Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Thursday 9th February 2023
Follow us on Social Media
Xtra mile recordings 20th anniversary – london – live review
There are a number of Anniversary celebrations taking place tonight at Shepherds Bush Empire in London. This is a Brits Week show raising funds for the incredible work conducted by War Child, who this year are in their 30th year of action.
Secondly, itâs the 20th Anniversary of the brilliant Xtra Mile Recordings and finally later on in the evening we will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of our headliner Frank Turnerâs stunning album, âTape Deck Heartâ!
WATCH ‘DON’T COME BACK FROM GUISE
Lots to dissect then, and lots of action to pack into a short space of time, starting with our first artist this evening, Jess Guise. Guise serenades the early attendees with a number of tracks from her debut album, âYoungest Daughterâ such as the fantastic âDonât Come Backâ. A short yet delightful performance from an artist who continues to develop into one of Xtra Mileâs hidden gems!
WATCH ‘WE ARE MACHINES’ FROM BERRIES
Following on from Guise after a short changeover are BERRIES, who released their stunning debut album, âHow We Functionâ, last year also. Tonight London is treated to some of the fantastic tracks that make BERRIES such an impressive force such as âCopyâ, âWe Are Machinesâ and âSpiral’. Again, their time onstage may be only fleeting but BERRIES make the most of it with a thoroughly enjoyable set.
WATCH ‘GET ON THE ROOF’ FROM PET NEEDS
Next up are Pet Needs who are fast acquiring themselves a fanbase as dedicated as our headlinerâs. Yes, the usual swathe of Pet Needs t-shirts are present and from the opening chord to the last strains of feedback, every song is greeted with wild abandon from the packed crowd.
The quality of their songs combined with the energy offered onstage make a Pet Needs performance a real experience. âIbiza In Winterâ, âToothpasteâ and âGet on the Roofâ are all superb tonight as the band are once again on fire.
WATCH ‘RECOVERY’ FROM FRANK TURNER
Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube
Soon enough itâs time to focus on that final Anniversary as Frank Turner takes to the stage to play âTape Deck Heartâ in full. An album that solidified Turner as somebody able to fill some of the UKâs largest venues, itâs a treat to see him play it in the relative intimate surrounds of Shepherds Bush Empire.
Mixing up the order of songs, Turner regales the crowd with snippets of insights into the record whilst delivering some rarer tracks like âBroken Pianoâ, âGood & Goneâ, âOh Brotherâ, âThe Fisher King Bluesâ, âTell Tale Signsâ and âAnymoreâ. The crowd savour these moments just as they do the plethora of favourites that the album created such as âRecoveryâ, âPlain Sailing Weatherâ, âPolaroid Pictureâ, âLosing Daysâ, âThe Way I Tend To Beâ and âFour Simple Wordsâ!
The evening doesnât finish there though and ever the entertainer, Turner blasts though a selection of hits to close out the night. The sing-a-long for âThe Ballad of Me and My Friendsâ is spine-tingling as Xtra Mileâs most famous son honours the label in style.
Itâs been a fantastic evening celebrating âTape Deck Heartâ and Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary and we should be thankful for Xtra Mile sharing artists the calibre of Turner, Pet Needs, BERRIES and Guise.
What we should be most thankful for though is for organisations such as War Child and the incredible work that they are doing. For more information and to donate head here!
Share this review on Social Media
Check out our Podcasts including guests Jess Guise, BERRIES, Pet Needs & Frank Turner!
3 replies on “Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary”
[…] Read our review of Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary in London […]
[…] Read our review of Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary in London […]
[…] Read our review of Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary in London […]