Itâs once again Independent Venue Week and itâs a fantastic time to celebrate the integral network of grassroots venues that play such a pivotal role in the music ecosystem. It bears repeating – no local venues, no opportunities for new talent and ultimately no superstars.
Tonight we head out to one such venue, the fantastic Voodoo Daddyâs. Pizza, beer and live music are a great mix and thatâs exactly what youâll find tucked down a vibrant Norwich alley.
Youâll also find some brilliant entertainment! Up first tonight are Ecto Peach who cross the border from Ipswich. Thereâs no football rivalry here though and the already packed venue gives the group a warm welcome.
That welcome is returned tenfold with a superb performance from the tight and energetic four-piece. A short set of catchy rockers, the band are evidence of why itâs ever so important to get to shows early!
The mood changes next as songwriter (the best in the world some would say!) Ben Brown graces the intimate stage surrounded by fairy lights. He proceeds to serenade the audience with delicate melodies and comical stage banter.
A change of pace indeed but one which the audience takes in their stride and welcomes with open arms. Brown will certainly leave with more fans than when he arrived after a delightful little show.
Finally though itâs time for those fans filling the venue with Pet Needs t-shirts to enjoy the band of the moment! Pet Needs are one of the brightest prospects in the country right now; after all they did win our âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year Award for 2022!
Yes, crowds are getting larger, venues are getting bigger and t-shirt sales are booming. The reason? Well, perhaps you should pop along to a show and see for yourselves, but given that itâs our job to tell you weâll keep it simple! If you could bottle the energy of the band to sell, youâd be a Billionaire overnight.
It takes more than energy to be a great band though and two albums in, the band already have belters for days. Both of their albums have produced multiple live staples which exemplify the quality of song writing within the band. These songs are catchy as hell with sing-a-longs infectiously mandated at Pet Needs shows.
The setlist tonight is well structured and represents a good mix of their albums. The pace never relents and the audience laps up tracks such as âPavlovianâ, âSpiralsâ, âPunk Isnât Dead; Itâs Just Up For Saleâ and âToothpasteâ.
The highlight tonight though is new track, âYeah!â, which whets the appetite for whatâs to come next. The future is clearly very bright for Pet Needs, and tonight has been a great night for those making the effort.
There are great nights like this happening all across the country every night of the week. So this Independent Venue Week, please remember folks that an independent venue isnât just for Independent Venue Week â itâs for life!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week by running through the best festival announcements made over the past week and up first we have Kendal Calling.
Topping the bill this year will be Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms and Nile Rodgers & Chic! They are joined by the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Frank Turner, Circa Waves, The Enemy, KT Tunstall and The Amazons.
Also across the weekend will be The Hunna, The Murder Capital, Vistas, We Are Scientists, Lottery Winners, Black Honey, Newton Faulkner, October Drift, Jack Valero and many more!
Glasgow’s TRNSMT has added some fifty new acts to the bill for this year’s festival. The events features headliners Pulp, Sam Fender, The 1975, George Ezra, Kasabian and Royal Blood.
They are joined by Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The View, The Kooks, Pale Waves, Hot Milk, Hamish Hawk, The Wombats, Nothing But Thieves, The Enemy, The Amazons, Bob Vylan, Dream Wife, Lauran Hibberd and many more.
Rock returns to Mote Park in Maidstone with the newly minted Maid of Stone taking place in July. The first headline act to be revealed are rockers Airbourne.
Joining the Aussies on the bill will be Skindred, The Hunna, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, Kris Barras Band, Elles Bailey, Florence Black, Bad Touch, Black Spiders and more.
Wales is also able to attract rocks finest with Steelhouse Festival leading the way. This week the festival announced that Black Stone Cherry will be topping the bill alongside already announced Saturday headliners Airbourne.
They are joined over the weekend by the likes of The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, When Rivers Meet, The Cruel Knives and Dead Man’s Whiskey!
Another rock event getting bigger this week was Slam Dunk Festival who have added more bands to an already packed bill. Probably a good thing then that they’ve also broken down the stage splits.
Added to the event were PVRIS, Sueco, Millie Manders and many more. They join the likes of Enter Shikari, The Offspring, Billy Talent, Bowling For Soup, Yellowcard,Creeper and far too many others to mention!
Live At Leeds: In The Park has added The Hives, DMA’s, gengahr and more to an already packed line up headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.
They join amongst others, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Beths, Skinny Living, Deadletter, Ellur, Low Hummer and Opus Kink.
Speaking about their appearance at Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023, The Hivesâ frontman Pelle Almqvist said: âSome festival names just have a ring to them donât they? Live At Leeds. It sounds like some upper echelon rock shit and if this yearâs edition wasnât before, now it is. The Hives are very proud and happy to join this upper echelon. They are coming for your money and dignity and in exchange they will deliver however long a show you will let them of life-affirming record-breaking rock â ‘ roll music. If you have never seen them before. imagine a rock show but to the 3rd power. Too much of everything. If you have seen them before, you know you will have to again.â
Skinny Living said: âLive At Leeds is one of our favourite festivals in the UK! The line up is always top class, so to be able to play the main stage as a local band this year is a proper moment for us and our people.â
Looking ahead, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said: âIt may be chilly outside, but weâre already incredibly excited about returning to Temple Newsam for an unforgettable summer festival celebration – with even more favourites and new faces joining the party at Live At Leeds: In The Park this year.
DMAâs and The Hives may just be some of the best festival bands going right now, and having phenomena like Cavetown and Crawlers join the party is truly special. At Live At Leeds, we always look to bring unmissable live titans together with fansâ next favourite bands – and this yearâs In The Park is the perfect example of that. All coming together on one day at Temple Newsam, thereâs nothing quite like it – and we canât wait to see everyone this May!â
Following a run of new solo singles, iconic guitarist Chris Shiflett this week revealed a run of UK dates this March including a tour finale at Scala in London.
Our News Report continues with news that Pierce The Veil will be in the UK next April. The band will play a number of large venues finishing up at Alexandra Palace in London.
Next in our News Report is the latest single from Willie J Healey featuring Jamie T. Listen to ‘Thank You’ above now.
The track comes from forthcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is out August 25th.
Willie comments on the new single: “I was tired and flat and didnât know what to make & then my friend Jamie said ay willie Iâve got this drum machine it might inspire you.. I picked it up and wrote ‘Thank You’ the next day, it was my way of thanking Jamie for being a good friend. I dedicate it to anyone trying to do their own thing.”
Mimi Barks concludes this portion of our News Report with the new video for her track, ‘SAW’, which you can watch above!
The track features on their recently released mixtape, ‘DEADGIRL’.
Barks had the following to say, “SAW, the third song on the DEADGIRL Mixtape, marks the resistance, rage, and anger I experienced while seeking my identity and self-worth on an emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental level.â
She continues to mention – âWorking independently on set with a micro teamâjust me, and my videographer, and his cameraâit takes me back to my roots. No crew, no lights, and no screenplay. Itâs raw, industrial and dirty – with the walls of the derelict buildings captured in the music video reflecting the wrath and backlash of my internal war.â
Blondshell will release her self-titled debut album arrives April 7th and is preceded by new single, ‘Joiner’.
Describing the new single, Blondshell explains, âI was listening to a lot of Britpop when I wrote this song. A lot of those bands like The Verve, Pulp, Suede, and Blur channelled dark subject matter, drugs, and all this dirty stuff, but with a fun acoustic guitar under it. I was listening to The Replacements, too. Thatâs what this song was inspired by sonically. I wanted it to feel like youâre watching HBO, where even though itâs heavy, itâs still a good time.”
BLACKGOLD – ‘Boogeyman’
Masked Misfits BLACKGOLD are back at it again with new single âBoogeymanâ!
The band comment, ââBoogeymanâ is about that person that haunts your dreams. They have full control over you within your subconscious and it feels like you canât escape.â
Riyah – ‘Perfect’
Riyah is ready to unleash her first single ‘Perfect’, showcasing what is to come from her hands and lungs.
She comments, “I’m excited to see this new chapter roll out with this new EP. I’ve spent almost two years figuring out which way to go, and these songs might feel like baby steps to some, but for me it’s gigantic leap into my passion”Â
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the best new releases from the past week, including metal titans Metallica, who are up first.
As the band continue to prepare for the release of their new album, ’72 Seasons’, on April 14th, they’ve this week shared new single, ‘Screaming Suicide’. You can check out the track above.
ââScreaming Suicideâ addresses the taboo word of suicide. The intention is to communicate about the darkness we feel inside. It’s ridiculous to think we should deny that we have these thoughts. At one point or another, I believe most people have thought about it. To face it is to speak the unspoken. If it’s a human experience, we should be able to talk about it. You are not alone.â – James Hetfield
Fall Out Boy return with ‘Love From The Other Side’
It was also a big news week for Fall Out Boy as the group announced that they will release their latest album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, on March 24th.
Revealing the news the band shared the following with fans:
ââTime is luck.â
Finish another tour. You reflect but not like a gem in the sun â more like a year long stare into yourself in another airplane bathroom
Sometimes you gotta blow everything you were and put the pieces back together in a new shape. The same but different â the foundation dynamited and the dust used to create the concrete pour. I have a tendency to get a little sad whenever I think about anythingâŚbut I also feel pure joy when I think that I exist at the same time as whales or that read happens to rise at a certain temperature. And that we happen to be spinning on this little blue rock at the exact same time together.
So much (for) stardust.â
Accompanying the news, was new single, ‘Love From The Other Side’, which you can check out above!
Metal icons Saxon also have a new album on its way with ‘More Inspirations’ set for March 24th. The album explores the bands influences and new single, ‘The Faith Healer’, debuted this week. You can check the single out above.
Frontman Biff Byford comments âWe used to see The Sensational Alex Harvey band play this back in the day, they started the set with it, such a fantastic song and fantastic band⌠big influence!â
Ian Hunter has announced the release of his new album, ‘Defiance Part 1′, arriving on April 21st.
Among the most star-studded original albums ever recorded, the record sees Hunter joined by the late, great Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp, Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Billy F Gibbons (ZZ Top), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Duff McKagan (Guns Nâ Roses), Todd Rundgren, Slash (Guns Nâ Roses), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards), Brad Whitford(Aerosmith), Dane Clark (John Mellencamp), Billy Bob Thornton & J.D. Andrew (The Boxmasters) and Dean DeLeo, Robert De Leo & Eric Kretz (Stone Temple Pilots).
You can check out the first single, ‘Bed Of Roses’, above featuring guitarist Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac) and drums by Ringo Starr.
âIt was a fluke,â Ian Hunter says. âThis was not planned. Really, Iâm serious. I really couldnât believe some of them. I mean, itâs amazing whatâs happened. Itâs been such a buzz.â
âEverybodyâs sitting around,â says Hunter. âItâs Covid. Nobodyâs going anywhere. We started sending them out. Slash started doing something. Robert Trujillo from Metallica. Ringo Starr, Mike Campbell. Joe Elliott is on a few tracks. Johnny Depp said âJeff Beckâs with me and weâd like to do a couple of songs.â I know Todd Rundgren, I toured with Todd way back, heâs done an amazing job. Billy Gibbons. Billy Bob Thornton and JD Andrew from The Boxmasters. Itâs never ending. I mean, every day weâd get a phone call, this guy wants to do it, that guy wants to do it. It was like, I canât believe this.â
âThere are a lot of reasons for calling this album ‘Defianceâ says Hunter. âItâs like, people my age shouldnât be making records, blah, blah, blah. But weâve still got a bit left.â
Our News Report continues with the latest track from DMA’s, ‘Fading Like A Picture’, which you can check out above. The single comes from upcoming new album, ‘How Many Dreams?’, which is out 31st March.
Guitarist Johnny Took comments, âOur palette for this album was a lot broader because weâve learned so much since our debut and weâve listened to so much more music between then and now, which has shaped us. It felt like a first outing all over again. The excitement was the same.â
Took continues: âTommy wrote the majority of this song to an obscure demo I made during lockdown. When we all came together to demo it, Mason added one of my favourite guitar riffs on the new album, and we used the middle-eight from another demo as the chorus. A true DMAâS collaboration.â
Sløtface this week shared their latest single, ‘Nose’, which you can check out above.
The track comes ahead of new EP, ‘Awake / Asleep’, which is due for release on February 24th.
Haley Shea had the following to say about the new single and February’s EP:
“‘Nose’ is what I would call a pretty general âSløtface anxietyâ song, a recurring theme I always come back to. Nose is a conversation between me and a loved one where Iâm trying to use imagery to describe what anxiety feels like to someone who doesnât experience it, how even the smallest things can trigger it and send me into a thought spiral that feels impossible to stop. The choruses are then the replies of someone I love reminding me to breathe, a tactic which usually helps me calm my thoughts, when done in the right way, by my partner, family and loved ones.
âââ’Nose’ started when I visited Odd Martin at his studio in Bergen in March of 2022 to write some songs. It ended up being a super-productive couple of days where we wrote about 7 different demos on the first day alone, and then chose a couple to flesh out on the second day. “Nose” was the last song we tried out at the end of that second day.
The mix of the heavier, rhythmic, bass-focused verses and the big, layered, poppier choruses, all combined with saxophonist Aksel Rønning adding some extra spice, grit and depth to the whole track makes it one of our absolute favorites on the EP.”
The Sleeping Souls debut ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’
Next up in our News Report are The Sleeping Souls who continue their own musical journey with their latest single, ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’. As always you can check out the track above!
This week also saw the latest new music coming from The Pearl Harts as they shared their track ‘Wild Me’.
The band shared, “Wild Me is a song about frustration within the sexes from the viewpoint of a woman â in this instance a hetero cis relationships and how patriarchal ideology can damage and shame a woman and her natural instincts.
Why do women get called crazy, wild and out of control when their behaviour only mirrors that of men? Rarely is the same label put on them. âWhere do I stand if I canât be the man?â Wild me strives to call out these behaviours by crying out âWild me, Why meâ with force and discontentment. It forces you to understand that being wild is awe-inspiring and nothing to be ashamed of.”
We move our News Report on now to the latest tour announcements and get started with the legendary Paul Weller. Weller this week revealed he will play a short run of Forest live dates in the Summer.
Commenting on the dates, Weller said, âI am very happy to be playing the Forest Live gigs again as they are always such great shows with such a great audience! See you there.â
Canadian sibling duo Softcult share their latest single, ‘Dress’. The track comes from new EP, ‘see you in the dark’, out March 24th.
“This song is about consent; it’s about saying ‘no’ and having it happen to you anyway,” Mercedes explains. “It’s about being followed while walking alone at night or being cornered in a bar when we’re just trying to have a night out with our friends. Itâs about the lingering fear and trauma that haunts us long after these experiences have happened. Itâs about how these experiences make us feel powerless and change the way we see ourselves.”
Shadow Smile – ‘Signed in Blood’
Sheffield rising star Shadow Smile, share their track, ‘Signed in Blood’ which is the title-track of their debut album.
Lead vocalist Connor McGovern comments – ‘We wanted this song to be a modern take on songs like ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ by the Rolling Stones where the listener is being told why they should forget their morals and join the dark side. Those songs have always been a lot of fun and fit perfectly with the dark Shadow Smile imagery’.
Real Terms – ‘Veil is Thinner’
‘Veil is Thinner’ presents an advance look at Real Terms‘ debut album, ‘Vantage’, which is out February 24th.
âI think thereâs also something about the different musical âperspectivesâ we all bring together that makes our sound,â says guitarist Christopher âLynnyâ Lynn, âthe way our parts interweave and interlink and the perspective the listener can bring to it. Thereâs not always âa centreâ in our songs so I always love it when people comment on how catchy the songs are when they see us live. I find that combination of songs being complex and catchy at the same time really compelling.â
Weâre fully embedded in the new year now, so it must be time for music fans to get back into the UKâs fine music venues. In fact we are close to the ever important, Independent Venue Week, so itâs great to start the year at one such venue â Epic Studios in Norwich.
The versatile venue can host events of all sorts but on this bitterly cold January evening, it hosts lots of denim and leather rockers as British Lion come to town!
The final night of a full UK Tour, the band led by the legendary Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, attract a very healthy crowd tonight. Those in attendance are treated to not one but two accomplished support acts with the first of those, Airforce, in full effect as most attendees enter the venue.
Musically very suitable to supporting a member of Maiden, Airforce make the most of their short time on stage with a succinct and vociferous performance which no doubt wins over any uninitiated in the audience.
VOODOO SIX
Next up is Voodoo Six, a band that Maiden/Lion fans will be very familiar with. The band stepped in on short notice to fill the void left by Canadian group Coney Hatch being unable to fulfil the tour.
Disappointing for some, for others like myself, this was actually an upgrade. Voodoo Six have consistently put out quality music and put on great shows for two decades now. Numerous line-up changes havenât prevented the band putting out six albums and playing shows all over the world.
Tonight, they are on top form once again with an assured performance, mixing tracks old and new, to the delight of the crowd. Perennially tipped for bigger things, perhaps that ship has sailed but the constant of quality music and great shows doesnât appear to be going anywhere as Voodoo Six once again show themselves to be criminally underrated.
BRITISH LION
Finally the time arrives for British Lion to take to the stage and they naturally receive a heroâs welcome. Itâs the last show of the tour but also a (close to) hometown show for a number of the members, so the atmosphere is relaxed and the band let the music do the bulk of the talking.
The group have two albums in the bank at this point and the set list is a good mix of the two. Harris and co are able to give a good account of themselves, with singer Richard Taylor even acknowledging the apparent identity crisis that the band often have thrust upon them by others.
Long since dispelled as a mere solo project for Harris, since their inception in 2012 the group has evolved and thatâs evident tonight with the stage presence of Taylor as exhibit A. This is a package now and not a vessel for Harris alone.
That makes the spectacle greater as far as the live show goes and places more emphasis on the music as opposed to the âoh look thereâs Steve Harrisâ feeling for their early shows. Itâs great to see and will hopefully lead to greater longevity from the project.
As this tour draws to a close with âEyes of the Youngâ, British Lion may take a step back to Iron Maiden once again, but with performances like tonight you know it wonât be long before the band are reunited onstage again.
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We have plenty of great new music to check out this week and we start with Paramore! This week saw the band debut their latest track from their upcoming album, ‘This Is Why’! You can listen to ‘C’est Comme Ăa’ above ahead of the release of the album on February 10th!
Next up, it’s U2 who have announced a new collection entitled, ‘Songs of Surender’. The set includes 40 new acoustic and re-imagined recordings of classic songs from the U2 back catalogue.
The following message accompanied the announcement from the band:
It was a big news week for Enter Shikari this week with the band sharing news that they will release new album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’ on April 21st.
The band also debuted their latest single, ‘(pls) set me on fire’, which you can listen to above.
And if that wasn’t enough, the group have also announced a unique monthly residency in the UK throughout February, March and April.
Rou Reynolds comments on the singleâs conception: “Honestly, I thought I was f*****. Iâve never felt so detached from my soul, my purpose, my f****** spirit. I didnât write music for almost two years. The longest Iâd gone before that was two weeks. I was broken. Itâs almost as if my brain had asked: âWhat is the point in music if it cannot be shared? What is the point in writing music if itâs not to be experienced with others?â and then promptly switched itself off. â(pls) set me on fireâ grew out of that desperation. This song is a projectile vomit of positive energy. Every emotion trapped inside me for two years, finally set free.”
Reynolds continues: âBack to basics. This band – my best friends – bundled into an old farmhouse, miles away from anywhere. Off-grid, and ready to rediscover ourselves. This album is powered by the sun, the most powerful object in our solar system. And I think you can tell. Itâs a collection of songs that represent an explosive reconnection with what Enter Shikari is. The beginning of our second actâ.
Continued industry delays to vinyl production has resulted in You Me At Six postponing the release of their new album, ‘Truth Decay’, until February 10th.
They did however offer new music this week and you can listen to their track, ‘:mydopamine:’, above!
Hundred Reasons will release their first album in 15 years, ‘Glorious Sunset’, on February 24th. But this week the band shared their latest single, ‘Replicate’, which you can listen to above.
Singer Colin Doran had the following to say about the lyrical theme behind the new song:
“Replicate is about the cycle of thinking that whatever you do just is not good enough despite the person closest to you being forgiving and supportive. It’s also about trying to second guess how a person may feel about an action but not being correct and getting it wrong.
There isn’t long until Black Stone Cherry return to these shores for a headline arena run alongside The Darkness.
Ahead of those dates though, the band has found time to release new track, ‘Out of Pocket’, which you can listen to above.
Talking about the song Chris Robertson says, “Out of Pocket is a song born out of that exact feeling. The song was what I personally, and I think a lot of us, felt over these very trying last couple of years. Facing your demons, knowing that you have to come out the other side stronger than before.”
Black Star Riders will release their new album, ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ on January 20th, but this week saw the band share new track, ‘Catch Yourself On’, which you can check out above.
Ricky Warwick comments: â âCatch Yourself Onâ is a phrase often used in my home country of Northern Ireland, itâs used to tell someone to âstop being ridiculousâ or âto get realâ. Weâre sadly becoming slaves to technology and social media (guilty as charged). We donât think twice about sharing our inner most feelings and thoughts with a world of strangers⌠We seem to be losing the ability to think for ourselves. Technology is controlling us, instead we should be controlling technology. It feels like itâs already surpassing human interaction.”
There was also new music on offer this week from Delain as they continue to prepare for the release of new album, ‘Dark Waters’. That album may arrive on February 10th, but you can listen to new single, ‘Moth to a Flame’, above now!
Keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt on ‘Moth to a Flame’:
“I’m extremely proud of this song. It’s one of the most upbeat songs on the album while also having the heaviest guitar riff, and Diana’s vocals are outstanding! It’s a killer combination that I think fans will love.”
The plethora of great new music continues in our News Report with Lottery Winners. This week saw the band debut new single, ‘Worry’, which you can check out above.
We close this portion of our News Report with ten56., who have released their new EP, ‘Downer Part. 2’, and to celebrate they have released a video for the track ‘Saiko‘.
The band comments, “We’re all extremely gassed up to put out the second and final (?) chapter of the ‘Downer’ saga ; we went all in on Part.1 and definitely felt the pressure to deliver with Part.2, we went in harder and we’re all extremely satisfied and excited to see what everyone thinks.
‘Saiko’ is the kind of energy that we wanted to bring back after releasing ‘RLS’, we hope that everyone enjoys what we’ve put together, and that people will find little pieces of themselves littered around the EP. Downer’ Part.2 is the next step in the continuous evolution of ten56., turn it up loud and get lost in the discomfort. Cheers.”
Grab your copy here, and be sure to follow us on Social Media and subscribe on Youtube here, as we’ll be joined this coming week by the band on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!
Goth-pop mistress Harpy has gifted the world with new music, the empowering ‘Swallow’.
Harpy divulges… “Swallow sounds like the traumatised hate f*** child of Sam Smith’s âUnholyâ and Kornâs âTwisted Transistorâ. We wrote this song almost two years ago, and up until this point Iâve really just been setting the scene for this moment. I am calling out abusers and manipulators through this song, some even by name, they had their chance to be better, time to taste the truth. I hope this song gives power to those that have been unforgivably hurt by others, who for too long have abused positions of power.”
ANGER PARTY – ‘Eat You Alive’
Alternative Horror Rock band ANGER PARTY have unveiled their debut offering âEat You Aliveâ.
âBlood, guts, flayed flesh and a shattered smile – these are the things that plague our minds. âEat You Aliveâ explores the surreal, menacing corners of our nightmares and how they breach the lines of reality in a modern world.â â Guitarist Owen Claxton.
Feral Family – ‘Wee Van Bee’
Yorkshire’s Feral Family join our playlist with their track, ‘Wee Van Bee’, which centres on an anti-hero character.
The band say, “Wee Van Bee preys on the weak and vulnerable, shucking his snake-oil remedies place to place. But far beyond being out to make a quick buck – there is something far darker at stake”.
Happy New Year everyone and welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the news this week that the Royal Mail have commissioned 12 new Special Stamps celebrating the legendary Iron Maiden.
Maiden become only the fifth music group to feature in a dedicated stamp issue following in the footsteps of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen and The Rolling Stone – illustrious company indeed.
Iron Maiden founder member and bassist, Steve Harris comments:âWe were all absolutely astounded â in a good way! – when we heard first about the commemorative project, and equally pretty much speechless when we saw the stamps for the very first time. They look superb and I think they really capture the essence and energy of Maiden. Weâre all very proud that Royal Mail has chosen to honour the bandâs legacy like this and we know our fans will feel the same way.â
Iron Maiden manager, Rod Smallwood adds:âAs a band who have never played by anyone elseâs rules for over 40 years, itâs very gratifying to see them honoured in their home country in this way. Weâre proud to show how these six band members are still appealing to more and more fans every year with their music and their legendary shows – which I think these stamps really capture well. Itâs also fantastic that Eddie has been honoured too â itâs incredible to think that Her Majesty, may she rest in peace, saw these and lent her iconic silhouette to them too.â
David Gold, Director of External Public Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said:âFew bands in the history of rock music can be called bona fide rock legends â but Iron Maiden are just that â and more. With legions of devoted fans of all ages and from every corner of the globe, not only have they changed the way rock music sounds, but they have also changed the way it looks. We fully expect their fans will love these stamps as much as we do.â
Our News Report takes a look now at the best new releases from the past week and up first is ‘Panopticom’, the brand new single from Peter Gabriel.
You can listen to the track above, which comes from upcoming new album, ‘i/o’.
“The first song is based on an idea I have been working on to initiate the creation of an infinitely expandable accessible data globe: The Panopticom,â says Gabriel. âWe are beginning to connect a like-minded group of people who might be able to bring this to life, to allow the world to see itself better and understand more of whatâs really going on.“
The release of the track on the full moon is no coincidence and in true Gabriel fashion the approach for ‘i/o’ will be a little different from the norm. The lunar phases will guide the release plan in 2023, with a new song revealed each full moon.
“Some of what Iâm writing about this time is the idea that we seem incredibly capable of destroying the planet that gave us birth and that unless we find ways to reconnect ourselves to nature and to the natural world we are going to lose a lot. A simple way of thinking about where we fit in to all of this is looking up at the sky⌠and the moon has always drawn me to it.”
Each new release of music will come with a specific piece of art, “weâve been looking at the work of many hundreds of artists,” says Gabriel, and ‘Panopticom’ features the work âRed Gravityâ byDavid Spriggs.
“It was the theme of surveillance that connected me with the work of David Spriggs because heâd done a piece relating to that. David does this amazing stuff using many layers of transparencies so you get these strange creations with a real intensity to them. Part of what he does is imagine what art might look like a few years in the future and then try and create accordingly and I think heâs done that very successfully in this particular piece.”
Next up, you can check out ‘Sideways Skull’ above, which is the brand new single from The Hold Steady.
The group have returned with news of their ninth studio album, ‘The Price of Progress’, arriving March 31st.
âSideways Skull is a rocking song about rock and rollers,â says frontman Craig Finn. âIn this case, theyâve been taken out of the game for a bit of rest, but still keep their dreams alive as they discuss past glories. We loved the big sound of this when Tad Kubler brought it into the band, and the studio performance of it felt especially joyful. Weâre happy to put this forth as a first look at The Price of Progress, and the albumâs title even comes from this song.â
There isn’t long now to wait for ‘Gigi’s Recovery’, the new album from The Murder Capital, which arrives January 20th.
There is even less time to wait to hear their track, ‘Return My Head’, which you can listen to above now!
Front man James McGovern explains further on the themes: âReturn My Head was written in a place of pure frustration, feeling like our sanity had been unwillingly removed through periods of isolation. All I wanted at this point was to get my head back, and to throw it away again. But on my own terms. âReturn my head, and throw it to the crowdââ
Bassist Blake had the following to say about the making of the video:
“I wanted to show the rag dolling that can occur to us going from one state of being to another, while always remaining being the same person. The extensions of ourselves that we create to protect ourselves even when weâre alone, and the evident and necessary advice that we receive to continue following and perusing our passions from our friends and family, demonstrated by my own family friends Megan, Nic, RuairĂ and Pump.
To me, âReturn My Headâ is the desire to return your mind to a place of peace and stability, and the belief that to do so, is possible. We shot it in my old secondary school recreational hall. We produced it ourselves. At its best to me, the narrative of the âReturn My Headâ about coming back to a safety.”
The Lemon Twigs returned this week with their new offering, ‘Corner of My Eye’, which you can listen to above.
On the release, the band say, “We recorded this track winter of 2021 in our old rehearsal studio in Midtown, NYC. Apart from the vibraphone, the instrumental track was recorded live with Andres Valbuena on drums and Daryl Johns on upright bass. We laid down the vocals late that night once the traffic outside had died down. Weâve had the song for a while now, so weâre excited to share it with fans who may have heard it live over the years!”
Finally in our News Report this week we bring the latest from Ryan Hamilton who this week shared his new track, ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’.
You can listen to the track above, which will feature on the upcoming album of the same name which is due for release on March 10th.
Of the song, Hamilton says, “I grew up in a VERY conservative Church of Christ. We used to go to church 3 times a week. There are parts of that upbringing that I will never shake. The “fear of God” is ingrained in me, & will seemingly be a part of me forever. Like a ghost, haunting me. This song is about that.”
Somebodyâs Child aka Cian Godfrey has shared new single âI Need Yaâ – another taster of his debut self-titled album out 3rd February.
Godfrey says, “This was one of the first songs that defined the sound and pace of the album. We’ve been playing it live for a while now and have been dying to get it out. Some of this album can be boiled down back to my chronic fear of growing older. To me this track in particular is a gentle reminder to stay young for as long as you can.”Â
On the video he adds “Drift culture is a big thing in Ireland and when the director came to me with the idea I immediately thought it was cool as some of my friends are big into it. We didn’t want an emotional video but something fun and energetic, while also shining light on an Irish subculture that goes a little unnoticed. It was a lot of fun.”
Blake Cateris – ‘Days, Weeks, Months & Years’
Australian Sydney-sider, Blake Cateris has shared reflective folk singer-songwriter single, âDays, Weeks, Months & Yearsâ.
âThis song is about living out of balance with yourself. Watching the world go by feeling like you might be losing touch with far more important things in life than what youâre focusing on right now.
Itâs a daily struggle to break old and unhealthy habits that no longer serve you or have been damaging you for some time. But the struggle is what we live for.
Iâve played in many different types of bands – hard rock, rock nâ roll, modern rock, hardcore, straight up punk, pop punk, art rock, the list goes on. But nothing quite feels as honest to myself than the music Iâm making right now and this is a big step in the right direction for me to start living a more balanced lifeâ – Blake Cateris
Ed Barnes – ‘Criticise The Poor’
Fellow Aussie, mid-wave singer-songwriter Ed Barnes also joins the playlist this week with his single, ‘Criticise The Poor’.
The track comes from his Frank Turner mastered new album.
“It was a blast working on Ed’s new record, it’s fantastic, and this is a standout song – hitting the mark while raising a smile, and catchy as hell to boot.” – Frank Turner
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:
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 đ¸ (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 the final News Report for 2022! We hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year! Our action packed News Report will return in January, but before then we have plenty of delicious music news to dissect!
Up for this week, we look at the best tour announcements from the past week and we start with Kiss. The band has revealed that their ‘End of the Road’ World Tour will continue into 2023 with a new UK Tour announced starting in Plymouth and ending up in Glasgow.
This *could be* your last chance to catch the band live! Tickets are here.
Former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has revealed a full UK & Ireland Tour for next spring. The tour will showcase upcoming debut album, ‘Put Your Foot Down’, which is out April 28th.
On Friday, Colchester’s Pet Needs played a huge homecoming show which served as the 2nd ‘Fractured Party’. As the show concluded, the band announced the 3rd instalment will take place on December 16th 2023.
We move now on to festival announcements and up first is the return of Brits Week in aid of War Child. February will see bands playing intimate shows across the country with a focus on London.
The Hunna, The Snuts, Sea Girls, Frank Turner and Bob Vylan are amongst those on offer in 2023.
Another event doing a fantastic job in raising money for charity is Teddy Rocks festival in aid of research and direct support for children with cancer.
This year the event hosts Feeder, Jake Bugg, The Amazons, Those Damn Crows, Punk Rock Factory, Kid Kapichi, Dream State, Mason Hill, The Bottom Line and many more.
Penn Fest in Buckinghamshire also unveiled their line-up for next Summer this past week, including headliners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Bastille.
They’ll be joined by the likes of Johnny Marr, Gaz Coombes, The Skinner Brothers and Embrace.
The final festival news in our News Report this week comes from Firestorm Festival. The event has added Massive Wagons to the top of their Friday bill for 2023.
They join the likes of Royal Republic, The Virginmarys, Mason Hill, Hollowstar, Kris Barras Band, Black Spiders and Scruffy Bear.
Hell Is For Heroes share ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’
New releases are up next in our News Report as we bring you the first new music from Hell Is For Heroes in 15 years. You can listen to their new single, ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’, above.
On the week of her highly anticipated âDEADGIRLâ mixtape release fearless Doom Trap artist Mimi Barks has unveiled her new track âASHESâ.
Talking about the meaning behind ‘ASHES’, Mimi Barks shares, âWomen who posed a threat during the dark ages were accused of being witches, intimidated, burned alive, and sentenced to execution. Today, ever since the Age of Enlightenment, a creative, strong-willed, and self-assured woman still gets burnt to the stake verbally by those led by their own anxieties.â
XL LIFE – ‘Baby Steps’
XL LIFE shared new single ‘Baby Steps’ featuring Bob Vylan!
On working with Vylan for the new single, vocalist Traxx says:Â âWe always felt a kinship with Bob because of his message, his boldness, and his morals, so with this song we took the opportunity to have him on the album and co-sign each otherâs work. We will support him to the end.â
Commenting on the relevance of the new single, vocalist Traxx says:Â âWe knew this song had to be made, because we had all been going through some heavy stuff outside of the band. The band has been stop-start/stop-start the whole time, trying to prioritise our health and coming up against some really traumatic circumstances, so this song had to address that. The healing journey. Baby steps. Holding onto the promises.â
Fountain Island – ‘Pretty Little Nightmare’
Pop-punk newcomers Fountain Island reveal their contagious new single, ‘Pretty Little Nightmares’.
The band remark about its creation: ââPretty Little Nightmaresâ explores the bittersweetness of the first time with a loved one, and the realisation that one day it will just be a memory and can never be experienced again. The track takes cues from Blink182âs âI Miss Youâ, with its melancholy gothic tone whilst retaining the youthful pop feel.â
As the year draws to a close, music publications such as us turn our attention to our end of year lists. There will be nods to the best albums, singles, festivals and gigs as December progresses towards it festive finale. The only problem is that 2022 isnât quite done yet!
Tonight for example the O2 Arena in London welcomes a fantastic package tour with three incredible acts set to grace the stage. Perhaps then those engravers should hold fire on etching the award winnerâs names just yet!
This evening is the final night of a tour that has hit five other UK and Irish arenas already this month having first made its way around Europe, and thereâs an end of tour / end of year atmosphere in the venue.
The first band up is Mammoth WVH led by Wolfgang Van Halen who showcases his natural talent and feels right at home on this massive stage. Playing a blistering set of material from their self-titled debut release, the band finish with âDonât Back Downâ and leave the stage with many more fans than when they arrived.
Next up are a band who debatably should be headlining arenas themselves these days, as the screams of Lzzy Hale welcome Halestorm to the stage. Opener, âThe Steepleâ, sets the theme with new album, âBack From The Deadâ taking centre stage. Thatâs no bad thing though as itâs a fantastic album as demonstrated by the likes of âWicked Waysâ, âMineâ and the title track.
All the usual Halestorm fun is packed into an abridged set where we still get crowd interaction, over-sized drumsticks and massive rock songs such as âLove Bites (So Do I)’ and âFamiliar Taste of Poisonâ. âI Miss The Miseryâ closes out the short but sweet set and leaves you thinking surely a Halestorm arena headline tour must be next on the cards.
WATCH ‘SILVER TONGUE’ FROM ALTER BRIDGE ON YOUTUBE
A band very familiar with headlining arenas at this point though is our headline act tonight, Alter Bridge. Another band with a new album to show off, the huge âSilver Tongueâ gets the ball rolling as the group once again demonstrate their obscene talents.
A musically sublime performance features their debut album more than recent tours with âShed My Skinâ, âBurn It Downâ and âIn Loving Memoryâ all highlights. The set list weaves between albums and highlights the musical dexterity of the band along with the commitment of their fans that stand in awe through hits and deep cuts alike.
âThis Is Warâ and title track âPawns & Kingsâ show that the band remain very much on form as far as new material goes, but naturally itâs favourites such as âMetalingusâ and âBlackbirdâ that elicit the best audience responses tonight.
An encore of âRise Todayâ and âOpen Your Eyesâ seals the deal and sends the crowd into the wintery embers of 2022 happy and thoroughly entertained. Itâs tours like this that remind us what weâve been missing in the past couple of years, and serve as grounds to hold back on those end of year awards until all the entries have made their case!
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!”