Featurin' several weed smokin' deviants including the future Mayor of Reus, Ariel Santa Maria.. Click below to play..!
GLASTONBURY 2008
Yes!!! We were at what is undoubtedly still the World's most amazing festival, Glastonbury..!! The sun was shining, the mud was minimal, the cider was flowing, the music was rockin..
Some of the musical highlights at this years Glasto included Kings of Leon, The Gossip, The Raconteurs, Foals, Freestylers, UNKLE, System 7, Derrick May, Vampire Weekend, Massive Attack, The Courteeners, Hot Chip, Groove Armada, Mark Ronson, The Cribs, Ting Tings, Holy Fuck, Crystal Castles, Friendly Fires, The Whip, Jimmy Cliff, Dizzee Rascal, Santogold, CSS, Battles, The Mystery Jets, Roni Size & Reprezent, Jay Z, Simian Mobile Disco, A-Trak, Autokratz, Metronomy, The Black Ghosts, Does it Offend You Yeah?, Booka Shade, Infadels, Midnight Juggernauts, Plump djs, Sander Kleinenberg, Kissy Sell Out, Cut Copy, Filthy Dukes... plus surprise performances from Franz Ferdinand and Last Shadow Puppets on the Park Stage.. and some other stuff we just can't remember..
The SOS 4.8 Festival in Murcia was a huge success, after 48 hours of non-stop music and activities, with more than 25.000 people attending the first edition.
Friday evening kicked off with Second, a local band from Murcia, who once again really made the whole show enjoyable right from the very start. Next to appear on the stage, less than a month after releasing their new album “Hey Ma”, were the legendary eighties Manchester band James . As far as I can remember, every time James have appeared in Spain, they’ve really left their mark. This gig started with “Whiteboy”, which was followed by the title track “Hey Ma”, after a short explanation that the song was about the 9/11 and the aftermath. Next came great old and new tracks like “Frustration” and “Oh my heart”. Throughout the performance, there was certainly magic in the air. They really reached our souls, not only, predictably, when frontman Tim sang the hit “Sometimes”, but during every song and the audience responded warmly by enthusiastically singing along, jumping and applauding. Emotions peaked when the familiar tunes of “Getting away with it” reached our ears and even Tim became audibly emotional. They ended the performance with the song “Get out of you” to the sound of the violin, accompanied by Tim and his very particular way of dancing.
Immediately, afterwards the Canadian who’s so much admired in Spain, and who’s appeared so many times in our country at different festivals and venues, Rufus Wainwright took the stage He gave us a lesson in how just one person, a piano, a guitar, and his brilliant voice, are more than enough and can provide quite a show. If James made me dream, Rufus transported me to another world. He was tuned into the audience in Murcia at all times. He spoke about the Spanish Royal family, also dedicated a song to Montserrat Caballé for her elegance and to all Spanish women in general. He said openly that he had an American boyfriend, but didn’t intent to marry him. But as he was free, if he ever decided to do this one day, it would be in Spain. He sang many songs, but my hair stood on end when he performed “California”, “Going to Town” and the final touch with a perfect interpretation of Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah”. If you closed your eyes you would believe it was Jeff himself reincarnated in Rufus.
Rufus gave way to a band from Leeds, Kaiser Chiefs, who without a doubt, gave one of the best performed and received concerts of the festival for its power, freshness, live sound and their performance on the stage. These guys have really improved a lot. This was the third time I have seen them since they were the backing group for the 2005 U2 concert in Spain. From the very beginning they had the spectators in their pockets. The frontman's performance was incredibly energetic, notably during the performance of “Everything is average Nowadays”. “Everyday I love you less and less”, their biggest hit “Ruby”, and “Oh My God”all succeeded in driving the crowd wild.
As soon as the English left the stage, Casey from Fischerspooner, came on to liven up the night with his electronic performance. This man clearly has a knack for really communicating with the crowd. He also played and sang his great number “Never Win”, and ended the show with the good news that he would be back in Spain in September, with a new album.
The night ended with Pinker Tones and Angel Molina. Strangely, although The Pinker Tones have revolutionised the electronic scene in Spain, it is only now with their latest work “Wild Animal”, that they have won the recognition of the Spanish public . The best moment was, of course, their hit “Sonido Total”.
Bimba Bosé who leads the band The Cabriolets started off the sessions on the second day of the festival, presenting songs from their yet unreleased new record. This was their first time on stage, which perhaps explains a certain lack of confidence and connection with the crowd. Given time they should improve the ability to put across their songs.
After Bimba, “Las Nancys Rubias” appeared on stage. They only sang 4 songs during their performance and set the scene for the following band, Fangoria, who once again demonstrated their professionalism. The front woman really put on a good performance as did the rest of the fabulous band members, comprising of two drag queens. These two ladies lent the performance an unmistakeable and sexy cabaret feeling. The show included the popular numbers “Electricistas”,“No se que me das”, “Miro la vida pasar”, “Criticar por criticar” and “Ni contigo ni sin ti”.
The organisers saved the most electronic bands for the end the festival: Digitalism, The Chemical Brothers and Jeff Mills.
First came the German electro duo, Digitalism, who really blended electro dance music with a strong rock flavour. They were presenting their new album Idealism. Their entire performance was very well-received and warmly applauded. They showed how electro music is in no way out of place in a festival like this, thanks to their quality and technique.
One of the best moments of the festival came from the performance of the English electro duo, The Chemical Brothers, who have made Spain their second home. As their name suggests, they gave us the formula for dynamite on stage. The impressive visual effects which were projected throughout the performance, were as usual, an essential feature of the show. Their repertoire which ranged from their first hits, to their latest album “We are the Night”, was greeted with the expected enthusiasm by the audience. Some of the tunes included “It Began in Africa”, followed up by their famous number “Hey Boy, Hey Girl”, ingeniously mixed with the superbly eery “Do it Again”. From “Out of Control” they gave us the catchy track “Golden Path” (Please forgive me, I never meant to hurt you). The much desired, and totally predictable encore came in the form of “Block Rockin Beats”, the best way to end their show.
And finally, the prestigious American artist, Jeff Mills was given the task of closing the SOS 4.8 Festival, which was really successful. Those of who were there, see you next time.. Those of you who weren't, I hope now you know better! *LMPT
PRIMAVERA CLUB @ APOLO, December 2007, Barcelona
Don’t be confused by the name! Neither is this a club, or is it held in Spring time! No!! It's a great little festival to brighten up those winter blues, showcasing some of the most exciting and eclectic artists around..
After hearing Crimewave, I must admit a certain addiction for Toronto’s Crystal Castles, but never could I have been prepared me for their blistering live show. They are much tougher and punkier than you may have expected from just listening to their records. Singer Alice Glass throws herself manically around the stage, screaming as if possessed by some demonic drug baron, all this to the complete adoration of the fanboys at the front. The addition of a drummer works really well for them, particularly so because he’s in the the centre of the stage and wearing a Mexican wrestling mask. Everybody goes wild, everybody loves Crystal Castles.
Several people I spoke to were well up for seeing the legendary Manc maverick and ex. leader of John Peels favourite ever band, The Fall. Mark E. Smith was due to perform with his new project, Von Südenfed, but alas he pulled the plug at the last minute, and the show was cancelled!
If you’ve been wondering what all the fuss is about Dubstep, have a couple of tokes on spliff, go to a club with a great soundsystem, then you’ll realise.. Luckily, the sound in Apolo 1 is one of the best in Barcelona. Kode9 & The Space Ape didn’t disappoint in sending sonic reverberations through the dancefloor, and getting everybody freaky dancin’ to the multi-faceted future sounds.
LA’s The Ettes have a distinctive retro rock sound – it’s nothing new, but they do it very well, and the singer, Coco, is smokin’ hot!
Fanfarlo… What can I say..? A better than average band, but I’m sure they take a large dose of their inspiration from the more awe inspiring Arcade Fire.
On a different note, El Guincho is quite possibly the most important new musical talent in Spain right now, and what’s great is he’s doing doing something most don’t.. Breaking the mould and producing original material! Maybe you’ve already heard the critically acclaimed debut Alegranza, but you really should witness the rawkus live incarnation, and experience Pablo pummel his 4 track sampler and drumkit to the limits. Fortunately the organisers loved him so much, they’ve invited him back for the real big party - Primavera Sound at the end of May. We'll see you there. *TG
SZIGET FESTIVAL, August 2007, Budapest, Hungary
Those Hungarians have got stamina! The Sziget Festival in Budapest featured seven days of music, cabaret, theatre, dance, and general craziness. On the opening day the sun was shining, and Barcelona resident Manu Chao headlined the main stage. Despite two power cuts, Manu and his band managed to rock the crowd with their blend of gypsy, folk, and punk energy.
On the second day, the biggest reggae act of the week “Gentleman and The Far East Band”, whipped the crowd into a frenzy. The torrential downpour of heavy rain during their set actually made their sun soaked rhythms sound even better, as people partied away regardless, waving their umbrellas towards the sky.
The clouds gave way for Damon Albarn and his latest project, “The Good, The Bad and The Queen”, but the atmosphere became less carnival like and more somber as the band played their trademark melancholy tunes. The band were worth seeing , if only to see ex Clash bassist Paul Simonon strutting his stuff in such a menacing fashion.
The Chemical Brothers took centre stage next, pumping out their acidic beats and twisted synth sounds. The visuals were also impressive, particularly the robots! After getting a taste for electronic music, we headed to the Party Arena, which was huge, even bigger than the dance tent at Glastonbury. Shifting our way past the Serbians selling fake ecstasy, we danced to the hard house of Annie Nightingale, and after to the masters of funky breakbeat, The Plump Djs.
Ukranian gypsy punks from New York, Gogol Bordello opened up the main stage on Day Three, and nothing that came after could match them. Front man, Eugene Hutz, (apparently twice teenage Kiev marathon champion!), gave an electric stage performance, backed up by a great band. We managed to catch up with Eugene after the show, and record an exclusive interview with the wild eyed, mustached maverick. Listen to Rebel Radio to hear revelations about his experiences with private jets, drugs, and the Barcelona police.
Things started getting muddier on Saturday, so it was appropriate that an English band, The Rakes, should open up on the main stage. The Rakes have only just released their second album, but already have some great songs in their armory. The Hungarians seemed to like them too, particularly the ones covered in mud, even if they couldn’t understand the mutterings of clearly insane singer, Alan Donohoe, between each song. We grabbed a quick chat with The Rakes after the show, and can confirm that Alan has indeed lost the plot! Listen out for “Ramblings of a madman with Alan from The Rakes” coming soon on Rebel Radio.
Next up were Swedish rock n rollers, The Hives, who got the crowd surfers into action, but didn’t stray too much from their standard shouty formula. A local band, Kispàl ès a Borz, came after, but did little to increase the reputation of Hungarian rock music. Everyone, however, seemed to there for the much anticipated show from Trent Reznor’s goth/industrial band, Nine Inch Nails. They weren’t disappointed, it was a fantastic performance.
By Sunday, there was more mud and giant dark puddles, but those clever chaps at Sziget had an answer. The water was sucked up, and the mud was scooped up, all to be replaced by sand. Genius! Michael Eavis take note.
Razorlight recently released a polished, poppier, and less introspective album than their more self destructive and engaging debut. Nowadays, Jonny Borrell wears white trousers and has a Hollywood girlfriend Their profile has soared, and to be fair, they do seem like they belong on the big stage. The stadiums of the world await..
However, Razorlight aren’t so big in Hungary (yet), so no headline slot for them this time, this was instead handed to Sziget favourites Faithless. Unfortunately, their fusion of trance and rock now sounds incredibly dated, and singer Maxi Jazz`s voice doesn’t reach the levels it used to.
Rebel Radio favourites ! ! ! (pronounced Chk Chk Chk), now permanently featuring Shana, were in good spirits as they got their freak on with their combination of punk, funk, electronica and scuzz rock. We found lead singer Nic Offer, roaming around the backstage bar area before the show, so we got him to join us to record an exclusive interview for Rebel Radio. Tune in to hear all about the new line-up, the New York scene, doing ecstasy at Primavera Sound, and why he can’t move to Barcelona even though he wants to.
US gloom metallers and Jack Osbourne favourites, Tool, headlined on Monday night. Strangely though, lead singer, Maynard James Keenan, could only be heard and not seen. Many of the crowd seemed a bit pissed off and were leaving in droves midway through the set. We joined them and made our way to the Wan2 stage to see the excellent GusGus from Iceland who got everybody dancing.
The Eagles of Death Metal opened up the final day on the main stage. They are not, as their name suggests, a death metal band, they are in fact a good time rock n roll band from the U.S of A. Randy singer, Jesse "The Devil" Hughes', was in great form, getting the crowd going, and refusing to leave the stage and continuing to play more songs way after they were due to stop.
Juliette Lewis, following in the footsteps of other Hollywood starlets, Keanu Reeves and David Hasselhoff, now has her own rock band, The Licks. They were average at best. As good as it is to see a girl fronting a rock band, one doubts it was as much of “a fight against the odds” to get the band of the ground as she claimed during the set.
The Killers rounded off the festival with the final night headline slot. They`ve risen meteorically in the last couple of years. Their first album, Hot Fuss, was a great indie synth rock album, but their second, Sam’s Town has seen them reach a sound and style that most bands would take several years and albums to arrive at. Before they were the new Joy Division, now it seems they are the new Queen. This notion is amplified by guitarist, Dave Keuning's slightly disturbing, growing resemblance to Brian May.The stage setup was by far the most lavish of the whole week, it also featured several platforms for minute singer Brandon Flowers to stand upon. However, they did pull off a spectacular show, and Mr Flowers is clearly a talented performer. Why though, did they play 3 songs from their new album twice?
All in all, an amazing festival experience. Loads of stages, a cosmopolitan crowd, all night music, clean toilets, hot showers and ridiculously cheap beer. See you again in 2008! *TG
GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL 2007,Somerset, England
It wasn't only about the mud... Glastonbury has a magic that no festival I've ever been to can match, and the bands know this too. There were some life affirming performances from the totally on fire, Arcade Fire, and the newly reformed, Iggy and The Stooges. Seeing Iggy, now 60 (sixty!), still in tight jeans and no top, fighting security, almost causing a riot, and getting 150 people up on stage with him, really was something special. The fact he managed to carry on singing, and still kiss all the girls, is testimony that Iggy truly is a god.
On the other hand, the young stars of English indie rock, Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party gave rather lacklustre performances. The crowd in front of the Pyramid stage hardly moved.
The Sunshine Underground, Infadels, CSS and !!! (chk chk chk) stole the 'new rave' thunder from the much hyped Klaxons, with performances of pure energy and enthusiasm.
There were loads of other bands playing, but the thing about Glastonbury is that it's soooo freakin' huge, it takes what seems like an eternity to get from A to B (especially when trudging through a muddy swamp loaded up on pear cider and other mind bending substances) , and as any Glasto veteran will tell you, "It`s not just about the music". *TG
SUMMERCASE FESTIVAL, 2007,Barcelona, Spain
This two day festival visiting the cities of Madrid and Barcelona, now in its second year, featured a very impressive line up including Arcade Fire, Kaiser Chiefs, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Phoenix on the main stage. On the second stage (right in front of the sea), we witnessed The Chemical Brothers, Air, and Bloc Party (who fortunately managed to surpass their weaker Glasto and Razzmatazz shows... must be that sea air).
Strangely though, when considering how hot Barcelona can get in mid July, the other two stages were inside airtight marquees. Needless to say there were a lot of red faced sweaty people dancing away inside! The sound inside the marquees nowhere near matched that of the outside stages, much to the annoyance of LCD Soundsystem guru, James Murphy, and a few other sonically minded musicians. LCD still managed to pull off a great show though.
!!! (chk chk chk) played a very different set to the two they played at Glastonbury. Lead vocalist Nic Offer (strangely sporting a pair of skimpy shorts), was more angry than ecstatic, and more punk than rave. This time, however, the band also featured the fantastic vocals, and rump shaking of Shananana from the Durty Nanas for 'Must Be The Moon' and Heart of Hearts'.
The now solo, ex Pulp diva, Jarvis Cocker made us all smile with his wit and bizarre dance moves, and lifted the roof for the encore, with a cover of 'Eye of The Tiger'! Not to be outdone, The Gossip totally rocked the marquee with their 70`s rock riffs and powerful vocals. *TG
