When Gorillaz announce a show at the Roundhouse, you know that you’re going to get a show. How could something so innovative and downright brilliant not be great? However, after their hologram shows a few years ago, it was going to take something special to stand up to their high standards – a test they passed with flying colours.
Joined on stage by two drummers, a string section, two guitarists, a bass player, a programmer, a keyboard player and four backing singers, Damon Albarn alternated between front man on tracks such as Last Living Souls and Melancholy Hill and playing the piano at the back of the stage, allowing the guests to take centre stage and provide the audience with cameo after cameo.
And what an array of guests it was! Not content with having two members of The Clash in his band, Damon’s swinging doors welcomed Bobby Womack and Mos Def, Kano and Bashy, Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano and Shaun Ryder to roll through their hits. But this wasn’t all, seeing De La Soul bounce from the side of the stage for Super Fast Jellyfish and the incredible Feel Good Inc [yep, Maseo did the laugh live] and then Bootie Brown getting the crowd waving and clapping for Dirty Harry was next level.
Even when the guests couldn’t make it, their presence was felt, with the show being kicked off by a 20 foot Snoop Dogg in full Captain’s outfit dancing around with a telescope – you couldn’t make it up.
Even when there were no guests, Jamie Hewlett’s amazing artwork made it a visual spectacle and, in fact, did so throughout the show. Having a cartoon child choir singing along [and picking noses, throwing paper planes and having a fight] with Brown couldn’t have made my grin any wider, it was perfect.
Damon Albarn proved his genius in the space of two hours here. From beautiful softly-sung ballads to straight up party tunes, he’s covered it all with Gorillaz. So we didn’t have holograms? But who cares, we got one of the best shows around.
Following last year’s ultimate festival experience at Groezrock, we were more than eager to cover the event this year. Taking place near an eerily quiet country village, signs pointing to ‘Rockfestival’ look strangely out of place as you traverse the Belgian countryside, yet the pop-up community created by the organizers is anything but quiet. Groezrock has been steadily building a reputation as one of the world’s best punk music festival and this year did not disappoint.
The festival was even more of an achievement than normal this year as organizers had to overcome the inconveniencies of volcano-related flight cancellations which many of the bands booked to play experienced. A slight panic ensued when the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate, Saves The Day, Snapcase and Hatebreed gradually revealed that their intentions to play had been scuppered. However, Groezrock picked itself up, dusted itself off and added some mighty replacements to the bill including Funeral For A Friend and The Ghost of A Thousand. Not too shabby with 2 days’ notice.
We headed to the campsite, which can only be described as quaint in comparison to the never-ending tent-filled fields at the likes of Download and Glastonbury. There were some slight organizational errors which resulted in some mighty queues but once we were in and settled, all was well and the weekend could really begin. The strains of Young Guns’ tune of a song – ‘Weight of The World’ – filled the air as we readied ourselves to enter the arena. Not a bad start at all.
Instead of running around like headless chickens, we limited ourselves to a few key bands and Friday’s proceedings included Glassjaw and Funeral For A Friend. Glassjaw were typically sullen but still packed a punch. Though the tent was not as full as expected and the band seemed a bit peeved about it (“Does anyone actually know who we are?!” or something along those lines were some of the only spoken words out of Daryl’s mouth), it was still a visceral and enjoyable set. FFAF, on the other hand, reveled in their late night slot which they played to a pretty packed out second stage. Despite some pretty dodgy sound throughout, they pulled all the hits out the bag and the crowd seemed to love it. Ending with ‘Juneau’, they seemed excitable and happy to be there, as was the audience watching them.
On Saturday, the bands start at 10am. A tad early in my book but the eager beavers were up with the lark. I was slightly less eager after a late night and managed to drag my corpse-like body out of the tent at a semi-reasonable hour (midday) to watch The Ghost of A Thousand. It was worth getting up for as the band absolutely smashed it. the concept of a hardcore festival is in itself a slightly bizarre one as it’s not usually a genre that lends itself well to such an environment, traditionally being championed in grotty venues and basements rather than arena settings. However, TGOAT proved with this set that Groezrock somehow makes hardcore work within the festival aesthetic. Fans of the band flooded the stage throughout their set and there was that genuine feeling of camaraderie present that only becomes apparent when hardcore is actually working as it should do.
A Wilhelm Scream were next on my list and the second stage tent was rammed full so I observed from the outskirts in the blazing sun. the set was fairly enjoyable on the whole as the band rampaged through a mix of old and new material with some truly incredible guitar and bass riffs. The singing was perhaps a little on the rough side but this added to their charm and an absolutely killer version of ‘Killing It’ was the icing on the cake that was their very enjoyable set.
A period of respite in the guest area was interrupted only by a mini singalong to several Bouncing Souls songs as they commanded the mainstage. A couple of hours of severe nostalgia were to follow as we took in sets from Lit and Sum 41. As was perhaps to be expected, both were ultimate fun whilst playing ‘the hits’ but a little on the dull side as they rattled through newer material which wasn’t so well known by those assembled.
The Bronx and AFI comprised two of the most enjoyable sets of the weekend (though they did overlap – grrr). Catching the first half of The Bronx was a joy as their dirty punk captivated the crowd there to watch them. Singer Matt proved that he can’t keep on stage, even in a festival setting, as he jumped into the crowd within the first few songs, proclaiming that he’d “rather die here than on stage!”Heading hastily over to see AFI on the mainstage was well worth it. This band are pros.
Theatrical and technically brilliant to boot. Now that they’ve lost the whole gothic pretense to some extent, you can really focus on the awesome songs and excellent delivery by Havok and crew. Passionate and full to the brim with hits, this band has become an ultimate festival act, loved by anyone who has any sense at all. The inclusion of old and new material is an art form they are perfecting though there were some serious catalogue omissions. Still, can’t really complain after a set as fun as that! Story of The Year close our weekend but there’s just no following AFI and whilst their anthemic melodic rock is being delivered expertly to a rapt audience, there’s something missing in comparison to AFI and we decide to call it a night.
Start Me Laughing will be released on May 31st and they will support it on the following dates:
14 May – Brighton, Great Escape Uncut Stage
29 May – Bristol, Dot To Dot 2010
30 May – Nottingham, Dot To Dot 2010
31 May – Manchester, Dot To Dot 2010
01 June – London, Barfly Camden
The LA group, whose album Release Me was produced by Mark Ronson and will be released in the summer is preceded by single He’s Not A Boy, out on May 31st. Check the video below along with their live dates in London. Grab a free download here too!
30th April Club NME, Koko
1st May Camden Crawl
1st May Proud Galleries
2nd May Notting Hill Arts Club
4th May Pure Groove In Store
5th May The Old Blue Last
‘Lights’, taken from sessions for their fourth album, is available from the band’s official site.
The band said of the track – “We’re stirring…We want to show you something. And make sure you come back soon. We will be posting important information and dates in the coming weeks.”
With their debut full length just around the corner, Tweak Bird will arrive on our shores next month to play a handful of UK dates. Having wowed audiences back in 2008 with their performance at ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas event, these promise to be some incredible shows.
While only a two-piece (consisting of brothers Caleb and Ashton Bird plus additional touring member John McCowen) Tweak Bird still manage to make an almighty racket. Although at the band’s core are Sabbath inspired riffs and pounding drums, they also bring a huge range of unusual instruments to the table – from Theremin to flute, saxophone and gong.
Needless to say, their live show is not to be missed, and their tour stops in the following cities;
12th – London The Gaff
13th – Brighton The Great Escape
21st – London Stag & Dagger
22nd – Birmingham Capsule
23rd – London Brixton Windmill
Formed out of the remains of seminal post-hardcore outfit The Blood Brothers, Jaguar Love wouldn’t be the first name you’d attach to an album like Hologram Jams. While Johnny Whitney’s screeching vocals are difficult to mistake, the record is bursting with giddy pop hooks and lively synth melodies.
Of course, the band had laid down these foundations on their debut; but while the critically acclaimed Take Me to the Sea was a departure from the relentlessness of The Blood Brothers, it was still essentially a guitar record. With Hologram Jams, however, the band has announced themselves as an authentic pop force. Crossfire caught up with Jaguar Love’s Cody Votolato to find out all about the new album released this Monday.
How are you finding life as duo?
It’s been really great! Johnny and I have been writing music together for over 12 years. It’s the first time I’ve ever collaborated with just one other person on something, but I think that after so many years we have set up a foundation with a really supportive working relationship both artistically and mentally. It’s been really fun traveling with just one other person as well, although we do now have a live drummer.
Was it strange to be working with a drum machine for the first time?
Definitely. I had never used Reason or Logic which are the two programs we used for Hologram Jams. Johnny had written the Neon Blonde record in Reason so he had much more experience with it than me. It was daunting but I just dove in and figured it out. The first song I came up with via drum machine was Everything is Awesome. It was really cool, because I wasn’t totally sure what I was doing, but was still able to compose a song. There are really just a few things you need to know in order to get a foundation going. I remember being pretty amped about it once I was done. The flood gates pretty much opened up from there and I spent the next few months writing everyday…
What were the reasons behind your switch from Matador to Fat Possum?
It’s a pretty good story actually. I was hanging out with Brit Daniel at SxSW last year and we figured out that his publicist was the same as The Blood Brothers back in the day. He called her up and we all met up to hang. I hadn’t seen her in a long time and catching up I told her that Matador was on the fence about whether or not they wanted to pick up our next record. She was close with the owner of Fat Possum and brought him out to our show the next day at Beauty Bar. It was the same show that Matador was at to check out our new vibe and see if they were into it. I only met Matthew from Fat Possum briefly after the show as they were all quickly off to check out Andrew Bird who is another Fat Possum artist. Johnny and I were sort of in limbo after that wondering whether or not Matador was gonna pick up the record. I got a call a few days later that they were gonna pass. We knew that Matthew liked the show so we reached out. We got home from tour and immediately started working on demos to get him some music. It wasn’t long before we were talking details and confirmed to release Hologram Jams on Fat Possum…Stoked.
What would you say are the key differences between Hologram Jams and Take Me to the Sea?
The most obvious one is the fact that there are no live drums. The electronic feel of Hologram Jams is much different than that of Take Me to the Sea. Aside from that, I think that there is a much heavier pop influence at the core of Hologram Jams that didn’t resonate as much on Take Me to the Sea. Take Me to the Sea has a much more “rock” flavor to it.
After the Blood Brothers re-issues on Epitaph last year, what are your feelings towards that band now?
Nothing but awesome fucking feelings towards the Blood Brothers!
Are you still in contact with the other members of Blood Brothers? And what do you think of Past Lives?
Yeah, totally. I just went and saw them play at Doug Fir in Portland a few weeks ago. They were great!
Was Jaguar Love always intended to be a pop-orientated project?
Yes. Definitely.
There also seems to be a significant hip hop influence on the new record, was that intentional?
We both have always been really into hip hop music. I would say that it had a pretty big impact on this record. I love Dr Dre. The song I mentioned earlier was totally inspired by The Games “Hate it or Love It.” I remember listening to in the shower and thinking, “I wanna song that feels as good as this song does.” Not that Everything is Awesome is as feel good or as good as the production on that song, but it definitely inspired it.
What are the central lyrical themes and concepts on Hologram Jams?
There are several lyrical themes on Hologram Jams including but not limited to;
1. Senseless Jubilation
2. Finding Joy in even the most inexplicable tragedies
3. Cherry Soda and creating new colors from its inevitable regurgitation
4. Exploding Plants
5. Ugly but adorable undersea invertebrate
6. Basement house parties
7. Fun.
How has your live show evolved since dropping down to a two-piece?
Well, we spent all of last year performing as the two-piece. I think it worked in the right atmospheres, but not always. It’s sometimes hard to pull of a two piece and not appear like you are singing karaoke, Haha. We recently found a drummer and have played about four shows with him. I’m pretty sure from here on out we will have live drums. It’s just more fun for everyone involved – band and audience alike. It brings up the vibe considerably I’d say.
Any new records that you’re excited about, or you want to plug?
There is a band from Australia called Young Heretics that only have an EP out right now. It’s called Dreamers, but I have a copy of their unreleased album that is really good. My older brother Rocky Votolato’s new record, True Devotion, just came out the week before ours did in the US too, which is really great.
Finally, what’s next for Jaguar Love?
We’re in the beginning of a US tour taking us back through SxSW into mid April…then hopefully… Europe bound in may…. After that I’m really excited about playing Sasquatch festival in the NorthWest!
See Jaguar Love live this May 2010 at the following dates:
21 May – Stag & Dagger – London 22 May – Stag & Dagger – Glasgow 23 May – Night & Day – Manchester 24 May – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen – London 25 May – Bar Academy – Birmingham
Right, now I’m not a fan of mash-ups for the most part. Danger Mouse’s Grey Album wasn’t all that, Jaydiohead just made me want to bump straight up Dilla without Thom Yorke anywhere near it and Lush Life’s combination of the amazing Beach Boys with the anything-but-amazing Kanye West just made me sad. But there is finally a mash up album that I can actually enjoy and it really is a belter.
Max Tannone, the man behind the aforementioned Jaydiohead experiment has combined the vocals of Mos Def with a number of old dub tunes to great effect. Whether it’s the fact that the sunshine started peeking it’s head around the clouds the day I downloaded this or not, I don’t know, but this just gives my step a little bounce and even, dare I say it, makes me smile.
Taking in songs like Ms Fat Booty and putting nice vibesy guitar licks around them just works, it’s as simple as that. Oftentimes these mash ups just seem very contrived to me, whereby the producer has tried to just force the two songs into a marriage but without being able to give them a true vibe.
Mr Universe is a perfect example of why this album works. Hip hop scratching on the intro, a lilting guitar running throughout the entire track and Mos’ distinctive vocals running energetically around the whole thing. It’s not overbearing but it most definitely gets the summertime daydreams going.
The entire track can be streamed or downloaded here.
When Gorillaz announce a show at the Roundhouse, you know that you’re going to get a show. How could something so innovative and downright brilliant not be great? However, after their hologram shows a few years ago, it was going to take something special to stand up to their high standards – a test they passed with flying colours.
Even when the guests couldn’t make it, their presence was felt, with the show being kicked off by a 20 foot Snoop Dogg in full Captain’s outfit dancing around with a telescope – you couldn’t make it up.
Following last year’s ultimate festival experience at Groezrock, we were more than eager to cover the event this year. Taking place near an eerily quiet country village, signs pointing to ‘Rockfestival’ look strangely out of place as you traverse the Belgian countryside, yet the pop-up community created by the organizers is anything but quiet. Groezrock has been steadily building a reputation as one of the world’s best punk music festival and this year did not disappoint.
Formed out of the remains of seminal post-hardcore outfit The Blood Brothers, 
How has your live show evolved since dropping down to a two-piece?
Right, now I’m not a fan of mash-ups for the most part. Danger Mouse’s Grey Album wasn’t all that, Jaydiohead just made me want to bump straight up Dilla without Thom Yorke anywhere near it and Lush Life’s combination of the amazing Beach Boys with the anything-but-amazing Kanye West just made me sad. But there is finally a mash up album that I can actually enjoy and it really is a belter.