This show was special. Trails / Swim Good / Dragons That Make Love To Pandas / Cavalier [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 6/9/14]
The Boileroom team sure know how to throw the quietest (or at least best-soundproofed) album launch parties in town. Read more…
Ben Montague / Charlie Grant / Sarah-Jayne Riedel [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 4/9/14]
Once again, I almost missed an opening set due to The Boileroom’s super-effective soundproofing. Fortunately I did make it out of the beer garden just in time to catch… Read more…
Marmozets / Drones [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 19/8/14]
When a Saturday night bill is only two bands long, that’s a lot of pressure for the musicians involved. Many acts would crumble like month-old birthday cake at the thought of it. These guys were more than up for the challenge: Read more…
Tree House Fire / Josh Bevan / Bare Jams [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 16/8/14]
When The Boileroom is already buzzing by 8pm, you know it’s going to be an awesome night. Tree House Fire, Josh Bevan, and Bare Jams are increasingly heavy-hitting names, and expectations were high even before a single note was played. Read more…
DZ Deathrays / PROM / Bypolar [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 13/8/14]
Although current events are calling much attention to The Boileroom’s soundproofing, personally I’m starting to think they should allow at least a little noise to escape. Sitting in the beer garden running through emails, I almost forgot there was a gig on and could easily have missed: Read more…
Shrine / Throne / LYGER [Live Review – Electrowerkz, London, 7/8/14]
Making the jump from the practice room to the stage can be a worrying proposition, more of a leap of faith than anything else. Onstage, you’re not only relying on your own skills, or even those of your bandmates; you’re also putting the success of your show in the metaphorical hands of the venue and its equipment.
Last night, technical issues came close to ruining it for everyone – but the following bands still got the job done, and deserve your time and respect simply for getting through this show with their sanity intact: Read more…
RedTower [Live Review – ACM, Guildford, 7/8/14]
Here’s how to spot a professional band:
1) They throw themselves into their performance from note one, needing next to no time to get into it.
2) They make you want to move the moment they start playing. Your body tells you that you’re in the presence of greatness before your brain does.
3) Their playing is airtight, every instrument blending together flawlessly – and what’s more, it all looks effortless.
4) Their songs are performed with such passion and intensity that you cannot look away.
5) They actively communicate with each other onstage. Nobody is shut away in their own little bubble.
6) The band in question put in the effort regardless of audience size, venue, or time of day.
Even if I’d never heard of RedTower, Natassja Saliba, Rob Chapman, Rabea Massaad, Ben Minal, or Dave Hollingworth (the latter of whom were taking a break from recording Dorje’s debut album to session here), I’d have been in no doubt as to their calibre from the moment this low-key late afternoon showcase started. Read more…
Bigtopp / The Ohmz / MoCara [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 28/7/14]
Mondays are tough. We’re all intimately familiar with post-weekend fatigue, irritating co-workers, and red-faced bosses bearing down on us with endless lists of unreasonable demands. After all that crap, we just want to chill.
The Boileroom, for many ska and reggae fans, was the ideal place to do just that this past Monday night. Read more…
