This is more of note to myself of the upcoming gigs in Nottingham I need to book tickets for. As I find it relatively impossible to keep my mind on one track for longer than a few minutes, I thought it wise to write them all down while they were still on my mind.
Avi Buffalo and Admiral Fallow - 13th July. Bodega
Slow Club - 12th Sept. Bodega
Dry the River - 14th Sept. Bodega
Emmy the Great - 18th Sept. Glee Club
Benjamin Francis Leftwich - 4th Oct. Glee Club
Bombay Bicycle Club - 17th Oct. Rock City
Yann Tiersen and Lanterns on the Lake - 22nd/24th Oct. Leeds. Manchester
Ben Howard - 24th Oct. Bodega
Anna Calvi - 5th Nov. Rescue Rooms
Friendly Fires - 14th Nov. Rock City
Wild Beasts - 20th Nov. Rescue Rooms
As previously mentioned, I can no longer attend the greatest festival known to man and as a result spent a good few days moping, trying hard not to keep checking the ever lengthening line-up list. It looks awesome. SooooI have decided to try something new. Along with a super duper fancy dress theme the Bestival line-up is looking immense with a list of pretty much every live act I want to see at the moment from Johnny Flynn to James Blake, Benjamin Francis Leftwich to Willy Mason. And so I thought I would make a list of my top ten acts who will be making a Bestival appearance. I can't wait.
1) Brigitte Aphrodite - you could be forgiven for comparing her to Kate Nash but she's got a brilliant comic edge. Add to that a hippy-ish sense of style and a charming vulnerability and bam. You've just met Brigitte.
2) Dry the River - relatively new to me and are rising quickly through the ranks. Check out their 'stripped down version' of Bible Belt here as well as the video below. It's beautifully simple.
3) Ellen & The Escapades - it seems really difficult at the moment to be able to say a voice is really unique but I feel that Ellen & The Escapades really do bring something new. 'Coming back home' was released last year but is still on my top played. Listen to Run or Without You both of which will be great for festival crowds.
4) Esben & The Witch - They were recently in Nottingham but I sadly couldn't make it. Will be front row to make up for it. Below is their debut 'Marching Song', released last year. I can imagine it being amazing live.
5) King Creosote - I have been in love with this man for a long time and have always wanted to see him live. 'Nothing Compares 2 U' is the first song of his I ever heard and he recently performed it on the Rob da Bank show. A cover done to perfection:
6) Marcus Foster - The Voice. This song has been made famous by Robert Pattinson's cover of it but as always, the original is miles better. Apologies for the abrupt ending. It was one of the few videos I could find without girls screaming...
7) Patrick Wolf - he's eccentric, liberal and constantly changing. His new album is out in June and if The City (his first single to be released from Lupercalia) is anything to go by, it will be an interesting one!
8) Tall Ships are another new find for me and can't wait to hear more from them. This song has got a great mixture of distortion, harmonies and french influence. They are also playing Rescue Rooms in Nottingham on May 2nd.
9) Toots and the Maytals - May seem a little off the beaten track for me but under the influence of my friend Louise, I got really into reggae last summer and Toots are sunshine on a cloudy day.
10) Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain. I got a Ukelele for my birthday last year and though I am not quite the pro I wanted to be by now, these guys certainly are. They are by far the best and biggest surprise for me when checking out Bestival's line-up. Think they'll let me join on stage? Yep. Course they will. This cover is incredible!
After a little time away and a few blog-related chats I am back (with avengeance? tbc) and more focused on new things I'm listening to as opposed to the regular or at least reviving my old listening habits. I'm slightly conscious that my audience might have expanded to include more people than just myself. I will try not to let the pressure get to me.
First up: I'm a big fan of Animal Collective and am pretty excited for Panda Bear (Noah Benjamin Lennox)'s fourth solo album 'Toyboy' which comes out 18th April. Check out the link below to hear a snippet.
The animal theme seems to be common place on my music radar at the moment, some old, some new: Grizzly BearKnife, Zebra by Beach House, one from Alessi's Ark new album coming out this month Wire and a small band you may have heard of who are mentioned at the end of this post.
Next: Benjamin Francis Leftwich. Reminds me a little of Josh Radin and super nice to listen to on a chilled summers day like today. He's just finished a tour with Noah and the Whale and is starting out again on the 1st June. 'More than Letters' is my favourite but as I can only find that on Spotify I'll play you what Youtube can provide me with.
On the subject of Noah and the Whale - a band which I'm always on the fence about, they have just released their new album. It's a pretty big jump away from their old stuff and as a result has sparked criticism from fans of their first album. As I was on the fence about that too some of this album is really growing on me. I'm enjoying Give it all Back and Life is Life. Title track:
I am still trying to get over the break-up of me and my Glastonbury 2011 ticket. It's still a raw and painful wound which I am hoping will slowly heal. Only to be opened up again when all my friends head to Worthy Farm at the end of June. I am particularly sad as Fleet Foxes are playing and that Mumford and Sons are returning - they were incredible last year. The winners of the Emerging Talent Contest were announced last week and Treetop Flyers were announced as the lucky lads who will get a slot on one of Glastonbury's famous stages. Ah John Peel stage, my summer won't be the same without you.
Finally, I took a small trip down memory lane this morning and came across a song I used to listen to almost obsessively. I can so vividly remember going to a gig of theirs in 2005 before they got really big - I still hold it as one of the best gigs I've ever been to. I think my love for them may be properly revived sometime in the not too distant future when their new album pops up... I present to you, Arctic Monkeys.
