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Music News

Slam Dunk announce 13 more bands!

Slam Dunk Festival have announced 13 more bands who will be playing the 3 date festival around the UK this May. With headliners All Time Low, Four Year Strong and Deaf Havana already announced to play the festival, the festival will now host the likes of
Kids In Glass Houses, Bury Tomorrow, Cancer Bats, Heights, Heart In Hand, Tonight Alive, Heroes For Hire, House VS Hurricane, The American Scene, Gnarwolves, Blitz Kids, Captain Chunk! and [spunge]

Slam Dunk Festival dates:

25th May – Leeds University
26 May – The Forum, Hatfield
27th May – Civic, Wolverhampton

For ticket information visit www.slamdunkmusic.com.

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Features Music

Must See Shows: November 2012

Our selection of ‘Must See Shows’ this month pretty much caters for everyone. Whether you are after big breakdowns, dark atmospherics or just straight forward rock anthems look no further than this list. Oh and November also features Warped Tour. Get in.

2:54
w/ Pins, Childhood, Deaf Club

02 – OXFORD The Jericho Tavern, 03 – BIRMINGHAM The Sunflower Lounge, 04 – BRIGHTON The Haunt, 06 GUILDFORD The Boileroom, 07 – LONDON XOYO, 08 – BRISTOL The Croft

If moody atmospherics spark interest in your head, look no further than 2:54. This indie duo are set to take off big time after comparisons to the likes of The XX and Alpines. This is definitely a case of catch them in an intimate setting whilst you still can.

CROSSFAITH
05 – GUILDFORD Boileroom, 08 – BOURNEMOUTH Soundcircus, 09 – BATH Komedia, 10 – LONDON Warped Tour

These venues really are to small to handle Crossfaith. If you saw them tear apart the UK earlier this year in support of Of Mice & Men you’ll know exactly what we are talking about. Mashing up a combination of The Prodigy and brutal breakdowns this Japanese band epitomize the meaning of ‘Must See Show’.

DEAF HAVANA
w/ Canterbury, There For Tomorrow

08 – COVENTRY Kasbah, 09 – LEEDS Met Uni, 10 – MANCHESTER Ritz, 11 – GLASGOW ABC, 12 – NEWCASTLE Academy, 14 – PORTSMOUTH Pyramids, 15 – NORWICH UEA, 16 – LONDON Shepherds Bush Empire

We picked Deaf Havana out as one of the highlights of Hevy Festival this summer due to their anthemic pop-rock tunes and seeing them in an enclosed environment will only top those brilliant festival performances. And after releasing a brilliant alternative version of ‘Fools & Worthless Liars’ last month, here’s hoping that they add in a few of their acoustic numbers to the set too.

PARKWAY DRIVE
w/ Emmure, The Word Alive, Structures

14 – BIRMINGHAM Ballroom, 15 – MANCHESTER Academy, 16 – LEEDS University, 17 – LONDON Roundhouse

Gracing the buzz chart and currently sitting in the ‘Album of the Week’ spot with ‘Atlas’, it’s no secret that we love Parkway Drive at Crossfire. If you have seen their latest DVD ‘Home Is For The Heartless’ you’ll know that if any ticket bearers are in for a treat with PWD’s live show.

POLAR
w/ TRC, Prowler

26 – NORWICH Waterfront Studio, 27 – READING Face Bar, 28 – BOURNEMOUTH Soundcircus, 28 – BRISTOL The Croft, 29 – PLYMOUTH The White Rabbit

Stating their influences as ‘Big beats. Strong booze. Loose morals. Good times.’ its clear to see that a Polar show is going to be wild. If you are heading to see them out of curiosity, don’t sit down or just stand, get involved otherwise front man Adam Woodford might just force you to himself…

THE ELIJAH
w/ Hello Mexico, Black Shapes

16 – LONDON The Underworld

For one night only post-rock newcomers The Elijah will be playing their epic debut album ‘I Loved I Hated I Destroyed I Created’ accompanied by the Niche London String Quartet. This show is will definitely be a spectacle to behold.

WARPED TOUR
10 – LONDON Alexandria Palace

Lostprophets, Bring Me The Horizon, New Found Glory, Less Than Jake , Man Overboard, The Story So Far , 3oh!3, The Acacia Strain, Awolnation, Architects, Breathe Carolina, Bury Tomorrow and many more all under one roof at London’s iconic Alexandria Palace. Need we say anymore?!

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Music Music News

UK Vans Warped Tour Now Sold Out

Vans Warped Tour UK 2012
With still many more bands to announce, the UK date of the legendary Vans Warped Tour has sold out with around two months to go until the event. This years festival will take place at Alexandra Palace in London on November 10th and the line up promises to make it one hell of a show.

As well as headliners Lostprophets and Bring Me The Horizon there are a whole host of awesome bands including Funeral For A Friend, The Story So Far, Man Overboard, Architects, Bury Tomorrow and The Acacia Strain. There are also a few controversial choices on the list including Blood On The Dancefloor!

In addition to the music event it has been confirmed that a number of Vans skate and BMX team riders will be making an appearance as well as Steve Caballero and Dennis McCoy with many more to be announced.

Although the London event has sold out there are still a handful of tickets remaining for ‘Road To Warped Tour’ headlined by New Found Glory. Pick them up here.

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Features Music

Hevy Festival 2012 Highlights

Its fair to say that Hevy Festival was a resounding success this year. Plenty of ‘partying hard’ was had and the sun shone throughout! With three stages of awesome music, we though we’d bring you the highlights, the bands who really stood out, so that you can be sure to check them out at any future shows or events…

FRIDAY 3rd AUGUST

Deaf Havana

Described by some critics as ‘McFly with tattoos’, Deaf Havana are a little out of place here, especially coming on as headliners after Deez Nuts. Leaving their original southern hardcore influences behind and filling their set with pop-rock genius, Deaf Havana impress the critics and cynics a like. Old school fans will be a little disappointed that tracks from ‘Fools And Worthless Liars’ dominated, but when James Veck-Gilodi has the balls to perform a beautiful solo rendition of `Friends Like These’, a vulnerable yet triumphant highlight of the festival is being witnessed for all to see.

Trapped Under Ice

With a hench front man and chugging bass lines, basically, you don’t fuck with TUI. The kids are in their element during Trapped Under Ice’s set, these guys know how to do hardcore, everyone is moving, this is the real deal, a blistering combination of punishing punk and a whole lot of fun. Perfect.

Bleed From Within

After a small amount of heckling from the crowd due their strong Scottish accents, Bleed From Within launch into a powerful performance, a master class in modern metal. Front man Scott Kennedy doesn’t stay still for more than a second and gives the set some real guts. Riffs in the vein of As I Lay Dying blow away any remaining hangovers. After a dominating set here and having recently signed to Raw Power Management and Century Media, expect these guys to become metal titans with their next release.

Last Witness

Hevy’s line up is full of hardcore bands. Some bad ones, some average ones and some real treats. Last Witness are right up there with the best. Adrian Cecil goes absolutely nuts on bass whilst the crowd go a even more insane. The bizarre competition to ride an inflatable dolphin on top of the crowd isn’t needed, everyone is two-stepping and surfing over the barrier as it is. The bouncers certainly earned their money during Last Witness’s set.

SATURDAY 4th AUGUST

Seahaven

Seahaven’s emotive post-punk is blissful in the summer sun. ‘It’s Over’ is a calming yet tormenting track that highlights their set. Their melodies are unmatched throughout the whole weekend and fully deserve the recognition they receive from the Hevy crowd.

Bury Tomorrow

These guys had a rough deal at Hevy. First off the sound cuts out just as front man Dani Winter Bates launches into his first scream. But ever the charismatic front man, it doesn’t faze him; he interacts with the crowd at ease whilst the techies get to work. Once everything is sorted the set is victorious, Mehdi Vismara performs exquisite solos with the crowd lapping up every note with glee. Catastrophically for the band, the plug is pulled as the set over runs during the time of highest momentum. The last song is cut short and the crowd are left in disgruntled. Bury Tomorrow deserved more than just a 20 minute set, however the cheers that resound long after the band leave the stage emphasizes that Bury Tomorrow are the next big thing in British metalcore.

Glassjaw

Despite creating two genre defining albums, recent live outings from Daryl Palumbo and co. have, at best, been mixed. Fortunately, the band delivered a bursting performance of chaotic tracks taken from their back-catalogue, including ‘Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence‘ and highlight ‘Siberian Kiss‘.

Andrew WK

Finishing the night, we were treated to a masterclass in partying from the king of not giving a shit, Mr Andrew WK. Opening with ‘It’s Time To Party‘, followed by ‘Party Hard‘ and ramming the theme down our collective throats with ‘Party Til’ You Puke‘, we got exactly what we were hoping for from the set. Chaotic, ridiculous but ultimately a insane amount of fun, the night drew to a close as a sea of sweat and smiles.

SUNDAY 6th AUGUST

Hawkeyes

Despite this being the third festival the band had played this weekend, Leeds bruisers Hawkeyes played one of the most compelling sets of the Hevy. Setting up his microphone in the middle of the audience, singer and guitarist Paul Astick encouraged the crowd to get as close as possible, creating a raucous basement show feel in the middle of the English countryside.

Listener

On paper, an experimental spoken-word act stands out on the Hevy line-up, but with the crowed pouring in to witness them at the Red Bull Bedroom Jam stage proves they were an inspired booking for the festival. Rousing, affecting and impossible to take your eyes off, Listener are a band to be genuinely excited about.

Hundred Reasons

Although they have put out four albums in their career, Hundred Reasons are destined to be remembered for just one. Fortunately, said album ‘Ideas Above Our Station‘ was one of the finest pieces of British post-hardcore of the noughties. Realistic enough to know that they’ll never recapture that time, yet smart enough to give fans what they want, Hundred Reasons played IAOS in full to incredible effect. Despite the waves of nostalgia, the 12 songs still sounded as fresh as the first time they were played and were delivered with boundless energy, with the excitement of the band only matched by that of the crowd.

Vinnie Caruana

Vinne Caruana, the I Am The Avalanche and former Movielife frontman loves to tell a story. So much so that he only managed to play around six songs in the entire set, whilst treating us to tales of New Jersey and his ex-wife. Despite complaining that he’d ruined his voice, the songs he played still held up, with Movielife anthems including ‘Walking On Glass‘ proving a real treat.

Descendents

After a disappointing return last year, it was great to see the Descendents on incredible form. The Californian legends most definitely deserved to play to more people than they did (sadly, this was a true for a lot of the bands over the weekend), but hearing tracks like ‘Everything Sux‘, ‘Hope‘ and of course ‘I’m The One‘ live will be a memory that anyone who still holds a torch for the band will never forget.

WORDS: Emma Wallace & Joe Parry
PHOTOS: Cat McKenzie

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Music Music News Preview

Hevy Festival Announces Final Additions To Line Up

Brutality Will Prevail, Broken Teeth, Demoraliser, Napoleon, Brotherhood Of The Lake, Grade, Acoda, Page 44 and Never Means Maybe are the last of the bands to be added to this years Hevy which takes place between August 03 and 06 at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Kent.

Although all are worth watching, out of the latest additions, the bands we most recommend catching are Brotherhood of the Lake and Demoraliser. Brotherhood of the Lake for their heart-wrenching emotive hardcore that commentates on dark subjects such as depression with great honesty. And Seige of Amida Records signed Demoraliser for their bone-crushingly heavy metalcore.

So the final line-up is insanely strong with the bill including Deez Nuts, Deaf Havana, Sharks, Bury Tomorrow, Feed The Rhino, Madball and Devil Sold His Soul plus all the other bands we mentioned above and on our must watch list. Here at Crossfire HQ we’re pumped and if the weather stays this beautiful (fingers crossed!!) Hevy is sure as hell going to be a weekend to remember. Tickets are still available, what are you waiting for? Pick one up now!

WORDS: EMMA WALLACE