Tag: Music

Categories
Live Reviews

Enter Shikari

Alexandra Palace, London

Saturday 4th December 2021

Enter Shikari

Follow us on Social Media

ENTER SHIKARI – ALEXANDRA PALACE – LIVE REVIEW

We’re currently counting down our 2021 Album of the Year list on Social Media. It’s somewhat fitting yet frustrating therefore that we are at Alexandra Palace in London for the band that reached number four on our 2020 list.

Enter Shikari released one of the best albums of 2020 in the form of ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’, but have as yet been unable to tour that record due to the ongoing pandemic.

Finally, they now have the opportunity to take that album on the road, but alas the pandemic still has tricks up its sleeve. Firstly, the band take to their Social Media to announce bassist Chris Batten has Covid and is out, but the show will go on. Soon thereafter another post emerges and main support act, Dinosaur Pile-Up are also out as a result of Covid!

Despite all this adversity, the determination of the band shines and the show is on. Nova Twins are the first act on stage and continue to demonstrate just why they are so hotly tipped. Their ferocious, rip-roaring opening slot is instantly enough to justify the show proceeding. The band feel at home on huge stages and by the end of their short set, they have a legion of new fans.

With DPU out of the show, Enter Shikari called on their friends, and fellow St. Albans band Trash Boat answer the call at the 11th hour. DPU are a hard act to replace, but Trash Boat are an act up to the task. After all, their album ‘Don’t You Feel Amazing?’ will likely feature towards the top of our 2021 Album of the Year list!

Read our review of ‘Don’t You Feel Amazing?’ from Trash Boat

They are able to blow away any disappointment at the lack of DPU within minutes of taking the stage. A traditional show of hands for Trash Boat first timers sees most hands in the venue raise, but by the end of their time on stage there is no doubt everybody now knows their name.

The quick flowing evening soon finds us being counted down towards the arrival of Enter Shikari. The venue is sold out and is packed tight towards the front as fans desperately await their heroes.

‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’ is an incredible album and it’s only right that it features heavily tonight. That starts from opening track ‘THE GREAT UNKNOWN’ as the band burst on stage to a stunning light show and a blast of confetti.

WATCH ‘THE GREAT UNKNOWN’ ON YOUTUBE
Enter Shikari – ‘THE GREAT UNKNOWN’

The crowd are truly up for it tonight as are the band. Despite the turmoil of the day and being a member down, Enter Shikari are able to adapt and overcome and still deliver an unstoppable performance.

Older tracks ‘Juggernauts’, ‘Sorry, You’re Not a Winner’ and ‘Mothership’ naturally elicit huge responses from the audience, but so do those new tracks. Highlights of the evening include ‘modern living…’, ‘satellites* *’ and ‘the pressure’s on.’.

Enter Shikari are an innovative and resilient force and tonight is a celebration of many things, but through all of the adversity of not just today but the last year or so, tonight is a triumph of tenacity.

An encore featuring two more new favourites in ‘T.I.N.A.’ and ‘{ The Dreamer’s Hotel }’ and the always uplifting ‘Live Outside’ closes out another victory lap for a vital band that continue to go from strength to strength.

Share this review on Social Media

Check out The Full Pelt Music Podcast on Youtube

Categories
Live Reviews

Beans On Toast

Three Wise Monkeys, Colchester

Friday 3rd December 2021

Beans On Toast

Follow us on Social Media

BEANS ON TOAST – COLCHESTER – LIVE REVIEW

This is our first visit to Three Wise Monkeys in Colchester and we discover a fantastic little venue above the pub on a vibrant and Christmassy Friday night in the town centre. Our reason for visiting is cult folk singer Beans On Toast, as he hits the road to support new album, ‘Survival of the Friendliest’.

The support slots tonight from local singer Benjamin Brown and main tour support Kitty Liv sail by, which is a complement to both for their delightful performances.

Soon enough it’s time for the man himself to grace the intimate stage and for this tour he is joined by Liv, and Mystery Jets bassist Jack Flanagan to fill out his sound during portions of the set.

The first portion of the show sees the three-piece serenade the audience with a mixture of old and new tracks. New songs ‘A Beautiful Place’, ‘Blow Volcano Blow’ and ‘Not Everyone Thinks We’re Doomed’ take centre stage and showcase his wonderful new album ‘Survival of the Friendliest’.

Read our review of ‘Survival of the Friendliest’

As with all Beans On Toast shows, there are sing-a-longs galore with ‘Watching the World Go By’, ‘I’m Home When You Hold Me’ and ‘The War On War’ all coming early on. Soon its left for Beans alone to break out a number of favourites and rarities such as ‘A Whole Lot of Loving’ and ‘Peter Pan’s Playground’.

Towards the end of the night Liv and Flanagan return for another superb collaboration on songs such as ‘Humans’ and ‘Let’s Get Married Again’ from that new album.

At the end of his encore, Beans On Toast is joined on stage by long time friend and collaborator Frank Turner for ‘The Album of the Day’. A great treat for fans, and evidence that you should expect the unexpected at a Beans show.

A fantastic evening of songs, stories and laughs is closed out with ‘On & On’ which sees the main man backed by Flanagan, Liv and Turner for a truly spectacular finale. Tonight was just further evidence that Bean On Toast is an underground national treasure!

Share this review on Social Media

Check out Episode 3 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with our guest Beans On Toast!

Audio Options here

Categories
Album Reviews

Volbeat

Servant of the Mind

Volbeat
Volbeat – ‘Servant of the Mind’

Follow us on Social Media

VOLBEAT – SERVANT OF THE MIND – ALBUM REVIEW

Volbeat find themselves at an interesting point in their career, well, as far as the UK is concerned. Of course the band is huge in Europe, but where do they fit in over here?

They’ve steadily worked their way up festival bills and played larger and larger venues, but will they reach the arena filling, festival headlining status they enjoy elsewhere? They felt on the cusp prior to the release of 2019’s ‘Rewind, Replay, Rebound’ but a slightly lacklustre response to that album and a global pandemic stifled their progress somewhat.

Now, they return with their latest album, ‘Servant of the Mind’, with another chance to make that leap. Whilst ‘Rewind, Replay, Rebound’ wasn’t a momentum killer of an album that many bands in the rock scene have suffered from in recent years, it also didn’t propel them any further. So the ultimate question now is can ‘Servant of the Mind’?

Listen to ‘Wait a Minute My Girl’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

If the early singles, ‘Wait a Minute My Girl’ and ‘Dagen Før’, were anything to go by then that answer would be yes! The album jumps straight in with ‘Temple Of Ekur’, ‘Wait a Minute My Girl’ and ‘The Sacred Stones’ setting the tone for the next sixty plus minutes of music.

Another single ‘Shotgun Blues’, ‘The Devil Rages On’ and ‘Say No More’ all then act to reassure that yes, this is Volbeat at their very best. The thrashing swagger of the guitar work that launched their career is front and centre in all its glory, and the songwriting is able to latch on to create some new classics for the bands arsenal.

WATCH ‘SHOTGUN BLUES’ ON YOUTUBE
Volbeat – ‘Shotgun Blues’

Always a force to be reckoned with live, these tracks will instantly enshrine themselves as fan favourites when the band next take to the stage.

This album certainly finds the band at their relentless best and even as it reaches its latter stages there is plenty to retain your interest. The deluxe version of the album will set you back some 80 minutes of your life, but it’s time well spent.

On the evidence of this album, Volbeat will be pushing themselves further up those festival bills and any lingering doubts can now be dispelled. How could we ever have doubted this band!

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of The Offspring live in London

Categories
Live Reviews

Stereophonics

Cambridge Corn Exchange

Tuesday 30th November 2021

Stereophonics

Follow us on Social Media

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, especially when related to music. Take tonight’s show from Stereophonics which is part of the 20th Anniversary Tour for classic album, ‘Just Enough Education to Perform’ as an example. Just the name of the album instantly takes me back to high school, instantly takes me back to sitting in my room and pressing play on said album in my bulky old CD player (remember those?).

Yes, musical nostalgia is a truly wonderful thing and is what ensures venues like the Corn Exchange in Cambridge are sold out for this tour.

There is no nostalgia for our young support act, Tom Speight, but after his delightful set, there will surely be many new fans. Speight’s short time on stage allows him to serenade the packed crowd with his marvellously crafted ballads. His gleaming demeanour is reciprocated by his legion of converted followers, as he ensures a superb start to the evening.

Check out our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast

Up next is the nostalgia we speak of, as Stereophonics get straight down to business. Spending the first hour of the night performing the album affectionately known as ‘JEEP’ in its entirety, the band take the audience in a time machine back to 2001; a much simpler time, and a time where the band were dominating the musical landscape.

Monster hits such as ‘Mr. Writer’ and ‘Have a Nice Day’ punctuate an album blessed with quality throughout. Huge crowd reactions naturally also greet the likes of ‘Vegas Two Times’, ‘Step on My Old Size Nines’ and ‘Handbags and Gladrags’.

WATCH ‘HAVE A NICE DAY’ ON YOUTUBE
Stereophonics – ‘Have A Nice Day’

A short break then sees the band return to the stage to fast forward to the present for a run of tracks include new songs ‘Hanging On Your Hinges’ and ‘Do Ya Feel My Love’ from upcoming album ‘Oochya!’.

Stereophonics have done an incredible job in staying relevant some twenty years post ‘JEEP’. The fact that these dates are intimate shows despite still being large venues says a lot. The band, of course, will return to play arenas and stadiums imminently.

It’s a pleasure therefore to be able to catch the likes of ‘Maybe Tomorrow’, ‘Just Looking’ and ‘Dakota’ as the band return to the stage for a third and final time.

This band has proven themselves to be incredibly consistent both on record and on stage and nights like this are to be cherished. Ultimately tonight is a celebration of the past that also shows that the future remains bright for Stereophonics.

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Idlewild live in London

Categories
Album Reviews

Beans On Toast

Survival of the Friendliest

Beans On Toast
Beans On Toast – ‘Survival of the Friendliest’

Follow us on Social Media

BEANS ON TOAST – SURVIVAL OF THE FRIENDLIEST – ALBUM REVIEW

As per tradition, Beans On Toast is back with a new album for his birthday in which he provides social commentary on the events of the past year. This year sees him in a positive mood with the release of ‘Survival of the Friendliest’.

That positivity is a breath of fresh air in a world that, as the man himself sang, has gone crazy. This is an album exploring the possibility that things can and will get better, after all as the song says ‘Not Everybody Thinks We’re Doomed’!

Working with the main man on this record are Blaine Harrison and Jack Flanagan of Mystery Jets. The collaboration works perfectly and helps the music match the positivity of the lyrics, creating an infectiously upbeat tone to the album.

‘Survival of the Friendliest’ certainly continues the evolution of this talented artist musically, following the path of its recent predecessors. The accompanying arrangements beautifully showcase those trademark vocals. These songs are distinctively more radio-friendly then his early material.

WATCH ‘HUMANS’ ON YOUTUBE
Beans On Toast – ‘Humans’

Highlights from the album include ‘Humans’ and ‘Let’s Get Married Again’ but the record deserves to be listened to and appreciated in its entirety. We say that because, the collection of songs that comprise this album are up there with the best that Beans On Toast has released.

In a world shrouded in negativity, ‘Survival of the Friendliest’ provides a light in the darkness, a feeling of positivity that instils a sense of hope. Let’s face it, it’s going to take more than an album to change the world, but for forty minutes let Beans On Toast put a smile on your face!

Share this review on Social Media

Beans On Toast recently joined us on The Full Pelt Music Podcast to discuss all things ‘Survival of the Friendlest’.

Audio options are here, or watch on Youtube below!

Read our review of Skinny Lister live in Norwich

Categories
Live Reviews

The Offspring

Wembley Arena

Friday 26th November 2021

The Offspring

Follow us on Social Media

THE OFFSPRING – WEMBLEY ARENA – LIVE REVIEW

As soon as The Offspring announced an arena tour with The Hives in tow, an evening of early 2000’s rock scene nostalgia was destined. With the walk down Wembley Way lit with Christmas lights, with festive music playing, a fantastic Friday night in London is in store. We just won’t mention the tube strike!

Whilst nostalgia is at the heart of the evening, we start off with something new, vital and refreshing. Bob Vylan are earning their stripes. They’ve jumped onto this tour straight from supporting Biffy Clyro last month, and they’ve just announced a headline tour for next year.

Our advice following their performance tonight is to get your tickets for said headline tour as soon as possible. Enjoy them in small venues while you can, because they belong on stages like Wembley Arena. Their politically charged punk ruckus is guaranteed to elicit a reaction one way or the other. Tonight the overwhelming majority are on board and the likes of ‘Pretty Songs’ and ‘GDP’ showcase a band with a big future.

Main support for this tour comes from The Hives, generally understood to be an incredible live act. Thankfully nothing has changed during the enforced lay-off of the past two years.

With their time on stage relatively short the band blast out their biggest hits such as ‘Main Offender’, ‘Walk Idiot Walk’, ‘Hate to Say I Told You So’ and ‘Tick Tick Boom’ to the delight of the crowd. Our headliners will need to be at the top of their game in order to match the brilliance of The Hives.

Read our review of ‘Let the Bad Times Roll’ from The Offspring

Things start well for The Offspring with ‘Staring at the Sun’, ‘Come Out and Play’ and ‘Want You Bad’ immediately getting the audience riled up. A visually simple yet stunning stage show also helps to fill the huge space of Wembley Arena and make the band seem at home on such a stage.

Whilst that word nostalgia keeps coming up, The Offspring are actually touring a new album and up next two new tracks demonstrate the quality that the band is still putting out. ‘The Opioid Diaries’ and title track ‘Let the Bad Times Roll’ are received just as well as the older tracks ‘Hit That’, ‘Hammerhead’ and ‘Bad Habit’ that follow.

WATCH ‘LET THE BAD TIMES ROLL’ ON YOUTUBE
The Offspring – ‘Let The Bad Times Roll

The question of whether The Offspring can match or eclipse The Hives is already positively answered by the time we are treated to an incredible piano version of fan favourite ‘Gone Away’.

The closing run of ‘Why Don’t You Get a Job?’, ‘Original Prankster’, ‘(Can’t Get My) Head Around You’, ‘Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)’ and ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ is as good as it gets and vindicates the bands decision to play arenas on this tour.

The encore of ‘You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid’ and ‘Self Esteem’ is the cherry on the icing of a beautiful cake that is made from three superb performances from Bob Vylan, The Hives and The Offspring. This was a thoroughly enjoyable show, which celebrates both the present and future of punk rock.

Share this review on Social Media

Check out The Full Pelt Music Podcast on Youtube!

Categories
Live Reviews

The Snuts

Colchester Arts Centre

Tuesday 23rd November 2021

The Snuts

Follow us on Social Media

THE SNUTS – COLCHESTER ARTS CENTRE – LIVE REVIEW

Winter is most definitely coming! It’s rather cold as we join the queue to enter the beautiful Colchester Arts Centre. Surprisingly for a sold out gig, despite arriving just five minutes before doors opening, the queue is somewhat sparse.

Once inside, the venue does slowly begin to fill during the opening set from local music scene regular Benjamin Brown (Dingus Khan/SuperGlu). Whilst those familiar with his work enjoy his set, there is a general ambivalence amongst the rest of the crowd.

By the time our next support act, Grace Barr, takes to the stage the venue is packed. Sadly most of those in the venue are more interested in talking to each other than listening to Barr, which makes it quite hard to hear her performance. What is audible does sound very good, so it’s a shame the crowd don’t seem to care.

The mood changes the instant our headliners The Snuts grace the stage. The compact venue is then transformed from noisy Wetherspoons to Reading Festival main stage. Instantly there are people up on shoulders and pints, bottles and cups flying across the crowd. It would appear that The Snuts have certainly captured the hearts of what is often coined the lad rock crowd.

WATCH ‘GLASGOW’ ON YOUTUBE
The Snuts – ‘Glasgow’

There is no doubt that this band are going to be huge, and they are already creeping up next years’ festival posters. A number one album, sold out shows and the audience reaction tonight all hint to that destiny. But, if they are to achieve it they will need great music to back them up.

Thankfully for them on the evidence of tonight, they have that in abundance. That number one album, ‘W.L.’ is naturally the focus of the evening and ‘Glasgow’, ‘All Your Friends’, ‘Always’ and ‘Juan Belmonte’ provide a stunning opening to their performance.

Read our review of ‘W.L.’

‘Maybe California’, ‘Burn the Empire’, ‘Elephants’ and ‘Top Deck’ are all highlights too as the band blast through their set to the delight of the crazed audience. The crowd are sent off into the night with an encore of ‘Sing for Your Supper’.

Another successful gig in the bank for The Snuts, who are unlikely to be back in venues this small anytime soon! Expect to see their name everywhere over the next few years.

Share this review on Social Media

Check out Full Pelt Music on Youtube

Categories
Live Reviews

Idlewild

Electric Brixton, London

Sunday 21st November 2021

Idlewild

Follow us on Social Media

IDLEWILD – ELECTRIC BRIXTON – LIVE REVIEW

“..how does it feel to be three years late?..” – ‘You Held the World in Your Arms’, Idlewild

One knock on effect of the pandemic, albeit insignificant in the greater scheme of things yet incredibly grinding to music anoraks, is the issue of Anniversary Tours. With many such as tonight’s now out of sync. Idlewild may not be three years late, but their 25th Anniversary Tour is now in fact their not so poignant 26th Anniversary Tour!

That doesn’t temper the anticipation from the groups die-hard following with tonight sold out in advance and, even with no support act, Electric Brixton fills up early to await their heroes.

That is exactly how they are greeted when they arrive onstage and launch straight into ‘Dream Variations’, ‘Roseability’ and ‘You Held the World in Your Arms’. This sets the rest of the night up perfectly as the band celebrate every album throughout the next incredible two hours of music.

WATCH ‘DREAM VARIATIONS’ ON YOUTUBE
Idlewild – ‘Dream Variations’

Naturally for such a tour, nostalgia is prominent throughout the evening and it’s fantastic to see early mainstay bassist Bob Fairfoull joining the band on numerous older tracks throughout the evening. Whilst all the big hits as it were are in the mix, there are also some rarer tracks which help to make the evening feel special.

Idlewild have always been a stunning live band and tonight is truly a pinch yourself moment; how can this band remain this good after 26 years!  The fans certainly help, as they get more and more animated as the evening progresses.

Throughout the show you wait for the momentum to slow, for a track to fall flat, but the quality tonight is relentless. It’s therefore hard to pick highlights but ‘Little Discourage’, ‘Love Steals Us From Loneliness’, ‘Live In A Hiding Place’ and ‘El Capitan’ naturally elicit jubilation from the crowd.

The likes of ‘Collect Yourself’, ‘Everyone Says You’re So Fragile’, ‘A Ghost In The Arcade’ and ‘These Wooden Ideas’ however are equally cherished. By the time the main set concludes with ‘The Modern Way of Letting Go’ and ‘American English’ you’d be forgiven for thinking that the night has peaked.

CHECK OUT THE FULL PELT MUSIC PODCAST

What immediately follows however is a real treat for old school fans as the iconic four piece version of the line-up grace the stage for early track, ‘Self Healer’. They are gradually joined by the rest of the current band as they plough through fellow early numbers ‘4 People Do Good’ and ‘Captain’.

Once again, you’d be ecstatic to finish it there, however Idlewild treat fans to  ‘When I Argue I See Shapes’ and ‘In Remote Part / Scottish Fiction’ to deliver a truly epic finale. But much like the MCU now delivers two post-credits scenes, Idlewild still have one last parting shot for the packed crowd.

Whereas those scenes usually preview the future, Idlewild return for a final encore of old favourite ‘A Film For The Future’. After 26 years tonight feels like the epic final battle against Thanos. The hope though is that it simply means that we are entering the next phase for a treasured band.

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of ‘CRAWLER’ from IDLES

Categories
Album Reviews

The Darkness

Motorheart

The Darkness Motorheart Album Cover
The Darkness – ‘Motorheart’

Follow us on Social Media

THE DARKNESS – MOTORHEART – ALBUM REVIEW

What do you want from a new album by The Darkness? Justin’s falsetto singing? Dan’s riffs? The ferocious, driving rhythm of Frankie and Rufus? Well, the band are back with their new album, ‘Motorheart’ and it’s all in there!

Yes, ‘Motorheart’ delivers on every level of the Darkness-o-meter. There is the oddball witticism, the crazy stories, the inside jokes. The extravagance of the band is what makes them great and thankfully their 7th studio album has it in abundance.

Listen to ‘Nobody Can See Me Cry’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

The story of the band is as unique and colourful as their music, and it’s somewhat astonishing that they’ve reached a point in their career whereby they can say they’ve released seven albums!

A decade ago, nobody would’ve believed a third album possible. Their meteoric rise and subsequent fall from grace seemed to have them confined to the storybooks of rock n’ roll folklore.

Luckily for fans their one way ticket to hell did have that “and back” caveat and they made their heralded return in 2012. Five more albums now in the time since have solidified the bands credibility, if not restored their fame.

‘Motorheart’ continues a hot streak of acclaimed releases and will rightfully take centre stage for their upcoming live shows. ‘Welcome Tae Glasgae’, ‘Motorheart’, ‘It’s Love, Jim’ and ‘Eastbound’ will no doubt go down a treat for those in attendance.

WATCH ‘IT’S LOVE, JIM’ ON YOUTUBE
The Darkness – ‘It’s Love, Jim’

Whilst their arena filling days may be gone, The Darkness still sell out large venues across the country and the reputation of their live shows combined with the nostalgia of debut album ‘Permission To Land’ could carry the band into retirement.

Luckily, the band don’t seem content to rest on their laurels and that work rate has now seen them release another quality album. ‘Motorheart’ is well worth your time, so, whether your a die hard or a nostalgia seeker, check it out!

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Skinny Lister live in Norwich

Categories
Live Reviews

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

UEA LCR, Norwich

Saturday 13th November 2021

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

Follow us on Social Media

FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

With the release of ‘Sticky’, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes have continued their evolution as an act. As we said when we reviewed the album, all four of the bands records have their own unique identity whilst remaining clearly Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes albums.

How does this era of the group translate live? Well, we headed to the UEA LCR in Norwich to see.

Up first are two support acts who warrant that term unique. Both Cassyette and Lynks feature on ‘Sticky’ and have been championed by Carter himself as ones to watch.

Read our review of ‘Sticky’

Tonight both acts are able to display their art to the packed audience and both make the most of their platform. Lynks in particular is far removed from what the general fan would expect from a Frank Carter support act, something acknowledged by Lynks during the set. The crowd however are receptive and buy into the occasion which means by the time the set is complete, Lynks has won some more fans.

There is an interesting cross-section of fans for our headline act. Some are fully onboard with their experimental directions on each album. Others demand Carter sticks to the sound of debut album ‘Blossom’ with no deviation. Those fans will be disappointed this evening with only ‘Devil Inside Me’ on offer from that record, which is actually sung by a lucky audience member.

Carter himself has shown throughout his career that he has plenty to offer beyond his traditional sound. Regardless of band or album, Carter has always been at his pinnacle when on stage.

WATCH ‘STICKY’ ON YOUTUBE
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – ‘Sticky’

Equally that’s where the songs come to life. ‘Sticky’ is performed in its entirety throughout the setlist tonight and every song grows extra legs live. ‘My Town’, ‘Sticky’ and ‘Original Sin’ all sound massive and fit in perfectly alongside classics ‘Wild Flowers’, ‘Lullaby’, ‘Tyrant Lizard King’ and ‘Crowbar’.

The re-emergence of Cassyette on ‘Off With His Head’ and Lynks on both ‘Bang Bang’ and ‘Go Get a Tattoo’ both help add to the occasion, as Carter continues his upwards trajectory.

We’ve spoken in recent reviews for numerous artists of the poisoned chalice that artists face when progressing their sound. Fans will have different opinions on ‘Sticky’ but tonight those songs and the band as a whole are a force to be reckoned with!

Share this review on Social Media

Listen to ‘My Town’ on our Spotify Hot List!