Reading Festival Day 1

First band on the bill for myself were Creeper [8] that day. Even though getting let into the festival area took a bit longer than expected, I arrived just in time for the end of the first song. The energy within the rather big gathering under the tent of the Pit stage is intoxicating as the band belted out another one of their songs to the hungry mass. Considering that this bunch of musicians from Southampton haven’t been on the radar for too long, the amount of people passionately yelling their lyrics back at them covered in Creeper merch is quite astounding. One word from the singer and the crowd obeys. Circle pits, mosh pits, jumping, crowd-surfing, people on other people’s shoulders. Anything suggested is getting transferred to actions with the blink of an eye. This band is destined to grow exponentially bigger as they progress in the future.

Next on the bill are Lower Than Atlantis [5] set to play on the main stage of Reading. While the gathering in front of the stage is quite big, there isn’t too much movement noticeable in it. To be fair, I’m personally not surprised to see that. Song after song, there’s hardly any change in rhythm and energy. You nod your head along to it and don’t stop till they finish their set, all kept at the same pace.

Much different to that is the next artistic performance on the same stage since the maniacs of Die Antwoord [6] make it their duty to get the crowd up and going again. Even though they’re certainly entertaining, visually and musically, the setting of them playing a set in the bright sun on a Friday afternoon is rather unfitting. If the same show had taken place on one of the tent stages as a closer, it certainly would’ve had a bigger effect and been a better representation of their full potential. Die Antwoord aren’t for everyone, but with a different setting, I’m sure a lot more would’ve enjoyed and engaged in their performance.

Over at the NME / Radio 1 stage, the crowd is already a wild mixture of people trying to see the current artist performing on stage and gatherings of hardcore fans waiting for their favorite band to come on. More particularly, Twenty One Pilots. But more to that later.

Giggs [6] just finishes up his set as I enter the tent and make my way through the dancing and bouncing mass to the front. The energy in there is electrifying and intoxicating to make you join in even though you usually don’t particularly enjoy that kind of music. Kudos for that.

Next up are The Internet [2] who manage to drown all of that previous energy down to Ground Zero. The only person on stage to even do anything close to performing is the guy on the keys who does his best to dance and motivate others to do the same. Not only is the singer’s voice extremely quiet and tedious but combined with the motionless rest of the band and slow rhythms, it’s a pure mood killer.

As The Neighbourhood [9] take the stage, it all gets turned upside down rather quickly again. Considering their music isn’t particularly fast-paced either, they still manage to get the crowd moving again, swaying from side to side. Most credits for that are due to Jesse Rutherford (vocalist) who not only already partially amazes the audience by entering the stage in nothing but high-waisted hot pants, but also by his general attitude of not being afraid of anything and presenting himself with enough charisma to fill the whole stage with it. Their tunes set you to feel like you’re strolling down a beach promenade somewhere on the coast of California. Luckily for them, the temperature that day actually adds up to that, neglecting the cliché of the usual muddy UK festivals.

Preset to be shocked by Crystal Castles [8] are the girls who are doing their everything to defend their place in the crowd for any latter bands. The band is faced with girls booing, screaming for them to stop and yelling disgusting commentary at the singer as she descends to the front of the barrier. Clearly, she isn’t bothered by that in any way, probably not even hearing most of it. None the less, it certainly dulls the experience of this band for others in attendance. Still, Crystal Castles reignite the room with hectic strobe lights, screaming and spastic movements fitting their equally messed up music. Again, as with Die Antwoord, a different placement on the timetable and stage might have given them a better atmosphere to perform in and improved the way they were to be received by the crowd and appropriately appreciated as they deserve to be.

During changeover, dozens of girls are getting lifted over the barrier. Crying, screaming, shaking … most of them are having panic attacks and are getting carried off to the paramedics by security, some instantly faint in their arms. The hysteria is unbelievable. Every five minutes, a big push waves through the rows up to the front caused by people outside the tent trying to mingle their way in. More people fall over, get trampled on and have to get carried out of the venue. A setting like this makes you assume the worst for the upcoming performance.

Twenty One Pilots [8] enter the stage and the screaming in this tent threatens to make your ears bleed within the next couple of minutes. The band performs as flawlessly as usual though. Every song in the set smoothly proceeds into the next one. Josh Dun (drummer) rises above everyone as he steps onto a platform held by the crowd to play on their heads. One of many highlights this band has put into their set. To properly judge their performance, you have to consider that there are only two guys in this band who are putting on this masterpiece of a show. It goes without saying that there are dozens of workers behind the scenes to make all this possible but the duo certainly manages to entertain more than a big number of five-piece bands.

Any pause between songs is still filled with continuous screaming and chants. One chant in particular is carried out across the whole festival that quickly manages to do nothing but annoy every fiber of your being: ‘Whoop there it is!’ It’s like Seven Nation Army all over again.

Back to the gig, it all progresses as per usual until Tyler Joseph walks up to the barrier to crowdsurf his way through to a pole in the crowd to climb onto. This is a rather regular part of TOP’s show though, most of the time, Joseph usually simply appears on any kind of high point of a venue instead of making his way there visibly through the crowd. But the second he enters the thirsty hands of the audience, the poor guy drowns in it. People rip his shirt multiple times, pull off his mask, push him down in between all of them, giving him a hard time to get back up for air. Once he finally reaches his destination he stares over to Dun on stage and speaks into the mic: “We gotta be done, Josh … we gotta be done.” And with this, ends their performance early, cutting off their infamous finish. I wasn’t surprised at all to say the least, personally wouldn’t have done it differently. To not be treated like an actual human being with feelings and the ability to feel pain is something no one should have to go through, especially to receive such rough handling from a crowd of people who are supposed to be your fans, friends and admirer. 

I’ve seen comments online trying to justify behavior like this by stating that ‘[…] this is just what the Reading crowd is like! We’re not like the States. We’re not constantly on our phones. We’re rowdy and passionate! He should’ve expected nothing less when giving something like that a try.’ First of all, rude. Secondly, I’ve been to festivals and gigs all over the world, from Australia to the US to the UK to Europe … genuinely almost everywhere. The UK isn’t any better than the US when it comes to phones. 80% of the people around continuously filmed everything, took endless pictures of the same thing, tweeted about the gig rather than look at it. Plus, no matter how ‘passionate’ you think you are, to behave like this is nothing but disrespectful and disgusting and has nothing to do with anything stated. Unbelievable.

During the last changeover, the tent almost empties and dozens of girls have to get carried outside again by security as they simply start to faint all over the venue.

Not any less pushy and hysteric is the crowd for the upcoming Jack Ü [9] though. While the audience is mostly males at this point, they are all equally ecstatic and mental. The duo gig by Diplo and Skrillex is a unity of menace, hypnotic screens, blasting bass and rhythmic overflows. As the gig processes, the crowd gets rowdier and soon crosses over into violence.

Even though the two guys up on the stage, hiding behind their DJ counters, don’t particularly perform as much as the previous bands, they surely know how to properly get a crowd going. Both dive to the front of the stage occasionally, hype the audience, motivate them to escalate further and the audience follow any requests the artists yell at them. One hour later, the show is finished … every piece of clothing in the ‘room’ is dripping with sweat … everyone is trying to catch their breath … the majority of them all leave with a huge grin on their lips verifying the fact that Jack Ü delivered a show worth of a closer set. 

Don Broco - Everybody (Quick Song Commentary)

In 2015, my ultimate jams for the summer consisted of Panic! At the Disco’s Hallelujah and Don Broco’s Automatic. So to hear this new track by them and feel the same amount of joy as I did back then was surely a refreshing feeling. Everybody has quickly managed to become my new favorite Don Broco song. Which isn’t supposed to shade their past music but more so appreciate the fact that whenever these British guys release new music they manage to overwhelm me enough with their skills and talent to make every new song my next favorite by them. Utterly great tune. 

5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys (Quick Song Commentary)

To be fair, I wasn’t very impressed with SGFG so when the guys released their contribution to the Ghostbusters soundtrack, I avoided listening to it for a good amount of time to not be disappointed again. At some point, I got bored enough with the music I already had to dare and give it a go after all. Genuinely, I’m happy that I did. Not to sound rude or unappreciative, but Girls Talk Boys is better than all of SGFG combined, excluding Castaway. To find out that the song wasn’t even originally written by the band themselves but at most in contribution with three other writers, my shoulders slouched again. None the less, the boys did a fantastic job performing and interpreting the song as they did and I’m sure they deliver the same amount of potential during their live performance of it.

Billy Talent - Afraid of Heights (Record Review)

To begin with, I personally hold a whole lot of very positive, and negative, experiences dear to myself connected to this band. So to listen to a new record of the first band I ever properly flew to a different city for is quite a challenge for my musically neutral mind. There were expectations for this record. There certainly were. Not too high. But also not too low. After all, this band shaped me heavily in one way or another. But it still awoke nothing but disappointment in me.

The record starts rather slow with Big Red Gun and it has a hard time to actually build itself up further on. While Ghost Ship outshines its previous two tracks easily, hope dies down rather quickly again as soon as Louder Than The DJ rolls along. Its overplayed theme makes you slouch your shoulders with a tragic sigh, even though there might be live potential for it. 

Definitely the highlight of it all is The Crutch which finally rumbles the atmosphere with its differential take on. While it is still very much Billy Talent, it's a new and exciting side of it. 

Joy isn't around for long. Rabbit Down The Hole swallows it whole and as does the rest of the album till the outro, February Winds, saves at least the end. A personal major letdown is This Is Our War. The title itself promises a rather aggressive, controversial and rebellious vibe. But once the first notes hit, it's nothing but their The Navy Song all over again. 

As much as I love these guys and as much as I wanted this record to be nothing but themselves, it's too much of the same old again. Staying true to yourselves, all good and well. But mix it up a bit next time, boys, please?

Hardcore fans of the band will still dig it. While they will have a bit of a tough time adapting to the music as well, it'll grow on them eventually. If not now, at latest when the live shows hit their towns.

Fave song(s): The Crutch, February Winds

Overall: 5/10

Cheerio xx

Architects - All Gods Have Abandoned Us (Record Review)

Architects don’t even let you get prepared for a single second, the intro song ‘Nihilist’ kicks you instantly off whatever you were sitting on and keeps punching you for the whole of its 3-minute duration with its cutting-edge lyrics. One track in and you already know that Architects have, again, leveled up in comparison to their last record ‘Lost Forever // Lost Together’. While the mood is the same, ‘All Gods Have Abandoned Us’ simply tops up on the foundation these guys have already built with all their previous releases.

‘Deathwish’ taps into the more melodic section of the group while ‘Phantom Fear’ returns with the usual doom spreading darkness that we're to expect from them. With ‘Downfall’, which had gotten released just a week before the full album dropped, Architects give every critic a flawless piece of music to frantically search for mistakes.

A highlight on the record is definitely the song they first teased, ‘A Match Made In Heaven’, which was a perfect choice to represent the entirety of the record, summoning what they do best, squished it into a song and released it onto the world.

Shaking up your emotions, more and more, track by track, Architects pull you into their minds completely with thundering drums, haunting guitar sections, electronic-beats and interludes that smoothly fade from one song to another.

The finishing touch and, definitely, the most eccentric and outstanding track on this piece of art is ‘Memento Mori’. An eight-minute long song that simply shows once more as to why Architects are such a reinventing and unique band and one of the best British exports these days. Astonishing with endless instrumental creativity and lyrical plays that will leave you with your mouth open. Not to mention Carter’s unreal vocal performance throughout the whole record. It only gets more intense than this at their live shows, which are not to be missed as these folks hit the road to promote this new release.

Favorite track(s): Downfall, Memento Mori, Nihilist

Overall: 9/10

Cheerio xx

P.S.: If you’re in the UK, do not miss the band’s upcoming tour, especially their highly anticipated London gig at the Koko. Huge and very well deserved so.

The 1975 - I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It (Record Review)

What a name. What a record. What a band.

Starting off with a new recording of an instrumental piece which had already found a place on their debut record, you get the same vibe off of it at first. But, at latest, if you haven’t followed the band’s recent song releases, once 'Love Me' sets in, it’s more than clear that this is utterly different. With a perfectly chosen vibe of Bowie’s Fame, The 1975 take on society's obsession with celebrities and their standards these days, especially considering social media and the included fake PR friendships people love to show off on platforms such as Instagram. Healy’s openly mocking it just as much as himself though.

Also previously released was the following track ‘UGH!’ in which Healy confronts his own addictive personality and experiences with, specifically, cocaine. What could be taken as a very upbeat and, another, very 80s vibe song, proves itself to be far more interpretive than most music around these days. The subject itself makes you expect a dark setting, but Healy manages perfectly to bring it across in a more than intelligent and bittersweet way. While ‘Change of Heart’ has remained unreleased on the regular platforms, it did receive a play or two on BBC’s Radio1, as well as the band having presented their fans with it during their US / UK tour run back in November / December. Already at this point, it’s more than clear that the further you indulge into this record, the more bizarre it gets and the harder it gets to sort it into a certain genre. With ‘you used to have a face straight out a magazine’, one of many, what Healy loves to call, ‘Easter Eggs’ (such as in video games) reveals itself as a picked up lyric line from their debut record (specifically here, their song 'Robbers'). These can be found all over the album and give most a whole new meaning if you go back to rediscover its roots. In ‘She’s American’ Healy opens up about his problem to connect with the ‘American way of life’ as of recently, taking a piss at the things that have gotten thrown at him by, as indicated, girlfriends as much as critics. ‘If I Believe You’ tones the vibe down even more but excites with a gospel choir perfectly worked into it. With a title such as ‘Please Be Naked’, more present saxophones are to be expected and a lust-drenched creation. But it is quite the opposite with very few, very calming piano notes, staggering up with sounds of nature before ending in plain piano noises again. Slightly distorted guitar riffs introduce ‘LostMyHead’ before Healy silently starts singing a very reoccurring motif of the whole record about his own state of mind. The repeated ‘can you feel it?’ slowly but surely makes you feel as if you were floating if you close your eyes and concentrate on the individual instrumental parts of the song before it elevates you to an even higher level with the more rock-influenced sounds towards the end of it. Another distorted start, with different voices this time, the ‘Ballad of Me and my Brain’ starts, sounding rather easy at first. But as soon as Healy’s raspy vocals kick in, pleading, ‘I think I’ve gone mad, isn’t it so sad?’, and with it, further approaching the subject of his mental health and the struggles of sudden fame. Considering the fact that he taped his vocals in one single take gives it an even more outstanding aura than it already has. It lasts for almost three minutes, but the intensity of it all makes it fly by in no time. An instant second listen is inevitable.
Continuing with a personal favorite, we dive back into the groove-y sounds of ‘Somebody Else’ in which Healy shows his own fear of commitment as he cannot fully engage in such due to being in the position that he is (‘I can’t give you my soul cause we’re never alone’). With ‘I took all my things that make sounds, the rest I can do without’ he declares his undeniable dependence on and love for the band and music as a whole. A whole new turn takes ‘Loving Someone’ with a row of high-pitched yells paired with odd guitar pinches before a verse kicks off in which Healy raps, more than anything, his way through the song, criticizing today’s pressures of society. In an, what seems like an interlude worked into the song, Healy recites a piece called ‘Orange’ he had previously published on Instagram quite some time ago. Finally, the title track of the record comes along revealing itself to be another instrumental track with an immense length of six and a half minutes. Phrases are scattered across the song. Uttered. Whispered. A childish aura surrounding it for the most part, before it turns into something completely different as robotic sounds emerge, but simmering down again in the end. ‘The Sound’ is another one of the more upbeat pieces of it. It’s filled with Healy’s utterly unique way with words, especially in phrases such as ‘sycophantic prophetic socratic junkie wannabe’. Obviously, his style of writing is deeply injected in all of his creations, but sometimes it just shines more in specific moments (such as ‘Karcrashian panache’ in ‘Love Me’, absolute gold). At the beginning of ‘This Must Be My Dream’ it seems as if it has a happier turn, but it quickly becomes clear that the newly discovered relationship was just another mistake. The subject matter for ‘Paris’ stretches from other messed up people Healy meets along his way back over to his own imperfections and struggles. Undermined by the instrumental contribution, it all drowns in melancholy. In the acoustic track that is ‘Nana’ Healy deals with the death of his grandma, which is already enough of a tearjerker, but it gets even more intense with the following ‘She Lays Down’. In this, Healy speaks about his mother’s post-natal depression, sounding more close than ever as it is solely him and his acoustic guitar. Having started out with the joyful motivation of ‘Love Me’ and to end with the heaviness of ‘She Lays Down’ perfectly mirrors the weirdness and variety of sounds of this record. It’s nowhere to be placed. It’s bizarre. Each member presenting their talent in the best imaginable way, creating their very own sound. It’s exactly what The 1975 are and want to be: oddly glorious.

What a name. What a record. What a band.

Favorite songs: UGH!, Somebody Else

Overall: 9/10

Cheerio xx

The Black Queen - Fever Daydream (Record Review)

It has been a very long build up to this particular record. Starting with mystic and cryptic messages from the band itself through Instagram / Facebook / Tumblr and their newsletters. The road to this very piece of music has been long and, which makes it especially outstanding, incredibly intimate. Starting by sending out unique cassettes to the first 33 who signed up for their newsletter, developing into VHS' they randomly added to three orders of merch including even more riddles for the fans to solve, highlighting the importance of their followers by giving them special treatments through early access to their limited merch before the public eye even got as much as a glimpse of it, as well as sending them pieces of their music video 'Distanced' as another 'thank you' for being as loyal as they are and to show and treat them with as much respect as they in reverse treat the band. The bond these guys have created with their followers can only be described as exclusive, intimate and honest. Even more outstanding through the fact that The Black Queen have been involved in every little detail of this release, making it all a huge DIY project for everybody engaged.

In conclusion, the wait for the record to finally be released has challenged their fans' patience a lot. But they stayed sane and supportive and now that the record is finally out, the reactions have been nothing but positive so far.

I, myself, have been a fan of this band from the very beginning, honored to have received one of those cassettes at the start of it all. So to be able to give this piece of art a listen, is rather exciting. Here's what I think of it:

The intro is exactly what is to be expected of these guys, leading to the first proper track, and my personal favorite of the previously released ones, 'Ice To Never' which throws you back to 80s synth-pop. People who know the vocalist, Greg Puciato, from his main project The Dillinger Escape Plan, will be more than surprised as he starts singing. While he has proven often enough that he isn't just the maniacal frontman of Dillinger, but has an immense vocal range and musical talent in other genres. Clear are also the influences of fellow band member Joshua Eustis, who has been involved in bands such as Puscifer or his main project Telefon Tel-Aviv. Smoothly, it transfers into 'The End Is Where We Start' before diving into the smooth 'Secret Screams', which is drained with an erotic and sexual vibe in a way that only Nine Inch Nails' 'Closer' has done before. Another previously released track follows called 'Maybe We Should' tapping into a more dance and groove orientated corner. 'Distanced' on the other hand tones it all down again, dragging the listener to a nostalgic, but calm place. The same vibe continuous with 'Strange Quark' maintaining the previously set mood. 'That Death Cannot Touch' grabs you with its first notes and pulls you up to get back on the levels of 'Ice To Never', transferring into an almost outer-space mood as 'Taman Shud' kicks in. Ending the whole thing with the perfectly chosen track 'Apocalypse Morning', soothingly closing up the record in as much of a smooth way as it needs.

This record definitely received its proper way of marketing and promotional run till its release that it needed and deserved. The intimacy of it all is clear to everybody who listens a little more closely to it and especially the lyrics.

Another interesting aspect will be how they will present this all in a live show. Luckily, the wait for this won't be long since they're scheduled to play in front of a sold-out Complex (Glendale, LA) in just a couple of hours. Bringing it also to European grounds with a show at the Oslo Hackney in London on February 5th. These performances will certainly also be one of a kind and a must-see.

Without a doubt, even considering as early in the year as it is, this will most definitely claim its place in my personal Top 5 records of 2016.

Favorite tracks: Ice To Never, Secret Screams, The End Where We Start

Overall: 10/10

Cheerio xx

Tour of the Year - Parkway Drive / Architects / Thy Art Is Murder - January 23rd, 2016 - Zenith, Munich, GER (Concert Review)

The Zenith is one of the biggest venues in Munich and, especially for bands in this genre, it's one of the greatest accomplishments and verification of success to be able to play it and actually (almost) sell it out. As did Parkway Drive with this one. Just over 5.000 people attended the gig, making it PWD's biggest headine show outside their home country, Australia.

The tension before the start of the first support band, Thy Art Is Murder [7], gets more and more unbearable as the lights dim. Reason for that is the recent departure of the Australian deathcore band's front man and vocalist CJ. His vocals being rather significant for the band's sound, the new live sound would be an interesting experience. Especially since it was only the second time the new singer appeared with the band after the tour's debut in Würzburg a day earlier. 

But the doubts reveal themselves to be unnecessary as the new vocalist, Nick Arthur (Molotov Solution), delivers an outstanding performance. None the less, the most impressive, personally, are still the drum tracks and how well Lee Staton delivers them live.

Next up are one of the UK's best exports these days, Architects [10]. Due to 'only' playing a support slot, the band's setlist remains rather short, and also mostly unchanged from the one they had on their latest festival run in summer 2015, but it none the less gets the crowd moving in every corner of the venue. While their stage show never really includes much apart from a huge banner in the bag and a few light effects (or some special effects for their last headliner show at the Roundhouse in London in March 2015), this time, not even the banner made it onto the stage. But these guys don't need much of a show, their performance itself is enough to fully deliver everything perfectly and with a thundering sound as they're giving it their all. Architects always deliver, no matter their time given or the stage they're presented with.

Finally, the headliner is getting doomingly close and the lights slowly dim as Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen comes to an end. The whole room gets quiet, the stage is tinted dark red, before a few single spotlights show the silhouettes of the band members behind a curtain. A few guitar riffs in and the curtain, gracing the band's latest album cover, drops down to the ground with a boom of the drums and a just as loud bang from two confetti canons at the corner of the stage, drowning the crowd in a red and white menace of paper. Parkway Drive [9] have arrived. It takes some time, but, at latest, as soon as the sounds to Vice Grip (their first released song off of their latest record 'Ire') bellow through the hall, every single person joins the madness. The show is further undermined with special visual effects, as well as different stage set ups getting revealed as another curtain drops behind the band, and, obviously, flames shooting into the sky for the last couple of tracks.

This tour is a circus full of attractions and is not to be missed if you have any chance to attend it.

Overall: 9/10 

Panic! At The Disco - Death of a Bachelor (Record Review)

I know I'm a little late to the new P!ATD party, but it's been busy and I'd still like to add my little something to this new gem of art.

Personally, I've been excited for this baby to be out ever since the glorious 'Hallelujah' got released onto the world. The excitement never died down with each song that got put out. Such as the intro 'Victorious' which instantly throws you off your chair to cheer and dance along to Urie's significant chants, immediately marking itself as one of my personal favorites. It's no secret that Urie has an immense vocal range and certainly likes to show it off, too, which is why in songs like 'Emperor's New Clothes', 'Hallelujah' or 'Golden Days', you might find yourself in utter awe at his talent. Not only that, but the notable fact that Urie plays all the instruments himself, adds to the already over-whelming musical talent with which this record is soaked. 

While in tracks like 'Death of a Bachelor', he shows off the obvious influences of one of his long-time heroes, Sinatra, and gets more jazz-y and groovey, others, such as 'House of Memories', make you move your hips once more. If you want to or not. There's really not much of a choice. 

Lyrically, it's very clear for the most part what he intends to get across. Most obvious e.g. in 'Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time' which covers the nightlife and its temptations, including drugs, alcohol, sex and the consequences it comes with for the next morning, its mood perfectly set instrumentally. 

Apart from the musical aspect of the record, Urie's has also done one hell of a job with all the videos he delivered to the songs so far, especially 'Emperor's New Clothes' probably being the most outstanding of them.

All in all, while the record does have a bit of a low point with 'The Good, The Bad and The Dirty', other than that, it's a rather flawless record, delivered by one of the brightest minds of music these days. 

Having gone through all the member changes, being the only original member left, Urie still lives up to the name and delivers another marvelous record with 'Death of a Bachelor'.

Favorite song(s): Victorious, Impossible Year, Emperor's New Clothes

Overall: 8,5/10

Cheerio xx