We roundup the best music news from the past week!
Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week in our News Report. To stay up to date with the biggest news be sure to follow us on our social channels:
Isle of Wight Festival unveils new line-up for 2021
Since the government roadmap to unlocking the UK was revealed, many festivals have announced their plans. Some cancelled, some rearranged, with plenty of line-up announcements and many selling out. This week our News Report is again absolutely packed with festival goodness!
We start with the rescheduled Isle of Wight Festival. The event recently revealed it would move from its traditional June timeslot to the weekend of 16-19 September. Now, the event has unveiled it’s new line-up with a few changes from previous attempts.
Gracing the island come September will be headline performances from Liam Gallagher, Snow Patrol, David Guetta and Duran Duran! If that isn’t enough the main stage will also welcome James, You Me At Six, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., Supergrass and Seasick Steve amongst an eclectic bill.
There is also plenty on offer in the Big Top with headliners Scouting For Girls, Primal Scream, Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight joined by The Snuts, Maximo Park and many more.
At the other end of the UK, another festival is also making the move to September. Glasgow event TRNSMT will now take place on the weekend of 10-12 September at Glasgow Green.
Announcing the move, organisers have also confirmed the line-up which will feature headline acts Courteeners, Liam Gallagher and The Chemical Brothers. They are joined on another eclectic billing by a range of acts including some of our favourites such as Sports Team, The Ninth Wave, Another Sky and The Mysterines on Friday.
Primal Scream, Keane, Twin Atlantic, Vistas and The Murder Capital also play on Saturday. Finally Sunday will see the likes of Snow Patrol, Ash and Vukovi.
This week saw Kendal Calling confirm that it will go ahead, announce its line-up and subsequently sell out! Topping the bill is the likes of Supergrass, Stereophonics, The Streets and Dizzee Rascal.
More Full Pelt favourites joining in are The Kooks, Frank Turner, Pale Waves, The Snuts, Lottery Winners and The Mysterines. With tickets now sold out, you will need to keep a check here for any further releases.
There is just so much festival goodness to report this week and another event delivering a stellar line-up is Portsmouth event Victorious Festival.
Heading to the coast are headline acts Madness, The Streets and Royal Blood. There is a lot more to unpack then just the headliners and attendees will be treated to a smorgasbord of talent.
We can pick out The Kooks, Feeder, Richard Ashcroft, Rag’N’Bone Man, The Fratellis, Reef, Supergrass, Fontaines D.C., Miles Kane, The Snuts, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs and Beans On Toast as must see acts.
Further acts have been added to an already excellent looking Bloodstock Festival. Previously announced headliners Devin Townsend, Kreator and Judas Priest are now joined by The Wildhearts, Raging Speedhorn, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons and Hacktivist amongst others.
We move on now from festival news to some livestream announcements to keep us entertained before we can gather in our masses!
Tonight (Sunday 28th March) fans will be treated to another evening in the company of the fantastic Beans On Toast. Join in the fun at 8pm on Facebook here.
A very special livestream has been announced that will see Frank Turner and Emily Barker combine as Barker-Turner Overdrive for an evening of duets. The event will take place from the the awesome Tunbridge Wells Forum on Thursday 8th April.
Weezer will be teaming up with the LA Philharmonic and the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles to perform ‘OK Human’ for the first time. Tickets, merch and VIP options are all available here.
Sean McGowan announces only full band live show of 2021
Sean McGowan has announced that his only full band headline show of 2021 will take place December 18th from The 1865 in Southampton. You can pick up your tickets now here.
Royal Blood debut ‘Limbo’
Royal Blood – ‘Limbo’
We couldn’t leave you without a little new music in our News Report and this week that comes from Royal Blood. As the duo continue to ready the release of ‘Typhoons’ on April 30th, they have released a third single in the shape of ‘Limbo’.
A necessary but shocking side-effect of the first lockdown and beyond is the impact on the live music industry. An industry that revolves around bringing people together in confined spaces to celebrate life and art. Music and particularly live music is vital to the mental health and wellbeing of millions of people, and the loss of that medication has added to the already scary situation we have all found ourselves in.
When the world ground to a screeching halt in March 2020, the primary concern for all of civilisation was rightly to fight the devastating coronavirus and to protect against loss of life. Alternatively as the government put it ā āStay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Livesā.
The music industry and the incredibly talented people that make up the sector is by its very nature creative and innovative. As we all searched for new ways to connect with our loved ones and our passions, musicians had the answer. Welcome to the world the music livestream!
One man seemingly ahead of the curve on this front was Frank Turner. Turner is known to be āalways on tourā as it were, and was in fact mid-tour as the pandemic hit. Turner was quick to hastily ready a special livestream event from his own home raising money for his touring family.
At the same time, the reality was dawning on the live music ecosystem of the potentially fatal impact caused by the pandemic countermeasures. In particular the Music Venue Trust, who do amazing work year round even in non-pandemic times, were busy mobilising. The MVT were well positioned to see the threat to the grassroots music venues of the country.
We have gone into depth on the subject in our blog ā āWhy We Need To #SaveOurVenuesā, but ultimately the venues that foster and cultivate the entire music industry were in trouble. Sadly many face the threat of closure due to non-pandemic related issues. The events of March 2020 onwards however threatened these venues, the lifeblood of live music, to the point of extinction.
The perfect storm called for urgent action and one man taking notice and standing tall was that man Frank Turner. Soon we were all introduced to a new concept from Turner, Independent Venue Love. A series of livestream concerts taking place every Thursday during lockdown to raise desperately needed funds for at risk music venues.
A different venue would be supported each week and each week would see a unique set list. In creating this series Turner raised much needed awareness and financial support for venues. By doing so he helped to safeguard the future of live music; perhaps most importantly though, Turner also provided an escape from the terrifying realities of pandemic life. The Independent Venue Love series will have played a powerfully positive role in raising spirits and safeguarding mental health for music fans desperate for a distraction.
In our first ever End of Year Awards, we picked Turner as our ‘Artist of the Year’. You can read what we wrote about this decision in our ā2020 Year in Reviewā. Basically we feel Turner deserves a medal for his efforts in arranging and performing these fantastic events. Turner has raised a phenomenal amount of money and has helped countless people through horrifying times either directly or indirectly.
That is why we thought it would be fitting to celebrate and remember the Independent Venue Love series here. You can peruse the posters for each event in the gallery below.
Independent Venue Love Posters
Now letās get started in documenting the series.
Early Facebook Days
As we all adapted to pandemic life, we strived for the best communications technology. Many discovered the wonders of Zoom meetings for example. When debuting the IVL series, Turner took to Facebook Live. A learning experience for all, some early streams were impacted by connectively issues and eventually led to a change of internet provider for Turner and a move to Youtube.
The first five events featured on Facebook Live (and a dabble on Instagram!) saw Turner begin a career retrospective; with each week featuring another release in chronological order.
Vol.1 – āSleep is for the Weekā for Nambucca, London
From Volume 6 onwards Turner would move the weekly series across to Youtube with better connectivity results. Turner would continue to progress through his career retrospective to the delight of his fans. A drinking game would also emerge for fans at home based initially on apologies to either his wife Jess or his mother.
As Turnerās gameplan to play his back catalogue continued, fans were treated to rare song outings. These outings occasionally would see the odd forgotten lyric, and the terming of the phrase to Varley in ode to fellow musician Will Varley. Eventually each Varley would be incorporated into the drinking game!
Vol. 6 – āRarities and B-Sides 2011-2014ā for The Parish, Huddersfield
With his released back catalogue now exhausted and lockdown one (known back then, simply as lockdown!) still persisting, Turner needed to explore different avenues for set list material. A demand for a āDisney Setā initially failed to materialise until a special shortened bonus set one night.
Turner however would push on with additional themes to continue his herculean effort (Joe Wicks eat your heart out!). Volume 13 would also take place from inside the venue Turner was raising funds for as signs of normality began to appear. Volume 14 would be titled āThe Final Streamā… little did we know what the future had in store.
No we are not doing Whitesnake Karaoke! A brief return to real life saw some socially distanced music possible. Turner in fact was able to play numerous shows including our āGig of the Yearā as awarded in our ‘2020 Year in Review’.
Sadly the pandemic took a horrific turn for the worst. With venues still at risk and people desperate for escape, Turner and IVL would make their triumphant return in January (otherwise known as Lockdown three!). This time around Turnerās wife, Guise, would move to an important mediator role as fans got to pick the setlist!
Vol. 15 – āAll Requestsā for The Lantern, Halifax
We all hope and pray that a return to normality is on the horizon. That the incredible work of scientists and our key workers will save lives and allow life to resume. Volume 21 closes the IVL series with a request set from Jess Guise herself.
Turner has achieved amazing results from the IVL series. The fact is that he didnāt have to do this, and for that he deserves recognition.
The Music Venue Trust, Independent Venue Week and all organisations and groups working to protect our culture deserve special praise also.
Sadly the end of the pandemic and the return to relative normality wonāt remove the threat posed to our grassroots music venues. Please when safe to do so, support these venues, support your favourite bands, support new bands, support music!
Throughout the first national lockdown musicians were forced to find creative and innovative new ways to connect with their fans. This unique time saw the popularity of the music livestream rise as exponentially as the cases of the horrible virus that created the situation.
The pandemic has caused us all to feel many negative emotions such as fear, worry, grief and sadness. For music fans, it has robbed us of a vital outlet which impacts greatly on our mental health. I recently discussed the immense impact of music on my mental health in my blog post ‘Mental Health, Music and Me’.
For musicians and everybody that works within the music industry it has caused significant crisis. Our beloved grassroots music venues are at risk. Musicians and live events workers employment has vanished overnight. Plus a light has been shone on the unfair recompense for artists from streaming.
In amongst the darkness however there has been the odd glimmer of light. One man that has taken the power of livestreaming to heart is Frank Turner. Not only that but he has used this platform to raise awareness and valuable funding for those struggling venues, becoming a champion of the #SaveOurVenues campaign.
Turnerās Thursday night livestreams dubbed āIndependent Venue Loveā have been a huge success. They have provided Turner with a connection to his fans. They have provided those fans with a vital distraction to raise their spirits. Whilst importantly they have raised the aforementioned funds. The success of these livestreams was one of the reasons we gave Turner the āArtist of the Yearā award in our review of 2020.
Now as we enter what has been dubbed Lockdown 3, Frank Turner has picked up his guitar once more ready to serenade his adoring fans. Turner will also again raise some much needed money and awareness for struggling venues. Tonight that venue is The Lantern in Halifax and the crowdfunder is here.
During his initial wave of livestreams, Turner focused on albums, or periods of his career to structure the events. This time around however, having exhausted his back catalogue, in order, last time around, Turner is handing the setlist over to his fans.
This āAll Requestā format works extremely well with Turnerās wife Jess Guise behind the keyboard, monitoring requests and feeding them to Turner. It must be said that Turnerās ability to remember how to perform obscure songs from his catalogue at the drop of the hat is very impressive (‘English Curse’ aside ? )!
Turner has always been an artist that can turn the largest room into the smallest space, so the ability to watch him from your own living room certainly brings a new meaning to an intimate venue.
Whilst some of the livestream events that have taken place during these troubled time have felt somewhat soulless affairs akin to watching a soundcheck video on Youtube, the same certainly cannot be said of Turnerās livestreams. Tonight he once again somehow manages to captive and enthral us from his own house. This is a quality that cannot be taught and is an assertion of Turnerās talents as both a musical showman and a human being.
The requested setlist tonight is a mixture of the usual suspects with āIf Ever I Strayā, āBe More Kindā and āGet Betterā intertwined with rarer numbers such as āRomantic Fatigueā, āCleopatra In Brooklynā and āRiversā. These events certainly provide Turner fans with the opportunity to hear some tracks that wouldnāt normally get a look in at a regular gig.
The highlight of the evening however comes around the midway point of the 90 minute show when Turner delivers two new tracks. With a new album on the horizon fans will be eager to hear what new music is on offer. Tonight Turner whets the appetite with two excellent tracks, the sombre tribute to Scott Hutchison āA Wave Across the Bayā, and the punchy āPunchesā.
With the tease of more Thursday night streams to look forward to, Frank Turner continues to provide a vital public service not just to his fans in need of entertainment but music venues in desperate need of help.
We look at why we need to fix our #BrokenRecord Industry to ensure fair payment of artists from music streaming platforms.
What makes a #BrokenRecord Industry?
The music industry has been changing greatly in recent years and that evolution has now been exasperated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. With the industry shaken to its core by the restrictions resulting from the virus, there is perhaps no better time than now to take action to secure a healthy and prosperous future for this vital industry.
Music is of course vital to so many; both those that work within the industry and the customers that rely on the industry. I recently wrote about the relationship between music and my mental health in my blog āMental Health, Music and Meā, and itās true that for many people this industry is essential to their happiness and positive mental health. It is therefore imperative that this industry is allowed to thrive.
The industry however is far from perfect and many existing issues have been highlighted further by the pandemic. I have always split the music industry in two. I have written about the struggles of the Live Music Industry in my blog āWhy We Need To #SaveOurVenuesā, so in this feature Iāll be focusing on the other side, the Record Industry.
The coronavirus pandemic has of course been a horrific and sobering time for everyone and every industry. The collapse of the live music industry due to various restrictions has had many disastrous consequences on the overall music industry.
I have also written however about the few positives that have arisen from this unprecedented situation. In a creative and innovative industry, many have turned to livestreaming to reach their audiences. I explored the positives and negatives of this evolution in my blog āLivestreams: Good or Bad for the Music Industryā.
Another positive to come from everybody having to stay at home, is that they have had more time to listen to music. The resurrection of Vinyl continued with sales growing for a 13th consecutive year and music streaming continuing to rise in popularity. It is the negative side of this positive however that has given rise to the #BrokenRecord movement and that is what we will explore in this article.
The way that we consume music has changed drastically over the past decade or so. The beginnings of the digital age saw the rise of illegal file-sharing where fans found they were able to swap and share digital versions of the music that they loved.
The problem with this activity was that it completely eliminated the artist from the process of music consumption by the end user, and of course the price point of zero meant that artists saw no profit from this medium.
The knock-on effect of this was the drastic decline in the purchase of physical media such as CDās. Of course the sales of Vinyl had already almost completely diminished, and the less said about Mini-Disks the better!
In order to combat illegal free downloading of music, the industry reluctantly brought into the concept of legal paid downloads; iTunes being the go to name at the beginning. Over the pursuant years we would see many contenders emerge for both downloading music and a new concept ā streaming music.
Interestingly we would also see a kick back against digital music with the resurrection and continued resurgence of Vinyl!
A global leader in the streaming of music is Spotify. This is a company that initially felt like a swear word, their platform felt too good to be true and many will have questioned the legality of it, because if something feels too good to be true, usually it is!
Fast forward to now and Spotify is accepted into homes across the world and is for millions of the people the platform of choice for music consumption.
The benefits of streaming are numerous for both fans and artists. Having entire libraries of music at the touch of a button helps fans find new acts and helps artists reach new audiences. There is however one major downside that needs to be addressed.
So, with the ongoing pandemic allowing more people more time to listen to their favourite artist, or perhaps find their new favourite artist, letās ask a few questions regarding music streaming. Picture this – you are sat working from home and have been listening to your favourite new album on repeat, how much money do you think that said artist has just earned?
#BrokenRecord campaign founder Tom Gray shared the below table showing the rates of pay by the various streaming platforms.
Streaming payout data shared by #BrokenRecord founder Tom Gray
So, if that album you listened to has 10 tracks and you listen to it 5 times today on Spotify. Your consumption will pay 14p. Now consider that if you brought that album on CD youād probably have spent roughly Ā£8.
My next question is where do you think this money goes? How much would you expect the artist who wrote, performed and recorded the music to receive? Letās explore the issues that exist when paying streaming royalties.
Physical Terms in a Digital World
Letās consider that the artist in question is signed to a large record company. Their standard deal which they signed will likely be a Recoupment Deal. With this deal the artist will effectively have to repay all costs and expenses associated with the making of the album. Realistically this means they cannot earn royalties until they have repaid the overall cost of the album, until then all profits go to the record company.
Remember that this debt is repaid only from the artistās percentage of the royalty. It can therefore take years for a relatively successful artist to see any earnings from their own music. You may ask why would artists sign such deals, but ask yourself how many artists have a degree in economics? Consider that even if they have three deals in front of them to choose from, they will likely all include this clause, and the alternative is no deal and likely no album.
Now consider that 14p that the band just earned from your days binge listening. It may take years before the actual artist starts earning that 14p once all recoupment is complete; and when they do there are other issues!
The biggest issue being that the record company owns the rights to the music and therefore the band will only get on average 20% of that 14p. So 2.8p. This band happens to be a standard four-piece band and therefore that 2.8p needs to be split between the singer, guitarist, bassist and drummer. Oh and the producer.
Not to mention other possible deductions. It may shock you to know that under the terms of many contracts artists still have to pay a 10% deduction for breakages! That’s literal physically broken albums… even when digital!
Clearly these old contracts donāt fit with the digital age and itās always going to be the artist that loses out. That is why Tom Gray founded the #Broken Record campaign to challenge these inequalities. It should be said that nobody is arguing that Mick Jagger needs another house or Paul McCartney another car.
This campaign is designed to fight for justice and equality for the acts of the future. Hopefully you have been surprised at how little your favourite artist earns from you listening to their music on streaming platforms. Youād probably be shocked to find out that many musicians that you follow are likely living very close to the breadline. Many artists you picture living lavish lifestyles are actually struggling to pay their rent this month.
This situation has only been intensified by the coronavirus pandemic.
Reliance on Live Music
Many artists these days rely heavily on the live side of the music industry. Playing gigs, tours and festivals is how most acts will now earn the majority of their money. This is a complete 180 switch from yesteryear. Before the digital revolution of the record industry, artists toured to raise awareness of their new albums. Nowadays artists release albums to raise awareness of their tours!
Then 2020 hit and removed that income stream, leaving many artists to survive solely on income from physical and digital sales. But whilst the vinyl renaissance may help a little, the fact is CD sales continue to fall off a cliff edge and many artists are left to survive on streaming alone. Therein lies the huge problem facing the music industry right now ā how, when and perhaps if it will recover.
Even if we ignore the unfairness in the discussion around streaming revenue, what we have right now are artists and crew that canāt afford to live, to pay rent or perhaps buy food. Again I donāt envisage Elton John looking down the back of the sofa for spare change, we are talking about the emerging talent of the future, the acts of years gone by who have seen dwindling success and importantly those considering starting their careers. These are the individuals having to change course, take jobs in other sectors to pay the rent and support their families. These are the individuals that may never return to the music industry!
Even when the pandemic finally goes away and life can resume, we have the looming shadow of Brexit. Whilst that is another blog topic altogether, bands are going to struggle to afford to tour beyond the UK due to new restrictions and costs.
So, for the music industry we love and rely on to emerge from this pandemic intact we need to take action.
What needs to be done?
In reality there isnāt a lot the average music fan can do. We need action from the industry and likely that will need intervention from Government. Fans can of course support their favourite artists, buying music, merchandise and tickets. Fans can also sign relevant petitions and highlight the issue by supporting the #BrokenRecord campaign.
The changes being requested by artists arenāt necessarily ground breaking. What they are asking for in basic terms is just equal pay for equal work. To be treated with respect, decency and fairness; for their efforts and their art to be valued reasonably.
That shouldnāt be hard for fans to accept. Imagine a shop worker only being given 20% of their days wage, with their manager, supervisor and company all taking the rest. Imagine they are then further deducted the costs of their uniform and the equipment they use. That wouldnāt be fair would it?
As already mentioned, a high level thorough review and restructure of artistās payments from streaming is required. Options that may provide possible solutions include the likes of Equitable Remuneration (ER for short!) and User-Centric Models.
Part of this discussion will form around the question of how streaming of music should be classified. Is the music purchased, rented, or is it equitable to radio airplay? Artists currently are paid via ER for radio airplay and this method is split 50/50 and therefore can be fairly summarised as equal pay for equal work.
One of the most common ways to consume music from the likes of Spotify is to use Playlists such as our own āHot Listā. Spotify even label these as radio such as their Artist Radio functions. So would it be reasonable to class streams in the same category as radio airplay?
As we come to a close, I want you to once again go back to our earlier analogy. Having binged that new album whilst working from home, how would you like your money to be distributed. If this month that artist was the only artist you listened to, and you pay for your Spotify, who do you think your subscription money should go to?
At present it would be added to the overall pot and divided between all artists on the platform. Would you think it would be fairer if all your subscription money was divided just between the artists that you personally listened to this month, in our case just that one band? This would be the case if streaming platforms moved to a User-Centric Model.
There are many questions here and I wonāt pretend to have all the answers. What is clear is that something needs to change and that change has never been more necessary. With the combined wreckage of the pandemic and Brexit upon us, artists canāt rely solely on the Live side of the music industry. The Record Industry must act now.
The light has been shone on this issue and all stakeholders must step up and take action to fix our #BrokenRecord Industry!
Be sure to help spread the word and raise awareness of the #BrokenRecord campaign. You can share this article by clicking the icons below!
The #BrokenRecord campaign is the creation of Tom Gray, be sure to follow Tom on Twitter for the latest updates on the campaign! When discussing the subject remember to use the hashtag #BrokenRecord.
Full Pelt Music looks back on 2020 for our Year in Review
What a year to pick to review. Itās been a year like no other and not for good reasons.
On a personal level as detailed within my first blog, āThe Reluctant Bloggerā, I was made redundant from a job I loved, just before Christmas and during a global pandemic! Not nice, but realistically I wouldnāt be writing this blog on this website if that hadnāt happened! The decision to return to writing about music also allowed me to take a look at the relationship between music and my mental health in āMental Health, Music and Meā.
For the world it has been a year of pain, struggle and despair. From the fires of Australia to the flooding of the UK early in the year and now again just before Christmas; there has been no restpite in the year of the coronavirus. Unprecedented is the word of the year, but with Brexit and the ongoing pandemic looming large, the word for next year is probably uncertain.
Everybody has struggled this year, personally and professionally. This struggle is not limited to the music industry but our industry has struggled greatly. The live side of the industry is built on bringing people together and of course that has not been possible since March. The recorded side of the industry has also struggled with delays in recording, producing and distributing.
Recovery for the grassroots of the industry is far from guaranteed. The stark and sad reality is that many musicians and hard working crew members will have needed to have sought alternative employment and the actuality here is that many will never return to the music industry. The fact is many government schemes setup to alleviate the financial pressures on individuals and businesses simply bypassed these people.
Unfortunately the pandemic has also hastened the plight of many grassroots, independent music venues.Ā We have sadly already lost many venues and there are still many more at imminent risk of permanent closure. We have written extensively about the issues surrounding our industry in our blog āWhy We Need To #SaveOurVenuesā, and we encourage you to get involved in the initiatives highlighted.
This is of course a creative and innovative industry and through struggle we evolve. Much like the loss of my own job bred this website, the loss of touring and live shows has seen the evolution of the livestream. Many musicians have embraced technology and sought new ways to engage with their audiences. We have looked at the rise of this phenomenon in our blog āLivestreams: Good or Bad for the Music Industryā.
When looking back on 2020 in the future, the memories will fill everybody with dread. There has however been some fantastic musical highlights despite everything else. We recently revealed our Album of the Year in our ā2020 Album of the Yearā blog; and the Top 20 list was highly competitive.
2020 has produced some incredible music and thatās where we are going to focus this end of year review. In order to celebrate the successes of a very difficult year we going to look at the following awards – Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Gig of the Year, Festival of the Year and Artist of the Year!
Album of the Year
As mentioned we recently listed our Top 20 Albums of the Year here. This was a highly competitive list as 2020 saw some truly phenomenal releases.
Full Pelt Music’s Top 20 Albums of 2020
We said āIt has been a crazy year, and this list has been heavily influenced by that. As mentioned the top of this list is massively impacted by new music I heard during the height of the initial lockdown. āUltra Monoā was an album that I was already extremely excited to hear; and the stream of songs released during Lockdown only served to raise that excitement to a fever pitch.
Thankfully IDLES didnāt disappoint and when the album arrived it was a pure masterpiece. It shows a natural progression on the bands first two records and grows the bands sound. It still captures what made us all fall in love with the band but by incorporating new elements into the bands sound the album shows that IDLES are no one trick pony.
Above all other releases this year and those that feature in this list, this was the album that we needed this year. In a year where we have all been knocked down one way or another, IDLES and āUltra Monoā has been a call to arms, to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and keep going.ā
WINNER:‘Ultra Mono’ by IDLES
The Contenders:‘A Hero’s Death’ by Fontaines D.C., ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’ by Bring Me The Horizon, ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’ by Enter Shikari, ‘A Celebration of Endings’ by Biffy Clyro, and ‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’ by Creeper
Single of the Year
Itās been a good year for both Bring Me The Horizon and Yungblud, with both releasing stunning new records. Yungblud recently hit the number one spot with āweird!ā which we reviewed here, and Bring Me The Horizon silenced their doubters with āPost Human: Survival Horrorā which we reviewed here.
It shouldnāt therefore be so much of a surprise that their collaboration together is our standout single of the year. Accompanied by an over the top video, ‘Obey’ is a rip roaring tale of corruption and brainwashing, so perfectly fitting for 2020!
WINNER:‘Obey’ by Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud
‘Obey’ – Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud
The Contenders:‘Model Village’ by IDLES, ‘Space’ by Biffy Clyro, ‘Trouble’s Coming’ by Royal Blood, and ‘Protect The Land’ by System Of A Down
Gig of the Year
I was lucky enough to catch some fantastic shows early in the year, you know BC (before Covid!), and Stereophonics, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Kaiser Chiefs and Fontaines D.C. all deserve special mention.
For my Gig of the Year however Iām again looking to the Covid era.
When life has drastically changed and youāve been deprived of the opportunity to do something you love, you learn to savour those moments more. For me, as somebody that in 2019 attended some 93 gigs, the loss of live music was devastating. Of course, many people have endured much worse in 2020, particularly at the height of the initial national lockdown; for me however, I was just desperate for live music.
The opportunity to watch real, live music again thankfully emerged (if only for a short time) at the end of summer. Frank Turner lives by the moto āAlways on Tourā, and he wasnāt going to let a global pandemic get in the way. An innovative location for a socially distanced gig was Nottingham Arboretum, basically a bandstand in a park. The result was a stunning if unusual setting for a gig which came to life when night fell and Turner serenaded the sold out crowd with his biggest hits.
A great supporting cast including Tash Bird, Holly Carter and Beans On Toast helped to make this show one to remember. The musicianship on show was fantastic, as was the togetherness and gratefulness of an audience desperate to once again forget lifeās stresses and enjoy an evening of music. It was a powerful evening that brought tears to many an eye, and thatās why it wins our Gig of the Year award.
WINNER: Frank Turner @ Nottingham Arboretum (20/09)
Nottingham Arboretum
The Contenders: Stereophonics @ Kentish Town Forum (21/01), Kaiser Chiefs @ Brighton Centre (30/01), Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes @ Alexandra Palace (15/02), and Fontaines D.C. @ Norwich UEA (24/02)
Festival of the Year
The coronavirus pandemic completely obliterated the 2020 festival season, as early optimism that some festivals would survive was eventually swallowed whole by this horrible virus. With social distancing in place, festivals just were not possible. But didnāt I say that the music industry is the most creative and innovative industry? Whilst some promoters attempted to arrange socially distant shows, tours and festivals, few succeeded; with even Live Nation cancelling a huge programme of drive in shows.
I was lucky enough however to venture to two such festivals at the Norfolk Showground near Norwich. A mixture of entertainment was laid on in a specially designed arena with socially distanced āpodsā maintaining the necessary safety measures. Brickfest was a one day festival focussing on covers band with a handful of original acts like headliners Bad Touch thrown in. The day was a huge success given the circumstances, as was our 2020 Festival of the Year ā Wild Fields Festival!
Wild Paths Festival debuted in Norwich last year with acts gracing venues across the fine city. This year the event embraced the outside arena and rebranded as Wild Fields Festival over two days was an eclectic line-up on offer. The first day featured great sets from many young artists including Lauran Hibberd, Indoor Pets, Another Sky and headliners Gengahr.
Even through the greatest adversity the power of the arts shines through and Wild Paths was a shining example of how to put on a safe, fun and thoroughly entertaining festival during a global pandemic.
WINNER: Wild Fields Festival
Brickfest at the Norfolk Showground, also host of Wild Fields Festival
The Contenders: Brickfest
Artist of the Year
Our final award is for Artist of the Year. In a such an unprecedented and difficult year this award is going to an act that has considerably contributed to making the year better. Fantastic new music has played a hugely positive role in improving a hard year. With this in mind that means that IDLES, Biffy Clyro, Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon, Fontaines D.C. and Yungblud are all in the running for this award.
Beyond that however real live music when possible has been an even greater high than normal. As such Frank Turner enters the running as an act I somehow managed to catch live this year some four times including the aforementioned Gig of the Year.
But this year is different, new albums and live shows whilst normally the lifeblood of our industry almost feel insignificant when you look at the horrors witnessed across society, both inside and outside the music industry. One saving grace for many this year has been the arrival of the music livestream. A number of those already mentioned have dabbled if not excelled in this activity.
Our winner however has taken this new outlet to heart. They have provided joy and distraction to thousands of people during what must be a record setting number of livestreams. More than that, they have managed to raise an amazing amount of money for a cause I have already championed in this blog. That cause is of course the Save Our Venues campaign and our Artist of the Year is clearly that man again, Frank Turner!
In 2020, Frank Turner has probably played more real shows and more livestreams than anybody else. He has recorded and released new music including collaborations with NOFX and Jon Snodgrass. He has produced the fantastic new Beans On Toast record. He has thoroughly entertained and provided much needed distraction from the real world to thousands; and he has raised an incredible amount of money for charity.
In reality Turner deserves a medal, but what we can give him is our Artist of the Year award!
WINNER: Frank Turner
Artist of the Year – Frank Turner
The Contenders: IDLES, Biffy Clyro, Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon, Fontaines D.C., and Yungblud
2020, a year we will all be hoping to forget very quickly, but there has been some great music released. All focus now however is on 2021 and those vaccinations. We hope that sooner rather than later we will be able to safely gather again in those venues and fields to watch our favourite artists in the flesh.
There will also likely be an avalanche of new music coming our way with artists having been isolated with their creatively for company. Letās just hope that not every song is about lockdown!
Five4Five Fest makes triumphant return to help #SaveOurVenues!
Back at the height of the initial national lockdown, a streamed festival entitled Five4Five Fest did two things. It provided much needed entertainment to struggling music fans and raised money for heroic NHS workers.
Now in Lockdown version 364 or something like that, the festival returns to once again provide an escape from the horrors of real life. This time the event is raising money for a cause close to home for music lovers, the Music Venue Trust and the Save Our Venues campaign. We recently wrote about the reasons why this support is desperately needed in our blog Why We Need To #SaveOurVenues.
As with the May event, Five4Five Fest takes place over a Friday and Saturday night with an array of musical talent performing from their homes/garages and this time even a school! The festivities are streamed across multiple channels and at present you can still catch up on demand on Youtube here.
There are probably fewer āhouseholdā names on the line-up this time around, but there is no lack in talent. The Friday kicks off with a gentle performance from Paper Mill who include former Lower Than Atlantis guitarist Ben Sansom. There are more sombre moments to follow with both Holiday Oscar and Rob Lynch serenading us with emotionally charged songs including Lynchās hauntingly festive school assembly set.
There is plenty of rocking to be done too however, with headliners Yonaka particularly bringing the party with the likes of āRockstarā and āF.W.T.B.ā. Yonaka are stars and deservedly close the Friday night. To end night one, we are treated by the band to a festive outing of āLast Christmasā.
Both nights include afterparty DJās for those at home looking to continue the party. In true festival fashion there is also merch available at five4fivefest.com. There are also numerous raffle prizes all raising money for the Save Our Venues campaign.
Onto Saturday and the lineup for day two is certainly louder with the fantastic Haggard Cat blowing away any cobwebs. Nova Twins and Hacktivist both also deliver the goods before a slight change in pace with the brilliant Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
The event is closed out by two fine young bands Normandie and finally Holding Absence. Again both performances provide great entertainment for those watching from home and whet the appetite for the return of live music.
The sad reality is however that many of the venues that these bands will frequent may not be around when music can finally return. They havenāt been properly supported by the government and they desperately need support. The good news is that you can help, by donating to the #SaveOurVenues campaign.
Once again Five4Five Fest has been a massive success and over the two evenings has showcased some amazing young talent. With your support and with hopes of battling this virus raised by recent vaccine announcements, lets hope and pray that soon enough we are able to return to watching these bands in our favourite venues!
You can still watch Five4Five fest and until Monday 27th December 2020, you can still donate, buy merch and enter raffles at five4fivefest.com.
With the removal of live music due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, musicians and fans alike have been forced to find new ways of getting their fix. The arts are by their very nature creative, so it should surprise nobody that new avenues to engage the connection between artist and fan evolved very quickly. The jump in popularity of livestreams has been one of the most startling effects of the pandemic restrictions.
Initially at the height of the worldwide lockdown these livestreams were generally through the likes of Facebook Live. Musicians (usually solo) playing to a camera set up somewhere in the home. For some that meant the comfort of their living rooms, for others it meant being strategically located in front of their trophy shelves. Either way it was a basic way for artists to play their songs to their fans when true live music just wasnāt possible.
One of the issues with this method of livestream is that of price. On one hand the fact that they are free for fans to watch is great. It provides a chance for those on low incomes, who may otherwise be unable to afford to see live music, with the ability to see their favourite artists perform. The price point therefore offers artists the opportunity to gain exposure to those who may not normally pay to see them. Then when live music returns, perhaps those individuals will invest in a real show.
On the flipside for artists who have seen their primary income source taken away, giving away their art for free isnāt going to help them pay their next bill. Remember not all musicians are millionaires, and in reality those engaging in livestreams from home are most likely not. Some artists have sought middle ground by continuing for free but asking those that can to donate or purchase merchandise. Whilst this provides a modest income for the artist, it isnāt viable in the long term and most artists feel awkward asking.
So, is there any way to make livestreams financially successful for artists? We are now seeing more and more artists trying their hand at the professional livestream; with easing restrictions allowing full bands to get together and stream a live performance. Filming from actual music venues and often featuring full production, these streams offer a product for consumers to purchase; thus providing a greater source of income to artists.
With many bands incorporating full production values however, we see increases in ticket prices. With prices for some streams now sitting at a similar value to real live shows however, you have to wonder at what point fans may be turned off. Looking at it from the negative point of view, itās not really live in its truest sense. As a fan, Iām not there. Iām not listening to the actual sound or seeing the real in person artist. Iām not struggling to get a good view or having to buy expensive beer…
…actually, come to think of it, from the positive point of view, Iām not there. Iām not struggling to get a good view or having to buy expensive beer. I do not have to drive or catch the train and when it finishes I can go straight to bed! Of course, different people will see livestreams differently. Even ticketed livestreams give those who might not normally be able to attend the chance to see the show; whether that is due to travel or work commitments. You can watch the livestream anywhere with an internet connection.
There is another stakeholder involved also, and thatās the venue. Venues lying empty due to restrictions can receive a fee to host a livestream, which is good. In reality however, that fee would be a drop in the ocean compared to a real concert and everything that comes with it, such as overpriced beer!
So far we have identified both positives and negatives to both types of livestream event. Right now there is no perfect answer, no ideal scenario. Not for fans, artists, venues or the rest of the live industry ecosystem. Ultimately though we arenāt in an ideal scenario, far from it in fact and until real gigs can safely return we need to be creative and find ways to form a connection.
In my recent blog, āMental Health, Music and Meā I spoke of the need to have a distraction from the real world. Gigs are my distraction, but they are not possible right now. Livestreams therefore present an opportunity to scratch that itch. The same can be said of artists who are missing playing shows.
So, livestreams do serve a purpose and they are a short term solution to a hopefully once in a lifetime problem. But, how do they fit into the future? Are they here to stay? Iām sure we all hope that live music returns sooner rather than later and realistically nothing can recreate the experience of a live concert. I donāt therefore see livestreams as the future of live music, but even in the future they can play a role.
They provide artists with a chance to reach audiences they may otherwise struggle to get to. They provide fans with a chance to experience artists live that they may not regularly get the chance to see. I donāt see livestreams going anywhere anytime soon, especially as technology continues to develop. That however isnāt a bad thing, as long as they donāt become the ānew normalā!
Until real live music can safely return our beloved music venues remain in trouble. To find out more you can read my recent blog āWhy We Need To #SaveOurVenuesā.
Livestreams have become a staple of the coronavirus pandemic for passionate music fans. COVID-19 has a lot to answer for and for some the rise of the livestream is a negative, for others however it has been a small light in the darkness. Enough about that for now however, as you can expect a full blog on the subject shortly.
There have been two types of livestream – firstly, the basic home-based setup that has seen a large uptake from individuals with acoustic guitars. However, with this setup not conducive of a full band, we have more recently seen a swathe of full band streams from inside actual venues. Tonight is the first, one man, an acoustic guitar and a plethora of items for sale!
That man is Jay McAllister, known professionally as Beans On Toast. This is a gentleman who has amassed a cult following from years of relentless touring, and itās clear that this whole situation is uncomfortable for him. Thatās not that say that he isnāt thoroughly entertaining, and ultimately the evening is free and the audience donāt even have to leave their homes!
As unusual as the show must be for the artist, itās also a different experience for the audience. With Facebook Live however there is a live chat which makes the experience more engaging. You feel you are part of a moment, as opposed to simply watching an old video on Youtube. Plus, like I said, itās free! But thatās not to say that Beans On Toast isnāt hoping to make a living.
With not one but two new albums out shortly, there are plugs galore for both albums and their associated merchandise. We even get his wife modelling the new clothing items for sale. As cringe worthy as that may sound, it actually adds to the quaintness and intimacy of the evening.
Musically Beans On Toast treats those listening to a good mix of old and new. We get old favourites like āIām Home When You Hold Meā, āWatching The World Go Byā and āThingsā interspersed between new tracks from across his two new albums. The story of the two new albums is that every year on his birthday we get a new Beans On Toast album. This year that album is āKnee Deep In Nostalgiaā produced by the one and only Frank Turner.
With yearly albums, Bean On Toast is very topical in his lyrical content. With these tracks mostly written prior to the world turning upside down however, a locked down Beans On Toast sat and wrote some topical tunes. The outcome is a second album of songs inspired by 2020, āThe Unforeseeable Futureā.
A number of tracks from both albums have already been released as singles and already the likes of āThe Village Discoā and āAlbum Of The Dayā feel like classic Beans On Toast songs. Tonight we get to hear āMy Favourite Teacherā and āPatience?ā as the festivities come towards a close.
All in all, tonight will only have solidified fans opinions that these two albums threaten to be two of Beans On Toastās best yet. An āencoreā of āOn And Onā closes the evening at around half past nine just in time for fans to chill out before bed – one of the big positives of a livestream!
Of course I want real live music back as soon as safely possible, but in the mean time livestreams provide the escape sought from reality. As discussed in my recent blog āMental Health, Music and Meā, music is an escape; and those looking for an escape could do worse than the two new Beans On Toast albums!
