FEAST’s annual ‘blog party’ celebrates its sixth birthday. We like lots of new music, especially from Edinburgh and write about some of the most exciting music being created across the city.
For this year’s party we are delighted to showcase four bands each launching their new single:
BRAINGLUE – Brainglue is a four-piece Garage-Punk band, from Perth, Scotland. They have a unique style of mixing Garage-Rock with Punk music, and elements of Reverb/Noise thrown in. Pieced together with intricate lyrics. They bring a highly energetic, and sweaty live performance to every venue they play, a show not to be missed. BRAINGLUE will be launching their new single ‘Psychotherapy’ Facebook
CROW MOON – The Glasgow-based quartet began as the brainchild of frontman Max Murphy in the summer of 2016. With the addition of Casey Cochrane, Angus Allen & Charlie Grimble in 2017, Crow Moon began to re-invent their bluesy roots and re-establish themselves under the elusive veil of Progressive Rock. – CROW MOON will be releasing their debut single ‘Senescence’ 20/04/18 –
FORREST CAN’T RUN – is a up-and-coming Pop-Punk band from Edinburgh. With there catchy songs and infectious energy, the boys always have fun on stage and entertain the crowd. – FORREST CAN’T RUN will be launching their new single ‘Stephanie’. Facebook
THE PARTY SLOGAN – The Party Slogan are an Edinburgh band formed in 2016. Their sound comprises three guitars and keyboards on top of a powerhouse rhythm section. The band have taken song writing influences from 80’s post-punk and alternative rock through to the sonic influence of garage rock revival. – THE PARTY SLOGAN will be launching their new single ‘Addiction’. Facebook
Big shoutouts to Pollination Records, Lazarus Records, Green Frog Records and 8-Track Records.
Feast’s Annual Blog Party (in association with Edinburgh College’s Glow Festival)
Sneaky Pete’s
7pm-10pm
£5 on the door or tix here https://www.fatsoma.com/sneakypetes/jugtk2c0/feast-s-annual-blog-party
SNEAKY PETE’S FRIDAY 9TH JUNE 7pm-10pm £5 Feastival is FEAST’s annual ‘blog party’ celebrating our fifth birthday. We like lots of new music, especially from Edinburgh and write about some of the most exciting music being created across the city.
For this year’s party we are delighted to showcase two bands we think have a great sound: NOAHNOAH and POSABLE ACTION FIGURES.
NOAHNOAH presents a unique look at indie/electro/pop/rock and keep you engaged with close harmony and tight, driving synth. Taking influence from major and local bands – such as Chrvches, Fatherson, Prides, Biffy Clyro and The Killers.
POSABLE ACTION FIGURES have already picked up airplay on Radio 1 for their recent single ‘Cut’, been tipped as one of, Vic Galloway of BBC Radio Scotland’s bands to watch in 2017 as well as being invited to start the year with a performance on STV. With a self-titled debut E.P. under their belt that was described as “marvellous” by The Scotsman and “Something a little bit special… an EP of the highest quality” by Netsounds, Posable Action Figures have developed a reputation for catchy punchy tunes paired with an explosive live show. Regular air play through 2016 and a jam packed gig schedule helped the band build an enthusiastic fan base.
Posable Action Figures latest single ‘Hummingbird’ on Glass Records
Noah Noah’s latest single ‘Thick as Thieves’ on Big Sound Cartel
With only weeks to our annual Feast ‘blog party’ at Sneaky Pete’s on June 2nd, we thought we’d have a wee word with Fraser from NOAH NOAH who happens to front one of the most exciting bands around Edinburgh at the moment. So excited they agreed to perform at our forthcoming party!! Part of Edinburgh College’s Glow Festival.
How long have you been making music together? NOAH NOAH formed in Autumn 2015 under the name ‘Grampa’ however the drummer, Rowan and myself have been playing in various bands together since we were 13 years old. The idea for NOAH NOAH came about while I was running an open mic at the Edinburgh pub The Blind Poet where I met our keys player Matt a few years ago. We have since played many acoustic gigs together in various pubs and clubs and eventually we decided it was time play some electro-pop. We saw Neil play in his other band Beckett and decided to steal him.
Is there a story behind the name? I was chatting to a friend where I said “I don’t know a Noah, do you?” and so NOAH NOAH was born.
(Matt also reckons that as the last few animals boarded the Ark, there were a pair of unicorns running late who shouted “NOAH…NOAH!!!” to try and get Noah’s attention. However, they missed the boat and that is why there are no Unicorns. I am unconvinced.)
Who are your musical influences? We come from a diverse and eclectic musical background but share a love for bands like Chvrches and Prides. With that electro-pop sound in mind we use other influences such as Biffy Clyro, the 1975, The Killers, Future Islands etc to try and create a sound that is a wee bit different. Influences are constantly changing however and can sometimes come from really unexpected places.
What process goes into the way you write songs? Songs develop in so many different ways. Some of our set are songs that I had written on an acoustic guitar, or Matt had written on the keys then as a band we develop the sound. Other songs start as riffs or ideas that we jam in the studio and let them take shape. Currently we tend to write and record demos first then show them to the rest of the band, a pattern that Rowan started with our newest song. This system seems to work well but there is no rules!
What can people expect from your live shows? We put a lot of effort into our live show to try and make sure the sound is as big as possible. People can expect a really energetic show that (hopefully) sounds great and looks great.
Funniest thing that’s ever happened at a gig? We are just back from our first UK tour and although there was much hilarity there are some things we probably shouldn’t report…Although we have recently played a few shows with Glasgow band Start Static. No incident in particular however these boys are the definition of Glasgow banter and are always a great giggle. They are so Reckless!!
What can we expect to see/hear from you in the future? We are planning to release a single with a B side in the very near future (stay tuned) and are also poised to announce a host of summer and autumn 2016 shows with a view to tour the UK again before the year is out. Head over to www.facebook.com/NOAHNOAHband and give us a ‘like’ to stay in touch or sign up to our mailing list at www.noah-noah.com
NOAH NOAH headline FEASTIVAL (FEAST’s annual blog party) at Sneaky Pete’s on Thursday 2nd June. Tickets here http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/feastival-tickets-24588971275
With only weeks to our annual Feast ‘blog party’ at Sneaky Pete’s on June 2nd, we thought we’d have a wee word with Sam from TEEK who happens to front one of the most exciting bands around Edinburgh at the moment. So excited they agreed to perform at our forthcoming party!! Part of Edinburgh College’s Glow Festival.
How long have you been making music together?
TEEK have been making music since around December last year. I came over from the Isle of Man to do some recording but was so goddamn impressed with this little musical collective I found – the band, the producer, the promotion team and management and stuff – I literally packed in my job and relocated. The moment I decided for sure was actually during the first jam we had down at Banana Row. We freestyled this one entire track in particular (which we’ll be gigging) – kind of a deep house kind of sound – it was magic. We had such good chemistry, I was buzzing. So yeah, that’s when it all officially kicked off, I guess.
Is there a story behind the name?
Haha, of sorts. We had originally decided on “TEAK”, like the tree. We had a tree themed logo made up and everything. But then we found out some random dude in London had already registered it. I was pretty bummed as I’d already become quite attached, so Manuel – our lateral thinking lead guitarist – suggested we just change the spelling. Genius! I like this name loads more now. Plus it’s a weird little furry creature from the Star Wars universe and on urban dictionary is defined as “a person who is able to lift more than a standard human being. This guy is so teek he can deadlift his own Tacoma out of a parking stall.”
Who are your musical influences?
Oh man that’s a tough question, especially as it’s fairly early days for us and we’re still kind of carving out our sound. But I suppose it’s like some eclectic mix of Radiohead, Snarky Puppy, Gorillaz, Cherub, Bombay Bicycle Club, Gramatik …. if that even makes any sense whatsoever. Just come listen to us it’ll be easier.
What process goes into the way you write songs?
We’re definitely a jam band. I think our best stuff has definitely just come from when we’re warming up or closing down at the end of a session. We always make a point of spending at least half an hour or so at our sessions just organically jamming. There’s always music in the madness. Alternatively I bring my previous pretty simple loop pedal based songs to the band and they vastly improve them with their musical expertise. It’s a good workflow.
What can people expect from your live shows?
A whole lot of feel, five guys getting real, not much sex appeal.
Funniest thing that’s ever happened at a gig?
Well we have our first gig as a full band at Henry’s Cellar bar for our single launch on Friday the 13th (unlucky for some) this May. So somethings bound to go horribly wrong and we’ll get back to you.
What can we expect to see/hear from you in the future?
We have an awesome studio and producer to work with down in Cowdenbeath (straight out of Cowden?) called McGuti’s Productions (http://www.mcgutis.com/), a bunch of really talented, dedicated musicians, tons of material to work on and a great support team. So the sky’s the limit. All we know for sure is that we’re going to make a whole lot of music and have a butt load of fun. Come get involved with the journey.
TEEK launch their new single ‘Draw A Map’ at Henry’s Cellar Bar Friday 13th May 7.30pm
A live session for Feast from Edinburgh band Redolent. This is another live take and our performances are captured live with the exception of a keyboard overdub cause Danny doesn’t have 4 hands!!
Makes us want to go and see them live. When? Tonight! Sneaky Pete’s supporting Man Of Moon, another of our faves. C’mon!!
THE ROCKALLS
So, having been to Sneaky Pete’s to review a particular band, I’ve never walked out of a venue so chuffed.
I had the pleasure of getting to see a lineup of up-and-coming Punk bands from Scotland (one of which had their first ever live gig: who’d have thought, they were brilliant!) – with this, I’m more than happy to state every single band playing had something good to share.
I would personally describe Sneaky Pete’s in itself to be a low-key, grungy environment to be in – not everyone’s cup of tea, or for those who enjoy a silver suppository – but this completely fit the style we were about to witness.
Having listened to their music on their Bandcamp page, I found myself wobbling and bobbing around as you do when you like a song you hear. Unless it’s just me when I’m doped up with caffeine. That aside, I found myself thinking, “Hold up. I’m seeing this live,” leaving me with two sudden conclusions. One being, “I need to leave some so I can get a nice surprise when I arrive” (which is why I refuse to check the setlist before gigs, I love surprises!), and “I NEED to see what they can do with a crowd.”
And this desire was fulfilled in great fashion, but I’ll come on to this shortly. I must add that Sweaty Palms have to be credited for their ability not only to play, but for setting the scene for the appearance of THE ROCKALLS, and thus should be given key mention.
People were moshing, a bottle was smashed and there was even enough room for people to crowdsurf, including their adrenalised guitarist. What could possibly top this?
“Could a vocalist ‘a-few-beers-later’ engage with a crowd to such a degree?” Was the general idea of the question asked by a pal beside me, as we stood by, wide-eyed and watched a mass of people down in front, give way to the machine that was about to cause mayhem.
Dom, their singer and said machine, had a quick chat with me outside after and did ask me not to mention the level of intoxication he was under, so we won’t go any further on that note. Sorry Dom! When asked about influences, he simply replied “Name any Punk band,” and given their categorisation as Garage Punk, this was certainly made obvious during their performance.
Dom even managed to nail every note, and leaped off-stage a number of times to engage with his audience and they went ballistic in turn; this is the type of energy that one might expect from this style of music, and they completely surpassed requirement. Cables were taught, and mic stands were everywhere. One was at a point where I thought it was going to catapult, so the inner sound tech in me jumped out in order to rectify this, hopefully saving someone’s head from being knocked off. After a pat on the back from one guy for my efforts, I was instantaneously thrown back into the pit for more fun and laughter.
With regards to their setlist, they played a variety of their own songs, particularly a few of their older ones which for me had a harder edge and showed the band for their true colours. (‘That’s really heavy, man.’) This also included songs from their most recent EP mentioned above, which is linked below with my sincerest recommendation. Please check it out, and you can buy it for just THREE POUNDS! Yes, three!!! Or a little more if you’re feeling generous, they deserve it.
And the gig was to be rounded off in the most down-to-earth and ridiculous way. We see Dom sitting on the floor in front of the stage, without a care, and addressed us all with the question: “I’m feeling pretty tired, man. What about you?” And we replied appropriately.
Exhaustion mutually acknowledged, this was followed by a final performance of the EP’s title track, “Wolfman”. I had the utmost pleasure of dancing to this (or ‘dancing’) with everybody; along with speaking to the boys afterwards, during which I was told that they are playing Sneaky’s again very soon.
Like Punk; the abundance of sweat, and overall brilliantly executed entertainment topped with good patter? THE ROCKALLS are the band for you, and so is the EP below.
https://therockalls.bandcamp.com/track/wolfman
They can also be found in their natural habitat of Glasgow, and on these other pages:
Review of Polarnecks by Liam James Dickson
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Playing as part of new band night brand Control Social Club (concocted to hopefully inject a little energy into the stagnating Edinburgh alternative rock scene), is the Glasgow three-piece Polarnecks, a group of lads with the desire to make some noise and the ability to pull it off. CSC promoter Adam invited FEAST along to review the bands featured in his new gig night – and thank God he did, because that was one hell of a night!
I was impressed by their back catalogue, available on their BandCamp page; forward thinking grungy-ness with a melodic bent and a scuzzy guitar tone refreshing from the clean-crisp sound of their indie counterparts, as well as some hauntingly angular acoustic tracks. I’m genuinely surprised by the revelation that all these recordings were homemade yet sounding as professional as any of their peers, if not more so. They cite the 80’s alt rock scenes of DC and Seattle as the main influence on their sound; Lukas has a particular fondness for The Cribs; but their good humour and general optimism shine through the heaviness to make an entirely new beast.
I met up with the guys in the early evening after their soundcheck for a quick chat, just to get a flavour of the faces behind the music. Polarnecks – consisting of Lukas (Guitar & Vocals), Callum (Bass) and Innes (Drums) – formed as school friends under a slightly different line-up and have been playing for around two years, with bassist Callum recently joining the gang. Far from pulling teeth, the guys were as pleasant and talkative as I’d imagined they would be – singer Lukas seemed a bit more withdrawn, though understandably so; the double threat of fronting a band in an unfamiliar setting would be a daunting task for anyone. It’s also how I know they really mean it when they excitedly talk to me about the opportunity the new Control Social Club night presents to spark a new wave of interest in rock, both in the city and the around the country in general.
“I’m not sure what it’s like through here in Edinburgh,” drummer Innes explains to me, “but there’s far too many promoters doing the pay-to-play thing, taking advantage of young bands just wanting to get a gig.” He sings the praise of Adam, the man behind Control Social Club, claiming we need people to take a more focused and curated approach to putting on concerts featuring likeminded bands with a shared appeal. I agree!
Appearing after surf-punks Facial Slurs, the guys deliver a storming set to a packed Sneaky Pete’s that foreshadows a rather wild night. Their songs were obviously written with the stage in mind – the guitar is crunchy beyond belief, the bass player is loving every minute and the drummer… staggering! The heaviest instrumental sections are where the band can’t help getting caught up in the moment, jumping around and hammering as hard as they can without sacrificing the quality of their performance. The high point for me was halfway through the set when they fire into track ‘Awake’, featured on the Gold Mold Records Spring Sampler 2015 mixtape (that’s right, cassettes are back!) I knew this song well already having watched the amateur-made, professional looking music video several times – its Birdman style camerawork and ambiguous imagery make for great results – and anticipated this song would go down well. Rightly enough, every head in the place is furiously nodding along and the audience are obviously digging it. The upbeat chords are counterbalanced by humbling lyrics that connote an anxious young man ready to take on the terrifying world; “I feel worried, I feel paranoid” goes the chorus of many future sing-alongs. The pace is unrelenting right up until the last song of the set, a swaggering 3/4 monster that impressed everyone; I hear someone near say “That was sick!”
The lads came off stage sweating but chuffed; they well and truly hyped the place up for the bands proceeding them, Sweaty Palms and headliners the Rockalls. The crowd and bands got unruly alike; crowd surfing, mosh pits, stage invasions, gear strewn about the place and one smashed bottle of Buckfast (Glasgow bands, aye!) It was a spectacle alright, but it all distracted from the music of the last two bands who, in my opinion, were just not as consistent as Polarnecks. We saw two bands in their prime causing mayhem, and we saw one burgeoning band with a far punchier sound telling of unknown potential. For Lukas and company the only way is up, so catch them at this level while you still can!
Follow the link to see the event page for their next gig, supporting Kryten’s EP Launch for Gold Mold Records at Flat 0/1, Glasgow on the 25th September: https://www.facebook.com/events/650469028420825/
Stay tuned for the next Control Social Club event: https://www.facebook.com/controlsocialclub?fref=nf
Polarnecks gig dates, photos and info: http://www.facebook.com/polarnecks
Listen here: http://polarnecks.bandcamp.com Check out the video for ‘Awake’ now:
Currently rehearsing for their headlining show at Sneaky Pete’s this Sunday (22nd Dec), I caught up with Edinburgh band Let Love Rule.
How long have you been making music together?
We formed earlier this year and have been gigging since June.
Is there a story behind the name?
Yes, it’s actually the name of Lenny Kravitz’s first album! It’s also represents a kind of attitude about letting your passions determine your ambitions.
Who are your musical influences?
Jeff Buckley, Karnivool, Deftones, John Martyn, Jamie Woon, Palms, Sigur Ros. Also a lot can be said for more local acts and friends who share similar ideals.
What process goes into the way you write songs?
I write the chords and vocals, and a have a general outline of where the song needs to go. And then I’ll take it into rehearsal and the guys are so creative in their own right they always add so many more dimensions and take it to another level.
What can people expect from your live shows?
We are still refining our sound, so we cover a few different elements. We always try to create a big atmosphere though by building to climaxes in some songs, but always having them rooted in layered, spacey melodies. Our next one is going to be the best yet!
Funniest thing that’s ever happened at a gig?
Our gigs are usually very sombre affairs. Handkerchiefs, tubs of Haagen-Dazs, and communal tear jugs are a regular feature. We are working on this though, and have a slapstick routine lined up for the next one! 😉
What can we expect to see/hear from you in the future?
We are going to be recording early next year and will have a single out by spring, with an EP coming out in time for summer. We are also in discussions with some summer festivals and are hoping to get plenty of gigs up and down the UK around the same time.
Let Love Rule play at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh on Sunday 22nd December, 7pm.
Happy birthday This Is Music, you certainly know how to celebrate in style. We went along to join in the celebrations. Appearing tonight was an Edinburgh band and two Glasgow bands supporting Sub Pop favourites Still Corners. Being based in Edinburgh we’d heard good things about The Machine Room but didn’t know much about either of the Glasgow bands, Honeyblood and Magic Eye.
Magic Eye have just released an EP on cassette tape which you can get via their tumblr site at magiceyemusic.com and tonight’s show coincides with their tour to promote it. They create tender melodic songs which are like sonic dreamscapes which wouldn’t be out of place in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Heavily reverbed guitars swirl around dreamy vocals grounded by a solid electro drum beat. They’re back in Edinburgh with Honeyblood on Tuesday 29th May.
Honeyblood announce they only have six tapes left and wonder if anyone is going to go through to Glasgow the following day to see them at The Stag and Dagger Festival. I love it when you see a band you don’t know anything about and you get it and they’re great. This quite simply sums up Honeyblood. They term themselves a ‘garage rock-crunch pop’ band. Lyrically eloquent, they don’t pull their punches, as on Super Rat about a former relationship, “I will hate you forever, scum bag sleaze slimeball grease”. Single ‘No Spare Key’ is a standout as is their electrifying cover of The Innocence Mission’s ‘The Girl On My Left’. Probably no tapes left but visit their site anyway yumhoneyblood.tumblr.com. Got to be THE show of the week when they play with Magic Eye next Tuesday (29th May ) at Door 39, Niddrie Street.
The Machine Room come on stage all very unassuming; plug in, smile, and in an instant hit the audience with a brilliant electro-esque wall of sound which is made up of tracks from their recent ‘Love From A Distance’ EP. Each of their songs creates a lasting impression, highly emotive, full of synth stabs and echoing vocals and the crowd are obviously well aware of the qualities of this band when they cheer from the vocals which opens standout track “Camino de Soda”. All of their songs intrigues, building layer upon layer of sound into a catchy and very individual approach to creating haunting and beautiful music. See them at the end of term Edinburgh Art School revel on Friday June 1st.
