Music

By Adam Turner (@AdamTurnerPR) Widely tipped as one of Scotland's most up-and-coming bands, The Lafontaines were performing their first headline London gig at the Barfly last week. I decided to pop down to see what all the fuss was about. But it wasn't this pop-rock, hip-hop, rap-savvy (more genres than you can fit in a reasonably sized record box) quintet that impressed, but the murky, haunting sounds of their Elbow/Tame Impala-esque support act, Pusher. The grunge-ridden top floor room of the Barfly...

By Julia Prigmore  Back Into Paradise is precisely where Kentish-born Ben Montague’s fourth studio album will transport you to – as each earnest song carries you through his musical journey. Ben kicks things off with the infectious title track, showcasing his raw vocals with an anthemic, passionate chorus. This, combined with a powerful orchestral and choral accompaniment builds to a compelling finish. It’s got all the ingredients for a summer hit. Each track is charming in its own way. ‘We...

By Beth Roberts The great British summertime is upon us, which can only mean one thing – notoriously unpredictable weather. That's why more Brits than ever are ditching their wellies in favour of sunnier climes, heading to Europe for some epic music getaways. A staple on the jetsetter's festival calendar, Barcelona’s Primavera drew record crowds last weekend thanks to a combination of cheap flights, sure-fire sunshine and an impressive roster of acts. But if you missed Primavera don’t worry -...

By Kane Power (@ElHeavio) 1/6/2015, Power Lunches, London Downstairs at Power Lunches in Dalston, someone has distilled the aroma of a sweaty band practice and infused it into five of those fancy air fresheners that you plug into the wall. All the plugs are turned on and the guy in front of you in the mosh-pit has wrapped his wet shirt around your face and has you in a headlock, forcibly violating your nostrils with his armpit. Set the scene?...

By Kane Power (@El Heavio) 30.5.2015, Student Union, University of London Header image credit: Joe Watson Photography I’ve seen Converge only once before, at Hevy Festival in 2012, and that was a messy, drunken affair at best. My memory of that night was a very serious, very loud, aggressive presence; silhouettes on an iridescent stage. Which makes it sound quite cool really, and it was, but my clouded memory of that night made me approach last night’s gig at the...

Leeds-based bruisers Blacklisters have earned a reputation as a formidable live act through aggressive, confrontational performances riddled with dark humour, drawing comparisons to The Jesus Lizard and Pissed Jeans. Over the past few years, the quartet have deservedly earned their reputation as one of the UK's most confrontational and aggressive live acts. ‘Cash Cow’ is the first song to be revealed from their upcoming album Adult. 'We, Blacklisters have finally written a song so commercially viable, that money will literally fall...

With less than 3 months to go until Creamfields takes over the Cheshire countryside, an array of new acts and an all new arena has been added to this year’s already colossal line up. First up is 3 Are Legend aka Dimitri Vegas, Steve Aoki and Like Mike. Following their spine tingling Friday night headline performance last year this triple-threat super-group, which was organically born at Creamfields, return on Sunday 30th August to take their electrifying live show to the...

By Kane Power (@ElHeavio) 21.5.2015, Islington Assembly Hall, London It’s a nice spring evening in Islington and I’m outside the fantastic Assembly Hall drinking beers on a park bench, waiting to go see a band with my wife. That sentence alone makes me smile a little. It’s exactly what I want from a Thursday night, or any night really, and tonight it’s a band we’ve both been looking forward to for quite a while; Unknown Mortal Orchestra. We forewent the opening...

By Will Bateman (WillBateman6611) 22.5.2015, Village Underground, London Leon Bridges takes to the stage with effortless cool, dressed 50s smart with a shirt and bow tie, guitar in hand, launching into his set with one of his lesser-known songs, the swinging and jiving “What Can I Do?” His on-stage-banter is short but appropriately slick. Three songs in he pauses to alter his capo. Beginning again he's stopped by a band member who re-fixes it for him- "Do you still love...