Published in BabMag, Birmingham Review, Exposed Magazine, Independent, Indy100, Listening Party, MailOnline, Metro, Now Then Magazine, NY Post, Rock N Roll Reports, Square One Magazine, The Daily Mirror, The New Age Magazine, The Scottish Sun, The Sheffield Tab, The Sun and The Tab.
This is a portfolio of my entire career in journalism so far, containing live music reviews, album / single / EP reviews, opinion pieces, news articles and features.
The Revival of Vinyl: Shaking Up the Industry [Guest Column]
There are seven factors that contribute to the renaissance of the warm vinyl sounds.
Editor’s note: This is a guest story by Laura Mills, a music journalist and reviewer. Laura’s stories were published in Independent, Metro, NY Post, The Daily Mirror, The Sun and other outlets.
Over the past decade, we have seen the revival of vinyl record sales across the entire globe, with the vinyl market in 2023 experiencing much stronger growth, with an 11.7% year-on-year rise to 5.9 million units. Streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify may be leading the way in terms of recorded music consumption, but demand for vinyl records continues to surge, with the market at its highest annual level since 1990. For artists and record companies alike, this is a time for celebration and to rejoice. However, for consumers, the question still lies of why exactly the demand for vinyl records has increased.
To identify exactly why the rise in vinyl sales has occurred, it is essential to break this down into seven points. These include sound quality, collectability, design, nostalgia, support for artists, discovery and social aspect. A lot of these points overlap but each is key in understanding where the revival of vinyl has come from.
It is important to state that internationally within vinyl sales the genre purchased reflects the chart rankings and popular music. In the US, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has been at the top of the vinyl charts for the past two years with her albums ‘Midnights’ and ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’. Over the past decade, the US has seen many pop acts such as Harry Styles and Daft Punk storm the chart sales. Some of this also crosses over the pond into the UK market but it is key to highlight within the UK vinyl charts many rock-based acts like Liam Gallagher, Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles have also found success in vinyl sales.
This leads on to the idea of nostalgia as a ripple effect on vinyl sales, arguably the most influential factor on this list. It is a very simple factor, people love to reminisce about how they felt, where they were, or even who they were with when they hear a specific song, or even an album. Listening to a vinyl record is a much more special and romantic experience than merely listening to something digitally or on a CD. This may suggest why the UK has seen a rise in rock albums purchased on vinyl despite being made decades ago.
Similarly, it is key to identify how nostalgia plays a huge role in the choices we make in today’s society, and being able to buy a piece of music that looks like it’s from a time when things were simpler, and when more care and attention to detail was put into its manufacture can be incredibly powerful for music lovers and listeners. Leading on to the social aspect, people love listening to music together regardless of what format it’s in, but the art of sharing physical music with other people is only getting stronger. Many users display and showcase their collections in order to share them with others, and this in itself can spark up a conversation and lead to the idea of a new musical discovery.
This also links into the idea of collectability, for example, if a listener has a copy of the standard release, or a multi-coloured rare special release. Both of these reflect the record’s collectability. Similarly, this links into the idea of design as finding a beloved record can be a powerful experience and the artwork plays a vital role when setting off these emotions. Equally, how old a record is also defining collectability and could suggest why older records are being purchased more on vinyl.
Sound quality is one of the most interesting factors when it comes to the rise in vinyl sales as generally streaming a track in digital form will make the quality much better. Vinyl has a dynamic range of 55-70dB depending on the length of the side. Digital music, on the other hand, can go up to 90-96dB. Likewise, digital audio can also reproduce very low-level sound due to its lack of underlying distortion. However, this does not seem to defer consumers when purchasing vinyls.
It has been suggested that listening to a record on vinyl is playing it the way the artists intended and that those little imperfections within the audio add to the experience, rather than listening to a digital version which is polished and pristine. Many music fans take the stance that warm tones of a vinyl record are superior to an electronically, remastered digital equivalent, particularly for music released prior to the millennium.
It is key to highlight the most positive part of the vinyl revival is the support for artists. Research shows that according to traditional recording agreements artists can earn anywhere between an average of 10%-25% on retail price on individual vinyl sales. Comparing this with digital formats, artists are paid an average of between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream – so it would require listeners in their millions for it to actually become a viable source of income for them. It is commonly known that the streaming rate for artists around the world is so low, which may suggest why the sales for vinyls have increased as fans want to show their support.
Despite these points, the revival of the vinyl industry has its downsides. As the profitability of vinyl rises, associated pollution risks also spike. A vinyl record’s main component is the plastic polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, derived from petrochemicals like natural gas, which emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. However, producers are experimenting to find a way of producing vinyls that are much less carbon intensive.
Artists may also see more support and profit when vinyl purchasing increases; however, it can be up to a year turnaround for the copies rather than uploading to a streaming site therefore, this can delay release dates. This creates a two-tier divide, with the biggest artists able to produce thousands of copies while upcoming artists may struggle with these delays, or unable to fund producing on vinyl altogether.
Whatever way you consume music, it is impossible to hide from the revival of vinyl that has been highlighted in the industry. It is clear there are still issues that need to be tackled before we can fully celebrate the return of vinyls, but with producers looking to create more environmentally safe records: the celebration of vinyl is on the horizon.
On March 8th, Casual Healing, aka Nikau Te Huki, released the fourth single titled ‘Up & Down’ from his debut album ‘DRIFTWOOD’ which will be released in April.
Through his music, Casual Healing urges life lessons of aroha, peace and harmony through powerful lyrical scribe woven into smooth reggae soul rhythm, and this song demonstrates this perfectly.
This song’s roots, rock, and reggae fusion instantly earns it the status of a classic; with its creamy chorus-drenched guitar and punchy-crunchy tape-sounding drums, ‘Up and Down’ has Casual Healing’s signature style and trademark written all over it.
The sound of Casual Healing is impeccably paired with Te Huki’s boyish charisma and endowed with the power and sense of meaningful dialogue that can only originate from a seasoned mind.
Listening to this track is pure escapism; leaving us feeling like we’re drifting through an alternate universe where the grass is always greener. He fondly refers to ‘Up and Down’ as his “golden child”, with an upbeat, melancholic anthem taking us through the highs and lows of the human experience. In this track, Casual Healing shares a story of life to uplift, inspire and call out those elements of life that we all battle with, referencing childhood simplicity, reminiscence and freedom.
Casual Healing shares a flawless and robust message, reminding humanity that hitting rock bottom and reaching new heights are all part of our emotional holistic pilgrimage. A message we all welcome and receive with open arms.
In April 2024, Casual Healing will release his debut album ‘DRIFTWOOD’ which showcases four years of Nikau’s most personal and intimate recordings compiled into a collection of Soul, Folk, Hip-Hop, Dub, Trap, R&B and Marae-style track.
The Last Dinner Party which appear to be 2024’s biggest rock band so far released their debut album last month and the reaction from UK’s music industry has been unprecedented.
“We imagined the kind of joyful act we’d want to see when we go out, and created our own ‘dream band’ from that” vocalist Abigail Morris told NME last year, and the band have done just that.
Similarly, to the swift arrival of Wet Leg, TLDP have hastily broken through with online discourse, especially on TikTok, discussing the bands unique style, distinctive appearance and idiosyncratic sound.
It is important to remember that we are only less than a year on since the band released their biggest hit single so far ‘Nothing Matters’ which went viral online, especially earlier this year, and is arguably the rocket which launched The Last Dinner Party’s current fame and success.
This single also features on their debut record, a rock song with gritty, powerful lyrics “And you can hold me like he held her / And I will fuck you like nothing matters” presenting their evident glam rock influences from artists like the late, great David Bowie.
Prelude to Ecstasy kicks off with the title track, a song which is heightened with drama and intensity, with elements of the classical genre and the influence of Kate Bush soaring through while showcasing how much this band have to offer.
These elements of drama continue into the next track ‘Burn Alive’ surfacing with a bellowing beat of a drum that continues throughout the track. This works perfectly contrasting with Morris’s sweet vocals while displaying a melodic assurance and ability.
Even into track three ‘Caesar on a TV Screen’ we feel this bands historic influences, presented mostly through their style of appearance but with a sleek touch of groove and swagger through their experimental riffs and pristine layering.
Like previous bands who have celebrated so early in their careers, The Last Dinner Party have been branded by some critiques as ‘Industry Puppets’. Whether this is your take or not, one cannot deny that their music is something to be considered fresh, rare and eccentric in a sea of the same old regurgitated, mainstream and auto-tuned hits generally found in today’s music.
Mondays can often bring about a sense of dread and woe to the majority of us, but this week one band transported us to a place filled with joy through a night of marvellous music.
Arriving at the Octagon Centre for the first time, there is a clear sense of excitement in the air as the crowd eagerly wait for The Vaccines to grace the stage.
As the tension rises, so does the atmosphere as the lights lower and we finally catch a glimpse of one of indie’s most renowned frontmen, Justin Hayward-Young.
The Vaccines kick off one of their final sets of this tour with ‘Love to Walk Away’ followed by launching into one of their oldest and dearest songs ‘Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’.
Working through the setlist the band treated us to old favourites and more recent classics including ‘I Can’t Quit’, ‘Post Break-Up Sex’ and ‘Your Love Is My Favourite Band’.
Hayward-Young has a sense of authority and an ingrained air of confidence, strutting up and down the stage wearing a white shirt and eyes covered by dark shades.
Likewise, the band are showcasing their range tonight switching up between gruelling riffs and a clashing beat of the drums to chords which are much more stripped back, creating a slightly more melancholic sound while connecting the entire band.
The crowd lap up each song coming thick and fast, singing along with the band while swigging back their pints, arm in arm with their nearest and dearest.
Launching into ‘Headphones Baby’, arguably one of my favourite songs ever, the fans continue to charge on with the electric ambience as they belt out: “Headphones baby / Headphones baby / And I wanna die together like we’re movie stars” along with Justin.
More iconic tracks hurtle our way through ‘Handsome’, ‘Teenage Icon’ and ‘If You Wanna’, finishing off a flawless Steel City set with ‘All My Friends Are Falling In Love’ with Justin exiting before finally closing the set on ‘Nørgaard’.
A wet Monday night down at the mill – the weather is cold but the temperature is heating up from the tension rising up through the crowd.
After four years Sundara Karma are now ready to play another gig in the Steel City and the lot of us’ are absolutely buzzing.
The band kick off their set with the iconic ‘She Said’ and this Monday crowd lap it up. Everyone in the room is singing their hearts out to “She said I don’t wanna go out chasing / I kinda wanna go out dancing” as Oscar belts out those velvety vocals which leave our ears begging for more.
The atmosphere is electric but even more electrifying is the guitar solo in this track riffs and chords whirling around our minds like a daydream. Likewise, Oscar’s stripped back vocals even though for a few mere seconds make their mark on the evening as a firm favourite of mine.
As we move further into the set, we say hello to two newer tracks in the form of ‘Baby Blue’ and ‘Miss Again’. The crowd interaction and eye contact from the band is pristine, it’s what Sundara Karma do best – they put on a f**cking show.
With the energy levels rising through Leadmill’s roof Oscar continues luring his crowd into going crazier and crazier by getting closer to the crowd until he’s almost part of these adoring fans sending everyone into absolute mayhem.
The band are on fine form tonight looking sharp in sleek black leather with an air of swagger pulsating off them as they perform to their fans.
We move through the set list stopping at the ultra-groovy with unbelievable funky riffs ‘Illusions’ into ‘Friends of Mine’ as the crowd’s reaction gets more immense.
As we hit the fan favourite the bouncing starts, from ‘A Young Understanding’, ‘Loveblood’ and ‘Olympia’. This Leadmill crowd simply cannot get enough as we move through amazing bridges, Bowie-like vocals and immense instrumentals.
Moving through the set list we finally we reach our last track of the night. We all knew it was coming, we did; it was evitable, but when Sundara Karma launch into ‘Flame’ the moment is so sweet, so tremendous and so beautiful.
The crowd go wild; whatever is left of their Red Stripes is now in the air or in someone’s hair but I don’t think one sole in the room cares.
What a night, what a band. Sundara Karma we bloody love you!
HotWax’s ‘Invite me, kindly’ takes you on a journey of rock and rebellion with gritty guitars and vivacious vocals.
East Sussex based, teenage punk powerhouses HotWax consisting of members Tallulah Sim-Savage, Lola Sam, and Alfie Sayers have released their second EP ‘Invite me, kindly’. The trio are currently on tour with Royal Blood touring around the United States.
HotWax open their EP with ‘High Tea’ a single of clear energy and dominance. The song is centres around pushing away those doubts – no more ‘what if’ or ‘why’ and as those lyrics are belted out by Tallulah Sim-Savage listeners can almost feel hesitation being drawn out of the body and away from our minds. The track starts with choppy riffs guiding us to the chorus as the band give every last drop of energy into their instruments creating a sound that explodes but with a hint sleekness and precision. Organised chaos.
Following this powerful single, the next track on the EP is ‘Phone Machine’. It follows the same style of dominance outlined in the first track but the vocals feel less loud and more like a command we’re instructed to do. Through the whole track it’s impossible not to hear a similar sound to one created by Indie Legends Wolf Alice. In a statement vocalist Tallulah said “I felt I had lots of phrases saved up in my head that I couldn’t wait to put into my lyrics. The EP looks at themes of acceptance to people who have hurt you before, letting your doubts leave you and feeling free. Playing these songs live this summer has been so refreshing, I still feel so passionately about a lot of the lyrics, which makes it feel very therapeutic to perform.”
The outstanding factor of this bands EP is undoubtedly ‘Drop’. Guided by gruelling guitars and the constant beat of the drums marches listeners to the chorus, the delivery of these powerful vocals alongside the ferocious lyrics reinforces the bands message of sheer anger and enragement as Tallulah lets us have it belting out “Coz you’re angry then you’re not / Then I feel the tension drop / Then I’ll have it all for you /Yeah is that what humans do”.‘E Flat’ and ‘She don’t like it’ are also great additions to this EP showcasing this bands versatility and range with sections that are much softer and slower.
Our rock trio are currently enjoying their first ever shows in America supporting Royal Blood on tour and have two solo dates to play once this tour finishes in LA and New York. The band return back to their adoring UK crowds on December the 15th at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea. https://thenewagemagazine.co.uk/?p=12472
NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Picture Parlour ‘Judgement Day’
09.11.23
Words by Laura Mills
It’s almost impossible to believe that Picture Parlour have only officially released two singles as their sound suggests this is a band with tremendous ability and sheer confidence
They’ve supported Bruce Springsteen, played The Great Escape Festival, even bagging themselves a spot of the cover of NME and have just finished playing venues around the country supporting The Last Dinner Party which is rather impressive for a band who only released their first single back in July.
Following on from their debut of ‘Norwegian Wood’ a song the band have implied listeners should “Stream it, watch it, cry to it, scream with it, air guitar your way through the damn thing” have now hit us with ‘Judgement Day’ a love letter which is guaranteed to seduce listeners. In a statement the band said “It’s a love letter. It’s about being swept off your feet by someone you never expected to meet and surrendering to that all-consuming feeling. It’s a dramatic statement that on judgement day, at the end of time, you want to stand hand in hand with your lover.”
Arguably even better than their debut single, the track starts with a slow tempo instrumental luring listeners in and as we’re presented with Katherine Parlour’s raw, gritty vocals we’re seduced into a trap of our own making but it is so satisfying that we simply submit. It’s interesting to see this band present something slightly different to ‘Norwegian Wood’ in the respect their latest single has lyrics filled with passion and emotion, especially in the chorus ‘You look so divine like death in a lightning strike / Holy water drips down on me / And it tastes just like holy wine / How can I stay on my feet?’ paired with this intense, fiery delivery leave us begging and pleading for more.
Likewise, the breakdown section where these powerful guitars are played to create an electricity sound backed by the pounding beat of the drums transports listeners into an extraordinary atmosphere. It’s so clear through this track that their main influences include ‘Humbug’-era Arctic Monkeys and early St. Vincent. The single was produced by multi-award winning producer Catherine Marks who has worked with the likes of Wolf Alice, The Killers and Foals.
The band have two dates left to play this year including Pitchfork Festival and Great Escape First Fifty. Their next show in 2024 is alongside Black Honey and Kynsy at Leeds Beckett’s Student Union on 9th of February. https://thenewagemagazine.co.uk/?p=12211
Down at the O2 Academy, there’s a sense of anticipation in the air.
Despite it being a Wednesday mid-week show, the room is packed and the temperature is high.
I head to the bar for a refreshment in the form of an extortionately priced beer, and back into the crowd to swelter again.
Groups of friends, couples and family gather around waiting for the man with long hair and a beautiful voice; his name is Hozier.
He graces the stage and its immediately clear he’s got these fans in the palm of his hand.
Hozier kicks off this Sheffield set with ‘Eat Your Young’, one of his latest releases. It’s lapped up by the crowd who are singing alongside him throughout the entire track.
As we move through the set, we reach one of my personal favourite Hozier songs.
Next up it’s ‘Jackie and Wilson’.
As soon as the band begin to play, the crowd instantly recognises it. This one may be a little heavier rock-wise but that beautiful, signature Hozier voice runs through the track like fine wine.
His vocals never falter for a second; it’s just pure and utter joy hearing him sing.
The crowd can’t get enough as they belt out the chorus:
She’s gonna save me / Call me baby /Run her hands through my hair / She’ll know me crazy / Soothe me daily / Better yet, she wouldn’t care / We’ll steal her Lexus / Be detectives / Ride ’round picking up clues / We’ll name our children, Jackie and Wilson / Raise ’em on rhythm and blues.
However, it’s important to note how sublime his band are, too. They’re giving everything to their instruments and it’s paying off as they create these gorgeous melodies and rhythms.
As the night continues we’re treated to even more of Hozier with tracks like ‘To Be Alone’, ‘Cherry Wine’ and ‘Nobody’.
Moving through the set list I notice how united the fans of this crowd have become. Some may be friends, some may be strangers but it’s clear there’s so much love in the air as groups clasp together and belt out each song as a unit.
Next up, one of Hozier’s most popular tracks, ‘Someone New’.
Clearly a fan favourite as I look across the sea of bodies singing along to each word louder than any previous song.
Reaching towards the end of the set list, the moment many have been waiting for, the chart-topper, the signature Hozier song and arguable one of the most emotionally raw songs of the past decade; it’s ‘Take Me To Church’.
What a complete and utter f**cking moment watching Hozier sing this live, and I think a lot of others in the room have the same thought.
His voice has been amazing throughout this show but this really feels like something else, something extra; it’s Hozier’s moment to take the crowd and the limelight and own it.
He did just that, and then some.
As we reach the chorus, the crowd alongside our singer belt out the lyrics:
“Take me to church / I’ll worship like a edog at the shrine of your lies / I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife / Offer me that deathless death / Good God, let me give you my life”
Hozier finishes his steel city set with ‘Work Song’.
It feels bitter-sweet, it’s sad the show had to end but what a great show and surely one I’ll remember for life.
It’s a Friday night in Sheffield down at the O2 Academy, the air is sticky and warm, but there’s a sense of excitement because the Liverpool legends Circa Waves are in town.
Off to a bar for a rather pricey pint, £7.20 for a pint of San Miguel, to be exact.
However, the cost of the drink is instantly numbed by our support act for the night in the form of Cassia.
Cassia kick of their Sheffield set with a range of summery, shimmery chords, perfect for this summer evening in June.
The band move through a range of their biggest hits like ‘Drifting’ and ‘100 Times Over’.
Watching the band, no one can help but dance and groove; they are arguably one of the best supporting acts I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing accomplishing their job by thoroughly warming up this weekend crowd.
Back to the bar for another pricey pint to keep hydrated in what currently feels like the world’s hottest room.
Returning back towards the stage, the lights lower, the room is packed, and the temperature rises even further.
Circa Waves grace the Steel City stage, met with a warm Yorkshire welcome.
The band kick off this set with one of their latest release’s ‘Never Going Under’.
It’s indie but heavier than some of their other tracks as the bands move relentless through the deep electric guitar riffs while the drums smash and clash guiding us through the song.
Photography: Sahar Ghadirian
The crowd lap up every second by throwing their pints and smashing into each other as they sing along to every line.
Up next is ‘Movies’.
As Kieran takes the lead on the vocals, the crowd follow alongside him as they belt “Yooooou / Meeeee / We’re stealing the show / We’re stealing the show.”
As the super show continues, we move through a whole host of bangers, including classics newer releases such as ‘Wake Up’, ‘Stuck In My Teeth’, ‘Sad Happy’ and ‘Do You Wanna Talk’.
For me personally, the most magical part of the show was when the band launched into ‘Move to San Franscisco’ from their 2020 album titled Sad Happy.
A song full of memories like sitting in the sun sippin’ in Lockdown and belting it out with my parents.
Absolutely pure joy and nostalgia.
The crowd lapped it belting out “I think that we should move to San Francisco / That’s where the happy people go / You say you wanna go to San Francisco / But I, I just don’t know”, along with Kieran who is giving it all to that mic.
Circa Waves continue to serve us an excellent performance and then some, playing even more bangers such as ‘Fire That Burns’, ‘Be Your Drug’ and ‘Jacqueline’.
The band exit the stage with a giant round of applause, but we know they’re not quite done yet.
Circa Waves return to the stage for the final time tonight to play their most renowned song ‘T-Shirt Weather’.
For one final hurrah pints launched to the sky, the crowd knock each other about while screaming out every single line.
My only critique about this night is the fact it had to end.
Queuing down Leadmill Road, there’s a sense of excitement in the cool Sheffield air, and I think it’s due to Inhaler coming to town.
Walk through the doors and straight to the bar for a Red Stripe ahead of the support acts performance.
Up first are Blondes, who come out ready and raring to go on this Tuesday night in The Leadmill. The band give everything throughout their performance thoroughly warming up this already ecstatic crowd. Blondes play us a whole host of their tracks, including their notably most popular song ‘Coming of Age’.
A small gap ahead of Inhaler’s performance means back to the bar. As I look around the crowd is growing larger and there’s definitely a buzz amongst the punters which is helped by a few bangers dropped by the DJ.
Lights lower and everyone steady’s themselves for Inhaler to grace the stage.
Inhaler, all the way from Dublin, Ireland, kick off their steel city set with ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’. I’ve seen this band before but as I’m watching them thrash their instruments there is a notable change in their performance and the confidence is pouring out of them.
Next up the band are playing ‘These Are The Days’. As we move through the sound of this track, there’s not a soul in the house who’s not singing along. Despite the confidence and stage swagger Inhaler are giving off, the band do have a bit of a mishap at the start of ‘Perfect Storm’ forcing them to restart this track again.
Even though not all went plain sailing at first, the band make up for that while performing this song. Each guitar riff is being played with complete power and precision, the vocals are pristine and a pleasure to hear.
The band have the crowd in the palm of their hand and their lapping it up as they move through this show. One thing I do have to note is the set list is quite short and due to that, many of the fan favourites have been cut out. However, as the band start to play their last track, a clear fan favourite; all is forgiven.
Our last Inhaler treat of the evening is in the form of ‘My Honest Face’. As soon as the band start to play every single person in the room recognises the tune and look geared up for one last hurrah this evening.
Reaching the chorus, all the fans are united alongside the band singing “Baby / I’ll take you to an honest place / Darling / I just can’t find my honest face, my honest face” and it’s incredible to be a part of.
As I leave, reflecting on the show it turned out exactly how I expected; a fantastic night of great indie music.
Inhaler are a consistently reliable band who always put on a great show, and tonight was no exception.
“Pandas are a band destined for big things” – This Is The Music
On the 29th of April Pandas who are a four piece from Glasgow released an EP called ‘Pandamonium’. The Glasgow-based band are driven by a burning passion for creating honest music, with strong influences spanning various genres, including Foals, Lauryn Hill and The Night Café.
For Pandas, it’s all about the music. There is an intimate connection between the song writing and narrative that brings together the things we love when listening to good music.
Also united in their effort to advocate for equality in music, the indie outfits hope to provide a safe space for those listening, as they have found themselves in the music they love.
The “PANDAMONIUM” EP is an extension of Pandas soulful and chaotic yet gentle nature. The album showcases five tracks, four of which all written by different members of the band, and the melting pot of different creative influences results in a mesmerising explosion of equitize melodies, passion-fuelled instrumentation and honest lyricism. “PANDAMONIUM” sees Pandas take their biggest steps in the industry so far, working with producer Scott Thomson at Eggman Studios in Glasgow to record and mix the record, and renowned mastering engineer Tom Woodhead.
Pandas are Ellis Hurley, Hugh MacDonald, Oran McBride and Roan McBeath.
Track one on the EP is ‘Pandamonium’. This track opens with the rustic sound of a radio tuning in and out, as the host’s voice drifts out repeating “Pandamonium / Pandamonium / Pandamonium.” Then we hear a big prominent riff taking centre stage, shortly joined by the rest of the instruments creating a sound amazingly groovy, funky and fun. Jammin left, right and centre.
It is of great importance to state how electric and forceful that riff is running through this track. I bet it’s a pleasure to play, but god it’s a pleasure to hear.
Another incredibly funky part of this track is the section where the bass keeps taking the track down lower and lower. Each sound its creating grumbling, rumbling but with absolute precision.
We get a slight snippet of the vocals in this track singing ‘Pandamonium’; just enough to keep listeners wanting more.
Next up, and my personal favourite, ‘Foolish’.
‘Foolish’ starts with the crashing beat of the drums alongside a forceful guitar that turns to centre stage as it seamlessly moves into a funky riff. This consistent riff is present intertwining around the other instruments driving the sound through the roof.
In this track we finally get to hear more of those vocals that teased us in track one. At first I wasn’t sure how much power these vocals could hold but as the track goes on, the vocalist reveals his true potential and shows off some brilliant vocal ranges.
These vocals are grainy and deep but so satisfying. I can hear an underlying strength behind them building stronger and then all of this is put into practice in the chorus.
The chorus is catchy and definitely embodies everything that makes a crowd go wild. This one will definitely be something special to play live. Again, and seamlessly, as the chorus is coming to a close, the vocalists singing “You’re the best thing / By / My / Side.” is transformed perfectly into that consistently, sublime guitar riff.
As the instrumental strips back to basics, Pandas present these focalised vocals that melt like butter in listener’s ears. Shortly after launching back into the energy Pandas embodied just seconds before.
I really cannot believe a band at such an early stage of their journey in the music industry could create a track like this. It absolutely beams talent, confidence and utter, sheer potential.
Surely not, surely there can’t be anymore songs on this EP that are THIS good from an upcoming band, and then we get ‘Mischief’.
The intro is fixated around the rattling and hissing of the slight touch of the drums creating a sound that can only associated with Mani of The Stone Roses. Alongside these drums is a Midwestern styled riff executed with precision.
As the track moves forward, a short guitar riff taking centre stage like a solo is introduced and leads us into verse one.
Hey! There’s actually a big pattern in this EP, as we move track to track the vocals just get better. Not just better, but they become distinctive and these groovy, stylish vocals compliment the instrumental in the most fitting way.
‘Mischief’ is a song that embodies the same mischief it is titled after. It’s fun, it’s strong and it’s so chic. The layering and mixture of sections gives this one a certain edge, and the jamming of instruments can be easily transferred into the live shows.
Slowing things down a little, we move into ‘Hot Rod’ and the sound oozes seduction.
“If you want it / If you need it / Baby / You can have it.” These lyrics in themselves are alluring but the way they’re sang in this sultry manner makes the song so desirable.
This one is definitely the most stripped back and chilled out of the EP but you still can’t help but be enthralled into this one. The vocalist also pushes his ranges to different limits and it plays out superbly.
Throughout this song we also hear the strong presence of a riff never faltering shining around the sound completely contented.
Unfortunately, we reach the final track of this EP which is ‘80s Film Therapy’. A steady instrumental kicks off this track, moving into a slow but heavy jam.
The beat of the drums is so consistent and as it increases you can feel the force building. Mixing between beating and a marching sound driving us to the chorus.
“Stand by me / And buckle up / We’ll get together like The Breakfast Club.” These lyrics; yes, yes, yes.
This song is like an 80s indie dream that is so hard not to get lost in but a present screeching riff in the background reminds us just where we are.
What an amazing band! I really am so happy I have discovered Pandas and I see so much potential for the future for them. Links to their socials below.
Published in BabMag, Birmingham Review, Exposed Magazine, Independent, MailOnline, Metro, Now Then Magazine, Rock N Roll Reports, Square One Magazine, The Daily Mirror, The Scottish Sun, The Sheffield Tab, The Sun and The Tab.
This is a portfolio of my entire career in journalism so far, containing live music reviews, album / single / EP reviews, opinion pieces, news articles and features.
‘I applaud you both for your stamina!’ Woman is forced to leave desperate note BEGGING her neighbors to move their bed – after being kept awake all night thanks to their VERY noisy love-making
The woman, named Ali, from Canada, spoke out about it on Twitter
She applauded them for their ‘healthy sex life’ but asked them to move their bed
She left them some beers as a ‘peace offering’ – but unfortunately, it didn’t work
A woman was forced to leave a desperate note begging her neighbors to move their bed after she said she lost hours of sleep due to the sounds of their noisy romps coming through her wall.
The woman, named Ali, from Yukon, Canada, spoke out about the awkward encounter on Twitter, explaining that she had no choice but to leave the letter for the couple who lives next-door to her – after the sounds of their sexual endeavors kept her up at night.
She congratulated the pair for their ‘very healthy sex life’ and applauded them for their ‘stamina,’ but said she ‘would prefer not to be a part of it’ – and her message to the rambunctious neighbors have left many people on the web in stitches.
‘I think I’m finally going to leave my neighbors a note about them f**king all day every day,’ Ali captioned a photo of the letter.
‘I can’t do it anymore, I’m losing my mind. I literally can’t enter my bedroom without hearing them f**king.
+3
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Alongside the note, Ali left the couple two Corona beers. She added: ‘Please accept these beers as a peace offering or bargaining chip’
‘They are keeping me up at night and waking me up in the morning, it’s insane.’
In the note, she wrote, ‘Hey neighbors. Just a friendly reminder that the walls between our houses are much thinner than you might think.
‘Congrats to you guys for your apparently very healthy sex life (seriously, good for you).
‘However, I would prefer not to be a part of it and I’m sure you’d prefer that as well.’
She explained that it’s ‘gotten to the point where it’s interfering with her sleep schedule.’
Alongside the note, Ali left the couple two Corona beers. She added: ‘Please accept these beers as a peace offering or bargaining chip.
‘I was hoping they might be enough to persuade you to maybe move your bed to the other side of the room.’
The tweet quickly went viral and the internet soon became enthralled with the predicament, avidly waiting for an update.
Hours later, Ali revealed that they had taken the note and the beers. She then said she thought it had worked because the sounds of the male neighbor clearing his throat sounded ‘much father away.’
But to her dismay, just five hours later – at 6 in the morning – she was awoken to the sound of them having sex once again.
‘The girl dramatically fake moaned twice so loud at exactly 6am on the dot and now the bed is currently slamming against the wall,’ she tweeted. ‘Happy Saturday folks, don’t assume the best in people.’
Many users were quick to reply and share their thoughts on the steamy situation – and the reactions seemed divided. Some were on her side, while others branded her as a ‘Karen.’
One user, named Bobby Lavender, said, ‘If I received this note I’d stick it to my fridge.
‘I’d obviously take your request seriously and oblige, of course. But definitely keeping the trophy.’
Another, called Erin, wrote, ‘Sounds like you needed those beers a lot more than they did.’
Someone else, named Randy Treibel, remarked, ‘Focus on your own mental health instead of being a Karen.’
JAMES ORCHESTRAL TOUR @ SHEFFIELD CITY HALL 04/05/23
Words: Laura Mills Photography: Elly Lucas // Laura Toomer // Lewis Knaggs
As I walk up the steps to the grand City Hall, there appears to be many who’ve got themselves down early to grab a beer and secure their seats.
A long queue at the bar then leads me through door J, and over to my seat in row N.
The crowd appears older compared to shows I normally go to, but hey, it is James’ 40th anniversary tour.
Mutters and natters of conversations surround me, everyone is with their loved ones ready for a night of great music and the atmosphere is booming.
I’ve come to tonight’s show with absolutely no expectations of what’s to come but I’m sure it will be brilliant.
Likewise, I’m also fairly impressed with the city halls set up, and my seat allocation, because at 5 foot 3 – normally I can barely get a glimpse of the stage.
Suddenly, the lights lower.
A voice booms out from the speakers “James would like to ask you to switch your phones off to prevent any distractions during the show.”
I hear a few cheers, and I agree that to immerse in the full experience rather than watching the entire thing through a screen is how a show should be, I just wonder how I’m going to make any notes.
First to grace the stage are the orchestra and they’re given a steel-city welcome with a massive round of applause from the entire audience.
Following them are the eight-piece choir which are welcomed warmly too.
Finally, the band start to enter the stage one by one resulting in lots of cheering and clapping from the crowd.
James on stage // Credit: Elly Lucas
The moment they’ve been waiting for; Tim Booth graces the stage, and the crowd roar with joy.
He’s wearing his signature hat, which he quickly takes off due to the temperature in the room.
To be fair, it is boiling.
Tonight’s set starts with a slow rendition of one of the bands biggest hits ‘Laid’.
It feels raw, it feels unique, and it feels so special to experience.
Throughout the set, Booth is interacting with the giant City Hall crowd like we’re all a bunch of mates; explaining what the songs are about, sharing details about losing his mother in Sheffield.
Open, honest and genuine.
While I’m watching the show, I feel completely immersed in the experience the band have created.
No distractions, no throwing beer, no screens; just a room full of people watching beautiful musicians perform and giving it their entire heart and soul.
James // Credit: Lewis Knaggs
Moving through the setlist, we reach a few clear fan favourites such as ‘Say Something’ and ‘We’re Going to Miss You’.
Booth may be 40 odd years into his career, but his vocals are like fine wine; matured with age and simply divine.
While the orchestra play beautifully and the choir belt out the most pleasant, but equally astonishing vocals, Booth dances along; you can tell from the way he moves his body the music is moving through his soul and he appreciates every single note.
Reaching another track, ‘Hello’, I feel genuinely touched. Booth has no ego, he doesn’t want the attention on him, he’s highlighting the power and creativity of the next generation of musicians as he sings a duet with one of the choir.
As we’re reaching the interval, I honestly don’t think anyone in that room needed a break; I could listen to this forever.
Making my way downstairs, the city bar is rammed, everyone’s grabbing their half time pickups.
A smell of Madri and Pinot fills the air.
Part two begins, everyone is gracing the stage including the choir, orchestra and James.
But wait, where is Tim Booth?
As the lights lower, Booth slowly moves through the audience in his fluffy coat.
He sings at each and every one of us, and the crowd feels completely connected to him.
Tim Booth Crowd Surfing // Credit: Laura Toomer
As we move through the set list, another fan favourite ‘She’s a Star’ is absolutely lapped up by the crowd who belt out each lyric, and I can’t hold it in either.
After a few heckles from the balcony, the band play ‘Sometimes’.
No one can take their eyes off the stage, it’s like we’re at the Church of James’ rejoicing their music and singing lyrics like it’s a testament.
Everyone is up giving the musicians a massive round of applause when they thank the crowd and exit the stage.
James // Credit: Lewis Knaggs
I’m not silly, we know you haven’t played ‘Sit Down’ yet.
They quickly return the stage but this time without the orchestra conductor, Joe Duddell.
Booth decides he’ll have a crack at it, and much to our amusement they play ‘Bolero’.
Next up, and the moment many have been waiting for, it’s time to ‘Sit Down’.
A stripped back version, like ‘Laid’, but belted out by the entire audience and a pleasure to see live.
As we reach ‘All the Colours of You’ my heart is full, and I see many around me on the brink of tears.
Singing the final refrain along with the crowd, everyone is on their feet giving themselves up to the musicians who have us completely immersed in the song, in the moment and in the experience.
It feels like it will never end, I hoped it wouldn’t as I’m transported to another world without any negativity.
When I arrived at the show a few hours earlier, I had no expectations whatsoever for the night.
As I’m leaving, I have been completely blown away by the experience. My heart is full and my mind is clear.
Giving it five stars would be an utter disservice; I give them all the stars in the entire world, that’s how amazing tonight was.
Inside tiny £1,600-a-month studio flat where the loo is in the shower
People have been left baffled at the extortionate price of a studio flat in London where two vital components of a bathroom have been put together – and people aren’t impressed
By Laura Mills
With rent prices skyrocketing, many people are finding it harder than ever to find a place to live, as landlords continue to hike fees while renters struggles to make ends meet.
In such a fraught market, many people are taking to social media to expose the reality of some rental offerings, as properties with weird and wonderful details leave prospective tenants baffled.
The extortionately priced flat also has a small bed, that just about fits into the length of the room. It also boasts a tiny desk and a basic kitchen that doesn’t have an oven – only two hobs and a microwave, which limits your meal options, especially if you’re a keen foodie.
The loo and a sink are situated in a shower area with frosted glass that you have to step into, making shower times significantly more difficult, and making going to the toilet more complicated than it usually would be.
But, in complete contrast to the rest of the flat’s vibe, there is a chandelier over the bed.
The expensive flat does come furnished but the property description just reads: “Details to be confirmed.”
The pokey property is located on Craven Terrace near Hyde Park, central London, where the average house price is an eye-watering £1.3 million.
One prospective tenant joked: “It gives ‘s***, shower, shave’ a whole new meaning.”
Another added: “An absolute joke.”
“Yeah, it’s an absolute joke in London”, another fuming person raged.
Diner who paid £125 for lunch says Michelin star meal ‘made me suffer so much’
The customer described the food as ‘bland’ and claims they were also charged over £100 to swap from one dish to an alternative
Michelin star restaurant Helene Darroze at The Connaught has been slammed by a diner after a disappointing expensive meal.
The customer, who visited the triple Michelin-starred eatery two weeks ago, wrote a raging review online about their experience.
In the review, the diner described the food as ‘lifeless’ and ‘bland’, and claims they were also charged over £100 to swap from one dish to an alternative.
It is one of London’s most expensive, prestigious restaurants with other diners describing the experience as ‘perfection’.
Their weekday lunch menu is priced at £125 per person.
The angry reviewer said: “The worst Michelin restaurant I have ever been to.
“The first dish is langoustine with radish which tasted so lifeless and bland.
“It took over 30 minutes for the second dish to come it’s simply just an onion with some random sauces on top.
“We then waited another 20 minutes plus for another lobster with a very weird tasting sauce.
“The fish came and this is the worst one I have tried it came with a caviar sauce which tasted unbearable and weird.
“As I don’t eat pigeon they charged me 120 pound extra.
“This was for two pieces of small sliced wagyu that is so dry and overcooked.
“If you might think the desserts couldn’t be any worse, let me introduce you to the rhubarb dessert.
“It all tasted too sour to the point I need to chuck water to be able to swallow it.
“The middle part of the chocolate have a very weird bitter taste.
“Please do not visit this place.
“It made me and my partner suffer so much.”
A spokesperson from Helene Darroze at The Connaught said: “We can confirm that the restaurant has been in contact with the guest.”
However, many other diners rejoiced at their experience here and enjoyed every moment of their visit to this restaurant.
One diner, who visited recently, said “It was perfection in service from walking through the door.
“Attentive staff, great decor and atmospheric.
“We had the taster menu with wine parings and was a delight in tastes and balance in food.
“I could not fault anything or anyone.
“Worth every penny and the best dining experience of my life.”
The Connaught’s website boasts of a wonderful experience at the venue.
It states “From personally tailored menus to the artfully designed dining room, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught is an elegant expression of craft.
“In our three Michelin-star restaurant, each dish is grounded in seasonal produce sourced from the farmers, makers and growers carefully chosen by Hélène.
“And every menu is a reflection of your personal tastes, as our chefs transform your selected ingredients into original works of culinary art.”
Football fans notice police’s E-fit for pervert ‘looks just like Jurgen Klopp’
Eagle-eyed football fans have been quick to point out that a police E-fit, which had been released in order to find a sex offender, looks like Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp
Police have released an E-fit of a sex offender suspect that looks surprisingly like Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
A woman alerted police after she spotted a man performing a solo sex act in a car. It was the second time he had done that to her in just a matter of months.
Police released the mocked-up image of what he looked like after the second time in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
But locals were all convinced it looked like the Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp due to his bushy beard and glasses. One teased: “You’ll find him in Anfield”, with a second also said “Might find him at Anfield.”
Another local added: “Jurgen Klopp spotted in Barnsley.” One labelled the E-fit: “Jurgen Klopp off Wish”. While another simply replied to the E-fit: “Jurgen Klopp”.
And this wouldn’t be the first time a Premier League star got compared to a criminal lookalike. Back in January, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was mistaken by many for prison escapee Paul Clohessy, who at the time had absconded from HMP North Sea Camp – an open prison in Boston.
Speaking about the alleged sexual offence incident reported by the woman, a South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are seeking to identify this man after a woman reported he’d masturbated in front of her in Hoyland, Barnsley.
“The woman had been walking along King Street at 8.30 pm on Monday 13 March when the man, who was sitting in a red Mini, shouted to get her attention.
The spokesperson added: “Officers have since worked with the woman to produce this E-fit. We are also carrying out CCTV enquiries in order to trace the vehicle. Do you recognise him? If you have any information, please report this through our online portal or by calling 101.
“Alternatively, if you prefer not to give your personal details, you can stay anonymous and pass on what you know by contacting the independent charity, Crimestoppers.”
Khloe Kardashian mocked for ‘Wetherspoons toilet’ photo
Fans poked fun at the photo of the 38-year-old Good American founder cosying up to TV personality, Olivia Pierson.
By Laura Mills
Khloe Kardashian has been mocked for a snap that many say looks like it was taken in a Wetherspoons toilet.
Fans poked fun at the photo of the Good American founder cosying up to TV personality, Olivia Pierson.
However, unlike most of the Kardashian sisters’ snaps, fans were not complimenting their looks, but instead left in hysterics at the wallpaper behind them.
Some compared the decor to the iconic pub chain’s bathrooms.
Others linked it to a “council house bedroom” or wallpaper from the budget chain, B&M.
Katy Teasdale joked: “That’s a B&M wallpaper if ever I’ve seen one.”
One, called Rachel, agreed and said: “Why is there B&M wallpaper in the background?”
It comes after fans were left shell-shocked after seeing her sister Kim, out in a London boozer drinking Guinness on St Patrick’s Day.
Many have compared these two strange events from the Kardashian family, which some have suggested is a PR stunt.
One fan said, “This along with Kim drinking a pint of Guinness is sending me into a spin.”
Four-bedroom house goes on market for £330,000 – but it doesn’t have a floor
A four-bedroom house is being sold for £330,000 and it boasts a variety of amenities – but if you were hoping that one of them would be a floor, you’d be looking in the wrong place
By Laura Mills
With the prices of houses skyrocketing in some areas, it can be even harder these days to bag yourself a decent bargain. You may have an idea of your perfect home, but of course, some compromises will likely have to be made. But something you might not expect to have to compromise on is whether or not the house has a floor.
A four-bedroom house is currently on sale for £330,000 in Corby, Northamptonshire, which may seem like a steal to some until you realise that the property is missing a quite important feature which could put some buyers off – a floor.
The detached family home boasts a large lounge, dining room, and kitchen, and there is a study and a utility room downstairs.
On the first floor, there are four good-sized bedrooms, and two bathrooms – so there won’t be too many arguments about getting ready in the morning.
The property also has a large garden, and there isn’t a chain, which may tempt cash-only buyers.
But if you were hoping to add a floor to the list of amenities of the property, you may be seriously disappointed.
There is no floorboard on the ground floor, meaning the concrete foundations are completely visible at the bottom of the house. And upstairs is in a similar condition, so you can see right through to the floor below.
The walls also have exposed brickwork, which is a lovely feature, but the rest of the place will need some serious work.
The house is being sold by Stuart Charles estate agent and advertised by Rightmove.
The property description reads: “Although, in need of full refurbishment, the potential to restore this home to its former beauty or to develop it further is a rare opportunity, indeed.
“Planning permission was granted to extend the home already.
“The accommodation previously comprised of an entrance hall which gave access to the ground floor W.C., kitchen/utility, lounge, dining room/study/conservatory, and to the first it comprised of four bedrooms and a family bathroom.
“Outside the garden offers great potential to all sides and would allow for a side/rear extension and also an extension to the rear for further parking.”
CAN’T BELIEVE ITS NET BUTTER – DAILY STAR
Woman’s shock after uncovering secret shower hidden behind her bathroom wall
The family were midway through renovations on their home when they discovered a secret shower hidden behind the wall of the current bathroom – and they were shocked at the extra space it provided
By Laura Mills
A homeowner has shared her shock after finding a secret shower hidden in her home. Mum-of-three Hannah Otto says she’s found all sorts of surprises while renovating her Hampshire home.
“Things have started breaking or appearing not as they seemed at first. So it’s been a slow journey of improving and correcting areas of the house,” she explained.
During the three-year project, the family has uncovered tiles laid on top of tiles and wood flooring laid over carpet.
But the concealed shower has to be the weirdest discovery of all. Recorded on camera by the mum, who regularly shares her DIY renovations with her 35,000-plus followers on TikTok, the secret shower has baffled both the creator and her fans.
The DIY-loving mum made a shock discovery (
Image: Jam Press Vid/@theottohouse)
During renovations (
Image: Jam Press Vid/@theottohouse)
Hannah, 32, made the discovery after removing tiles from the bathroom to treat a leak in the shower. But when she removed the tiles she revealed a whole shower behind the existing unit.
The video stunned The Otto House TikTok users, amassing over 12.8 million views and numerous replies from shocked fans.
“In 30 years of renovation I’ve never seen something like this,” read one reply.
“You’ve got like a metre more bathroom there,” said a second. “I call that a free extension,” another agreed.
The mum didn’t know it was there (
Image: Jam Press Vid/@theottohouse)
Until she started fixing a leak (
Image: Jam Press Vid/@theottohouse)
Meanwhile, several people wondered why the previous owners concealed the shower, and someone commented: “What? Why? The space must feel so much bigger now.”
Unfortunately, Hannah has also been left in the dark.
“I have no idea. Our whole house is just layers upon layers,” she replied. “By the time we’re done with our house it will be twice the size.”
Hannah and her family are halfway through renovating their home, meaning there could be plenty more surprises in-store.
“We’re about half way through the renovation, so we will be busy with it for a few more years at least. The garden needs doing and at some point we might convert the attic into a bedroom,” she revealed.
Bargain home on sale for £80k leaves house-hunters divided over interior
A two-bedroom house in Sunderland has been advertised on Rightmove with perspective buyers fascinated by a collection of more than a hundred Disney stuffed toys in the living room
house up for sale for a bargain price contains a bizarre collection of Disney toys.
The two-bedroom end-of-terrace property in Sunderland is on the market for just £79,995.
And while it looks normal from the outside, home hunters have all commented on the same from photos inside the home.
The living room is filled with soft toys from the classic children’s films.
There are over 100, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Goofy and Stitch characters – with some covering a huge shelf and others on an armchair.
The unusual collection has left people divided as one viewer joked: “Currently in Disneyland Paris. The millions of shops here don’t even have that much variety.”
But the cuddly characters are not the only thing catching prospective buyers’ eyes, as some people have also queried why a fridge is in the corner of the lounge.
There also appears to be a gallery of framed pictures of hamsters or mice on the wall.
And one of the bedrooms has so many boxes piled up you can’t even see in it.
In the other bedroom, there is a giant sword on the wall.
The property is on sale with Bettermove and advertised on Rightmove.
One person posted: “Mortified at this house on Rightmove. You also notice something new every time you look through the pictures.
“Like the fridge in the living room and the Lemsip under the coffee machine.”
Another added: “It’s like an optical illusion, if you look close enough things start to move.”
A third said: “I’m currently revisiting every picture to see what I can spot next.”
Others poked fun at the door full up with boxes – with one sarky person noting: “Love the effort made for the sale.”
The property description reads: “Bettermove are proud to present this two bedroom end of terrace house in Sunderland.
“The property is currently tenanted and it will be sold with tenants in situ for immediate investment.
“Rental yields can be obtained through Bettermove.
“The property benefits from double glazing, gas central heating throughout and has on street parking available.
“This well presented property comprises a spacious living room, fitted kitchen and utility room on the ground floor.
“The first floor consists of two bedrooms and the family bathroom. The exterior boasts a private rear garden, perfect for enjoying the summer months.”
House up for sale for just £45,000 – complete with ‘Trainspotting-style’ bathroom
Trainspotting’s aptly-named “Worst Toilet in Scotland” scene went down in film folklore and if you’re a huge Ewan McGregor’ fan, you may want to get a bid in!
By Laura Mills
A three-bed house has hit the market for just £45,000 but there’s one catch – the toilet looks like the murky mess made famous on Trainspotting.
The look has more than a passing resemblance to the drug-den Danny Boyle film which was splattered with unidentifiable brown sludge and with tiles hanging off the wall.
The Birmingham property appears to be your average semi from the front but head inside and it’s a totally different story.
You too could live like Renton, Sick Boy and Spud if that’s what floats your boat.
It has no carpet throughout and debris everywhere, it’s definitely a place in desperate need of a clear up.
The hallway has stained walls and a bare stairwell and in the living room is a door off its hinges and is propped up against the wall.
Inside the grubby kitchen, it appears they’re absolutely no cooking facilities.
There is a discarded energy drink can and some of the cupboard doors are falling off.
The smallest bedroom is rather thin and the surrounding walls have wallpaper peeling off.
In the other bedrooms these appear much larger in size but also contain grime and stains on each surrounding wall, with bare floor boards.
The overgrown garden is full of weeds and half a shed at the back.
But the bathroom is in a particular state, the sink is full with black scum and the toilet is filled with filth.
It resembles the famous scene from the 1996 film Trainspotting featuring Ewan McGregor’s character Renton.
The house, in Birmingham, is being sold by Bond Wolfe and advertised via Rightmove.
The property listing reads “For sale by public auction on 30 March starting at 9am.
“Live-streamed auction. A semi-detached property standing back from the road behind a driveway and foregarden.
“The property benefits from central heating however is in need of refurbishment throughout.”
Trainspotting director Boyle said that reality the bathroom set was anything but grimy.
“It was meticulously clean,” he said. “The set smelled really sweet — delicious, really, kind of like a confectionary. You could have licked the chocolate right off the bowl.”
He says Ewan McGregor should take credit for for selling the illusion that Renton flushed himself down the toilet.
“We used a half toilet and, when he slips down, there’s a slide on the other side,” he said. “Ewan claims it was his idea to twist around. It was great fun.”
Savvy mum saves £2,600 a YEAR on her grocery shopping – and still shops at Tesco and M&S
While most families of four spend £130 on their weekly shopping, Jo Rourke says she’s been able to save around £2,600 a year on food for her and her three children.
Jo Rourke, 41, says the weekly shop for her and her three children now costs £80 since switching to the reduce-to-clear section.
While most families of four spend £130 on their weekly shopping, the Manchester mum has been able to save around £2,600 on food.
Jo said that to get the best deals, it is essential to know the best days and times to go to the supermarket.
She explained: “I mainly shop in Tesco and M&S for yellow stickers and I will pop in across the week at different times when I am passing to see if they have any good deals.
“Sunday afternoons can be a good time to visit as the shops have earlier closing times so they tend to reduce items an hour before closing.
“It is harder in the 24-hour stores. However, I pick up what I see and freeze what I find if I cannot use it in my meals that week or before the expiration date.
“Unfortunately, I am not able to get out to the stores later on in the evening due to having the kids at home.”
Jo said she has always been budget-savvy as her parents taught her to be frugal wherever possible, so she wants to teach her children the same values.
She said: “We have had smoked salmon before now as it was reduced by 90% – my kids loved it but I told them not to get used to it.
“I managed to get a turkey crown after the festive period for just £3.50 and so we had turkey in February.
“It’s so hard to estimate the amount of money saved, but an average shop for a family of four is around £130 – but I would say that we spend no more than £80 a week.
“To estimate, I would say we are saving around £2,600 a year on our food shop alone.
“I always look for meat and very rarely buy full price meat as it is so expensive. There are certain items that I have found that are reasonably full price but I tend to buy meat and freeze it.
“I always meal plan my meals for the next week based on what meat I have in the freezer and shop for what I need for those meals. Likewise, I also buy reduced bread and freeze this.
“It’s always worth trying to find a bargain on cheese as this can be expensive, and if I do manage to find cheese I will grate it and freeze it as this can come straight out of the freezer into cheese sauces or onto pasta.”
Jo shares budget meals for families to follow on her popular TikTok page @thismumcooks. In one video, the mum makes a Friday night dinner of chicken burgers with chips and carrot fries only costing £2.50 for four people.
As part of her budget-saving mission, Jo buys Christmas dinner essentials months in advance and buys presents for the entire year in the festive sales.
She added: “I have already bought some of our food items for next Christmas in last year’s Christmas sales, I have gravy granules, turkey stock cubes and mincemeat.
“If I see the perfect gift, I will buy presents throughout the year in the Christmas sales and I will buy the kids clothes the next size up if I find good deals as well.
“I always try to save money wherever I can so that I can spend this money on experiences with my kids. The money I save goes on our holidays mainly. We visit family in Spain, but I have also taken them down to Dorset to stay on a farm.
“We took a family holiday to France where we drove down to Dover, stopping overnight and visiting National Trust properties on the way – both very affordable ways to stretch out a holiday.
“I always pack a picnic wherever I can and we always take drinks with us and always get the kids a treat when we are out but it is one treat, rather than drinks and snacks and meals out. This way it is more affordable and you can do more with them.
“I want to enjoy my time with the kids and give them memories rather than splash out every so often.”
Woman fumes as Miller & Carter bans boyfriend for wearing ‘smart tracksuit’
The family had gone into one of the chains but were not allowed through due to one of them wearing some tracksuits – they have since written a scathing review and vow never to return.
By Laura Mills
A woman has been left ‘appalled’ by the dress-code policy at Miller & Carter as her partner was denied entry for wearing a ‘smart grey tracksuit’.
She slammed staff as ‘rude’ and ‘snide’, but the well-known steak restaurant insists it was simply sticking by its sportwear policy.
The couple headed to the chain restaurant for a meal with their 10-year-old daughter, but only got as far as the door after staff stopped them in their tracks.
The woman, named Danielle, left the restaurant a scathing review online where she said the family would not be going back to the chain in Studley, Warwickshire.
She said the incident left them all feeling very embarrassed and frustrated.
In the review, which she left on Tripadvisor, Danielle said: “I am absolutely appalled to say the least. Me and my partner and daughter came for a family meal and we were refused at the door due to my partner wearing a smart grey tracksuit.”
She claimed: “The two women at the desk were very rude the minute we arrived making snide comments and looking my partner up and down. The one lady told us it was down to the manager and then told us she was actually one of the managers herself.
“Very rude, very abrupt and I don’t mean to be rude myself but I would not say they were dressed very well.”
In her seething review, Danielle says she’s visited other Miller and Carter branches without any issues before.
“Discrimination the minute we arrived. We will not be returning again,” she claimed.
The Miller & Carter branch Danielle visited is one of the best rated in the area and one of the 100 restaurants the company has across the country.
Defending its decision, the team at Miller & Carter responded to the review and said: “Dear Danielle, thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding your visit to us. I have replied to your other correspondence also, but please see my response below.
“I was the host who greeted you and conversed with you regarding the dress code. We do not allow sportswear within the restaurant area and as such, the gentleman with whom you were with, was wearing a tracksuit.”
They added that the family could swapped to a later reservation, giving the man time to go home and get changed. The couple were told this at the time, according to staff.
“I find it pertinent to remind you that this is a policy that is held across the brand of Miller & Carter and as such is not discrimination against any persons who visit us.” they continued.
“We do wish you a pleasant week ahead.”
House for sale in London is so grim that you can’t even get a mortgage for it
A two-bedroom home in Hampstead, northwest London, has gone on the market for £785,000 but because of its poor condition, it is only available to cash buyers as it is considered ‘unmortgageable’
A house that’s been put up for sale in London is such a dump that any potential buyers won’t be able to get a mortgage on it.
The two-bedroom property in Hampstead, northwest London, has gone on the market for £785,000.
But because of the general condition of the house, it’s considered “unmortgageable”, so it is only open to auction to cash buyers.
The terraced house, with two gardens to the front and rear, is described as “charming” by Hammer Price Homes, despite its terrible state.
Pictures inside the property show green marks on the floor in one room, with wallpaper peeling off in some rooms and a huge hole in the ceiling.
The house is ‘unmortgageable’ because of its poor condition (
Image: Jam Press/Zoopla)
There are green stains on the floor (
Image: Jam Press/Zoopla)
The kitchen and bathroom are covered in grime, while the backyard is overgrown.
In the area, which is popular with celebrities, the average house price is £1.9million – and famous residents past and present include Ricky Gervais and Liam Gallagher.
The two-bed home, advertised by Zoopla, will be sold at auction for two days starting on March 27.
The kitchen is covered in grime (
Image: Jam Press/Zoopla)
The listing reads: “Hammer Price Homes are delighted to present for sale by online auction this charming two bedroom end of terraced house.
“Due to the general condition, the property is deemed unmortgageable and for this reason we open the auction to cash buyers only.
“With 60 days to complete from draft contracts being received.”
The property is only available to cash buyers (
Image: Jam Press/Zoopla)
“To the ground floor there is an entrance hall/room leading to a kitchen and living room.
“Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a bathroom.
“The property has generous gardens to the front and rear, please see the title plans for boundary information.”
The two-bedroom house is located in trendy Hampstead (
Image: Jam Press/Zoopla)
This week, we revealed that a house that went up for sale for the first time in 80 years was left virtually untouched from when it was first built.
Estate agents said the house has alcove shelving, ceiling roses and a larder cupboard in the kitchen reminiscent of 1930s interior design.
The home based in the South West, boasts three bedrooms and a tiered garden at the back.
The backyard is overgrown (
Image: Jam Press/Zoopla)
And that is not all, the former owners were “keen travellers” and “active” into their centenarian years.
The house on Hengrove Lane is being marketed by MG Estate Agents as “a striking terraced home bursting with potential”.
According to Kat Wills, marketing manager of MG Estate Agents of Whitchurch, the previous owner lived at the house until she was 104.
‘I’M BUZZIN’
I’m a Toy Story superfan – my collection of movie memorabilia will sell for £40,000
A TOY Story superfan is looking for £40,000 and beyond as he flogs off his huge collection of film memorabilia.
Josh Armitage’s stash of 330 toys is so big he keeps them in a warehouse.
Josh Armitage keeps his stash of 330 toys in a warehouseCredit: Jam Press/Josh ArmitageJosh’s collection includes Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Bullseye, Jessie and othersCredit: Jam Press/Josh Armitage
Despite not being born when the first film came out in 1995, he has seen the four Toy Story instalments hundreds of times.
His collection includes Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Bullseye, Jessie, Mr Potato Head, Emperor Zurg and Little Green Men toys from the franchise.
Clothing firm boss Josh, 26, says his favourite is a squeezy toy of singing penguin Wheezy.
The dad of one, from Leeds, said: “I loved Toy Story as a kid. I now have a collection so big I have to store it with the stock for my business. My friends and family think I’m crazy and can’t believe the money I’ve spent.”
He told how he began detailed research after spotting a first edition Woody for sale at a car boot.
“I’m lucky that my partner Saday has supported me throughout building my collection and has had faith I’ve been making the right decision on it.”
But his haul, which is being sold online, is a long way off the world’s biggest recorded Toy Story collection.
That belongs to Big Fish Games who displayed a staggering 10,133 items linked to the film in Florida, US, in 2019.
It’s a thirsty Thursday down at Foundry and after a quick pit stop at the bar for a light refreshment, I head towards the stage ahead of tonight’s jamboree.
As I make my way into the crowd, Shambolics are setting the tone for the evening and they’re doing one hell of a job.
The crowd are singing along, and if they don’t know the words then everyone’s doing a great job of faking it.
As our supports exit the stage, the DJ treats us to a bunch of classic soul tunes including ‘(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the bay and ‘Lovin’ You’.
Photography by Archie Bowmer
Due to the melodies the DJ has chosen to play, I feel like I’m almost calm and collected going into this gig. Not reyt for a punk show, surely?
And then a middle-aged man steps on the stage and shouts ‘Are you ready for Bilk?’
‘Yes, we are’ says the crowd with their body language and as they push towards the front of the stage.
The atmosphere feels high, as three young lads walk on the stage; not the most distinctive looking bunch but tonight the stage is theirs and don’t we know it as they launch into their first song of the night.
The Thursday night set kicks off with ‘Fashion’ – a high energy indie punk banger sending the mixed crowd of students and middle-aged men flying around the Foundry.
Photography by Archie Bowmer
As the crowd sing ‘Just me / And that’s all I can be / So f**k em’ no one is holding back, and it’s only the first song.
We move through some more classic Bilk bangers including ‘Be Someone’ which causes a riot; and what I mean by that is these testosterones filled lads are almost fighting as opposed to jumping and moshing.
‘Part and Parcel’ slows things down, and the timing couldn’t be more impeccable with this Thursday night crowd.
For a moment we get some peace to reflect on the triumph these young lads have made on their first UK tour and just having released one hell of a self-titled debut album.
Photography by Archie Bowmer
A few tracks later we’re back in the mayhem with the track ‘CM2’ a love letter to the bands hometown and the Sheffield crowd make sure they feel right at home as they bounce and bound around the venue.
Arguably, this is one of the strongest instrumental performances of the night from the boys who look comfortable and in control throughout this track.
Sadly, everything comes to the end and as the boys announce this is their last track I think we’re all feeling slightly disappointed…until they launch into ‘Daydreamer’.
If you’re not jumping like a jack in a box, then you must not be in the venue because the whole crowd is united; a complete sea of bodies rocking out to this perfect punk track.
Great night, great band and if Bilk aren’t on your radar; they should be.
A SAVVY SHOPPER has halved his food bill and saved £2,000 after using the Too Good To Go app.
John Boden started using it after spending an excessive amount on food for him and his wife Mandy.
John believes the pair have saved more than £2,000 by picking up leftovers from supermarkets and restaurantsCredit: Jam Press
Brits have seen their grocery bills rocket in the last two years amid the cost-of-living crisis.
John, 42, and 56-year-old Mandy, of Dudley, West Midlands used to splash out over £60 on their weekly shop.
Now they have slashed the spending down to just £20 a week using Too Good To Go.
Shops and restaurants sell surplus food to customers on the apps at reduced prices to cut their waste.
From fresh meat, pastries, and seafood, to burgers, pies, and cakes; the couple has managed to get massive savings on a variety of items.
In total, John has estimated they’ve saved over £2,000 by using the Too Good To go bags, while also broadening his pallet through the selection of items provided.
He said “The best deal we’ve had was a Too Good To Go bag from The Company Shop containing items such as 14 quiches, ham, and fresh scallops – it should have cost £122 but we got the bag for only five pounds.
“On another occasion, we bought a bag from Frankie and Benny’s which contained 12 burgers and 8 slices of cheesecake.
“This should have cost over £50 in the restaurant but we only paid £3.60 for the bag.
“Aldi also do amazing Too Good To Go bags. The latest one we got from there cost around £3 but was worth at least £45.
“This bag had nine pies, six bottles of milk, a chicken chorizo tray bake and fresh salmon too!
“I love saving money but I also love being able to try new food items which are provided in the bags.
“Salmon can be quite expensive so I’ve always avoided buying it but when I tried it from the Too Good To Go bag I enjoyed it so much and I hope we get it again.
“We also got a bag which contained sushi, again, something I’ve never tried or could afford but I loved the taste.
“Too Good To Go has not just saved me over two thousand pounds but it’s also broadened my pallet so I’ve been able to enjoy new things.”
He added “We decided to start using the app after lockdown in 2021 as money was tight.
“A friend mentioned the app and I thought ‘I need to try this’.
“At the time there were barely any shops whatsoever in our local area providing these bags but there’s so much choice now.
“The main shops we use for these include The Company Shop, Aldi, Co-op, and the Greggs outlet.
“The Too Good To Go bags range on which shops you go to, the price starts from as low as two pounds and can go up to £25.
“However, the highest price I’ve paid for one was nine pounds.
“The bags are great as a lot of the food that comes you’re able to freeze and use at a later date.
“Especially with the cost of living crisis, these bags are so essential right now. I would highly recommend others to try them and you could save thousands like me too.”
Woman wanted for setting fire to Pride flag outside NYC restaurant
A police hunt is underway for a woman who was filmed setting fire to a Pride flag outside a New York City restaurant.
Surveillance video captured the woman’s inflammatory stunt outside The Little Prince in Manhattan on 20 February, Jam Press reports.
Just after 1.30am, the woman was seen jumping out of a white vehicle and running up to the “Make America Gay Again” flag hanging by the French eatery’s entrance.
The New York Police Department released the video on Twitter and asked for the public’s help in identifying and locating the woman.
She is wanted for arson and the case is being treated as a hate crime.
A foodie was in for the shock of a lifetime after realising he accidentally ate a crisp that could have added £100,000 to is bank account if he had kept it.
By
Laura Mills
A man has been left devastated by his bad luck after accidentally eating a crisp that would have changed his life.
Cory, 26, from Cardiff, Wales was enjoying a bag of Walkers cheese and onion crisps when he made a startling discovery.
The foodie found a heart-shaped crisp that could have been worth £100,000. But, in a shocking twist, he ate the potato snack before realising just how much it was worth.
To add insult to injury, he recorded his mistake on camera and shared the clip to TikTok before noticing his error.
The content creator who posts on TikTok as @corysworldd was recording a video titled ‘what I eat in a day’, when he came across the famed crisp.
Unluckily, as he tucked into his Walkers, Cory didn’t notice that the packet explained that Walkers are currently offering £100,000 to one lucky winner who finds the best heart-shaped crisp in their packet of crisps.
But eagle-eyed viewers were quick to point out the shape of the crisp and sadly informed Cory that he’d chowed down on a £100k crisp.
“It actually took me around six days to realise what I’d done,” explained Cory, who did not realise his costly error until he watched the clip back with his girlfriend, Lea, who said “that crisp could have changed our life.”
“We saw the crisp so we screenshotted it, cropped it and flipped it around – and low and behold it was the heart-shaped crisp. At the time my, girlfriend had a packet of walkers with her so we did a comparison and that’s when it hit me that I’d just eaten the £100k prize,” Cory recalls.
“We were both so shocked and burst into laughter, Lea then phoned her dad to explain and he didn’t believe that I’d done it. Most people had the same reaction and didn’t believe me until I showed them the video and then they all burst into laughter.
“My family said that you just couldn’t write it and that it was so typical of me. This could definitely only happen to me.”
Fortunately, Cory is still in good spirits and has managed to find the light-hearted side of the story.
“I wasn’t even angry or anything like that, just so shocked. I can’t believe it happened and that I even caught it on camera,” he explained. “I told people at work and they said they didn’t believe me either until I showed them the video. It’s a good job I do my ‘what I eat in a day’ videos so that I could prove it.”
The crisp lover added: “If I’d have won I’d have probably gone on holiday, maybe renovated my house and definitely donated some to charity.
“I can’t help but laugh about it and I think everyone who watched the video got a good laugh out of it too!”
A Walkers spokesperson said: “Such a shame that Cory has eaten that crisp! We do need to be fair to all the other Walkers fans that have followed our competition T&Cs and held onto their crisp for safekeeping, so I’m afraid we won’t be able to accept his entry this time round.
There’s still time if he wants to enter!”
Blossoms at O2 Academy Birmingham 29/11/2022
Writer Laura Mills / Photographer Ewan Williamson
As I enter the O2 Academy the atmosphere is booming after tonight’s England victory defeating Wales with a score of 3-0. No support for tonight’s show, just the match on the big screen.
The DJ doesn’t need to rile this crowd up anymore but by God he wants to because he’s just put on ‘Sweet Caroline’ and everyone, staff included, are singing.
Once more, the DJ proves he didn’t come to fuck around tonight as he plays ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ followed by ‘Three Lions’.
The second the crowd recognise what the DJ is playing they roar: “It’s coming home, it’s coming home, football’s coming home.”
Will the crowd peak before Blossoms have even had the chance to grace the stage?
And then the lights lower, it’s a signal to everyone it’s show time for the boys from Stockport.
They take the stage looking smart and chic, there is a complete air of swagger to Blossoms – it just radiates off them.
Our Tuesday night set is kicked off with a classic Blossoms tune, ‘At Most A Kiss’. It’s such a popular and fan favourite tune, and it eases the crowd in.
This opener shows off every bit of what Blossoms are about, the distinctive guitar riffs with a consistent tempo guided through with the beat of the drums.
The vibe changes slightly with the song ‘Oh No (I Think I’m In Love)’. Which isn’t classic Blossoms.
The sound has been carefully crafted and placed together to create an indie, funky rhythm. This song has some pretty pristine layering with different sections changing tempo ever so smoothly.
Some parts of this track appear more fast paced than others because the band is persistently groovy.
Tom Ogden is the band’s singer, and tonight he’s hosting Birmingham. He knows how to interact with the crowd as he makes little comments here and there to fire the fans up even further.
Next up is ‘The Keeper’. This one really shows Blossoms interacting with each other as a band, looking at each other cheekily while giving everything they have to their instruments. The sound feels like Blossoms are drifting the crowd away to pure escapism, there’s a smile across everyone’s faces.
As we move through the set we’re offered songs like ‘Ode to NYC’ and ‘The Sulking Poet’, which were released earlier this year. These are all lapped up by the crowd who’ve done their research before arriving here tonight, singing every single word.
Birmingham are also getting treated to the tour debut of a song called ‘Like Gravity’, cheers bab.
Moving towards the end of the set the band strip things back for a second with an acoustic version of ‘My Favourite Room’. Then they drift into covers ‘Half the World Away’ and ‘Last Christmas’ making this an evening of festive fun as well.
I think as they’ve not played it yet we are all expecting it, and it’s warmly welcomed by this brummie crowd as Blossoms finish their set off with ‘Charlemagne’.
There’s been a bit of bouncing tonight, but as Blossoms launch into their final track the crowd mount each other’s shoulders or prepare for battle around the mosh pits.
Reaching the bridge of this song while Tom sings: “Don’t go, if only I could show you”, the pits open while the crowd awaits the final chorus of this song.
Tom sings: “And the river always flows, so if you go. I will know by the rain, my Charlemagne” – sending the crowd flying into each other with pints of Carlsberg filling the air.
What a sight to see and what a song to finish the set on. Blossoms are a band that show no signs of stopping.
Sea Girls At O2 Academy Birmingham With Support From Lauran Hibberd 18/11/2022
Writer Laura Mills / Photography Erin Connolly
As I step out of my Uber it’s instantly clear this is a sold out date because heaps of fans are already waiting eagerly outside the O2 Academy. I finally get through the queues, up a few steps, and looking up around the venue it is unsurprisingly rammed.
These fans have all come out early to bag themselves a front row spot for a serious name in indie right now: Sea Girls.
Before our main act, here to warm up the crowd is Lauran Hibberd and her band. We move through each track and it’s clear she’s comfortable in front of an audience of this size, jumping around the stage along with the band as they play a mix of punk-pop hits.
Hibberd radiates energy, doing her utmost to warm up this Friday night crowd. As a performer she’s likeable and you want to champion her on, but after a few songs the vocals appear to slightly falter, losing that touch of confidence that was there at the start of the set.
However, she still shows charisma within her stage presence, leaping around, covering every bit of stage. She exits, and myself, along with many other fans head to the bar for a refreshment before the headliners.
Bev in hand, I make my way further through the crowd. It’s packed, it’s sweaty, and there’s this feeling across the room that tonight is going to be messy; I haven’t been to a gig like this for a while and there’s electricity in the air.
Shout out to the DJ, we’ve just had ‘Seventeen Going Under’ by Sam Fender which got everyone singing along, and now he’s put on ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ by Wolf Alice. I’ve just graduated, I’m next to my best mate singing arm in arm, swaying in the crowd together singing Wolf Alice and waiting for Sea Girls to play.
If it’s up to their typical standard, I think I’m about to be in heaven.
The lights dim, all eyes are on the stage and each member of Sea Girls walks on met by a massive roar from the crowd. Guitar in hand, subtly strumming the strings, frontman Henry moves closer to the mic and starts to sing: “I was full, shining / And when you took it, I felt thin”.
Everyone in the crowd joins him and the set kicks off with ‘Damage Done’.
The electricity in the air zaps between us and Sea Girls with the band thrashing at their instruments.
Next up, it’s ‘Lucky’. It appears everyone in the room is a die hard Sea Girls fan because they know every line. As the song’s tension builds through a series of fast-paced guitar riffs, this is mirrored with the crowd’s reaction who are eagerly waiting for Henry to sing a certain line.
Finally, he sings: “Oh, If that was me in another life / Well, I wouldn’t be on this stage tonight.” with the thrashing of a guitar and the crowd bouncing up and down belting out: “But I’m on fire tonight”.
A few songs in we get to hear the band’s latest release, ‘Falling Apart’. It’s the first time for many hearing it live I can assume, and Sea Girls don’t disappoint.
Throughout this track the marching beat of the drums guides us through, the guitar riffs vary, some sound funky, others sound sharp. The cherry on top is Henry’s soulful, heartfelt vocals, and as he sings every word I can feel the authentic emotion behind the lyrics.
Henry’s voice is arguably even better live than recorded, he hits every note, high or low with his own signature sound.
Moving further down the setlist, we reach one of the band’s first releases in the form of ‘Too Much Fun’. This song is special, visually you can see how united this band is through their cheeky glances at each other. As I’m watching I wonder whether they are also reflecting on how far they’ve come since this release.
Sea Girls are giving us a whole load of fan favourites including ‘Adored’, ‘Violet’, and ‘Do You Really Wanna Know?’ Mid-set we receive a treat in the form of an acoustic cover of ‘Lonely’ on the keyboard.
For a moment I look around at this crowd, people have their arms in the air waving with lights on their phone, everyone is singing and time feels like it’s stopped for a minute. We’re all caught up in this moment. “This next one is called ‘Friends’,” says Henry.
I look instantly at my mate and put my arm around her, as we’re swaying and singing the band use their instruments to build us up to the chorus. It hits, and pairs of friends including myself grab each other and scream the following lyrics in each other’s faces.
“So grab your friends whenever you can / Go fuck up your plans / ‘Cos every second you’re not wasting is one you’ll never get back.”
At this moment the room is pure escapism – nothing else matters. Sea Girls exit the stage and the crowd start to beg for more. Finally, they appear giving us what we want.
The encore starts with ‘Daisy Daisy’, an early Sea Girls tune, and we finish on ‘Call Me Out’.
We all knew it would come eventually, but the arrival of ‘Call Me Out’ sends the crowd wild for a last time. Crashing and smashing into each other, throwing pints and singing til our throats can’t take it any more.
The Hunna With Support From Lucy Deakin & Kid Kapichi At The Mill 05/11/22
Writer Laura Mills / Photographer Connor Pope
It’s my debut review at The Mill in Digbeth on 5 November. As I’m walking in, this smell hits me straight away. It’s familiar – it’s the smell of lager. Lovely stuff. Ahead of The Hunna, first up on stage to warm this Saturday night crowd is Lucy Deakin. She looks cool, calm and collected, and her voice is powerful with a soulful element.
Delving deeper into the set, her confidence increases, she’s got the entire crowd behind her and they’re all loving it.
I’m so here for this genre that’s been getting more of a spotlight over the past few years. I’m talking about this feminine pop-rock – women who don’t take any shit – the Olivia Rodrigo, Hayley Williams, Avril Lavigne kind of style. You know, the cool ones.
Lucy Deakin is definitely owning this stage tonight and she looks fierce. She launches into ‘Complicated’, a Lavigne cover, and the crowd, myself included, are singing our hearts out.
Each original track is introduced in a relatable way, explaining how she’s as confused about this world as we all are, and how she’s one of us. It’s kind of raw; you just want to be her mate.
Sadly, Lucy’s set comes to an end.
The crowd’s gathering for the second support of the night and I’m back facing the stage. It’s time for Kid Kapichi and they appear confident, and very up for tonight’s performance.
I have to talk about this guitarist with the curly hair in the grey. He’s strumming those strings so hard I’m surprised none of them have snapped. His body language is just ENERGY as he flings himself around the left side of the stage, the rest of the band enthusiastically putting in the work to keep up.
This band’s sound is right up my street; it’s tight, innovative indie rock.
“Who’s got work on Monday?” our frontman says. “This ones for you, it’s called ‘5 Days On (2 Days Off)’” – a track we can all resonate with about how monotonous life can sometimes seem.
Next, the frontman announces: “This next one is for Rishi Sunak, you fucking…” Something? I didn’t catch the last bit, and maybe that’s for the best.
The instruments are stripped back and it’s just the frontman singing their original track ‘Party at No.10’. I wonder what that’s about?
As this set comes to a close, my first thought is to follow both supports on Spotify. My second thought is please get The Hunna on – the lights lower, and we instantly know it’s time.
The Hunna grace the stage and launch into ‘The Storm’ before smoothly transitioning into ‘Trash’. Just before another track is played the frontman says: “Our new album is now out, and when we started this tour it wasn’t.
“We’d like to play you the album, if that’s okay, and then launch into some of The Hunna’s classics.”
I wish it didn’t, but this rings alarm bells for me. I think playing a whole album of songs people aren’t familiar with yet can accidentally dampen the mood in a serious way.
As I’m watching, this band is giving it everything they’ve got to a new track called ‘Fugazi’, it feels confident and as the band perform each member appears to have an air of swagger about them. However, as the set goes on I just can’t help thinking we could do with a few fan favourites in between.
Regardless, the crowd are wild, cheering, moving, they just can’t get enough of The Hunna.
Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for, a track called ‘Apologies’, which is one of the band’s latest releases. As I look around, everyone is singing along with Ryan as he belts out:
“I, I didn’t mean to make you cry / And I do apologise / But you, you make me wanna die / I can hear you telling lies.”
Watching the band you can totally tell this is album number four because it feels confident, and there’s a strong rapport between them – evident in how they interact with each other. It’s wonderful to see. Likewise, the way they interact with the crowd is special too; they’re making everyone in this room, including myself, feel like we’re a part of The Hunna.
As we start to reach the end of the set, it’s time for fan favourites starting with the ever so carefully crafted lyrics of ‘Lover’, and then into one of my favourite songs ever, ‘Babe, Can I Call?’.
It’s clear as soon as the crowd recognise the next song it’s been highly anticipated all evening; ‘She’s Casual’ is performed with the crowd singing every single word alongside the band.
Tonight is The Hunna’s final date of this tour and their set ends with, arguably, their most popular track – ‘Bonfire’. Again, we’re all belting out each line and smashing into each other in the process.
What an evening, and what a great performance by one of the most classic indie-rock bands from the 2010’s.
The Amazons With Support From The Novus At O2 Institute Birmingham 15/10/2022
Writer Laura Mills / Photographer Connor Pope
I stare up looking at the bright lights beaming off the O2 Institute Birmingham, but not for too long ‘cos it’s chucking it down. There are loud noises already vibrating off the venue and people everywhere trying to find which room their ticket grants them access to.
Upstairs we go ready and raring to see The Amazons.
My first impression when opening the door is that it is packed. Literally packed, and the set shows no signs of starting yet. But, hey ho let’s grab a refreshment.
After battling my way to the bar, I return to my previous spot because there’s nowhere else to stand. It is not a good night to be five foot three.
Stepping forward ever so slightly, I find myself in a cheeky spot where I can just about see everything going on in the room. Everyone seems up for it, singing along to each indie banger that’s played by The Novus to fire us up before the set starts.
One in particular that gets everyone singing along is ‘Lonely Boy’ by The Black Keys, what a great choice for this brummie crowd on a Saturday night.
An intense but electrifying guitar riff signals to the crowd it’s that time… here comes the headline act, and The Amazons’ set kicks off with one of the band’s latest tracks – ‘How Will I Know?’
The sound is strong and consistent, a mix of powerful vocals, clattering drums and the soulful tone of the guitar. Our opener seems well received by the crowd who’ve obviously done their research and are singing along with the frontman.
Casting my mind way back to 2017, the band launches into ‘Ultraviolet’. I remember listening to this one while doing my A Levels and I love this track even more right now. Seeing and hearing it played in front of my very eyes brings back this feeling of nostalgia and surely that’s what a good band does, right?
Throughout this track the atmosphere is clearly at its highest peak so far with pints being launched into the air and groups jumping arm in arm.
All this atmosphere is mirrored with the stage as the band are giving everything they have to their instruments, the sheer strength in every chord…
As the band launches into ‘In My Mind’, it’s a complete rush. The gritty sounds of these guitar riffs are almost ripping open the ceiling of the O2 Institute and they have full backing from the drums that are being bashed to death,
All this energy is projected onto the crowd who are completely fixated by the band singing along with them, especially with the lyrics “baby in my mind”.
As the night goes on we’re given more and more great songs, including a few covers too. Towards the end of the set I’m trying to count up how many tracks have been played but I’m really not sure, there’s been so many.
Even with this plethora of tracks it’s no surprise that we’re finishing this Saturday night set on ‘Black Magic’.
The guitar riff to kick this one off is well received by our brummie crowd who’ve now all started to bash into one and another. Each vocal is sung with complete strength and precision – in fact they’ve shown no signs of faltering all night.
As we launch into our final chorus, everyone and their nan has now joined in singing the lyrics:
“Black magic / Come on / Just let me on, now I believe”
The track and the evening finish on another relentless riff and that’s it. What a band, what a night. O2 Institute you already know I’ll be back.
The Howlers At The Sunflower Lounge With Support From The Masses + Flake 07/09/22
Writer Laura Mills / Photographer Ewan Williamson
We’re back at The Sunflower Lounge again and as per it’s busy outside with the air reeking of cigarettes. Straight to the bar for a cheeky tipple because even though it’s mid week, we’re at The Sunflower Lounge right?
It does feel like a quieter night compared to the last time I was here but sometimes those gigs can be the best, so I take my leave down the sticky stairs and into a dark room with a spotlight highlighting all of tonight’s instruments waiting patiently on the stage.
First up are a band from Brum called The Masses, can’t say I’m mega familiar with the name but it’s always great to discover someone new, and God I’m blown away.
In front of my eyes are these three lads; the singer is booming his voice down the mic and it’s arguably one of the best voices I’ve heard in some time from someone in a rock band. The bassist is tackling this gritty base head-on and the riffs he’s creating with those magic fingers send a shiver down my spine… and the drummer, I mean wow.
The drummer is absolutely smashing the shit out of those drums and it’s immense to watch his facial expressions because he’s using every bit of energy he has.
All I’m thinking while watching The Masses is please don’t go and I am almost hypnotised by that voice. It’s deep, it’s husky, there’s this clear element of soul delivered with complete power.
The sound this band is creating is so hard you can feel the room vibrating and shaking.
“Next up is a song called ‘How Long’.”
And within a matter of seconds, I’m in love.
It’s a sensational mix of layering and sections. At some parts the tempo is completely slow and steady, and then it increases. The atmosphere in the crowd is immense, everyone picking up the lyrics pretty quickly and singing along.
I can hear people talking about the vocals and I’m so glad others have highlighted how good they are too.
A quick 15 minute break until band number two grace the stage, so time for another cheeky tipple and a quick trip to the smokers. We’re back down the sticky stairs and into the dark room again for set two.
I can’t really explain it but the mood around me seems to have dropped so much. It’s like everyone went for a top up from the bar and took the atmosphere with them.
Hey ho, here comes Flake to rock The Sunflower Lounge on this rainy Tuesday night.
It’s a slightly different vibe from the previous band, this feels more indie and less rock, more groove than grit so to speak. As I look around the crowd really has dwindled in numbers but who cares when the band is creating this amazing sound?
These are brummie lads, yet the sound their instruments are making is almost like the sound from the Madchester era with bands like The Stone Roses.
The facial expressions from this band are nowhere near as prominent as the first, but this singer has one hell of a voice too. It’s raw but it has this endearing charm too.
I can see clearly how much fun the band are having up there and this becomes even clearer as the band launches into an original called ‘Kid’. It starts with these focalised vocals with bare instrumental as we fade out of the vocal, then fade into an electric jam together.
Just before the end of this set, I see the singer from The Howlers standing by the stairs, so I check in with him to see how he’s feeling about tonight’s show.
“Anything can happen on a Tuesday.” and quite right he is too.
As Flake’s set finishes, I head off for another quick tipple and search both bands on Spotify to get them straight in a playlist.
Round three, back in the dark room and it’s time for our headliners all the way from London Town – The Howlers.
As the lads step on the stage, I look around the room and my God the crowd really has dwindled even more. The atmosphere feels particularly sombre, not what you’d expect at this point in the night, and just to add to that there’s about five different photographers standing at the front of the stage blocking the majority of the crowd’s view.
Up first is ‘The Boy I Was Before’ – there’s so much energy, it’s pure rock but with so much fun early 00’s energy.
They introduced it as a golden oldie despite it only being released last year, but no bother ‘cos I love this one anyway, and the band starts to play ‘I Don’t Love You All The Time’.
It’s quite groovy and slow for a matter of seconds, then the tempo completely changes as we hear this massive electric riff screaming through. Then, the pace changes again and we revert back to the groovy, drifting sound.
The lyrics are fun and playful delivered with unique, classic vocals.
The genre is quite hard to pin down with this band because they have some songs where it’s just a raw rock and then the sound appears as more indie, soulful with a clear melody shining through.
As a slightly slower track is played, I can’t help thinking that’s really not what this crowd needed. The vibe is completely different to any other set, it’s a bit bleak.
The shift in mood has had an effect on our singer, who’s facial expressions read like he’s had enough of playing this half empty room, and it is a shame because the sound is still so good to hear.
The band play ‘Nothing To Lose’ and even though we’ve still got far too many photographers blocking the stage, I’ve stopped caring because the sound is electric.
The atmosphere picks up, heads are moshing, mouths are singing, and I think maybe starting with this one could have given us all the boost the crowd needed the whole way through.
Each riff more electric than the other, each bang of the drum more powerful, and even more strength belting out the vocals. I’m completely in awe of this band right now.
We finish on a song that gives the biggest mid-western, Tarantino vibes ever, and it comes in the form of ‘La Dolce Vita’ which is arguably the best played song of the night.
The band leaves the stage and I can’t help sensing this air of disappointment. I’m not sure why, maybe the turn out. But hey, it is a Tuesday.
A night of mixed emotions but The Sunflower Lounge knows I’ll be back.
Alice Lily Headlines At The Sunflower Lounge 16/08/2022
Writer Laura Mills / Photographer Ewan Williamson
I’m walking down the street on Smallbrook Queensway and it’s a bit rammed outside The Sunflower Lounge. Punters are packed around the front ready for a night filled with fun and (hopefully) banging tunes.
I pause for a quick stop at the bar to ‘hydrate’, then follow the crowd down a dark dingy corridor and into the room where Cara May is already sitting tuning her guitar getting ready to play to this midweek crowd.
The set kicks off and she’s strumming the strings lightly while playing a cover of ‘There She Goes’ by The La’s. The crowd is loving it singing alongside her. From The La’s to a ballsy cover of Whitney’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)’. Cara May is in her element hitting every note with complete power and precision with her set of acoustic dreams.
“Who’s set is it next?” My mate asks.
“Unit 16.” I reply.
Unit 16 kick-off with a classic cover of ‘Song 2’ by Blur. Each member of the band is giving it all to their instruments and gruelling guitar faces are plentiful across the stage.The crowd is from different generations and everyone is hypnotised by the energy Unit 16 are bringing, especially some of the older ladies on the side clapping along with the beat.
The indie lads give us an original track in the form of ‘High Tide’. Each guitar riff is more and more relentless. The energy from the band is mirrored with that of the crowd who are starting to mosh. It’s rock, it’s ruthless and it’s blowing the roof off the room.
With a slight change in energy of pop mixed with a funky indie rock, up next is Skye Morrissey.
She takes the stage and claims it, opening her set with ‘Love Again’ by Dua Lipa. Morrison’s vocals are impeccable, sending a shiver down my spine.
“Next up is an original called Out Tonight” says Morrison. No more than 30 seconds through the track my mate;s screaming:
“If I heard this on the radio it would be straight into my playlist.”
Skye Morrissey’s entire set from start to finish is executed by near-perfect vocals with a very impressive range.
Finally putting us out of our misery Alice Lily takes the stage. She’s confident, having loads of craic with the crowd and her band members alike but looking ever the rockstar bad bitch too.
‘Please Don’t’ off their debut EP goes down a treat, melting in the crowd’s and they swallow it down sweetly. Everyone is looking intently to the stage, joy on their faces, belting out every line alongside Alice.
Alice Lily showing their true alternative form as we’re treated to a few covers from Grouplove and SWMRS which only sends the crowd flying right into each other even more.
My night at The Sunflower Lounge is coming to an end, I know because Alice tells us “This is our last track” and it’s ‘Against the World’ from their debut EP. Looking around at the crowd I can see every pair of eyes gazing at Alice and the band – wholeheartedly savouring every second of them on stage.
If this is the standard, I can’t imagine it’ll be long until my next visit to The Sunflower Lounge.
Lime Cordiale At O2 Institute Birmingham With Support From Leoniden 31/08/22
I touch down in Digbeth, arriving at O2 Institute to go through a dated corridor just before the double doors. I can already hear some big sound vibrating through the walls.
Downstairs I head to see German stars Leoniden giving it their all, bouncing and bounding around the stage. Leoniden is a mix of funky indie sounds with immense energy but heavy and powerful enough to have a rock edge. They may be supporting, but they’ve captured the stage as theirs in front of my very eyes and the entire crowd are clearly fixated.
As the singer screams “Who said they’d never jump for a support band?” the punters at the institute jump along with the band perfectly in time.
There’s a quick break, the packed crowd are waiting eagerly for Lime Cordiale’s appearance, and the air is filled with a mix of beer, sweat and Elf Bars.
Suddenly, the lights dim but the intensity rises as we wait for the band to step on to the stage, and then they do. Music blaring out, dressed head to toe in the quirkiest brightly coloured suits, each band member switching into different fruitful poses while the crowd gaze, obsessed by their every move.
Lime Cordiale kicks off this mid week set with a bang, and one of my personal favourites ‘On Our Own’. The guitar chords creating a riff that could shimmer paired with confident, solid vocals makes a Lime Cordiale a complete treat to hear. The layering in this track is sensational and projected onto the adoring crowd who are waving their arms in the air.
Next up is ‘Naturally’, straight into the vocals from Louis Leimbach – superb exactly the same as recorded, if not better. This song also introduces this Brummy crowd to Oli Leimbach’s vocals that are sweeter and softer than his brothers but just as good.
The instrumental is so strong with this band in every track. It feels thought out and so well put together creating this sense of unity between them and that is mirrored in the crowd’s reaction who are lapping up the electric atmosphere created in the room.
Throughout the show we see each band member take on various instruments such as the clarinet, trumpet and a trombone only adding to the immense atmosphere Lime Cordiale have already created in the venue.
One thing that stands out about Lime Cordiale is they have a consistent, trademark sound, managing to capture this and convey it through both of their albums.
The setlist for this has been chosen perfectly, a mix of their classic songs and some of their latest tracks which are received fondly by the brummy crowd.
The atmosphere is completely joyful, almost like a carnival in the smaller sized venue and five lads with clear stylish persona clearing everyone’s mind of anything other than the music.
A special shout out to the security for passing out water, I really needed a drink after all that singing. But it’s all a ploy to distract us because the crowd turns around, Louis and Oli are up on the balcony with a guitar and a mic ready to sing ‘Waking Up Easy’ to give Louis his ‘Ed Sheeran moment’ and what a moment it is.
A sea of people singing each and every line along with the brothers.
Back on the main stage the brothers are mocking German accents after the first part of their European tour.
We launch into ‘Ticks Me Off’ and if we weren’t already losing our shit because of the fast pace of this song, then Oli jumping on to the barrier getting us to chant fires everyone up even more. The pace in this track is much faster and that with a mix of Oli firing us up sends the fans jumping around like mad.
Oli’s telling us to be careful post show and encouraging us to love ourselves which I think everyone needs to hear, but it sounds even better coming from this musician.
A cover of ‘I Touch Myself’ makes for a great sing along uniting the crowd once more. The lads leave the stage but I know we’re not done yet.
Suddenly they reappear with ‘Robbery’ performing it with absolute energy and precision – much better than the studio version, and we finish on ‘Inappropriate Behaviour’.
Lime Cordiale, I’m in love with you. O2 institute, I will be back.
Butter fingers’ boyfriend drops ring during bungee jump proposal – but there’s a catch
A loved-up couple has gone viral after the ‘butter fingers’ boyfriend proposed during a bungee jump and dropped the ring some 40 metres below – but not all was as it appeared
A ‘clumsy’ boyfriend left his partner in complete shock after dropping her engagement ring some 40 metres during a daring bungee jump proposal – but it turns out there’s more than meets the eye with the wince-worthy stunt.
Marc Watson, 44, of Burghead, Scotland, proposed to Gayle Robertson, 36, during a at Highland Fling Bungee in the village of Killiecrankie, Scotland, high above a body of water.
While popping the all-important question, ‘Mr Butter Fingers’ Marc let the engagement ring slip through his fingers down into the water far below, much to Gayle’s absolute horror. Fortunately, not all was as it appeared to be, with Marc having a cheeky plan in mind.
Marc said: “I got down on one knee and all the emotions instantly came out of Gayle; she was so surprised which quickly turned to shock when I dropped the ring 40 metres below us. I was down on one knee pretending to be shocked with her but really I knew it was a fake ring I’d used and this was purely to prank her because she knows I’m a bit cheeky like that.
“However, with the sheer shock of it all, alongside the fact she was petrified of the bungee jump; I think it was all a bit too much for Gayle and I was quickly trying to calm her down. This was not how I planned it; I wanted her to be really excited and surprised not shocked and upset so I quickly grabbed the real ring from the staff to rectify things.
“Eventually she calmed down, I did the proposal properly and then we did our bungee jump. On the way back down we already had a date in our minds for the wedding.”
Thankfully, fiancée Gayle has since seen the funny side of the prank, describing the daft high jinks as ‘typical Marc’. Gayle says that she’s now ‘really looking forward to getting married’ this September.
Gayle, who only twigged Marc was about to propose when a staff member pulled out a camera, recalled: “I saw him drop it and was like ‘oh no’ but he and the staff were still smiling, and I was like ‘What is going on? Is this a joke?’
“I was a bit confused as to what was happening, the music was quite loud and I’m half deaf in one ear so it was difficult to understand what was happening.
“Then he pulled out the proper ring and I thought to myself ‘You b*gger!’ – I should have known what he was up to as he was acting weird on the way down the road and after all this we jumped!”
According to Marc, the pair aren’t usually fans of such ‘high-thrill activities’ but had wanted to try something adventurous together. They’d been a couple just less than a year at the time of the proposal, but have known each other more or less all their lives, having grown up in the same village.
After Marc returned to the area after 20 years away, they became close and realised their feelings for each other. As for Marc, he knew Gayle was the one ‘from the moment [he] laid eyes on her’.
Ed Sheeran doppelganger praises singer as lookalike gig pays for baby Cherry’s ‘perfect’ first Christmas
Ty Jones, AKA the UK’s most famous Ed Sheeran doppelganger, has praised the hitmaker for helping him pay for his six-month-old daughter’s special first Christmas.
He is, he says, thankful to Ed, 31, for his unlikely career choice, which enabled him to provide for his family in hard times, and the Christmas season too.
He explains he’ll use money from his lookalike appearances to make his partner Amanda, 37, and their daughter Cherry have the best festive season they can.
And in case you think the name sounds familiar, the superfan couple is keeping Ed in the family by more than just his music, having named their daughter after the singer’s own wife, Cherry.
‘This is my daughter’s first Christmas and it’s our first Christmas as a family which we’re really looking forward to! There are so many firsts for us as we’re new parents, but this festive season it’ll be the first time she’s ever seen a Christmas tree,’ he said.
‘We’re really excited to experience this; with the shows, it’s been enough to get by during these tough times so that’s helped me be able to fund the festive period.’
‘We’ve bought her lots of In the Night Garden and Tractor Ted-themed toys as those of her favourites at the moment, and on the day, we’ll sit down for turkey with all the trimmings.’
The 27-year-old was first compared to the chart-topper during his school days when he was just 16 and he’s managed to carve an unlikely career thanks to his uncanny resemblance to the world-famous singer-songwriter.
‘It’s not the most conventional job but I wouldn’t change it for the world, I enjoy every second of it,’ he continued, adding that performing all over the world as Sheeran has seen him mobbed by fans and feeling, ‘like an actual celebrity.’
‘It’s definitely the craziest reaction I’ve had; I did a show in Saudi Arabia, and they were staring at me as I walked into the hotel.’
‘I went to my room and the next minute, there was someone knocking on my door – it was a member of staff who’d been sent because the manager offered to upgrade my room,’ Ty recalled of one particularly memorable moment.
‘It was such an amazing reaction, and they didn’t believe I wasn’t Ed Sheeran, so much so that I had to get my arms out to prove it as Ed has way more tattoos than me!’ he added.
‘I also get over-the-top reactions from members of the public, like people running up to me crying and shaking.’
Surprisingly, he doesn’t have any snaps of himself with Ed, due to a stroke of bad weather whenever he has met him in person.
‘I’ve met the star a few times outside shows but never got a picture together because it’s always been raining!’ he explained.
And despite being only six months old, Cherry is, naturally, already a huge fan of Ed’s, with his Christmas duet with Elton John being one recent track that soothes her while she’s teething.
‘At the moment Cherry is starting to teethe so we tend to play Ed Sheeran’s music and it honestly appears to calm her down,’ Ty continued.
‘She must be another superfan like mummy and daddy! We both absolutely adore him, my favourite song is ‘One Life’ and Amanda’s is ‘Photograph’.’
‘Cherry was born in June and after Amanda gave birth, we went to see Ed Sheeran in Manchester the very next day – we went straight from the hospital! We had a great time but of course, Amanda was extremely tired.’
DRIVEN TO DESPAIR
I spent £526 on Uber when strikes cancelled my train – I was trolled for not taking coach but I had no other choice
Laura Mills
MANY of us have had to cancel journeys due to the train strikes – but one woman refused to let them ruin her plans, even if it cost her £526.
Imogen Nicholson, 19, forked out the pricey fare on a 270-mile Uber round-trip from London to Durham.
She claims it was her only option, as she wasn’t travelling alone – her fluffy white bunny rabbit Anabel was coming along for the ride.
The business student was determined to get from the capital where she lives back to her hometown in the North East for her grandad’s 81st birthday.
When her train was cancelled because of rail strikes, she looked into alternative ways to get there.
Imogen ruled out going by coach after realising she would need to take Anabel, and National Express do not permit animals to travel.
She decided her only alternative was to get a cab – and jumped in an Uber which took seven hours.
Imogen tells The Sun: “I was horrified when I realised my train back home was going to be cancelled.
“My grandad is definitely one of the closest and dearest members of my family, I absolutely adore him.
“This is why I was so gutted when it appeared I couldn’t attend his birthday. I just knew I’d do anything to be there – including forking out hundreds for an Uber!
“It was a simple party, but family gatherings are so important to me, especially with me living far away from them now.
“When I arrived, my grandad was so happy that he burst into tears – it was such a magical moment and it made it all worth it.”
Imogen adds that the rest of her family were delighted she made it, having been worried about the strikes – but were horrified when she admitted how much it had cost.
“They couldn’t believe the price of the Uber and they were disgusted that I’d had to pay that due to strikes,” she says.
“But in hindsight I don’t regret it because it was worth it to see how happy Grandad was.”
Imogen decided to share her and Anabel’s nightmare journey caused by train strikes on TikTok, and her post was viewed more than 500,000 times.
She says: “This is not the first time I’ve had to pay for expensive Uber trips due to train strikes.
“Recently I had to pay £120 for two Uber trips which were literally 10 minutes long.
“Due to train strikes and issues with the Tube, I had no way of travelling other than Uber. I do have a car, but this is at home as it’s not suitable for me to keep it in London.
“Over the past few months with all the travel disruption I’ve had to pay out around £2,000 on Uber trips in order for me to be able to travel to wherever I need to go.
“I would have normally got the train to Durham which would have only cost me around £50 to £80 booked in advance. Last minute it would have cost me £200, which still cost less than the Uber.”
Imogen admits she made a friend for life in her Uber driver, who even bought her snacks along the way.
“When I first requested the trip on the app, the driver called me and was like, ‘I’m definitely on my way’ which has never happened before!” she says.
“We chatted about the train strikes and about our lives. He moved to London to pursue his dream of being in the circus in 2007 – we were literally best friends by the end!
“He bought me a coffee, avocado sandwich and Nutella cupcake on the way there, and then we also stopped for a Chinese which I bought for us too.
“He had to drive back to London after, so I bet it was a long day for him. He text me to let me know he arrived home safe.”
When she posted the video on TikTok, Imogen says it got a big reaction, with lots of people asking why she didn’t take a coach.
“I couldn’t because I had my rabbit with me,” she says.
“It states in the rules that you’re not allowed to take a pet on a National Express coach, and I couldn’t leave her while I was away.
“I really had no choice but to travel via Uber.”
Bodybuilder is covered with horrific scars after steroid use caused him to break-out in acne and BOILS
Dave Hartrey, 24, of Waterford, Ireland, started taking steroids aged 20
But the drugs caused outbreaks in acne and boils, leaving him with scarring
He has now shared photos of his body on TikTik to warn others of the risk
A bodybuilder who took steroids has warned of the dangers after his body became riddled with boils and acne.
Dave Hartrey, 24, Waterford, is now covered in deep scars after the drugs made him break-out.
He has now taken to TikTok to share his story and warn others.
Dave started using steroids at 20 years of age on his quest to become a bodybuilder.
He said: ‘I’ve always been a big advocate of fitness and have worked out on and off since I was 15.
‘When I was 20-years-old, I started training with a bodybuilder and I really enjoyed training with him, so decided to go down the bodybuilding route too.
‘When you go to the gym and start making progress people accuse you of taking steroids, and as bodybuilding is a short career I decided to just go for it.
‘It’s really important to mention how with steroids, you’re rolling the dice from the start because when taking testosterone, your body may not produce the same level naturally after, not to mention the other dangers.
‘I got mine off a guy in my gym, which I wouldn’t recommend doing whatsoever because you could be taking anything.’
Although the steroids helped with bulking up his body, they also had an effect on Dave’s skin.
It is thought that the drugs can sometimes cause a side-effect of acne break-outs.
And Dave had two severe break-outs of acne and boils.
He said: ‘I ended up having my first breakout on my back midway through 2020, and this was when I lowered the amount [of steroids] I was taking.
‘A lot of people have said to me why didn’t I stop after the first boil, but I was working towards a bodybuilding show which I’d already put years of hard work into.
‘I consulted some of the best coaches in the business. I trusted them and I trusted their advice, and we tried to come up with a cycle where I wouldn’t break out.’
But in February 2021, Dave had second break-out and time there were lots more boils in different places.
He had them on his back, chest, face, and arms.
But again, Dave was pulled to take steroids by his love of bodybuilding.
He added: ‘Around the same time, I got invited to train with some of the top bodybuilders and for me, this was massive.
‘I’d be training with some of my biggest heroes.
‘However, by this point I realised I was neglecting every part of my life and my back was covered in boils.
‘The pressure from normal day-to-day things made them pop and I was in agony.’
Dave decided to pull-out of the show. He then began to stop taking steroids but not before he suffered another severe break-out.
This caused him ‘agonising pain’ and left him house-bound for nine months.
He said: ‘I decided to pull out of the show and stop taking them but had another breakout which was the worst ever.
‘I had so many open sores on my back I had to stay in the house for nine months while they healed.
the boils had popped and then they needed to heal properly.’
Dave is now left with deep scars on his back, chest, and arms.
And he has showed them off on TikTok at @davehartrey so other people will be aware of the risks.
He is now pleading with doctors to help him get rid of the marks which cover most of his body.
He added: ‘I’m now on a waiting list for a consultation about having the scars lasered off or injected but I don’t have any concrete plans as of yet.
‘To get it done is going to cost me 250 euros per session and at present, I’m not exactly sure how many sessions I’ll need!
‘I can’t sit here and say I’m 100 per cent happy with myself, I’ll probably have these scars for the rest of my life.
‘This experience has given me so much perspective, I’ve grown so much and I’m glad I have this platform on TikTok to help others.
Despite no longer being in pain, Dave says the scars can be incredibly itchy and are something he’ll probably have to deal with for the rest of his life.
EXCLUSIVE: Look what you made her do! Taylor Swift super fan, 19, says she got so excited about the singer’s tour announcement that she suffered a COLLAPSED LUNG
Karlee Kluck, 19, is a Taylor Swift super fan who suffered from a collapsed lung after becoming too excited about the singer’s tour announcement
The day Karlee was told about the tour, she spent the whole evening blasting her favorite Swift songs but then noticed a sharp pain in her chest
The following morning the pain increased, so her mom Vanessa rushed her to hospital where they’d diagnosed a collapsed lung – which was most likely due to a pre-existing condition according to medical experts
Karlee’s currently at home recovering, but medical experts note that her collapsed lung was most likely due to a pre-existing condition
The 19-year-old revealed that she suffered a collapsed lung just two days after Red Taylor’s version was released
A Taylor Swift super fan claims she was left so excited over the singer’s tour announcement that she suffered a collapsed lung, which landed her in the ER.
Karlee Kluck, 19, has been a die-hard ‘Swiftie’ for 16 years, so when sister Averee shared the latest tour news, she started to plan for what date she’d get tickets – but her excitement soon became so overwhelming that she found herself writhing in pain and rushing to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a collapsed lung.
The day Karlee was told about the tour, she recalled how she spent the whole evening blasting her favorite Swift songs, singing and dancing along, when she noticed a sharp pain in her chest.
The following morning the pain increased, with Karlee finding it difficult to breathe, so her mom Vanessa took her to hospital where doctors delivered the shocking diagnosis.
Although the fan claims it was her excitement that caused her lung to collapse, according to medical experts, there was likely a pre-existing condition or trauma that caused the condition to occur.
She said: ‘When I heard the tour announcement, I was extremely excited and started freaking out, in a good way.
‘The rest of my night included me blasting Taylor’s music and dancing around my house while screaming the lyrics.
‘After I was done, I noticed a pain in my chest but didn’t think much of it so went to bed.
‘The next morning, I woke up to a worse pain and shortness of breath, so I immediately went to my mom and told her of the pain.
‘She’s a nursing student so she listened to my lung and heard a wheezing sound. We packed up and left for the hospital immediately.
Karlee’s lung collapsed in November the previous year and she has experienced random bursts of pain since.
After numerous tests and x-rays, as well as a check on her heart, doctors confirmed she had a slight Pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung.
She continued: ‘At the hospital the doctor ordered a chest X-ray, lab work, an EKG and took blood for a D-dimer test to check for clots in my blood.
‘I was also hooked up to an EKG to make sure my heart was functioning properly and after about 20 minutes, the doctor came and informed me I had a slight Pneumothorax.
‘Thankfully it was smaller than my first one, so my doctor ordered me to be put on oxygen in the hope it would inflate my lung.
Karlee left the hospital to return home for some much-needed rest, but come night, excruciating pain had returned, and she was back in the emergency room.
She added: ‘Normally a pneumothorax of this size wouldn’t be something to be extremely worried about but since this is my second one there’s more concern.
‘The doctors all agreed some sort of procedure will need to be done to prevent this from happening again, so I was sent home with instructions to take over the counter medication and to sleep upright.
‘I’m now out of hospital but have appointments to explore possible procedures.’
The 19-year-old continued: ‘I have had a collapsed lung before – it was two days after she released Red Taylor’s Version so maybe there’s a connection there!
‘I do absolutely adore Taylor Swift! I’ve loved her since I was three years old.
‘My sister and I had the chance to see her when she opened for Rascal Flatts in 2008. We’d already fallen in love with her music.
‘Me, my mom, my sister, and my grandma travel for hours just to see her perform and if I ever go through something in life, I can find a Taylor Swift song that describes exactly how I’m feeling.
‘We’re really hoping to get tickets for the Chicago date and the Minneapolis show. I think this tour is going to be amazing, Taylor always puts on a show!
‘My favorite Taylor Swift song? That’s a very tricky question. I’ve been her fan for 16 years and I’ve narrowed it down to three songs per album!
‘If she would ever see this, I hope she knows how much she means to me and my family.
‘Her music has brought me, my sister, and my mom together so many times.’
‘I treat my dogs to Starbucks and McDonald’s and they enjoy birthday parties’
Bethany Stokoe, from Consett, County Durham, hires out doggy cafes to throw her pampered pets ‘barkday parties’ on their special day and says she would do anything for her dogs
By
Laura Mills
A woman has revealed how she manages to spoil her eight dogs to ‘barkday parties’ and McDonald’s on a £15 budget. Bethany Stokoe, 27, from Consett, County Durham, proudly owns eight Staffordshire bull terrier mixes named Kira, Rio, Ziggy, Ziva, Max, Dexter, Misty and Mitzey.
The pack are very much pampered by owner Bethany who hires out doggy cafes for their birthdays and even takes them on trips to Starbucks and McDonald’s. Bethany has been sharing footage of their outings on TikTok – and has racked in more than 100,000 views from dog lovers asking how she manages to pull it all off.
She said: “I took them to Starbucks and McDonald’s in memory of Snoop, he was one of the pack who sadly passed away last year.
“At both places we went through the drive-thru because I daren’t tie them all to the bench outside as they’d probably pull it out of the ground.
“Everyone was staring at us asking me questions like ‘are they yours?’ or ‘are you a dog walker?’ – meanwhile all the staff found it so funny.
“Each doggy got a puppuccino and a plain cheeseburger, so they were all very pleased.
“We always try to celebrate their birthdays in style, either by hiring out a doggy cafe which is very cheap, or hire out a field with some climbing area for them – both costs no more than £15.
“We’ve done some amazing Barkday parties at doggy cafes where I’ve invited friends and their dogs along to play games like doggy pass the parcel while each pup wears a party hat.”
Bethany grew up around canine’s and absolutely loves having a pack of her own, even admitting there are some soft spots too.
She added: “Kira is the mummy’s girl of the pack, she knows it and she’s also the baby, yet Dexter is my dad’s favourite, and he knows it as well.
“Ziva is definitely the naughtiest, most mischievous of the pack and in family portraits she’s always got the biggest, cheesiest smile.
“Rio and Ziggy are actually brothers, they have the same mum and are inseparable. I decided to call them the Cray Twins!
“Max is the biggest of the pack, he’s crossed with a bulldog – so heavy weighing around 32kilos and he’s definitely the goofy, gentle giant of the pack.
“Dexter was our first Staffy and I’ve sort of grown up with him because I was around 16/17 when we got him, and it was love at first sight.
“I’ve always grown up with dogs but when I was growing up, we had Boxer dogs. I absolutely love Staffies, and I think they’re all rounded dogs.
“The thing with this breed is you can stay in and cuddle up with them, or you can go out and literally walk 10 miles. They’re happy to do both.
“They’re also absolutely great with other dogs and although I don’t have kids, my pack is great around kids, and they get so excited to see little humans.
“It’s like they have an intuition to be gentle around kids, they have never jumped up at a child either.”
The pack, who’ve mostly grown up together, are incredibly good around other dogs due to mum’s occupation, but they’re also great around each other too.
Unfortunately, Bethany revealed she and the pack also faced their fair share of stick too.
She said: “I’ve had comments from the public like ‘look at those vicious dogs’ or people generally acting cautious around them.
“However, the stereotypes about Staffies that have been painted are just not true at all – my lot are extremely well-mannered dogs.
“A lot of people in the local area know me now though so comments like that are something I don’t get very often.
“I’d like to add when we take them to shows I get comments from other owners like ‘Can you train my dog?’ which makes me laugh.
“The pack always thrive at shows, especially in the fancy dress category, and of course winning the best family rosette.
“When people see us out and about, it’s normally met with a warm welcome and most places we visit it’s the same reaction.
“Their favourite place to go is Druridge Bay, a beach with very soft sand, and when we arrive the car is honestly bouncing with how excited they all are.”
‘I FEEL LIKE A BADASS’
I had both boobs removed at just 28 even though I don’t have cancer – it makes me unique and I love it
A YOUNG woman decided to have both boobs removed even though she didn’t have cancer.
Stephanie Germino, now 29, has known since she was 15 that her risk of breast cancer was extremely high.
At just 27, the mum-of-one from Florida in the US decided to have a double mastectomy to prevent the cancer from ever having the chance to develop.
This was after she tested positive for the BRCA1 gene – a mutation which increases the risk of breast cancer.
“I was very emotional but didn’t take it as a death sentence,” Stephanie explained.
There are over 50,000 cases of breast cancer in women every year throughout the UK.
Nearly 1,000 people die from breast cancer every month in the UK, with the disease killing around 11,500 women and 80 men each year.
“I was already aware there was a history of breast cancer in my family as my maternal grandmother suffered with it twice.
“When I was around 15 years old my mum sat me down and told me that she was a positive carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation,” she added.
“This put me at a much higher risk and I’m now aware statistically I have an 87 per cent chance of getting breast and ovarian cancer,” she said.
Unlike most women who undergo the breast removal surgery, Stephanie decided against having boob implants, staying flat chested instead.
“A lot of my friends had complications and some even had them removed,” Stephanie explained.
“After really mulling it over I didn’t really like the look of reconstructed breast, so I decided I wanted to go flat and that I’d be more comfortable that way,” she said.
She said she felt as if her breasts had already “served their purpose” after feeding her son Josiah, now six, while he was a baby.
Stephanie went ahead with the surgery at age 28 with the support of family and fiancée Diana, and is now feeling more confident than ever.
“For me personally, I never really loved my boobs, and I never saw them as a sign of femininity, so when I was diagnosed it wasn’t really a difficult decision to have the double mastectomy,” she said.
She urged other women not to feel pressured to get implants after having their boobs removed.
“Just because society pushes this idea that boobs represent femininity isn’t true, you don’t have to get implants you can go flat and that doesn’t make you any less of a woman,” she added.
Stephanie said that even her surgeon tried to “sway” her towards getting implants.
She said: “It does take a while to adjust to something as big as this but honestly I’m the most confident I’ve ever been now I’m flat – I feel like an absolute badass
“It makes me unique, and I love it.”
Since her breast removal last year, the mum set up accounts on Instagram and TikTok to document her journey.
Known as the @theebooblessbabe to her followers, Stephanie is trying to raise awareness of the BRCA gene.
“I hope people see this account and start testing themselves,” she said.
Mother-of-five, 31, goes viral after claiming her boyfriend left the maternity ward minutes after her ‘traumatic’ birth to have his PHONE fixed
Mother-of-five said her boyfriend left after she gave birth to get his phone fixed
Social worker Erinjade Rand, 31, from Australia, had a ‘traumatic’ experience
When she gave birth to daughter Reynah the cord was wrapped around her neck
It left her needing oxygen, but boyfriend Jason Saavedra still ‘left Erinjade’s side’
A woman has gone viral after sharing a video online claiming her partner left her to get his phone fixed after she’d just given birth to their daughter.
Social worker Erinjade Rand, 31, from Sydney, is a mother of five to Cobi-jay, nine, Lukah, eight, Talea, six, Kiarna, two, but was left horrified when she underwent a ‘traumatic’ birth with her youngest daughter Reynah, now one.
Calling the birth ‘surreal’, she said the little girl had come out with the cord wrapped around her neck before doctors were able to help her breathe for the first time.
However, moments after the birth of her daughter Reynah, Erinjade claims her partner Jason Saavedra left her to go and get his phone fixed because of a cracked screen.
After the mother-of-five shared a video online after the experience, it quickly went viral, with many other TikTok users telling Erinjade she’s ‘better off without him’.
She said: ‘I’d just given birth in the birthing pool. The staff were attending to my daughter and I’d just got back on the bed when he said he was going to get his phone fixed.
‘The birth itself was extremely traumatic and surreal. Reynah had come out with the cord wrapped around her neck, so I had to keep her under the water which was scary.
‘There were alarms going off, she was staring at me completely blue not making any noise.
‘During this time my partner was filming it while I looked scared for my life.
‘He cut the cord. She had no oxygen, so they were trying to get her to breathe.
‘I was still in the bath left unattended without my partner comforting me.
‘He was still filming at this point and I was looking around thinking “am I really here?”
‘It felt so surreal but thankfully they got Reynah breathing. The midwife helped me out of the bath and into bed and I gave birth to the placenta.
‘At this point my partner said he was going to take his phone to be repaired.
‘I think I probably just nodded at the time, in complete shock at everything that had just happened.
‘All my kids were birthed naturally in the water and I’ve never had an experience like I did with Reynah. It was absolutely awful.’
She added: ‘My midwife was absolutely amazing and I really couldn’t have got through it without her. I don’t think she really liked him to be honest.
‘I say that because when I was in labour pushing away prior to Reynah, he was sat playing games on his phone and the midwife made digs at him.
‘She said “Are you going to come over and help her then?”
‘He said “Yeah, I will do when I’ve finished playing this game”.
‘That’s not even the worst bit. He went home and I still needed to shower and get myself ready to leave the hospital.
‘Normally dad looks after the baby while the mother showers but he wasn’t there so I stayed in the unit while the midwife watched her.
‘He was supposed to pick Reynah and I up to go home at 4.30pm but he didn’t turn up until at least 5.45pm. I think that annoyed the midwife even more.’
She added: ‘It was just completely unnecessary. Why would you need to get your phone fixed just after the birth of your daughter?
‘It doesn’t seem surprising to me though, he always loved prioritising pretty much anything he could over me.
‘After the birth and all the chaos of the relationship, we decided to have couples therapy.
‘In the session we were asked to say what was at the top of our priorities and for me I said it was my kids’ happiness that meant the most.
‘My partner said basketball was the top of his, and even when the question was explained to him, he still said basketball!
‘The therapist said he was a narcissist, which he didn’t like whatsoever but thankfully those sessions made me see it all so clearly.’
Although this turbulent relationship was incredibly painful for Erinjade, she said she has come out of the other side so much stronger following their separation.
She said: ‘This relationship has taught me so much. It’s taught me how to be aware and not as trusting.
‘It’s also taught me that if people don’t want to be helped then they can’t be helped.
‘I feel stupid, I thought he could do better.’
Erinjade’s ex-boyfriend Jason Saavedra said: ‘I didn’t leave Erinjade after she gave birth to Reynah.
‘When she went into labour, I asked for her permission to go and get my phone fixed.
‘This is because I wanted to get photos of my daughter when she was born, and I was out for no longer than ten minutes.
‘Then she gave birth to my beautiful daughter Reynah and got heaps of photos too.’
Reflections Of A Baby Gay At Birmingham Pride’s 25th Anniversary 23-25 September
Writer Laura Mills / Photographer Maddie Cottam-Allan
Now for me, this is my first Pride festival so I really went into it not exactly sure what to expect, but with open eyes awaiting the celebration to be loud and proud.
Walking around the city centre of Brum I see Pride flags all over, the streets are packed but the atmosphere is great as everyone heads down into the Gay Village. Once I’m down there it’s just packed with colour and life.
It’s a sea of people everywhere but every single person looks so happy – like pure happiness and joy across everyone’s faces. Even when they’re queuing for wristbands or drinks, it doesn’t seem to have dampened their spirits.
As I’m walking down the parade it’s weird, I don’t think I’ve ever had a feeling like this before, a feeling of complete belonging surrounded by people who don’t quite fit the boxes we’ve been socialised into. It’s not just belonging, I feel safe – completely and utterly safe.
Finally making the way through the parade, I turn the corner to Smithfield Live. Walking through the security I notice loads of posters talking about Pride with ‘BAB’ on giving it that signature Birmingham style.
Entering the main bit of the festival there’s music pumping, people all over dressed in bright colours, rainbows, big hair. People from every walk of life including couples and families.
I see Drag Queens everywhere I turn, and they all slay; they all look fabulous but also very unique too.
The busyness, hustle and bustle of day-to-day life appears to have drifted out of me the second I entered the arena. From here on out it’s parties and celebrations, smiles, and sunshine.
It’s so rare to walk through anywhere freely and without judgement, but that’s exactly how Pride felt for me.
A SAVVY nurse halved her weekly food bill by shopping in the reduced to clear section… and she saved enough to fund a girls’ trip.
Tamsin Henderson, 35, Ashington, Northumberland, decided to yellow sticker shop for her and partner Philip, 45, earlier this year after noticing the sharp rise in grocery prices.
This busy nurse uses Asda’s reduced to clear section as well as purchasing items from their Just Essentials range.
Shopping this way has saved Tamsin hundreds of pounds, enabling her to use the money for a hard-earned trip to the Lake District with pals.
She said: “I used to just do one big shop which was costing me around £50 per week but now my shop is no more than £25 – I’ve literally halved my shopping bill!
“Using the money I saved from shopping like this I decided to head to the Lake District with the girls for a well-deserved break and we had such a great time.
“I started yellow sticker shopping earlier this year when I noticed how expensive food was getting and I thought it was a really easy method of balancing out costs.
“I normally try to get meat products because you can freeze them for later use, but I also buy meat because it has some of the biggest reductions in price.
“Recently I managed to pick up a massive pack of five per cent fat mince which is great as we try to eat healthy where we can. It was half price and mince can be used in so many different meals.
“Another great saving was a big pack of pork chops. There was around six in the pack, and they only cost me 90p which is amazing, and I froze to use at a later date.
“When there’s vegetables on offer, I’d buy them for myself if I was going to use them the same day, however, I’ll also by the reduced veg for my guinea pig to eat too.
“Another great saving I’ve managed to get a few times is reduced bread, costing me 10p only. Like meat, you can freeze bread to use later too.
“All these deals are stuff I’d look to buy whether reduced or not, but we’ve also tried new stuff shopping in this section, like mozzarella balls with garlic pesto dressing for 30p – they were so tasty!
“I’d like to add it’s not always just food in the reduce sections. There’s makeup, shampoo, laundry stuff so you save on a range of products shopping this way too.”
Tamsin doesn’t just shop in the reduced to clear section to make her money go further, she also uses the essential ranges and the Too Good To Go app as well.
She added: “I mainly shop in Asda but I try to visit Iceland when they have the slimming world meals reduced in price to stock up on those.
“As well as buying reduced food, when I’m in Asda, I’ll also buy from the Just Essentials range they’ve just launched as the quality is great and the microwave meals are only 90p!
“That’s great for me when I don’t have chance in my schedule to cook and just want something quick and easy.
“Likewise, the Too Good To Go app is such a great saver as well and the bags only cost £3.
“I recently got one from Morrisons which had wraps, bagels, veg, organic fruit and more in.”
Tamsin has now revealed her tips for others looking to save money where they can in the current cost-of-living-crisis.
She added: “Make sure you just get what you need, and don’t buy for the sake of it.
“It can feel frustrating at first but eventually you get into a pattern of shopping more and spending less.
“If you shop at Asda, I’d recommend going at around 6pm or 7pm for the reduced to clear food to get the best deals.
“I’m going to carry on saving like this and hopefully go on another trip away with the girls.
Royal Marine climbs three mountains in one day with a 30kg FRIDGE on his back
A ROYAL Marine has climbed three mountains in one day — with a 30kg fridge on his back.
Cpl Sam Hammond even had a few beers stashed inside it for a celebratory drink at the end of his challenge.
The weapons instructor, 30, conquered the Welsh peaks of Pen Y Fan, Cadair Idris and Snowdon in just 22 hours and 57 minutes, raising almost £2,500 for the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team.
He said: “As far as I’m aware this has never been done with a fridge before.
“I wanted to figure out a way to do something that hadn’t been done, but would also be good at gaining attention.
“I’m pretty good at carrying weight up hills and something in my mind reminded me of a man who ran a marathon with a fridge.
“So I merged the two together and thought I’d climb Snowdown with a fridge.”
“The fridge rubbed my back quite badly. It doesn’t look in a good way to be honest.”
But Sam, of Redruth, Cornwall, is already eyeing up his next challenge — running a half marathon with the fridge.
Teneisha Musumeci, 21, has revealed she has made it her mission to break down the social stigma of ‘men-only’ jobs – and so took on the role of an electrician aged 19
By
Laura Mills
A self-proclaimed ‘glam-girl’ has revealed the shockingly sexist remarks she has received for working as an electrician – including dealing with men taking pictures of her while she works.
Teneisha Musumeci, 21, says that despite having a desire to learn a trade, she did not quite know what in particular she wanted to do.
A self-proclaimed ‘glam-girl’ has revealed the shockingly sexist remarks she has received for working as an electrician – including dealing with men taking pictures of her while she works.
Teneisha Musumeci, 21, says that despite having a desire to learn a trade, she did not quite know what in particular she wanted to do.
Recalling a few incidents, Teneisha said: “One time I was at work and this old man literally started taking pictures of me while I was working.
“On another occasion, one of the lads on site actually followed me around for hours.”
She went on to explain that she also receives back-handed comments while working, saying: “And, of course, I’ve had all those comments such as, I’m ‘too pretty’ or ‘too glam’ to be doing a job like this.
One person wrote: “As a woman I think this so empowering to watch,” and another said: “Love seeing girls on site!”
And a third chimed in saying: “Love seeing girls in the trade, my wife’s a dual trade sparky/instro.”
And another questioned how she could start the steps of being a sparky, adding “I’m scared men will totally judge me on it,” where Teneisha replied saying: “Never let mens’ thoughts stop you.”
Teneisha, from Perth, Western Australia, went on to say that she has always been “set on doing a trade” and is ‘so happy in her job and glad she chose it’, despite the weird comments she gets.
The tradie continued: “My experience in this job has been positive overall, but I’ve received sexist comments from men, as well as some behaving weird around me.
“It annoys me because some of my colleagues are wearing the same clothes and they don’t get the same remarks made at them.
“I don’t really understand the comments, it’s so stupid, but luckily I’ve seen such an increase in women in this trade over the past few years.”
Revealing that there are many more women dominating the industry she is in, she added that there are around 10 women in the company now – and her best friend even works with her, “which is amazing!”.
The Australian says that her boss has addressed all the behaviour on the site, and dealt with it in a ‘brilliant’ manner. Her colleagues all look out for each other, while sticking up for her too, she adds.
Despite not being 100 per cent sure on what job she actually wanted to take on, Teneisha says that she knew she wanted to work in a trade, adding: “In Perth I feel like we’re encouraged to do any job you like, whatever gender, so I did a six-month course into electrics.
“It’s called a pre-apprenticeship where you get to do work experience and that’s how I got this job as the employers offered me a role.
“I definitely recommend other women get into this industry as there are positions available and women in this role has been normalised.”
And in offering her own expertise to other women considering to take up the job, she said: “If I could offer advice, I’d say definitely do the pre-apprenticeship, so you know what to expect from the job.
“In terms of any sexist comments, stick up for yourself, and your colleagues will have your back!”
The Howlers At The Sunflower Lounge With Support From The Masses + Flake 07/09/22
We’re back at The Sunflower Lounge again and as per it’s busy outside with the air reeking of cigarettes. Straight to the bar for a cheeky tipple because even though it’s mid week, we’re at The Sunflower Lounge right?
It does feel like a quieter night compared to the last time I was here but sometimes those gigs can be the best, so I take my leave down the sticky stairs and into a dark room with a spotlight highlighting all of tonight’s instruments waiting patiently on the stage.
First up are a band from Brum called The Masses, can’t say I’m mega familiar with the name but it’s always great to discover someone new, and God I’m blown away.
In front of my eyes are these three lads; the singer is booming his voice down the mic and it’s arguably one of the best voices I’ve heard in some time from someone in a rock band. The bassist is tackling this gritty base head-on and the riffs he’s creating with those magic fingers send a shiver down my spine… and the drummer, I mean wow.
The drummer is absolutely smashing the shit out of those drums and it’s immense to watch his facial expressions because he’s using every bit of energy he has.
All I’m thinking while watching The Masses is please don’t go and I am almost hypnotised by that voice. It’s deep, it’s husky, there’s this clear element of soul delivered with complete power.
The sound this band is creating is so hard you can feel the room vibrating and shaking.
“Next up is a song called ‘How Long’.”
And within a matter of seconds, I’m in love.
It’s a sensational mix of layering and sections. At some parts the tempo is completely slow and steady, and then it increases. The atmosphere in the crowd is immense, everyone picking up the lyrics pretty quickly and singing along.
I can hear people talking about the vocals and I’m so glad others have highlighted how good they are too.
A quick 15 minute break until band number two grace the stage, so time for another cheeky tipple and a quick trip to the smokers. We’re back down the sticky stairs and into the dark room again for set two.
I can’t really explain it but the mood around me seems to have dropped so much. It’s like everyone went for a top up from the bar and took the atmosphere with them.
Hey ho, here comes Flake to rock The Sunflower Lounge on this rainy Tuesday night.
It’s a slightly different vibe from the previous band, this feels more indie and less rock, more groove than grit so to speak. As I look around the crowd really has dwindled in numbers but who cares when the band is creating this amazing sound?
These are brummie lads, yet the sound their instruments are making is almost like the sound from the Madchester era with bands like The Stone Roses.
The facial expressions from this band are nowhere near as prominent as the first, but this singer has one hell of a voice too. It’s raw but it has this endearing charm too.
I can see clearly how much fun the band are having up there and this becomes even clearer as the band launches into an original called ‘Kid’. It starts with these focalised vocals with bare instrumental as we fade out of the vocal, then fade into an electric jam together.
Just before the end of this set, I see the singer from The Howlers standing by the stairs, so I check in with him to see how he’s feeling about tonight’s show.
“Anything can happen on a Tuesday.” and quite right he is too.
As Flake’s set finishes, I head off for another quick tipple and search both bands on Spotify to get them straight in a playlist.
Round three, back in the dark room and it’s time for our headliners all the way from London Town – The Howlers.
As the lads step on the stage, I look around the room and my God the crowd really has dwindled even more. The atmosphere feels particularly sombre, not what you’d expect at this point in the night, and just to add to that there’s about five different photographers standing at the front of the stage blocking the majority of the crowd’s view.
Up first is ‘The Boy I Was Before’ – there’s so much energy, it’s pure rock but with so much fun early 00’s energy.
They introduced it as a golden oldie despite it only being released last year, but no bother ‘cos I love this one anyway, and the band starts to play ‘I Don’t Love You All The Time’.
It’s quite groovy and slow for a matter of seconds, then the tempo completely changes as we hear this massive electric riff screaming through. Then, the pace changes again and we revert back to the groovy, drifting sound.
The lyrics are fun and playful delivered with unique, classic vocals.
The genre is quite hard to pin down with this band because they have some songs where it’s just a raw rock and then the sound appears as more indie, soulful with a clear melody shining through.
As a slightly slower track is played, I can’t help thinking that’s really not what this crowd needed. The vibe is completely different to any other set, it’s a bit bleak.
The shift in mood has had an effect on our singer, who’s facial expressions read like he’s had enough of playing this half empty room, and it is a shame because the sound is still so good to hear.
The band play ‘Nothing To Lose’ and even though we’ve still got far too many photographers blocking the stage, I’ve stopped caring because the sound is electric.
The atmosphere picks up, heads are moshing, mouths are singing, and I think maybe starting with this one could have given us all the boost the crowd needed the whole way through.
Each riff more electric than the other, each bang of the drum more powerful, and even more strength belting out the vocals. I’m completely in awe of this band right now.
We finish on a song that gives the biggest mid-western, Tarantino vibes ever, and it comes in the form of ‘La Dolce Vita’ which is arguably the best played song of the night.
The band leaves the stage and I can’t help sensing this air of disappointment. I’m not sure why, maybe the turn out. But hey, it is a Tuesday.
A night of mixed emotions but The Sunflower Lounge knows I’ll be back.
I touch down in Digbeth, arriving at O2 Institute to go through a dated corridor just before the double doors. I can already hear some big sound vibrating through the walls.
Downstairs I head to see German stars Leoniden giving it their all, bouncing and bounding around the stage. Leoniden is a mix of funky indie sounds with immense energy but heavy and powerful enough to have a rock edge. They may be supporting, but they’ve captured the stage as theirs in front of my very eyes and the entire crowd are clearly fixated.
As the singer screams “Who said they’d never jump for a support band?” the punters at the institute jump along with the band perfectly in time.
There’s a quick break, the packed crowd are waiting eagerly for Lime Cordiale’s appearance, and the air is filled with a mix of beer, sweat and Elf Bars.
Suddenly, the lights dim but the intensity rises as we wait for the band to step on to the stage, and then they do. Music blaring out, dressed head to toe in the quirkiest brightly coloured suits, each band member switching into different fruitful poses while the crowd gaze, obsessed by their every move.
Lime Cordiale kicks off this mid week set with a bang, and one of my personal favourites ‘On Our Own’. The guitar chords creating a riff that could shimmer paired with confident, solid vocals makes a Lime Cordiale a complete treat to hear. The layering in this track is sensational and projected onto the adoring crowd who are waving their arms in the air.
Next up is ‘Naturally’, straight into the vocals from Louis Leimbach – superb exactly the same as recorded, if not better. This song also introduces this Brummy crowd to Oli Leimbach’s vocals that are sweeter and softer than his brothers but just as good.
The instrumental is so strong with this band in every track. It feels thought out and so well put together creating this sense of unity between them and that is mirrored in the crowd’s reaction who are lapping up the electric atmosphere created in the room.
Throughout the show we see each band member take on various instruments such as the clarinet, trumpet and a trombone only adding to the immense atmosphere Lime Cordiale have already created in the venue.
One thing that stands out about Lime Cordiale is they have a consistent, trademark sound, managing to capture this and convey it through both of their albums.
The setlist for this has been chosen perfectly, a mix of their classic songs and some of their latest tracks which are received fondly by the brummy crowd.
The atmosphere is completely joyful, almost like a carnival in the smaller sized venue and five lads with clear stylish persona clearing everyone’s mind of anything other than the music.
A special shout out to the security for passing out water, I really needed a drink after all that singing. But it’s all a ploy to distract us because the crowd turns around, Louis and Oli are up on the balcony with a guitar and a mic ready to sing ‘Waking Up Easy’ to give Louis his ‘Ed Sheeran moment’ and what a moment it is.
A sea of people singing each and every line along with the brothers.
Back on the main stage the brothers are mocking German accents after the first part of their European tour.
We launch into ‘Ticks Me Off’ and if we weren’t already losing our shit because of the fast pace of this song, then Oli jumping on to the barrier getting us to chant fires everyone up even more. The pace in this track is much faster and that with a mix of Oli firing us up sends the fans jumping around like mad.
Oli’s telling us to be careful post show and encouraging us to love ourselves which I think everyone needs to hear, but it sounds even better coming from this musician.
A cover of ‘I Touch Myself’ makes for a great sing along uniting the crowd once more. The lads leave the stage but I know we’re not done yet.
Suddenly they reappear with ‘Robbery’ performing it with absolute energy and precision – much better than the studio version, and we finish on ‘Inappropriate Behaviour’.
Lime Cordiale, I’m in love with you. O2 institute, I will be back.
Mother of the UK’s ‘youngest drag queen’, 13, who has performed in front of thousands at shows reveals she has been accused of ‘exploiting her son’ and branded a ‘bad parent’
Nicola Pullman, 50, from Kent, is supportive of her drag queen son Miles, 13
Under the stage name of Miss Oatie T, he has performed to thousands on stage
Said she has been branded a ‘bad parent’ and accused of ‘exploiting her son’
Nicola has even accused of exploiting him for child sexual predators to look at
A mother has revealed how she has been branded a ‘bad parent’ and accused of ‘exploiting her son’ after supporting his dream of being a young drag queen.
Miles Pullman, 13, from Broadstairs, Kent, has always enjoyed dressing up and experimenting with hair styles and makeup since the age of two.
Over the summer, he began performing as Miss Oatie T in front of thousands with some of the biggest names in drag like Baga Chipz MBE.
But despite the family receiving tons of support by friends and family, and crowds at events where Miles performs, his mother Nicola, 50, said the feedback isn’t always positive.
She said some of the comments were ‘disgusting’, adding: ‘People online say I’m exploiting Miles for paedophiles to watch and how I’m a bad parent.’
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Nicola, 50, from Broadstairs, Kent, has revealed how she has been branded a ‘bad parent’ and accused of ‘exploiting her son’ after supporting his dream of being a young drag queen (left, and right)
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She said the 13-year-old has always enjoyed dressing up and experimenting with hair styles and makeup since the age of two
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Over the summer, he began performing as Miss Oatie T in front of thousands with some of the biggest names in drag like Baga Chipz MBE (pictured, at an event)
Nicola revealed: ‘Around two, three years ago during the pandemic, Miles’ interest in drag really started. He’s so inspired by shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, especially the UK one.
‘For Miles, Drag Race really showed him drag is a real thing and it’s something he could do for the rest of his life. It inspires him and that inspires me.
‘When it was Miles’ 12th birthday last year he asked for a sewing machine because he didn’t want to be one of those queens on Drag Race who couldn’t sew!’
Over the past year Nicola said Miss Oatie T has received much praise, love, and acceptance, adding: ‘Most people are absolutely lovely, but I’ve had some disgusting comments.
‘I’m literally so proud of my son though. I’ve had six-foot young men crying in the crowds because their parents don’t accept them – that’s really sad in this day and age.
‘It’s so amazing to see Miles come alive as Miss Oatie T on stage, he’s got a massive support network around him including me, his dad, his brothers, his aunties and his friends – there’s always someone in the crowd!’
This summer has been electric for Miles, performing at Dover Pride, Herne Bay Pride, his second time at Canterbury Pride, and Glitterbomb in the Park festival in Maidstone.
Nicola continued: ‘Over the summer he’s been watched by thousands. He’s so confident.
‘It makes me so proud watching him perform and it’s so nice when people come and praise him.
‘After the show he normally has a lot of people coming up asking for pictures, but we’ve also been stopped in the street before by people complimenting his looks.
‘As he’s still young he’s still working out what kind of queen he is while perfecting his looks, but his main talents are lip-syncing, dancing, death drops and the splits.
‘Drag has literally taken over mine and my family’s life but in the best way! Miles started dressing up with hair and make-up when he was just two years old.
‘Now when we go shopping it’s a much longer process because Miles wants to look at everything. I pick up one bottle of nail varnish and he’s already got five!’
Miles dreams of one day being on the show RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and despite his age, he’s already started to get prepared to take the crown.
‘His favourite queen’s include Cheryl Hole and Blu Hydrangea, however, he has a soft spot for Danny Beard who is one of the queen’s appearing on this year’s show.
‘Danny Beard has given Miles so much support and advice over the years so we’ll be backing him during this series for sure!’
German shepherd and baby are best mates: ‘They have the most special of bonds’
Meet Leo and Rox, two best buds who’ve been friends ever since the one-year-old was born.
Even before Leo was in the world, German shepherd Rox started to bond with mum Maddie Butler’s bump.
Maddie, 30, said: ‘Rox’s nature completely changed around me when I was pregnant, and he always shows his gentle nature around Leo.
‘When we first got Rox he was a crazy, bouncy puppy with so much energy, needing lots of exercise, attention and care.
He’s affectionate but not really cuddly. He might sit with you for a bit, but he likes his own space too.
‘Yet once I was pregnant his nature really seemed to change, and I noticed this more when my husband worked away.
Just two pals chilling out (Picture: Caters News Agency)
‘If my husband wasn’t here for long periods of time, it was like Rox decided he was the man of the house and would be protective over me.
‘He also became incredibly cuddly. It’s like he knew I needed extra care. He used to lick the bump which I think was his way of saying he cared.’
Maddie, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, noticed yet more of a change in Rox in the days leading up to what would be her five-week-early labour.
Maddie, a paramedic, said: ‘In this time Rox became increasingly more protective, acting strange and he wouldn’t leave my side for a minute.
Now Leo is here they’re as thick as thieves and completely inseparable. I think every time I turn around, I catch them cuddled up together.
‘Rox is honestly so different and gentle around Leo’ (Picture: Caters News Agency)
‘Leo now knows where the treat cupboard is so always gets a treat out for Rox, and if any other kids do the same Leo gets jealous!
‘Rox is honestly so different and gentle around Leo. When we play fetch, we normally have to fight him to get the ball back, yet he just drops it for Leo.
‘When we’re eating, Rox is always under Leo’s chair waiting for his scraps to hoover up and I really do think they have the most special of bonds.
‘So special in fact, one of Leo’s first words was actually “dog dog!”‘
Maddie totally trusts Rox with the baby, but some family members have expressed concern over letting such a big dog hang out with Leo.
Good boy, Rox (Picture: Caters News Agency)
Maddie said: ‘Some people were concerned, such as older members of the family, with them asking how I was going to manage them both.
‘I feel like we’ve actually coped so well! We were careful and made sure to socialise Rox into the idea of having a baby.
‘We took part in professional training classes with him, and we also made sure Leo’s Moses basket was around, so Rox got used to it.
‘It comes down to training your dog and knowing your dog’s nature. I completely trust Rox – he’s never been aggressive or anything like that.
‘However, we are very vigilant in making sure Rox gets time on his own and not being annoyed by Leo constantly.
‘We have a baby gate to stop Leo getting to Rox, so he can have some peace and quiet.’
‘My cat gets in the shower with me every day – she loves the hot water’
The woman was slightly concerned when the cat started to follow her into the shower as she likes the water pretty hot, but was soon to realise the water is calming to her pet
A woman has gone viral after sharing clips on social media of her showering with her seven-week-old cat called Pym. Katie Behr, 31, a nurse practitioner from New York was initially concerned when she saw Pym dip her head into the water but as the feline’s curiosity of water grew she cannot have a shower without her pet.
After getting more and more comfortable with the water, Pym is now able to go straight in and get her hair wet. Katie started sharing clips online of her cat being the everyday shower companion and she has received a lot of support online from adoring fans. She said: “I remember the first time she got in the shower, and I called my mum after asking if it was normal. She said no, not at all!
“I was really shocked at first because I thought cats didn’t like water, but I was also concerned because I like the shower really hot.”
After a while though she realised that Pym loves the water and enjoys the soothing tones of the shower water.
“Now I’ve learnt it’s the temperature Pym likes too! Whenever she’s in the water she loves it and I think maybe it calms her down,” said Katie.
“She gets in the shower with me every day, I’ll get ready to get in, look around, and Pym will be there waiting under the taps. Pym keeps track of my schedule so whether it’s day or night, she’s ready to get in there for some reason, she never wines, just waits.”
Initially, people said that Katie should just lock him out the bathroom, but according to Katie, Pym will just pine and paw at the door to be let in.
Of the reaction online, Katie stated she was thankful for the support but surprised by the amount of interest.
“I can’t believe the reaction online, it’s crazy but amazing! I really appreciate all the comments and messages I get, it’s so nice to know the videos brighten up people’s days,” she said.
I’m a mum & wanted to save some cash on my food bill – how I spent just £50 and fed my family of four for ELEVEN days
Laura Mills
Lauren Windle
One mum is thrilled with Asda’s new “Just Essentials” range, revealing she’s spent just £50 to feed her family-of-four for eleven days.
Kayleigh McKendry, 28, Airdrie, Scotland, recently took to the supermarket chain in order to try the new range with hopes of cutting her weekly shopping bill.
Kayleigh fed her family, including Amellia, 6, and Aria, 18 months, on a tight budgetCredit: CatersShe used the Asda ‘Just essentials’ range to stock her fridge and cupboards for 11 daysCredit: Caters
The make-up artist and mum to Amellia, 6, and Aria, 18 months, managed to feed her family for up to 11 days with a range of meals including sausage casserole and creamy chicken and bacon.
In total, the food cost Kayleigh only £51 which has saved her £30 on her weekly shop and says the quality is “exactly the same”.
She said: “I bought a big range of food from Asda’s ‘Just Essentials’ range and in total the whole shop cost me £51 including lunches and snacks too.
“The meals I’ve made so far include sausage casserole, honey and mustard glazed-pork, pizza and garlic bread, as well as soups such as lentil soup and potato and broccoli.
“I’ve worked out all these meals cost under a fiver for a family of four, so using the essentials range, it’s cost me £16.20 and has fed my two kids and my husband and I for under £20 this week, which is amazing!
“The meals are really simple and easy to make. I’m so happy with the quality of the food from the ‘Just Essential’s’ range but on social media I’ve had some really negative comments about the quality.
“As someone who’s tried it, I can confirm they taste exactly the same. Most people just comment on how happy they are I’ve shared these meals so they can recreate them.”
Kayleigh and husband Mark, 28, are constantly looking for ways to cut their shopping bill, including meal prepping and bulk-buying, as well as ensuring to get the cupboard staples which can be used in a range of different dishes.
She added: “I try to make sure I get items like pasta and potatoes which can be used in so many meals and are always under a pound to buy.
“Focusing on saving on those items means I can spend more on meat. I also meal prep every week so when I go shopping, I only buy the things I actually need for those meals.
“Also, for snacks, fruit bags in Aldi for kids are 33p and around two for £1 in Asda, so instead of buying either, I get a large watermelon and cut it up, so the kids have fruit snacks for days and for cheap.
“I’d normally do my shop in Aldi but even my food bill has increased in there with inflation, so I decided to try this range to review for a Facebook group I’m a part of.”
Mother-of-two reveals she has saved £1,000 in a YEAR by shopping yellow sticker deals on fish, meat, chicken and bread – and says it leads to more variety in what the family eat
Gemma Lonnon, 40, from Shropshire, has saved £1,000 yellow sticker shopping
The teaching assistant says she heads to the shops up to three times a week
Among her tips, she recommends buying meat and fish to store in the freezer
Mum-of-two says she can afford to take her family on holiday with her savings
A savvy mother-of-two has revealed how yellow sticker shopping has helped her save £1,000 in a year, enough to book a dream family holiday to Portugal.
Gemma Lonnon, 40, from Telford, Shropshire, works as a teaching assistant and decided to start shopping for yellow sticker produce last year, in 2021.
She heads to the shops up to three times a week, shopping in the afternoon, grabbing the best deals, and often buying produce like meat and fish to store in the freezer.
Due to Gemma’s cost-saving ideas for shopping, she’s now been able to afford to take her family Noah, eight, Darcey, six, and husband Neil, 43, on a trip to Portugal.
‘Through shopping in reduced sections, I’ve cut my shopping bill by £20 per week, and used the savings to book a family holiday to Portugal!
‘Some of the best deals I’ve had include vegan sausages for just 49p. I also managed to pick up a pack of pastry’s for just 10p.
‘I normally try to just buy what we’d eat and not buy things just for the sake of it, but shopping this way means we always get to try new things.
‘Recently I went shopping and they had sea bass reduced. I bought and cooked it that night, it was our first time trying it and we loved it!
‘Shopping for my family used to be quite expensive but shopping with yellow stickers saves me over £1,000 a year.’
Gemma revealed when she likes to go shopping, as this plays a big part in how much she can actually save.
She added: ‘Between four and five is the best time to go shopping in the reduced section.
‘I’d also recommend using the ‘too good to go’ app, which is a great way to get good quality food while reducing waste.
‘Make sure not to get swept in just because it’s reduced and just buy what you actually like.’
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Yellow sticker: among the items Gemma likes to pick up are meat and fish, which she says she likes to keep in the freezer
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Savings: Gemma has saved a staggering £1,000 in a year by swapping full-priced items for yellow sticker goods – like this sandwich which was reduced from £4.95 to £1.75
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The mother-of-two says she generally does her supermarket shopping at Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Tesco
Bride and groom saving for a house throw a wedding for just £3,000 by buying budget décor from B&M, snapping up discount beer for 47p and opting a hand-me-down bridal gown
Harriet Smith-Walker, 25, walked down the aisle in a hand-me-down dress
The couple bought beer at 47p a bottle for guests and décor from B&M
The pair decided to cut down their budget in a bid to buy new home instead
A savvy bride cut the cost of her wedding by £12,000 and managed to throw an elegant bash for just £3,000.
Harriet Smith-Walker, 25, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was originally due to get married in 2020, but like many others, had her special day cancelled due to the pandemic.
However, post-pandemic Harriet and her husband Kieran Smith-Walker, 28, decided their original £15,000 wedding was far too extravagant for a couple looking to buy a first home together, so the embarked on a mission to cut back on other expenses in a bid to get on the property ladder.
The couple saved money by hosting the reception in father’s back garden, choosing balloons instead of flowers for decoration and making the bouquet.
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Kieran and Harriet on their wedding day as they leave the church which was the largest expense. A savvy bride cut the cost of her wedding, spending only £3,000 on the entire day, managing to save £12,000 to go towards her and her husband’s new home
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The couple even won their own wedding cake which took a hefty slice out of the budget along with décor from B&M
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The table arrangements in Harriet’s father’s garden cost the couple £300 on top of the £260 for a balloon arch.
She even wore her grandmother’s wedding dress, which saved on money and added a sentimental touch to the day.
She said: ‘It was the best day of my life! I’m so happy about the wedding! It was such an amazing day and I loved every second of it, from start to finish.
‘After the first wedding was cancelled we were stuck deciding mortgage or marriage, but we wanted both.
‘It was going to cost us around £15,000. We decided that was far too much when we were looking to buy a home, so we decided to cut the entire wedding down.
‘We are now in the final stages of completion for the house and are looking to move in very soon.’
The couple, who met in Magaluf six years ago, revealed their cost-saving tips but stated they still had the most perfect day celebrating their romance with family and friends.
The most expensive cost of the day being the church hire – costing £500. The reception was held in Harriet’s father’s garden with a balloon arch costing £260 and a cake, table and linen costing £300.
Harriet walked down the aisle in a stunning lace vintage dress worth £800, that had once belonged to her grandmother.
She continued: ‘We also sourced decorations from B&M and Home Bargains, which included lanterns, solar panels, fairy lights and flower wire.
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Harriet, her mother Collete and father Alan pose together for a photo, with Harriet wearing a vintage dress worth £800 with lace details and a fishtail design, handed down from her grandmother
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Harriet glows as she gets her make-up done for the big day. Despite making savings of over £12,000 she said the day was ‘perfect’
‘For the bouquets we were quoted £75 just for one, so we made them ourselves and it was around £60 for four bouquets.’
The biggest bargain was on the beer, which was nabbed from the reduced section at 47p a bottle.
Harriet revealed she didn’t spend a penny on the dress, saying: ‘My dress was worth £800 it was actually my nan’s and handed down to me – she was so excited to see me wearing it.
‘In total I think we had around 70 guests so quite a lot for my dad’s garden, and quite a lot of people to feed and water.
‘The food at the wedding was a Jamaican BBQ and we sourced the meat such as a sausages and burgers with a cash and carry card.
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Kieran and Harriet went to popular budget stores such as B&M and Home Bargains to source decorations for the wedding instead of splashing out
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Harriet with her bridesmaids outside St Mary’s Church in Orpington which was one of the largest costs of the wedding at £500
‘That meant in total the food came to £262 and the side dishes such as potato salad and coleslaw were provided by family. Unbelievably, we won our cake too.
‘Booze-wise, we picked up any with damaged packaging which was reduced to clear from supermarkets, and with the amount of beer we got discounted it worked out at 47p a bottle.’
As for the music, Harriet said: ‘At the reception we were going to have a band play, which would have cost over a grand, but we opted for two vocalists instead, costing £500.
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Harriet laughs as she enjoys her wedding reception in her father Alan’s back garden in the casual but quaint setting with a photographer only costing £100 for the day
‘Our head usher was supposed to be the DJ on the night but he got stuck in Portugal so it meant we had to stick a playlist on instead.’
As for capturing the wedding, Harriet said: ‘For our photographer and videographer we used trainees who were looking to enhance their portfolios.
‘This meant the photographer only cost £100 and the videographer didn’t charge us at all.’
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The bride and groom cut their wedding cake – which they amazingly managed to win in a competition they said it was ‘the best day ever’
OH MAMA
I’m a teen mum and took my toddler to prom – people said I’d never amount to much but I just aced my GCSEs
Laura Mills
A teen mum who took her son to prom has revealed she’s aced her GCSE’s.
Ashleigh Hazleton, 16, became a mum to son Lorenzo in July 2021, after finding out she was 24 weeks pregnant at just 14-years-old.
Ashleigh with son LorenzoCredit: CatersAshleigh and Lorenzo with mum, and grandma, HaleyCredit: Caters
Becoming a mum at such a young age, Ashleigh has received lots of criticism and prejudice from older people, as well as online too.
However, the student, from Ipswich, Suffolk has overcome a heap of obstacles, including childcare, the pandemic and full-time study, to come out the other side with a heap of GCSEs.
After receiving a four in maths, four in English Language , a seven in design tech, five in religious studies and another five in design and technology, she’s now getting ready to start college in September where she’ll study public services in hopes of becoming a firefighter.
Ashleigh said: “I always knew I was going to get my education so going back to school really wasn’t hard. I had such an amazing support network from friends and teachers alike.
“My mum looked after the baby while I went back to school full-time and I’m so lucky she supported me in this way so I could carry on focusing on my studies.
“I said to myself ‘you’re a student at school and a mum at home’, that approach helped me get through this period of my life!
“I was in denial for so long about the pregnancy which is why it took so long to tell mum. I kept thinking I was missing my period because I was stressed. Once I found out, I told a family member who encouraged me to tell mum.
“I was hysterically crying when I found out. My emotions were so high. Most of that time feels like an emotional blur because I just had to get myself through it for Lorenzo.”
Ashleigh is determined to shake the stigma young and single parents like her face every day.
She adds: “As a teen mum, there’s a lot of negative stereotypes which come along with the title.
“However, I was lucky my school were absolutely amazing and so supportive throughout.
“When I returned to school after giving birth, they made sure I had a support system in place.
“Likewise, everyone in my year had my back and it was clear when I pulled up to prom with Lorenzo and they all started chanting my name!”
Ashleigh’s mum, Haley, 38, is proud as punch of her daughter’s results, but even prouder for how she’s handled herself throughout this monumental time in her life
“It was really unexpected and it was a big shock. The fact is, she’s not the first to get pregnant at 14, and definitely won’t be the last so we just got on with it and dealt with it as best we could.
“I was just here to support her not scream and shout. We had a meeting at school straight away and Ashleigh had her heart set on going back to finish off her education so that put my mind at ease.
“We’re a big family already but when we told the other children they were all so excited. My mum once told me having a grandchild is a different kind of love and I’m so certain of that now.
“I genuinely think she’s coping better than most grown adults. Yes, she was a mum at 14 but the way she has dealt with things is amazing.
“I don’t care what anyone says, I’m so proud of Ashleigh! When I think about it all and how she’s handled herself, I most definitely tear up.”
Alice Lily Headlines At The Sunflower Lounge 16/08/2022
I’m walking down the street on Smallbrook Queensway and it’s a bit rammed outside The Sunflower Lounge. Punters are packed around the front ready for a night filled with fun and (hopefully) banging tunes.
I pause for a quick stop at the bar to ‘hydrate’, then follow the crowd down a dark dingy corridor and into the room where Cara May is already sitting tuning her guitar getting ready to play to this midweek crowd.
The set kicks off and she’s strumming the strings lightly while playing a cover of ‘There She Goes’ by The La’s. The crowd is loving it singing alongside her. From The La’s to a ballsy cover of Whitney’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)’. Cara May is in her element hitting every note with complete power and precision with her set of acoustic dreams.
“Who’s set is it next?” My mate asks.
“Unit 16.” I reply.
Unit 16 kick-off with a classic cover of ‘Song 2’ by Blur. Each member of the band is giving it all to their instruments and gruelling guitar faces are plentiful across the stage.The crowd is from different generations and everyone is hypnotised by the energy Unit 16 are bringing, especially some of the older ladies on the side clapping along with the beat.
The indie lads give us an original track in the form of ‘High Tide’. Each guitar riff is more and more relentless. The energy from the band is mirrored with that of the crowd who are starting to mosh. It’s rock, it’s ruthless and it’s blowing the roof off the room.
With a slight change in energy of pop mixed with a funky indie rock, up next is Skye Morrissey.
She takes the stage and claims it, opening her set with ‘Love Again’ by Dua Lipa. Morrison’s vocals are impeccable, sending a shiver down my spine.
“Next up is an original called Out Tonight” says Morrison. No more than 30 seconds through the track my mate;s screaming:
“If I heard this on the radio it would be straight into my playlist.”
Skye Morrissey’s entire set from start to finish is executed by near-perfect vocals with a very impressive range.
Finally putting us out of our misery Alice Lily takes the stage. She’s confident, having loads of craic with the crowd and her band members alike but looking ever the rockstar bad bitch too.
‘Please Don’t’ off their debut EP goes down a treat, melting in the crowd’s and they swallow it down sweetly. Everyone is looking intently to the stage, joy on their faces, belting out every line alongside Alice.
Alice Lily showing their true alternative form as we’re treated to a few covers from Grouplove and SWMRS which only sends the crowd flying right into each other even more.
My night at The Sunflower Lounge is coming to an end, I know because Alice tells us “This is our last track” and it’s ‘Against the World’ from their debut EP. Looking around at the crowd I can see every pair of eyes gazing at Alice and the band – wholeheartedly savouring every second of them on stage.
If this is the standard, I can’t imagine it’ll be long until my next visit to The Sunflower Lounge.
Woman told she had ‘low iron’ found out she had incurable brain tumour after seizures
Paige Gouge, 26, was told by doctors she had “low iron” but after suffering a number of seizures she was eventually diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour when she had an MRI
A young woman was told she had “low iron” but is now desperately trying to fundraise for life-saving treatment after it turned out she had an incurable brain tumour.
Paige Gouge spent five years going back and forth with her GP, finding her concerns dismissed and being told she had low iron.
A young woman was told she had “low iron” but is now desperately trying to fundraise for life-saving treatment after it turned out she had an incurable brain tumour.
Paige Gouge spent five years going back and forth with her GP, finding her concerns dismissed and being told she had low iron.
Paige said: “For around four to five years I was back and forth to my GP surgery, I felt completely exhausted and they diagnosed me with low iron.
“I had multiple blood tests done and the only result that came back was showing my iron levels were low and nothing more.
“During that time I went back to my doctors and they upped the dosage but that didn’t improve anything.
“Then in July of last year I was out walking and I had what I now know was a seizure. It completely stopped me in my tracks, I couldn’t walk, talk or move.
“After the first one they happened much more frequently and I think I had around 15 seizures between July and October, and my doctors continued to say it was my iron levels.”
Then, one morning in October that year she felt another seizure coming, so her friend rushed her to A&E where she had a second.
She found herself waiting in the hospital for around “ten hours that day” to be seen and was just prescribed iron tablets which she said made “no difference”.
Paige continued: “I wasn’t happy with my diagnosis so I called my GP and he referred me to a neurologist in December who checked my reflexes and he said he didn’t think there was anything seriously wrong.
“I told him about my family history as my father died of a brain tumour and he referred me for an MRI scan which found a tumour.
“At this time they thought it was small and low grade so I wasn’t at risk and then in January I had a craniotomy where the bone is removed to access the brain.
“This revealed my tumour was grade two and grade four and from there I started radiotherapy which I did for six weeks.
“I’m now doing six months of chemotherapy which I have done four rounds of so far.”
She has also had brain surgery and IVF treatment to freeze her eggs.
But Paige is determined for a “second chance” at life and is hoping the treatment in Germany, which involves creating a personalised vaccine using a bit of the tumour, will help her immune system fight back.
Her fiancé Taylor Allen, 27, has set up a fundraising page where strangers have already donated £35,000.
Paige “The treatment is so important because it will teach my immune system how to fight the cancer which will save my life.
“I’m so overwhelmed by the donations. A very small fraction has been done by family and friends but mostly strangers!”
DAD’S AGONY
I was told to take Rennies for heartburn – now I’m facing a death sentence at 36
WHEN Florian Tushi suffered repeated bouts of nasty stomach pain, he went to see his GP.
But the dad-of-two was told it was nothing more than a case of heartburn, and was advised to take Rennies.
Florian’s health continued to deteriorate: “The pain just wouldn’t go,” he explainedCredit: CatersThis time the dad-of-two was prescribed Omeprazole – another drug used to treat heartburn, otherwise known as acid refluxCredit: BPM
When the stomach pain – which he said felt a bit like indigestion – failed to subside, the 36-year-old went back to the doctors, desperate for an answer.
It was only on his third attempt that Florian, a senior recruitment consultant, managed to convince a doctor to refer him for more specialist tests.
They revealed a devastating truth, Florian was diagnosed with incurable cancer – weeks after marrying the love of his life, Sarah, 29, mum to their daughters Olivia, nine months and Isabella, four.
“On May 15, I got married to my wife Sarah and two weeks later I was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer,” he said. “They found out it had spread and said there was nothing more they could do for me.”
Florian began to complain of stomach pains in November 2021.
“I came back from a break when I started to get a pain in my stomach that felt a bit like indigestion so I contacted the GP,” he said.
“I went to the doctors and they thought it was heartburn so basically gave me what was like over the counter Rennies.
“I took them exactly how they said but six to eight weeks after I had to see an emergency doctor because the pain wouldn’t go.”
At A&E, doctors told Florian the pain was likely caused by a build up of liquid in his stomach.
This time the dad-of-two was prescribed Omeprazole – another drug used to treat heartburn, otherwise known as acid reflux.
“From here the pain went down a bit and I kept hoping it would go but I ended up back at the GP again instead,” he added.
“The GP diagnosed this as stomach liquid and decided it would be best to up the amount of Omeprazole so they tried that.
“It was absolutely pointless. The pain wasn’t going away whatsoever.”
Determined to get to the bottom of his symptoms, Florian managed to convince his doctor to refer him back to the hospital for an endoscopy – where a camera is put down the throat.
It revealed that the 36-year-old had cancer.
Doctors gave him one option, palliative care and chemotherapy, but he is refusing to give up.
He added: “I wasn’t just accepting it and settling for that, I want to get rid of it and I want it gone.
“I’m originally from Albania so I went to visit a doctor over there who told me about hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgery.”
HIPEC surgery involves surgically removing cancerous tumours and the application of heated chemotherapy drugs directly to the abdomen to eliminate the remaining cancerous cells.
Florian hopes to have the treatment, which costs £41,500 at The Memorial Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.
So far, the consultant strangers have donated a staggering £20,000 – but Florian and his young family still need to raise a lot more for his treatment.
He said: “I am just completely overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity shown to me and my family from everyone.
“That being family, friends and strangers.”
He added: “This is life changing surgery and I am so, so thankful and grateful to be given this chance of life.”
What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
Stomach cancer symptoms can depend on where cancerous cells have grown and replicated in the stomach.
According to The Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of stomach cancer may include:
Heartburn
Feeling full after small portions of food
Stomach pain
Nausea
Indigestion
Unintentional weight loss
Feeling bloated after eating
Trouble swallowing
If you’re worried that any of these symptoms may apply to you, it’s probably a good idea to get them checked out.
Transgender model walks the New York Fashion Week runway at just 10 years old
Meet Noella, the youngest transgender model to ever walk the runway in New York Fashion Week.
At just 10 years old, Noella has hit the catwalk for Mel Atkinson, the designer behind Trans Clothing Company.
‘It feels good that I’m already inspiring trans kids to be themselves,’ said the mini model.
Her parents Dee McMaher, 35, and Ray, 32, are incredibly proud of their daughter who began socially transitioning aged four.
Dee, an event director, said: ‘Noella really doesn’t ever get nervous or scared by anything. She’s a tiny professional!
‘She was so excited to go down the catwalk, excited to see all the people and the cameras. She knows exactly how to work a crowd.
‘We are so proud of Noella for being the first trans child in New York Fashion Week, we are in awe with her confidence and determination.
‘Noella already has so many transgender people of all ages contact her for advice, support.
‘Noella is very outspoken and an amazing advocate for other trans kids.
‘It’s great that she can provide this trans visibility on a global scale. She is showing them that trans is beautiful.’
Noella was once a troubled toddler who often threw tantrums and refused to wear the clothes her parents tried to put her in.
Everything changed when, at four years old, Noella went to therapy and declared that she was a girl.
Her parents feel their daughter is too young to begin medically transitioning, but have allowed her the freedom to explore her identity in the meantime.
‘Noella had a rough start to life as she was extremely unhappy being perceived as a boy,’ said Dee.
‘Even when she was two, she said she’s not a little boy.
‘She would refuse to wear boy clothes and have tantrums because she was so young, she knew what she wanted but didn’t have the words to say it.
‘I should have known earlier as she hated anything masculine so I brought her to a gender clinic.
‘She blossomed as soon as we realised and allowed her to finally be herself.
‘When she was seven, she legally changed her name.
‘She also began modelling on catwalks.
‘It has been so incredible and pure seeing her embrace who she is.
‘She has no fear when on stage and knows exactly how to work the crowd and camera.’
Noella’s career has totally taken off, and she’s already booked up as a model until November 2022.
She hopes to use her platform to encourage other trans people to accept who they are.
Dee said: ‘As a parent of a transgender child, it is my duty to protect her and make sure she is safe.
‘But Noella is an activist for transgender rights and she wants to put herself out there.
‘For ten years old, she is very mature for her age and self assured.
‘She wants to show other transgender kids that it is ok to socially transition and accept who they are.
‘She is the first person to tell others that they are wrong when they are being discriminative.
‘She is so passionate about raising awareness of transgender people – she is going to make a difference in this world.’
On the 12th of August, Pale Waves are set to release their third album. Is it their best yet? Laura Mills finds out…
The album opens with an intense track in the form of ‘Lies’, released earlier this year. It’s cool, it’s sensational. The transition between the pre-chorus as Heather sings ‘but I’m in over my head’ is guided by a steady riff moving into a marching style beat from drums with Heather singing ‘You called it love / But it never had that feeling / Ripped out my heart / And left it bleeding’makes you want to rush.
Throughout this one, the instrumental never falters. Each guitar riff is grittier than before, the drums keep it all in check while still providing this heavy sound. Combined with these, relatable lyrics bound to resonate with any listener makes this track the perfect album opener.
Next up is ‘Unwanted’.
The electric sound created takes me back to the 90/00’s rock, seeing visions of Blink 182 and Green Day. Heather’s liquid-like vocals raced around my mind every now and then transforming between the form of Hayley Williams and Avril Lavigne but with her own signature sound engraved into the track, too.
‘The Hard Way’ slows things down for a minute. Starting ballad-like and transforming into that 00’s rock teen angst style to finish.
‘Jealousy’ is intense but so sexy and sleek, too. Opening with a piercing riff awaking the soul and paired with Heather’s powerful but slightly seductive vocals make it an intensely great pleasure to hear. How can a rock song seduce you? God knows, but it f**king does.
‘Alone’ is relentless including such an impeccable breakdown.
‘Clean’ has so many soulful riffs and then we strip things back into ‘Without You’.
THEN ITS ENERGY, ENERGY, ENERGY WITH ‘Only Problem’. There’s a clattering, driving force straight from the drums into these gruelling guitar riffs.
‘You’re So Vain’ opens with another gruelling riff with these catchy playfully sung lyrics and the chorus is so heavy. The layering in this track is pristine. Pale Waves pushing directly into my veins.
‘Reason To Live’ is just classic Pale Waves. Contrasting next up is ‘Numb’, mirroring Avril Lavigne’s ‘When You’re Gone’.
‘Act My Age’ YES YES YES. It’s slightly pop rock seemingly influenced by The 1975 but with a big splash of Paramore. Heather’s vocals claim it all and stamp that Pale Waves signature sound all over the track.
Last but definitely in no way least, ‘So Sick (Of Missing You). A great end to a great album.
This is Pale Waves third album. Is it their best yet? Yes, no doubt about it.
Image: Katia Temkin
Blind dad’s special bond with visually impaired son – as they navigate life without sight
A blind dad has captured thousands of hearts as he shares his daily life with his visually impaired son on TikTok, explaining how they have a special bond and are going out exploring with their guide dog
By Laura Mills
Going out for a walk with your son is a simple task for most fathers – and something many may take for granted.
But for Martin Ralfe and his one-year-old boy Leo, it can be a real challenge.
That’s because Martin is blind and Leo is also visually impaired, meaning they have to thoroughly plan every trip they take outside of their home in St Helens, Merseyside.
The 29-year-old parent refuses to let his lack of sight stop him from hanging out with his son and going exploring.
The pair have shared their special bond on TikTok and gone viral after showing how they go out for the day, with help from Martin’s guide dog Diesel.
The dad has gained thousands of followers on his account and is using it to educate other people on visual impairment, showing that it doesn’t impact his relationship with his family.
Martin says his wife, Samantha, 31, was the one that encouraged him to take his son out but neither of them expected a big reaction to the clips they posted online. The dad has since been branded an “inspiration”.
He admits he initially had some reservations about taking Leo out on his own but now he is confident and spends most weekend’s exploring with his son and Diesel.
He said “Leo and I always spend our weekends together exploring the world together. It’s so important Leo gets out to experience the world!
“It’s all on Diesel and I have complete trust in my guide dog. I also heavily rely on muscle memory to be able to take myself and Leo on a walk.
“I would never decide to baby carry unless I’ve done the route myself at least a few times, even recently with the weather nettles have grown out further so I need to check for things like that.
“Other people are able to just get up and leave but we can’t do that – there is so much planning that goes into something as simple as a walk – we have to make sure to check the weather, we need to make sure Diesel actually wants to go out and get water and snacks ready. Most importantly we take food to feed the ducks, as the scouts’ mantra goes always be prepared!
“Then I need to make sure Leo is strapped in completely safe and secure. He’s getting so big now that he actually doesn’t fit in the front anymore so now he sits behind my shoulders facing forward.”
He continued: “It was actually my wife Sam who encouraged me to start taking Leo out on walks like this. She is a chilled mum but equally incredibly supportive.
“At first I thought a pram would be safer for Leo but that is actually harder for someone who is blind so we went with the carrier. He is constantly smiling and laughing while he’s in it.
“I can’t lie I wasn’t with it at first but now I feel so confident taking him out and I really enjoy it.
“Our favourite activities to do together include going for walks and when we do we love to feed the ducks – it’s a must! However, we also love going out to explore on the train, especially to Sankey Valley Park.
“Currently on our bucket list is to visit the classic places like Disney Land but Leo is particularly interested in trains too so we’d love to go to the National Railway Museum in York.”
Leo who is described as cheeky, adventurous and empathetic was diagnosed with cataracts at an early age – he has now had these removed and has since been diagnosed with nystagmus with the family waiting for further results.
“With Leo’s diagnosis we’re still waiting on further clarification – we don’t really understand it ourselves yet either,” admits Martin.
“Leo can definitely see colours and shapes, at the moment his glasses are magnified at like times 27 so that’s definitely helping him more.
“Me and Leo are a little duo together and I definitely think because of my own diagnosis that I can give him the extra support he needs.
“I think that’s because I understand what it’s like and what he’s going through. For example, a tantrum may not be a tantrum, he could be frustrated or upset because of eye pain.
“He’s definitely learned so much already and I’ve learnt so much from him, plus people say we look alike – poor bugger!”
Martin’s TikTok account @martinralfe now has thousands of followers and has a range of videos such as him walking Diesel and Leo, how to train and care for guide dogs, and many videos of him answering questions from his followers.
The videos of him and Leo out together always evoke a heartwarming reaction from his followers, as well as some hilarious comments.
He said “I literally just started this account for something to do during Covid like many others on TikTok.
“I mainly started it as a sort of day in the life of a blind man account but I also wanted it to be educational for my followers too. I used to do the same thing on Facebook but then moved it over to TikTok
“I love making these videos and I get so many amazing comments. Many people praise me but I’m just a normal dad getting on with life.
“Others comment saying how their child’s dad doesn’t even do the things I do, which do make me laugh!
“I mainly get a lot of questions which makes my account even more educational because my followers are constantly learning something new.
“Occasionally I do get the odd bad comment but I’ve now created a great community of followers who naturally step in to defend me.”
Martin is also part of a podcast called the Blind Dad Diaries where he and another father discuss how they raised their parenting hacks.
Woman’s £80 hangover order leaves people stunned – including McDonald’s, KFC and pizza
A woman has caused a stir online after opening up about the colossal amount of food she likes to consumer when she’s hungover – estimating she can eat a whopping 9,000 calories
A young woman has gone viral after sharing her somewhat controversial eating habits after a night out drinking.
Tamika Taikato posted a series of videos to TikTok showing a look at what she might typically eat in a day when she’s hungover and the clips left people stunned.
The 26-year-old from Aukland, New Zealand, admitted to scoffing up to 9,000 calories in one day and can spend as much as £80 ($150 NZD) on takeaways from places like McDonald’s, KFC or Dominoes.
As well as food from these restaurants, she’s also filmed herself enjoying hot dogs, BBQ pork noodles, cream doughnuts and pies – anything to ‘soak up the booze’.
Tamika’s videos have been viewed over four million times, with many fellow TikTok users having lots of questions.
She said: “One day I think I ate around 9000 calories and when I added it up I’d spent around $150 NZD on food that day – which is shocking but food cures me!
“McDonald’s is definitely my favourite hungover food and my order is a double cheeseburger, large fries, ten-piece nuggets with sweet and sour and mayo plus a coke zero and strawberry milkshake.
“I’m not joking – when I’m going to eat McDonald’s I feel like I’ve already won in my head. On the way there my hangover improves and once I pick it up I’m ecstatic.
“I also love steak and cheese pies, they are literally the bomb when you feel rough. Likewise, same with a bacon and egg quiche from our local bakery.”
The food lover continued: “When I’m hungover I just want variety so give me it all Chinese food like pork dumplings and bbq pork noodles always go down a treat and I love Thai food as well.
“I just think about the grease to soak up the s***ty feelings, vegetables don’t appeal to me whatsoever. When I look at them I think you could make me feel better but heck no!
“Hydration is also very important when battling with a hangover so I make sure I drink boat loads of water, alongside coke zero and a few milkshakes too.
“I would normally get in from a night out at around 2am and I don’t pick up food while drunk so when I wake up at 9am I’m starving and craving fast food.
“I wait until the breakfast menus have cleared at half ten and then head out to McDonald’s or KFC first – grab and go then back to bed for some seriously needed sleep!”
Tamika adds that she’s always had a big appetite and it was actually friends and family who convinced her to take to TikTok to showcase just how much she can eat.
She says she does work out a lot in the week to balance out the food – and also thinks she must have quite a high metabolism.
“My friends and family aren’t surprised at all because everyone who knows me knows how much I eat but it was actually them who encouraged me to make the videos,” she explains.
“I must admit I’ve had some hate comments which is upsetting.
“However, they’ve basically disappeared now and if I see any I just ignore them or delete them because I made the videos for fun and nothing more than that.
“So many people comment like ‘How do you eat all that and still look good?’ to be honest I’m lucky because I do have a high metabolism – evidently.
“I do workout though, normally around four or five times a week and I do a lot of weight lifting. Although you won’t catch me running because I hate it!”
Glam mum becomes one of Britain’s youngest grans after her daughter fell pregnant at 14
Young nan Haley Tricker is enjoying being a ‘glam-ma’ – and there is only a six-year age gap between her youngest and her grandson
A mum is embracing being one of Britain’s youngest grandmas after her daughter fell pregnant at 14-years-old.
Haley Tricker, 38, from Ipswich, Suffolk, says she loves being a ‘glam-ma’ and is able to keep up with her little grandson.
She discovered she was going to be a granny at 37 when her daughter Ashleigh Hazleton, now 16, broke down and confessed she was pregnant.
After becoming a mum at the age of 18 in 2002 herself, Haley felt her own experiences meant she was able to support her daughter during the tough time.
She helped her through her pregnancy and supported her so that she could go back to school and sit her GCSEs within six weeks of giving birth.
Haley is now helping her daughter by looking after her son while she works toward her career goal of becoming a firefighter.
Haley, who worked as a restaurant manager, took to grandparenting seamlessly – discovering a deeper level of love since the birth of her grandchild Lorenzo, now one – even though her youngest child, Lorenzo’s uncle, is just seven.
Haley said: “I was really shocked to be a gran at that age, but likewise, I don’t think nowadays that it’s really that unusual.
“Being a young nan is great though, I’m definitely a glam-ma!
“It also means I can keep up with Lorenzo much more which is useful as he’s always running around everywhere now
“We love going to the park and playing on the swings after we’ve dropped my youngest off at school who is seven.”
Before Ashleigh told her family she was pregnant, she appeared to be ill quite regularly and suspected she made have been intolerant to something.
She said: “When Ashleigh told me when she was 24 weeks pregnant and it was a massive shock. She called me downstairs in tears and told me she’d been sexually active.
“My first thought as a mum was did you use protection, they hadn’t, so I sent my eldest to the shop to get a pregnancy test and then rest is history.
“She’d actually been ill sometime before this and we didn’t know why. We thought she may have been allergic to gluten but once we found out it all came together. We contacted the GP and they fit us in for a scan straight away.”
Haley supported her daughter from the second she found out she was pregnant but has revealed some fears she had at this emotional time.
She adds: “It was really unexpected and it was a big shock. The fact is she’s not the first and definitely won’t be the last to be pregnant at 14 so we just got on and dealt with it.
“I was just here to support her not scream and shout. We had a meeting at school straight away and Ashleigh had her heart set on going back finishing off her education so that put my mind at ease.
“We’re a big family already but when we told the other children they were all so excited. My mum once told me having a grandchild is a different kind of love and I’m so certain of that now.
“I genuinely think she’s coping better than most grown adults. Yes, she was a mum at 14 but the way she has dealt with that is amazing.
“I don’t care what anyone says, I’m so proud of Ashleigh and when I think about it all, how’s she handled herself – I definitely tear up.”
When Ashleigh first found out she was pregnant she was reluctant to tell mum Haley.
shleigh, now 16, said: “I was in denial for so long before which is why it took so long to tell mum. I kept thinking I was missing my period because I was stressed. Once I found out I told a family member who encouraged me to tell mum.
“I was hysterically crying when I found out. My emotions were so high. Most of that time feels like an emotional blur because I just had to get myself through it for Lorenzo.
“I always knew I was going to get my education so going back to school really wasn’t hard. I had such an amazing support network from friends and teachers alike. My mum looked after the baby while I went back to school full time.
“It went like this, I said to myself ‘you’re a student at school and a mum at home’, that approach helped me get through this period of my life.”
Ashleigh has now finished school and took her little one Lorenzo to prom to celebrate. She is now looking to go to college to study public services in hopes of becoming a firefighter.
As seen in The Scottish Sun
Labrador and owner raise hundreds for charity by swimming together
Meet Poppy, the water-loving black Lab who’s helped her owner raise hundreds of pounds for charity by taking part in sponsored swims.
Poppy, five, and her human Bryan Avery, 54, have recently completed their third charity swim together.
She’s so proficient in the water that she even passed an Olympic swimmer.
Bryan said: ‘We’ve had Poppy since she was a puppy. As a family we absolutely love her, she’s my best friend and I’m very proud of her.
‘I used to dog sit her mum Berta and the owners said if she ever has a bitch with the same temperament would I like her. Of course, I said yes, and now I have this best friend to swim with.
‘She used to be really scared of the water, but then when she was one year old, we were out for a walk, and she saw another Labrador jump in. I’m an ultramarathon swimmer, so I thought I’d see how she was with me in the water.
‘We just started with 100/200-metre distances, and she managed to keep up with me which was so impressive. Now I can’t keep her out of there!
‘Everyone loves it when it’s Poppy’s time to swim, so much, so they chant her name. Unfortunately, that means she can go off course towards them and I have to steer her back.
‘Poppy is absolutely desperate to get in; she starts barking until I let go of her then charges in like a bull, and she’s off. Normally people don’t realise she’s going to swim, but she makes an entrance.’
‘She’s my best friend and I’m very proud of her’ (Picture: Bryan Avery of Swim Tayka/Caters)
Their latest charity swim was at the Henley Swim Festival to raise money for SwimTayka which was set up by Bryan and for which Poppy is the mascot.
The organisation helps runs programmes around the world that teaching children to swim, in a bid to help combat the alarming annual statistic of 360,000 global deaths from drowning.
Time for a nap (Picture: Bryan Avery of Swim Tayka/Caters)
Bryan said: ‘Poppy did amazing she managed the race in just 33 minutes and even managed to pass Olympic swimmer Catherine Patterson! She got lots of praise, everyone fussing her, calling her and chanting her name.
‘When she finished the first thing she did is run for a wee because she won’t do it in the water, and then she ran around everyone in the crowd.
‘Once she calmed herself down a bit, we got home, and it all hit her, so she slept for the rest of the day. A big sleep with all the noises and twitching.
‘I really am so proud of her. This is the third time Poppy has taken part, and we’re grateful to the organisers of Henley Swim Festival for allowing her to do so.’
Gruelling guitars soar through with the signature Rodrigo riff. Olivia kicks off track one of her Brummie set with hit Brutal and every single line the crowd sang back to their adoring star.
Next up, jealousy, jealousy. Arguable one of the best performances vocally of the night. The band made sure it was played out explosively with energy paired with Olivia’s powerful, desperately intense vocals made this one a treat to hear and to sing along to.
Baby Queen kicked off the evening with hits Dover Beach and Buzz Kill. Bursting with energy and jumping around the stage, she embodies the same quality as stars like Billie Eilish have managed to capture.
Olivia Rodrigo strutting around looking every bit the bad bitch, with confidence that made sure that stage was all hers. A bad bitch, yet gazing at every one of her adoring fans almost like they were friends. Her face said it all, utterly and entirely grateful for every member of the audience.
Once we reached the drivers license part of the night the young crowd were in there element ready to demonstrate their viral TikTok knowledge singing every line with Rodrigo who’s spent the past year making sure she’s earned her place in the music industry.
Although the crowd never faltered for a second throughout the show, this one definitely capture their attention the most and the atmosphere created was sensational.
Ella Scott, eight, first told her parents that she didn’t feel like a boy inside when she was 6 – and mum Nikki, 38, and dad Graham, 39, decided to hold a party to announce it to their extended family
Nikki and Graham Scott’s gender reveal party started out like any other.
The couple, from Ontario, Canada, celebrated the momentous occasion as they revealed the gender of their baby to wider family.
But their child wasn’t a tiny tot yet to be born – the party was for their eight-year-old daughter after she told them she no longer wanted to live as a boy
Ella Scott, eight, first told her parents that she didn’t feel like a boy inside when she was six.
Although mum Nikki, 38, and dad Graham, 39, thought their then son might be going through a phase, they soon realised their daughter was determined to begin her own trans journey.
Now the parents, along with Ella’s two younger brothers, Teddy, six, and Regan, five, decided to support Ella by hosting a gender reveal party to announce her journey to their extended family.
Nikki said “With Ella it’s like she always knew but we just didn’t.
“We always knew she was a little different, when she was little as she was always friends with girls and played with Frozen toys.
“I have two other children, Ella’s brothers, two cisgender boys who play rough but Ella never wanted to join in. At age six she wanted to start wearing girls clothes like skirts and dresses.
“I must admit with Ella being our first child and that being all we knew, I thought it might just be a phase. One Halloween we decided to let Ella pick her own costume and she wanted to be a cat so she wore a skirt and cat ears.
“Neither of us knew what the right thing to do was so we showed Ella books of trans people because she didn’t have the words to say it. Eventually, she did, she said I’m not a boy, I don’t feel like this inside.
“Me and her father were so confused asking ourselves if she was too young and were we doing the right thing. We wanted to ensure what we were doing wasn’t harmful or damaging.
“We arranged a consultation with a psychologist from our local child mental health centre Reach Out Centre for Kids and they ensured we were doing the right thing.
“From here we let Ella take the lead. In grade one she started using she/her pronouns, eventually growing her hair longer and wearing girls clothing.
“Ella did get upset when her hair wasn’t growing fast but apart from that she is a very happy girl with an upbeat character and has been throughout her journey.”
Ella has received an enormous amount of support throughout her journey from friends, family and peers.
“Grade one was confusing as some peers were saying she wasn’t a girl. However, we chose to move Ella and the rest of our kids.
“Ella’s new school was a perfect place for her to explore who herself further and her teachers have been so supportive too. She has a great group of friends around her as well.
“Family gave her the most supporting and loving reaction as expected when she came out. It’s her family, her home and that means her safe space.”
Ella’s mum Nikki set up an Instagram page dedicated to following Ella’s transition journey.
“When she transitioned I found loads of resources for youths but not for kids. In most local clinics the rules are that you need to start puberty before you can get in and that means Ella wouldn’t qualify.
“I want parents to feel they have a safe space because we didn’t have anyone else us to help at the start of our journey.
“My page is to raise awareness of transgender kids and a supportive community for the parents.”
BABY ON BOARD
I’m a teen mum after falling pregnant at 14 – I was back at school six weeks post birth and took my baby to prom
A SCHOOLGIRL who fell pregnant at 14 has proven her critics wrong as she returned to school, sat her GCSEs – and celebrated by taking her infant son to her school prom.
Ashleigh Hazelton, 16, based in Ipswich, Suffolk shocked the students, parents and teachers alike of Westbourne Academy, Ipswich when she arrived holding her prom date, baby Lorenzo, who has just turned one.
Ashleigh proudly took her baby son as her date to her school promCredit: Caters
Her proud mum, Haley Tricker, 38, filmed the moment Ashleigh and Lorenzo pulled up at the school prom in a limo and her classmates went wild – which has since gone viral.
Ashleigh said: “I got out of the car and everyone came running up to me, chanting my name and crowding around us. I felt so loved and supported, but Lorenzo and I come together now so it felt right.
“On the way to the venue I was so nervous! None of my class mates knew what I had planned. Although, Lorenzo wasn’t nervous he actually had a ten minute power nap.
“Everyone was very shocked and surprised, I remember hearing loads of friends saying I was melting their hearts which was really cute.
“Although people said it was brave, it wasn’t a massive deal to me I just did it! I really enjoyed the entire evening and it was such a special moment for me.”
After a day of so many different emotions, mum and nan Haley was beside herself recording her daughters entrance to prom.
Haley said: “I cannot even explain quite how proud I am of her. Yes, she had a baby at 15 but she also went back and sat her GCSE’S 6 weeks after giving birth.
“She has already received some results and passed with flying colours which is amazing. She kept up her studies and then came home taking to motherhood so well too.
“In terms of getting ready it all went pretty smooth sailing but God it was an emotional day. Me and a friend were in tears behind the camera as soon as she arrived.
“She got a great reaction from everyone and it was so nice to see her friends supporting her. The teachers were also amazing too and of course Lorenzo got a lot of attention.
“My mum lives in New Zealand which is why we recorded this video. Obviously, I’ve had some negative comments on TikTok but I’ve just deleted them, we’ve had 98% really nice, really genuine comments which has made us all so happy!”
Ashleigh has since left school and is now looking to study public services at college with the hopes of becoming a firefighter.
Mum reveals how she wiped out £40,000 debt through simple supermarket saving tip
One super saver mum has described how she has paid off thousands of pounds of credit card debt by hunting down discounted food when doing her local supermarket shop
A super savvy mum has wiped £40,000 of credit card debt through shopping for yellow sticker discounts at supermarkets.
Maddy Alexander-Grout, from Southampton, became swamped in debt after taking out dozens of credit cards and loans while at university in the early 2000s.
Eventually, she reached the point where the shame and fear were far too great, “something snapped,” and she had to take drastic action.
The mum of two children, Harriet, three, and Ben, six, ended up shopping at the supermarkets up to six times a week in order to buy yellow sticker produce and keep costs down – and she’s now debt-free.
Maddy said: “I go to the shops up around five or six times a week looking around the reduced to clear section or live off tin tomatoes on toast.
“I also used to pick up a lot of meat which I’d be able to freeze and use when I liked. I once remember getting a massive pack of sausages for 16p.
“Likewise, I’d also make sure to buy a lot of fish produce too. Prawns are generally on offer in these sections, but sometimes there would be really good quality cod fillets too.
“Despite clearing my debts, I still yellow sticker shop now.
“It’s really important when yellow sticker shopping to think about how and what you can make with these meals. Sometimes there are salads in the reduce section which are great to have with meals. Sometimes you can also get fruit which I used for smoothies.
“It’s essential to think about your cupboard staples too like rice, pasta, spices. If you’re going to shop this way you need to make sure you have stuff to go with.
“Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and bulk buy with the staples. I bought a spice kit that cost me £4 and I’ve used this for nearly a year now.
“I have honestly saved thousands shopping this way. Saving this way cleared my debts!”
The mum has used her wealth of experience in how to manage money by launching a discount scheme for parents called My VIP Rewards.
This site offers discounts on supermarket shopping & high street shopping, UK theme parks, hot spots, beauty salons, cafes, soft play areas, days out, holidays, pet care, weddings, nail salons and at home kits too.
My VIP Rewards was created in 2017 after Maddy was debt free and started using the money she’d pay debts off with invested in local businesses. The app also offers employee benefits.
Maddy said “During lockdown the app was difficult because most of the things we offer discounts for were closed. However, I’m so pleased we did it now. Families need discounts like these more than ever now.”
You can check out Maddy’s yellow sticker hauls, tips and tricks on saving all on her TikTok page @maddyaboutmoney.
STARTED AS A REPORTER AT CATERS NEWS AGENCY ON 06/06/22
Wolf Alice are set to release ‘Blue Lullaby’ on 24/06 – lullaby versions of selected songs from their UK #1 and Mercury Prize nominated third album Blue Weekend.
Talking about the EP, Ellie Rowsell says: “Blue Lullaby came about because we wanted to strip down some of our more emotional songs from Blue Weekend and see if they hit any differently. We also had a nice moment during the Blue Weekend campaign singing one of our songs with a choir and we wanted to experience that again with a few other songs, especially as there are a lot of harmonies and a lot of vocal layering on Blue Weekend. Hearing multiple voices singing together is an unparalleled feeling for me, so I’m happy we got to record this experience and I hope people enjoy it”.
The EP’s opener -‘Lipstick On The Glass,’ transforms us to another dimension. Ellie’s silky soprano vocals at the forefront, with layer upon layer of that voice becoming ever-so increasingly more pleasurable. The guitar is conflicting – some sections release a softer sound to that of a harp – its classy, it’s cool. But the guitar also sounds tense and creates the same emotions felt in the original recording of this track, however, sounding much darker and mysterious.
‘How Can I Make It OK?’ feels much sweeter stripped back. The original is big and bold but this sweet and delicious. It feels more like a sing along played like this. Ellie’s vocals are strong as ever and the instrumental is solid and supporting. It just works alright!
Now I really think someone should have prepared me for ‘No Hard Feelings’ – what the f**k. The synthesiser behind creates a supporting spotlight around Ellie’s vocals. This track is almost speaking directly into my soul. It is genuinely beautiful and if it were an object, it would be on display for everyone to marvel at. ‘The threads that kept us together / Were already wearing thin / Would we ever have tied the knot? / Well, how long is a piece of string?’ sounds like complete heaven in this stripped back version.
‘Feeling Myself’ opens with a solid formation of strumming strings – the chords are carefully crafted. It is so clear how amazing this one would sound, performed like this, live.
(Photo: Sahar Ghadirian)
‘The Last Man on Earth’ is completely and utterly sensational. I’m not sure I’ve actually heard anything like it. It’s raw, it’s open, it’s so brutally honest. Play it at my wedding, play it at my funeral. God, just f**king play it.
Every single thing Wolf Alice produce feels so thought out, so carefully crafted; it is sheer perfection. This EP is exactly that too.
The Great Leslie is a metaphysical, Bond-like, Spartacus-esque being, made up of Ollie Trevers on Vocals and Rhythm Guitar, Ryan Lavender on Drums, Alfie Pawsey on Bass, and professional German, Freddie Miles on Lead Guitar.
Of the single, Ollie says “‘Feel Alive’ is about when you’re completely enamoured with someone and the mental repercussions of that infatuation. It focuses on the carnal and physical aspects of becoming addicted to another person, viewing it as severely as any other addiction by exclaiming that without that person, you can’t survive.”
‘Feel Alive’, has seen the band go back to the heavier and punchier end of their sonic spectrum, making sure that they hit you hard within the first few seconds of hitting play.
The cymbals are tickled creating a rattle that ripples around the riff breaking through. The riff is electric and it encourages every other instrument to pile into this sound too.
We are then joined by some extremely powerful vocals from Ollie with lyrics that undoubtedly rhyme, flow and flick off the tongue “My new affliction / Is addiction / This depiction just needs her / Not anyone else.”
This song really shows exactly what The Great Leslie have to offer; a carefully crafted instrumental which suits and supports the vocals.
The band mirror the narrative of the lyrics through the way they play their instruments. There is a desperation created in the way they put everything into creating this heavy, craving sound.
With the chorus, this is reflected again through the relentless lyrics and the dominant vocals singing them “You are the one to slick my lust / You’re never too much / You are enough, give me your love / Give me your touch.”
As we’re thrown into a breakdown of the instruments, things turn heavier and the pace changes.
“I feel alive when you’re by my side / But when you’re gone I can’t survive / I feel alive when you’re by my side / Without you I can’t survive.”
Can the band not take it any longer? Has this Cruella they’ve been yearning for finally defeated them?
And then, bam. Launched back into the final chorus.
The Great Leslie never falter even til the last minute as we exit this song with everything still crashing down.
Another great song from a great band!
“A powerful rock n roll feel that creates such a big atmospheric vibe that has you wanting to dance to the beat.” – Music Of The Future
At age 16, we first saw him on our screens lighting up the nation with Stevie Wonder’s ‘Isn’t She Lovely’. Back in 2010, were any of us really sure this would be the most popular member of a boyband whose success marked a generation?
When he announced he was to become a solo artist, did we know he would go on to produce one amazing studio album, but three? Did we honestly know Harry Styles could do this?
Last week many of us patiently awaited the release of Harry’s House, but none of us realised that upon release, it would shake the world quite like it did.
‘Music For a Sushi Restaurant’ guides us in by a sound that is rising with a consistent beat. When Harry’s vocals first appear, it is in the form of a more reserved tone. As Harry’s vocals increase “It’s cos I love you babe / In every kinda way / Just a little taste / You know I love you babe” so does the tension, and then we’re plunged into a sound reeking fun and celebration. A sound associated with the centre of a carnival.
The style, sleekness and swagger continues as we leap into hits like ‘Late Night Talking’ and ‘Grapefruit’; a showcase that flaunts all of Harry’s best qualities.
Honest, raw lyrics spiralling round an energetic sound is ‘As It Was’ defined. It is a juxtaposition; the relationship between lyrics like “Answer the phone / Harry, you’re no good alone / Why are you sitting at home on the floor? / What kind of pills are you on?” and the vibrant, zestful music that makes you want to rush.
‘Daylight’ mirrors the album; Harry’s House is a combination of those drifting, pop tones felt throughout Fine Line and the irresistible brutality of prominent guitar riffs found in his debut album.
‘Little Freak’ orders the tissues to be rolled out, the first ballad on the album with more to come. ‘Matilda’ finally puts Harry’s vocals out for all to hear, rather than being disguised by funky beat. A blend of these stripped back chords paired with Harry’s voice, sedating listeners in a blissful way.
“I just think you’re cool / I dig your cinema” sings Harry on arguably the best song on the album, ‘Cinema’. Every single beat is crafted with care and polished to unbelief. Has this song been made in heaven? ‘Daydreaming’ follows on perfectly from something as cool as ‘Cinema’ and that celebratory, explosive sound from the opening track brings us full circle.
‘Keep Driving’, ‘Boyfriends’ and ‘Love of My Life’ all have tremendous substance but do appear as this album’s more forgettable tracks, with relentless mentions of his extravagant, drug and sex heavy lifestyle. However, there is a diamond in the rough which shines through at the end in the form of ‘Satellite’ the layering is pristine, a song truly remarkable.
Laura Mills ★★★★☆
Here’s everything you need to know about Tramlines 2022
This years line up contains stars such as Sam Fender & Kasabian8 SECONDS AGO
Tramlines 2022 is set to take place on 22nd to 24th of July and will be held at Hillsborough Park.
The Yorkshire festival will have a whole host of stars grace the stage this summer including one of the biggest names in Indie right now, Sam Fender.
Sheffield’s culture will be showcased throughout this weekend as ticket holders can also enjoy art, comedy, performance, handpicked food and craft ales.
Tramlines 2022 will be across five stages including Sarah Nulty’s Main Stage, T’Other Stage Live, T’Other Stage Comedy, The Leadmill Stage and The Open Arms.
Tramlines Festival 2019
Friday kicks off the festival with a roster of big names and a whole load of fun. The headliners on the main stage include Sam Fender, James and Declan McKenna.
On Friday, Tramlines punters punters can also see Bad Boy Chiller Crew and Lady Leshurr perform. Friday also welcomes Seann Walsh to headline the comedy stage.
Likewise, if you’re planning to head down to Tramlines on the Friday and you’re in your “sad girl era” head over to The Open Arms stage for Midnight Memories Styles vs Swift.
Saturday turns spicy at Tramlines with a great bunch of headliners on the main stage including Kasabian, The Vaccines and Inhaler. We’re also set to see Sheffield’s favoured Everly Pregnant Brothers who are set to take the main stage by storm.
On T’Other Stage, Sigrid and Self Esteem will be performing. Saturday will also welcome Russell Kane to perform on the comedy stage.
Saturday’s The Leadmill Stage has arguable one of the most promising artists in Indie right now, Alfie Templeman performing.
Down at The Open Arms it’s party time, and by that I mean Club Tropicana.
Tramlines Festival 2019
On Tramlines 2022 final day a whole host of big names are set to headline Sarah Nulty’s Main Stage including Madness, The Wombats, Reverend & The Makers and The Coral.
Sunday sees T’Other Stage Live host other big names such as Becky Hill, Kelis and Scouting For Girls.
To raise a laugh or two out of the audience, Jason Manford will be performing on Sunday’s comedy stage.
The Open Arms invites us in with a warm welcome for a one last boogie at the Abba Party.
With seven bars there will definitely be no shortage of booze on Tramlines weekend.
Punters can also reassured they’re catered for a range of different cuisine’s provided. Last year Tramlines saw the likes of The Mac Shack, King Yorky and Get Wurst.
For more information on Tramlines included line up, facilities and news head to https://tramlines.org.uk/
This is what it’s like to go to Bongo’s Bingo in Sheffield
If you’ve ever been to Bongo’s Bingo before, you’re probably thinking, “How is she going to sum up a night like that?” Yeah, me too.
Walking through those academy doors at 7pm; the view is a sea of punters ready to get messy, there is a sense of carnage in the air and the smell is pure VKs. Love it.
Between 7pm and 8pm more fuel is added to the fire, and by that I mean the tunes come on and the crowd starts rising to the benches. Every sing along classic you could imagine to get the crowd further fired up.
As the clock strikes eight, it’s time to party. “I Predict A Riot” fills the speakers and our host for the evening joins the stage alongside two lively assistants, one in leopard print, the other in pink.
Around 8.15pm the first game of bingo begins.
To give you a glimpse of how the bingo works, the host read out the number 25 and said “Stick a nine in between that” then 9 To 5 was blared out of the speakers.
On entry everyone gets a red felt tip pen and a book with five games of bingo inside. This follows the usual format – line, two lines and full house.
However, as the game goes on the prizes become increasingly weirder, and weirder. A life size cut out of Bradley Walsh? Check. Two boxes of Coco Pops? Check.
These Coco Pops were definitely not enjoyed the following morning though. Nope, in true Bongo’s style the host asked one of his glamorous assistants – Dirty Diana – to bring these prizes out to the winner and asked the fateful questions “Are you gonna make it rain?”
And seconds later the vast majority of the audience were covered in Coco Pops.
The benches could be sturdier with drinks being knocked left right and centre, but apart from that Bongo’s Bingo is a great evening.
For students going, there’s opportunities throughout the night to win cash prizes. A full house on the last bingo card could earn you £1000 which isn’t too bad for tickets starting at £13.
Overall a banging night full of chaotic entertainment.
To learn more about Bongos Bingo please visit their website.
The Killers playing an intimate gig at Sheffield’s O2 Academy played out exactly as I’d expected: an air of swagger, a night of escapism, and a chance for many to get closer to the famous rockers than they ever have before.
The O2 audience was cast into darkness by the lowered lighting, and then – bam– bright lights surge through as the band graced the stage.
The Killers kicked off their set in Sheffield with ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’: great song, great band, great crowd reaction. Simple as that.
As we fade out of track one, it all dies down for a sec and then comes the confetti. The Killers are in town and they’re ready to go.
Next up, and arguably one of band’s most favoured songs, ‘When You Were Young’. Each member put full force into their instruments to launch us into the trademark heavy intro.
That’s when we’re joined by Brandon’s vocals like a light in the mist: “You sit there in your heartache / Waiting on some beautiful boy to / To save you from your old ways / You play forgiveness / Watch it now, here he comes.”
Every single pair of eyes in the room is fixated on Flowers; the guitar pace changes and increases for the chorus.
Alongside Brandon. his adoring crowd sing their hearts out to each line of the chorus.
“He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus / But he talks like a gentlemen / Like you imagined when you were young.”
We’re only two songs in, and one thing is made very clear: Brandon Flowers has his swagger out in full force tonight.
A few songs in we got to ‘Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine’. The sound the band creates is assertive, so rigorous, and as we launch into the chorus again everyone throws their arms forward to sing along: “Tell me what you want to know / Oh come on, oh come on, oh come on.”
This crowd showed no signs of faltering, even for a second, and thank god because The Killers next fired into ‘Smile Like You Mean It’.
A track which is one of my personal favourites, and it was such an honour to see it played live. It was everything you’d imagine and more.
Electric guitars with screeching chords, a rumbling bass, and sheer strength smashing at those drums all centred perfectly around Brandon’s mighty vocals.
A few tracks go by, firing the crowd up further, and then arguably one of the best songs ever written comes to ignite the Steel City. Oh, you know the score… next up, ‘Mr Brightside’
Brandon singing the lyrics, “Coming out of my cage / And I’ve been doing just fine” sets our crowd free.
The entire room is jumping and singing every word; the band are completely relentless on the stage.
Brandon Flowers reflected on some of their earlier shows of 2022: “We did some warm-up shows in Vegas. It was good but tonight feels a little bit better. Thanks for coming.”
That’s not all the talking The Killers frontman did either, later on in the night he said: “I hope you can tell that we’re genuine though when we talk about our love for this place. Man… I mean, you changed our lives! And we do love coming here – this is our spiritual home.”
My favourite moment of this evening was when the band played ‘Read My Mind’. Everything about this one felt so utterly faultless. The transitions between this slower, more reserved intro with Brandon’s sweet vocals coursing through the centre.
As the sound becomes heavier, so does the force in Brandon’s vocals and “I never really gave up on / Breakin’ out of this two-star town” I can still hear racing through my mind even days after.
The Killers still reek of style and confidence, I can wholeheartedly say this was demonstrated completely in front of my eyes with on-stage persona and swagger. The music they create is electrifying and Tuesday night in Sheffield absolutely confirmed this for me.
Back in March, Sea Girls released their second album titled ‘Homesick’. Music reviewer Laura Mills managed to catch up with the band during this album tour to talk belonging, shitty breakups, gratitude and crispy duck.
Photos: Rebecca Wood
So, how are you feeling about tonight’s show in Sheffield? Henry: Really excited about it. We played Sheffield on our last tour. Oli: And we played the O2 Academy in November, and we cheated because we did an Arctic Monkeys cover. Henry: Yeah, 505 and that was great. That was one of my favourite nights on the last tour.
Yeah, it was definitely a good one! Henry: Did you go to it? I love Sheffield.
Yes, I did. So, I’d love to chat a bit more about your new album. Describe it in three words only. Henry: Our new album. Sorry, is that not gunna help you much? Haha. Oli: Late night bangers.
For me, I interpreted the album as kind of reminiscing on the things that made you. What was the main influence for Homesick? Henry: I guess it was just about being real and sort of encapsulating what makes us: experience, dealing with negative things. Song’s like ‘Sick’, it’s sort of identity, and our generation is sick in lots of ways.
I totally get that; I think there are a lot of things in the world to make you feel that way. Henry: Just getting sick of stuff. It’s mainly about identity and belonging, that kind of attitude. Likewise, just belonging to a relationship. There was one relationship that broke down regarding my writing while we were making the album. There is a story and a thread through that, about one other person. And belonging to people of course; a sense of belonging.
So, do you think your approach to the second album was different to the first then? Henry: Yeah definitely! Oli: The album was written over five or six years so they were the best songs of that. ‘Homesick’ was written over a six to eight-month period so it’s more about one relationship than several. Henry: Yeah, one relationship and one perspective on life at the time. That’s our perspective as the people we are.
Do you two have a favourite song on the album? Henry- Right now I love ‘Lucky’. Oli: It’s a good one to play live. I really like ‘Paracetamol Blues’ I think it’s really fun. Henry: ‘Lucky’ is good because it’s one of those themes that’s not offered on the first album. It’s very self-aware and grateful. Whereas the first album, there isn’t any gratitude.
My favourite song on the album is ‘Someone’s Daughter Someone’s Son’. Could you tell me a bit more on what this one is about? Henry: This was what I wrote about one relationship breakdown and sensed the end of the relationship. I was like imagine if we broke up it sorts of strips it back to you were a teen, and now your someone’s son, someone’s daughter and you’re separate. It encapsulates all these things all those stages from being dumped. I remember just being kind of f**ked up in a club on my own, and then just a mix of emotions throughout the song, I just imagined it.
Do you think your second album is stronger than your first? Henry: I think our albums are always going to be amazing, they’ll just all offer something different. Oli: We’ll always do our best. Henry: It’s more focused. I think it’s better.
I think what you said about the time period spent on writing each album is right. They’re just different, I can’t believe that though six months! Is that really how long it took you to write it? Henry: It was like six to eight months the writing, yeah.
Do you think you’ve found your sound now? From my perspective, you’ve always had that Sea Girls sound but do you guys think you have found it? Or is there still room to experiment further? Henry: I think this record sounds bigger. Bit more powerful, bit more impactful. There are songs like ‘Cute Guys’ that we did venture into on the first album, it’s the kind of thing we’d jam but not put on an album. Oli: I think if all of us are playing then we can’t help but sound like ourselves, even when exploring different things. Especially if Henry is singing, I’m playing the drums; we sound like Sea Girls. Henry: Yeah, I think we always trust that will sound like Sea Girls. There’s always something itching to get out, we never find peace.
What’s your proudest Sea Girls song so far? Oli: What a good question! Henry: I think we’ve been proud of a lot of songs we’ve put out. ‘Call Me Out’ is a good one. Oli: Yeah, cos that’s our first single to do that well.
That’s so true, one of your first ones and yet always gets the best reaction at the live shows. Henry: I’m proud we’ve had that to start off with, that energy, it’s been quite a reference point since. With the new album, it’s not cool to talk about the label, but they were like “You sounded like a f**king college band” and now it’s “You sound like Muse” with ‘DNA’. We’re really proud to put a song out that sounds that good.
Would you compare yourselves to anyone? Oli: I think we’re just staying true to ourselves. I’m not sure there’s a point I really want to reach and be like “I wanna be as big as them”. I mean we’re still at the point where it’s still growing, maybe in a few years on the way down I’ll be like “I wanna be like Sea Girls a few years ago”. Henry: I like impactful performances; I recently just saw Arcade Fire open up Coco, and I wanna achieve that level of impact live. A weighty performance that feels important.
So, with your lyrics. For me, this is one of the biggest things that stands out about Sea Girls. Do you have a certain influence or approach to your lyrics? Henry: For a lyric, I mean setting aside being truthful which we always try to do, take something from the heart. The way to make a lyric impactful is for it to carry two different levels of weight. For it to have two meanings, you want to question every lyric like “Does that have a deeper meaning?”. As well as making sure it sounds good, even if it’s not sexy, make it f**king sexy. Do you know what I mean?
Haha, yeah I get that! Henry: Even if it’s not sexy, put it on something and make it evocative.
Do you ever write with live shows in mind? Oli: I think naturally we do like live music so to an extent we do bear that in mind, but more we’re just like this bit is really cool etc. Henry: If it makes you wanna rush, it’s gonna make people wanna rush when they hear it live.
Do you have a craziest tour memory? Oli: The whole of the last tour was crazy because we’d be stuck inside for two years and then got to play this record. Henry: When we played with Foals in Kyiv, that was pretty wild. Oli: One for the grandkids!
Best show of all time so far? Oli: We’ve actually just played Preston in this tiny little room and that was sick. Looking back, it probably looked rubbish, but the vibe was immaculate.
Do you like smaller venues? Henry: I like the freedom to know you can play a bigger venue or a festival but smaller venues are just great cos you get all the fun.
I suppose from my perspective as a fan, it means we get closer to you as the artists. For you guys as the band you get closer to your fans. Henry: We’ll never leave that behind I don’t think. Oli: Yeah, we always hope to play smaller venues.
How has this tour been? And how does it compare to previous ones? Henry: It’s been really wild for an album store tour. Oli: Just playing the new album, it’s had such a good reaction. Doing these shows, seeing everybody knowing the words – it’s like the first time we’ve pretty much played most of these songs live! Henry: Playing album two songs where everybody knows every word. Oli: To ‘Someone’s Daughter Someone’s Son’ we had a big old mosh pit in Manchester. Henry: I love singing that second verse of ‘Someone’s Daughter’ live. It’s good.
It’s so good! Henry: “I’ve had to go dancing” – That’s fucking sick, that’s one of my favourite verses on the album.
I think the main thing I like about this track is that I’ve spoken to a lot of bands and they’ve tried a similar approach. Yet, they haven’t quite done it and you’ve absolutely achieved it in this track. Henry: We spent a lot of time on that song and it came after a number of months.
What is a typical Sea Girls crowd? Henry: Up for it; very up for it. Oli: A slice of life, a cross-section of humanity.
Do you have a favourite live song to play of all time? Oli: I really like playing ‘Sick’ at the moment. Henry: I think it’s going to really endure that song. Oli: Yeah, it almost turns into a bit of a rap. Henry: That’s another energy that we’ve not really gotten out. We always want to give something new on an album and this was that on album two. Oli: There’s a big sing along and everyone’s just offloading all the shit they’re sick of.
Do you have a pre-performance routine? Henry: We normally just play loads of good music. Then five, ten minutes before we come on, we played Courteeners ‘Not Nineteen Forever’. Oli: Probably eat too much. Henry: I ate a whole sharing plate of crispy duck, like twenty quid’s worth before going on and then went on in Preston.
How did you feel when you went on? Henry: Full, but I hadn’t eeaten a lot in the day. That was a risk though.
Are you focusing on any new material right now or just the tour? Henry: We’re always playing around. Oli: Yeah, we’ve been pretty busy recently but there are always ideas playing around. You can’t really stop it I don’t think.
Dream festival to play? Oli: All of them. Henry: We’ve had a few and managed to play all of them, but there is one this year though. We’re playing the midnight slot at Benicassim this year which we’re really excited for.
What do Sea Girls want to achieve by the end of 2022? Henry: We’re gonna blow people’s minds with a massive tour in November. We’ll bring more than any other show. It’s gonna be the best time and everyone’s gonna have the best time.
Finally, anything to say to your fans who are reading this? Oli: Stay true to yourself. Henry: Yeah, stay true to yourself. Listen to ‘DNA’, stream ‘Homesick’, come see us in November and we’ll see you there.
I left the lads to get ready for the show and all I could think was “Jesus, Henry please stay off the duck.”
Moving swiftly on; Sea Girls opened up their set at Foundry with – my favourite – ‘Someone’s Daughter Someone’s Son’. As soon as Henry tickled those chords moving closer to the mic singing “O / M / G / I can’t believe you picked me” his adoring crowd were right there singing along beside him.
That identity and sense of belonging he has longed for when making this second album were undoubtedly felt in that room. What a perfect choice to open the set with: not only did this track get the crowd singing but it also warmed them up to start bouncing.
Up next was the wholesome ‘Friends’. Henry stood centre stage strumming his guitar but his voice is lighting up the entire room and everyone in it. The intro is slow and stripped back but it gives everyone a moment to prepare for the big chorus.
Friends literally start to come together, arm in arm, waiting for Henry, and finally, he sings “So grab your friends / Whenever you can / They’ll fuck up your plans / Cos every second I’m not wasting / Is one you’ll never get back.”
Picture it: so many groups of friends being almost ignited by this song and these lyrics. The second the chorus finishes we’re launched into this scintillating raspy riff, nothing like I’ve heard before but I loved it.
“I don’t like myself / But maybe you do” Come on Oli, ‘Paracetamol Blues’, let’s go!
This track started with Oli clapping and encouraging the crowd to join. He may be behind the drums but still loves connecting with those adoring Sea Girls fans. Throughout the entirety of this song the crowd literally belted their hearts out to every single line along with Henry.
For me, this was one of the best instrumentals of the night. It felt confident, it felt polished but it also felt kind of gritty and messy but the crowd knew exactly how to endorse that.
Henry had a message for his fans “I love shows like this, people that come to these are always the real shit. We’re the real shit, so let’s prove it.” Sending us into ‘Cute Guys’ to prove how committed we were, and god the crowd went absolutely nuts.
Beer flying and everyone in sight just bouncing around having the best time. I would also like to add how committed I am because I lost my phone for a solid few minutes during this track.
One of the best moments of the night was when they played ‘Sick’ released last year and number two on ‘Homesick’. As the lads described it, this one really does turn into a rap. Henry jumping around the stage; singing to a crowd that are just as sick of stuff as he is.
During the evening we got to hear the band’s latest release ‘DNA’, arguably one of their strongest yet, and this was reflected in the live performance too.
It’s essential to mention Henry’s commitment to the show; climbing up into the crowd every few songs to get closer to his doting crowd.
Sea Girls left the stage pretending it was all over, but we knew it wasn’t. “One more song, one more song, one more song” everyone in the audience was chanting, and back they came.
The band finished off their Sheffield set with ‘Call Me Out’. For one final hurrah, the crowd went crazy again. Bodies knocking all over singing this beautiful music unitedly.
Swedish band Junodef released their latest single ‘Eurovision 2004’ on 12th May, the gigantic follow up to the well-received ‘Close’.
Musically, ‘Eurovision 2004’ feels melancholic and moody. It’s inspired by their love for Eurovision, which is a big part of popular culture in their homeland of Sweden, and a show the band get together to watch every year.
So, let’s just plunge right in, as this track does. It opens with a consistent marching beat of the drums alongside this rumbling bass, then comes this eerie guitar riff coursing through.
The sound created is something I’d associate with the creepy part of a horror film but in the most marvellous and effective way. It’s dark, and it’s very mysterious. The keyboard adds even more suspense to the sound: the tension is high, but what’s coming next?
Next, these heavenly vocals. Oh, those vocals; they almost glide into the song in the coolest, stylish manner. “Wondered where it’d go / If I let it” is drifting through the rumbling bass and marching drums, a voice so prominent and powerful. It is contrasting such a solid, confident sound could have vocals running through that feel like they’re floating above the sound and taking me with them.
The chorus shows the combination of instruments at its strongest. Vocally united in a harmonious tone, the guitar riff proceeds to travel around the force created by the drums and the deep bass keeps gruelling on.
I feel like you can almost tell the bands members’ relationships are strong; this appears reflected in their music through the blended sound they are producing.
Each instrument slowly dies down, and the simple strum of chords as the vocalist moves towards the mic demonstrates her true potential as the singer “Always giving in / Way too early / I should wait / Or I’ll regret it” sang focalised into the listener’s ears. It’s at the forefront of our mind – even racing around seconds after.
For me, this section is one of the strongest parts of this track. It feels raw, it feels gritty but most of all it feels real. Everything stripped back, we see the band for who they are.
Junodef, you have something very special.
Of the single, Junodef say: “The song was written in 2019, and was originally called Ukrainian Eurovision, because the heavy toms reminded us of Ruslana’s song Wild Dances from 2004. The title was meant as a tribute to one of our favourite countries in Eurovision (I mean Verka Serduchka, what a legend!) but after the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year we decided to scrap the name to avoid confusion around our intentions of this song and renamed it ‘Eurovision 2004’. It’s about playing with the idea of not caring about things that normally matter to you, and what the consequences of that would be.”
Having recently received support slots with Editors and October Drift, collaborating with Elliot Williams (Editors) on their ‘Covers EP’ and announcing their release party at The Windmill in London, the band are simply going from strength to strength and ‘Eurovision 2004’ is no exception.
My favourite cheeky chaps The K’s made another trip down to The Leadmill, this time on the main stage, and the whole evening sweet mayhem and utter carnage.
The – can you believe it – UNSIGNED four-piece kicked off their set with ‘Picture’. An electric guitar riff forces this track forward, the crowd surging forward with it. Drinks flying, shirts pulled, faces absolutely submerged in sweat but nevertheless having a f**king blast with their mates and a band who loves their fans devotedly. As usual, Jamie’s vocals are strong and confident, making every word he sings race through my mind.
“But I’veeee / Got a feeling you’ve explained it”
Next up was ‘Got a Feeling’. A common theme within The K’s music are these big, electric guitar riffs and that is one of my favourite things about them; this song absolutely lived up to that. Opening with a blinding riff, fans took no time to recognise this one and then it was party time. By party, I mean someone set off a flare during the second song, which sent our singer away from the mic, and naturally the crowd took over singing.
It is of great importance to mention how The K’s showed complete gratitude towards their team throughout the entire evening. Such amazing lads!
During this set, the band decided to tease us playing a new song called ‘Transfer’. Despite not being released, their adoring fans knew exactly what to do, clapping along to support their band. Dexter also added fuel to the fire, playing the distinctive ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ riff in between songs.
Looking at the bigger picture, none of this night could have been possible without the venue it was held in, The Leadmill. The K’s reminded us what’s at stake and encouraged us to sign the petition to save The Leadmill, which was followed by cheering from the crowd.
“Cos I feel you coursing through my veins”
You know what’s next: ‘Glass Towns’. When the band started to play this one, I don’t think there was a single body standing stationary but there was definitely a lot of Red Stripe in the air.
Now, now. I can’t possibly do a write up of The K’s show without mentioning their latest release ‘Hometown’. What a f**king song!
The opening instrumental is, for me, their strongest yet. It oozes utter confidence; a group of lads that are so very self-assured in the sound they want to create. Lyrically it’s fun, it’s cheeky but looking closely there is also a clear narrative and that’s when your music becomes something people can really resonate with, and by god, these lads have done it!
My favourite part of this track is the bridge where the instrumental is stripped down, Jamie’s voice takes complete centre stage singing: “And he’s so easily persuaded / By his need to feel sedated / And the only way to get it / Is to empty his pockets / Into the boys’ he hated at school.”
I can’t exactly explain why but The K’s really are my soft spot band. Maybe it’s their humbleness? Maybe it’s their charm? Maybe it’s their sensational music? True be told, it’s probably all of those things, but I will always continue to support their journey.
Thank you, lads.
‘PANDAMONIUM’ REVIEW POSTED ON WORDPRESS 10/05/2022
A woman claims she was sexually assaulted at Code nightclub in Sheffield on Wednesday 30th March.
When Eleanor asked security for help, she claims a bouncer “physically assaulted” her while trying to remove her from the club.
The incident left Eleanor “physically injured” and feeling “traumatised.”
At around 3.10am, Eleanor was making her way to the downstairs section of Code when she claims she was sexually assaulted by a male passerby.
She told staff about the alleged assault but, a short while after, Eleanor and her friends ended up getting kicked out of the club.
When Eleanor challenged why she was being removed, she claims staff said: “I don’t care it’s time for you to go.”
The woman did not understand why she was being removed and a dispute broke out between the bouncers and her friends.“I was going to walk away but then I thought no, this guy has no reason to touch you. I didn’t understand. This guy had sexually assaulted me yet it was us being kicked out,” Eleanor said.
She claims she was then manhandled and forced out despite repeatedly asking the bouncer to let go of her. The incident left Eleanor covered in bruises. “He was pushing me and grabbing me,” she said. “At this point Naomi [her friend] started filming and then he started shouting and swearing at her.”
Footage taken by Eleanor shows another angle from outside the club of a bouncer walking towards Naomi.
In this video, the bouncer walks towards Naomi, pushing his hand towards her phone which suggests he is trying to grab or knock the phone out of her hands.
Footage from the incident shows a bouncer shouting aggressively in a female students face repeatedly shouting, “You can fuck off filming me,” as he moves closer towards her. The bouncer adds: “I’m fucking sick of this.”
Reflecting on the incident, Eleanor says, “It’s left us both traumatised. It’s left me physically injured. I’ve got a bruise on my upper left arm from where the security guard physically assaulted me. I’ve had to take days off work.”
Words: Laura Mills Photography: MaggsVisuals // Square One Magazine
Texas really has been the birthplace of so many huge musicians over the past decades. Again, that Texas magic has given us the gift of another great star: Dayglow.
Sloan Struble and his band kicked off show number two of the tour in Leeds with ‘Something’, and it really was something. A track that feels like everything beat is been placed carefully to create the full effect. From experience, the opening track can sometimes be forceful and awakening for the crowd, but this one felt like a great choice to start with, preparing fans Dayglow style as they sway and sing to this wonderful sound being made. Scattered but controlled vocals from Sloan, paired with the crowd singing along to the catchy lyrics, “Time won’t take nothing / Believe me / It’s you that takes the time.”
With the most subtle ease, Dayglow transitioned into ‘Medicine’ next. Stylish and sleek.
Next up came the classic “Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire!” chanting, so much so that we continued to chant until Struble was forced to join in with us. There’s nowt like making an American say ‘York-shire’.
“And we both know / The way it’s gunna go.” ‘Hot Rod’, let’s go! This track opens with a twinkling guitar riff that convinces your ears you could be entering a dream. This shimmering instrumental unifying the sound together builds the opening of this track and guides us in, although the beat of the drums is present is not clashing, but it’s prominent enough to get the crowd jumping in time with it. As the chorus kicks in, looking around the crowd I felt this utter feeling of a community that had been created in this room starting with Sloan and ending with us. Every singing mouth belting out ‘And we don’t move/ Like we used to do/ In the same way/ Maybe you’re not such a hot rod.’
Throughout the night one thing felt so present and never faded. This certain distinction was the crowd’s spirit. The show felt so nostalgic for me, for years I haven’t been to a show where everyone knew all of the lyrics as they did here, but Dayglow was different. Somehow the music they make directly captures our youthfulness and immerses us entirely in enjoying their music, dancing like no one’s watching.
“Do you guys have prom?” Struble wanted to know. Yes, we told him. With this, he said “Let’s prom!” and launched into ‘Crying on the Dancefloor’. A song that screams the 80’s and wouldn’t be out of place in a film like Pretty in Pink.
It was definitely obvious Dayglow were enjoying their time up north, reminding us throughout “You guys are nuts!” to which we responded “Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire!” again.
Each fan had just about given all they had bouncing and bounding around to ‘Can I Call You Tonight?’, finally catching their breath back when suddenly the teasing Texans leapt back on stage to give us an encore of Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’ and Tears for Fears ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’.
Dayglow couldn’t have given any more than they did on Thursday night in Leeds, and I can confidently say it was the best live music I’ve witnessed so far.
Spotlight returns with Laura Mills asking the questions for the first time. In the hot-seat is lostboy, the Sheffield indie four-piece.
RNRR: In three words, how would you describe ‘Lover’? LB: Ballsy, groovy and heart-felt. RNRR: So, what’s ‘Lover’ really about? LB: It’s written in a way that’s sort of a difficult relationship and you feel like you’re building towards like this big breakdown in communication, a big fall out. The track aims to build tensions throughout, that feeling of uneased, it’s not right and you can’t figure out what’s gone wrong. Then it all kicks off in the middle when the lads join me and that’s kinda like the big fall out moment when everything kicks off, it puts things in perspective. RNRR: With ‘Lover’, how long did the song process take? Comparing with other tracks, too. LB: So, the track started out with that sort of peddling one note guitar part that fall throughout all the verses, and then the main riff section just come about. I knew I wanted to do a breakdown there and make this moment, but the lead guitar wasn’t in there. I sat down and we wanted to make something hooky and repetitive. The main sort of line came about in the studio really, the track we had to play around with. We’d always really liked it but didn’t know how to make it a tune, I think that’s why the structure is a bit weird on it, but I kinda love it for it. It’s short but not too short, short enough in a way that’s like when people listen to it they go “f**k” and wish it had been longer. RNRR: What would you rate ‘Lover’ out of ten? LB: Ten. RNRR: Definitely a ten? LB: Yep. I’d like to say 11 or 12, but I hate people that do that. So, ten. RNRR: Comparing ‘Lover’ to your other tracks, how does it stand up? Would you say it’s better? LB: I don’t like to pick amongst my children because I love them all, they’ve all got different feels. The next track we’ve got dropping, which is gunna be pretty soon, is called ‘Maple’. That’s a lot more kinda heart-felt and it’s got more of a feel of our older stuff, like ‘Luna‘, which I know a lot of people love. We wanted to give them something like that. I dunno, the whole EP is like this natural progression from start to finish. The first track is how I used to write music when I was listening to rock bands when I was a kid, the tracks in the middle are what we’ve been doing as lostboy but a bit more advanced, sounds a bit better and a bit fresher. Then the last track on the EP is the way we are heading.We spent last weekend in Liverpool and other than going out with the guys from Bandit – we went out with them to this little Irish bar and got smashed and there was guy with a kiss mark on his bum cheek and apparently the pub was called “Kiss My Ass” in Irish – we weren’t just dossing about, we were writing new music and the new stuff we’ve written that weekend makes sense to the EP and when people hear it, we might play it on tour, it will make sense. RNRR: If ‘Lover’ was the first lostboy song someone heard, what do you hope they would think?LB: Hopefully, that this would sound better live and then they go to our website and buy tickets to the shows and merch. Then I’d check my bank account and wouldn’t be having a Pot Noodle for tea. RNRR: I know the last time we chatted was after your show in Sheffield, and from the sounds of it the approach to lostboy’s music has changed. Has it changed since then? LB: I think what happened was that we did the vast majority of writing for lostboy in Lockdown without that live element with the band. I think now we’re writing it for the stage, when I write a tune or going over a guitar set, I go “Who’s gunna kick off to this? Can I see it?” RNRR: I know so many upcoming bands, like lostboy, used Lockdown as tool to really work on their music and song writing. Do you worry now with life seeming to be returning to normal that you’ll have the time to put into lostboy? LB: When we were in Lockdown I was on furlough, but before that I was working a lot, and I saw that, I wanted to make sure I had the time to actually put work into the thing I love. So, I’ve actually just changed my job so I balance things outside and still do it. I’m working at home so I’ve got that time and I’m proactive with making sure I set time aside at night, even like two hours in the evening just playing guitar and see what happens. It’s not ever something I wouldn’t let myself have time for, it’s a challenge but it’s something all musicians at this level face. RNRR: I think your dedication shines through and with you setting that time aside, it’s definitely going to pay off. LB: Yeah, Lostboy is not going anywhere. RNRR: As we’re still quite early in 2022, is there anything as a band that you’re hell-bent on achieving this year? Any goals you have to tick off? LB: Yeah yeah, sell out as many dates of the tour as possible. People seem mad for gigs, especially after the few we did last year. Obviously getting the vinyls out too, getting as many people as possible listening to the EP. Breaking it with some of the gate keepers like Jack Saunders from Radio 1, he’s not touched base with us yet but yeah some of the day time stuff of Radio 1 would be great. Definitely play as many as possible in festival season too.
Alfie, Alfie, Alfie, that was brilliant. I went into this gig really not sure what to expect, but I was completely, utterly gobsmacked by these young lads and the talent they possess. When first hearing Alfie’s music, I was so impressed, but I didn’t realise quite how organic and unique the sound they were creating really was. Between myself and my photographer, we have christened them with the genre of New Funk… for now.
His debut in Sheffield kicked off with the funky, fabulous ‘Shady’. I already guessed we were in for a good night when the first sound of the instruments woke the incredibly drunk man next to me. This one started with a steady beat of the drums and a slight few twangs of guitar strings preparing us to hear his vocals for the first time. Alfie’s vocals are sublime: a mixture of adolescence presents enough for them to sound sweet, but paired with a deeper, almost teasing-like sound they really make this guy stand out.
Next up was ‘Who I Am’. Every second while performing this one Alfie and the band gave it their all, full of energy and enthusiasm. That’s another thing that marks this artist stand out from the rest: it feels like every song is crafted with a complete lust for life. ‘Who I Am’ has a sound that I could only compare with the American Artist Dayglow (and I’m in love with his music, too).
I’m biased because this is one of my favourites but they absolutely plunged into ‘Stop Thinking (About Me)’. It’s a song that launches right into the most stylish, sleek strumming of strings in a way that seems so much more than what you’d get from an upcoming artist; it isn’t experimental, it’s so well thought-out and executed expertly. You could see with every second guiding us into the track the band were loving it themselves, especially the bassist, who is now the grooviest man I’ve ever seen. ‘Stop Thinking (About Me)’ is a song I can wholeheartedly say is even better live.
For someone so young in this industry, he’s confident in his ability on that stage and rightly so. However conflicted, his humbleness shines through so well too. Throughout the show, Alfie made sure to keep praising his cool band and made sure to highlight his gratitude to them.
Down at The Leadmill, we also got to hear a few new tunes, one of which really stood out called ‘Candyfloss’. When describing this one in my notes I just wrote ‘new banger’ and I believe there’s no better way to describe this inherently enthusiastic, positively striking song.
‘3D Feelings’ made sure if anyone hadn’t sung or danced all evening yet, they had to now, and then it was all over for the night…
All until Mr Blue Chequered Shirt started chanting “Alfie, Alfie”, got the rest of the crowd involved – and soon the boys were back on stage for the encore.
Alfie Templeman and the band finished their Steel City set with his most popular song of all, ‘Happiness In Liquid Form’ – impossible not to love every single second of. Finally, after the show, I manage to grab a few words with Alfie and I really wanted to know how he would describe the show in three words only.
Four secondary school mates from around the UK but just like steel, Lostboy was born in Sheffield. Lostboy are an indie rock band composed of four secondary school friends: Max Clutterbuck (singer/songwriter), Jack Berry (lead guitar), Henry Robinson (bass) and Ethan Reeves (drums). They released their first EP ‘Luna’ in 2019 which featured the tracks ‘Luna’ and ‘Lita’s Place’. Once they started making music, luckily for us, they couldn’t stop! Over the space of a few months Lostboy were releasing one track after the other within just a matter of weeks between. For a band with a small fan base on the rise, this was an incredibly achievement. This is a band that seems they won’t stop til they’ve got exactly what they want.Lockdown didn’t stop Lostboy. Max used this opportunity to put his all into the band and it really paid off. During the misery of Covid, the cheeky chaps gave us the gift of ‘Fool’, ‘Potluck’, ‘Charlie’ and ‘Kid’. The following year of 2021, Max and the crew gave us two singles and an EP, not to mention several live performances around the UK too. 2022 has seen them release one single already called ‘Weight’ – a song I would call utterly brilliant.For me, I have never believed that a band can make it so much, and I will do my utmost to support them.Enter ‘Lover‘, released today. We are introduced to this track by guitar strings chiming like a clock at the hour then follows a rhythmic, driving beat from the drums. The sound and pace of the instrumental makes me feel like I’m going on a journey and this song is heading somewhere, tensions are rising with every single beat of the drums. Max enters the track singing “Lover” in the most masculine, velvety tone. As we move further into the track that familiar guitar riff guides us through and keeps making itself so present in our ears. As the tempo of each instrument increases, those velvety vocals reappear again singing “But it’s a strange old thing”. The drums start to crash and smash heavier each time they are hit while those electrifying guitars support the beat. The slam of guitar chords screeches into a melodic show stopping riff, the instrumental decreases in pace but the heaviness of each instrument increases into what would be a mosh pit at the live shows. Max’s unique vocals join us again singing over messy rock in the background, you can hear every single person on this track giving it there absolute all. The track finishes with the same guiding beat we heard right at the start, this time slowly leading us out of the track. Lostboy, you’ve done it again.
It was Sunday Funday down at the O2 Academy Sheffield when Pale Waves finished the last leg of their tour on a complete high.
The band burst into their final set with the kind of energy you’d expect from a debut, and the opener of choice was ‘Change’. This track starts with a distinctive sound awakening the crowd and letting them know it’s time to go, followed by a constant strumming of a softer choice of strings. Heather’s liquid-like vocals are at the forefront of everyone’s focus and fill the room as the crowd join in to sing every line with her. As Heather launches into the pre-chorus singing, “Now you act like I’m nobody / But you still wanna go down on me / And I know I’m a fool to believe” everybody in the venue was singing along with her. The tensions were rising and rising, each instrument intertwining with each other creating a fusion sound that the fans couldn’t resist moving to. Finally putting us out of our misery, Heather launched into the chorus “I keep wishing you would change, change” sang in a tone not only so pleasurable for the ears but powerfully done, too.
Next up,a clear fan favourite in ‘Television Romance’. As soon as the crowd recognised this one, and that only took a strum of a guitar, everyone went nuts. If you weren’t leaping around in the centre trying to create a mosh pit, then you were definitely dancing. The guitar riffs sound like the shimmering effect found in so many tunes by The 1975 coursing through this track. Plunging us into the chorus with not a missing smile in sight, Heather’s zealous vocals in the spotlight again with “Oh, baby, won’t you stop it? / You and I haven’t got it / Television romance”. This lass is from Lancashire but on that stage down in Sheffield it felt like she was transforming into Paramore’s Hayley Williams in front of our eyes. It’s not just the way she sings that reminds me of Paramore, but her confidence too. That stage was all hers.
A really special moment of the evening for me was when the band performed one of their latest’s tracks, ‘Tomorrow’. What an amazing song! Lyrically so positively accepting and each line reassuring the crowd that this is a band that includes everyone, no matter what their background, sexuality etc; a band that really does care and wants you to feel safe at their shows. Groups of mates or strangers who have become temporary best mates to unite together arm in arm singing the chorus ‘’Cause there’s always tomorrow to get you by, get you by / Tomorrow, won’t you stay alive / Give it one more try?” As Pale Waves drive into verse number two, the pride flags go up every second – so heart-warming as the crowd and Heather singing together “Ben, I know that you love a boy / Sexuality isn’t a choice / Don’t let anyone say it’s wrong / Won’t you just keep hanging on?”
One special moment, of course, cannot determine how a whole evening has gone, but in the case of Pale Waves, they did just that. Every single song was performed with such energy and passion; the crowd were utterly captivated throughout.
Warming us up for the chorus, the crowd played ‘She’s My Religion’. The fans demonstrated how love-struck they are by this track, which was released during Covid, and the lack of opportunities to hear this live due to restrictions over the past two years made it even more of a satisfying pleasure to experience.
Finally, Pale Waves closed their set with their most popular song, ‘There’s a Honey’.
All’s well that ends well certainly is absolutely appropriate to apply to this gig.
Sheffield gig-goers finally got their fix of the Blue Weekend Tour last night when London four-piece Wolf Alice made their long-awaited entrance at O2 Academy. As the crowd felt the band’s presence, roars of cheering from everyone in the room could be heard while they graced the stage.
They kicked off their set up in Yorkshire with the heaviest of bangers, ‘Smile’. Ten seconds of tension before a powerful guitar riff appears out of the mist sending fans flying around the room. Ellie Rowsell, the baddest b**tch in indie, wearing a blue blazer with every pair of eyes in the room on her, and singing in this direct but reserved tone leading me to feel like I’m watching the female version of Van McCann. Every bit of her radiates power and she lyrically demonstrates this, ending verse one singing “And you don’t like me / Well that isn’t fucking relevant.” Instrumentally this song is so powerful, the heavy clattering of the drums combined with the driving rhythms of the guitars making it a pleasure to immerse your ears into. As the chorus hits, Ellie changes her tone into much more beautiful and melodic singing.
Next up, and one of my personal favourites, ‘You’re a Germ’. Starting off with the slight strumming of the guitar behind Ellie’s reserved vocals, the impact of a screeching guitar guides us into a heavy but heavenly instrumental. However, the pace then changes back to something more reserved yet again; no one can take their eyes off of the band because everyone is transfixed waiting for the chorus. The band is counting down, ready for the moshpits and chorus to launch in “One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven!”- and then Miss Rowsell put us out of misery, bellowing every single word of the catchy chorus, “You ain’t going to heaven / ‘Cause I’m dragging you down to hell.”
Throughout the evening the bass played the part of a metaphorical clock, featuring as frequently as the minutes rushing by for fans of Wolf Alice, and I guarantee no one in the room would have rather spent their time in any other place. Every need from the crowd the band f**king met.
A certain two and half minute track was one of the most beautiful moments of the evening for me: ‘No Hard Feelings’. Lyrically something fans can resonate with, but if not can thoroughly appreciate. Ellie’s controlled vocals rolling around my mind and into my ears like fine wine. There’s something incredible about watching this rock star making herself so vulnerable in front of the eyes of thousands of adoring fans.
Wolf Alice closed the Sheffield set with their most popular tune ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’. The most utterly stunning and romantic indie love song filled the room with a sense of euphoria; fans gravitating together, linking arms and belting out every single word. The chorus each time like a tribal cry, “What if its not meant for me? Loveeee.”
The band were not only absolutely faultless but you could also see the admiration and love between band members, just through the way they interacted every single second of the night.
Wolf Alice, you are my new number one.
‘I feel like an actual freak show’: LGBTQ+ students on whether they feel safe in Sheffield
Another student said, ‘I feel like a walking fetish’
I think that here in Sheffield we excel in so many areas, but for LGBTQ+ students we aren’t doing enough to make every individual feel safe. As a bisexual student from the local area, to an extent, I do feel safe in Sheffield. I have never been the victim of a homophobic attack, nor have I had any slurs shouted at me in public places.
So, for years in Sheffield I have gone out in the area drinking, ending up in a vulnerable state, all while being part of the LGBTQ+ community that is still widely discriminated against, and still managing to avoid being affected directly.
Yet I still can’t say I feel a 100 per cent safe in the area.Why? Because time after time I’ve had to watch pathetic bouncers make derogatory comments towards gay friends and I’ve had to hear countless stories of mates being called a “dyke”.
And yes, I’ve been in our gay clubs, they are filled to brim with dodgy, old men. With that in mind, The Sheffield Tab spoke to 11 students to see how safe they feel in Sheffield:
Arne, Sheffield Hallam University
“I think for the most part I feel safe, but I’m definitely conscious about how I act and how I come across, I definitely tone down my ‘gayness’ for lack of a better word when I’m out.
“I’ve experienced homophobic remarks etc several times when down West Street, mostly by bouncers rather than other people which doesn’t help things considering they are meant to be the ones keeping us safe.
“Sheff has a very limited gay scene but even in Dempsey’s I have been cornered by a group of straight lads who saying all sorts of vulgar things to me.”
Anonymous, University of Sheffield
“I was being searched for mandatory reasons by club bouncers after the spiking issues. When I approached the bouncer he said he would only search and let me in ‘if I promised not to get hard’ while he patted me down.
“I often don’t feel safe when going to bars on West Street, it’s here where the most amount of homophobic comments have been made.
“In Sheffield, LGBTQ+ people only have two venues that are gay safe spaces and even they are not safe due to homophobic people using them as a late night option instead of going home.”
A spokesperson for the club in question said: “I have spoken to all the current doormen and none have any recollection of this incident, they’re adamant they wouldn’t say anything like that. We trust this doorman completely as we’ve never had any complaints about him and he has never shown any other malicious behaviour.
“Our staff come from a variety of different backgrounds including ethnicity and sexuality, this makes it hard to believe this was said. Our staff and customer well being is our number one priority. We are part of the ask for Angela scheme which aims to protect vulnerable people.
“We are also part of the best bar none scheme which helps to promote the four licensing objectives, which aims to keep people safe and looked after in the hospitality industry.”
Anonymous, Sheffield Hallam University
“When I’m out in Sheffield with a girl I feel like I’m a walking fetish. It’s like men see me as a challenge, despite the fact I make it very clear I’m not interested in them.
“I’m tired of hearing things like ‘I can make you change your mind’ when I tell men I’m gay.
“Sometimes when I’m out in Sheffield I feel like an actual freak show just because of the way people react to two women or two men being together.”
Lauren, Sheffield Hallam University
“My experience as a gay woman in Sheffield is overwhelmingly positive but I don’t think this city embraces its LGBTQ+ community like some others do.
“The fact that there is only two gay bars is very poor, and the fact it’s full of old, creepy men is even poorer.”
Meg, Sheffield Hallam University
“I feel safe in the sense that living in the City Centre there is far more diversity and acceptance, I come from a small village and there is a huge difference in tolerance
“BUT then I also think there’s a bigger risk of violence against the community just because there are far more LGBTQ+ people.”
Anonymous, Sheffield Hallam University
“I wouldn’t say I necessarily feel unsafe as someone who’s LGBTQ+ in Sheffield, however, I do wish that there were more LGBTQ+ spaces to allow me to express my sexuality in a specifically ‘gay-friendly’ space.”
Marnie, Sheffield Hallam University
“Living in Sheffield identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community is more than often a pleasant, accepting city to be in. The nightlife and the people in Sheffield exhibit the typical Yorkshire love and acceptance that we look for as part of a minority group in society.
“Yet, I cannot say that I have never been a victim to a hate crime in Sheffield.
“I can say with conviction that 90 per cent of the people in Sheffield spread nothing but love and positivity, unfortunately, that small percentage can dampen the bright light that emits from this loving city.”
Tom, University of Sheffield
“I have never felt unsafe as a bi guy in Sheffield.
“Whether it’s being in Dempsey’s, Pop Tarts or Hope Works, I have never felt worried about kissing or walking home with guys in a completely open way.”
Anonymous, University of Sheffield
“I think safe spaces are often occupied by non-members of the LGBTQ+ community, which aren’t allies
“I often witness homophobic/transphobic situations in safe spaces such as Dempsey’s and Queer Junction.”
Freya, Sheffield Hallam University
“I definitely feel safe in Sheffield as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, especially these days.
“I would even argue that it’s praised more than it is rejected. Whenever I’ve told a new friend that I’m bi, its always been accepted.”
Anonymous, Sheffield Hallam University
“I feel really safe in Sheffield; especially in places like Queer Junction and Dempsey’s, everyone is so accepting.
“I’ve never had an issue with homophobia on a night out, which I feel really lucky about.”
Queer Junction and Dempsey’s have been contacted for comment.
Last time I had the pleasure of watching The Clause play in Sheffield, they informed me that Sheffield might not be a location on their next tour. That’s why when I found out they were going to be playing in Sheffield this week, I was absolutely ecstatic. And they didn’t disappoint.
Birmingham’s rising stars The Clause kicked off show number one of the tour down at Network on Tuesday night. The four-piece kicked off their set with the yet to be released, Electric. What an opener! The track kicks off with an array of guitar riffs intertwining around one another, the sound coming from the instruments is one that seems directionless but supported by Pearce’s vocals singing ‘Electric’ in such controlled manner guides us into a section of groovy guitars, a funky beat from the drums with the band members shimmying their shoulders to the chic sound they’re creating. A sublime, powerful opening track and a good old boogie on a Tuesday!
A few tracks later, hot on its heels, Hate The Player. Through each note there was this underlying tone of adolescent cheekiness paired along with a rumbling bass and psychedelic sound racing around the room. Something about this one felt experimental but in such raw, integral way like the boys tried to push something with this song and it absolutely paid off. A track, from start to finish, filled to the brim with power and energy pushing through via the underrated drums.
The Clause’s latest single Cruella was welcomed so warmly by the Sheffield crowd. Slightly different to their sleek style, this track shows how heavy The Clause can go and you can hear that classic rocky, raw sound running through the entire track. Such an interesting song that really shows this band are willing to experiment and try anything to find their perfect sound. Coursing through this track is forceful bass rumbling into trouble. Here is the Network stage in front of me and there is an unsigned band but every inch of me knows I’m listening to the next big stars.
Finally, No baseline just straight techno, next up In My Element. Definitely the band’s signature and most successful track to date. The crowd’s best reaction was to this performance and the rapport was built by Pearce and fans singing in harmony together. The whole crowd jumping and dancing, if you managed to keep hold of your pint after this one, congrats.
A sleek, stylish and scintillating show throughout.
So A-Level pupils are getting a safety net – where is the support for uni students?
What’s clear is that we are at the bottom of the list when it comes to support
Last week, the government announced its plans to reveal some topics that will appear on A-Level exam papers and to provide pupils with a safety net to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. While I’m thrilled to see the government is FINALLY taking some responsibility for the mess it’s created in the education system, I’m a little confused as to why there has been no mention of uni students. Does our education not matter? Of course it does. We deserve a safety net too.
What’s clear is that we are at the bottom of the list when it comes to support
I understand that exams are being marked more generously to combat Covid’s negative impact on learning, but one of the most impacted groups has always been uni students and we should be given that extra support too.
Students who have experienced university during the pandemic years will be well aware of how much of a shit-show it’s all been. And what’s clear is that we are at the bottom of the list when it comes to support.
It felt like uni students just had to crack on with it
As someone who started in 2019, my learning has been negatively-impacted since I began my degree. Teaching was cancelled due to strikes, which wasn’t the most settling start to my university experience.
Then came Covid-19, bringing with it the temporary end of face-to-face teaching. Degrees were moved online overnight and poor academic resources were put on blackboard. This seemed like nothing more than a token gesture.
And unsurprisingly this had damaging effects on students’ mental health. I feel like this is something the government didn’t prioritise. They failed to take any action to do something tangible to help.
Uni students were basically told to crack on with it all, while still producing work to a very high standard. This was emotionally draining.
As someone who went through this, I can’t tell you how much I didn’t want to complete my work. I felt like I couldn’t do it and I’d completely lost the passion for my course. Alongside this, we were separated from our friends and families, while being chased for rent by greedy halls and landlords.And in all this, where was the government?
The government rarely mentions students
As the academic year was about to start in 2020 our PM had a decision to make – to let students proceed as normal or to negatively impact learning even further.
Our PM chose to let us carry on as normal, and when Covid cases began to rise again, he let us take the blame for mixing. I remember being sat watching the news on so many occasions during the lockdowns, listening to different members of the government spewing absolute garbage but never even mentioning uni students.
The government has made it clear where they stand in terms of university. If they don’t want to support students learning during a pandemic, then what is our role? To keep the economy afloat for them? That’s the way it seems.
‘Boys running for the bus and missing it’: Sheffield’s biggest icks
Imagine your man in a bath without any bubbles4 MONTHS AGO
Have you ever been on a date and felt an sudden stomach dropping sensation after something they’ve said? Has one single text message instantly changed the way you see them or feel about them? My friend, it sounds like you’ve got the ick.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’re aware of what an ‘ick’ is. For those who don’t, look up the urban dictionary definition.
Girls getting the ‘ick’ over things boys do has become a running joke on social media. In no way are the comments all truthful or meant to be harmful. They are just a bit of fun.
The Sheffield Tab spoke to female students in the city, to find out their biggest icks. Here are some of our favourites.
Splitting the bill
Splitting it is fine, but calculating it at the table? Where is the date etiquette?
The heat of their Nando’s sauce
Sometimes admitting you like Lemon & Herb is better than a red face.
Not even an ick, just annoying.
You are NOT an influencer.
Polo necks
If you owned one of these before reading this, I hope you don’t after.
Dating during the festive season
Yeah, I mean Ice Skating is sooooooo easy.
Lost your key?
I mean, to be fair, it is a very simple task.
Bit windy?
Why use an umbrella if you can’t tame it?
Snapchat filters
Yes, please stop that. We’re in 2021 now. Grow up.
Year 7 PE vibes
This one is funny to watch but if it’s your man, turn the other way.
Missing the bus
After reading this I’d recommend that men stay stationary.
A trip to Hollywood Bowl
To avoid spending forever alone, all future bowling dates must be cancelled.
Baths
Come on bubble bath is literally about a quid.
Boys that drink cider
Vodka, lager, gin, whiskey, rum, absolutely anything you desire. Just NOT cider.
I’m a third year and I haven’t even received half of the uni experience I’ve paid £27k for
‘As strikes are set to take place at the start of December, it just feels like Groundhog Day’
For anyone who’s third year and started university in 2019 like myself, I think the general consensus between students is that we have not got our money’s worth in any shape or form. What have we really spent our £27,000 plus, on?
To sum up my university experience so far, I have spent more time at home attending online uni than I have on campus. YES, I got a Freshers Week. However, it doesn’t dismiss the strike action at the end of 2019 or the disruption COVID has caused to my in-person teaching.
In late November to early December 2019, lecturers began striking which effected my teaching. Lectures were cancelled and work was put online on Blackboard. This is a very useful university resource, however, being a first year, we missed crucial time learning how to use this website for teaching and assignments, so university life was difficult.
As the year 2020 came, I think most students felt some kind of hope. After having six weeks of strikes, it was time for our studies to return as normal. This did not happen. In March, Covid and lockdown one hit, resulting in university teaching moving online.
Maybe if students were given some kind of adaptation period from in-person teaching to online, we could have coped slightly better, but this was done with immediate impact. I’m certain this had devastating effects on many students’ education.
For me, as a first year, I felt completely lost. I was back at home in my childhood bedroom, trying to piece together my assignments without knowing how to properly write them. The university tried to be helpful. They put lots of information and learning materials online for us to use. But, I believe, for the cohort of 2019, the damage had already been done with all the missed teaching in semester one.
Now I really wish I could say second year was much better. Sadly it was worse. It involved a whole year of online learning, sat in a freezing cold student house, wondering how I was actually going to pass the academic year. I can’t begin to explain the toll it took on my mental health, trying to write assignments and revise for exams from a few PowerPoint slides.
I have focused here, a lot on the educational losses I have suffered as a 2019 university student. What people forget too, is the social impact the strike action and pandemic had on my ‘university experience’.
I know first and foremost, you go to university to get a degree but, socialising is also a major part of life at uni. This doesn’t just mean going to bars and clubs, but also means being able to go to the library with your mates or seeing people from a society or sports club on a weekly basis. None of this was possible for me in my first two years and yet, as students, we were still expected to produce work of a high standard. Speaking from experience, this felt impossible.
I do think university students needed more support. I think we needed more support when we returned back to in-person teaching after spending a year in our bedrooms staring at a screen.
Sydney’s finest, the DMA’s popped down to the O2 Academy this month and the performance was impeccable from start to finish.
As the lights lowered, dramatic sounds blared from the speakers almost like the purge siren warning fans it’s time for a party! From this opener, DMA’s seamlessly transitioned into their first track of the show ‘Never Before’.
Hot on its heels was ‘The Glow’, and the crowd’s reaction throughout this track was an absolute scene to witness. Each fan singing every word back to the band they adore, the approach and set up from the band felt simple but so fitting for the type of band the DMA’s are, three lads with their instruments making indie classics. The frontman thought it best he let the crowd take the chorus and he watched in awe as they sung each line.
Photography by Sahar Ghadirian
One special moment in the show was when the band played ‘Delete’ from their first album. A song so instrumentally simple, but with beautiful, heartfelt lyrics. DMA’s performed this song with utter grace throughout and emotions within the crowd were high as everyone used the torches on their phones to set the scene as they belted out each word.
Also from their first album, the track ‘Lay Down’ was given a very warm welcome by the Sheffield crowd. Mosh pits formed, fans covered in beer and sweat making the most of every second of DMA’s set, likewise the band playing their hearts out to their adoring crowd. They may be miles from home, but they looked extremely comfortable and acclimatised on the O2 Stage.
DMA’s closed their Sheffield set with the brilliant ‘Feels Like 37’, a track which can only be described as amazing. Powerful vocals, the instrumental so obviously rock entwined with a subtle melody.
I can’t think of one moment in the show where the lads let it slip even for a second, DMA’s are a band who are not just exciting but unstoppable too!
“A shocking example of misogyny”: Sheffield’s response to drink spiking
While clubs and bars are starting to take notice, many women still feel unsafe on nights out, with one local campaign group saying women are “being pushed out of public spaces” by spiking.
With the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa fresh in the minds of the public, the issue of drink spiking has quickly formed a key part of a wider conversation about gendered violence in recent weeks, with many people taking to social media to share their own experiences.
Men can of course be victims of spikings, but the majority of cases involve women. In fact, data from 22 out of 43 police forces in the UK, as well as the British Transport Police, shows that in 2019, 72% of incidents involved a female victim.
A freedom of information request submitted to South Yorkshire Police by Now Then reveals that between 1 May and 31 August 2021, there were nine recorded incidents of drink spikings in Sheffield. In the wider South Yorkshire region, there were 24.
In over half of these cases (54%) the case was closed with no suspect identified. In Sheffield, spikings increased between 2017 and 2019, with one incident being recorded by the police in 2017 compared with 23 incidents in 2019. Of course, it’s likely many more incidents of spiking are not reported to police.
IT’S REALLY PUT ME AND MY FRIENDS OFF GOING OUT AGAIN FOR AT LEAST A FEW MONTHS UNTIL THIS ALL BLOWS OVER OR NEW MEASURES ARE BROUGHT IN
The immediate effects of being spiked are often nausea, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness, but the trauma can be much more profound. Two women who were spiked in Sheffield, whose names we are not publishing, shared their experiences with Now Then.
“Before it happened I didn’t feel very drunk at all; I was just tipsy,” said one. “Over the course of about five minutes I felt like my whole body had been sedated so I couldn’t move my arms or legs.
“I had total memory loss of about eight hours, where apparently I was sick and talking in my sleep… The day after I felt really weak and tired.
“It’s really put me and my friends off going out again for at least a few months until this all blows over or new measures are brought in.”
“I’m definitely more aware of covering my drink and watching my friends covering their drinks,” another said. “I haven’t been out since the reports of spiking injections but it definitely makes me so nervous because there is less I can do to protect myself and others.”
In line with the national picture, alongside incidents at house parties there have been reports of several bars and clubs around Sheffield’s city centre where people have been spiked.
Tiger Works, located on West Street, is one such bar. In response to reported incidents it was one of the first in the city to provide preventive measures in the form of providing bottle stoppers at the start of September. Tiger Works told Now Then they plan to introduce new measures to make their customers feel safer.
“As soon as we realised that people were reporting problems of spiking in several venues in the city, we decided we had to take immediate action,” the bar told Now Then.
“We had extra CCTV cameras installed to make sure we could see every part of the venue. We have put on extra staff whose job it is to patrol the venue, making sure there is no suspicious activity and people are looking after their drinks.”
Other bars which have put similar measures in place include The Foundry, West Street Live and The Leadmill, which has offered people cling film to cover their drinks.
THE VICTIM BLAMING NARRATIVE THAT STILL EXISTS IS A SHOCKING EXAMPLE OF THE MISOGYNY THAT EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY
On the back of a rise in spiking, a national campaign was launched called Night In, which has seen many people boycotting clubs and bars until the problem is properly addressed. The Sheffield Night In took place on 27 October.
The campaign’s aim is to combat spiking through up-to-date staff training, prevention and treatment policies, greater CCTV coverage, bottle stoppers and cup covers, and greater repercussions for perpetrators.
Intersectional feminist campaign group Our Bodies Our Streets, who campaign for safer public spaces free from sexual harassment, told Now Then that spiking was “an epidemic” and that “women are still being pushed out of public spaces” because of it.
“The victim blaming narrative that still exists is a shocking example of the misogyny that exists in this country”.
The group are creating a spiking map which will go live for victims in the near future, so that they can share their experiences whilst also building up more of a picture of the extent and nature of spikings in Sheffield.
“Through our experience we have found that the police and council do not take issues seriously without numerical evidence to back up women, so we are creating this to take to those organisations.
“We are also continuing the battle to tackle misogyny by holding monthly vigils and educating on our social media platform. We are also fighting to change the narrative – the onus of spiking should always be on the perpetrator and never the victim.”
Sheffield’s O2 Academy was bouncing on Friday night as the city’s newest stars The Reytons returned to home turf ready for a party!
They kicked off set two in Sheff with one of their latest singles ‘Red Smoke’, and what a bloody opener it was. Electric guitar riffs from every angle of the track, aggressive powerful vocals paired with implosive lyrics.
If you’re an avid gig goer, you’ll be familiar with the chant, “Here we, here we, here we f**king go” and luckily for fans, The Reytons provided them with a perfect opportunity to shout it at the chorus.
Picture the scene: fans arm in arm singing back to a band they adore, slinging pints in the air, faces gleaming because of how intensely perfect the atmosphere is. Biblical.
One of my favourite moments of the night was the singer’s emotional interlude before ‘Harrison Lesser’. He told the fans “A lot of things divide us, but we’re all Reytons”. For me, someone who adores music, it was sensational to see everyone united by his words.
‘Low Life’ provided the craziest moments of the show. Fans crashing and smashing into each other, launching pints and having a ball. It was a sight to see, and after 18 months stuck in doors, I think every fan left with a lifelong memory.
Before they launched into the show stopper ‘Kids Off The Estate’, singer Jonny Yerrell address his crazy crowd one last time, “We can’t stand a chance against Little Mix or Ed Sheeran but when you buy those singles we can do what we want”.
The whole scene was like watching a movie and connected everybody in the room. I think it reminds us of why bands like this are so important, not just in continuing The Indie Scene, but for the people that support them too. It makes a statement that in 2021 when you can access every singer, in every language in the world, we still go out and go mad when our bands return to their hometowns.
The show ended with the band and their team arm in arm on the stage. Of course, they brought out the bubbly and sprayed in it over their adoring fans who soaked up every drop. They might not be as high in the charts as they deserve, but each one of those lads displayed a kind of passion I’d never seen before and every single moment from start to finish was a blast.
I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of band I want to back.
Student journalist Laura Mills shares her thoughts on the recent surge of drink spikings in Sheffield clubs.
As most people will be aware by now, a spiking epidemic has been taking place across the country. Cases of drink spiking have also been on the rise in Sheffield clubs and several people have been made victims to these awful attacks. I want to start off by saying what a lot of people are thinking: how the hell has this happened? Reports of spikings have been in the local headlines since August of this year and if the correct measures were taken, I believe we would have had far less cases.
As women, one of our biggest fears is walking home alone at night. For me, I’m constantly checking behind my shoulder and wouldn’t dare put my earphones in because I want to make sure I can hear any potential threats. However, our clubs where we go to sing, dance and have a good time, should be safe places, but even that has now been jeopardised!
Our clubs only reopened in July and within a month, people were already being spiked. Now, four months down the line, we’ve had thousands claiming they’ve been spiked. After a draining 18 months isolated and stuck in the house, why have some people chosen to go out and ruin it for everyone else? If I had to summarise how I feel I would say angry and frustrated, but most of all confused. I’m so terribly confused as to why someone would choose to drop something in a stranger’s drink which has devastating effects on them. Even in the SU, there has been at least five students claiming they have been spiked. If a venue located in a university isn’t safe, I feel very unsafe in city centre clubs. On social media, there have also been reports of women being injected by needles in order to be spiked. This is abhorrent beyond belief.
On social media, people who have claimed they have been spiked have talked about the sickness and blacking out, but the impacts can be far greater than that. For some people, this will shatter their confidence and make them anxious about attending venues like this again. For the rest of us, who haven’t been directly affected, we have lost our faith in the clubs due to their lack of responsibility and action. Despite that, I would like to commend places like The Leadmill and Tiger Works who are offering drink covers and bottle caps. I just wish that other clubs and bars were trying to take things as seriously.
Although the main focus of this piece is to share my opinion about this with yourselves, I’m not just here to shove my opinion down your throat and I would to explain how we can take action and get involved. Starting in Edinburgh, a campaign called Girls Night In is now circulating around the country and I contacted the organisers of Sheffield’s Girls Night In to find out more.
Their mission is ‘to create awareness of spiking epidemic in UK nightclubs and help to enforce preventative measures against spiking.’ They explained further: “The escalation in recent weeks in Sheffield and across the country, in both frequency and manner (women have been spiked via injections) has left women and all genders ever more afraid. This is not getting ‘black-out drunk’, this is getting drugged and is something that must change”.
Girls Night In’s NATIONAL aims to combat spiking by:
– Greater repercussions for perpetrators
– Up to date staff training on immediate responses, prevention and treatment
– Increased searches upon entry to establishments, i.e. bag checks, metal detectors
– Higher quality, more widely covering CCTV at the bar, to be able to see faced in aim to press charges
– Better support and care for those who think they have been spiked, immediately and in the longer term
– More obvious direction to where to get help in clubs i.e. posters in the bathrooms
– Stoppers for bottles and cup covers given out free and in abundance
– Prevention and treatment policies suitable to the current severity of the issue
So how can you get involved?
In Sheffield, on Wednesday 27th October, the campaign encourages boycotting the clubs in order “to force clubs to pay attention and take action against spiking. We implore everyone to boycott Sheffield nightclubs as part of the Girls Night In movement, not just girls.” They added: “This is not a stay at home message. We’re not telling people not to go out and enjoy themselves, go to cinemas and restaurants, just not nightclubs for the one night!”
In the last month the news and social media have been consumed with reports of drink spiking cases and sexual harassment claims. Living in Sheffield at the moment as a woman doesn’t feel very safe. If we’re not worried about walking home at night we’re scared to venture to the clubs in fear of being spiked. A fortnight ago, Five girls were said they were spiked in Roar and other publications have reported a rise in drink spiking cases in the city.
The Sheffield Tab reached out on Instagram and spoke to some brave students who wanted to share their stories.
One female Hallam student reported being followed home whilst walking alone on Eyre Street in the city centre. She was approached by a man who appeared from a side street. The man said she had dropped something out of her pocket and when she ignored him and carried on walking, he proceeded to follow her.
As he followed her he kept shouting at the woman to go towards him. Despite her efforts to get away from the situation, he started to run after her and she could hear him chasing her so she sprinted up the street. Finally, he gave up and the she luckily managed to escape to safety into the nearest club, where they got her a taxi home.
The Hallam student said: “We shouldn’t have to get taxi’s just because there are some people in the world that make it unsafe for us [women] but, walking alone at night isn’t worth the risk.”
South Yorkshire Police commented on the incident: “It was reported the woman was walking along Eyre Street, around 11.15pm on Sunday 26th September when an unknown man began following her and making comments towards her. The woman went to a club on Eyre Street, where she was helped to get a taxi home away from the man. Police are now investigating and enquiries are ongoing.”
Followed in broad daylight
Another Sheffield student said she was followed by a male stranger whilst shopping on the Moor in broad daylight.
She said: “He was walking behind my sister. I decided to speed walk to see if he’d follow me which he did. We nearly ran around the shop. I looked over the shelves on my tip toes and he was doing the same looking for us.”
Catcalled for exercising
Other Sheffield women shared how they are catcalled daily when going for a run.
A Sheffield female said: When I was going on a run, I wore leggings and a long sleeved top. When I went outside, there was group of drunk men and they started shouting ‘Does your dad know you’re going out like that?’
“It made me go straight back inside but, now I wish I’d told him to f**k right off. Thank you to the lad who actually did this for me.”
Another girl shared a similar story and said that when she was out on a run “at least three different cars wolf whistled me.”
Walking home late is something that lots of women fear. Three female students shared some uncomfortable experiences they’ve had while walking home late in Sheffield.
One female student told us: “I was once walking home at night on West Street and a car slowed down asking if I needed a lift. I said I was fine and he said ‘get in the car’.
“When I refused, I went up to group of lads I asked them to pretend know me. They did and only then did the car drive off.”
Another woman said: “I walk home from work at 11.30pm latest and sometimes feels really sketchy. I carry my ID and a rape alarm, plus my bag – I keep valuables in my pockets so I can throw the bag and run easily if I need to.
“I wish I didn’t have to take these precautions. Even though I have a game plan, I still feel vulnerable.Whenever I walk home past a group of men they often come towards me leering and shouting.”
A third Sheffield student said: “When I was in first year I was walking home alone from Code (I only lived in Exchange Works). A guy in a yellow three doored car pulled up next to me and said ‘You booked a taxi, get in’ and was trying to get me in the car.
“I told him to ‘leave me alone because I know you’re not a taxi’ and eventually he got it and sped off. It could have been a much worse situation if I was more drunk.”
One victim of the SU spiking said: “I was so confused because I’d never heard of anyone getting spiked at the Foundry before. It used to be such a safe place. It made me really nervous to go clubbing again.”
Sheffield SU published on their website: “Although this is rare in our venues, we would like to reassure students of our commitment to ensuring everyone can have a safe night out.”
Another Sheffield student said she had been spiked on West Street a couple of weeks ago: “I was spiked on West Street last Saturday with about ten friends. We were taking every precaution possible.”
If you have been impacted by these stories or need support, please contact the services below:
Frontman Max showed sheer enthusiasm the moment he took to the stage waving his hands and shouting to the adoring crowd. His interactions with the audience began the moment our eyes met his. He addressed the crowd comically, bellowing “We all survived Covid!”, evoking laughter from the crowd.
Lostboy at Sidney and Matilda. Image credit: Rebecca Wood
The set list for this show was chosen carefully but effectively, giving fans Lostboy’s classics as well as teasing us by playing three new singles which are to be released in the new year.
One of the classics in question is ‘Fool’. By far one of my favourite songs played during this gig, the band launched into this track with sheer passion and energy, kicking off the weekend in full swing for the punters of Sidney & Matilda. The guitar’s united together creating a perfect sound, the bass rumbling under electric riffs, backed by heavy beats from the drums.
Lostboy at Sidney and Matilda. Image credit: Rebecca Wood
As the bridge kicked in, the frontman had the crowd hanging on his every word while they chanted the lyrics back to him and the band went crazy with their instruments until the very last seconds. Another one of the bands well-loved songs that sent the crowd into carnage was of course, ‘Lita’s Place’.
A song that screams everything early Catfish and The Bottlemen, Max transformed into Van McCann before the crowds very eyes through his intense, energised vocals and the instrumental throughout this track didn’t falter.
Lostboy at Sidney and Matilda. Image credit: Rebecca Wood
‘Selfish’, which one of the new unreleased singles, definitely managed to create enormous amounts of anticipation for its release. Every note felt like dream, starting with a slow build up and a faint guitar riff, emerging into this electric chorus, and the crowd couldn’t get enough!
Perfect and popular, ‘Bad News’ was undoubtedly the most special part of the evening. There wasn’t a mouth in the venue closed as fans sang every word along with the band. The rapport between the crowd and Lostboy was the strongest during this track and I believe every single person in Sidney and Matilda on this night will remember just how amazing the atmosphere was.
Lostboy whatever your mission was for Sheffield, you f**king smashed it!
Sheffield named Britain’s most affordable student city
NatWest compared the cost of rent, bills, socialising and groceries across 21 university cities to establish the most effective student area to live in.
According to NatWest statistics, this year 55% of students used an app to help manage their finances.
The company revealed that student’s biggest monthly spend was on rent, followed by supermarket shopping, clothes and eating out.
Any remaining money spent by students was on alcohol, travel and activities with a small amount going to charities.
The living index comparison also showed that 59% of students attempted to stick to a budget whilst at university, but many said they failed to do so. NatWest statistics showed that only 4% of university students had confidence in their financial abilities.
This year, Covid-19 made the financial costs of university even harder. NatWest investigated the effects of the ‘continued pandemic’ in their student living index. Statistics showed that only 18% of students felt supported by their university and only 10% were satisfied with the teaching resources provided, resulting in 1 in 5 students feeling like they will be less likely to graduate.
The student living index also covered topics such as mental health. NatWest found that students were less satisfied with university mental health support this year compared to last – a 10% decrease year-on-year.
For more information on the cost of student living in Sheffield and other university cities, visit NatWest Student Living Index.
TikTok is an app that most people are obsessed with nowadays, if not at least aware of, but what a lot of people don’t know is it was actually created in 2016. Despite the global pandemic we find ourselves in, TikTok is one of the few art platforms that’s not only survived but in fact prospered in these times. They’re mission statement describes them as ‘the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.’
I believe they have done a whole lot more than that: TikTok has changed the music industry.
For the people who have this app, you’ll know a whole range of videos are on there – from pets to politics, comedy to cars, food to fashion, and pretty much whatever else you can think of. Wherever you are in the algorithm, I can guarantee you will have seen at least one of the dance trends, which is where the biggest influence on the music industry comes in. However, it is much more than the viral dances that affect our music industry. To try and break it down into four points is as follows:
– Dance trends and relatively new artists not only being successful but going viral – Tracks we know and love are returning – Artists no longer with us still being celebrated – Songs that seem as if they were almost made for TikTok
Before I joined TikTok, I’d never heard of artists DaBaby or Popp Hunna and even if you don’t recognise those names now, the dance trends which contain their songs on TikTok, ROCKSTAR and Adderall (Corvette Corvette), have gone viral and got these artists in the charts around the world. It’s not just the dance trends that have sent songs viral, some videos just use the song in the background or have creators lip-syncing to them. As I’m writing this, even just checking the UK Top 40, the number one is currently ‘drivers license’ by Olivia Rodrigo – a song which again has gone viral on TikTok, by an artist I’d never really heard of before.
We all love a good throwback, and it seems this is something that TikTok is becoming renowned for. Only recently, a remix of the 80s hit ‘Love Shack’ by The B-52’s has gone viral, possibly for some younger people on the app being the first time they’ve heard this track. Another classic, ‘Rasputin’ by Boney M., which was released even further ago in the 70s also made a comeback through TikTok trends. It almost seems bizarre that these songs have come full circle thanks to this app, but it’s also incredible because it means we can enjoy songs that we may have forgotten about. Sheffield stars Arctic Monkeys released their fifth album AM in 2013 and amazingly have got back in the charts with a song, the fantastic ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’, after being featured in videos on this app.
American drill artist Pop Smoke, who sadly died last year, is still being celebrated on this app through his music. On 20 July 2020, which would have been his 21st birthday, his album titled Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon was released and many of the songs from the album went viral on TikTok, including ‘Mood Swings’ and ‘What You Know Bout Love’. His music also entered the top of the charts around the world and for a lot of people it gave them the opportunity to enjoy this artist again; for others, the chance to discover him and pay tribute.
Finally – and this is pure speculation – there are several songs that almost seem as though they were made exactly for this app. I’m sure many people know the artist Billie Eilish. For someone who’s just turned 19-years-old, she’s had the kind of success in the music industry that most could only dream about. Any time Billie releases a new track, there’s always a massive response and because of this she’s proven whatever she produces will do well. When she released Therefore I Am, in November 2020, I saw it on TikTok before I’d even listened to it on Spotify. From the intro, the lyrics “Stop, what the hell are you talking about?” seemed particularly popular on TikTok; in fact, it was so popular there were around 3 million videos featuring the lyrics. This then led me to think if it was made with the platform in mind? Or was it just luck that it went viral on this app as well as reaching number one in the charts?
Whatever your views are on TikTok, you cannot deny the huge effect it’s had on the music industry globally; it’s purely for individuals to decide whether they see this in a positive light. One thing that’s absolutely certain: this influence isn’t going to change anytime soon.
Picture Perfect: Sheffield pals open Studio 6 at The Leadmill
This year, two students at Sheffield Hallam University, Tom and Reece, have set up their own photography studio at The Leadmill. The lads met at a gig in York that they were both photographing and were instantly connected by their passion for music, film photography and gigs. For Reece, this venture is a dream come true and has been on his bucket list for years!
Currently, the studio is still being set up, but when lockdown is lifted they hope to invite a variety of bands and models down to snap. To enable them to carry out this work, they have a range of high-tech equipment in the studio including a professional setup of backdrops and general studio lighting such as umbrella lights and softboxes. Tom and Reece have a Canon 6D Mk ii each, plus a collection of film cameras: Pentax K1000, Nishika N8000, Canon AE-1 Program and a Mamiya RB67. They’re hoping to release an IGTV series soon where they review these cameras and give general information about them.
What are they hoping to gain from doing this? They want to work with a range of musicians from the Sheffield music scene as well as gaining a large following from locals. However, they aspire to work further afield too with artists from cities like Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. Tom explains how he loves speaking to musicians and promoters: “They have insights and you just learn so much, so any experience and knowledge gained is always a win.”
During this project it’s not only bands they hope to work with but other external organisations too including local camera shops. There’s an aspiration to work with Sheffield artists such as Pete Mckee one day too as Tom is a “huge fan of McKee and his art style”. This project isn’t the first taste they’ve had of working in a studio: both have experience in academic studios and Tom photographed a gig at The Leadmill before Coronavirus hit, Sabella’s final show in January of last year.
One thing I really admire about these two is despite the past year almost drying up most people’s motivation and creativity, they’re still putting their heart and souls into making this project work. Even in these unprecedented times, they have adapted their approach to making sure any work in the studio is carried out while safely, sectioning up the studio with tape to enable people to keep 2m apart and ensuring plenty of masks and sanitiser for when they can invite people down. They plan to also offer outdoor shoots to help keep themselves and clients safe.
I was keen to find out how they thought Covid-19 had affected creative startups like their own. Tom explains: “In terms of the music industry, I think it’s really struggling; smaller bands are finding it hard to manage to stay together and to keep inspiration. We haven’t had anyone in yet and the rules about photography has been a bit vague. The Government are sending a few mixed messages; they need to crack down on the rules and start being specific and methodical about it now.” He adds, “Bit jealous of New Zealand really.”
Looking optimistically into the future, the lads have their own personal goals. Tom expresses how Reece is a huge fan of bands such as Cassia, Giant Rooks and Bastille, “so if he manages to photograph or go on tour with them at some point, I’m sure he’d be ecstatic. For me, the dream has always been to photograph Sheffield artists, and I’m a huge fan of Richard Hawley, Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and the Makers and every Joe Carnall project – he’s probably my favourite musician.”
Whatever these guys explore in the future, I’m sure with the grit and determination they both possess, they will prosper. Good Luck!
Music reviewer Laura Mills pays an emotional tribute to some of her best-loved Sheffield music venues
Any avid gig-goer in Sheffield will know we have a range of great music venues in the city. Some have been around for a short period of time, but others have been a foundation for Sheffield’s live music scene for years, opening its stages to many stars in the process.
First up is my personal favourite and Sheffield’s longest-running music venue, The Leadmill. It first opened its doors in 1980 and has since won multiple awards for its service. This venue has had many amazing bands and artists grace the stages, plenty from Sheffield itself such as Pulp and Arctic Monkeys, but also many other well-known stars from across the ages and genres, including Oasis, Jorja Smith, Kasabian and Lewis Capaldi. This venue not only hosts all the best gigs but provides the best club nights, too – the most popular of these being Sonic Saturday which they describe as “Indie Rock VS Motown, Disco, Funk & Soul”. If you’ve never been, go. Seriously – just go.
Image: Model D Photography
Next up we have Sheffield’s biggest venue, Fly DSA Arena, which was opened in 1991 by Queen Liz, no less. The first ever show played here was by Paul Simon during his Born at the Right Time Tour. Oasis also played their first ever arena show here in 1995. The venue has had many of the biggest stars in the music industry perform on its stages in recent years, such as Little Mix, Ariana Grande, The Killers and Drake. It’s also important for grassroots music too, with SIV Live regularly hosting exclusive events with upcoming artists. However, the arena does not only entertain but is now getting stuck in and helping in these challenging times. At this current moment it is open as a vaccination centre and throughout last year was running as a drive-in test centre for Covid-19.
Another significant venue for me is O2 Academy Sheffield. The O2 went from being one of Sheffield’s top nightclubs to one of its main live music venues in 2008 and holds a special place in my heart as it’s where I did my first ever gig review for Exposed! Since its opening, hundreds of established bands and artists have performed here such as Two Door Cinema Club, Prodigy (the loudest gig yet), Catfish and The Bottlemen, and Stereophonics. It is also important to mention this is where Joe Carnall Jnr hosts his ever-popular Christmas show! If you want a venue where the stage is near enough for the view to be fantastic but the mosh pits will still knock you for six, our O2 is the place for you!
Image: Lewis Evans
The final venue which thoroughly deserves a tribute as its sadly not with us anymore is the late, great Café Totem. This venue closed its doors in March before the first lockdown to move locations and events are now to take place at Sidney & Matilda, which will continue carrying the torch for the local music scene. Café Totem provided some of the best gigs I’ve ever been to and is consequently the main place I’ve done most of my reviews and interviews at. I’ve seen all manner of bands here including The Clause, Animal House, Shangralas, and Only Sun. It’s also been the venue I’ve discovered the newest bands at from the variety of support acts at the gigs. Café Totem did not only host live music shows but had their fair share of comedians and DJs perform here too. I won’t just miss the countless number of amazing nights I’ve spent here, but – perhaps more importantly – the two for a fiver on Red Stripe deal, a now departed offer which leaves my heart shattered in pieces!
Image: Louis Hicks
Other venues – amongst many, many others – which make this city’s music scene so monumental and therefore deserve a mention include Record Junkee, West Street Live, Foundry and Don Valley Bowl. I think I speak for everyone when I say I can’t wait for things to get back to normal so we can all return to our favourite venues. Let’s keep supporting these local businesses where we can and hopefully they’ll soon be back to let the music play!
“Let the Music Play”: Why I Miss Live Gigs in Sheffield
March was such a harrowing time for anyone in the entertainment industry, having to shut our venues and start those long months in silence, just trying to keep afloat. I had some trouble trying to define everything I missed about live music, but with help from my friends I was reminded exactly what was important about this great scene we once took for granted and improve my betting knowledge.
The atmosphere at a gig is something like no other. In my opinion, I believe it’s the best feeling in the world. I’ve noticed over the past 18 months that at festivals I always discover an artist I’d never even listened to beforehand; I’ve also fallen in love with so many support bands and gone ahead to support them on their own route of success. Another massive thing I’ve become aware of, and others possibly feel this too, is that I generally enjoy an artist’s music even more after seeing them live; you may discover songs that haven’t been released yet, you also get to see their stage presence and almost get to know person behind the music too.
If I could bottle and sell that feeling when the artist first steps on stage and launches into that first track on the setlist, I’d be extremely wealthy. However, to me and so many others, it’s much more than that, the moments that aren’t even captured. It’s the sense of connection between strangers all united by their love of music, jumping on your mates’ shoulders to get the best view, getting covered head to toe in Carlsberg, that tension just before everybody runs into the mosh pit (who even cares if you’re about to get knocked flying), and I would say my favourite part: singing your heart out arm in arm with not only familiar faces, but strangers too.
It’s not just a case of missing these moments but also recognising exactly why live music is so integral to cities like Sheffield. Our Steel City, a great place of musical heritage. We have a number of amazing bands and artists from here including Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and BMTH just to name a few. We also have a handful of venues such as the legendary Leadmill, Fly DSA Arena and O2 Academy. Some of the biggest selling artists in the world have graced our stages. All this combined makes our city so special and without live music, we lose some of what makes Sheffield the city it is.
After this year I vow to never moan about the bar queues or the expensive drink prices again. I also vow to make sure whenever the next gig I get to attend is, I immerse myself in every moment of the show and will be sure to appreciate it just that bit more. I hope with my whole heart that we can get back to some kind of normality soon, be relieved from this silence and let the music play.
The world may have gone into panic and turmoil, but this didn’t stop fans of The K’s from having a good old bounce around in Leadmill on Thursday night. Exposed manage to grab a few words with the cheeky chaps from Merseyside before show two of their tour, and might I add the only band to offer me a can of red stripe and slice of pizza during an interview.
How are you feeling about tonight’s show? Jamie: Really excited, aren’t we? We did Cafe Totem last year, which was a really small venue, so to play here tonight, yeah, it’s a really good venue and the soundcheck sounds good, doesn’t it? Dexter: Backstage is all comfy and warm. Jamie: That’s all that really matters. We’ve been watching how it’s made for hours – that’s not a joke by the way, we really are that boring. Nah, we’re all a bit rough today.
Oh, because you played Nottingham last night? Jamie: Yeah, that was a great gig we just all had a bit too much to drink, all got a bit excited.
So, what have you done today to prepare for this gig? Dexter: Absolutely f**k all. Jamie: When you’re doing it night after night you don’t really need to do anything except get on the stage. The important thing for us is having that relaxation, not relaxation so to speak, but time to chill out and stuff, and have a couple of beers and stuff – that’s the best way to prepare for any gig. Its mint being on the road but it’s also f**king knackering, you know? You’re travelling, getting pissed, and travelling.
Yeah, you’ve definitely got to have that chill time in between. Jamie: We did order a pizza half an hour ago now though and it’s still not come – we’re gunna be on stage with f**king pizza boxes!
Do you have any specific pre-gig warm up songs? Because I feel like if I was in a band mine would be ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’ by The White Stripes. Jamie: Ooh La La. Dexter: by the Faces. Jamie: We all sing that together. Dexter: It’s not a song that gets you in the mood but it’s just an iconic song. Jamie: And we just love it, don’t we? ‘Cos we were touring somewhere in Europe, can’t remember where it was. Dexter: Serbia? Jamie: Yeah, and we were bladdered and singing it. Now anytime that song comes on everyone goes “aaaah” we all just sing out hearts out to it.
How did you end up as a band? Meeting and creating music. Jamie: Me and Dex have been best mates since, like, nursery and we’ve been together since then I joined a band, and I was just singing in a music lesson once. I didn’t even know that I could sing, still can’t, but these people thought I could so they asked me to join the band. Ryan went to the same high school as us but he’s a little bit older. We were together in school – not like boyfriend and boyfriend – and were in a band together then everyone went to college and uni and stuff and we f**cked it off then we just got it back together.
Would you put yourselves in a genre, and if so, which one? Jamie: Errr the f**king best ha. No because we’re not punk, we’re not indie, we’re not like Brit Pop or anything. I know it’s a proper cliché thing to say but as soon as you hear us you know it’s us. We have got our own sound. Dexter: Catchy choruses.
I think your voice is quite distinctive. Jamie: Thank you very much.
How has the journey been so far for The K’s? Jamie: F**king mental! The amount of sh*t that we’ve gone through, stupid stuff that’s happened, but a lot of it’s not our fault. Dexter: We’re ready to retire put it that way… no, only kidding. Jamie: I wouldn’t change it for the world though. Dexter: Some of the best times of my life have been during this. Jamie: We’ve built a team around us of people that we absolutely love, it’s not just people taking money off us or owt like that.We all get on so well and it’s just f**king mint… do you want some pizza by the way?
Ha, I’m alright thanks. What’s your favourite track that you’ve released so far? Jamie: ‘Glass Towns’. Dexter: Yeah… or ‘Aurora’. Ryan: ‘Aurora’. Jamie: Or ‘Sarajevo’, it’s got a very special place in my heart.
Could you tell me what ‘Glass Towns’ is about? Jamie: Where we’re from. We live near Warrington but also a place called St Helens. We live in the middle. Its main export has always been glass, like Sheffield and steel. It’s about how you’ve got your life planned out for you: you can have an apprenticeship at Pilks, go to school, go to college, and get an apprenticeship, and it’s just about us saying “We don’t f**king want to do that”. Not so much get away from the town, if you take it literally that’s what it’s saying, but we f**king love where we live don’t we?
How do you feel the internet has impacted your success so far? Dexter: Massively. One sec, I’ve got a mouth full of pizza. Yeah, we really focused on social media at the start because we knew that’s where you get people asking questions. Jamie: Negatively. No, only joking its good but f**k me it does my f**king head in. Jesus Christ, tell you what, I’d rather be a band before the internet. One: we’d be millionaires by now, because people would be buying the f**king songs not streaming them. Some of the stuff people put about us on the internet, bad or good, I just think f**k off. I sound a prick don’t I?
No, no I do get what you’re saying. Jamie: The thing is hassle can explode from nowhere when you’re just sat in your bed, something happens on the internet on social media you think f**k sake I’m gunna have to sort this out.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Jamie: I don’t know. Dexter: I don’t think we’ve been given any good advice to be quite honest. Ryan: Live your life with no regrets.
Haha, have you just made that up now? Ryan: No! It’s good advice.
What’s next for The K’s? Jamie: A lot of big gigs – a lot, a lot, a lot.
Review Interview wrapped up, I imagine more cans downed, and a lot more laughter as the lads waited to grace the Leadmill stage. The band kicked off their Sheffield set with the powerful ‘Got a Feeling’. The crowd absolutely launched into full carnage mode and sent their drinks flying as they smashed and crashed into each other. They weren’t the only ones enjoying themselves though, it was clear the band were too. Each member giving their instruments their all with smiles from ear to ear.
In between each track, true Yorkshire style, the “Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire’” chants started along with “The K’s are on fire”. This set the wheels in motion for ‘Glass Towns’ entrance to the party. Like the lyrics in this track, all the punters felt this one running through our brains and coursing through our veins – that’s the impact it made. Fans jumping, belting out every line and in the current climate we are in where there is so much fear amongst us all, for just under three minutes joy was captured thanks to this incredible band.
Waiting patiently backstage was something that every single person in the room was anticipating, yes, I’m talking about ‘Sarajevo’. Like throughout the whole show, the band showed that just because you’re not a big band yet, doesn’t mean you don’t know how to play to the crowd and display some fabulous stage presence. The band were not only charismatic during this performance, but gave it their all and hit every note with complete utter precision.
I left this show with my gob well and truly smacked. These lads are not only great performers and producers but have some of the best personalities I’ve come across so far. I believe they have everything it takes to not only go far but exceed expectations too, just like they did with me.
Good luck lads, what you have is really something.
Sometimes in this harsh world many of us just need a bit of escapism. By escapism I mean a good old dance to cracking tunes, and thanks to The Rosadocs every member of their Leadmill show crowd left with a smile.
This fantastic evening was kicked off by the first support act Alpaca Factory. As per usual, the Chesterfield band were on top form and got the crowd warmed up – especially with their covers of ‘Take It Or Leave It’ and ‘thank u, next’. The second support act, and now quite frankly my love at first listens, were a Barnsley band called Twenty Eighth Club who kicked off the evening’s moshpits with their distinctive, raw rock tracks.
Of course, what would be an indie rock gig without playing a couple of classics to get a crowd, that were already going insane, even more stimulated? The prestige venue first played ‘Morning Glory’, followed by ‘Sweet Caroline’, and just before Rosadocs entrance, ‘Seven Nation Army’. It wouldn’t be out of the question to say the crowd was like a battleground and it was every fan for themselves.
Model D Photography
The Rosadocs opened their set with ‘At Your Door’ which received an immense reaction from the diverse crowd of all ages. Being such a powerful, heavy song, this was a very effective track to kick off the night with. After this superb start, Rosadocs then went into one of their most popular tracks ‘Oak Tree’ which had every single member of the crowd singing their hearts out and loving each line.
One of the most special parts of the nights was when the classic ‘House of Commoners’ was played by the band with precision in every single note. Shoulders mounted, moshpits jumping and beer spilt was the reaction to this one. It was an absolute sight to see hundreds of people just united and having one hell of a time!
A special moment of their set was when the band dabbled with a cover of The Wanted’s classic ‘Glad You Came’. Slightly swaying from their indie genre, but nevertheless a fabulous performance all around by the band who made the track seem their own on the stage, and looking around at their adoring fans you could see they were enjoying it just as much as the band too.
I think anyone who attending this show could agree it was a complete success from start to finish, clearly displaying how much of a hard-working band these bunch of lads are. Good luck Rosadocs!
Record Junkee opened its arms to the London lads APRE last Wednesday evening, and it was a rollercoaster of emotions and diverse rhythms from start to finish.
APRE opened their Sheffield set with a cool, slick opener which smoothly transitioned into the amazing ‘Go Somewhere’. It was obvious from the band members expressions that the stylish sound they were creating was coursing through their veins feeling each and every beat. The crowd’s heads were bobbing and the warm lighting created an almost soothing mood.
From this, the band launched into one of their most popular tracks ‘All Yours’. A track that simply feels like you’re in a dream. The light, soft melodies flowing through it are not only sensational but so unique; I don’t believe there’s many others in the industry creating something like this. The whole performance of this track was a success from start to finish. It was so groovy and the crowd felt that too, singing along with the powerful vocals and dancing to this impeccable track.
As each track went on, the crowd’s reaction and rapport with the band got increasingly stronger. APRE also made sure they kept building that connection with the crowd showing their comical side in between songs, especially when introducing ‘Gap Year 2008’ singer Charlie told the crowd “This song is about a guy who I knew who went on a gap year and came back an arsehole” – evoking a great reaction of laughter and smiles.
One of their tunes I found very interesting during the show was ‘5 to 5’. The instrumental is so diverse with these forceful guitar riffs shining through, also containing a chanting chorus with inspiring and relevant lyrics. Each of their fans as they sung the track back to the band, “We live our life” belting out over and over, seemed to feel these lyrics right in their hearts and souls showing exactly why bands like these and music is so important.
Nowadays, many upcoming bands seem to have all the makings of something great but can sometimes lack stage presence. In this department APRE are elite, and throughout the show everything just worked together so well; they were so composed, it was almost like watching a music video right in front of your eyes.
Down at Record Junkee, every single member of that crowd got to see something so special and something they can look back on with pride because we all saw the start of a band that are going to be massive in the very near future.
Good luck APRE, you deserve it all!
Review: Animal House / Alpaca Factory / The Senates @ Cafe Totem
Last Tuesday evening Cafe Totem’s stage felt the embrace of three great bands and it was a night to remember for the musicians and fans alike.
Up first, The Senates set the bar high for the night ahead with their first appearance at this venue. As they graced the stage, there were cheers from the diverse crowd of friends and family which gave the venue a warm, pleasant vibe. The lads opened with a track called ‘Alright’ which included a strong, rumbling bass throughout. The tone and rhythm were very unique and paired with forceful vocals, it was a pleasure to witness and hear.
Another song in The Senates set which was very intriguing was ‘Guilty As Charged’. Each note was played with utter strength and precision, all focusing around the mighty beat of the drums and gritty guitar riffs. A very memorable and exceptional part of the set was their cover of ‘Valerie’ by The Zutons. Sometimes covers are so hard to really pay justice to the artist, but the band completely smashed it and made sure to interact with the crowd throughout and really getting them to sing along during the chorus.
Next to grace Totem’s stage for the second time was the outstanding Alpaca Factory. Their set was kicked off with a simply sublime musical intro which is yet to be named, every chord and note united in impeccable harmony.
The band played a few tracks which are yet to be released including ‘Breathalysed’ and ‘Stalker’, which both received a great reception from the crowd and are now definitely anticipated for their releases. Like The Senates, they also decided to dabble with some covers during their performance. The first was ‘Take It Or Leave It’ by The Strokes, a fabulous choice showing each band member’s strengths including their ability to support each other not just interacting with each other but also through the instruments and vocals.
However, maybe even more remarkable was Alpaca Factory’s cover of Ariana Grande’s ‘thank u, next’. It may seem out of the ordinary an indie band covering a track like this but it absolutely worked. The bands own personal twist on it really paid off and the audience loved it and lapped up every single beat.
It wasn’t just the covers which the crowd seemed to love; it was of course their original tracks which have already been released too. ‘They Say the Devil Wears Prada’ was a personal highlight of their set for me. The immense guitar riff which focuses prominently at the start just reminds me of that unique early Arctic Monkeys sound in songs like ‘Leave Before The Lights Come On’ and ‘Mardy Bum’. The lyrics in this track also show a witty, cheeky side to the band and focus on Tom’s vocals which appear to be so drastically ahead of his time, not only mature but so confident and charismatic.
Alpaca Factory finished their set on their latest release ‘The Bigger You Are’. This track is slightly different to previous releases as the tone is much more mysterious and dark but includes such a phenomenal chorus that is not only so powerful but complex and holds much potential for great things for this young band.
Finally, Animal House’s time had come to set foot on the stage which had been thoroughly warmed up for them. It’s safe to say if you’re not from Yorkshire and you grace a Yorkshire stage, you better make a bl**dy good impression and their intro to ‘Gold’ by Spandau Ballet worked a treat!
The garage rock band, including three Aussies and two Brits, kicked off their set with ‘Legs out for Summer’ – a track with a very distinctive sound running throughout from the guitars creating a 70s rock vibe which the crowd whole heartedly loved.
Track two, and my personal highlight was ‘Heavy’. The band launched into this track which transports listeners to a complete other dimension thanks to the different instrumental sections, smooth transitions in the changes of pace within the song and the fantastic gritty, unique vocals. Everyone in the room was not only swaying along but belting out every lyric too with a grin from ear to ear.
Another special moment in the night was during the song ‘I’m Okay’, where they were joined by one of their support acts Alpaca Factory. Not only were both bands enjoying themselves but so were all their friends and family chanting to get their mates on stage – this moment definitely demonstrated the chemistry and friendship of these two acts.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say all these three artists sent us flying into the month of February down at Cafe Totem and I’m sure each act has a very bright future ahead of them. Good luck!
The Sundowns final show of the year was nothing short of sensational on Friday 20th December. I can say without a doubt the crowd definitely made sure we all knew it was Mad Friday down at Network!
As usual they opened their set with those satisfying guitar riffs we all know and love. Track number 2 was ‘Slip ‘N’ Slide’ released from their phenomenal EP earlier this year ‘What Are You Writing About?’. Just like every other time they’ve played this track live, the bands loyal fans and mates bounced around sending each other flying. Jake’s forceful smashing and clashing of the drums drove this track through the roof and throughout the band were not only smiling and engaging with each other showing the bond between band members but also building rapport with the crowd too.
Making it’s second appearance to the stage, The Sundowns also played another electric track named ‘Casanova’ which is unfortunately yet to be released. Just like every track they seem to play, the crowd continued bouncing around with their Dark Fruits in hand and despite not being released, the crowd still seemed to know each and every line. Every single note, chord and beat lapped up by the diverse crowd – an absolute sight to see!
‘Corner Shop’ also yet to be released, but making its live debut also receive an immense reaction from the fans. A song clearly about youth, something not only relatable that everyone can identify and resonate with but a light hearted fun track too. The kind of track you could hear at a festival, something to be associated with the good times, a certain air of innocence and naivety to it. Through the rhythm of the track, it felt like an early Circa Waves type tunes so endearing and I’m sure a hit when released.
It’s safe to say the whole night was an absolute success, easily the best they’ve performed yet in my opinion. Throughout the evening, each of the lads gave it all. Regan’s vocals in tune full of passion, Ethan’s electrifying, powerful chords precise throughout, Frankie’s fabulous bass solo a pleasure for the ears and the strength and force of Jake’s drums admirable in every track.
Since it was the festive period, of course it was only right to finish the show on a Christmas song and they definitely chose the ultimate one – Fairytale of New York! They were joined on stage by a range of guest including support act Bedroom / Boredom and a handful of there mates who all joined in to sing a line or two!
Mad Friday down at Network was definitely the definition of mad. Now here’s to 2020, I’m sure another year of the band playing more gigs, releasing more amazing music and continuing to make their way into the music industry.
Good luck and thank you to The Sundowns. Happy New Year!
On Saturday 30th November, Shangralas widely anticipated second appearance at Cafe Totem was nothing but sensational from start to finish. The band were supported by two superb acts, Chesterfield’s Alpaca Factory and Dearne Valley area’s HUULEN, who both made the stage their own and got the venue warmed up for the evening ahead.
They kicked off their second set at this venue with a fantastic single, the yet-to-be-released ‘Chasing a Disaster’. A superb choice of an opener it must be said; the crowd were quickly dancing around, bouncing and singing each line as if listening to a classic. In this track, the instrumentals played a significant part, full of electric guitar riffs from Max, the clashing of symbols and beats from Jud, the memorising twang of Brad’s bass accompanied by Dan’s vocals was thoroughly lapped up by the crowd throughout.
Launching into the second track, one evidently loved by all in the venue, their latest single ‘17’ was given what can be described as a warm reception by the crowd. As Dan launched into the first verse each of Cafe Totem’s punters were united, singing each lyric with all their might. The tension had risen, the vigorous smashing of Jud’s drums lead us to the mosh pit – the whole crowd flinging themselves around, smashing and clashing into each other but yet in such a monumental and special way.
In between every track, like their last appearance here, they made sure they connected with their fans throughout in their unique manner; the enticing chords of Brad’s bass and Jud’s drums while the crowd were singing ‘Der der der der der f**king Shangralas!’
Red Stripes spilt, we slowed the tempo down only slightly to drift into ‘Going Nowhere’ – another one of their spectacular singles released earlier this year. As with the previous track, the whole crowd lapped up each single chord and vocal from the boys, only becoming even more united with each track played.
A major moment in the night was the phenomenal cover of Oasis’ ‘Supersonic’. Each single note was played by the boys with precision and ease, Danny’s vocals were on top form and the whole performance showed how comfortable they were on that stage. Not only was this an incredible cover but it brought the band and the fans so much closer together, united in the love of this music, this track, and this unbelievable night.
The set finished on another unreleased track, ‘Leadmill Romance’, and despite the fact that this track isn’t available on any streaming services yet, their loyal fans knew every single line which really shows the commitment of their fanbase. As the last note of ‘Leadmill Romance’ slowly drifted away, we thought the night had come to a close – not quite! A smooth change in tempo due to the heavy beat of Jud’s drums guided us into ‘17’ for the encore. It’s safe to say the crowd were even crazier the second time around!
The sheer determination and hard work these lads have put into making the band what they are today is displayed in shows like this one. If you haven’t had the chance to see these guys yet, get yourselves down to the Leadmill in May – tickets available now!
Birmingham band The Clause sold out a packed Cafe Totem last Saturday, and their third appearance at this venue was nothing short of a superb evening full of disco tunes and an impressive start to their headline tour. Just before they took to the stage, Exposed managed to grab a few words with the Brummie boys set to take the music industry by storm.
Who are your main influences? Pearce: We have quite a lot of influences. Bands like The Rolling Stones and that kind of 60s rock’n’roll era takes main stage, but we have so many more influences like 80s music and disco from the 70s. We try to just combine it all together.
What are your favourite tracks to play live? Liam: It’s different for all of us. Probably ‘Dig This Beat’ for me, a new one we’ve got; it’s quite in your face and gritty, it’s quite fun to play. Niall: I’d probably say ‘In My Element’ because of the reaction it gets. Pearce: I’d probably say ‘Don’t Hate The Player’. Liam: It’s because you haven’t got to play guitar. Pearce: I can move and shake my hips about. Jonny: And scare the audience.
As individuals, what is your favourite song you’ve released so far? Pearce: I’d say ‘Where Are You Now?’ – it probably means a little bit more to me than youse. Niall: I’d probably say ‘In My Element’ for me. Liam: I’d say ‘Shut Me Out’ for me because it’s the only one I’ve participated in the songwriting process; it was our first song, man, so it was quite special to us and it’s good looking back now on the progression. Jonny: I’d say ‘In My Element’ as well – it was like a turning point and a lot of things have come off the back of that. We kind of treated it as a new start after that.
[To Pearce]What does ‘Where Are You Now?’ mean to you? Pearce: I wrote it about my uncle who passed away, so it resonates with me a little bit more on a personal level.
How would you describe your sound and what genre would you put yourselves in? Liam: We wouldn’t really; it’s a bit disco, techno, rock’n’roll, like. Pearce: The new stuff we’ve got coming out has got a lot of influences from disco music. Liam: We’re trying to bring disco back to popular music but with our own spin on the way it’s done.
So your latest track, ‘In My Element’, has a very intriguing video. What was it like producing it? Liam: Producing the music video? Weird, man, because it’s in a nightclub we all go to, Snobs. It’s where a lot of people that are into our genre of music tend to go, so to be in there sober but see the same bouncers you always see and watching you while you do it, it was weird, yeah – but really good man. It was really good of them to let us do it and it gets played in there.
Does it tend to get played a lot in there? Liam: Yeah, pretty much every weekend. Niall: Which is good for exposure. Liam: The song’s pretty much based on that, based around Birmingham nightlife, and it’s a place that just fits perfectly.
So, moving on to Birmingham. When you play a show at home, what is it generally like? Liam: The best way I can describe it is just a brilliant atmosphere, electric. Pearce: We’ve gone in the space of two years playing to 150 people to, in a few weeks, playing to 600. Obviously, it’s a bit different because that’s where most of our pull is because that’s where we’re from. At the moment it feels bigger than the out of town shows purely because the venue’s bigger but it’s just a good atmosphere. Liam: When we did our first gig in Brum, it was 90% just our pals and then 10% of people just looking for new music. But now we’ve found with our gigs we have 10% family and friends, so it’s mostly all new people – which is brilliant. We hope we can be bigger every time, which we have done, but you don’t want that momentum to stop at all. We aim to do one a year, one big headliner, but this year we’ve been lucky enough to do two and they’ve both sold out.
What do your family and friends think of your journey so far? Liam: They’re just happy to come along for the ride with us. Pearce: They’re waiting for us all just to pay them all back! *Laughter* It’s good news for them now; it’s not good news for us, though, we’re going to be out of pocket. Liam: They’re all good lads, they all just want to come along to help and we get to travel to new places with our pals.
Are they going to be coming to many of your shows? Liam: They’re going to come to as many as possible, and it’s good to have them all come along.
Photo: Louis Hicks
What’s the best show that you’ve played? Pearce: O2 Institute in Birmingham but if you ask us that in about three weeks, we’ll probably have a different answer. At the time it was particularly special for us because we were like the underdogs where we’re from and we never got no help whatsoever with it, we just did it all on our own. To sell that out was massive for us. Jonny: It was the same with festivals though too.
What’s the best festival you’ve played? Jonny: I think TRUCK was for me. Pearce: I think Isle of Wight was for me. We were all at the studio when we got it and we were buzzing; it was three weeks before so we had to book a ferry rapid. We were second on the Thursday and we were literally expecting to play to no one. The tent was packed and the promoter said it was one of the busiest he’d ever seen it on a Thursday, then for the rest of the weekend we just got f**ked, which was a highlight too.
So, what do you guys think of the current music industry? Is their any artist you rate in and out of the charts? Liam: There are some brilliant new bands coming through, I’m in touch with stuff like that. The Blinders are getting a lot more attention. It’s hard at the moment because when you look back there was always characters in like the 80s and 90s, and there’s not as many of them nowadays.
When you look back to when you first started out, did you think you’d end up doing stuff like this? Your own tour, etc. Liam: Yeah man. I always had faith. Pearce: (To Liam) Even before you were in the band. When we were 13/14, we were s**t. You know when you’ve got those 13-year olds up there singing with a high voice and that, like a bird? Even then I used to think we could do it. Liam: When we played our first gig, we only had one original and the rest was like four songs off The Balcony, four songs off Definitely Maybe and four songs from Whatever People Say I Am… Even from then we knew we had something special; we’ve never had a big bust-up or anything like that, we’ve just cracked on. Up until recently we’ve had to put quite a lot of our own money into it, and you get a lot of artists like “The problems with touring”. Shut up man. Pearce: If your complaining about it, you shouldn’t be doing it.
Why did you pick the name ‘The Clause’. Does it have an underlining meaning? Pearce: It’s just a cool f**king name, it’s just blunt. The thing about band names though, is that their only cool if you’re big. Bands that aren’t big enough, like when Arctic Monkey were doing small venues like “Oh that’s a shit name”, but now they’re big. It suits our sound as well, like ‘The Clause’ it represents our music, it’s just that. Liam: It’s blunt, it’s to the point. Pearce: I tell fibs, me: “It came to me one night in a dream, I saw it on billboards, it had to be ‘The Clause’.” [Laughter] Liam: And then wrote the album that night. [Laughter]
Do you think you’ll make an album? Liam: Yeah man definitely, when the time is right though. We haven’t even got an EP out yet so by the time an album comes it’s going to be f**king unreal. It’s going to be massive.
Have you got a lot of tracks ready to release? Liam: Yeah, you’ll hear a lot of them tonight. Niall: We’ve got two definitely ready to go. Liam: I think we’re six singles deep now, so when you look at the first one right through to now, at the time you don’t notice but when you listen to them now, you’re like “Oh f**k I can see how that’s developed now” and I think In My Element is the sound we’ve been trying to get for five tunes.
A particular track of yours which I find really interesting is Tokyo. Can you describe what it’s about? Liam: It’s the anatomy of the human species man. [Lots of laughter] It’s about getting f**ked basically, going out and nightlife. Pearce: It’s pretty much on the lines of ‘In My Element’. It’s about being vibed and just enjoying life man. Liam: So then my mum messaged me and asked “What’s this about?” I had to message Pearce and ask him what it was about. Pearce: I had to lie about what it was about.
Do your families actually know what it’s about then? Pearce: It could be about anything. Musically, it’s whatever you want from it, if you don’t like the actual song it’s just something to get you hyped up. If you ever want to get yourself gassed, that’s the tune you want to play.
Where do you see the band in five years time? Liam: Millionaires! Nah I don’t know, man, hopefully with a big album out, a bigger tour and, you know… better craic. [Laughter] Pearce: Not the actual drug! We want to just do it bigger. Liam: In fact, scratch that, we want to be the best band in the UK in five years!
My last question: Is there anyone you’d like to pay tribute to throughout your journey so far? Pearce: First and foremost, everyone who’s taken the time to listen or taken investment in what we’re doing because we’ve been quite lucky to have loyal fans who are on there 30th/40th gig. Liam: Just people in general, you know, when a new tune comes out at midnight and they stay up and they’ll share it with all their pals. They’re the people you need. I think someone said to us recently: “It’s not the people that like you that will get you far, it’s the people that love you”.
And with that amazing insight from Liam, all the boys had to do now was down a couple more Red Stripes and get ready to kick off their tour.
As the boys took to the stage, the psychedelic intro of ‘Tokyo’ was blasted out through the speakers of Cafe Totem. Chords at the ready, the immense guitar riffs which introduced us to this track made the small venue seem like they were headlining somewhere like Leeds Festival. Each note was sung by Pearce with such strength and charisma, making it hard to distinguish whether we were really watching a superb upcoming frontman – as he who performed like someone who had decades of experience.
A real paramount event of the evening was the performance of a track yet to be released, but I am sure after this tour will be widely anticipated, ‘Don’t Hate The Player’. The instrumentals within this track could be compared with those of Sundara Karma: so vivid and exceptional. Liam and Jonny’s different chords entwining with each other to create a sound so remarkable, accompanied by the beat of Niall’s mighty drums and paired with Pearce’s rich vocals. The stage presence of the lads was phenomenal from start to finish, and with each change of tempo you could see Liam’s guitar riffs coursing through his veins. An unexpected treat for the audience completed this astonishing performance, adding in a mashup of one of ABBA’s greatest hit’s ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’.
The Clause finished on their latest release, and what appears to be their most successful track, In My Element. The ultimate gamechanger for these boys, each member of the crowd sang along to each lyric of this funky disco anthem changing Cafe Totem into their beloved Snobs for four or so minutes. Every single punter came out satisfied after an evening of groovy beats from a band who are ready to go straight to the top, no matter how hard it may be.
They’re ready to do this, watch this space. Good luck, lads!
On a chilly night in early November one of Sheff’s most prestigious venues was brought to a standstill by indie-rock sensations Glass Caves. Just before one of their biggest shows of the tour so far, Exposed Magazine managed to grab a few words with the laidback lads from Pontefract.
I’ve read about the band starting its journey through busking. Why have you carried it on since finding success and have you encountered any interesting events while busking? Matt: It’s still the best promotional tool, the cheapest at least, as you literally get paid to do it. Elliot: You’re meeting people aren’t you? It’s not like online where you never get to interact with the fans or the new fans. You’re shaking their hand, giving them a CD – so personal, amazing, the best form of promotion!
Have you had any interesting events occur through busking, anything weird? Elliot: There was a mobile app reward ceremony down in London where some guy had seen us busking in York. Matt: He didn’t want to pay us in the end. Basically, he’d seen us busking and he put the free bar in one room and us in another and obviously everybody’s going to the free bar and networking because it was a business event. He started kicking off saying ‘You’re not trying hard enough!’ Elliot: We haven’t done a mobile marketing event since. Matt: And we won’t be doing one again! We made a lot of friends with some homeless guys in York and they all used to turn up and watch us at 10am and there was one guy who used us as a bank and gave us a quid, then he’d come back hours later and ask for it back.
How has the tour gone so far and how would you describe your crowds? Matt: It’s been really good. Bristol and Birmingham we pretty much sold them out. Crowds have gone a bit quiet but it was midweek and freezing up there so I get it. It’s been mint, can’t complain. Tonight’s probably going to be the biggest, as it’s always good to be back in Yorkshire on the family patch!
As individuals, what is your favourite track you have released so far and why? Connor: ‘I do’ – I love the structure of it and its arrangement, I think it’s very cleverly developed. Verse sounds like a verse, the chorus sounds like a chorus. I like it. Matt: I like it as well. I’d probably say right now ‘Common Tongue’ , one of our latest releases. Why? ‘Cos I like it and that’s it – nothing more, nothing less. Eddie: I think I’d say ‘Taipei Nights’; I enjoy the groove, the guitar riff running through it is immense. Elliot: It’s ‘Do You Have a Name’ for me. It really is one of the best tracks received live; I enjoy playing it live and we went down and mixed it ourselves – and he’s here tonight, the guy that came down and did it with us, and we spent a lot of time over it then we did with a lot of other songs. It’s just very fun to play live.
Who are your biggest influences as a band and why? Matt: To start with we were influenced by Kings of Leon–that was a big one because we all liked them, they were a big central part of it. We have loads of varied influences: Connor likes his big anthems, I like the really emotional stuff.
Is there anyone you would compare yourselves to? Matt: We get a lot of comparisons to U2, but they’re ancient now so I try to stay away from that. Elliot: The guitarist from The Zutons said we sound like a shit version of The 1975. I was a bit glad that he’d heard of us though. I don’t know who the guy is but he was talking about us.
What’s been the best festival you’ve performed at in your careers? Elliot: Leeds and Reading I enjoyed. It’s one I’ve been to when I was just getting into music and just to see what Reading was like because I’ve always been to Leeds but never Reading, good fun. Matt: Isle of Wight was good but SXSW in Texas has got to be the best.
What would you say is your songwriting process? Matt: We usually get a beat, then we usually get chords – a simple chord progression. Elliot: Then we see if the melody can hold itself. We’ve started doing a thing where we can see if you can sing the song to an acoustic guitar and then we know if the melody is strong enough to keep.
How do you feel before going onstage? None of you seem that nervous. Are you fazed? Matt: Sound. Elliot: I don’t know but I think it’s because we’ve done it a lot. We’ve been going a long time.
I’d imagine it’s with the busking, you’re sort of used to it now. Matt: The first time we went out before busking, it was just me and Connor and we practiced for about an hour maybe longer. Elliot: I can’t believe you did that! Matt: It’s weird though, you’re literally just singing and playing in the street and we’d never done it before so it was like foreign. I was like if it sounds bad who knows what’s going to happen… people might start throwing stuff at us.
Have you ever had anyone throw stuff at you? Elliot: We did at a festival once, some guy threw a packet of crisps at us. It felt like a definite lowpoint. Connor just grabbed them. Matt: We’ve had a guy shout at us before on his mobility scooter. He was actually just saying “Shut up!” He just screamed and drove off! That was funny, very funny, and Elliot ran after him. Connor: We had a Romanian Gypsy spit at us. Elliot: She threatened to hit me with a chair because apparently we nicked the spot she plays at. Matt: She was about 88. Always called us druggies to try and get the police on us. She’s nuts.
Why did you pick the name Glass caves? Does it stand for anything or have an underlying meaning? Matt: We used to lie and say we used to practice in a greenhouse, but it was a pure lie though. Some of us were in a band previously, called The Cellars, and we were like maybe we could do a variant on that. Connor: Matt joined and our old keyboard player joined and they were looking at doing a glass album. Matt: Caves is French for cellar, and as a concept, a glass cave, I quite liked that. I liked the imagery of it but the next day we hated it. Elliot: But we’d already committed to it. Connor: It’s weird though because our garage is like a glass cave and it’s like letting everyone look into what we do, our safe space.
What’s been your biggest struggle as a band so far? Elliot: Money. We’ve done everything completely on our own we’ve never had anybody put any money into us. Everything’s been through busking, through the gigs; the fans have put the money in, we’ve put the money in, but we’ve never had any investment. Matt: It’s expensive to run and we would have loved too have recorded another album since we recorded the first album. We busked full-time to record that first album, we literally did 30 days without a break, and I lost my mind. The days we made fifteen quid after three hours was bad.
One of my favourite tracks of yours, which was released earlier this year, is ‘Common Tongue’. Can you describe what it’s about? Connor: I went to a festival in Spain, a reggae festival, and I had an evening to remember. It’s a simple story. Matt: And love is the common tongue is what he found out! They couldn’t really chat to each other but it was just looks really. Elliot: It’s very literal to what happened.
What’s next for Glass Caves? Matt: An album, I think. It might not be first, it might be a full-blown EP jam, then album. We might also be doing a Christmas party in York too.
Is there anyone that you’d like pay tribute to or say a special thanks? Matt: Tom Skinner, the ex-synth player, he’s in the other room. Jack, my old dog, he was blind and he stunk! (A lot of howling laughter) Joel Suitor, the sound guy, and Barnaby Fairley – a rising star in the photographic world.
A few handshakes, a quick snap and best wishes later, fans in the venue were welcomed by support act The Sundowns, who really made the stage their own. The Steel City four-piece appeared to be on top form wowing the crowd with their electric, edgy indie tracks and with this the venue was officially warmed up for Glass Caves to smash the roof off the Leadmill.
Shortly after, Glass Caves graced the stage with a cool persona surrounding them, like stars that had just walked off a plane in somewhere exotic. They kicked off their set for show six in the tour with one of their latest releases, ‘Common Tongue’. This track not only being unique with it’s stylish, classy element, but even being on verging on glamorous and was received so well by the crowd, who sang every lyric with Matt. Each member of the band put all they had into every note of this song, which made the performance of it so effective and great. A simply sublime intro.
Matt then made his first interaction with the crowd introducing the next track: “Now it’s time to take a trip to Taipei”. ‘Taipei Nights’ also evoked a warm reaction from the Leadmill crowd but not quite as much as track number three of the set, ‘Do You Have a Name’ – the track Elliot rightly described as being one of “the best received tracks live”. As Connor’s funky guitar guided us into the track, joined by Elliot’s forceful drums, it was softened by Eddie’s sleek synth, perfectly paired with Matt’s impeccable vocals where you could feel the passion in every note. The crowd started to move their feet lapping up the chic intro. As the chorus hit, the tempo changed into a heavier rocky rhythm which the fans adored. The mood and tone in the venue then changed, rather than swaying to Glass Caves incredible tracks, the punters were jumping and leaping around sending cans of Red Stripe flying – the kind of reception I’m sure the band were hoping for.
Throughout the night, each new track increased the crowds reactions and the band got them more and more involved. Matt carried on his interactions with the fan: during one of the many Yorkshire chants, Matt reached out to the rest of the venue getting them to join in with the guy who started it on his own. As the set came to a close, they finished on one of their biggest tracks ‘Alive’ – or so we thought! The band went off and as the punters started to steadily move away from the stage, the cheeky chapsgraced the Leadmill stage one last time for the evening to provide us with a fabulous encore of the rock’n’roll ‘Go’ – a lively, dynamic end to a remarkable night.
The summer months may have come to a close but the sun luckily returned to Sheffield for one night only in the form of Only Sun and their upbeat, radiant rhythms and rhymes which took Cafe Totem by storm. Exposed Magazine managed to grab a few words with the cheeky chaps before a show that proved they’re not only exceptionally talented but extremely funny too – and sing a lovely version of London’s Burning!
Who are your main influences as a band? Ed: It varies. As individuals we have very different taste. Taylor is into heavier stuff, but I’d say main influences include Bombay Bicycle Club and The Maccabees. Euan: I’m into the underground grime scene, which is the reason for the middle eight sections in our songs.
How would you describe your sound and what genre would you put yourselves in? Ed: Mainly indie-pop/indie-rock. Euan: With our sound, when we’re creating music, we try to create something what will be great live.
From clips I’ve seen, it appears you cannot stay still on stage. Have you all got a favourite dance move? Taylor: The ‘Running Man’, I think it’s the best dance move ever created. Absolutely brilliant. Ed: Aabid tends to do the ‘Gurning Face’ when drumming. My move is the ‘Jump’. Euan: During a show the other night he was jumping about and you just looked like a frog. Ed: Daz also does an amazing face we call ‘The Rock’. Euan during ‘NHS70’ does a kind of stomp around the stage. Euan: The ‘NHS stomp’, it’ll catch on one day!
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As individuals, what is your favourite track you have created so far? Taylor: ‘What A State’ – it’s so punchy and quick. Daz: ‘Lives’ is just us in two and a half minutes. Aabid: ‘Spiral’. It has everything – emotion, soft but big chanty bits and a big mosh pit section. Ed: ‘Does It Matter’. Our manager previously described it as a B-side and for it to actually do so well is such a statement in itself. Euan: ‘I Can’t Stand It’, our latest single, as I just think it’s brilliant.
So, moving on to your latest single ‘I Can’t Stand It’, which is amazing by the way, can you describe what it’s about? Euan: It’s basically about the long enduring love interest of Only Sun. We’re actually quite annoying people and we like to push people to the edge of anger. Ed: Like Taylor! Euan: It’s like a backhanded love song.
What is your songwriting process? Ed: It normally starts off with a musical idea and we’ll tear it all apart to find out what doesn’t work and head to the studio with it. Then our favourite bit, we show it to our manager and then he tears it all apart again!
When you appeared on Distiller TV, why did you choose to perform ‘Happiness’ and ‘Youth’? Ed: ‘Youth’ was our biggest track at the time and we were tight at playing it live so it just made sense to play it. With ‘Happiness’ it was actually meant to tie in with the release of this track; however, the Distiller recording was released later than expect – it is one of our favourites to do live though and we had a great time in an amazing studio on the Isle of Wight.
Following on from Distiller, a particular track which I find extremely interesting (and my personal favourite) is Happiness (All My Friends). What influenced the creation of this track? Ed: I was listening to a lot of Easy Life at the time, which was an influence, but the track wasn’t actually meant for Only Sun but it was so good that I wanted to bring it to the table. The story was I was actually meant to be doing an interview but it was a friend’s birthday that I hadn’t seen for a really long time, so I basically sacked it off and went to see all of my friends. The other guys got the stick for it though. Euan: ‘But it doesn’t even matter in the grand scheme of things’!
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How do you guys feel before going on stage? Daz: Buzzing. Ed: Like anxious but in a good way, like, really ready to go on. I almost wish the night away just so I can go on the stage. Taylor: Adrenaline to go on stage, anxious, but so ready to go and give it all. Euan: I just really need two or three poos before going on to be honest.
What’s been your biggest moment of 2019 so far? Ed: Definitely selling out Camden Assembly – the best show we’ve ever played. Euan: The crowd even copied some parts of the video from ‘It’ll Be Alright’. Ed: We’ve also played duets with No Hot Ashes in Manchester. Standon Calling was also a highlight! Taylor: It’s just been amazing to go on a headline tour and smash different cities night after night.
What’s next for Only Sun? Ed: Probably some more big supporting slots. As much as it’s nice to do your own headlining show, to play support to some of the biggest artist in massive venues is great too. We’ll also be getting back into the studio!
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After a quick pint and a photo, followed by plenty of good luck wishes, the boys headed back to Cafe Totem to get ready for their biggest Sheffield show to date.
Just before the lads took to the stage, the set up was very different from any band I’ve seen before and that quirky, individual side they showed was portrayed through the design on the drum set – a picture of Mark Corrigan from Peep Show. As they came crashing through the stage door and a scene from the popular sitcomblasted through the speakers, the jaws of each and every member of the crowd instantly dropped thanks to their, let’s say, unconventional choice of Halloween attire. Of course, who else to go as but the Spice Girls?!
As they kicked off their set with their latest single ‘I Can’t Stand It’, toes began to tap around the room and everyone was feeling those so satisfying summer indie beats. This track was met with a wild reception by the crowd, the rumble of Taylor’s bass paired with Euan’s phenomenal vocals was so inviting yet incredible to hear. The launch into the chorus was ‘I don’t, I don’t want to see your love, hide away from me you know I can’t stand it’; whether this was your first or hundredth time listening to this song it’s so catchy and fun, each single soul in the room was singing along, like a musical love at first listen! There was no doubt about why Euan described it as “Brilliant” and his favourite song they’d produced.
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Finishing their opening track, Euan teased the crowd making his first wisecrack of the evening: “You know if you don’t dance it’s making it more awkward for us in these outfits – I will come and make you dance!” Guitar picks at the ready, they burst into another summery single released in June last year, ‘Indigo’. As Ed’s and Daz’s chords connected into sweet harmony, Euan surged into song and the whole room started to move around and sway. Unfortunately, this wasn’t good enough for Euan, who made his first break into the crowd skipping and dancing around us as the room bounced.
The soft beats of Aabid’s drums drifted us into their fourth track of the night soon paired with a superb guitar riff letting us know it was time for ‘Happiness (All My Friends)’. Happiness, not just being a crowd pleaser but such relatable track too with the witty, playful lyrics: “Maybe I should just sack it off and go see all of my friends cause it doesn’t even matter in the grand scheme of things”. As they launched into the bridge section, Euan jumped into the crowd, getting them to all clap their hands with the band and join in with “Happiness, happiness doesn’t come for free”. The tension was high and as they smashed the last chorus the song was brought to a close by Taylor’s intricate bass.
One more track left, and it was time to unveil Euan’s famous NHS stomp with the closing song ‘NHS70′. A slightly different tone to their other tracks, less summery more mellow yet still so unique and exceptional. While Euan sang his heart out and performed his stylish stomp, the band played each note so deeply with precision and care; the overlapping of verses created a special sound. Following a quick tumble off the stage by Ed (eventually being helped up by his pal Euan), the band were united as they sang the last ‘God bless the NHS’ together and showed their immense rapport as a band, something rare nowadays.
After a night of questionable dance moves, detailed instrumental sections and many jokes about Brexit and Taylor’s Ginger Spice Union Jack dress, the set came to a close. A night full of fun, lots of laughs and outstanding music, and one I’m sure everyone in the room wishes they could do again, including the boys.
Before their biggest show so far and a mark in history, being the only unsigned band to sell out the O2 Academy Sheffield, Exposed managed to grab a few words with loveable rogues The Reytons.
Words: Laura Mills
How did you guys meet? Jonny: Me and Lee met through open mic nights, me and Joe worked together musically, and Jamie had a studio in Rotherham. Everything just kind of fell together and worked, nothing was forced.
What’s the songwriting process like? Jonny: Riff by riff, sometimes it’s a struggle. We were looking to release something around this time just before this show and we’ve written over 20 songs but none of them seemed right, you know? There’s a lot of a pressure and we were trying too hard to keep up, we wanted the songs to be organic. After tonight we should hopefully be able to get back in the studio and write some more.
Who are your biggest influences? Jonny: We all have different musical influences and backgrounds; we aspire to be as big as some of the other local bands. We could have fallen into any genre but it just happened to be that we ended up as an indie band, and we feel comfortable playing this way.
Being a band that’s already breaking boundaries, are there any other bands which you think are likely to break through next? Jonny: These guys that are supporting us tonight. Jordan Allen. There’s so many like ones from Scruff of the Neck such as Larkins, Cassia, Glass Caves. So many more like The Outcharms, The Rosadocs, Lost Boy. Joe: Even different genres like Coco, who’s just released a mint EP. There’s so much talent around here. Even in places like working men’s club’s you discover absolute gold. Lee: Bloody ‘ell, why don’t we just email you a list?
What do you say to people that constantly compare to you to Arctic Monkeys? Jonny: To be honest, these are the only ‘negative’ comments that we get; we’re from the same area and have the same accent singing about similar stuff, but you can’t complain about being compared to a band as big as them. Joe: We could have been compared to any of the Sheffield bands, someone like Millburn for example. Lee: We’re all singing about the same streets, but being compared to Arctic Monkeys, I’ll take that.
As individuals, which are your favourite tracks you’ve done? Lee: Canine, the aggression is incredible. Jonny: Kids Off The Estate, written about my childhood. It feels so emotional when the crowd sing it back just to think what would that scruffy blonde kid running around Clifton Park have thought of this. Joe: Kids Off the Estate, it’s all about us singing about an entire working-class nation. This track resonates with everyone, it’s something that we’re proud to play and it’s important to be proud of where you’re from. Even people who haven’t had this kind of upbringing wish they had, everyone wants to be a kid off the estate. Jamie: Kids Off The Estate is my favourite for crowd reaction, but I also love Take Me Home – it really resonates with people and it’s a track everyone can relate to.
What are your biggest highlights of this year so far? Lee: I’d say we’re about to experience it tonight. Tramlines was amazing though. Jonny: Tramlines was crazy, I walked on stage then walked back out again cos I thought to myself “I’m gunna have to experience this again”. For all we knew there could have been 500 people there yet we managed to pack out a tent of 5000. Jamie: I was like a deer in headlights! Jonny: Shows like Glasgow and Newcastle were amazing too, selling out places that aren’t even our hometown and still getting an amazing reception is fantastic. Joe: Dublin was amazing too.
What have you got planned for the rest of this year? Lee: See what happens tonight and see what wave is created. Jonny: We can’t go into detail but what’s next is gunna be massive. Lee: Never been done before.
A quick snap, a few hugs and plenty of good luck wishes later, all the lads had to do now was get ready for the biggest show of their careers so far. The crowd were warmed up by a superb upcoming band who originated from the Manchester Music Scene, Jordan Allen.
As the venue filled up more and fans made their way to the stage, anticipating the moment Jonny, Lee, Joe and Jamie walked on stage; Not Nineteen Forever was blasted out and the unruly, diverse crowd bounced around sending a sea of Carlsberg into the air. Shortly after, The Reytons made their way to the stage a roar of cheers and chants were let out by fans: ‘Here we, here we, here we f**king go’ – and the first connection between the band and their supporters was made.
They kicked off their set with the electric Low Life, the pits opened up and pretty much everyone in the room was leaping around, smashing their way into each other and singing their hearts out – an absolute pleasure to witness. Five songs in, On The Back Burner was met with a warm welcome by the crowd – being one of their biggest tracks and having some of their best-known lyrics “Everybody round ere’ has got a cousin or mate who’s best friends wi’ Alex Turner”. Every single soul in the venue sang every line together arm in arm, strangers and friends, connect by this phenomenal band.
As Lee and Joe teased fans with their chords, hearts racing we knew it was time for Kids Off The Estate. Jonny reached out to the fans, and it’s evident how grateful he is: “Sheffield, we came from f**king nothing and collectively we made it here tonight; see, we are the kids off the estate… are you ready?” That working-class nation, the emotion and passion they spoke of in regards to this song was displayed throughout the performance. Every single person in the room singing from their soul and from deep in their hearts.
They finished their set with the classic Slice Of Lime, a set that I believe no one wanted to end, not even the boys. As fans came out dripping wet, covered in sweat and beer, history was made for these four lads. Their journey has just started and there is not another single band who deserves it more than these guys. We’re all backing you, Reytons!
Exposed nipped down to the Sherlocks’ secret gig at the arena
On Wednesday evening, SIV Live hosted their third exclusive live show to date with an acoustic set from Yorkshire’s rising stars The Sherlocks.
The night commenced with a few short speeches. Dominic Stokes, the head of SIV Live, opened the night by explaining the ins and outs of the company. He described the gigs they do as “exclusive, money can’t buy” and there was a real sense in the atmosphere of it being a rare and special occasion. Just as his speech was coming to a close, he teased the room by saying that “there’s a lot more to come” from SIV Live.
As the cameras started to roll and we went live, Dominic Stokes invited The Sherlocks to the stage and they were met with a warm reception from the diverse crowd. As the band took to the stage, they instantly connected with the audience after singer Kiaran Cook made a joke “keep clapping while we’re plugging”. They opened with ‘Will You Be There?’, which is one of the band’s biggest tracks to date. Throughout the performance of this song, The Sherlocks’ vocals were bold and charismatic and during the chorus, each of the band members’ vocals linked together, creating a sweet and satisfying tone which was a real pleasure to listen to.
From track to track, the band interacted with each other by playing their instruments side by side whilst looking amongst each other with smiles and eye contact that seemed not only supportive but also captured how much they were enjoying this amazing opportunity together. During every performance, The Sherlocks also engaged with the crowd by encouraging them to sing along whilst building this precious rapport with their fans – something that is not seen with many artists nowadays.
Just before the band launched into ‘Live For The Moment’, they described this song as “one of the first proper tunes [they] released” and how, after gaining “a couple of fans”, they “just built on it from there”. This alone showed how special the song was to The Sherlocks and their fans too. It received an amazing reaction from everyone in the room – the crowd sung their hearts out and were all brought together by this superb song.
Unsurprisingly, the band then played one of their latest releases, ‘Waiting’, which is already in their top five tracks on Spotify. All the fans were very much engaged during the performance of this track and despite it only being released a couple of weeks ago, they already knew all the lyrics. ‘Waiting’ is the kind of track you know will be belted out in venues around the country during The Sherlocks’ upcoming tour. They also made sure that everyone was catered for during their sing-song covering ‘Hey Jude’, which united every single soul in the room.
The performance was closed with one of the band’s most popular songs, ‘Chasing Shadows’, which was then followed by a short Q&A where The Sherlocks spoke about their new album, ‘Under Your Sky’, which is going to be released next month. The album was recorded in Liverpool, one of the UK’s biggest music capitals, with help from lead singer of The Coral, James Skelly. They also spoke about their ‘Pre-Tour’ and UK tour, which also starts next month and will see the band venturing to record shops and venues around the country. It sounds like it’s going to be a very exciting couple of months for these lads.
Shortly after, I spoke with Guitarist Andy Davidson who described their supporting slot for the Kaiser Chiefs earlier in 2019 as “one of [his] biggest moments of this year”.
It’s essential to not forget all the people who made all this happen. Catching a word with the man behind it all, Dom Stokes described SIV Live’s mission for events as “a slightly different format within the arena to create a connection […] an intimate gig”. He spoke of the arena highly, describing it as not being new but having “soul, history and heritage”. SIV Live has set-ups like this not only in the arena but in other venues in Sheffield like the City Hall and also around the country in places such as Scarborough and Whitby too. They’ve worked with other bands from around the local area as well as with performers from bigger platforms such as The X Factor.
In the next few months, the arena will be welcoming more big stars into its doors including the likes of Ariana Grande and Liam Gallagher. However these exclusive events will always have a certain charm and excitement to them that cannot always be captured on a big stage. SIV Live has got it spot on introducing us to the next big stars in a very special way.
On Saturday night the punters of Café Totem saw the makings of yet another superb Yorkshire band, Shangralas. This four-piece rock band from the Barnsley area, who were handpicked by Spotify to be included on their Hot New Bands playlist recently, took the diverse crowd of all ages by storm during their hour-long set and did not disappoint.
As they started to tune their instruments, they teased the crowd and an instant connection was made between the Brad Cartwright’s bass and the fans who lapped it up chanting “Der der der der der, F**king Shangralas”. They launched into the set with one of their singles, ‘Where You Go, which is yet to be released, and heads were bopping, feet were tapping and all their close mates at the front couldn’t contain themselves bouncing around and knocking into each other while sending bottles of Budweiser and cans of Red Stripe flying.
Three songs in they played their first single released in January and written by the band’s singer Danny Way, ‘Going Nowhere’ – a fast-paced, simple track with so much potential. One of the most interesting parts of the song is the pre-chorus. While singer Danny Way belts out “And I see it in your eyes” you can feel Jordan Watkin’s (Jud) drums, Brad Cartwright’s bass and Max Asquith’s guitar all link together to create a sublime beat that is not only catchy but a pleasure to listen to.
During the set singer Danny Way seemed to enjoy mocking fellow band member and guitarist Max Asquith about the fact he was wearing a coat on the boiling stage. At one point he referred to it as a “Death Eaters coat” and even got the fans in on the joke getting them to chant “take it off!”.
As well as playing a lot of their own original tracks, they played a few covers too. The one which seemed to create the biggest reaction from the crowd ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. Adoring friends and family sang with the band in a duet – every lyric chanted out, everyone arm connected by the classic which Shangralas thoroughly did justice.
One of the last original songs they played, also yet to be released, was ‘Leadmill Romance’. Another one that was very much enjoyed by the crowd and the band alike. Not only an instrumentally complex and versatile track, but a lyrically pleasing and relatable one too.
Shangralas closed their set with the latest single released on 31 May , ‘17’. A fantastic single written by the band’s guitarist Max Asquith, this one sent the crowd into a complete riot: jumping around, mounting each other’s shoulders, the air filled with beer and sweat as the rising stars gave it their all.
Once the show came to a finish, one of their fans described the band as “One of the best upcoming bands he’d ever seen with a massive backing from fans who’ll they’ll take with them all the way”. Another fan whose seen many years of the music industry said they could be “as big as The Stone Roses”, while another added “They will be headlining festivals in ten years”.
Speaking with the lads after, drummer Jud describe his style similar to Liam Watts from The Enemy. It was clearly portrayed through their music that the band have a very distinctive sound; they are influenced by Oasis and Nirvana, two very different bands, which shows why their style is so cool and diverse. They aspire to one day play their beloved Leadmill, as well as festivals as big as Glastonbury.
This is just the beginning for these boys; they still have many big things coming up this year such as supporting The K’s in Leeds, performing on the Crystal Stage at Tramlines, recording more amazing tunes in Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton and finally returning to Café Totem on 30 November.
Something tells me we are about to see the start of something special with this band and I wish them all the best!
May kicked off with a bang thanks to Sheffield’s new rising stars, The Sundowns, when they played at Plug this week.
This four-piece rock band have been together since late 2017, and during their short time in the music industry they’ve already started to make their mark.
Before the show started, frontman Regan described himself as “a bit nervous”. However, this was never displayed for a minute throughout the performance. As they graced the stage, the diverse mix of supporters let out cries and chants showing their love for the band who lapped it up during their intro.
The set kicked off with their new single ‘Slip ‘N’ Slide’, which was only released on 30 April from their new EP ‘What Are You Writing About?’. The lyrics are centred around “a cheap sun holiday”; it’s not only a bold track but a playful, witty one too. Like many summer indie tunes, this one definitely has the potential to be a future ‘T-Shirt Weather’, and from the crowds reaction, I think they agree.
Midway into the set, one of their most interesting tracks, ‘Staring At It Won’t Make It Go Away’, released in January this year, was greeted with a warm reception by the crowd. It was like watching them grow and really unite as a band during this performance – the pacy rhythms and overlapping beats creating something not only amazing but complex, too. Listening to this track, a presence similar to early Arctic Monkeys was noticeable – raw, gritty perfection comparable with the likes of ‘Put Your Dukes Up John’.
The closing number, ‘Circles’, also released earlier this week, sent the crowd into turmoil and disarray. During the chorus, and largely thanks to the force of Jake’s drums, fans were flung everywhere – whether you wanted to dance or be in the mosh pit, you were doing both either way. It was a beautiful scene to watch.
After all that commotion, it may leave you wondering how they felt once off the stage. A “mixed bag of emotions,” they told me. The confident frontman couldn’t say much more about how he felt other than “so ecstatic it’s unreal”. A common theme seemed to be the temperature as the drummer, Jake, and the guitarist, Ethan, both described themselves as feeling “really warm and sweaty” – so much for glitz and glamour of the industry! Regarding influences, Regan and bassist Frankie don’t really think they are influenced anymore they’re “just making music”. This is definitely not the peak for these lads, they’ve got more aspiration they want “more of that”, “to take over everything” and one day even “play Glastonbury”.
The whole evening was summed up by the frontman: ‘Nowadays, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. But we don’t know no one. All you’ve seen tonight is us.” Hard work and determination have got them where they are today and I see a bright future ahead for them. Good luck, boys!
On a chilly night in April in the Steel City, Sundara Karma blew the roof off the O2 Academy in a room filled with raunchy, radical rhythms.
As the band graced the stage, which appeared to be set out as a 70s lounge, the psychedelic sounds of ‘Higher States’ were blared out from the speakers and a sea of super pints launched in the air. It’s safe to say Oscar was dressing to impress on show #5 of their UK and Ireland tour. With each song, the band and the crowd matched each other’s energy both singing their hearts out united in the sweet symphonies, especially to some of their most popular songs, ‘Flame’, ‘She Said’ and ‘Explore’, each causing a mosh pit – bodies flung everywhere.
However, some of their new tracks also received a very positive reaction from the adoring fans, which is from the new album released last month Ulfilas Alphabet. The song ‘Greenhands’ could not be more Bowie if they tried. Oscar’s vocals not only match the late star’s in greatness but sound and pitch, too, with a wild persona to match. Another fantastic new track which was particularly enjoyed by the crowd was ‘Rainbow Body’. Dom Cordell’s bass drove the whole song alongside Ally Baty’s groovy guitar riffs and the crashing of Hadyn Evans’ drums centred around the deep vocals from the front man Oscar Pollock.
Bringing the show to a close was one of the first singles to be released from their latest album, One Last Night on This Earth. An upbeat crowdpleaser with obscure lyrics “Can you teach me how the heart works? And the essence of your human quirks?” – a quite frankly perfect song to finish off an astounding night hosted by the boys from Reading.
If this really was the last night on this earth, Sundara made sure we went out with a phenomenal bang.
Last month, on the 11th of July, South Yorkshire’s indie scene was blessed with another new tune thanks to Civic Green introducing their debut single ‘There Is Always a Light’.
Artwork by Distorted North
The song starts with a sustained beat from the drums alongside the dominant guitar riff which launches us intensely into the track. Only eight seconds in, the main guitar riff merges into a sleek rhythm, a very prominent sound, and makes for an exciting opener leaving ears begging for more. As the vocals are introduced, you can hear the power and passion behind them with every word sung.
It is a very interesting track which contains lots of different elements; some bits are stripped back instrumentally to bring focus to the vocals but also building tension to the chorus. However, Civic Green also use this creative approach to build tension in another way; using the sustained beat from the drums we see in the beginning which guides us to the last chorus. The chorus itself NEEDS to be mentioned of course. As I have already spoken about above, all of these versatile elements in the song are united together in the chorus and gives an almost collective sense in the sound created by the band. Likewise, this collective sense also outlines and reflects on the efforts of each band member when they produced this single.
Anyone who has read my reviews before knows I tend to criticise a lot of South Yorkshire bands because a big majority tend to receive the same label due to producing copies of the same sound and thus branded with “They sound just like early Arctic Monkeys!” But Civic Green have left me not only impressed by their debut single but satisfied as well, creating a song that is not only original but also strays away from their roots and concentrates on the music itself.
On May the 29th, we were lucky enough to finally hear the debut single ‘Dead Dog’ from bedpost, another great Alternative Indie band arriving on the Sheffield scene and hopefully the first of many tunes from them.
A song about one of the band members loss of his pet and the reflection on those feelings created by this tragic loss, something many can resonate with, and the lyrics and sounds create an image of the grief felt in the listeners mind – not only creative but emotive throughout too.
The track opens with a combination of all the instruments, the intense guitar riffs being the most prominent sound but likewise the dominant nature of the drums also driving through the intro. One of the things that really shone through for me about this track is the vocals. Generally with a lot of Yorkshire bands, sometimes a lot of the vocals and sounds are always compared with the likes of early Arctic Monkeys. However, in the case of this band and this track, we are given something completely unique which I found so interesting and striking to put something out there that is completely their own and I believe this has paid off, giving the band their own mark already.
A section in this song which almost shocked me that this is only bedpost’s first release is the tempo change in the middle. A subtle touch of the symbols guides us into this euphoric sound completely contrasting with the intro. This section paints the desperation of the loss and the hurt felt perfectly but as the beating of the drums joined with the guitars at a much more rapid pace and deep tone we can also feel the emotion of anger portrayed through this too. I think for this technique, bedpost could be compared with the likes of Catfish and The Bottlemen, who also use a mix of tone changes in their songs.
Overall, I wholeheartedly believe this is a very refreshing song for the Sheffield music scene and I am very intrigued to see where this band can go next as they definitely have potential to go further.
On May the 1st, Scouse band LONA released their latest single ‘Wonderland’ and it’s definitely the light at the end of the tunnel in these dark and uncertain times.
This latest single by LONA bursts straight into action with powerful, sublime vocals belting out ‘We’re livin’ in a Wonderland’ instantly joined by an electric guitar riff which is driven throughout the track. It makes a smooth and quite frankly impeccable transition into the first verse from here but yet still manages to keep up the same tempo, giving this track a feeling of almost rejoicing the songs setting.
‘Wonderland’ is very different to the others the band have previously produced but through the lyrics you can really feel some sort of uprising of your spirit and I think the band have created something so special with this one and it’s positive message shines through. Speaking about their latest track, the band described how even in these “lonely and scary” times it’s important to remember “how amazing us humans can be”.
LONA also paid there respects to the people working during this crisis “There are people on the front line risking their lives to save others…amongst the chaos there are beautiful moments”.
This track has definitely lifted me out of a rut during this lockdown period and I hope other people find some comfort in it too. Again, this how has reminded me how powerful music can be.
We may be during a pandemic and uncertainty is filling the air not only in Britain but globally too, however something we do have to comfort us in these desperate times is music. Something that not only picks us up when we’re down but also fills each and everyone one of us with hope for the future and nostalgia of more joyous times.
Thanks to Cucamaras, a band originating from Nottingham, with the release of their latest tune ‘Lime Street Liar’, on the 10th of April, we felt a little more of that much needed hope and not only that but another fantastic tune was released into the ever-improving indie scene.
‘Lime Street Liar’ starts with what I can only describe as a tense intro, the very first seconds a slight touch of the guitars then bursting into a powerful instrumental which makes it so much rawer and individual as a track. The song is then joined by vocals that are equally as forceful and dominant as the drums, which play a prominent part within the track driving it forward throughout, but full of precision and passion too and all combined together with the electric guitar riffs make it a pleasure to listen to.
Photography by Beth Lanigan
A song that may not bring one of the band members back to happier time due to the background of the track, based on a heartbreak, betrayal and the feelings than then followed, does however make the track extremely interesting lyrically. Repeated lyrics ‘I hardly thought to notice cos you’re the only thing I know, now I’m sick and tired and I’m so stoned‘ drives the idea of the devastation felt but contrasting with numbness of the shear pain by getting stoned. A very significant part of this track is the change in tempo that completely transforms the tone of the track to a woeful mood and the lyrics emphasise this perfectly ‘The saddest words that I know they don’t mean anything to you if onlyloveless melancholy blue, oh girlI’m tellin’ you’.
Overall I think this may be a simple track by this band but still one that we can all resonate with and I can’t wait to see what these lads can produce in the future.
One of the many problems I seem to come across nowadays within the music industry in relation to upcoming bands, and unfortunately ones in the Yorkshire region, is that a lot of it all just sounds the same. “They sound like early Arctic Monkeys” is all I seem to hear around anymore and for someone’s that’s so immersed in the scene, it’s getting tiring and disappointing.
But this is absolutely nothing like the feeling I got when hearing that first rendition of ‘Perfect Education’. I’m so utterly thrilled with everything about this track, it fills me with hope and relief that finally there is a band who are saying ‘No we don’t want to keep making the same sound everyone else is making, we wanna be different’. It’s actually inspiring, and for me I feel an immense sense of pride for these lads who have come such a long way since the first time I set my eyes on them at Cafe Totem in the summer last year.
Photography by Jeaniq Amihyia
Enough of my agenda for a second, we NEED to talk about the track itself. Many people don’t make as big of a deal out of the intro but for me, the fact is if your intro is shit and you don’t capture the listener within those brief few seconds, they will switch off. However, ‘Perfect Education’ launches straight in with each instrument giving it absolutely all, if this was a novel, in medias res would be a perfect way to define it. The shivers that ran down my spine hearing that intro was unbelievable, I can’t recall a song that’s made me feel that intense for a while, all of it coming together, the scintillating guitar riffs coursing through my veins and the forceful pounding of the drums setting my pulse rating – a track that is literally sensational within just seconds.
Such an interesting part about ‘Perfect Education’ are the vocals. With the vocals, they are so different from those of their other tracks which have tended to be grittier and rawer in the past. Despite that, I don’t think there is any criticism about the vocals in this track, I believe they still have that fresh sound and the Yorkshire accent is still there shining through the song, I like the way they’ve produced them, it makes the track as a whole seem a lot more professional and I don’t think you can tell there a band who’s just starting their journey.
Compared to their other songs, I think the lyrics in this track are a lot more impressive too. I love songs that create lyrics which obviously have a certain meaning to them but leave it open to interpretation for the listener and Shangralas have demonstrated this, pardon the pun, perfectly within this song. Just listening to the chorus, you can hear the nostalgic vibe running through ‘Running round in fields of gold standing in this perfect education when you started at the place where you never go‘. These are lyrics that everyone should surely resonate with about childhood and youth, the idea of being naive to the world around us with no responsibilities.
I believe quite frankly with the environment and the current climate we’re facing at the moment, ‘Perfect Education’ is needed right now. A song that, for me, symbolises escapism and a chance to think back to the happier, innocent times. This song deserves so much praise and credit, not just for the fact that its a fucking brilliant tune but for the time in which its release will provide us with some kind of comfort and joy in a very dark place.
I have never had so much respect for a band as much as these who work hard at any given opportunity and I want to thank them for restoring my faith in the Yorkshire music scene.
‘Perfect Education’ should be out sometime this week, I can’t wait for you all to get the feeling I did on that first play. Happy listening guys, stay safe!
Shangralas, one of South Yorkshire’s most promising upcoming bands, released their latest single ‘White Gold’ this week, and its safe to say its their best yet.
Rich Sayles Photography
‘White Gold’ is the bands third track they have released to date, not only a special tune but shows the vast amount of progress they’ve made since the release of their debut single a year ago ‘Going Nowhere’.
It opens with a strong, rapid guitar riff which is not only endearing but effective too, paired with the swift beat of the drums, the intro is so technically simple but sounds sublime. From the moment the vocals are introduced in the first verse, you can hear that charming Yorkshire accent in each line which makes this track special for everyone who listens to it from the Yorkshire area.
The pre-chorus is very significant in the song, as Danny belts out the lyrics ‘You’re on my mind all the time’ the instrumental behind the vocals focuses on the dominant sound of Jud’s drums which carries us to the chorus and builds the tension, focusing on every member giving it their all in each note, consistent throughout.
After the chorus, we launch into another verse which is carried by the synchronisation of Max’s gritty guitar riffs, the rumble of Brad’s bass, Jud’s drums, but in a more controlled rhythm this time, and Danny’s mighty vocals. As the second chorus fades out, we emerge into an understated instrumental section which we haven’t seen the boys master to this extent before. It is not just divine to listen to but transports my mind back to their amazing Cafe Totem shows of last year and provokes the thought of what carnage could unfold at their shows this year.
One last run at the superb chorus, the repetition of ‘Cos you’re White Gold’ and the forceful sound of the guitars leads us to the extro. Three minutes and twenty five seconds of pure dynamic indie rock and a pleasure for any listener.
The release of this single has definitely created a buzz within their fan base once more and creates high anticipation for their show at Leadmill this year in May.
Tickets available now, you DO NOT want to miss this.
Circa Waves’ latest release ‘Happy’ is certainly what I felt and more when first hearing their latest tunes which went live on Friday the 10th of January.
‘Happy’ Album Cover, a cover certainly contrasting with it’s title.
‘Jacqueline’, the album’s opening track, was released in November of last year and since been streamed and loved by fans. Currently sitting at number four in their Spotify list, ‘Jacqueline’ starts with a soft guitar riff, then paired with the sound of a controlled beat by the drums. The instrumental part of the track is phenomenal throughout, all the different changes in tone and rhythm just go right together, they’ve literally got it spot on. Like most of this bands tracks, ‘Jacqueline’ is another feel good track, but this one has an edge because the lyrics also feel empowering and fill the listener with a sense of hope, especially during in the bridge with the chanting of ‘The good times are well, Oh well, they’re coming ’round the bend’.
Track two, ‘Be Your Drug’, is a slightly different number from there typical sunny, jolly melodies. It’s a similar sound to there rock phase, and could have possibly fit better on their 2017’s ‘Different Creatures’ album. Despite that, ‘Be Your Drug’ deserves bundles of credit for the heavy rock sound the band have created with this song. It opens with some relaxed vocals by the band’s singer Kieran followed by high pitched backing vocals singing ‘I just wanna be your drug’. As the guitar is introduced, the rapid, stylish chords create tension in the track all building to a immense, gritty guitar riff. The chorus, also something so special, chants ‘I wanna be your drug’ over and over, a kind of united sense in the band and I bet was a pleasure to record.
Number three on ‘Happy,’ and by far my favourite, is ‘Move to San Francisco’ – may possibly be one of the best tracks I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. This was released two days before the album on the 8th and judging by social media, has received a superb reaction from fans. The track starts off in what only I can describe as a slow, dreamy rhythm that could literally transport you and your mind to somewhere so peaceful and tranquil. As the tone changes and the beat kicks in, a deep, impeccable and all so satisfying riff of the bass guides all to the chorus. The chorus is literally so simple yet so effective ‘I think that we should move to San Francisco, that’s where the happy people go’ just makes you want to dance around without a care in the world. A song that not only transfers your thoughts which is incredibly powerful in itself, but literally makes you want to pack up and take off, a track to get you through anything, a song that reminds me exactly why music is so important and the impact it can have.
Another track on the album I thoroughly enjoy is ‘Wasted On You’. This song really is one of a kind, opening with a special, strong sound joined by the strumming of a guitar. Like other tracks on the album, you can hear the prominent bass flowing through your ears. The vocals in this track are also so phenomenal, it’s pure gold. The most interesting thing about this track is instrumental, the overlapping of different notes and sounds is not only outstanding but electrifying – I wish I could inject this sound into my veins it’s so thrilling. Also a song including such catchy lyrics ‘Give me a minute, oh, I’m so, so wasted, wasted oh’ and the repetition of ‘Wasted on you’ is again simple, but sublime you can just picture there fans singing this arm in at there upcoming shows this year.
One album, seven, quite frankly brilliant, songs. For me, this is more than just an album though, it’s something to inspire, a statement to the music industry, a mark. For me, this is the ‘It’ album, if you could fall in love with a record – I’d be head over heels. I believe this is there best work yet, possibly could have taken the spot for album of the year so early on. Every single person needs to listen and enjoy this masterpiece.
Splitting it is fine, but calculating it at the table? Where is the date etiquette?
Sometimes admitting you like Lemon & Herb is better than a red face.
You are NOT an influencer.
If you owned one of these before reading this, I hope you don’t after.
Yeah, I mean Ice Skating is sooooooo easy.
I mean, to be fair, it is a very simple task.
Why use an umbrella if you can’t tame it?
Yes, please stop that. We’re in 2021 now. Grow up.
This one is funny to watch but if it’s your man, turn the other way.
After reading this I’d recommend that men stay stationary.
To avoid spending forever alone, all future bowling dates must be cancelled.
Come on bubble bath is literally about a quid.
Vodka, lager, gin, whiskey, rum, absolutely anything you desire. Just NOT cider.
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