Manchester’s XFM station claims to champion the finest of rock and roll music past, present and future and if last nights XFM Winter Wonderland is anything to go by they are doing good job.

Each festive season the station puts together this charity musical extravaganza to tide us through the cold winter months until festival season is upon us once more. The well deserving charity War Child received a donation from all ticket costs and the audience were encouraged to donate throughout the night via text.

The impressive line up showcased the best of British rock and roll, with artists ranging from the legendary Primal Scream to the up and coming Blackpool band Darlia.

Line Up in Full;

Jake Bugg
Primal Scream
The 1975
Josh Record
Darlia

Openers Darlia threw us straight into the night with a powerful set. Reminiscent of Nirvana with a northern edge their distinct style matches their sound; bringing some essential grunge glam to the event. Having already built up an impressive fan base for a band who only released their first EP Knock Knock last month the band are well received, a good sign for the rest of the night. Highlights included Queen of Hearts and Napalm. Up next Josh Record takes the tone down a level. The singer songwriter set is full of soulful harmonies and calming sea like drum rolls, fitting with the festive theme his set felt almost choral. For fans of Ben Howard his set feels decidedly clean and angelic next to the dirt of Darlia showing the range of talent on offer from the station.

The 1975 arrive to an excited crowd teenage girls scream and swoon as they build the tension up and then break it down playing hit after hit. Impressive for a band sometimes seen as an indie teenage girls wet dream the energy and style are relentless. The seedy darkness of Sex contrasts perfectly next to the pop perfection of Girls creating an atmosphere that transcended the multigenerational audience.

Winners of this years XFM Inspiration award Primal Scream spend their set proving to the world just how much they deserve such an accolade. After a couple of new tracks to warm the audience they dive into hit after hit their extensive back catalogue getting an ample showing. The crowd are keen to show their appreciation of the legends on side and sing along to every song fighting to get as close as possible to their idols. At the front a late middle aged couple look around them with joy written all over their faces at the love around them for their band surrounded by kids singing along to songs older than they are.

Headliner Jake Bugg is amongst those who would have yet been thought of in Primal Screams heyday. In contrast to their 30 years success the 19 year old has just released his second album in as many years but the crowd are no less in awe. A silence falls as he takes to the stage raucous one minuet respectful the next the audience react to his every song with the passion with which they were written. Broken inspires mid set pause the audience attentive responding with their biggest applause yet. “I’m gonna finish with Lightening Bolt” he murmurs “thanks very much” before the audience go wild, sweat, straining and passion the perfect end to the perfect night.

 

Jake Bugg

HMV Institute Birmingham
19th Feb 2013
The 18-year-old icon shows us we havn't Seen It All

If you’ve ever tried kidding yourself that talent is something that develops with age, then you clearly haven’t experienced the musical genius of Jake Bugg. Still a teenager, he has taken the world by storm; he’s already had a number one album, an American tour with Noel Gallagher and supported the Stone Roses. Now he’s half way through his very own sell out tour, just in time for his 19th birthday.

Some might worry all this attention would seriously inflate an 18 year olds ego; but he appears to be taking it all in his stride. Starting the set with the serenely beautiful Fire, Bugg shows he doesn’t need foot stomping baselines to hold his audience. He then powers through his set; everything from “an old ditty” Love Me the Way You Do, through to “the new single” Seen It All. He strikes the perfect balance between immense musical energy and being so laid back he seems incapable of keeping his eyes open. Despite his relaxed attitude he creates a real connection with the crowd, almost singing to individual members. “You’re all really good singers” he says after Slide, and through his strong Nottingham accent it’s hard to tell if he is being ironic.

The tempo steps up towards the end of the night as he storms through Two Fingers and Lightning Bolt and the crowd really get going. “This is my last song” he says and the crowd whines “Noo”, he laughs for the first time “you could cheer for more” he points out, ruining the age old mystic of the encore. After a lot of cheering sure enough he’s back, with the stripped back beauty of Broken and a rendition of Johnny Cash’s classic “Folsom Prison Blues”. Right now it’s not hard to imagine, in 50 years time a young lad playing his favourite Jake Bugg classic to end a set.

 “I don’t know how to thank you more Birmingham” he says, as though there’s something better we could be doing! “Kiss Me?” answers one excited fan, he laughs, unfazed, looks like he will be getting a lot more attention in the years to come!

NME Awards Tour 2012

02 Academy Birmingham
16th Feb 2013
Django Django, Miles Kane, Palma Violets and Peace


So the NME awards tour kicks off. Well, in actual fact, it kicked off last week in Leeds, but you would never guess it had been a week already from the energy and excitement of the bands.

Starting off the night, Peace return to Birmingham to give their home fans a reminder of what they inspired. The set is varied, a couple of new album tracks to warm up the crowd before diving into Bloodshake making the audience jump in recognition. “It’s an improvement on last time I saw them” some young indie lad bellows into his neighbour's ear, as they seamlessly blend into a second single Wraith, and the audience begin to sing back; “we spit blood in the sun, we spit blood in the ocean”.  “Is anyone here in love?” asks lead singer Harry Koisser through his mop of 90’s style hair, “oh, I hoped there would be more” he continues after pause, before gently building into love song, California Daze, to the delight of the crowd. A few tracks later and they finish off the set with new single Follow Baby  to excited applause, and after throwing a few tokens to an excited crowd; Harry's necklace and some plectrums among them, they head off for a night of amazing music.

Next come Palma Violets with enough energy to exhaust the crowd single-handedly  Whether they know the songs or not the audience is lapping it up, and soon the raucous behavior begins, much to the annoyance of the bouncers. “I wanna be your best friend”  bellow the crowd, as the Violets throw themselves into their best known track Best of Friends. You couldn't stay still if you tried, the crowd moves as one, forcing you to get into the music. “Put your hands in their air” says singer and bass guitarist Chilli, “higher, higher, higher, higher” he demands, as drummer Will Doyle climbs onto his stool, getting higher and higher until he is only just brushing the drums. Needless to say the crowds love it! They get more and more worked up through single Step Up for the Cool Cats; as do the bouncers, who barely stop for having to remove the persistent crowd surfers. The set ends with the bands first ever song 14, and without anyone getting injured the band leaves to a barrage of applause.

Now things are really hotting up, Miles Kane is up next and crowd can’t control their excitement. The mod fans are closing in from their positions at the bar.  Everyone can feel something exciting is going to happen, and, after a quick technical hitch, including a bearded soundman, something does. Miles Kane joins his band on stage, leather trousers, patent white jacket and sparkly shoes! It’s worrying to think how many cows may have died to create his wardrobe but he doesn’t let that thought linger. Straight in there with current single Give Up there is a new level of respect from the audience. They’re going crazy but actually listening to the music.A few solid new tracks are interspersed with the classics. High points include Quicksand and Rearrange, the audience hanging along to every word. Its not just the crowd who are loving the set, genuine joy covers Miles’ face as he watches them fall at his feet, there is a gravitational pull in the room dragging everyone to the music and he can feel it! Come Closer rounds off the set with a sing along of a massive scale, heart and soul into the microphone “Ahhhh”, “Ooooo” the crowd responds, for what seems like eternity.

As Miles Kane leaves the stage there a scurry for the bar, suddenly there is room to move and the pressures off, but what about Django Django? They may not have such foot stomping tunes but their energy equally matches that of the previous 3 acts. All done up in matching printed shirts, this set really is a visual spectacle. Fittingly opening with Introduction you feel like you have been transported to some hot abandoned Australian outback. There is musical experimentation here not seen so far. They glide into Hail Bop, perfect combination of jangly guitar, solid baseline and catchy chorus and slowly the crowds return. “This is our biggest ever gig” interjects front man Vincent Neff and you would never be able to tell. By this point they have regained the once wary crowd, who love the mix of alternative and electronic rock. By Default everyone is as enthusiastic as ever, and after a series of hits Skies Over Cairo, Life’s a Beach and Waveforms they round off an excellent night  with WOR. 

“We’ll see you in the future….” shouts Neff as he leaves the stage, and after a night like that he might just be right!


The NME tour continues tonight Cardiff University Hall... http://www.nme.com/awards/tour

Mumford and Sons

LG Arena Birmingham
7th Dec 2012
Sigh No More the folk rockers storm the arena stage! 







If folk music is meant to be resigned to intimate pub gigs no one told Mumford and Sons. The London folk rockers have made the jump from pub backrooms to arenas without even spilling a pint. Tonight is Mumford and Sons biggest UK gig to date, and to help fill the arena? A magic dragon called Piff and his dog Piffle (youtube piff the magic dragon). Accompanied by a few helpers the multi instrumentalists bashed through their hits to a crowd of adoring fans who sang along to Mumfords every word. The energy both onstage and off transformed the gig into the intimate many yearned for. The highlight? An amazing foot stomping rendition of Dust Bowl Dance, stripped back to the four members and the power of their passion reminiscent of the early festival gigs that got them noticed. The surprises kept coming, for an encore the band played from the middle of the crowd the well fitting Where Are You Now? Followed by a second encore of a touching cover of the Beatles With A Little Help From My Friends, with support band Dawes onstage to revel in the camaraderie creating a 12,500 strong family of fans and bands with an immense overflow of emotion.

Twitter thoughts

@sm_ellycat

“Seen @MumfordAndSons live at the LG arena tonight absolutely breathtaking. Mumford and sons fan for life! Best gig EVERRRR!!”

@jonclarke13

“unbelievable scneces t the LG arena. Mumford and Sibs must be one of the best live bands around”

@shona_Darroch

“Mumford and sons were so INCREDIBLE last night #Birmingham #bestgigever”