Live Review: Jaws @ Cavern

James Beeson went down to KINK’s first offering of 2014 and was ever so slightly unimpressed with Birmingham’s shoegazers. 

As the latest quintessential indie group to come out of Birmingham, it is somewhat inevitable that JAWS are often compared to fellow Midlands-based psychedelic rockers ‘Peace’ and ‘Swim Deep.’ However, as proven during Exeter’s first KINK night of 2014, comparisons in musical style do not always translate to equal levels of musical ability on stage. KINK returning this term has filled the student body’s musical coffers once again, and is set to have a stellar year.

Whilst the likes of Swim Deep and Peace rocketed to fame during 2013, receiving widespread critical acclaim and many plaudits for their nostalgic and carefree vibes, JAWS have languished somewhat, failing to achieve any real commercial success since forming in 2012. On the back of a largely disappointing performance at Exeter’s Cavern, it is easy to see why this is the case.

photocredit:thisisfakedit.co.uk

Having been touted by many as ‘the band to watch’ in 2014, a large audience had already gathered by the time JAWS took to the stage, following on from a powerful support set from local sensations ‘The Big V.’ However, despite the vibrant atmosphere inside the Cavern, the band struggled to create any meaningful connection with the audience with their mysterious, laid-back and distant demeanor.

An obvious lack of interaction with the audience, combined with a lack of ‘stand-out’ anthems, meant that the majority of JAWS’ performance fell flat, although fan favourites ‘Toucan Surf’, ‘Breeze’ and ‘Gold’ were still met with delight by the youthful and exuberant crowd. Unfortunately, the band’s new material is also disappointing, with the lifeless ‘Time’ and unimaginative ‘Think too much’ not boding well for their upcoming album, set to be recorded in 2014.

It would be unduly harsh of me to criticize JAWS for a lack of talent. The surf pop quartet are clearly a band not lacking in musical aptitude, as proven by their highly impressive 2013 EP ‘Milkshake.’ Nevertheless, talent is often easily wasted, and with this rather uninspired and dreary showing on Wednesday night, Connor Schofield and co. showed exactly why they have yet failed to reach the dizzy heights achieved by their Midlands counterparts.

JAWS have an exceptional sound on record; a combination of soothing and dreamy vocals, coupled with highly catchy guitar rifts.  Unfortunately, as of yet, this sound is not translated on stage, and thus the band, as a live entity, leave much to be desired.

James Beeson

Live Review: Palma Violets @ Bristol O2 Academy

Having previously been tipped as the band that Rock & Roll was absolutely crying out for, it would be understandable if Palma Violets felt a great deal of pressure every time they went on stage to perform. However, within around two and a half seconds of the London indie-rockers frenzied set, it is evident that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Image Credit: pr.wikipedia.org

The scene had already been set for a wild night by a vibrant and exciting support sets from psychedelic rockers ‘Childhood’ and Welsh newbie’s ‘Telegram.’ However, when the dynamic duo of Alexander ‘Chilli’ Jesson and Sam Fryer swagger onto the stage, its apparent things are about to step up a notch. Launching straight into ‘Rattlesnake Highway,’ a no holds-barred belter of a record that is low on lyrical depth but high on energy, it is plain to see that this is a band that craves attention. They were made to be in the spotlight.

Jesson and Fryers clatter around the stage and leave mayhem in their wake. The chemistry between the two frontmen has not been seen since the days when Doherty and Barat caused havoc as The Libertines. With their spiky aggressive vocals and gritty guitar lines, Libertines comparisons are inevitable. However, as is clear from their debut album ‘180,’ Palma Violet’s influences are far more diverse and varied. Fans of the Ramones will purr at the vibrancy and angst of ‘Johnny Bagga’ Dohnuts,’ whilst ‘Tom The Drum’ carries echoes of The Clash and sends the audience into a sweaty orgy of delirium.

There are, of course, some limitations to the brand of narrow garage-indie rock that Jesson & co. exude in such large quantities. The second half of the band’s set is a mixture of obscure covers and underwhelming new tracks ‘Gout! Gang! Go!’ and ‘Scandal’ that merge together somewhat and consequently fail to impress. Perhaps this lack of depth will come back to haunt the band when they release further material. For now, however, it appears to be the least of their concerns, as they round of their set with a traditional rousing rendition of ‘Invasion of the Tribbles’ by little-known Canadian punk band The Hot Nasties, prompting a mass stage invasion from groupies and support bands alike.

Palma Violets are confident, unpredictable and above all they just don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. Whisper it quietly, but they could just be about to hit the big time.

By James Beeson

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Live Review – Villagers @ Phoenix

Tristan Gatward went along to the Phoenix to review Villagers and even inadvertently met them, here are his thoughts.

A good pub dinner followed by a dramatic wind-and-rain-swept walk into Exeter’s Phoenix promised a suitably bohemian start to what turned out to be a phenomenal evening of performance and musicianship.

Positioning ourselves behind the smallest family which the audience kindly provided us (height not being one of our own best qualities), the support music came from three-piece Parisian band, We Were Evergreen, who offered a refreshing punch of alternative electro-pop complete with ukulele and xylophone. It was like watching a lively Andrew Bird discover a drum kit and a more complete harmony.

It turned out that We Were Evergreen were at the merchandise table during the interval, meaning the group I was with left me guarding the spot with side lunges until their return, somewhat taken by the French aesthetics.

photocredit:universityobserver.ie

The increasing crowd, however, quite fairly didn’t allow their return to the front for the headline act, leaving me trapped between people who assumed the roles of Olympic rower and power walker whenever a recognisable drum beat surfaced. While I’m not one to judge dancing, lead singer Conor O’Brien seemed just as confused as I was by a leather-clad man attempting to mosh through their slower songs.

It soon became apparent that a small state of alone-ness was the right state for watching Villagers. O’Brien’s stage presence of the introverted extrovert revealed genuine flashes of anger and insanity through ‘Judgement Call’, while ‘Becoming a Jackal’ and the opening song ‘My Lighthouse’ showed a man truly lost in some thoughtfully self-aware sorrow. Tommy McLaughlin (lead guitar), Cormac Curran (keys), Danny Snow (bass) and James Byrne (drums) showed great composition in adapting to O’Brien’s occasional improvisations, though one comedy moment came when Byrne attempted to start a song by banging his drumsticks together only for O’Brien to turn round with a confused “what are you doing?”

photocredit:barryandstuart.com

Two new songs were also played; ‘Hot Scary Summer’ and ‘Occupy Your Mind’ were reminiscent of the eeriness of their first album. But the true pièce de résistance came with their penultimate song, ‘Twenty Seven Strangers’, bringing out the true tone of O’Brien’s voice, and exemplifying the lyrical genius that much of the band’s success has been founded on.

The beautiful sets by both bands was topped by accidentally meeting the guys from Villagers afterwards, meaning my desperate grab for their set-list and my previous acquisition of four coloured pencils from The Impy seemed altogether a little less shameful. Using the night to celebrate their fifth year as a band, performances like that can only make us hope for many more anniversaries to come.

Tristan Gatward

Live Review: Temples @ Exeter Phoenix

Hype can be a dangerous thing in the cut-throat UK music scene, and being heralded as ‘the next big thing’ is often more a curse than a blessing. For psychedelic rock band Temples, hype doesn’t come much bigger than comparisons to The Flaming Lips and The Beatles even before the release of their debut album.

Not to be distracted by such lofty praise, the quartet from Kettering underlined their credentials as one of the most promising young bands in the UK with a confident and mature performance at Exeter Phoenix.

The modern auditorium of this fashionable small venue hardly reflects Temples’ whimsical, nostalgic vibe. Nevertheless, the hardy fans that brave the miserable Devon conditions are rewarded with an onslaught of 60’s pop rhythms and velveteen vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place back in the days of McCartney and Lennon.

Following support from the energetic but admittedly slightly raw Telegram, Temples saunter onto the stage; with lead singer-guitarist James Edward Bagshaw oozing with the panache and glamour usually reserved for artists of much greater stature.

The band opens with ‘Sun Structures’ a dreamy and slow-paced into, before gently coaxing the audience into life with the groovy ‘Prisms’ and ethereal ‘Colours to Life.’ The ironically named ‘Sand Dance’ is a darker number, dripping with brooding guitar chords that could seldom be further from the alternate form of entertainment available at Arena’s ‘Cheesy Tuesdays.’

Bagshaw’s occasional mistimed delivery during B-side ‘Ankh’ does not detract from the psychedelic rifts that set the audience alight. A slightly underwhelming new track ‘Move with the Season’ is quickly followed by their next single, ‘Keep in the Dark’ – an entrancing and captivating melody containing echoes of 70’s glam-rock icons T-Rex.

The band cap off a short set with hit single ‘Shelter Song’ before departing the stage, leaving the crowd dazed and hungry for more.

By James Beeson

Exeter's Music Scene Needs You

Become a cog in the musical machine
Image credit: Flickr

There has never been a better time to become part of Exeter’s growing music scene. You can alter the musical landscape through a number of unique opportunities available on your doorstep: whether you want to play, watch, discover, influence, promote or write – Exeter has it all. Here are just some of the ways you can get involved:

Extunes and Campus Bands – Radiohead, Coldplay and The Computers have all come out of Exeter in recent years. Now it’s your turn to become a member of the city’s illustrious alumni by starting up a band. The best way is to sign up to Extunes and Camus Bands in order to source band members, use practise spaces and keep up to date with events. Later in the year, Timepiece hosts the annual Battle of the Bands contest in which bands wage war on each other for the unequivocal right to call themselves the university’s best band.

Xpression FM – If your interests or talents lie in the airwaves rather than on paper, then the university’s award-winning radio station, XpressionFM, could be right up your street. You can join the passionate music team, have a role in Exeposé’s own radio show Xmedia, and could even present your own show after receiving the necessary training on offer every term. It costs a mere £10 each to sign up to Xpression and Exeposé for the year – an absolute snip for the fun you will have.

Exeposé – Exeposé, the university’s most widely read newspaper, offers an inclusive and professional platform for budding journalists to showcase their talent. Be sure to sign up to the paper during Freshers Week to receive content calls, acquire press passes with interview opportunities, and mix with like-minded music lovers. We’re all right, I promise.

Events Management – There are a host of opportunities (some paid) to promote and organize events across campus and in town. Original Sin (Arena, Mosaic) is always after new recruits, while other nights like Beats & Bass and Thick as Thieves would love to have you on board their murky ships. Meanwhile, Feast Your Ears and KINK are exciting new indie nights looking for students who share a passion for live music and eclectic tastes. If this sounds like your gig then contact the clubs/events directly. A word of warning: be careful not to become that facebook friend who shamelessly spams ‘2-1 drinks deals at Arena this Thursday night only!’ on every status. Its not clever and sure ain’t cool.

Live music – Although not renowned for its live music scene, Exeter attracts an impressive array of big and small acts. The Cavern, The Cellar Door, Mama Stones and Exeter Phoenix are the first ports of call if you want to get up close to some live action in the city.  That said, your best bet is to travel to nearby Bristol in order to catch the really big fish. Exeposé Music often gets its mitts on a pair of press passes for gigs in Exeter and Bristol, so drop us a line if you ever fancy seeing a band in return for a pithy, eloquent well-written review.

DJs – It’s going to be an exciting year for Exeter’s dance music scene. Nights like Beats & Bass, Thick as Thieves and Our House are proving to be more and more popular, so why not get involved and show the growing crowds what you have in your locker? Beats & Bass put on great DJ workshops for society members. But the best advice is to embrace the DIY ethic and contact the events directly. You could land yourself a resident spot at one of the clubs in no time.

Drama productions – Plays offer a whole host of musical opportunities, from belting out a chorus to getting involved with the sound production side of things. Sign up to the drama societies and keep your eyes peeled for the vast array of productions that take place across the university throughout the year.

Go, go, go!

Ben Clarke, Online Music Editor 

Preview: Thick As Thieves & Dirtybird present at Exeter Phoenix

Photo Credits to Dirtybird Label

Call off any plans you may have for the 7^th June and head down to the Phoenix for what promises to be one of the biggest and best events of the year. Exeter’s own Thick as Thieves have teamed up with dance music giants ‘DIRTYBIRD’ to throw a huge party so you can celebrate the end of exams and herald the start of summer in style as dance heavyweights behind the desks spin the best of DnB, House, Jungle and Dubstep.

The Thieves have been at the forefront of Exeter’s burgeoning scene and have enjoyed a hugely successful year promoting the cream of Exeter’s local talent, while also attracting household names, including the likes of chart-topping Duke Dumont, to the deep, dark depths of The Cellar Door.

And the student-run set-up have upped their game one again for a final flourish. Acts from Claude Vonstroke’s DIRTYBIRD label will be behind the decks, with a plethora of talent is offer: UK based dance veteran Shadow Child, genre-bending Kill Frenzy, innovative Kry Wolf and exciting house producer Friend Within will all look to lay down soulful, bass-heavy grooves to ensure the dance floor and ear drums pulsate throughout the night. Thieves residents Tonic, Budos and Simba will provide support and continue to show us what they do best.

Elsewhere, fellow party people ‘Beats and Bass’ will command Room II with their distinguished murky mix of DnB, jungle and dubstep that so many have enjoyed this year at The Cavern. Keeping the B&B residents company are Manchester-based Compa, who will be spinning a rolling, textured minimalist dub sound to compliment the energetic, swarming DnB offered by LSB.

Other Cellar Door squatters ‘Exit’ will occupy the Terrace, with residents OJF, JOSH TOOGOOD & WONKA supporting AERIAL, while ‘Our House’ residents SOUTHPAW, VANDELEUR, WILL THOMPSON & WITHDREW will pump out the grooves in the bar. It’s a true bassy love affair not to be missed.

There is a free BBQ starting at 7.30 running through until 9, before the real party begins at 10pm. Get your tickets here – it’s sure to be a night packed full of good company, great dancing and some of the best electronic music around.

Ben Clarke, Online Music Editor

 

 

 

 

 

Live review: Tom McRae

When Site Manager, Olivia Luder, found out one of her favourite mopey musical maestros, Tom McRae, was playing Exeter, she persuaded her friend, Harriet Wigmore, to join her at the Phoenix. Here’s what they had to say about the seasoned ballad blaster…

Olivia:

Image credit: Last.fm

Confession: I’m not really that much of a music person. However, if I’m a sucker for any kind of music, it’s got to be mopey acoustic guitar ballads (I know, it’s embarrassing).

When I saw that Tom McRae was going to be at the Phoenix, I knew I had to go and drag Harriet along with me.

Tom McRae has been around for yonks – you’ve probably heard his music on some TV show or another. His speciality is mournful ballads in the minor key that softly tell of lost loves, or soul-searching journeys – or some equally downbeat subject.

So it was quite a surprise to find out that in-person, McRae is not only pretty upbeat, but also downright hilarious. To me, his songs had projected someone more lost and haunted. McRae may still be both of those things, but his charming ease with the audience shone throughout the evening. He even admitted to being a Barry Manilow fan (though, thankfully, he denied any warmth towards One Direction).

His music delivered on the mournful front, and more. McRae has a heart-stoppingly beautiful voice – both piercingly emotional and effortlessly controlled. My favourites of the evening were “2nd Law”, a beautifully delicate song about the solace found in being alone, and “Bloodless”, a song that plaintively asks the listener “what am I feeling?”. I also really enjoyed the sweetly plodding “Alphabet of Hurricanes”, a long song he wrote on a train journey across the United States.

The gig included audience participation, which was achieved most successfully with “End of the World (Dose me up)”. Annoyingly, there was a particularly rowdy pair who decided to participate by attempting to clap along to every song and repeatedly asking McRae about Barry Manilow. Harriet and I stuck to what we’d been asked to do (lots of clapping and humming), partly because heckling isn’t our thing and partly because doing it properly was so much fun.

I would definitely recommend heading to any gig of Tom McRae’s, not only because he is an absurdly talented musician but also because he’s much, much more than just a mopey guitarist.

Harriet:

Being persuaded to go along to a gig with someone, when you don’t really know the band or performer is always a bit of a risk. Thankfully for me, seeing Tom McRae at the Phoenix turned out to be a fantastic recommendation.

Before the 4th May, I had listened to no more than three or four of Tom McRae’s tracks. Certainly I had liked what I heard enough to agree to go and see him live, but I wasn’t obsessively clicking through playlists either. His music sounded more appropriate for a film sound track, than a live, solo performance, and I struggled to see how he could keep an audience sufficiently entertained and enthused.

It is fair to say that his recorded music just doesn’t do him justice. His self-proclaimed “songs of death, despair, and regret” are unbelievably intense, and it is only when experienced live that it is possible to appreciate them fully. Songs like “Lord, How Long?” and “American Spirit” are lullaby-like and almost hypnotic for their simplicity and repetition. “2nd Law” in particular was a highlight for its unbelievable beauty.

His marginally more upbeat tracks – including “One Mississippi” and “Won’t Lie” – changed the pace considerably, and brought the audience back from the sleepy atmosphere he had created. In lieu of the cellist and keyboard player Tom McRae usually performs with, the audience were asked to join in, clapping, humming, singing, ‘bop-bopping’ and whistling the refrains for a number of songs. By involving the audience to such a degree he managed to create a truly comfortable, intimate experience.

Olivia Luder, Site Manager,  and Harriet Wigmore