Twin Atlantic - Night and Day, Manchester

On Saturday 6th Feburary Twin Atlantic played their biggest headline show to date, selling out all 1300 tickets at Glasgow's ABC1 venue.

Rewind 3 days and the guys are playing the intimate Night and Day cafe in Manchester's Northern Quarter to around 100 people. Though the 2 shows are worlds apart in size and scale the bands performance is the same, full of passion and raw live energy.



They blast through a set of songs from their mini album Vivarium and early ep A Guidance From Colour as well as a new song, the incredibly catchy Running From Money and a slight reworking of older song Atlas Factory.



Twin Atlantic's music has an infectious energy that you can't help but get caught up in, and choruses that are just begging to be sung along with.

Set List:

You're Turning Into John Wayne
Lightspeed
I Cave In
Old Grey Face (And The Way Of The Magenta)
Time Is The Enemy
Better Weather
Running From Money
Atlas Factory
Crashland
A Guidance From Colour
What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?
Human After All
Caribbean War Syndrome
Audience And Audio

All Time Low - Fopp instores

All Time Low last week visited Fopp stores in Glasgow and Manchester, whilst on the Kerrang tour.



First up was Glasgow, where hundreds of (mostly female) fans queued for hours to see the lads perform a short acoustic set, and sign copies of their Unplugged album.





Damned If I Do, Damned If I Don't - Live in Glasgow:


Frontman Alex Gaskarth takes over my camera to take a snap of his fans!





Unfortunately for fans queueing in Manchester they had to cancel the performance part of their appearance an hour before they arrived. Leaving fans who had been waiting for up to 8 hours slightly dissapointed. Though frowns soon turned to smiles when the signing started.

Biffy Clyro HMV instore appearances

Biffy Clyro this week visited a number of HMV stores in Scotland and England in support of new single Many Of Horror.

Ukgigsandfestivals went along to the Scottish instores where the band were greeted by hundreds of very excitable fans. It was reported that fans started queueing shortly after midnight at the Glasgow store to guarantee themselves wristbands to the 6 song acoustic set and signing.





The band found themselves signing the usual Cd's and vinyls along with a whole host of other unusual items... Wooden spoons, inflatable crocodiles, shoes and quite a number of iphones, guitars and bass's.



The acoustic performance was a treat for any fan, with the band playing some lesser heard songs in amongst the newer hits. Songs performed were: The Captain, God and Satan, Little Soldiers, Mountains, Breatheher and Many Of Horror.





Although Glasgow's instore was limited to 350 wristbands many other fans watched from upper levels of the store, getting a birds eye view of the stage. The queue afterwards for the signing seemed to be never ending, as it snaked round the store, clearly greater than 350 long.

The band finally finished signing at 8:45pm in Glasgow, and were still looking as happy as when signing started at 1pm in Edinburgh. Even stopping to have a few photos with a couple of rather excitable young photographers ;)

All photos © Jessica Newell

Pulled Apart By Horses - In pictures

Pulled Apart By Horses play Edinburgh's Sneaky Pete's on December 16th 2009.




All images copyright Jessica Newell 2009

Damnation Festival

Damnation Festival - A photo report.

Check back in the coming days for more photos!


Created with flickr slideshow.

Frank Turner - Glasgow QMU

Photo © Jessica Newell

At the moment it would seem that Frank's popularity is growing on a daily basis. At some point, seemingly overnight, Frank has gone from playing tiny bars to selling out 600 - 900 capacity venues on his current tour, in support of new album Poetry Of The Deed. His spring '10 tour has just gone on sale taking in the 1-4000 capacity venues.

But of course Frank hasn't been an overnight success. For the past few years he's being building and building his loyal fanbase. His new commercial success is down to hard work and is well deserved.

Photo © Jessica Newell

Frank's sold out show at Glasgow's QMU sees him perform a lengthy setlist taking in a large chunk of the new album and many older tracks, which tonight get the largest crowd reaction.

From the opening track of Live Fast Die Old to the last, of crowd singalong Photosynthesis, Frank gives every song 150%. His live show is filled with passion and an infectious energy.

Photo © Jessica Newell

ukgigsandfestivals would recommend snapping up tickets for next years tour sooner rather than later as this is one performer you don't want to miss out on seeing!


Setlist:

Live Fast Die Old
The Road
Long Live The Queen
The Real Damage
Poetry Of The Deed
Substitute
Try This At Home
Dan's Song
Nashville Tennessee
Imperfect Tense
Sons of Liberty
Love Ire and Song
Father's Day
I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous
Journey Of The Magi
-----------
The Ballad Of Me and My Friends
Reasons Not To Be An Idiot
Photosynthesis


You can read our recent interview with Frank here.

We have some exciting things lined up for you...

Some of you may have noticed it's been a little quiet round here of late. A major relocation has taken place and after a few hiccups we are now back up and running, and with a whole host of exciting gigs to bring your way over the coming weeks and months.

Next week is the annual Damnation festival taking place at Leeds University. If you like your metal this is one not to be missed. Check below for the list of bands playing and click here for stage times. If you're not able to get there we will be bringing you photos and details of all the happenings soon after the event.



Tickets can be purchased from leedstickets ticketline and seetickets

In other news we will over the next 2 weeks be bringing you photos and reviews from Frank Turner's tour, Manchester's In The City event and a tour special on Nine Black Alps.

Frank Turner talks to UK Gigs and Festivals

Uk gigs and festivals recently had the pleasure of conducting it's first interview, with the lovely Frank Turner. Read on to hear about his new album and wether he's a mini cheddars on a mini jammie dodgers kinda guy.

Your new album Poetry Of The Deed is out soon. What can people expect from it? Is there a running theme, or feeling, through the album?

I guess the overall theme is about how to grow old adventurously. I had a big debate with Jay (Beans On Toast) about the lyrics to "The Ballad Of me & My Friends". He asked me why we have to give up doing the things that we love, and I realized that maybe we don't. I made the record with my live band this time round, so I wanted it to sound a little bigger, a little more rock. I'm very pleased with it.

Your video for your new single The Road features you playing 24 gigs in 24 hours. That must of taken a hell of a lot of organisation? Was there any point during the day that you wish you'd not started it?

The organization was actually not too hard to do - the whole thing came together in about 3 days. So many people wanted to be involved that it didn't take long to put together. We did 8pm to 8pm, and around 11am things started to get pretty fucking horrendous. It wasn't much fun. But in the end it was a cool experience, and the video came out really well, so it was worth it.

You recently toured the States with the Offspring. How did you find the reception from the audiences and how did it differ, if at all, from new audiences in the UK?

The tour was interesting. I was pretty nervous, for the first time in a while, because I didn't know what to expect - I was playing solo to a punk crowd who had no idea who I was. It could have gone either way really. In the end it was fine, the crowds were receptive and I had a great tour. American audiences are, on the whole, pretty open, and if you have an English accent that helps as well, in all honesty.

It's been 4 years since Million Dead split. Do you ever wish you were still playing hardcore punk and is folk what you see yourself doing for the rest of your career?

There are days when I miss things about MD, the physicality of the live shows and things like that. But I'm not really one for dwelling on the past so much, and I make the music that I want to make right now. I've learned to never say never, so who knows, maybe I'll be back making punk records in 10 years. Maybe I'll be making progressive trance. We'll see.


The following questions were put forth by Frank's online fan community, many thanks to them or their input.


Will you ever go electric? Or will it always be a case of you playing acoustic guitar with an electric backing band live?

That's something I've thought pretty hard about, and in the rehearsal process for the new album we actively discussed it. In the end I decided that for now I like the way the band works sonically, and I'm still attached to the one-man-and-his-guitar paradigm as well. But it might well be something to consider for the new album.

Why do you parallel the fascinating, complex and beautiful process of photosynthesis with the lives of unfulfilled people? Do you in fact hate plants? If not then why do you trivialize their hopes and dreams in this way?

Ha ha, yes, I hate plants. Little bastards.

You've covered The Postal Service in the past. What do you think of Confide's cover of Such Great Heights?

I don't know who Confide are I'm afraid. There have been a lot of PS covers in recent years. I stole the idea for mine from Ben Marwood actually.

Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life and why?

Morgan Freeman. I feel he'd bring the gravitas.

If you could have a superpower what would it be?

Time travel, I suppose. Is that a superpower?

Dylan or Cash?

Dylan for sure. Cash was great but he wasn't so much of a songwriter. Dylan is infinitely more important to the history of modern music.

Mini Cheddars or Mini Jammy Dodgers

Mini Cheddars 4 EVA.

____________________________________________________________

Poetry Of The Deed is out on Tomorrow (7th Sept) in all good record stores, and online.

Frank will be touring the UK in October at the following venues:

13 Oct 2009 Academy 2 (18+) Dublin, Ireland
14 Oct 2009 The Stiff Kitten (18+) Belfast, Northern Ireland
15 Oct 2009 QMU (14+) Glasgow, Scotland
16 Oct 2009 Academy 2 (SOLD OUT) Manchester, Northwest
17 Oct 2009 University Basement (all ages) Newcastle, Northeast
18 Oct 2009 Rock City (14+) Nottingham, Midlands
19 Oct 2009 Wulfrun Hall (14+) Wolverhampton, Midlands
20 Oct 2009 The Academy (all ages) Oxford, Midlands
22 Oct 2009 Met Uni (14+) Leeds, Northeast
23 Oct 2009 The Junction (14+) Cambridge, East
24 Oct 2009 University (14+) Plymouth, Southwest
25 Oct 2009 The Lemon Grove (all ages) Exeter, Southwest
26 Oct 2009 Anson Room (14+) Bristol, Southwest
27 Oct 2009 Solus (14+) Cardiff, Wales
28 Oct 2009 The Guildhall (SOLD OUT) Winchester, South

Frightened Rabbit - Queens Hall, Edinburgh

Selkirk band Frightened Rabbit played to a sell out crowd this week, at The Queens Hall, as part of Edinburgh's The Edge Festival.

Favourites from the first 2 albums (Sing The Greys and Midnight Organ Fight) were mixed up with 3 new songs. One which was so new it didn't yet have a title.

The highlight of the evening being frontman Scott returning alone for the first encore to sing Poke, unaided by any microphone. Helped along by a mass singalong.

Frightened rabbit proved that their music translates well into a larger venue and that they are without a doubt only going to continue growing in popularity.




All photos © Jessica Newell

Kendal Calling 2009 - Mud, Music and Museli

Photo © Jessica Newell

Kendal Calling is a relatively new festival, which is this year (it's 4th year) situated in Lowther Deer Park in...Well, not Kendal. Lowther deer park is a stones throw from Penrith... and 25 miles from Kendal.

The festival appealed with a low price (weekend with camping £70), a strong lineup, the promise of clean toilets, showers and Moorish Catering.

Sadly the showers and Moorish catering were never located and a message on the Kendal Calling website apologises for the state of the toilets on the Fri and Sat after they were let down by a contractor.

As with any good British festival there was mud, and plenty of it. Heavy rain on the Thursday before the festival meant last minute changes had to be made to the car parking arrangements. Unfortunately for the first coachload of the Friday, arriving at the other side of the site, it meant walking back and forth along a long path inside the park, continually getting told by security to go in the other direction. When the festival staff were aware they were extremely apologetic about the breakdown in communication and all 22 festival attendees were taken back up the path in buggies.

But it was certainly not all bad. The festival has a fantastic relaxed family atmosphere, and with under 12s getting in free it's not hard to see why there were so many small children in attendance. Face painting, Cumbrian Olympics, Kids area and real snow slope kept children (and big kids) more than entertained.

Photo © Jessica Newell

Photo © Jessica Newell

Photo © Jessica Newell

The food options in the arena area were varied and of a higher quality than found at most larger festivals. A good selection of international dishes and plenty of vegetarian, vegan and organic options were available.

The campsite itself is a spacious field with huge old trees. No worries about overcrowding here. An organic and fairtrade coffee stall provided delicious drinks and the option of muesli for breakfast. The campsite also hosted the Merchandise tent, welfare tent (for those suffering festival, and partying side affects) a small live music tent and a selection of other food and drink stalls.

The main stage was situated on the flat at the bottom of a hill. This meant that an excellent view could be had of the bands regardless of where you were stood. Headline sets came from The Streets, The Zutons and Ash.

Photo © Jessica Newell

Photo © Jessica Newell

Photo © Jessica Newell

Photo © Jessica Newell

The "We Are Calling" stage, the largest of the live music tents held host to Fight Like Apes, King Blues and Detroit Social Club amongst others.

The Kaylied folk stage presented acts both local and national, known and unknowns. The highlight being a set from Frank Turner (ex Million Dead). The small tent was packed to the rafters half an hour before his set was due to start and despite multiple technical problems, resulting in him having to borrow a guitar from the next band due on, his charm and good humour kept everyone waiting patiently in the tent. Clearly fans had travelled from far around for this set and I'm sure the singalong could be heard for far around out on the field.

Photo © Jessica Newell

And when the live music finished for the night the Traffic tent became a club with djs running through to 3am each morning.

The conclusion is that despite it's imperfections and little blips (the wristbands read Kendall Calling) Kendal Calling is a fantastic small festival with great music and great mud, all set in stunning countryside. Really, what more could you want?!