Eliza Doolittle & THOS / Bat and Ball / Tweed & Hyenas / Tusks [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 9/1/15]
The fact that this show even happened is a true testament to the strength and indomitable passion of its organisers. Few life experiences are as devastating as losing a friend or family member to cancer; when that happens, most of us would become too overwhelmed to function, and with good reason. Nobody would have blamed Tom Morley and the team behind Smile For Hatti (a campaign set up to support the courageous and inspiring Hatti Sandall, who sadly passed away only three days before this gig) had they rescheduled or cancelled this fundraiser – but they didn’t. For that, they deserve all the respect in the world – not to mention the sheer success of this awesome event, which raised over £2000 for Smile For Hatti (which is in the process of becoming a new charity, to which future donations will be directed) and Sarcoma UK.
As far as opening acts go, Read more…
An elegantly understated and wistfully melancholic collection of prime-cut songs in the singer-songwriter vein, Symptoms managed to halt my search for something dense and heavy, and keep me blissfully entranced by something delicate instead. On the day after the 
Dropped right before Christmas last year, Rose Coloured’s Doorstep Volume 2 compilation doubtless made great stocking filler for a number of Surrey and Hampshire’s resident music fans. It also offers plenty of great reasons to get excited about the Guildford- and Aldershot-centred music scenes in 2015. 
With very few exceptions, Christmas music is terrible. Fortunately, the Boileroom team have good taste in tunes – and so this show was the perfect antidote to the overwrought saccharine pap that’s been unavoidable for the past few months. 
Swim Good consistently rock good – and this fresh threesome continues the winning streak so far upheld by previous release 
Sofar Sounds are the most fascinating live music promoters you’ve never heard of. A global collective of music fans, Sofar tap into humanity’s need for community, connection, and intimacy by hosting secret small-scale shows showcasing the talents of a diverse range of artists. This evening’s event took place in an endearingly arty Brighton basement – an appropriate location for what was to come. 
Although this piece is aimed at creative people who are traversing the long, desolate desert of writer’s block, it’s also a great pick-me-up for anyone experiencing an awkward life period, whether it be termed a “dry patch” or a “dark night of the soul”. On Turning Ruts Into Grooves, Trevor Gordon Hall employs his virtuosic guitar talents in evoking feelings of uncertainty, ambiguity, anxiety, inertia, and the slow emergence of fresh direction and determination. Not so much a piece of music as an act of public service. 
Opening with a scratchy guitar body groove and winding its way through percussive harmonics, slinky melodies, and thick, earthy riffs, Dance of the Last Rhino is exactly the kind of awe-inspiring instrumental guitar masterpiece we’ve come to expect from Jon Gomm. The above compositional elements aren’t layered in a multi-tracked sense, but performed simultaneously. If you’re new to Jon Gomm’s world, then welcome – and whether you’re a newbie or superfan, you know you need to check out the video below…