Playing two consecutive days at the O2, the atmosphere was one of the most intense I have ever experienced. During both support slots chants for Blink 182 were rife, with most having little regard for the mediocre bands that preluded them. There is something incredibly nostalgic about seeing a band that was so important when I was a…
Starting a little delayed, the evening began with a set from The Fruit Cellar (pictured left), who hadn’t played together up until the night before the gig. Despite this, their set was tight, given that their songs are based on catchy hooks and, by helping the crowd sing along by telling them the lyrics beforehand, they proved…
The Concept: The biggest hip-hop stars in the world Jay-Z and Kanye West come together to perform all their greatest hits as well as tracks from their collaborative album Watch The Throne. The Reality: One of the greatest music experiences imaginable. It is hard to describe just how amazing this gig was. As a massive…
Set in the heart of Hackney Marshes in north-east London, Hackney Weekend was already looking like it was going to be the festival of the summer from the star-studded line up and it definitely lived up to expectations. After stringent security checks and several people examining my ticket I entered the site which would be music’s…
Over the past few weeks Radio1 have well and truly dominated Hackney. With the Olympics just around the corner, Radio1’s Hackney Weekend kicked off the London Festival with more than a bang. As well as this, behind the scenes ambassadors such as Plan B, Labrinth and Leona Lewis have been running ‘The Hackney Academy’ for…
First Aid Kit are an unlikely support act for one of the world’s most renowned artists. The Swedish three-piece offer a hymnal style which sees a guitar, keyboard, drums and powerful vocals combine to produce an atmospheric sound. Fleet Foxes fans, First Aid Kit are likely to be your new favourite band. They more than…
The Edge takes a look at one of the UK’s fastest growing home-grown festivals.
After Friday and Saturday’s episodes, waking up on Sunday I realised that the site and locale had really grown on me; Play Fest seems to have already captured its own identity focusing on going for a grass roots approach with a slightly kooky style. Hopefully as the festival grows they can keep onto this as it really…
After several months of heats, the Battle of the Bands Final – comprising bands from around the Solent – took place at The Cellars in Portsmouth
This year the weather meant that Beach Break Live was set to be a wash-out. Realistically what more should we expect from the British Summer? With roughly 500 people leaving by the Friday night of the festival due to severely adverse weather conditions (gale force winds and torrential rain) it’s a surprise that the festival…
This weekend, 100,000 people are set to descend onto Hackney Marshes in north London as Europe’s biggest free-ticketed music festival takes place. After Jay-Z headlines on Saturday, the Hackney Weekend Sunday line-up has a lot to live up to, although looking at the big names set to perform, it’s sure not to disappoint. Headlining Sunday…
This weekend hosts the ‘biggest event in Radio 1’s history’ at the Hackney Marshes in West London. Some of the world’s biggest names in music will be taking to one of six stages across Saturday 23rd June and Sunday 24th June 2012. Despite the line-up looking like a pick’n’mix of the stations playlists, it is…
As summer approaches and after walking out of the final exam hall, it was time for me to head north to rural Norfolk’s young upstart of the festival scene, Play Fest. Friday evening was pretty much as expected of a small festival; it was fairly quiet in terms of crowds with a number of stages…
Kendal Calling is one of those little known countryside festivals that consistently showcases a fantastic mix of acts in an infinitely more chilled setting than you’ll ever hope to find at Reading and Leeds. This year has Dizzee Rascal, James and Maximo Park topping the bill of a fantastic and varied line up, including Feeder,…