Metronomy entertained an almost full O2 academy Bristol with their brand of Electronic at the end of a global tour (US and Europe) and the post the February 22 release of their 7th Studio Album ‘Small World’.
Opening the night was ‘Goat Girl’ a 5 piece post punk band from London. Their recent album ‘On all Fours’ followed their acclaimed 2018 self titled debut with a fuller sound, with added electronic elements. The thumping beat was present throughout the set with the whirling guitars creating a big sound but 3 part harmonised vocals softening the mix. It was an interesting set and, although pinned to the front of the stage by Metromony’s gear, the clever use of some simple set dressing gave the band a presence that drew great appreciation from the crowd.
With the stage cleared it was time for Metronomy. The new album ‘ Small World’ is a simpler, pared back offering from the group and we were intrigued to see how this would translate. We didn’t have to wait long as the opener ‘Love Factory’ came straight from the new album with a sharper edge to the recorded version, with the guitars turned up a notch and even the pace seemingly a little quicker.
The band were very tight, delivery crisp versions of old and new material, underpinned by the thick warm synth tones and driving beat. The pace changed regularly, seamlessly inter-song to take the crowd from head shaking, foot tapping to gently swaying as the synths pulsed and the melodic guitars and vocals almost drew you trance like forward and back. The 20 song set, covered their whole catalogue and their link to the crowd seemed almost ethereal at times as words were not required to feel that the 1300+ souls in the venue were totally in tune with the music.
Touring their new album Totally, which comes out Tomorrow, newly formed rock band Stöner brought their grungy hard-core style to Bristol’s legendary floating venue.
The show was opened by Slomosa, who had come from Bergen in Norway to join Stöner for this tour. Although they didn’t have a massive way with words, these guys came on and rocked the crowd out hard, and got them warmed up well for the main act.
It seemed that most people had never heard of Slomosa’s music before, bar a few dedicated fans, and I think this Norwegian band went away with a few new fans from this show (myself included). As a band, they played well together, and it was clear they were in sync with one another. Norwegian heavy music is world renowned for being in a league of its own, and Slomosa certainly proved that once again.
My personal favourite track of theirs has to be There is Nothing New Under The Sun.
And then it was onto the main act of the night. Although I do enjoy a night with a big line up and getting introduced to plenty of new music, there are also nights like last night that I like where it’s just two bands playing, keeping it simple.
From the moment Brant, Ryan and Nick hit the stage, they brought all the energy they could muster out with them. Another band not much for talking, it took a couple of songs to get the crowd fully warmed up and singing and dancing along.
Stöner are a relatively newly formed band, but previous bands that the members were in (from Kyuss to Queens Of The Stone Age) meant they had high expectations, and they certainly lived up to them, and the dedicated fan base that came along to the show brought just as much as the band gave. Some lockdown projects are certainly questionable, but this is one that has surely come out for the better.
Aside from some technical hitches with some monitor feedback, the set as a whole sounded amazing, with Brant playing, singing and using his array of pedals and effects to create a really good sound. My personal favourite from their set has to be Stand Down, with Brant mastering all three at the same time! A little bit more techno sounding than the rest of their set, it was still a really good track.
By the end of the main set, there was also some brilliant dad-dancing coming from Brant! And after the walk-off-walk-on, there was one last burst of energy, with the mosh pits finally starting and even one crowd surfer (despite it not being too successful!).
And then that was it for the night. It was a brilliant show put on by both bands, and I’m sure everyone who came down had a great night. As always, a massive thank you has to go to all the venue staff and security, the crew and of course Slomosa and Stöner for putting on a great show!
Review and photos by Ted Stargatt for TrueStyleMusic
The Lanes in Bristol is always known for putting on a mix of fun and exciting live gigs from all different genres, and Saturday night’s show was certainly no exception.
After a slightly chaotic start getting everything set up and ready to go, the night was started off by the mighty Silent K, who can come down from Liverpool for the show. And as soon as they started, that chaos continued, just this time it was on stage and a bit more controlled.
For an 8pm gig, these boys still rocked out hard, and by the end they fully won the crowd over, with people dancing around the front and having a great time. I’m sure they went away with some more fans of their music.
A special mention has to go to their keys player for the coolest style, rocking the bear hat and sunglasses for an early evening, indoor gig!
Then next on was Heavy Salad, from Manchester.
Although they were a bit less chaotic and a bit more calm than Silent K, they still put on a good show for the crowd. Just like before, it took a couple of songs to get the crowd on side, but once they were it was a party atmosphere, with more dancing and good times.
I personally love it when a band splits lead vocals between two of them, to me it shows that they have good chemistry as a band and they clearly get on well together, and it’s even better when it’s a male/female split.
I found out after the show that this was in fact a stripped down set for Heavy Salad, and that they normally play with 7 of them on stage! I was massively blown away by just the four of them on stage on Saturday night, I can only imagine what the full band must be like.
A personal song favourite of mine has to be Joggers From Mossley To Malibu Beach, their latest single. Complete with a crowd singalong, this made the night even better.
And as the night continued more people came and danced along, the space slowly filling up with people after a good night out. Although it wasn’t quite sold out, it was still a good atmosphere, with everyone able to have some space to enjoy themselves and have a good time.
And before we knew it, that was the end of the show! Although it wasn’t a massive set list, Heavy Salad were certainly crowd pleasers, and hopefully went away with a few news fans. I’ll be seeing both Heavy Salad and Silent K again given the chance, and I’m sure others who were there will be as well.
As always, a massive thanks goes out to the venue and bar staff, the sound tech, promoters and both bands for putting on and playing great sets.
Review and photos by Ted Stargatt for TrueStyleMusic
Released yesterday across all platforms, we thought it would be a good oppertunity to chat to Dirt Royal about the new song and all things music
Can you tell us a bit about Dirt Royal? Where are you from and how did you all meet?
To be honest I don’t know, one day I was just practicing with a band and then I asked how long we’d been together and Loz just looked at me and says “You’ve always been in Dirt Royal, very spooky stuff! – Leon
Me and Loz met in pr6 then I met Leon at the Jurys out pub and then later at the black lion open mic. I tricked them into thinking the other one was auditioning but they both were. -Charlie
Where did the name Dirt Royal come from?
You’d have to ask the boss – Leon
How would Bruce know?
It describes our sound, scruffy scrappy but it’s not straight up heavy rock n roll. We are suckers for a catchy chorus. Barry Gibb jamming with the Libs maybe… only joking there is only one Barry G -Charlie
If you had to sum up each band member in one word, what would you say?
Mouth, Hair, Musician, you can deduce who’s who – Leon
Gob Leon! Mouth isn’t graphic enough to describe the tool you use to project your breath taking attitude problem.
I like to think I’m more than hair but my old head chef would probably agree with you Leon. Shout out to Darth Bolton. -Charlie
You released yesterday your new single Shoot Me Now. What does this song mean to you as a band?
I think this song was one of the first of a new batch of songs, it’s one that the people at gigs seemed to get into quite quickly, it’s basically a song about reaching the end the line with something- Leon
Yeah think like 3rd song since Great Expectations? Set the bar. Really fun energetic and tongue and cheek. What more could you want? Maybe a country life butter advert, then we would be real punk! -Charlie
Who produced it? Have you worked with them before? How was it working with them?
We recorded the single at the Ranch in Southampton, we’d never been there but our good friend Dan Ash of Teenage Waitress recommended them and I have to say it was s great experience working with the guys at The Ranch – Leon
And Joel from the Novatones. They came highly recommended from musicians we respect and enjoy listening to. I had a great time working at the Ranch. Shout out to Neil, Kurt Albini and eagle eye Joe. -Charlie
What is one thing you’ve learnt from making music?
When you’re at someone’s flat at 3am and trying to put the cribs on and you’re sat with people who ‘used to play music so get where you are at’ leave! Before they start telling you how it should be done. My Mum says if someone shares opinions on you and your life without invitation then they are rude, my mum is a smart person. Shout out to my Marge. -Charlie
Keep it short, simple and truthful and try to play as few guitar solos as possible but that bits just my personal ethos – Leon
Are there currently any live shows plans?
Ask Char, he books then and I turn up! – Leon
Next up single release party @shortts bar Brighton! Theodefeatist will be playing too along with a bunch of acoustic acts from our open mic night. -Charlie
What is next for Dirt Royal?
Chips? Hunous? Maybe another Katsu Curry Kiev – Leon
‘Bag of chips on the way home’ joking! Gotta stop mugging him off, people will know I’m his biggest fan.
Next is ALBUM 3! Recording starts next month with a great producer and engineer and Of course we really love the new songs. Can’t wait!!!! -Charlie
Where can we find out more about you?
Go to this https://linktr.ee/DirtRoyal it has links to everything! Music, socials, pics of Loz! He don’t do interviews, he’s a shy one.
Shout out to our shy awesome drummer! -Charlie
Anything else you would like to tell us?
We would really appreciate it you listen to our new single and share it with all your loved ones and then the people you hate, spread the word! Also if there are any guitar string manufacturers willing to sponsor me give me a call, otherwise I’m switching to Ukulele – Leon
Yeah check out the tunes! New ones out 22/04 but The old stuff is alright too, all on Spotify etc.
Lover is available across all streaming platforms now.
Lostboy is off on tour soon:
Tue 3 May – Leeds, Oporto Wed 4 May – Newcastle, Head of Steam Sat 7 May – Manchester, YES Basement Wed 11 May – London, The Grace Thu 12 May – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach Sat 14 May – Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge
Released just last week, we thought it would be a good oppertunity to chat to SAL about all things music
Can you tell us a bit about SAL? Where are you from and where did your journey into music start?
I’m originally from Newbridge Co. Kildare. That’s where I started performing, singing, writing songs and dancing. Newbridge was immersed in music for young kids at the time and it’s a huge part of the reason why I’m an artist now. I moved around a bit growing up and one of the places I moved to was West Wicklow. It was there that I started performing with bands and after that I moved to Cork to study music in college. Cork City has such a vibrant music scene, it felt like such a creative melting pot being a part of the community here. I found amazing musicians here who I loved playing music with, collaborating with and recording with and it was from doing that, that I started releasing my own music in 2016 under my own name ‘Sara Ryan’. I began touring Ireland, Germany and Switzerland and I released my Debut Album ‘Breathe’ in 2019. In 2021 I changed my name as an artist to SAL, I wanted a fresh start, to completely re-invent how I view my artistry and how I release my music out into the world. SAL has allowed me to write with creative freedom and release music in a way that empowers me. I’m excited to release my Debut Single ‘Bullet In The Heart’ on this new journey.
If you had to sum yourself up in three words, what would you say?
Vibrant, Excitable and Vulnerable.
You recently released your new single Bullet In The Heart. What does this song mean to you as an artist?
This song is a song written about finding resilience in the face of loneliness. It’s about finding strength in the midst of chaos and finding a way, no matter what life throws at you, coming through it all stronger and stronger each time. It’s a song about heartbreak but heartbreak while you’re in love, while you’re in a relationship and how isolating that can be. But the main concept behind this body of work, is resilience, regardless of it all.
Who produced this? Have you worked with them before? How was it, working with them?
Kealan Kenny and Martin Atkinson were the producers on this track. They are both incredible at what they do, they have the ability to hear things sonically that is so creative, expressive and imaginative. They’re knowledge and understanding of melody makes each sound so cosmic and beautiful. I loved working with them. It’s important to me to be a big part of the production process too and I ensured that I was through every step of the way within this project. It’s also very important to me to feel comfortable and connected to the people who I’m working with, and in the case of Kealan and Martin, they are absolute family to me.
What were some difficulties you weren’t expecting when you made Bullet In The Heart? How did you manage to overcome these?
We encountered difficulties in the early days of the process because we loved the demo so much. I recorded the demo of the song when I was fairly unwell but there was a tone within my voice on that particular day that perfectly fit the pain within the lyric. So we recreated the song from a different standpoint in terms of delivery, and we overcame this, by allowing the pain within the song to become empowered instead of defeated.
What are some of the best parts about songwriting and making music?
It’s the most cathartic and therapeutic way to release how you’re feeling. I find that no matter what’s going on in my life, I’m so lucky that I have a way to express that. No matter how bad things get, I can always find a way to release what’s going on for me. I really find that so beautiful.
I hear you are going on tour soon. What can we expect from these shows?
An uplifting, energetic and cosmic experience.
How do you prepare for playing live?
Meditation and yoga is a big part of my life. I get really nervous before I perform, so when I can, I try to find some time to allow myself to ground myself before going on stage. Vocal warm ups too and movement, all of those things help me to feel like I’m in body.
Where can we find out more about you?
You can find me on instagram, facebook, tiktok, my website, all the usual social media outlets. I also have a Patreon community that I absolutely love, it’s a really personal way of connecting too.
Anything else you would like to tell us?
I can’t wait to share these songs with the world and connect with others through these songs. I hope with the help of these songs that people will feel in some way empowered, because that’s what music has always done for me.
For the penultimate night of their UK tour, Florida favourites Less Than Jake brought their kick-ass show to the O2 Academy Bristol for a night of punk-ska fun! With another three support bands on the bill, we knew we would be in for a good night!
Opening the show was Millie Manders and The Shutup, a UK based 5 piece ska-punk band. Although Millie’s background and origin into music may have been through the classical and jazz scene, these guys style was far from it. Millie moved and danced around the stage for almost the entire set, only stopping to play some accompanying saxophone! This was the first time I’ve heard of these guys, let alone seen them play live, but given the chance I’ll certainly be seeing them again.
Next on the bill was Toasters, all the way from New York. These boys have been rocking the Ska scene for many years, and it’s clear to see why they are still going. As a band, there is so much enthusiasm and fun in the way they play and perform, and they bring the audience along too! Seeing Toasters live is less of a gig, and more of a right of passing into the Ska world. A special mention has to go the keys player, Dave Barry, for the sheer workout it must be to play like he does. An audience member described it to me as “karate chopping the keyboard.” If that doesn’t sum it up I don’t know what else to say.
After this was old friends Skinny Lister. This is the fourth time seeing Skinny live, and even though they were a support act, they owned the stage and captivated the audience just as well as any main band could have done. It was a shame Sam couldn’t make it and they had a backup drummer standing in (I’m really sorry for forgetting his name), but nevertheless it was still a killer of a set.
You could tell this was going to be a good, lively night, by about midway through Skinny Lister’s set the mosh pits were breaking out and people were dancing round, singing back and having a good time, all signs of a good show – and when that’s just the support it’s signs of good things to come!
Although three support bands means it is a long night, it was still a brilliant opening to the show.
And then it was time for the main act of the night.
Less Than Jake are known for both the good music, and putting on a good show, and Friday night was certainly no disappointment. Right from the off, the crowd went wild, and the band were not much behind them. Just like Toasters, LTJ may have been rocking out and ska-ing for a few years, but they still have the energy and stage presence that they had when they first started as a band.
Although this was sort of the tour for the latest album Silver Linings, the band still kept the more established fans on side by playing all the old classics. Last One Out Of Liberty City is a great choice for a set opener, not too obscure but also giving yourself a bit of a build up, and what a build up it was!
Throughout the rest of the night we were treated to more amazing dance moves, both on stage, off stage and by one audience member on the stage, toilet roll cannons, a guy in a mask dancing around the stage, and so much more. Less Than Jake do have a fun habit of picking on audience members, and I think most of them were in good spirits to have a bit of a joke around with the band – including one young lad who was at his first ever gig! I know I said this about Shed Seven a couple of weeks ago but what a gig to go to for your first.
The music played on, the crowd continued to go wild and good times were had by all. The Ghosts Of Me And You made way for the first big finish of the night, and with the classic walk-off-walk-on ritual and the “ONE MORE SONG” chant, the boys headed back onto the stage to play the not so well known (but still well received) My Very Own Flag, and of course the proper big finish had to be All My Best Friends Are Metalheads. For one last time the crowd went wild and there were smiles across the stage as they departed the stage one final time. What a show these guys put on. Next time they are back in town, I’ll certainly be seeing them live again.
As a side note to this, during Friday night’s gig I was sexually assaulted by a member of the audience. Sexual assault and harassment is not OK in any setting, and if you think it is acceptable, you need to take a serious look at yourself. I would like to say a massive thank you to the venue staff and security who did a brilliant job of removing the induvial from the venue and supporting me through it.
To find out more about Bristol Nights and their It’s not OK campaign, click here.
Review and photographs by Ted Stargatt for TrueStyleMusic
Out everywhere now, we thought it would be a good opportunity to have a chat with old friends DAY TRIP TO MONACO about the new song and all other things music
So it’s been about 15 months since we last chatted. How have you been? What have you been up to?
It’s been a busy time! We’re both still full-time students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), and we both play for other bands or projects as well, so finding time to sit and write together hasn’t always been easy, but it means we enjoy any opportunity we get to get back working together. We’ve also taken some time just to enjoy each other’s company as friends as well as band mates, so it would definitely be wrong to say that we only see each other to work on band things. We’ve definitely become really close friends over the past nearly 2 years we’ve been doing this now. So from that, it’s definitely a key motivator to keep the band going and pushing forward, as whenever we’re working under the umbrella of ‘Day Trip’ related things, we’re always working with one of our best friends.
For those who might not remember, who is Day Trip To Monaco and where are you from?
We’re a 2-piece band, made up of Alex Howley (Drums and keyboards) and Megan Gallagher (Vocals). We’re originally from Gloucestershire and Oxford respectively, but now we’re living in Liverpool while we’re studying here. For any other instruments we need on any songs/gigs, we get some of our friends in (who are all insanely talented musicians) to play with us.
If you had to sum the band up each other in three words, what would you say?
We’ve both always described us simply as ‘Coffee-fuelled Indie’ band, which is the most accurate description of the 2 of us… at any given point in the day, one of us will be either getting a coffee, or will have just had one. I suppose is perfect given the title of our latest song!
I hear there’s a new single on the way? What can you tell us about it?
There is! ‘Morning Coffee’ is being released on Wednesday 6 th April on all platforms. It’s been a long time coming. Our initial first version was done as a demo as long ago as early January 2021, but we decided it was never quite what we wanted it to be. We then played it at our live shows at the end of 2021, more up-tempo, punchier, and it went down really well, so we went straight in the studio and recorded it, which is how it’s finished up for its release. It’s definitely the best track in terms of production that we’ve offered up so far.
Where did the inspiration for this one come from? It sounds like a pretty emotionally charged song.
As we said before, we’ve always described ourselves as a ‘coffee-fuelled Indie’ band, which is actually our bio on our socials, so it was more of a more in depth look into it. On the surface, we get coffee before lectures to keep us going, but the song goes further than that. It reminisces to a time where a cup of coffee could’ve been for an early morning walk in the cold of autumn, or times spent with a specific person which may not be possible any more. We try to keep a certain amount of ambiguity in lyrics so that they can relate to different people in different ways. There is still imagery in there, but it leaves it more open to interpretation. Even the line ‘The sound of Stevie on the radio’ is open for discussion. Alex loves Stevie Wonder, whereas Megan loves Stevie Nicks, so even just between the two of us, it means something different.
We see you’ve also been playing some live shows. How did these go?
Yes! We played a support-slot for a band from Bath called China Bears when they played in Liverpool last October. It was our first gig, and we had a blast. The 5 original songs we played were really well received and it was a big boost for us to then play a gig at our uni the following week, which was properly filmed and recorded, which was great for us to have and look back on as our first ever setlist. It gave us a solid foundation to build on looking ahead. The best bit of feedback we got from those was an audience member saying to us after the show ‘You guys are definitely a live band, no doubt about that’. We definitely gave a load of energy to the shows, and it seems to have reflected really well.
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Are there plans for any more soon?
Oh yes. Our first headline gig! Jimmy’s Liverpool, Thursday 28 th April 2022. Doors at 7pm, evening of 3 acts runs from 7:30-10:30. We’ve got 2 fantastic support slots joining us too: Naila (a fellow LIPA student who’s absolutely smashing it at the moment), and Slow Falling Sun, a band which Alex has been on tour with since October 2021. Seeing as we’re headlining, our set is growing to an hour long for this one, there will be 5 of us on stage once again, so Megan and Alex will be joined by our friends Freya Hann (keyboards), Josh Hanstock (guitar) and Ben Hands (bass).
Tickets available on Jimmy’s Liverpool Website!
What advice would you give to those looking to start making their own music?
Great question. Definitely don’t quit as soon as it starts to get tricky. Stay with it. It’s like learning an instrument in that sense. You may start listening to things you wrote a long time ago and think ‘wow, that really sucks’ but if you think that about things you did when you first started, it’s usually because you’ve improved with experience and means that you’ve come a long way since that early time. Your music will grow with you as you experience more in both the world of music, and life in general. It’s a project! It won’t ever have a finish line, but just enjoy it and let whatever you have in your head come out.
Remind us where we can find out more about you?
Our Instagram is @daytripto_monaco which is the best place for keeping up to date with everything. We’re always looking to grow our social following as much as we can, so a follow would be really appreciated!
Our website has just had a complete revamp which we’re really happy with, and that’s got all our other social media links, songs, and videos etc on it.
After our gig in late April, we’ve got another new single (which is on our setlist) called Baby Don’t Go, which we’ll be getting ready to release. We took our debut EP off of all platforms last week, as we thought we could make the songs sound a lot better, so we’re releasing 3 of the songs from that, completely remastered over the summer. When they’ve released, we’ll have 5 of our songs out everywhere as we enter into our last year of uni.
I’d like to thank Alex and Megan for taking the time to answer our question and wish them the best of luck with the upcoming shows and new music!
As part of the last night of their mini UK tour and their last show on home soil for 4 months, East Coast Punk Rockers PET NEEDS came to the Louisiana to play a sell-out show in front of a crowd of absolute madness!
Before the show, we chatted to Johnny about all things music. Check out our interview here.
Opening the show was Oxbowlake, an acoustic duo. A new discovery for me, but there was certainly plenty of people who knew their songs already there last night. And for those who didn’t, it wasn’t long before we did! What an opener these guys were, they raised the roof and got the crowd going perfectly, an awesome opener.
Up next was Xtramile friends and the wonderfully talented Berries. This is the 4th time I’ve seen Berries live, and I swear they get even better every time! This is the first time I’ve seen them since the release of their new single Wall Of Noise, and I’m instantly in love with it! If the crowd wasn’t already pretty warmed up from Oxbow Lake, Berries got the rest of them ready, with a mosh pit even breaking out by the end of the set!
And then it was onto the main set of the night! PET NEEDS always bring their full energy to all their shows, and being the last night of the tour and in the UK for a little while, we knew it would be even more insane, and it was that and more!
Right from the off, Johnny was running around the stage like a man possessed, getting into the crowd and even crowd surfing by the second song. Opening the show with Overcompensating was certainly a good choice, and it set the energy for the rest of the night!
As well as some of the older and certainly more popular songs, we were also treated to a couple of new ones, hopefully they’ll feature on the new album because the crowd were certainly loving it!
The mosh pits and singalongs continued all the way to the end, and although there was still some good crowd interaction, these boys didn’t waste time and kept playing and kept that energy up as much as they could for the whole of the show. And of course, the first big finish of the night had to be Tracey Emin’s Bed, keeping the crowd going.
And after a semi walk-off-walk-on (you can’t really walk off at The Louisiana), they were back for one more song, which had to be Toothpaste. I don’t think there was a single person not singing along, to the song that I think one day will be a show closer classic, when they start headlining the biggest and best stages across the world, like these boys really deserve to.
And that was it. The end of a hot and sweaty last show of the tour and last show in the UK for a little while, and what a show it was. I cannot thank Johnny, George, Rich and Jack enough for their amazing show, as well as the lovely people from Berries and Oxbowlake for their brilliant sets. And of course, to the team at The Louisiana, DHP and Xtramile for putting this on.
Tickets for Frank Turner’s upcoming tour of Europe and the USA, with PET NEEDS as support, can be found here.
Words and photos by Ted Stargatt for TrueStyleMusic. All photos copyright Ted Stargatt for TrueStyleMusic
East-Coast punk rockers PET NEEDS played a sell out show at The Louisiana in Bristol tonight (2nd April). Before the show, we caught up with Johnny. Have a listen to our interview here
Our live review and more photos from the show will be coming soon!
Photo of PET NEEDS by Ted Stargatt for TrueStyleMusic, taken at The Louisiana, Bristol on 2/4/22. All content is copyright Ted Stargatt/TrueStyleMusic
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