Wednesday, 7 June 2023

LIVE REVIEW: Cages For Preachers | 05.05.23

After an unexpected cancellation of their Glasgow date, Cages For Preachers came to an early finish on their headline tour, having visited 9 cities across the Uk in a month. I had to the pleasure of catching them at their hometown show in Nottingham for a memorable show, supported by Distant Blue and Smokey Penny. 
Despite having moved to Manchester, Cages For Preachers stay true to their roots bringing their A game to their hometown show, and playing with two of the most notable bands in the local scene, managed to fill out the venue easily! 



CAGES OF PREACHES - Rianna Ram


Warming up the night was Smokey Penny, with their high energy performance combining distorted riffs with clear and bold vocals to create an iconic sound. Setting the tone for the night, they got the crowd moving and grooving, and going wild. Their art-rock style powered by their upbeat charisma, they created a wonderful start to the night.



SMOKEY PENNY - Rianna Ram


Next up on the line up was Alt-rock outfit Distant Blue, with their adrenaline fuelled set having the crowd go wild! Their heavy guitars and raspy vocals powered by an energetic beat and airy backing tracks create an atmospheric sense of liveliness in the room. Playing a combination of fan-favourite songs, along with a new unreleased one, they had the audience hooked on every syllable they sung. 



DISTANT BLUE - Stephan Ramsey


Cages For Preachers brought a showstopping performance to the end of the night, with lots of power, drive and spirit, there wasn't a single body in the crowded venue stood still during the set!



CAGES FOR PREACHERS - Rianna Ram



Previously known as 'The Timeouts', Cages For Preachers are no strangers to the Nottingham music scene, and have been evolving and improving their sound over the years to create the incredibly raw, guitar-driven music they perform to date. With grit and distortion, layered over frontman Kai's powerful vocals and heavy breakdowns, they create an ambient metal sound, iconic to them. Playing hits such as 'The Blind Leading the Blind' as well as an Alice in Chains cover, they had the audience singing (or should I say screaming) along with them.





CAGES FOR PREACHERS - Rianna Ram


After absolutely smashing this show, all three bands headed to Leicester for the next instalment of the tour, and another incredible night of music. They boys in Cages For Preachers might've had to come to an early finish on tour, but these guys are always up to something! Make sure you're following them on all their social media to be the first to hear about new releases, music and pure chaos. 


INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/cagesforpreachers/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D 
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheTimeouts 
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0hh95Ba4oL7qLdti4It9Uz?si=44hUIp-SSzODPWPMddtxSA 
OFFICIAL STORE: https://cages-for-preachers.sumupstore.com/ 

Sunday, 24 January 2021

BÖHMEN: WILDSIDE

 Alt-rock Manchurian band BÖHMEN released their debut single ‘Torrent’ in October and have gained an incredible following since then, with over 500 monthly listeners across streaming platforms.


They’ve now dropped their latest single ‘Wildside’, an upbeat and guitar driven tune with a pop-like bounce and hard hitting riffs. Released on January 22nd, this is a big step for the band are they begin to build their fan base and make their mark on the music scene.

Taking influence from bands such as Inhaler, Catfish And The Bottlemen and Courteeners, they’ve created an energetic, indie-rock song with melodic vocals and heart warming lyrics that they hope to catch the attention of music lovers from all around.

This song is one that we can’t wait to hear live, it’s got all the elements to be a jumpy and lively atmosphere when gigs can eventually go back on again. The band played their first show in Greater Manchester earlier this year at The Old Pint Pot in Salford. They’re now more than ready to expand their live exposure even further.

You can watch Wildside (previously called SUD) performed live HERE




With a band name that comes from the word ‘Bohemia’, which means a place where like-minded people come together, BÖHMEN are believers in the idea of artist and audience being one, coming together to celebrate their love for music.


You can now hear Wildside on all major platforms! Listen to it HERE 

To keep up to date with BÖHMEN follow their social medias below:

Thursday, 22 October 2020

Distant Blue: THE GHOST OF MY EMPTY GLASS

Written by Niamh Christian



What’s that emerging from the darkness? It’s only the one and only, Distant Blue, finally breaking their silence as they get ready to drop their latest single – The Ghost Of My Empty Glass.

Having had to cancel all plans for gigs this year due to the cursed pandemic, they decided to take their efforts back into the studio, working hard to finalise some new music for our enjoyment.

The band has become quite a fixture in Nottingham’s local music scene over the years, while simultaneously spreading their music to other cities across the UK. Now after staying quiet for so long, they’re back and better than ever.

With bigger riffs and bouncier beats, they’ve thrown themselves in the deep end of this new sound and have displayed it wondrously.  They’ve hit us with a lightning bolt of power as they take their abilities further, in a way that’ll have you wanting to get up and dance.

It’s funky, flirty and ferocious, painting a mental image of a hectic night out you probably wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon (depending on how intoxicated you are). The dirty breakdowns compliment the groovy chorus in a way that’s dynamic and bold.




Distant Blue kindly took the time to answer some questions for me about their new single and what it means for the future of their band.

 

“The Ghost Of My Empty Glass” shows a very different side of you from your original pop-punk days, what does new direction mean for you as a band?

It’s a weird one because this song is a bit of a one-off, we experimented with a slightly more funky and poppy sound while still trying to maintain our heavier roots. Depending on how people take to this track we might or might not do something like this again.

 

Where did the inspiration come from for the song?

The Nottingham club scene, nights out in town with your mates drinking and interactions with lovely ladies.

 

With Covid-19 cancelling all your gig plans this year, have you got any other plans coming up?

We’ve mainly been focusing on writing and recording throughout this pandemic. Although we miss the live shows so much, we don’t want to rush back into it, have to cancel things and let people down. It’s all very up in the air at the moment, but when we get the green light you’ll be sure to know about it.


Can you sum up your song in a sentence?

One of the best nights I’ve ever had in song format.

 

You’ve said lyrically ‘The Ghost Of My Empty Glass’ describes Nottingham’s nightlife, how would a usual night out go for you?

First of all, pres with the boys usually at someones yard, get the tunes on and get pumped. Second, get your look right get fresh garms and make sure you stand out. Third, jump the train to town head to spoons for your second round of pres. From there, It all gets a little blurry but we usually end up in Rescue Rooms, Stealth or MOJO. After that, we see where the night takes us but more than likely it’s a fat scran and bed.

 

What are your favourite venues to play at and why?

Got to say Bodega and Rescue Rooms for our hometown shows. Outside of Nottingham, we really enjoyed West Street Live in Sheff, Verve Bar in Leeds because it had the best interior we’ve ever seen.

 

What venues do you hope to play in the near future?

Jimmys in Manchester, the Rock City main stage, Camden Underworld.

 

What new cities are you wanting to play next?

Manchester and London are the big ones, but it’d be nice to work our way up to Scotland and down to Brighton as soon as we can.

 

Have you always been interested in music? Was there a particular moment that made you say "Woah! I want to do this!"?

Watching live Green Day and Nirvana shows on the internet when we were youths. Generally, music has always been a big part of our everyday lives, we don’t remember a time when we didn’t want to do this.

 

Has your musical journey had a deliberate direction, or did it simply gradually evolve in whatever direction it found?

We’ve always wanted to make Rock music as we are all big fans of it, however there was no deliberate direction. It’s just evolved into what our sound is today.


What music are you currently listening to?

Ed’s been on the gangsta rap vibes recently, Peter has been listening to Underoath and the new Ghostemane album, Kieran’s been delving into the depths of Hip Hop history as usual and Jack has been listening to Thundercat a lot.


What has been the most challenging aspect of your current release?

Not being able to book a release show due to COVID.

 

Do you plan your music releases, or do you just finish a song and release it?

We like to plan our releases, but we have a bad history of sticking to the plan. However, in the end it all comes together through the 4 brains we have between us. We did plan this release a lot better than we usually do.

 

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

We used to have one which included energy drinks but after one show where we played the set at 300mph, we put a stop to it. Now we like to just huddle up and get hyped right before the show.

 

Last year you went on tour, what was that like? What were your favourite moments?

It was the best time of our lives so far, we had so much fun being on tour, playing with quality bands, exploring the cities, and getting messy after the shows.

 

Have you had moments where you considered giving all this up?

We’ve never come across such problems that put us in that kind of mindset. I guess that somewhat shows we are cut out for it. We’ve all had arguments and get on each other nerves, but at the end of the day, we could never see ourselves doing anything else.

 

In years to come, what do you hope your fans remember you for?

Iconic live shows, Crazy after-parties, emotionally relatable records, and the journey from here to the top.

 

 You can follow Distant Blue on their social media's below:

FaceBook- https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDistantBlue/           

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ESxqEPFrn0rfAuTzqfPKQ

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/36gtG3aOBV2x6jKQgIWAWu

Twitter-  https://twitter.com/distantblueuk

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/distantblueuk/  


Listen to The Ghost Of My Empty Jar HERE


Friday, 2 October 2020

Fading Blonde: 25

Written by Niamh Christian



Fading Blonde have finally re-released their song '25'. After putting this song out late last year, the band made the hard decision to take it down from streaming platforms after deciding they could definitely work on the artwork and mastering.
Eventually, they have managed to give this song the finishing touches it deserves. and have just re-released it for you to all hear the new and improved '25'.

Fading Blondes' iconic, unique sound has been beautifully captured in the recording of this song. With a funky-punky upbeat bounce to it, along with gentle delicate vocals that stretch to impressive depths. 

It's a catchy tune with passionate lyrics written from the heart, which will transport you to a place of deep emotion. It's a definite must listen to for indie/alt-rock fans, with an atmospheric sound that'll have the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end. 

Fading Blonde really outdid theirselves with the re-work on this song, it's emotionally raw with gripping guitars that'll have you wanting to get up and dance.

Listen to the all new 25 HERE




Thursday, 24 September 2020

South Hours: OUTSIDE

Written by Niamh Christian


Rising through Essex's music scene, South Hours have been packing out venues for the past few years, and have now begun to release songs that have only ever been heard live before. Starting out in college and writing music in a shed, they have begun to bring their music alive in the beauty of studios and venues throughout East Essex.

The trio really started to catch attention after the release of their first single back in early 2018, 'Bruises'. After recording and releasing this debut single themselves, they were overwhelmed by the attraction it got, and the number of playlists it instantly started getting added to.

Their most recent single release 'Outside' came out during lockdown period back in May, pleasing their followers in these troubled times. Working closely with Monster Florence’s Tom Donovan on ‘Outside’ just months after he had been working with Miles Kane, this song really is a milestone for the boys. 
The mystical sound created by atmospheric guitars holds everything we love most about the indie-pop genre, from the melodic, lighthearted vocals to the emphasised harmonies. 
It's heartfelt lyrics and catchy tune really bring this song alive, combined with gentle vocals and a slow but dramatic instrumental rhythm.

Currently studying at universities in London and Southampton, they are working towards really gaining an understanding of the industry as they make their mark on the music scene.

You can listen to South Hours 'Outside' HERE

Sunday, 20 September 2020

Two Neighbours: SELF TITLED EP - TWO NEIGHBOURS

Written by Niamh Christian 


Two Neighbours have been creating quite the name for themselves over these past few months, with 3 single releases throughout 2020 gaining them tens of thousands of monthly listeners through spotify, and then just last month they dropped their debut, self-titled EP 'Two Neighbours'. 

Prior to the EP they released two single from it: 'Back Then' and 'Little Mila'. These managed to create quite a lot of hype around the hard-pop duo

The opening track 'Where I Wanna Be', only being just under 2 minutes long, is an elegant introduction to the EP. With angelic vocals singing gently over majestic backing music, it's a very soft toned number, setting the pace for the following songs. 

Following is one of my personal favourites, 'Little Mila'. This song was released originally in July and shows the groups grittier side, with rougher sounding guitars used in the chorus. The vocals are sultry as she sings 'Grooving to the Who in some thigh-high boots'. The songs spunky and full of edge, with an alluring sound and hardcore beat.

The first single released for this EP was 'Back Then', released back in June, we can assume this was the song that built up the anticipation for 'Two Neighbours'. A passionate song written about a fallible modern romance, with synthy backing vocals and a soulful chorus. It's full of attitude and moxie and creates an amorous image for the listener.

Combining acoustic guitars and gentle singing, with many references to the 60s, combined with contemporary and zany rhythm, 'Peace and Love' paints a beautiful picture of a modern-day Woodstock dream. It's full of sass and stamina and has a deeply profound, catchy chorus.

The final song on the EP, 'Orange Rose' is an elegant yet moody tune, singing about love and adoration. Showcasing pain through endearment with lyrics such as 'I don't need to de-thorn you, although it hurts to hold'. It's distinguished and enticing, singing of mystique and allure. 

The electropop duo stated when asked about their debut release “This EP is for people still wiggling in their skin. It’s inspired by longing… longing for success, love, for the past, the experience of someone trying to find their own sound and path”

You can listen to 'Two Neighbours' HERE 



Wednesday, 16 September 2020

Springs: DESIRE

Written by Niamh Christian



 Are you in need of a new indie bop to break your heart? Birmingham band Springs may have just brought out the song for you with their latest release 'Desire'. This indie/alt-rock anthem is loaded with raw emotion and lyrics sung like a heartfelt diary entry.

Starting out in late 2019, it's coming up to a year since Springs started creating music, with each release showing their development as musicians. I would definitely say this is their best one yet, showing how they've grown from friends creating music to serious musicians in no more than a few months. 

'Desire' brings a sense of nostalgia to listeners with references to a painful memory, with vulnerable vocals that pull on your heartstrings singing 'wanted to die to feel alive'.

The simplified guitar riffs compliment the vocals in a way that makes them stand out when they hit hardest, building up to a dramatic crescendo at the end. 

In the words of frontman Didds; 'The story takes place in a single night and is about a whirlwind romance. It's about breaking someone's heart, which we all do but all choose to push out of our minds'.

He also added 'We're really excited about this new direction of our sound!'

Listen to 'Desire' HERE