Kicking off proceedings on the tour are The Mysterines who have been solidly making a name for themselves over the last few years. This then is a huge opportunity for the band to pick up new fans and build momentum.
From the moment they walk onto the stage to the final strains of âLifeâs A Bitch (But I Like It So Much)â, the group feel very much at home on a stage this big. Often even top live acts can struggle to fill these cavernous venues with their sound but that is no problem for The Mysterines.
The inclusion of new track, âBegin Againâ, hopefully hints as more new music on the way because the world is their oyster. The Mysterines have all the qualities needed to end up headlining venues like this, and with performances like tonight youâd be willing to put money on it.
WATCH ‘BOGUS OPERANDI’ FROM THE HIVES
The Hives – ‘Bogus Operandi’
Last summer Arctic Monkeys headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals and despite the hype, their performances on the weekend were incredibly lacklustre.
It may have been a surprise then to see The Hives announced as main support for this tour. The band, instantly recognisable as one of the best live bands on the planet, certainly have the ability to upstage our headliners.
Opening with new track, âBogus Operandiâ, it doesnât take long for the packed crowd to realise that they are witnessing greatness. It certainly helps that frontman Howlinâ Pelle Almqvist is on hand to remind everyone!
The likes of âMain Offenderâ, âWalk Idiot Walk’, âHate To Say I Told You Soâ, âCome On!â and âTick Tick Boomâ help to get the crowd suitably warmed up for the final act. In truth, youâd be happy with the evening ending at this point as itâs hard to imagine Arctic Monkeys topping the live masterclass delivered by The Hives.
WATCH ‘THere’d better be a mirrorball’ from arctic monkeys
Arctic Monkeys – ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’
When our headline act does arrive though, they quickly smash out âBrianstormâ, âSnap Out of Itâ, âDonât Sit Down âCause Iâve Moved Your Chairâ, âCrying Lightningâ, âTeddy Pickerâ and âThe View From the Afternoonâ. You are then reminded just how great Arctic Monkeys can be when they want to be.
The question these days is do they want to be? Thankfully, tonight they mostly do because tracks from their two latest albums are at a minimum and the likes of âFluorescent Adolescentâ, âDo I Wanna Know?â and âMardy Bumâ are left to set to the tone. This creates more of a party atmosphere in the Stadium and ensures that the band can keep up with The Hives.
By the time the evening finishes with âI Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloorâ and âR U Mine?â, Arctic Monkeys have ensured that their first Stadium tour is a successful one. Hopefully the band will soon rediscover their desire to record good music as well!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we are starting by rounding up the best live announcements from the past week and we begin with Halestorm.
Ahead of their performance at Download Festival the band have already revealed that they will return to the UK for a special one-off show at Wembley Arena.
It was a big week this week for Skinny Lister who had both new music and new tour dates to share.
Alongside a full UK tour later this year, the band debuted new single, ‘Down On The Barrier’, which you can check out below!
Skinny Lister – ‘Down On The Barrier’
Speaking about the message behind their euphoric, enlightening new track frontman Dan Heptinstall says:
“Music is a kind of religion to many gig-goers, and in âDown On The Barrierâ weâve tried to capture that feeling. The church in this case is the venue, the sermon is the song and the preacher the artist. Itâs a nod to those almost spiritual moments when we gather to enjoy some communal rockânâroll worship, as well as a healthy dose of support, release and camaraderie. See you down on the barrier!”
Another hot ticket later this year will be the ‘This Is How It Feels’ tour from Lottery Winners.
Announcing the tour the band said “Weâre going to be throwing everything at this, with special guests and special production and doing our best to make it a special experience. So, please come. Bring a friend. Letâs spread the word and get these venues bouncing. We love you all so much! X”
After their appearance at Slam Dunk Festival, Yellowcard have revealed details of a new EP, ‘Childhood Eyes’ which will be released on July 7th.
Ahead of the release the band have shared the title-track, which you can check out above!
About the new single, William Ryan Key said: “I woke up in the middle of the night with the chorus ringing in my head. I grabbed my phone off of the night stand and started typing away, squinting in the dark. This was months before we even started demoing the EP. When we started writing I threw the idea in the hat at the last minute, picked up a guitar to try and put music to the melody in my head for the first time, and Childhood Eyes was born. This is a song about being defeating, let down, and deceived time and again, but still managing to find your creative soul and carry on. I think it captures the spirit of Yellowcard, both old and new.â
Another band with new music following their appearances at Slam Dunk Festival was Trophy Eyes.
The band shared their new single, ‘Life In Slow Motion’, which you can check out above!
ââLife in Slow Motionâ is my assessment of life itself, and the way we as humans navigate life and time here on Earth.â says John Floreani. âSearching for meaning in chaos, I found myself seeing signs in number patterns and small examples of beauty in ordinary life; a hug at the bar exchanged between friends, a crinkled photo of a loved one kept close, a kindness or a smile. What they mean, I canât say, but sometimes if you look hard enough and sit quietly enough, life reaches out and speaks to you.â
The release comes ahead of new album, ‘Suicide and Sunshine’, which is out on June 23rd.
Currently touring stadiums with Arctic Monkeys, this week also saw The Mysterines share their latest new track, ‘Begin Again’, which you can check out above.
Grian Chatten shares ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’
Grian Chatten – ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’
Grian Chatten had more new music to share this week as he debuted new single, ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’, which you can check out above!
Chatten says: ââLast Time Every Time Foreverâ is a weak kneeâd 99th lap around a hellscape town of your own making. Itâs haunted by seagulls and hoarse-throated slot machines from the 1980s and it breaks its own promise on every listen.â
The track comes from upcoming debut solo album, ‘Chaos For The Fly’, which is out June 30th.
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni ANGER PARTY shared their latest new single this week.
Bringing this section of our News Report to a close is, ‘Save Myself’, which you can check out above!
“No matter how many times our intuition tells us to leave, no matter how much ourindiscretion speaks for itself, sometimes weâre inexplicably drawn to people that never fail todisappoint and betray us. âSave Myselfâ tells a story of inner turmoil, treading the fine linebetween yearning for somebody that will never earn our affections, and having the selfrespect to realize that weâre better off alone.â – Guitar / Vocals – Owen Claxton.
Norwegians Fixation share new single, ‘Flat Earth’.
The band states, “Flat Earth is a track that delves into the minds of people who persuade themselves into believing conspiracy theories. People that are so centered around their own perception of the truth that they refuse to see it any other way. The lyrics sums it up: «Even if they see it, they probably wonât believe it.”
Kings County – ‘Holding On’
US band Kings County share new single, ‘Holding On’.
Singer Rob Dexter says, ââHolding On” was the song we needed to write. After our last release in 2022, we were constantly performing live for months and knew we had to get back to writing or we would become complacent. You are as good as your last song and “Holding On” was a pivotal moment for us. We needed to raise the bar and that’s exactly what we did with “Holding On”.â
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with a handful of festival announcements and one of the line-ups that got a little bigger this week was the above, belonging to Bearded Theory!
Fresh names include Pretenders, Billy Bragg, Jealous Nostril, Witch Fever and more.
They join a packed line-up including Interpol, Primal Scream, Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Gary Numan, Yard Act, The Mysterines, Pigs x7, The Undertones, Beans On Toast, Grace Petrie, Skinny Lister, Millie Manders and the Shutup, Pet Needs and many more.
Also making several line-up additions this week was Suffolk’s Latitude Festival which will see headliners Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra take to Henham Park in July.
This week has seen James, Yard Act and more join a bill that now includes The Kooks, Paul Heaton + Jacqui Abbott, The Big Moon, Lightning Seeds, The Proclaimers, The Murder Capital, Bob Vylan and many more.
The Boardmasters line-up grew exponentially this week including Lorde joining the already announced Liam Gallagher and Florence + The Machine as a headline act.
The full line-up now includes Cypress Hill, Bob Vylan, Yard Act, Nova Twins, Kid Kapichi, Lottery Winners, Cassyette, Black Honey, Squid and more.
Live At Leeds: In The Park has this week revealed the final acts joining their 2023 line-up set to be headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.
New additions Maximo Park, Kate Nash and Lottery Winners join a bill featuring DMA’s, The Hives, Black Honey, Gengahr, Low Hummer and many more.
Speaking about joining the Live At Leeds: In The Park lineup and Live At Leeds memories of years gone by, Lottery Winners said:
âLive at Leeds is always one of my favourite festival line ups. Itâs always crammed with all of my favourite bands, so Iâm almost more excited to just go than to play. But I am proper excited to play – might even do a crowd surf.â
Speaking about the final names added to Live At Leeds: In The Park, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said:
âCan it be May already? Weâre delighted to add even more names to the Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023 lineup – really bringing together an amazing array of names from across Live At Leedsâ history whilst remaining true to that core belief we all have to champion and support the most exciting new names in modern guitar music.
Having the likes of Maximo Park and Kate Nash (who have soundtracked countless memories and influenced a ridiculous amount of artists) alongside the likes of acts like Lottery Winners, James Marriott and Medicine Cabinet really nails what Live At Leeds is all about – and these names joining an already packed bill makes me very excited indeed. All coming together on one day, itâs going to be a special party indeed. Weâll see you there!â
A new festival is coming to Chelmsford as Hideaway Festival reveals its inaugural line-up including headliners Clean Bandit and Bastille.
They’ll be joined by the likes of James Bay, Texas and Jake Bugg.
Speaking about the first ever Hideaway festival, organiser Roy Trickett said: âEveryone on the Hideaway team is so excited to bring this family friendly, boutique Festival to Chelmsford. Headliners have all been hand-selected for their unmissable performances and the venue provides a perfect escape in a central Essex location. Weâre very proud to be hosting the first ever music festival in this unique space – and have a few surprises in store for our festival guests!â
We move our News Report on now towards the best live announcements from the past week.
Having already confirmed support acts for their first sold out Wembley Stadium date this summer, Blur have now confirmed they’ll be joined on their second date by Paul Weller and The Selecter.
This summer promises to be a packed full of great live music and this week Placebo added another night to the mix. The band has confirmed that they will play Dreamland in Margate this June.
Tigercub have just announced that their third album, ‘The Perfume of Decay’ will be out on June 2nd. You can listen to their brand new single, ‘Play My Favourite Song’, below.
The also revealed a full UK tour set for this autumn.
Tigercub – ‘Play My Favourite Song’
Speaking on the single, frontman Jamie Hall says, âI realised that without music I am alone, without sounds to occupy my brain intrusive thoughts begin to swirl and unease and sadness rises within me, so play my favourite song because silence makes me feel low.â
The next tour announcement in our News Report comes from the iconic Glenn Hughes, who will be hitting the road this October. The special shows will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of classic Deep Purple album, ‘Burn’.
This week Blood Red Shoes revealed that they will be playing a run of club shows including a date at the famous 100 Club in London.
The band said: “We decided it ain’t right that we’ve never played the 100 Club in London. So we booked it! And then it spiralled and we turned it into a 25 date tour of smaller punk venues, in 9 different countries”.
The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Pet Needs who will be out and about playing acoustically over the next couple of months.
Our News Report heads now across to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with Blind Channel.
Following the release last year of their ‘Lifestyles of the Sick & Dangerous’ album, Finlandâs Blind Channel are kicking off 2023 with their new standalone single ‘FLATLINE’.
âThis is the beginning of the next chapter of our career,âsay the band.âFlatline is Blind Channel on steroids. We captured the energy of last yearâs 130 shows into one song and threw it to a Berlin rave. The song was written with songwriting duo Blyne and itâs one of the heaviest tracks weâve ever made. This is pretty unique from scratch. If youâre sick and tired of ups and downs, this song might help you.â
Next up in our News Report are Canadians Softcult, who this week shared their latest single, ‘Love Song’, which you can check out above. The single comes ahead of new EP, ‘see you in the dark’, which is out on March 24th.
“This is an anxious love song,” Mercedes explains. “Itâs about loving someone so intensely that you find yourself in constant fear of losing them. Sometimes love and happiness can feel like these unattainable things that are too good to be true. Once weâve finally found something our hearts have been yearning for, itâs hard to shake the thought that we will inevitably have to let it go. But these gnawing thoughts can get in the way of us allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, or enjoying our relationships for fear that they wonât last.”
On the video Mercedes says, “We wanted the video to tell the story in a different way, focussing more on getting carried away with our own imaginations when it comes to falling in love. We filmed in a small legion hall and tried to make the ambiance a little depressing and mundane. Our main character is an elderly man whoâs sort of given up hope. Heâs there having a beer alone while everyone else is playing bingo. When he lays eyes on Gina, his co-star, he gets lost in fantasy, imagining not only the love they might have together but the type of person he could be if he had love in his life.”
Alternative Horror Rock band ANGER PARTY are back with their sophomore single âHad Enoughâ!
“Everyday we wake up and have the same conversations, with the same people, on the same subjects, with no purpose or profound effect on our lives. We create a state of perpetual monotony and anxiety, while wearing masks to hide our every emotion. All this is done to make prying onlookers think that everything is fine. âHad Enoughâ reflects on the deepest, darkest ways to break this cycle and exercise our true feelings on the world. It shows our desire to remove the mask, wipe away the make-up and reveal our true fears, frustrations, aggressions and vulnerabilityâ –Lead Vocalist, Ashley Wilson
Militarie Gun – ‘Do It Faster’
Los Angeles’ Militarie Gun share a thrilling new single in ‘Do It Faster’.
Speaking about the song, vocalist Ian Shelton states: “It is about my overall impatience with life. The agonising wait for things to materialise⊠so before resigning to do it myself, Iâm imploring the world to just move faster.â
De’Lour – ‘No One
South Wales based band DeâLour share their staggering new single âNo Oneâ.
“No One was one of the first songs we wrote together as a band in a room and not remotely. We got together at the first opportunity we could when lockdown was lifted in 2020. When we wrote No One, we wanted to express our thoughts on society’s lack of self reflection. We all worry about what everyone else thinks of us, but when you boil it down, no one is paying attention, no one really cares. People are only really concerned with what’s going on in their world, inside their own heads. So we wanted to express the feeling that we shouldn’t care about what other people think, we should just go for it if it’s what we want or what we think is best.â – Deâlour
Itâs been another big revival year for the music industry following the pandemic years, and itâs been another year of growth for us at Full Pelt Music! Weâve reviewed 67 albums, 7 EPâs, 6 festivals and 38 gigs in 2022 as some level of normality or even stability has returned to our industry.
That said, there are still many issues facing the industry with livelihoods, venues and organisations at risk for a plethora of reasons. Whilst government action is required in many places, what we as fans can do is support the industry with our money. Times are tough for us all, but purchasing an album, buying a t-shirt, nabbing a ticket and grabbing a drink whilst at a gig does so much to support the industry that we love.
In our now annual end of year awards weâll be giving out seven hotly contested awards looking at both the recorded and live sides of the industry. Adding to our well established Album of the Year award this year will be the new EP of the Year award. Weâll also once again be revealing our Single of the Year. All awards have seen fierce competition, as once again itâs been a high quality year for new releases.
On the live side of things, weâll announce both our Gig and Festival of the Year awards. This year of course provided our first full calendar of music since 2019! We were able to witness many great performances this year and we canât wait to share with you are favourites.
Lastly weâll look at the artists whoâve had special years as we award our Artist and âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year awards. So without further ado, letâs work through those award catagories!
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
It has been a truly magnificent year for album releases and getting a spot anywhere in our Top 50 was hard enough but in particular the Top 10 was incredibly tightly fought. You can read the full list here.
âIMPERAâ from Ghost was able to take the crown this year but any of the top 10 couldâve taken that spot. âReelingâ from The Mysterines in particular would likely have won in any other year, but the majesty and magnificence of âIMPERAâ proved unbeatable.
Winner:
âImperaâ by Ghost
The contenders:
âReelingâ by The Mysterines, âFTHCâ by Frank Turner, âSkinty Fiaâ by Fontaines D.C. & âThe Price of Lifeâ by Bob Vylan
Previous Winners:
2021 â âBlue Weekendâ by Wolf Alice 2020 â âUltra Monoâ by IDLES
EP OF THE YEAR
For the first time this year, we are separating EPâs out of our main award and giving them their own pedestal. That alone is the truest compliment to the quality of EPâs on offer this year.
Again, all EPâs in our top 5 are worthy of the number one spot, but itâs âcoming of (r)ageâ from As Sirens Fall that pips it. Catchy as hell single, âheaven (spat us back out)â, helps elevate the release to be crowed our first ever EP of the Year.
Winner:
âcoming of (r)ageâ by As Sirens Fall
The contenders:
âFalse Startâ by James and the Cold Gun, âSCPâ by Oakman, âTyrantsâ by IOTA and âBLACKGOLDâ by BLACKGOLD
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
We look now at our Single or Song of the Year. In considering the award this year weâve considered the ear worms that have stayed with us after live performances. Weâve also pondered which songs instantly struck a chord and created a buzz of excitement for the albums and live shows that would follow.
Songs which fell into both of these considerations competed for the award and it was again a tight decision, but ultimately for us this year âDangerousâ from The Mysterines has not just ticked both boxes but also remained on heavy rotation throughout the year despite being an early arrival in 2022. Thatâs why that track is our 2022 Single of the Year!
Check out the winning single below:
The Mysterines – ‘Dangerous’
Winner:
âDangerousâ by The Mysterines
The contenders:
âTalk Hard’ by Jamie Lenman, âComplianceâ by Muse, âWicked Waysâ by Halestorm, âSpillwaysâ by Ghost
Previous Winners:
2021 â âTest of our Resolveâ from Press To MECO 2020 – âObeyâ by Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
2022 was the first full festival season since 2019 and what a return it was. All eyes were on Glastonbury once again, British Summer Time curated a stunning line-up, Download Festival breathed fire and 2000trees was able to remind everyone whatâs so great about smaller festivals.
Our winner this year though is Reading & Leeds who went big, sold out and delivered an action packed weekend even with the huge loss of Rage Against The Machine amongst others. Always a perennial contender for this award, 2022 felt like the year the event reclaimed its identity.
Glastonbury Festival, British Summer Time, Download Festival, 2000trees Festival
Previous Winners:
2021 â Download Pilot Festival 2020 â Wild Fields Festival
GIG OF THE YEAR
Weâve reviewed many gigs this year but in reality there could only ever be one winner. Rammsteinâs tour is less of a concert and more of an experience; one that everyone, fan of the band or not, should experience at least once.
Beyond that there was still some incredible, top tier gigs in 2022 and our contenders are all worthy of glory, but Rammstein are currently on a whole different level.
Royal Blood @ O2 Arena, London, Ghost @ Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Muse @ Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, London, The Killers @ Carrow Road, Norwich, The Hella Mega Tour @ London Stadium, London, Creeper @ Roundhouse, London, Idlewild @ O2 Kentish Town Forum, London
Previous Winners:
2021 â Bring Me The Horizon @ O2 Arena, London 2020 â Frank Turner @ Arboretum, Nottingham
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Artist of the Year now and for this award we look for somebody who has had a huge, perhaps even career-defining year. Previous winners Frank Turner and Biffy Clyro have done so by delivering incredible feats, far above the norm.
This year was a big year for many acts, but weâve gone for Bring Me The Horizon as a band that have had a career-defining twelve months. Long tipped as festival headliners at a major event, many felt that the time would never come for one of the best live bands on the planet. Big releases, sold-out tours, no matter what the group did they never seemed to be given that torch, that is until this year!
Watching Bring Me The Horizon step up and headline at Reading & Leeds this summer felt like a real moment, not just for the band but for the whole scene. For any metal band, let alone one once considered so unfashionable to headline the biggest festivals in the UK is massive.
Already announced to finally headline Download Festival in 2023, 2022 will forever be linked for Bring Me The Horizon to taking that final career-defining set. Throw in their genre-defying collaboration with Ed Sheeran, 2022âs Artist of the Year had to be Bring Me The Horizon.
Winner:
Bring Me The Horizon
The contenders:
Ghost, Rammstein, Biffy Clyro, Muse
Previous Winners:
2021 â Biffy Clyro 2020 â Frank Turner
âDISCOVERâ NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
As a publication we always want to put new music at the heart of what we do, and thatâs why our final award is perhaps our most important! Our âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year is awarded to the act weâve chosen to highlight on our âDiscoverâ New Music Playlist and Podcast who we feel has made the biggest impact this year.
At the beginning of 2022 we put the spotlight on new Colchester act PET NEEDS as they continued to promote their debut album, âFractured Party Musicâ. From that point on the band never looked back with a world tour, a second album (‘Primtime Entertainment’) and a sold out hometown show all under their belts.
They even found the time to become the first (and only at the time of writing) band to progress from our âDiscoverâ New Music Podcast and appear on The Full Pelt Music Podcast! Yes, fighting off some stiff competition for the âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year award in 2022 is PET NEEDS!
Winners:
PET NEEDS
The Contenders:
BERRIES, As Sirens Fall, Oakman, James and the Cold Gun, Daytime TV, MOSKITO
Previous Winners:
2020 â Miss Vincent
So, thatâs it! Another year in the record books, itâs been another difficult year and it has again been particularly tough on the music industry. That said, weâve had a full year of live music for the first time since 2019 and the creative juices remain flowing with some absolutely stunning new releases over the past twelve months.
Below you can enjoy some of our favourite gig photos of the year courtesy of our wonderful photographer Denis!
All đž (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
We hope youâve enjoyed our The Year in Review 2022 and we wish you a very Happy New Year. Hereâs hoping 2023 is a good one!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we begin with a handful of festival announcements including one that is always a hotly anticipation one, who is playing Reading & Leeds Festivals?
Your headliners this year are Sam Fender, Foals, The Killers, Lewis Capaldi, Billie Eilish and Imagine Dragons. They’ll be joined by the likes of Wet Leg, Nothing But Thieves, Slowthai, You Me At Six, Baby Queen, Inhaler, Don Broco and The Snuts.
Sticking to the August Bank Holiday weekend, Victorious Festival also revealed their first acts for next year this week including Friday night headliner Jamiroquai.
Also playing over the weekend will be The Vaccines, Amyl & The Sniffers, The Coral, The Enemy, Crawlers and many more.
Red Hot Chili Peppers extend Stadium Tour into 2023
We move our News Report now onto the best tour announcements from the past week and we begin with the news that Red Hot Chili Peppers will extend their global Stadium Tour into 2023.
Next year will see the legendary act play in London and Glasgow with support coming from The Roots and King Princess.
The Black Keys have this week announced their long awaited return to the UK after an eight year absence.
The band will play arena shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow with support from Spoon.
âAfter 8 long years, we are excited to say The Black Keys are coming back to Europe and the UK. We canât wait to see you at the shows in these iconic venuesâ the duo says.
We have plenty of juicy tours in our News Report this week and next we turn to Deaf Havana. The band have revealed that they will be back on the road in March and April.
DMAâs continue to tease new music from their fourth album ‘How Many Dreams?’, with the release of new track, ‘Olympia’, which you can check out above.
Guitarist Matt Mason comments on âOlympiaâ: ââOlympiaâ was written for a crowd, and is a dedication to all of our fans, especially the ones whoâve been with us from the start. we canât wait to play it for you all.â
Their new album is out March 31st, pre-order your copy here.
Levellers have announced their brand new acoustic album ‘Together All The Way’ will be released on March 10th. You can listen to new single, ‘Down By The River ‘O” above.
Of the album and recording, the Levellers say, âIt was truly a fun record to make, under the rigorous guidance of Sean. Seanâs a musician himself, always bringing ideas and get out of jail free suggestions when we got stuck. Itâs a stripped back, raw iteration of the collective with deep folk leanings. As energetic as the first one but definitely different.â
Blondshell explains, “I was obsessed with the [US teen drama] show âVeronica Marsâ as a kid and I was revisiting it around the time I wrote this song. I wanted to sing about that childhood era when I was being exposed to a lot more than I was comfortable with. âGimme shelterâ refers to the song but Iâm also saying please give me shelter from graphic TV and film, from New York City, overwhelming lyrics, etc. I think the song is just about having my boundaries crossed and the effects of those transgressions (for example, growing up to think men are hot if theyâre assholes).”
overpass – ‘3AM’
overpass have shared their latest single, ‘3AM’.
They commented, ââ3AMâ is an innocent coming-of-age song that I think most people can relate to. Itâs about the excitement you get when youâre going out, knowing you might be able to connect with that person, or at least hope that they will call you back when the night is over and done with.â
Life In Mono – ‘Blackout’
Life In Mono have just shared double A-side singles ‘Blackout/Sex To White Noise’
Speaking about the inspiration behind the singles, vocalist Sarah Clayton says, âBlackout is about people in your life that you know are no good for you but are hard to give up, whereas Sex To White Noise is about trying to find a connection that makes you feel something when youâre feeling really numb. If youâve ever been on prozac youâll know!”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
It must be nearly Christmas, because the announcements came thick and fast this week! Up first for us is the news that Elton John will play what is set to be his final UK show at Glastonbury Festival.
Organiser Emily Eavis shared the following statement:
Another legendary act announced this week to be headlining a major festival was Guns N’ Roses. The band are the latest act announced for British Summer Time which takes place in Hyde Park, London.
We continue the festival announcements in our News Report with Bearded Theory who this week announced a stunning line-up topped by Interpol and Primal Scream.
Also on tap will be Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Gary Numan, Yard Act, The Mysterines, Pigs x7, The Undertones, Beans On Toast, Skinny Lister, Holy Moly And The Crackers, Coach Party, Pet Needs and many more!
Another festival dropping their initial line-up for next year is Standon Calling. The event will be topped by Years & Years, Self Esteem, Bloc Party and The Human League.
Also on the bill are the likes of Squid, KT Tunstall, Bob Vylan, Lynks and Stone.
Festival Founder and Director Alex Trenchard says: â2022 was an incredibly special year for all of us at Standon Calling. Itâs given us so much excitement to look forward to 2023, in what is shaping up to be the greatest Standon Calling to date.
Weâre so proud of this yearâs progress in booking a gender-balanced headline bill and are certainly in for a good time. Couldnât be happier to bring Self Esteem back and in an even bigger slot, alongside Bloc Party, an all time favourite of ours and one of the greatest modern alternative indie rock bands around. With more iconic names like Years & Years, The Human League and many more, weâve booked some of the best live acts going, including future superstars ready to take over 2023 and much more – this announcement really captures everything important about Standon Calling.
We canât wait to see everyone next July, and weâve got a LOT more surprises to come – so stay tuned!â
Another festival to check out is Yorkshire’s Deer Shed Festival, which is set to feature the likes of Public Service Broadcasting, Gaz Coombes, The Big Moon, This Is The Kit and Dream Wife.
The final festival announcement in our News Report comes from Lume Festival. The event will takeover The Underworld, The Black Heart and Camden Eye in April.
The line-up features Dream State, Black Orchid Empire, Delaire the Liar, Led By Lanterns and ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni Moskito, Youth Illusion and Blight Town!
We move our News Report onwards now to the best tour announcements from the past week and get the ball rolling with the news that The Weeknd will bring the ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ global stadium tour to the UK.
A Manchester date in June will be followed by two dates at London Stadium in July.
The Blue Stones have announced a return to the UK and Europe for Spring 2023. The band will include three UK shows in Manchester, Nottingham and London.
The Blue Stones vocalist/guitarist, Tarek Jafar, had this to say about the tour, âwhen we release new music, we immediately think about how it will be received in Europe and the UK. We feel such a connection to those places, and our fans there have been incredibly supportive. We wanted to provide an album that stays with them forever, and a show theyâd never forget. No one should miss these shows, because it’s a side of us that you’ve never seen before.â
The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Party Cannon who will tour the UK early next year with support from recent Podcast guests Godeater!
Black Star Riders share new single ‘Riding Out the Storm’
Black Star Riders – ‘Riding Out the Storm’
Next we take our News Report to the best new releases from the past week and we get started with Black Star Riders.
It was a big news week for the band as they both shared their new single and revealed their new guitarist. Yes, Wayward Sons guitarist Sam Wood joins the group and you can check out new single, ‘Riding Out the Storm’ above!
Ricky Warwick âI first saw Sam back in 2019 when Wayward Sons were guests to Black Star Riders and I was absolutely blown away! I had Sam join me for some Fighting Hearts dates a few months back and knew he was the guy for us. If ever there was a new GUITAR HERO waiting in the wings, then itâs Sam! Black Star Riders have had some of the Worldâs finest guitar players in their ranks and Sam is truly up there as one of them. We couldnât be happier!â
The single comes from forthcoming new album, ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’, and Warwick comments:
âAs we get older, sadly we start to lose the ones around us who we love, having lost both my parents and some dear friends in the last few years Iâve started to question and look at my feelings on my own mortality and morality. Iâve come to realise that death is a part of life and even in the darkest days (that we all get sometimes), Iâve come to understand that every aspect of life should be an intensified experience and never taken for granted.â  He continues: âThe video was shot in downtown Los Angeles and directed by Tony Aguilera. I love the cinematography and different camera filters that Tony used during the shoot. I think it complements the essence of the song, which conveys reflections of mortality and consequences of choice. Life must end eventually, but love doesnât.â
Hundred Reasons also had new music on offer this week and you can listen to new single, ‘New Glasses’, above.
Vocalist Colin Doran had the following to say about the themes behind the track:
“The lyrics for this song are really about a person I used to work with that spent lots of time treating people badly to cover up their own inadequacies. They were not good at their job but, due to their massive ego and how they wished to be perceived by others, preferred to make others feel deficient. The song describes how I came to realise this. The amusing thing is that it was a working title as when we started writing it, Larry had actually got new glasses that day but the name stuck.”
The song comes from upcoming album, ‘Glorious Sunset’, which is out February 24th.
This week saw Bury Tomorrow share their new single, ‘Boltcutter’, which you can listen to above.
The tracks features on upcoming new album, ‘The Seventh Sun’, released March 31st.
Speaking of the track, guitarist Kristan Dawson shares, âfrom the second we put the finishing touches to Boltcutter, we knew it had to be a single. Whilst it is a fundamental Bury Tomorrow track, being both loud and heavy, it also emphasises the new era of our band.”
“Specifically, it highlights influences we havenât necessarily channelled through Bury Tomorrow before, and itâs a pleasure to continue to expand the possibilities of our music. It began its existence through Tom crafting the foundations, with an ambient and electronic soundscape, before the rest of the band provided their usual expertise.â
âConsidering its weighty riffs and catchy dual vocal hooks, we also knew that Boltcutter was going to be an undeniable addition to future setlists. And for those who have attended recent shows on our tour, Â they will have already had a sneak preview. Weâve loved being able to preview a single release like this with our fans, and it seems that it has already made an impact with teamBT and we canât wait for the rest of our wonderful community to hear it.â
Finally for our News Report and setting off into a new era, metal greats Delain have announced that they will release new album, ‘Dark Waters’ on February 10th.
You can check out new single, ‘Beneath’, above!
Martijn Westerholt on ‘Beneath‘:
ââBeneathâ is a perfect ambassador of the album and Delain as a whole because it encapsulates almost all of the recognizable Delain elements you will find on the album.â
âThis album captures all elements Delain is known for â our distinctive heavy guitar riffs, massive orchestral parts, both heavy metal and pop vocals, rock opera vibes along with 80s synth sounds. In short, this is definitely a recognizable Delain album that contains classic âDelain elementsâ while also moving forward with fresh influences.â
UK rockers Little Triggers share their new single, ‘Personality Crisis’.
The track takes a swipe at social media influencers and the millions of young people who follow them. Tom remarks: âI donât feel any connection to this sort of instant gratification online culture. The minds of these digital influencers are a closed book to me. I just donât get why so many people think they have something meaningful to say.â Hamilton goes on to elaborate: âThe personality crisis of the song title is both my alienation from this virtual world and also that of the individuals who think their online musings really matter. To them and their followers, I say get a life â a real life!â
MOSKITO – ‘517’
Fearless UK band MOSKITO are back with their new single, ‘517’, taken from upcoming mixtape, ‘Bad Love’ out January 27th.
â517 is a song which allows you to find yourself lost in the chaos, conjuring any emotion in which you allow yourself, this is your pageâŠ. What would you write? After all we all just architects of our own downfall! It’s like a letter to your ex. Full of optimism, pride, resentment, confusion, jealousy, loathing & a desperation to prove them wrong. 517 is the ultimate revenge bod.â – Frontman Jake Rudd.
MYNK – ‘Boundaries’
London trio MYNK share their debut single, ‘Boundaries’.
Bex Morrison comments:
“The track is about the boundaries we set in order to function in different situations / relationships; the crossing of sacrifice and habit meets somewhere in the middle to maintain a connection. Itâs about the relatable internal questioning of âdo I/donât I?â and where that takes you, and how you can lose yourself in it.â
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the latest live announcements and they didn’t come any bigger than the revelation that Arctic Monkeys will be performing a huge UK Stadium Tour next Summer.
The band will perform 13 dates in May and June 2023 including double dates in London and hometown Sheffield.
Making the events even more unmissable will be special guests The Hives and The Mysterines!
Roger Waters reveals UK ‘This Is Not A Drill’ dates
The legendary Roger Waters also had UK Tour news on offer this week as he revealed three dates for next Summer on his ‘This Is Not A Drill’ Tour.
âThis Is Not A Drill is a groundbreaking new rock and roll/cinematic extravaganza, performed in the round, it is a stunning indictment of the corporate dystopia in which we all struggle to survive, and a call to action to Love, Protect and Share our precious and precarious planet home. The show includes a dozen great songs from Pink Floydâs Golden Era alongside several new ones, words and music, same writer, same heart, same soul, the same man. Could be his last hurrah. Wow! My first farewell tour! Donât miss itâ. Love R.
Fontaines D.C. share video for ‘The Couple Across The Way’
Fontaines D.C. – ‘The Couple Across The Way’
Fontaines D.C. shared the video for their single, ‘The Couple Across The Way’, this week and you can check it out above.
Speaking on the track and video, frontman Grian Chatten says, âI was living in a tiny little flat in North London with my girlfriend and there was this Hitchcock – esque view of an elderly couple across from us. They had these blazing arguments that sent pigeons flying around, and after each one the man in the couple would come out onto this little balcony he had and just breathe for about 10 minutes. I couldn’t help but imagine it as a reflection of myself and my girlfriend in years to come, and ourselves as a reflection of a younger, happier version of themâ
The mighty Saxon have released a new single to preview their upcoming tour. You can watch the video for ‘Black Is The Night’ above.
Frontman Biff Byford comments: âLooking forward to the Seize The Day Tour. See you all on the road and enjoy the new video for Black Is The Night!â
Skid Row also had a new single to share this week, and you can check out, ‘Time Bomb’, above.
The track comes from new album, ‘The Gang’s All Here’ which is available October 14th.
The video for âTime Bombâ was helmed by director Dale âRageâ Resteghini who Rachel Bolan sought out to realize his artistic vision for the song about humanityâs continuing struggles with self-indulgence and monotony.
âWhat would it be like to be in that position?â Rachel asks. âJust be completely going about life, your normal everyday thing, but youâre thiiiiis close to just completely losing your shit?â
AWOLNATION have debuted their new single, ‘Freaking Me Out’, which you can watch the video for above.
Aaron Bruno shared his inspiration behind the song: âI had a sense of a hopeful paranoia of sorts in creating this song, plus you can disco dance to it, or bang your head. Or both. Itâs up to you.â
The Murder Capital share new single ‘A Thousand Lives’
The Murder Capital – ‘A Thousand Lives’
We continue our News Report with The Murder Capital. The band this week debuted new single, ‘A Thousand Lives’, which you can check out above.
The band also revealed that their second album, ‘Gigi’s Recovery’ will be out January 20th.
Front man James McGovern had the following to say about the themes behind the new single:
“Knowing that the day is only X-hours long, alongside my understanding of how love can be the true restorative seed, means that if and when you are so lucky to find it (and it is true) the seemingly small glance that is our lifetime could never contain enough of those days or those hours. Even a thousand of those lifetimes would never be enough.”
The band had the following to say about the new album and next year’s tour:
âFor us, having worked on Gigiâs Recovery over the past two-plus years, now knowing every detail of every room in this house that we have built together, all we want to do is invite everybody in. We canât wait to reveal more and more of what weâve been creating with this record, and eventually in the new year, to reveal the full story.
The greatest thing about making a record is touring a record. The connection we make and the energy created at our live shows is the highest point for us. We canât wait to meet new faces in the crowds, and to see this record under the new light that each and every one of you will shine on it. No better place to be than in the centre of it all.â
Following the release of their latest album, ‘North East Coastal Town’, last month, LIFE have shared the video for, ‘Shipping Forecast’, which you can watch above.
Speaking on the single, singer Mez Green:
“The ‘Shipping Forecast’ is a track that is awash with Hull’s nautical heritage. The music channels the power of the waves somewhere between Dogger and Humber.
It’s an urgent and powerful track that grapples with the need to get home and pins themes of toxic social media and control to its mast.
The track was one of the first to be written from North East Coastal Town and its energy and mood very much set the scene of our recording process.â
October Drift will soon release their second album, ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’, with the record available on October 14th.
This week the band revealed the video for their single, ‘Waltzer’, which you can watch above.
Regarding the video the band say, âWe wanted to make a video which visually encapsulated what the song was about. We knew we wanted to film it at an empty seaside location, so we got up at 3am and drove to a beach in Dorset to shoot at sunrise. Somehow we roped a friend into getting up that early to pour the water over Kiran, but managed to misjudge the sunrise so ended up standing around in the dark for two hours before it was light enough to film anything. Not sure how many takes we did in the end, but it was enough to give Kiran mild hypothermia.â
Courting have just released their debut album, ‘Guitar Music’, and this week shared the video for new single, ‘Famous’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the new song, frontman Murphy-OâNeill says, âFamous is about growing up, finding comfort in smaller things, It is a song about nights forgotten and days of just watching sitcoms with your friends. Musically, we wanted to create something truly euphoric, something we could cry to. We intended for this song to be the centerpiece of the record, a bit like a carousel.”
Our News Report turns now to PVA who this week share the video for their recent single, ‘Bad Dad’, which you can watch above. The track comes from new album, ‘Blush’, which is out October 14th.
Speaking on the themes of the single, Ella Harris says âBad Dad explores the internal world of a new father checking in on his son at night, afraid of the lineage of masculinity and how it might impact someone so untainted.â
Closing out this section of our News Report are The Hot Damn!. This week saw the rockers share their latest single, ‘Live Laugh Love’, which you can check out above.
Set to support Incubus on their UK Tour, Softcult this week shared their new track, ‘One Of A Million’.
On the track Mercedes says, âOriginally, I was writing from a frustrating perspective, expressing my feelings about the people in our society who think they are the exception and can justify repeating selfish actions, no matter who they harm in the process.
As the song began to take shape, it also became about my own personal insecurities and fear of being ordinary and unexceptional, but the more I thought about it and wrote about it, I realized that accepting how similar we all are as human beings is a comforting sentiment, if not a vital one.
The more we relate to each other and acknowledge our similarities, the more empathy and compassion we will have for one another. The more divided we are, the longer these issues get drawn out instead of solved. Itâs important to not only celebrate our diversity and unique-ness, but also to remember that at a very basic level we are all more the same than different.â
No Windows – ‘Shout (Red Song)’
Edinburgh duo No Windows share their new single, ‘Shout (Red Song)’, from newly announced debut EP ‘Fishboy’.
Morgan had the following to say about the themes behind the track:
“Shout (Red Song) felt loud, thrashy and noisy – which to me felt most like the colour red. Red reminds me of things that are intense like anger or love which, and while neither of those things are explored directly, they feel present as an undercurrent in the melody and sonic set-up of the final recording.”
noyou – ‘Love is Enough’
Synthetic Pop-Rock band noyou have dropped just dropped their debut EP âThis Game We Startedâ amd alongside the EP comes new single âLove Is Enoughâ.
â’Love is Enough’ explores the challenges often faced in the world of an independent artist. Whether it be battles with egos, gigs to no one or overwhelming self-doubt, the song is a reminder to ourselves and to anyone who can relate to soldier on and keep doing what it is you enjoy, for as long as you continue to enjoy it.â – Connor Jobes
Festival season is in full swing, the weather is warm, and the women are setting the standard for football, in many ways life is good. Of course in many other ways things are tough right now.
Music has always been an escape from reality, and we certainly need a distraction right now, so as Y Not Festival open their gates for the first time in three years, itâs time for tens of thousands of fans to let their hair down and celebrate. That is once they can actually get in, with some enormous queues upon entry dampening early spirits.
Now, the last and only time I attended Y Not Festival was the fateful 2017 event which ended in cancellation midway through. I wrote a scathing review for another publication and swore never to return.
Well, watching from a distance the festival has put out some stunning line-ups since then, and organisational changes appear to have improved things and returned the events reputation to pre-2017 levels. This year is in fact billed as their first year back as an independent festival.
Having decided to give the festival a second chance on the basis of their 2020 line-up, Iâve since witnessed the line-up change multiple times for the worse based on my personal preferences. There is no doubting however the overall quality of the line-up at a tough time for festivals.
Iâm interested to see how the event will progress and whether it can change my opinion of the festival after the 2017 debacle, so the huge entry queues on Thursday and Friday arenât the best start.
Thankfully once inside, things pick up quickly! The general layout is well thought out in the main arena, with the main stage, the second stage (The Quarry) and numerous other attractions in the main section of the arena, and the third stage (The Giant Squid) and various other stages and attractions located in a smaller area.
This almost creates two distinct festival areas, with a busy walkway connecting them. The only issue here is that later on in each day this thoroughfare does bottleneck and makes movement very difficult. At one point on Sunday night, this reaches a near dangerous level as fans flood the area trying to catch an Oasis tribute band on one of the smaller stages.
Whilst I quite liked the two separate areas concept, in future additional access would need to be installed at the other end of the second area to avoid any disastrous incidents and make crowd movements flow better.
Now on to the music! Thursday is an add-on day and those to fork out and arrive early are given a splattering of acts to enjoy.
The first such act that we catch is Lucy Spraggan who does a great job in getting the audience into the spirit of things. Spraggan has the crowd singing along to the likes of The Proclaimers cover âIâm Gonna Be (500 Miles)â, and fan favourites âLast Night (Beer Fear)â and âWait for Meâ.
Next, The Hunna grace the main stage and also deliver a crowd pleasing set. The bandâs momentum seems to have stalled slightly, but that upwards trajectory is set to relaunch if the reaction to new single, âTrashâ, is anything to go by. âSheâs Casualâ and âBonfireâ serve as a reminder of what the band is capable of, and leaves the audience fully pumped up for our Thursday headliners.
WATCH ‘TRASH’ FROM THE HUNNA ON YOUTUBE
The Hunna – ‘Trash’
Those headliners are indie stalwarts The Kooks. The band have been celebrating their debut album, âInside In/Inside Outâ, whilst they have also recently released a new album, ’10 Tracks to Echo in the Darkâ. Itâs no surprise then that 15 out of 21 songs tonight come from those two releases.
The new tracks manage to hold up well with the hits such as âOoh Laâ, âShe Moves In Her Own Wayâ, âAlways Where I Need To Beâ and âNaĂŻveâ. All in all this equates to a fun headline show which sets the standard for the weekend to come.
Friday on paper is the best day musically for me heading in with a great mix of the new and established acts that Y Not Festival has managed to book so well.
Itâs a new act we start with on the main stage as Lauran Hibberd brings her charismatic indie pop to Y Not Festival. The early risers are treated to a glimpse of a star in the making and those that make the effort donât regret it. Hibberdâs debut album, âGarageband Superstarâ is out this month, and based on todayâs showing it will be a breakthrough record.
Hibberd has featured previously on our âDiscoverâ New Music Playlist, and next we headed to the âGiant Squidâ stage for the first time to catch fellow playlist alumni Daytime TV.
Daytime TV showcase their incredible debut album, âNothingâs On But Everyoneâs Watchingâ, as they quickly blast out the likes of âWe Canât Be Friendsâ, âHushâ, âUglyâ and âZombieâ. This is another band with a great future, and today they deliver the goods for the early crowd.
Watch our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Daytime TV
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 14 – Daytime TV
Continuing the run of fantastic young acts we catch MarthaGunn in the âGiant Squidâ and The Skinner Brothers in the âAllotmentâ. Two very different acts, but two more acts that make the very most of their time on stage, clearly winning over any fans not already converted.
We then return to the main stage for another newer act, but one that already feel established. The Snuts burst onto the scene with their debut album, âW.L.â, and have dominated festival stages this year. Today fans are treated to a look at what comes next with new songs âBurn the Empireâ and âZuckerpunchâ sounding massive. Expect The Snuts to continue to climb festival bills over the next few years, and donât be surprised when they are eventually headlining the likes of Y Not Festival.
The Pale White continue what has been a consistently brilliant day of music with a powerful set in the âGiant Squidâ, before we head to the âQuarryâ for the first time this weekend.
Festival favourite and all round legend Beans On Toast assembles a huge crowd for a sing-a-long session. The heralded folk singer serenades his crowd with favourites such as âThe War on Warâ, âM.D.M.Amazingâ and âOn & Onâ. Really, there should be a law that dictates that Beans On Toast appears at every single festival.
Watch The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Beans On Toast
The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 3 – Beans On Toast
Even before the major issues struck in 2017, one gripe I had about Y Not Festival was the apparent disorganisation in relation to set times. I worry next that perhaps this issue hasnât been fixed as Manic Street Preachers fail to appear for their advertised start time. Eventually a message appears on the screens citing technical difficulties, and the band finally arrive almost an hour late on stage.
This of course has a knock on effect to our headliners Stereophonics, and also means when the Manics do arrive, they quickly depart again only playing for half their originally scheduled time. The technical difficulties seemingly continue to dog the band throughout their short time on stage, which causes more set changes on the fly. A lesser band may have given up, but Manic Street Preachers force their way through.
Stereophonics are a safe bet as a festival headliner, guaranteed to deliver the goods and give the audience a good time. Thatâs exactly what they do to close out Friday night, with a set mixed of hits and deep cuts from throughout their distinguished career.
The double header of of Welsh icons Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics was a major selling point for many fans, so itâs disappointing that the technical issues leave a sour taste in the mouth.
Saturday soon arrives and we start off on the main stage for another double header of established acts. The Futureheads and Levellers bring the crowds in early as the festival rights the wrongs of last night. Both bands deliver solid sets which the audience lap up, and the party is in full swing as we head deeper into Saturday afternoon.
We refocus next however back to the fresh new acts that help to make this festival so appealing. Do Nothing, King No-One and the excellent The Mysterines all draw big crowds to the âGiant Squidâ stage and all three acts are able to produce perfect festival sets to the delight of the packed tent.
Sea Girls are one of the bands leading the new wave of indie and they are next up on the main stage, where they are greeted by an army of their fans. The band and fans then reciprocate energy for the next forty-five minutes and the result is a very enjoyable watch.
Our Saturday night is then spent back in the âGiant Squidâ for two bands that personify the festival. First up is a hot new band on the cusp of greatness in the form of Yard Act. This is a band that has been touring solidly and making a name for themselves. Today they put the spotlight on debut album, âThe Overloadâ, which gets the entire tent bouncing along.
Lastly is an established act of indie folklore, We Are Scientists! The band finish out the night with a fan pleasing set full of favourites such as âItâs A Hitâ, âThe Great Escapeâ and âNobody Move, Nobody Get Hurtâ.
WATCH ‘THE GREAT ESCAPE’ FROM WE ARE SCIENTISTS ON YOUTUBE
We Are Scientists – ‘The Great Escape’
Itâs during this time that the heavens open for the first time. Back in 2017 it was the Saturday night when the festival organisers decided enough was enough, come Sunday morning the last day was cancelled and a disorderly evacuation of the site commenced.
One massive criticism of the event that year was a lack of foresight with heavy rain predicted well in advance, the site saw little or no preparation for the weather. Itâs great this year then that prior to the rainfall we see straw spread at key points in the arena.
The result is that despite a night of rain, the arena is still in good nick come Sunday morning and we are able to continue with the high quality entertainment. Kudos then to the present organisers for taking proactive action rather than waiting until the horse has already bolted!
So, onto my first Y Not Festival Sunday! We again are on the hunt for new talent early on and catch both Marty and Cucamaras in the âQuarryâ and Baby Queen capturing the imagination of the main stage. All three showing that the future is bright.
Sunday really sinks it teeth in on the main stage with back to back performances from Amy MacDonald and Jake Bugg. Two more established acts with stacked back catalogues, two more artists that are able to deliver polished and well received sets as the shine really starts to break through.
After some sing-a-long action with MacDonald and Bugg, itâs back to the fantastic new music offerings as The Hara and Rews in the âGiant Squidâ, and Vistas and Dream Wife in the âQuarryâ all deliver blistering performances which really rile up the audience.
Soon there is a great moment on the main stage where The Vaccines get to announce the incredible result of the Football mid-set. The atmosphere is electric as fans celebrate with more great music.
For us that great music sees us conclude our weekend back in the âGiant Squidâ, firstly with Blood Red Shoes, who have released one of the albums of the year in âGhosts On Tapeâ. Their belated set is an intense and ferocious explosion of rock which instantly enters the race for performance of the weekend.
Watch The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Blood Red Shoes
The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 4 – Blood Red Shoes
That honour is hotly contested as across four days of music we somehow havenât seen a bad performance. The pure quality on offer despite the multiple line-up changes since 2020 is a testament of the work of the booking team for Y Not Festival.
The last band of the weekend for us is Black Honey, who decide that the crown for set of the weekend belongs to them. They deliver an energetic yet majestic performance that is the perfect way to end what has been a great weekend.
I must admit scepticism coming into the event, and whilst I hoped that a great weekend would be had, I wasnât sure. The organisers have rectified the issues of 2017 and have earned themselves a clean slate from me.
Whether you just want to chill at the main stage, or go hunting for the best kept secrets in the tents, Y Not Festival had it all this year. The ghosts of the past have been put to bed by the acts of the future!
Welcome one and all to another edition of our weekly music News Report! This week we are starting with the latest tour announcements, so where else to begin, but with Volbeat!
This week saw the group announce a huge UK and European Tour that is set to take place later this year with the UK portion happening in December.
Volbeatcomment, âFinally, after so much time away, weâre thrilled to be able to bring a proper Volbeat headline tour to our friends across mainland Europe and the UK. We are so excited and cannot wait to see everyone out there! Weâre extremely lucky to be able to bring Skindred, Napalm Death, and Bad Wolves along for the ride and share this experience with three incredible bands that we are fortunate enough to call friends.â
Support for the UK dates comes from Skindred and Napalm Death.
Killing Joke announced this week that they will be taking over the Royal Albert Hall next March to play their first two albums live!
âWe are living in the most dangerous period in human history in which extinction from nuclear war could happen in the next twelve months. If we make it, then Killing Joke at the Albert hall in 2023 will give great meaning and comfort to all of us. Come share a moment in history with the prophetic and legendary Killing Joke.â – Dr. Jaz Coleman
This week Yungblud revealed a special run of intimate dates to road test his new material. Those dates inevitably sold out instantaneously with a tease of more dates yet to materialise.
A singular festival announcement in our News Report this week, and it comes from Leicestershire event 110 Above.
The festival this week added The Pigeon Detectives, Lauran Hibberd, The Lottery Winners and more to their 2022 event.
Also playing are The Amazons, Everything Everything, Sea Girls, Vistas, Spector, The Mysterines, Deco, Cassyette, Noisy, The Royston Club, The Native and plenty more.
Next, we move onto the new releases section of our News Report, and this week we start with Bad Wolves.
The band have debuted their latest track, ‘The Body’, which you can listen to above.
âWhen we were writing this song we had a goal of trying new things,â said drummer John Boecklin. âThe slap bass and clavichord instantly was new territory for Bad Wolves. It feels good to know this track sounds like nothing we have ever done before. Itâs a fun track that feels like a mix of Faith no more with a dash of Daft Punk. Enjoy!â
Fusion metal pioneers Dub War have released a new single titled, ‘Get Back Up’, the fourth track to be taken from their first album of all-new material in over 25 years, ‘Westgate Under Fire’.
Speaking on the new single, Webbe says, “Iâve always wanted to empower and lift those who are going through a tough time, and in days like this, who isnât.. This is what ‘Get Back Up’ was created for.
I called Mike Bordin about him playing on this particular Dub War track. Mike has been a Dub War fan from way back. He eventually called me back and, with passion, said “Iâm in”âŠ
Together with us, Mike really set the pace for all the other drummers on the album. The style and sound of Bordin strikes hard and shines though on ‘Get Back Up’.”
Also speaking on the track Mike Bordin says, “In this time of isolation/alienation, it was such a pleasure to be able to groove and flow with my old friend, the mighty Mr. Benji Webbe. Welcome back Dub War, and thanks for bringing me along on your ride.
Webbeâs lyrics are on time and strongly on point, encouraging and inspirational in a time when we can all use a lift. Being asked to play on this Dub War song ‘Get Back Up’ couldnât have come at a better time. This album ‘Westgate Under Fire’ is truly bringing the fireâŠâ
You can listen to the track above, and pre-order your album here.
The final new release in this week’s News Report comes from form Delain vocalist Charlotte Wessels. Wessels has debuted new single, ‘Against All Odds’, which you can listen to above.
The track will feature on new album, ‘Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II’, which is out October 7th.
Wessels states: âSince May 2020, Iâve been writing and recording a new song every month down in my basement âSix Feet Under Studioâ, fueled by – and released to – my tight-knit Patreon community. This album wouldnât be there without them. Iâm excited to team up with Napalm Records again to release a new collection of these tracks with a wider audience.
With ‘Tales From Six Feet Under’, I released my favorite tracks of the first year of this endeavor onto the world in 2021, and ‘Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II’ is its counterpart, with my favorite tracks from the second year. There are definitely differences between the two, with the second leaning more towards the heavier side, but they do belong together.
Together they represent a time of introspection and solitary songwriting in the basement. A time that has taught me a lot and has been very meaningful to me, but also a time that, as I started this project in the middle of Covid quarantine, has already – thankfully – started changing. Not because I wonât be writing and recording Six Feet Under anymore, but because as the world is opening up again, I too will come out of the basement and out of my shell again with live concerts, and collaborations are on the horizon.â
France based pop/rock trio, Oakman have shared their brand new single, ‘Murder’.
âThe meaning of this song is deep and quite tricky to explain. Itâs about sexual abuse and everything that is related to it,â says lead singer, Marine.
âI know that âMurderâ is a strong word, but I wanted to represent through it the hatred, anger and sadness that the trauma of rape or sexual abuse can leave on a life. The character in the song finds herself constantly imprisoned by her traumas, which end up killing her from the inside.
So in her dreams, she hopes to kill her abuser the same way that he ‘killed’ her. Very often, the extent of such acts is underestimated or even ignored for the abuser, while the victim will have to live with it all their life. I think this song can speak to anyone who has experienced a traumatic situation where they were the victim. The topic doesn’t matter. It’s your life, your experience. We all have dark times in our lives.â
CAT SFX – ‘Binman’
CAT SFX tread toward more infectious territory with their latest single ‘Binman’.
Of the new single, the bandâs lead vocalist Cat Speranza explains:
â”Binman’ is about a toxic relationship: the one between me and alcohol. It’s about the fights that you have with your loved one because youâre so drunk again and have caused carnage, and youâre trying to pick up the pieces the next day. And you make up all these excuses, to yourself, to others. So Iâm the Binman. Iâm the trash that needs taking out.â
Grave Goods – ‘Come’
Grave Goods share new single âComeâ which is a song about revolution.
Singer Lois Macdonald says on the track, âThis is one of the first tracks we wrote, and for me the one that helped to cement the feel of the music we make. I wanted to use the guitar in a percussive way, and I wanted the track to feel stressful and furious.
I felt frustrated at the time and had so much to express. I wanted the lyrics to reflect all this, and to come from the gut. The best noise I could imagine for this is âUghâ which I use towards the end – it represents frustration, disgust and sex.â
Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report! We start this week with our tour news section and with the one and only Don Broco.
This past week saw the band announce a huge arena tour set for March next year. Support on the shows will come from Papa Roach and Dance Gavin Dance.
Regarding the tour frontman Rob Damiani says, âBeyond pumped to announce the Amazing Things arena tour featuring a line up only the sweetest dreams are made of. Thereâs no two ways about it, we wouldnât be the band we are today if it wasnât for the legends that are Papa Roach so as you can imagine weâre super excited to have the guys out with us as well as our ridiculously talented friends Dance Gavin Dance. See you next year!â.
This week also saw Alter Bridge announce their return to the UK this December. As part of a bigger European Tour the band will be hitting arenas across the UK finishing up at the O2 Arena in London.
Joining the tour are very special guests Halestorm and Mammoth WVH!
Festival news now as our News Report continues, and Suffolk’s Latitude Festival have updated their line-up this week with 60+ acts being added from across the arts.
Joining the music line-up were the likes of Courting, m(h)aol, Matt Maltese, Nova Twins and TV Priest.
Beans On Toast has announced he will be hosting a second edition of his Foolhardy Folk Festival.
Taking place at Nottingham Arboretum, the event will also feature She Drew The Gun, Will Varley, Holy Moly & The Crackers, Gaz Brookfield, Kitty Liv, Jack Flanagan and Georgie!
On to new music release now as our News Report continues. First up is ‘You Got The Best Of Me’, the new single from icons Journey.
Listen to the track above, which will feature on a new album called, ‘Freedom’ which will arrive July 8th.
âI wanted kind of a punky rendition of âAny Way You Want Itââ, says the groupâs founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer Neal Schonabout the single. âI usually don’t go in saying I’m going to look for something like that, but then it just came to me, like âWheel in the Skyâ did years ago. It just kind of flew out of my mouth.â
While the forthcoming album was made with visions of arena and stadium stages, it started from humble beginnings. In 2020, as COVID swept the globe, Schon was stuck at home like the rest of us. âDuring the pandemic, there wasnât much to do,â he says. âI spent a lot of time in my little studio at home, learning how to play keyboards and looping. Some of those ideas ended up being songs. So it kind of came out of nowhere.â
Another band releasing new music this week was Deaf Havana. The band are gearing up for the release of their new album, ‘The Present is a Foreign Land’, on July 15th.
This week they debuted the latest single from the album, ‘On The Wire’, which you can check out above.
MAN WITH A MISSION share new single ‘More Than Words’
MAN WITH A MISSION – ‘More Than Words’
Japanese superstars MAN WITH A MISSION have released their brand new single, ‘More Than Words’, the latest song to be taken from their forthcoming album ‘Break and Cross the Walls II’ out May 25th. You can check out the song above.
Bassist and songwriter Kamikaze Boy has a special connection with the song and says, “Itâs about people sharing thoughts and feelings, even though they have a hard time exchanging words.“.
Rising Los Angeles rock band Classless Act this week debuted their latest track, ‘Time To Bleed’, which you can check out above.
The song will feature on their debut album, ‘Welcome To The Show’, which is released on June 24th.
Bass player Franco Gravante, who produced, mixed, and cowrote the track, explained the origins of the song, “Itâs one of the first riffs I wrote for the record a couple years back. But I couldn’t finish the song. We got some magic dust sprinkled on it by Justin Hawkins and that gave me the confidence to know THIS song belonged on the record. But the record was already done and delivered. So we called the label and said, HOLD UP! Then we called Keith (Nelson), he booked a studio and 37 hours later, it was on the record and itâs coming out now! It was so fast. I think theyâre still cleaning up the mess we made. It takes what it takes, ya know?âÂ
After working on the song with the band during quarantine, Hawkinscommented, âI had the pleasure of writing with these young men at the beginning of the Covidian era. It quickly became apparent that I had underestimated their musicality and talent. They make really sleazy good time rock and roll music with smiles on their handsome faces and I am proud to have contributed. Good luck boys!â.
Bringing our new releases section of the News Report to a close this week are TV Priest. The band shared new track, ‘Limehouse Cut’ this week and you can listen above.
The track will feature on upcoming album, ‘My Other People’, which arrives June 17th.
Vocalist Charlie Drinkwater says of the track, “The song is about a feeling dislocated and displaced in an urban space you once felt you knew and âunderstoodâ, however itâs also a coming to terms with an idea that you never really âownâ somewhere as infinitely regenerative as a city. Itâs a bit of a psycho-geographical study, a little bit of pathos at my own mortality and smallness in the great tide of history. We loved the idea of something quite abstract, something that references landscape, feels mesmeric, melancholic, a little sinister but also quite beautiful.”
As always we finish our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist! Featured this week are:
‘Harlequin’ – Dissonants
A new look Dissonants return with new single, ‘Harlequin’.
âItâs been a tough year or so for us with the instability in the line-up, and at several points myself, Ben and Aaron wondered if the band would cease to exist, as it just felt like setback after setback was crippling us. Cuba and Harvey coming into the fold has been a massive breathe of fresh air, and has totally reinvigorated us with the ideas theyâve bought to the table. On this new track, Harlequin, I believe weâve never sounded better as a bandâ, explains bassist Mike Barton.
‘Decay’ – Trashed
Bristol-based emo punk-rockers Trashed share new single, ‘Decay’, ahead of their debut album ‘Happy In Hindsight’.
Speaking about the single, the band state:Â “Decay was the first song written for the album. It’s like a journal entry about being trapped between existential apathy and a desire to overcome it. We wrote the lyrics to be deep and relatable without being overwhelming or uncomfortable. It’s also a transitional song for us. We’re ready to move on from what we’ve done before, which is symbolised in the artwork. This track lays the foundation for what’s to come, perfectly.”
‘The Moon’ – The Shipbuilders
Surf-Rock scousers The Shipbuilders ready debut album, ‘Spring Tide’ with the single, ‘The Moon’.
Speaking of the track, singer Matty Loughlin-Day explains: “I’ve long been fascinated and drawn towards the concept of ‘Cante Jondo’, the folk music of Andalusia that literally translates to ‘deep song’. Moon’ came from a contemplation of all of this. It’s a song written from the perspective of a soldier in the Spanish Civil War who, while standing underneath a haloed moon, can hear “the wailing of this life and the next collide” while lamenting his love’s death and pondering if the same fate will fall on him⊔
