her last Cardiff appearance at St David’s Hall) looked like she was enjoying herself.

The band were tight, the newer songs still had the hooks, the voice was spot on and the sound was fantastic. In particular, James Walbourne on the guitar made the men in the audience want to be him and the ladies to be with him.  The night belonged to Chrissie Hynde though.  If anyone deserves legend status – it’s her.  From the days in the in the 70s working in SEX with Malcolm McLaren, hanging out with the embryonic Sex Pistols (see Disney Channel) cementing her status in the Rock n Roll hall of fame, fighting for Animal Rights and being able to call a Beatle a friend – she’s seen (and probably done) it all.-