Grimes + HANA - Manchester Academy 3

taken from HANA's tumblr

HANA is the opening act on Grimes' current Acid Reign tour and, as she takes to the stage of the already packed Academy, it quickly becomes clear that she's a perfect choice to fill that slot. While HANA's music is certainly in the same vein as Grimes', she's managed to take a similar set-up and make it very much her own. Thick beats and dreamy synths provide a beautiful backdrop for HANA's impressive vocals and unwavering confidence; she ends her set having definitely made an impact on the majority of the crowd.

taken from Grimes' Facebook page

After the ever-agonising wait that comes after the support act leaves the stage, Art Angel's atmospheric opener Laughing and Not Being Normal starts to play, and the crowd start screaming at full volume before Grimes has even set foot on stage - so you can imagine the reaction as she walked on and started playing Genesis, shouting the opening line along with her at top volume.

Backed by two dancers, Alison and Linda, Grimes is also joined by HANA who, depending on the song, contributes drums, guitar, backing vocals and/or just general awesome sparkliness.

Before going into Scream, Grimes explained that, unlike the tracks featured vocalist Aristophanes, she can't speak Mandarin, before going on to rap the verses herself in Russian. Her vocals switch from random metal-esque growls to soaring, high notes that, from a lesser vocalist, could easily have got lost in the complex mix of sounds.

Venus Fly was particularly electrifying to hear live, its booming bass line backed by laser fingers and strobe lighting.

Grimes' confidence in performing is in stark contrast to the nervous energy she exudes between songs, looking both grateful for and visibly uncomfortable of the cheers and applause she receives all night (which, of course, only makes people want to cheer for her more!).

Kill V Maim ends the night in a sublime mix of pounding beats, lasers and some of the best pop music you're ever likely to hear. The whole set was like a weekend trip to a magical-neon-fairy-city, and over much too fast, and proved that Grimes is one of the most exciting performers around at the moment.

Wolf Alice + Swim Deep + Bloody Knees - The Arts Club, Liverpool

Bloody Knees are four guys from Cambridge, who play a fuzzy punky brand of grunge, deliciously 90's inspired. I loved them instantly, and everyone else in the already-packed venue seemed to as well. They were a perfect band to start the night off with, and I have no doubt that they could easily fill a headline slot. 

Next up were Swim Deep. I have to be honest, I'm not really that into them - sorry! I do believe in giving fair reviews however; they were great live, and I can definitely see why people like them. If I can watch a set from a band that I'm not really into without being bored, then that's a definite thumbs up from me.

The room is more than full now, and I feel bad for anyone who decided to show up just in time for Wolf Alice's set, as they'd barely be able to fit through the doors. The band were voted Best Live Band at last month's NME Awards, and just a few chords into their set, it's hard to argue with; they've toured almost non-stop since their 2013 single Fluffy, and they play with the confidence and precision normally associated with many more years of experience.

The band take to the stage and, after a short instrumental intro, went straight into You're A Germ, with everyone instantly jumping up and down, and shouting out the lyrics. This led into a setlist consisting of almost every track from My Love Is Cool, interspersed with highlights from their Blush and Creature Songs EP's, with the crowd's energy remaining at peak level all the way through.

Ellie Roswell's vocals are flawless as she goes from the chaotic screams of You're A Germ and Fluffy, to the delicate soaring vocals of Turn To Dust and Silk. The layered sounds of their recordings translate perfectly on stage, and are definitely enhanced by the band's energy.

They ended their set with a three-song encore, finishing with Giant Peach. As soon as they left the stage, all I could think was I want to see them again! I feel lucky to have seen them in such a small venue as, judging by how quickly this tour sold out, they could easily be filling bigger rooms next time around.

My Picks for Record Store Day

This year's Record Store Day is nearly here, and the exclusive releases were announced yesterday. Here are some of the record's I think are worth checking out:

Best Coast - s/t

Featuring two new tracks, Fear of My Identity and Who Have I Become, this release also features frontwoman Bethan Cosentino's dad, Ricky Cosentino, on drums.

Bis/Big Zero - Borderom Could Be Good For You/Tear It Up And Start Again

A split-7 inch from Bis, who will soon be playing a handful of UK dates, and Big Zero, who are supporting the band on their Manchester and Reading shows. Boredom Could Be Good For You is a new track from Bis, only heard live so far, and provides an exciting taster of their forthcoming new album. Big Zero meanwhile are fantastically-Devo-influenced on their track Tear It Up and Start Again, and I'm looking forward to seeing them support Bis in Manchester after checking them out!

Jack Off Jill - Clear Hearts Grey Flowers

Released on a clear vinyl and, yes, a grey vinyl!

Jack Off Jill - Sexless Demons and Scars

The band's first full-length, on vinyl for the first time - and it's red!

Lush - Origami

This limited LP boxset coincides with Lush's first live shows in almost 20 years, and includes all five of their albums, with each one on a different colour vinyl.

PINS - Trouble
The Manchester five-piece will be releasing new track Trouble on a limited-edition red vinyl.

The Runaways - Right Now/Black Leather
This rare release is being made available again, on a translucent red vinyl.

The Wedding Present - The Hit Parade
This release collects all of the band's singles, and their b-sides, from 1987 on to one album.

Happy International Women's Day!

For International Women's Day, I've decided to do a post celebrating some of the women who have particularly inspired me over the last year (and hopefully, I'll still be blogging next year and can do the same thing again!).

1. Carrie Brownstein

I was lucky enough to see Carrie Brownstein twice last year - once with Sleater-Kinney, who were every bit as amazing live as I dreamt they'd be, and then again, as part of her book tour. I've loved Sleater-Kinney for years, and consider all three members to be among my favourite musicians, so to finally see them play live was such a great experience.
Carrie also released her memoir late last year, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, and after reading it, I admire her even more. I'd definitely recommend reading it.

2. Jessicka Addams

Jessicka is someone I've admired since I discovered Jack Off Jill when I was 15. Jack Off Jill are another band I was lucky enough to see last year, and getting to finally meet Jessicka didn't disappoint at all!
Jessicka also put together a great zine called After Grrrl, featuring contributions from so many other great women, including Allison Wolfe, Molly Soda, Camille Rose Garcia and Tara McPherson.

3. The Tuts

The Tuts are one of the most exciting bands around right now, and I've seen them live twice over the last 12 months. They always put on an amazing show, and treat every fan like a friend; the fact that they hit 100% on their PledgeMusic campaign so quickly is a testament to how much they mean to people.
They are also completely DIY in everything they do, from booking shows/tours to recording, and are always so encouraging when others ask them for advice on doing their own thing.

4. Maureen Herman

I've always admire all three members of Babes in Toyland, but I can't pretend I'm not disappointed about the way Maureen was kicked out of the band. I'm so glad I was able to see them live before any of that happened, and meet them all. I admire Maureen not only as a bassist, but also for the way she handled the circumstances around her being kicked out of Babes in Toyland, and her refusal to stop talking about sexual assault.

5. Charli XCX

Charli has been using to rising popularity to speak up about sexism, particularly in the music industry. Last month, she also launched her own record label, and has already released music from her ex-bassists solo project Cuckoolander, and female-fronted band RIVRS. She also writes for other artists behind-the-scenes too, such as Icona Pop and Selena Gomez.

6. Claire Boucher

Claire Boucher aka Grimes released her self-produced new album Art Angels late last year, and it pretty much cemented her place on my list of favourite musicians/artists ever. It's some of her most creative work to-date, featuring collaborations with Janelle Monae, and also Aristophanes, a Taiwanese rapper she disocvered on SoundCloud. Not only is every song amazing, she uploaded a piece of her own artwork to accompany each one.

7. Lauren Mayberry

The CHVRCHES vocalist has never been afraid of speaking her mind - whether it's calling out sexist audience members, responding to internet trolls on 4Chan or writing about sexism for The Guardian. She is also one of the founding members of Glasgow feminist collective TYCI.


Which women have inspired you over the past year? Let me know in the comments below!

Clean for the Queen?

I'm so embarassed to live in a country where Clean for the Queen is a thing. An actual thing that EXISTS.

To celebrate the Queen's birthday, Toryscum have joined forces with some major retailers to rally the peasant troops to sweep the streets. Those same streets that happened to start getting dirty after council's were forced to get rid of the people who were paid to clean them; local councils have been forced to cut their budgets by up to 40 per cent over the past two years, in order to fund Tory tax breaks for those same companies who are sponsoring this campaign.

Does a more awkward photograph exist than any picture involving a Tory and a cleaning item?

So, if you're looking for a way to keep warm while waiting for your local food bank to open, why not pick up some binbags (graciously provided for free by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson)? Why not do a jaunty dance with your broom, as you help the Tories to sweep yet more public service and welfare cuts under the carpet?

 This is what patriotism looks like. Never forget.

Why I Agree With The Decision to Remove Crystal Castles from the 79 Cents Event

Two days ago, Tumblr announced details of their feminist-themed showcase, "79 Cents", at this years SXSW. Despite its heavy branding, the showcase sounded pretty cool except for one thing - Crystal Castles were not only on the line-up, they were set to headline the event.

People immediately questioned their involvment, while others seemed to think the problem was simply that Crystal Castles were the only band on the line-up to feature a male member, an assumption that is far from the truth. There are a few reasons why people were uncomfortable to see Crystal Castles on the bill, and Ethan Kath's gender was not one of them.

Alice Glass, who, along with Ethan, founded the band, announced that she was leaving Crystal Castles back in 2014, stating:

"My art and my self-expression in any form has always been an attempt towards sincerity, honesty, and empathy for others. For a multitude of reasons both professional and personal I no longer feel that this is possible within CC."

 Most of us assumed that was the end of the band but, almost a year later, Ethan released a new track called Frail, featuring a new vocalist, Edith Frances. Along with the track, Ethan released a statement in which he referred to Alice as his "former vocalist", and claiming she didn't actually appear on any of their best known songs or write any lyrics.

Alice responded to him on Twitter, calling Ethan's statements manipulative; Ethan late removed the majority of his statement from his SoundCloud page. Since then though, he has also made various Facebook posts trying to retcon his own band's origin - referring to pre-Alice songs, which pretty much contradicts anything that had been said about the band previously.

To accompany here first solo release, Stillbirth, Alice also released a lengthy statement explaining how the song was inspired by an abusive relationship:

"The clarity I've gained since getting out of that situation has opened up my life in a way that I didn't imagine was possible. Although some of the pain and anger still lingers, my life finally feels as though it has value and meaning. I speak out now hoping that I can encourage other young women and young men to affirm their value within their relationships or get out. Abuse isn't always obvious and it doesn't have to involve black eyes, blood and broken bones. Emotional and psychological abuse can be just as damaging, and it is extremely difficult to remove yourself from. Those that have known me thoughout my career might be surprised that someone who publicly gave the impression of being fearless and seemed as though they didn't take shit from anyone could find themselves being severely mistreated and manipulated by someone they were close to. This person nearly stripped me of myself. And for years I felt as though they were waiting for my life to end."

All of the money made from the song went to RAINN (the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). While Alice has never specified that this statement was referring to Ethan, it's telling that, especially given the comments Ethan made after Alice quit the band, that her first solo release refers to the negative effect someone had on her life. That, and the way Ethan went about replacing Alice in a way that implied both her and Edith are merely the puppets that front the music, are what led to many questioning their inclusion at this event; no one is saying that Crystal Castles should not be allowed to perform, just not at this, specifically feminist-focused, event. Even if Ethan isn't the inspiration behind Stillbirth, he has still gone out of his way to tell people that Crystal Castles' music is all about him, so as far as showcasing female talent, that doesn't sit well either; that's why, even if you ignore the abuse speculation, I have to agree with the decision to remove them from the bill.

Alice was asked for her thoughts, and said the following to The Verge:

"As someone who knew Ethan Kath on a personal and professional level, it is my opinion that he is not an appropriate artist to be performing at a feminism-centric event."

Crystal Castles have now been dropped from the line-up. Other bands currently on the line-up are Jhene Aiko, Tacocat, Little Simz and Empress Of.

Charli XCX - Vroom Vroom

Three days after announcing her new record label to the world, Charli released a new EP, titled Vroom Vroom.

With each new release, Charli shows that, with her huge range of influences, she isn't afraid to sharply change direction; there's no "old Charli" or "new Charli" sound, it all exists at the same time, regardless of any potential commercial appeal. I love that Charli is able to switch between styles and never seem anything less than authentic.

Paradise is definitely the most rave-ready track on the EP. Featuring Hannah Diamond, the track switches between harmonised vocals, backed by a piano, to full on drum machines and blippy noises. It sounds like it's been plucked straight from a 90's dance party, and I mean that in the best way.

Trophy, with its Pulp Fiction sample, perfectly bridges the gap between Charli's early mix-tape releases (eg Super Ultra) and where she is now, while Secret is definitely my favourite track. It's darkly intimate, at times sounding almost industrial. 

Overall, this is an exciting and addictive release. I can't wait to see where Charli goes with her third album!

Another glorious and emotional SOPHIE-produced jam from London’s Charli XCX — she calls “Paradise” her most rave-inspired track to date — taken from her forthcoming Vroom Vroom EP on her own label, and featuring PC Music queen Hannah Diamond.

Read More: Charli XCX debuts new track “Paradise” feat. Hannah Diamond | http://www.gorillavsbear.net/charli-xcx-debuts-new-track-paradise-feat-hannah-diamond/?trackback=tsmclip

Another glorious and emotional SOPHIE-produced jam from London’s Charli XCX — she calls “Paradise” her most rave-inspired track to date — taken from her forthcoming Vroom Vroom EP on her own label, and featuring PC Music queen Hannah Diamond.

Read More: Charli XCX debuts new track “Paradise” feat. Hannah Diamond | http://www.gorillavsbear.net/charli-xcx-debuts-new-track-paradise-feat-hannah-diamond/?trackback=tsmclip