Architect by Wallis Bird

Dan Croll-Live Review at Bodega 24/3/14

"delicious pop nuggets not a well planned three-course meal"

A cold Monday in March saw Dan Croll return to Nottingham for the third time, and first time embracing the Bodega as a headliner. It’s a testament to Croll’s increased popularity over the last few months, to see as he takes to the stage, adoring fans fill the room wall-to-wall, awaiting the first summer tinged vibes we have come to associate with debut album “Sweet Disarray”. The crowd are willing but it’s not until “Thinkin Aboutchu’s” chorus that venue and Croll feel more comfortable with smiles peppering the chirpy organ that begins the first genuinely rhythmically movement from the crowd.

Haim Live review 4/3/14 at Rock City

"These sisters must have been raised on three doses of rock n’ roll, stagewomanship and attitude"

Local man St.Raymond is given the arduous task of warming up the mainly teenaged “Haimed up” girl crowd that have gathered this cold March evening. With chirpy guitars aplenty by the second song “The River” the crowd are at least tapping their feet to Callum Borrows tropical rhythms and highly frequent use of “Woah oh oh’s” it can all sometimes seem a bit Little Comets like at times. But the young lad has the crowd in the palm of his hands by last track “Fall on your feet” with drums bouncing along, the song ends in a cacophony of tremolo guitars and smiles all round from his support band as they leave the stage, satisfied they might have corrupted some Haim purist with some Sainthood.

Ron Pope Interview/Review

When interviewing Ron Pope one of the questions I asked him was, “What would you do if not music?” and quite humble he answered that he didn’t really think he was good enough at doing anything else, he said he’d been an awful security guard, a terrible waiter and detailed other unsuccessful jobs that he’d had before the breakthrough in music. Truth be told though, he definitely knew how to do music when I went to see him at Rescue Rooms.

From walking into the gig to leaving there was such a level of hospitality that automatically makes experiencing a gig so much better. Ron Pope was constantly asking us as an audience whether we were have a good time and whether we were enjoying the songs. Having an interaction with the artist on stage and knowing that they care whether you’re having a good time is what makes live music so much more enticing than just putting on an album and Ron Pope delivered on all levels.

John Newman review- Rock City Nottingham 9/2/2014

Since being discovered singing in a Finsbury Park pub by Rudimental not so long ago, John Newman, a young man from the Yorkshire Dales with a fetish for northern soul, has landed himself two number one singles in the form of Feel the Love with Rudimental and a solo effort with Love me Again in 2013. He has just released his debut album named Tribute.

Judging by the rapturous reception the album has received on both sides of the Atlantic, the heart-break on which it is based on will seem almost worthwhile for Newman.
Like his decidedly cougar-infested fan base, John Newman roared into a swashbuckling and sweaty display of vocal vigour and hip swinging action when he finally entered from behind the sensual curtain on the stage of Rock City only ten minutes after the advertised starting time.

The 23-year-old’s ease and confidence in front of a crowd was apparent from the outset with a declaration of the beauty of Nottingham’s Newmanators.

The first three tracks followed which were drum heavy with the strong gravely lyrics and vocals synonymous with Newman. They were, however, disappointingly similar until his fourth track, a slow emotional effort to build the atmosphere into the well-known and well produced Losing Sleep which peaked at a disappointing number 48 in the UK charts in December 2013.