Last night was a reset-hitting moment for a venue whose continued survival was confirmed just over 24 hours previously. Vintage swing music played in the background while earlycomers gathered around a table laden with instruments, effect boxes, microphones, an iPad, and even fairy lights to await the arrival of first act, A R T E L S. Read more…
Something a little lighter this time! Fragile Creatures hail from Brighton and craft straight-ahead indie-pop tunes with more than a little Beatles-flavoured spice. Their latest effort – this eponymous EP – is tightly packed with solid ideas, quirky musicianship, and plenty of emotional variety. Great for those moments when life’s pressures become too much and all you need is a decent pick-me-up. Read more…
Drummers get an unfair amount of stick. Even the most talented skin-beaters can only dream of escaping the stream of endless drummer jokes, such as:
Q: How do you know when a drummer’s at your door?
A: The knocking speeds up.
Q: What’s the last thing a drummer says before getting fired?
A: “Hey guys – why don’t we try one of my songs?”
Q: What do you say to a drummer in a suit?
A: “Will the defendant please rise?” Read more…
Let’s be honest here – when it comes to the football, England never learns. 1966 was a long time ago – almost half a century ago, actually. Football is the beautiful game…as long as Spain are playing. Or Brazil. Or Italy. Or…well, anyone but us.
The crowd at this gig had the right idea. Although the venue took a while to fill, fill it did – and just in case anyone spent the show glued to their Facebook feeds for the duration of the show, The Boileroom had the England v Uruguay game streaming on one wall. Spoiler alert: The bands were better than the game. Read more…
Turning a first name into a brand name can be a risky proposition. On the one hand, it’s great for solo artists as it’s more personal than hiding behind a pseudonym – but on the other, it makes it very difficult for people to search for you online. There are many Erikas in the world – especially on Spotify, where you can find Erikas playing everything from acoustic folk standards to dark, brooding electronica, lounge jazz, and even six albums worth of accordion music. Google “Erika music” and the top hits are for a dermatology consultant (Dr Erika N. Music – I kid you not), a YouTube video featuring Nazi military music, and a list of still more artists named Erika who are, annoyingly, not the ERIKA (full caps) that we’re looking for. Read more…
In a world so dominated by and dependent upon the Internet, Afterlight‘s opening tune Antisocial Media is a uniquely intriguing musical statement. Its followers are no less effective: Vocal-free and well produced, each track manages to capture the thoughts, ideas and insights associated with its respective title while working as a downbeat but welcoming piece of music. Read more…
Guildfordian promoters Genrebomb have a serious eye for talent. Those of you who missed last Tuesday’s show at the Boileroom need to catch up, and quick, because each of that night’s three acts are set for bright futures. Main support Following Foxes already have their eyes set on stadium stages, while Martha Paton is going to prove a dream come true for some lucky publishing house. And judging from her professional and well poised live set – not to mention this EP – Hannah Dorman is going to be right up there alongside them. Read more…
Tunes like this make me proud to live in Guildford. Read more…
I’ve said this many times before, I’ll tell anyone who’ll listen, and I’ll say it again: The Boileroom is my favourite independent live music venue. The same statements apply to this sentence too: Genrebomb know how to put on a show. Read more…
Monroze