Chris Murray in Europe. November.

Posted by jamie on Oct 31, 2009

Chris Murray will tour Germany, Switzerland and Belgium in November with support from the fabulous Babylove and the Van Dangos.

Dates below.  Updates on Chris’ myspace.

11/6 Dresden, DE - Societaetstheater
11/7 Mainz, DE - Reduit
11/11 Tübingen, DE - TBA 
11/12 Olten, CH - Schützi
11/13 Chur, CH - Palazzo
11/14 Schaffhausen, CH - Tap Tap
11/15 Geneva, CH - L’uisen
11/20 Cologne, DE - Ehine Fever
11/21 Sendenhorst, DE - Club Titanic  
11/22 Antwerpen, BE - Bar Mondial

Skints: new album & headline tour

Posted by jamie on Oct 27, 2009

Sonic Boom Six, the Skints - reviewed by Jamie

Posted by jamie on Oct 25, 2009

Sonic Boom Six, The Skints

Academy, Oxford (13^th) and Highbury Garage, London (15^th) October 2009 

Three years ago this month, I saw the Sonic Boom Six for the first time in too long and was blown away by how and how much they’d evolved as a band.  After a wait that seemed to take forever, “The Ruff Guide to Genre-Terrorism” had just dropped on Deck Cheese and the band absolutely devastated the Underworld in Camden.  So much so, in fact, that, not having seen them live for years, years, I was at the Islington Academy just a week later and haven’t dared to take my eyes off them since.

That the Ruff Guide, groundbreaking at the time, and still a phenomenal album in itself, has been topped not once, but twice since then is an incredible achievement and testament to just how hard the Manchester outfit, now a quintet, are willing to work.  Of course, they won’t be a quintet for long, but it’ll be interesting to see Matt Reynolds (Skylar, Howard’s Alias) on guitar for them all the same.

The sheer quality of City of Thieves, the compelling nature of their live show and impending departure, from touring, at least, of singer/guitarist Ben C made the Boom or Bust Tour an absolute must, and it didn’t disappoint.

Oxford is a long way away, further than I’d realised, but well worth it.  It’s an architecturally stunning town where a lot of people ride bikes.  We spotted a lot of toffs and posh students on the way in, and were a bit taken aback to find the venue to be a bit of a dive.  Without realising, I met the guitarist of Soapbox Superstars in the (filthy) toilets.  Amusingly, he asked me:

 “are you going to watch this next band?  I’ve heard they’re sh1t”

Jamie: “you’re in that band, aren’t you”

Band guy: “no.  I’ve just heard they’re sh1t”.

Minutes later, he was on stage.  Well done to you, sir.  Very amusing.  Soapbox Superstars play a high-energy, guitar powered punk sound, and are gone twenty minutes later, all sweaty fists and vests.

In London this tour was opened by the Apostates, but, I confess, we missed them.  Cash machine, patties, text messages, blah blah blah.  That was a shame.  We had to deliver cake to Barney though.  It’s his birthday on the Saturday.

Main support on this tour were The Skints, a four-piece Reggae outfit form East London.  “These lot just get better ad better”, whispered Luton Alex to me.  Despite being good mates, though, and not having seen each other in ages, I abandoned him after that as the band played Murderer and I wasn’t watching it from anywhere else but the pit.  The Skints were very, very good in Oxford.  In London, though, they’re absolutely on fire.  It’s a down-and-dirty set of soulful reggae with dirty great big basslines that grab the room and swing it.  Murderer is now the only song they’re playing live that isn’t from Live. Breathe. Build. Believe (out soon on Rebel Alliance) and the newer material is really, really good.  Near constant touring has had benefited these guys twofold: their set is even more polished and confident, and everyone in the Highbury Garage knows all of their new songs.  It’s highly impressive and makes for a massive night.  By the time we’re inside the floor is slippery with sweat and condensation, the air heavy with anticipation.  It’s an oven down there, and everyone’s moving.  These guys have got everything, and they’re really on form on this tour.  They go down well with a new crowd in Oxford in what’s originally a lukewarm atmosphere.  In London, they’re the bomb.  Fantastic.

And so to the Sonic Boom Six.  On Ben’s last tour, both nights are pretty emotional.  They enter, as usual, to one of those album openers.

The set list focussed heavily on newer material, opening with the two singles from the most recent record, The Concrete We’re Trapped Within (It’s Yours) and Back 2 Skool, before Bigger Than Punk Rock. 

It’s midway through the set, though, in the London show, when, while introducing Polished Chrome and Open Kitchens, Laila is teaching some audience participation.  The chorus has “Who? You!” in it, and the words are echoed off-beat.  We have to shout the offbeat, and wave a fist for “who” and point a finger for “you” during the crowd vocal.  If it sounds a little complex, I guess you had to be there.  Poor Laila, though, for a second, muddles her words and is about to tell us what we’re meant to be doing while we shout the word “finger”.  It’s funny, and she’s a little embarrassed, explaining that throughout the tour Barney’s been doing that bit of banter.  While it’s a bit funny in itself, that sort of attention to detail, both in their music and in their live performance, is part of what’s set the Sonic Boom Six apart of late.  The level of concentration is almost totally perfectionist.

All the more reason, then, to be upset when, in Oxford, some bonehead on the stage right shouts “take your top off” at Laila.  Not just once, but a few times.  Thankfully enough people, on stage and in the crowd, remind him how stupid he’s being.  That’s great to see, but unfortunately it doesn’t stop this fool.  It’s the only dampener on an excellent night’s work.  Having trekked up from London we’d never have realised, but there were FIVE bands on tonight.  On a TUESDAY.  The promoters and security staff have, apparently, been very cool though out, which is refreshing.

The SB6 are incredible here.  As expected, the majority of City of Thieves is in the set, but there are a few surprises.  Through the Eyes of a Child, Meanwhile Back in the Real World and Strange Transformations are all highlights, and Danger, Danger and Piggy in the Middle send the place in to a blur.  In Oxford, especially, where there’s a little bit more room, the pit gets really frantic.  Josh and Marcia from the Skints both make appearances, Josh right out on top of us in the middle during A Bright Cold Day in April, and their 30 Second song for punktastic, An Ode to DIY Promoters gets a rare outing as well.  Breathless, sore, but not ready to go home, chants and screams for an encore are rewarded with Floating Away as an acoustic* duet with just Ben and Laila.  It’s the last track on City of Thieves and SB6, the first track on the band’s very first demo, is brought out to close the show.  Without having five bands and an over-run, London gets Monkey See, Monkey Do as an extra encore.  There were shouts for All In as well, and I even yelled for Flower, but that’s it.  It’s off in to the night for us.  Phew.  Exhausted and emotional.  But very, very happy.

*The acoustic Floating Away is a b-side to the download only single “Back 2 Skool”.  Available here.

Arms of Atlas join iTunes.

Posted by jamie on Oct 21, 2009

As of now you can, and really should, get Arms of Atlas‘ music on iTunes.  Lots of people like this on their facebook.

Go here to get two new songs.

Greenpeace protest at parliament

Posted by jamie on Oct 12, 2009

Thirty-one Greenpeace volunteers are still on the roof of Parliament as MPs arrived back after the summer break.  Yes, the lazy scoundrels have a summer break that ends in October. 

Greenpeace’s climate manifesto outlines the 12 simple steps the UK can take to save the climate.  It’s being given out outside parliament or you can get it from their website.

See the parliament video here.

City of Thieves - now available to download.

Posted by jamie on Oct 12, 2009

Sonic Boom Six’s stunning third studio album is available to download via iTunes and Amazon.

The SB6 are touring the UK now with the Skints - and I’m going to be there tomorrow - woot!

Side One Dummy - web links.

Posted by jamie on Oct 10, 2009

Side One Dummy now have an RSS feed and iCal calendar. 

Subscribe for updates and tour dates from the likes of Flogging Molly, Bedouin Soundclash Big D.

new Liam O’Kane demos up

Posted by jamie on Oct 10, 2009

Liam O’Kane has FIVE new demo tracks on his myspace.  They’ll be re-recorded for his next album “Liam O’kane and the Stabilizers”.

The demos are live solo versions of songs he’ll record with a band this month.

“I recorded the tracks with Ed Koral in Stratham, along with 6 other tunes. I may put others up in the coming weeks, we’ll see how organised I am”, he reports.  Fingers crossed, then, bud.

free Rebel Alliance download.

Posted by jamie on Oct 10, 2009

still available here.

Chris Murray - on twitter.

Posted by jamie on Oct 10, 2009

He’s lovely.  And now he’s going to tweet.  Follow, follow, follow him here.