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…
Hailing from the edge of Cornwall and pissed off beyond reason, Patrons have set out to shatter skulls with their upcoming EP The Momentary Effects of Sunlight – and in that mission, they will absolutely succeed. Comprising four tracks of harsh and raw post-hardcore, The Momentary Effects of Sunlight is an absolutely essential set to add to your collection if you like your music made of 100% pure catharsis, with just enough light/shade contrast to prevent it all from becoming overwhelming. 
Over 22 years since its release – and more than half a decade since Killing in the Name famously wiped the floor with X Factor pop puppet Joe McElderry – Rage Against The Machine’s ten-track debut remains as fierce and stirring as ever. This album is one of my very first musical loves – and it continues to be a regular soundtrack to my daily goings-on even in the face of the innumerable songs I’ve given time to while running TMMP.
A message for punk-loving guys suffering from the January (and/or pre-Valentine’s-Day) blues: If 
Punchy and poignant punk-pop songs painted in primary colours on a pitch-black background. That’s a lot of alliteration – but it’s also an accurate way of summarising Bowling For Soup’s considerable back catalogue.
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. 
Beyond the fuzzy opening grind of They Should Have Warned Us Years Ago, For Astronauts And Satellites’ new mini-opus drops straight into the Yellow-Magic-Orchestra-go-post-rock sublimity of title track A Homing Light.